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.     

Survival and Outcomes of Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients Stratified by Transplant Status 2007-2018: Retrospective Analysis from the Canadian Myeloma Research Group Database

BackgroundConsiderable progress has been made in therapeutic options for multiple myeloma (MM). Understanding the current landscape of MM treatment options and associated outcomes in the real world is important in providing key insights into clinical and knowledge gaps which could be targeted for further optimization.MethodsThe Canadian Myeloma Research Group Database (CMRG-DB) is a prospectively maintained disease-specific database with >7000 patients. The objective of this study was to describe the trends in the treatment landscape and outcomes including early mortality, time to next treatment, and overall survival (OS) in each line of treatment stratified by autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) receipt among newly-diagnosed MM patients in Canada between 2007 and 2018.ResultsA total of 5154 patients were identified among which 3030 patients (58.8%) received an upfront ASCT and 2124 (41.2%) did not. At diagnosis, the median age was 64 years and 58.6% were males. Bortezomib and lenalidomide were most frequently used (>50%) in first and second-line treatment respectively among both the ASCT and non-ASCT cohort. The median OS was 122.0 months (95% Cl 115.0-135.0 months) and 54.3 months (95% CI 50.8-58.8 months) for the ASCT and non-ASCT cohort respectively with an incremental decrease in OS in each subsequent line of treatment.ConclusionWe present the largest study to date in the Canadian landscape showing the characteristics, therapy usage, and outcomes among MM patients. This information will be critical in benchmarking current outcomes and provide key insight into areas of unmet needs and gaps for improvement of MM patients nationally.     

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。     

Epithelial STAT6 O-GlcNAcylation drives a concerted anti-helminth alarmin response dependent on tuft cell hyperplasia and Gasdermin C

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The retrospective study for effectiveness of cervical cerclage in preventing recurrent preterm birth

ObjectiveThis study aimed to clarify the effectiveness of cervical cerclage in preventing recurrent preterm births.Materials and methodsA retrospective study was conducted using the perinatal registration database of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology for the Perinatal Center from 2014 to 2016. The efficacies of history-indicated, ultrasound-indicated, and physical examination-indicated cerclage as preventive treatments for women with a history of preterm birth were evaluated by comparing cerclage and non-cerclage cases. Fisher's exact test was performed to evaluate any significant differences in patient backgrounds. Prior to the evaluation, propensity score matching was performed for history-indicated and ultrasound-indicated cerclage patients.ResultsFor this study, 6060 multiparous women with a history of preterm birth were reviewed. After excluding 17 patients with unknown indications for cervical cerclage, 6043 patients were included in the study. History-indicated and ultrasound-indicated cerclage did not reduce the risk of preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies for any of the pregnancy periods (p = 0.413, p = 1.000). In contrast, physical examination-indicated cerclage significantly reduced the risk of subsequent preterm births for all pregnancy periods (p < 0.001).ConclusionSubsequent preterm births were effectively prevented only in physical examination-indicated cerclage cases. For history- or ultrasound-indicated cerclage, statistically significant differences in subsequent preterm births were not evident.     

The effect of hypoxia on photodynamic therapy with 5-aminolevulinic acid in malignant gliomas

BackgroundGlioblastoma (GBM) is a high-grade, poor prognosis tumor that is resistant to standard treatment. The presence of a small number of glioma stem cells (GSCs) surviving in the harsh microenvironment is responsible for their refractoriness. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a hypoxic environment on the sensitivity of GSCs to photodynamic therapy with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-PDT).Materials and methodsSix human GSC lines, Mesenchymal types HGG13, HGG30, HGG1123, and Proneural types HGG146, HGG157, HGG528, were divided into two groups: normoxia (O₂ 21%)-cultured cells (Normoxia-GSCs), and hypoxia (O₂ 5%)-cultured cells (Hypoxia-GSCs). To compare the effects of different oxygen partial pressures on photoporphyrin Ⅸ (PpⅨ) biosynthetic activity, PpⅨ biosynthetic enzyme and transporter expression levels were examined by qRT-PCR; the intracellular PpⅨ concentration was determined using flow cytometry. Additionally, the sensitivity of these two groups of cells to ALA-PDT was evaluated in vitro.ResultsHypoxia-GSCs showed higher mRNA levels of FECH (ferrochelatase), which is required for iron synthesis to convert PpⅨ to heme, compared with Normoxia-GSCs. Flow cytometry revealed that the accumulation of PpⅨ in Hypoxia-GSCs reduced upon incubation with ALA. However, Hypoxia-GSCs showed less reduction in sensitivity to ALA-PDT than Normoxia-GSCs.ConclusionHypoxia-GSCs had lower intracellular PpⅨ accumulation than Normoxia-GSCs due to increased gene expression of FECH, and that their sensitivity to ALA-PDT was reduced less, despite accumulating lower concentrations of PpⅨ. ALA-PDT is a potentially effective therapy for hypoxia-tolerant GSCs that exist in hypoxia at 5% oxygen concentration.     

Articular degeneration after subchondral cementation for giant cell tumors at the knee

PurposeTo quantify joint degeneration and the clinical outcome after curettage and cementation in subchondral giant cell tumors of the bone (GCTB) at the knee.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 14 consecutive patients (seven female, seven male) with a mean age of 34 years (range 19–51) who underwent curettage and subchondral cementation for a biopsy-confirmed GCTB at the distal femur or the proximal tibia between August 2001 and August 2017, with a mean follow-up period of 54.6 months (range 16.1–156 months). The Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS), Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification, and Musculo-Skeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score were assessed.ResultsRadiological degeneration progressed from preoperative to the latest follow-up, with a median WORMS from 2.0 to 4.0 (p = 0.006); meanwhile, the median KL score remained at 0 (p = 0.102). Progressive degeneration (WORMS) tended to be associated with the proximity of the tumor to the articular cartilage (mean 1.57 mm; range 0–12 mm) (p = 0.085). The most common degenerative findings were cartilage lesions (n = 11), synovitis (n = 5), and osteophytes (n = 4). Mean MSTS score increased from 23.1 (preoperatively) to 28.3 at the latest follow-up (p < 0.01).Seven patients (50%) were treated for a local recurrence, with six revision surgeries performed. Removal of the cement spacer and filling of the cavity with a cancellous autograft was performed in seven patients. Conversion to a total knee arthroplasty was performed in one patient for local tumor control.ConclusionsCementation following the curettage of GCTB around the knee is associated with slight degeneration at medium-term follow-up and leads to a significant reduction in pain. Removal of the cement and reconstruction with an autograft may be beneficial in the long term.