Comment on “Outcomes of curative liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis”

The present letter to the editor is in response to the research “Outcomes of curative liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis” by Elshaarawy et al in World J Gastroenterol 2021; 13(5): 424–439. The preoperative assessment of the liver reserve function in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with cirrhosis is crucial, and there is no universal consensus on how to assess it. Based on a retrospective study, Elshaarawy et al investigated the impact of various classical clinical indicators on liver failure and the prognosis after hepatectomy in HCC patients with cirrhosis. We recommend that we should strive to explore new appraisal indicators, such as the indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min.     

Transhiatal lower mediastinal lymph node dissection for esophagogastric junction carcinoma by interconnecting four body cavities

BackgroundDue to the limited number of landmark structures, it is difficult to standardize the surgical procedures for advanced esophagogastric junction cancer such as Ivor Lewis esophagectomy that require transhiatal lower mediastinal lymph node dissection (TH-LMND). We demonstrate an easily reproducible procedure for TH-LMND, wherein four body cavities, namely, the abdominal cavity, infracardiac bursa (ICB), and left and right thoracic cavities are interconnected.MethodsFirst, the dissection between the right crus and the esophagus was used to connect the abdominal cavity to the ICB — a lower mediastinal cavity separated from the omental bursa during embryonic development [1,2]. Second, the right thoracic cavity was opened with the shortest distance by dissecting the cranial side of the ICB. The right pulmonary ligament was dissected from the right lung. Third, the dissection to the contralateral side while exposing the aorta and the pericardium connected the left and right thoracic cavities. Then, the left pulmonary ligament was dissected from the left lung. The dissected tissues, including the lymph nodes, were subsequently peeled from the esophagus.ResultsBetween April 2018 and August 2021, 14 patients underwent laparoscopic or robotic TH-LMND via the procedure above. The median time required to complete the dissection was 75 min. None of the procedures were converted to open surgery, and none of the patients experienced intraoperative complications such as pericardial injury, lung injury, or massive bleeding.ConclusionThe surgical concept of interconnecting four body cavities made the procedure more accessible and reproducible while achieving en bloc TH-LMND.     

血清和尿液中外泌体miRNAs的表达水平对肾细胞癌的诊断价值

目的:研究血清和尿液中外泌体miRNAs的表达水平对肾细胞癌(RCC)的诊断价值。方法:选择本院2018年11月至2020年08月诊治的68例RCC患者（RCC组）进行前瞻性分析，并将RCC患者根据临床分期进行分组，以本院同期收治的60例肾脏良性病变患者作为对照组。检测患者血清和尿液中外泌体miRNAs相对表达量，分析血清和尿液中外泌体miRNAs在肾细胞癌中的诊断价值。结果:RCC组患者血清、尿液中miR-210、miR-21、miR-153、miR-1233和miR-221表达量均明显高于对照组，miR-34a表达量均明显低于对照组（P＜0.05）；血清中ROC曲线显示AUC最大的为miR-221，其诊断敏感度为79.40%，特异度为95.00%；尿液中最大的为miR-34a，其敏感度为85.30%，特异度为88.30%；不同临床分期RCC患者的血清miR-210、miR-153表达量以及尿液miR-153表达量无显著差异（P＞0.05），但血清和尿液中的miR-21、miR-34a、miR-1233、miR-221表达量以及尿液miR-210表达量在不同分期RCC患者中存在显著差异（P＜0.05）；血清中，miR-210、miR-153与临床分期无相关性（P＞0.05），miR-21、miR-1233、miR-221与临床分期呈正相关，miR-34a与临床分期呈负相关（P＜0.05）；尿液中，miR-210、miR-153与临床分期无相关性（P＞0.05），miR-21、miR-1233、miR-221与临床分期呈正相关，miR-34a与临床分期呈负相关（P＜0.05）。结论:RCC患者血清、尿液外泌体miR-210、miR-21、miR-34a、miR-153、miR-1233和miR-221表达量较良性肾脏病变患者存在显著差异，同时miR-21、miR-34a、miR-1233、miR-221表达量均与RCC患者病理分期存在显著相关性，可为疾病进展评估提供参考。     

Successful treatment of linezolid-induced severe lactic acidosis with continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration: A case report

Linezolid is an oxazolidinone antibiotic. Linezolid-associated lactic acidosis has been reported in 6.8% of linezolid-treated patients. Lactic acidosis is associated with poor clinical outcomes, with high blood lactate levels resulting in organ dysfunction and mortality. This case report describes the development of lactic acidosis in a 64-year-old Chinese woman who had received 33 days of treatment with antituberculosis drugs and 28 days of treatment with oral linezolid for tuberculous meningitis. Severe lactic acidosis was reversed by withdrawing antituberculosis drugs and using continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVH). When the patient's condition was stable, she was transferred to the infectious disease department, and antituberculosis drugs, with the exception of linezolid, were reintroduced. This did not result in recurrence of lactic acidosis. The causal relationship between lactic acidosis and linezolid was categorized as ‘probable’ on the Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale. This case demonstrates that CVVH has potential as an alternative to discontinuation of linezolid alone for rapid reversal of linezolid-associated severe lactic acidosis.     

Ochratoxin A induced differentiation nephrotoxicity in renal tubule and glomeruli via autophagy differential regulation

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that mainly causes nephrotoxicity. The single nephrotoxicity of OTA exposure on glomeruli or renal tubule had been well documented, however, the comparison toxicity between it is still unclear. Here, C57BL/6 mice and two types of nephrocyte were treated with concentration-gradient OTA to explore its differentiation nephrotoxicity. Results showed that OTA induced nephrotoxicity in vivo and in vitro, manifested as the deteriorative kidney function in mice and the cut-down cell viability in nephrocyte. Besides, results of murine kidney pathological section and IC₅₀ of two types nephrocyte indicated that OTA-induced toxicity in renal tubule was higher than its in glomeruli. In addition, OTA exposure induced autophagy signaling differentiation expression. It revealed that autophagy was implicated in OTA-induced differential nephrotoxicity in glomeruli and renal tubule. Altogether, we proved that OTA induces a differentiation nephrotoxicity in glomeruli and renal tubule, and it is related to autophagy differential regulation.     

Primary and recurrent regional metastases for lateralized oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

ObjectivesMap regional lymph node metastases for lateralized oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) and evaluate factors associated with regional metastases and recurrence.Materials and methodsRetrospective cohort study of 715 patients with lateralized OCSCC surgically treated in 1997–2011. Analysis was performed using log-rank, Kaplan-Meier, and multivariable logistic and Cox regression.ResultsRegional metastases were identified in ipsilateral levels IIA (24%), IB (18%), III (13%), V (9%), IV (7%), IA (2%) and IIB (1%) and the contralateral neck (3%). Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) (Hazard Ratio [HR] 2.2, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.2–3.9) and T category (T3 vs. T1: HR 4.1, 95% CI 1.9–9.3; T4 vs. T1: HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2–4.3) were associated with regional metastases. Most (71%) isolated regional metastatic recurrences were in undissected levels of the neck, including 58% in levels IV and V. Tumors of the hard palate (HR 4.3, 95% CI 1.2–16.1), upper alveolus (HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.0–4.7) or with LVI (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0–3.9) were associated with isolated regional recurrence. For upper alveolar/hard palate tumors, depth of invasion (DOI) ≥4 mm (P = .003) and LVI (P = .04) were associated with regional metastases.ConclusionsFor lateralized OCSCC, elective neck dissection of level IIB or the contralateral neck may rarely be needed, but additional surgical or radiation treatment of levels IV and V may be considered based on patient risk factors, including T category 3–4 or LVI. For upper alveolar/hard palate tumors, DOI ≥4 mm is an appropriate threshold for elective neck dissection.