Objective To compare the long-term survival of elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with surgical versus non-surgical treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of elderly patients aged ≥70 years with ESCC who underwent esophagectomy or radiotherapy/chemotherapy at Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2009 to September 2017. Patients were divided into a surgical group (S group) and a non-surgical group (NS group) according to the treatment method. The propensity score matching method was used to match the two groups of patients at a ratio of 1∶1, and the survival of the two groups before and after matching was analyzed. Results A total of 726 elderly patients with ESCC were included, including 552 males and 174 females, with 651 patients aged ≥70-80 years and 75 patients aged ≥80-90 years. There were 515 patients in the S group and 211 patients in the NS group. The median follow-up time was 60.8 months, and the median overall survival of the S group was 41.9 months [95%CI (35.2, 48.5)], while that of the NS group was only 24.0 months [95%CI (19.8, 28.3)]. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of the S group were 84%, 54%, and 40%, respectively, while those of the NS group were 72%, 40%, and 30%, respectively [HR=0.689, 95%CI (0.559, 0.849), P<0.001]. After matching, 138 patients were included in each group, and there was no statistical difference in the overall survival between the two groups [HR=0.871, 95%CI (0.649, 1.167), P=0.352]. Conclusion Compared with conservative treatment, there is no significant difference in the long-term survival of elderly patients aged ≥70 years who undergo esophagectomy for ESCC. Neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery is still an important choice to potentially improve the survival of elderly patients with ESCC.

Objective:To investigate the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with esophageal cancer (EC).Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 8 458 EC patients who were admitted to Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021 were collected. There were 6 923 males and 1 535 females, aged (64±9)years. There were 3 187 patients undergoing surgical treatment, and 5 271 cases undergoing non-surgical treatment. Observation indicators: (1) incidence of VTE in EC patients; (2) treatment and outcomes of patients with VTE. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was analyzed using the nonparameter rank sum test. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed using the nonparameter rank sum test. Results:(1) Incidence of VTE in EC patients. Of 8 458 EC patients, 175 cases developed VTE, with an incidence rate of 2.069%(175/8 458). Among 175 VTE patients, there were 164 cases of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), 4 cases of pulmonary embolism (PE), 7 cases of DVT and PE. There were 59 surgical patients and 116 non-surgical patients. There was no significant difference in thrombus type between surgical and non-surgical EC patients with VTE ( χ2=1.95, P>0.05). Of 3 187 surgical patients, the incidence of VTE was 1.851%(59/3 187), including an incidence of 0.157%(5/3 187) of PE. PE accounted for 8.475%(5/59) of surgical patients with VTE. Of 5 271 non-surgical patients, the incidence of VTE was 2.201%(116/5 271), including an incidence of 0.114%(6/5 271) of PE. PE accounted for 5.172%(6/116) of non-surgical patients with VTE. There was no significant difference in the incidence of VTE or PE between surgical patients and non-surgical patients ( χ2=1.20, 0.05, P>0.05). (2) Treatment and outcomes of patients with VTE. Among 175 EC patients with VTE, 163 cases underwent drug treatment, and 12 cases did not receive treatment. Among 163 cases with drug therapy, 158 cases underwent anticoagulant therapy, 5 cases were treated with thrombolysis. All the 163 patients were improved and discharged from hospital. Conclusions:The incidence of VTE in patients with EC is relatively low, as 2.069%. There is no significant difference in the incidence of VTE or thrombus type between surgical EC patients and non-surgical EC patients.

Anastomotic leakage is one of the most severe complications following esophagectomy.Research on predictive factors is crucial for its prevention.Blood markers such as C-reactive protein,white blood cell count,procalcitonin,and albumin levels are widely used due to their accessibility,but they have limitations in distinguishing anastomotic leakage from other postoperative infections.The assessment of blood supply to the anastomotic site,including factors like vessel length and diameter,is also readily obtainable and valuable in predictive models,though there is limited research in this area.The use of indocyanine green offers a more direct evaluation of blood supply,but its application is not widespread,and data acquisition is challenging.Preoperative comorbidities such as diabetes have been shown to delay wound healing and increase the risk of leakage;thus,it is recommended to include these factors in comprehensive studies.Although surgical techniques and the location of the anastomosis have been extensively studied,further exploration of these details is necessary.Researchers should integrate these factors to develop multifactorial predictive models,enabling the identification of high-risk patients preoperatively and the implementation of effective preventive measures to reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage.

Two male patients (75 years and 51 years, respectively) suffered infection of novel coronavirus after minimally invasive surgery for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Sichuan Cancer Hospital since December 2022. Both patients developed severe hypoxemia after surgery, and were treated with advanced oxygen therapy, antiviral therapy, hormone shock therapy, antibiotic anti-infection and nutritional support. The two patients stayed in the intensive care unit for 6 days and 8 days respectively. They were transferred to the general ward for symptomatic treatment and were discharged successfully. Both patients required low-flow oxygen maintenance after discharge. On the 20th day of follow-up after discharge, patient 1 still needed low-flow oxygen, his oxygen saturation could be maintained above 97%, but intermittent deoxygenation could be performed for half an hour. Patient 2 was in good condition on 35 days after discharge.

Objective:To investigate the surgical treatment and prognosis of thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 2 766 patients with thoracic ESCC who were admitted to Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute from January 2010 to December 2017 were collected. There were 2 256 males and 510 females, aged (62±8)years. All patients underwent surgical treatment. Observation indicators: (1) treatment; (2) postoperative complications; (3) postoperative survival. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3). Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curve and calculate survival rate, and the Log-Rank test was used for survival analysis. Result:(1) Treatment. Fifty-two of the 2 766 patients underwent neoadjuvant therapy. There were 1 444 patients undergoing open surgery, including 44 cases conversion to thoracotomy, and there were 1 322 patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy. There were 1 991, 729 and 46 cases with McKeown, Ivor-Lewis and Sweet esophagectomy, respectively. One thousand two hundred and seventy-one of the 2 766 patients underwent postoperative adjuvant therapy. The number of lymph node metastases, the number of lymph node dissected, rate of R 0 resection, operation time of 2 766 patients were 2.1(0,3.0), 22±12, 94.722%(2 620/2 766), (237±66)minutes. (2) Postoperative complications. The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 25.850%(715/2 766). The top two postoperative complications were pneumonia and anastomotic fistula, with incidence rates of 8.604%(238/2766) and 7.484%(207/2766), respectively. One patient may have more than two kinds of postoperative complications. (3) Postoperative survival. The 1-, 3-and 5-year overall survival rates of 2 766 patients were 86.2%, 57.5% and 46.8%, respectively. Further analysis indicated that the 5-year overall survival rates of 510 female patients and 2 256 male patients were 62.0% and 43.3%, respectively, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=48.94, P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 693 cases with upper thoracic ESCC, 1 479 cases with middle thoracic ESCC and 594 cases with lower thoracic ESCC were 49.5%, 46.7% and 44.1%, respectively, showing no significant difference among them ( χ2=3.21, P>0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 68 cases with stage 0 thoracic ESCC, 259 cases with stage Ⅰ esophageal ESCC, 885 cases with stage Ⅱ thoracic ESCC, 1 222 cases with stage Ⅲ thoracic ESCC, and 332 cases with stage Ⅳ thoracic ESCC were 95.6%, 76.4%, 61.4%, 35.6%, and 14.5%, respectively, showing a significant difference among them ( χ2=500.40, P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 1 444 patients undergoing open esophagectomy and 1 322 patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy were 42.5% and 51.8%, respectively, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=31.29, P<0.05). The 5-year overall survival rates of 1 991 cases undergoing McKeown esophagectomy, 729 cases undergoing Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy, and 46 cases undergoing Sweet esophagectomy were 49.5%, 41.2%, and 32.3%, respectively, showing a significant difference among them ( χ2=19.19, P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with open esophagectomy, minimally invasive esophagectomy brings survival benefits to patients with thoracic esophageal ESCC. Among different esophagectomy methods, the McKeown esophagectomy has also brought survival benefits to patients with esophageal ESCC compared to the Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy and the Sweet esophagectomy.

Esophageal cancer surgery originated in the early 20^th century. However, the true meaning of trans-thoracic esophagectomy and digestive tract reconstruction began in the 1930s. Almost at the same time, Japan and Western countries began the surgical exploration of esophageal cancer. Based on the pathological type of esophageal cancer in Asia, squamous cell carcinoma is the majority, and its biological characteristics and treatment strategies are different from those of European and American patients. After more than eighty years of development, the surgical treatment of esophageal cancer in Japan has been developed from the initial attempt, deep cultivation practice to the pursuit of excellence, and explored a set of more advanced surgical techniques and diagnostic strategies, which is unique in the world. On the basis of the establishment of the Japanese Society of Esophagus, Japanese scholars have developed and irregularly updated the Japanese Classification of Esophageal Cancer and published the professional academic journal Esophagus. The Japanese Clinical Oncology Group organized a number of phase Ⅲ clinical studies on esophageal cancer, providing strong evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal squamous carcinoma. Focused on the origin, development, current situation and future of esophageal cancer surgery in Japan, this paper summarized the development of esophageal cancer surgery in Japan through literature review, interviews with senior experts and Hot topics of esophageal cancer surgery-questionnaire survey of Japanese experts.

Objective    To analyze the symptom characteristics and influencing factors in order to provide reference for symptom management of patients with esophageal cancer after operation. Methods    A total of 216 esophageal cancer patients, including 180 males and 36 females with an average age of 63.7±8.3 years, who underwent surgical operation in our hospital from March to October 2018 were recruited and investigated with self-designed symptom questionnaire at 1 month after surgery. Results    The top five symptoms were acid reflux (48.6%), cough (42.6%), dysphagia (40.7%), hoarseness (12.0%), and diarrhea (11.6%). Women were more prone to acid reflux (OR=2.053), fatigue (OR=1.932), chest pain (OR=3.681), sleep disturbance (OR=2.419), abdominal pain (OR=3.882), nausea (OR=3.014) and vomiting (OR=2.505). Patients over 60 years were more prone to dysphagia (OR=2.274). Patients with lower thoracic esophageal cancer had a higher incidence of dysphagia compared with patients with carcinoma of esophagogastric junction (OR=0.326). Patients who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy were more likely to suffer acid reflux (OR=1.594). Open surgery (OR=3.681) and neoadjuvant radiotherapy (OR=2.495) were the risk factors of chest pain. Conclusion    There are many symptoms in patients with esophageal cancer after operation, and the occurrence of symptoms is closely related to gender, age, tumor location, surgical procedure and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Early and mid-stage esophageal cancer can achieve a particular effect through surgeries or comprehensive treatment based on surgery. Once the esophageal cancer progresses to the advanced stage, it is still lack of effective remedy for the disease, and the patient's prognosis is poor. Immunotherapy has developed rapidly in recent years, bringing dawn to patients with advanced esophageal cancer. On July 31, 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved KEYTRUDA (Merck) for the treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and it became the first milestone drug for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In the paper, we will review the progress of immunotherapy in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer on the basis of current clinical researches, which might provide ideas for further studies in the immunotherapy for esophageal cancer.

The epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint inhibitors were landmarks in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the regulation mechanisms of PD-L1 expression were not fully clear in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations. Multiple signaling pathways may be involved in the tumorigenesis regulation. This paper summarized and reviewed the potential EGFR mutations impacting on PD-L1 expression with aims to the development of strategies on immunochemical therapy for NSCLC.
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Adenocarcinoma of Lung ; genetics ; pathology ; B7-H1 Antigen ; metabolism ; ErbB Receptors ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Mutation ; Signal Transduction ; genetics

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), one of the most common kidney cancers, has a poor prognosis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a hallmark of carcinoma invasion and metastasis. Several studies have examined the molecular regulation of EMT, but the relationship between histone demethylases and EMT is little understood. In this study, we investigated the role of retinoblastoma-binding protein-2 (RBP2), a histone demethylase that is highly expressed in RCC and is positively correlated with poor RCC prognosis in the regulation of EMT. We found that ectopic overexpression of RBP2 can induce cancer stem cell-like (CSC) phenotypes through EMT in RCC cells by converting them to a more mesenchymal phenotype. This results in increased resistance to apoptosis, which leads to enhanced tumor growth in xenograft models. Together, our data show that RBP2 is an epigenetic regulator that has an important role in the initiation of CSC phenotypes through EMT, leading to tumor progression. RBP2 is also a novel biomolecule for RCC diagnosis, and prognosis and may be a therapeutic target.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Epigenomics ; Heterografts ; Histone Demethylases ; Histones ; Kidney Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Phenotype ; Prognosis