Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Research of Cancer".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 27720

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
2. Department of Medical Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Center, Calgary, AB T2N 4N2, Canada
Interests: prognostic and predictive biomarkers; novel therapeutic intervention through genomic and transcriptome sequencing; clinical, translational research, and clinical trials (breast/sarcoma)

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy consists of a variety of distinct common, rare, as well as ultra-rare cancers arising from various parts of the gastrointestinal tract. In the last 5 years, significant advances have been made in the clinical management of various types of GI malignancy in both the therapeutic and surveillance realm due to the unprecedented successful integration of basic, translational, and clinical research. Highlights include immunotherapy and its combination with various agents, such as chemotherapy, VEGFR inhibitors, and multitargeted TKIs in a variety of both microsatellite unstable and stable GI malignancies; molecularly targeted therapies such as BRAF inhibitors in combination with EGFR inhibitors in colon cancer carrying a specific alteration of BRAF V600E mutation, FGFR and IDH1 inhibitors in cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR alterations and IDH1 mutations, respectively, and PARP inhibitors in BRCA-mutated pancreatic cancer; and circulating cell free DNA in surveillance of resected stage II to III colon cancer with a potential to guide adjuvant treatment in the near future. However, there are many unanswered questions in the clinical management of GI malignancy in real-world practice. Moreover, ways to tackle rare and especially ultra-rare GI malignancies are an unmet need due to the well-recognized difficulty of studying in a prospective randomized fashion, which means that further research efforts are required to help to guide appropriate clinical management in these rare and ultra-rare entities.

In this Special Issue of Cancers, experts in this field will showcase their new research articles and timely reviews on various aspects of GI malignancies with a focus on clinical management.

Dr. Xiaolan Feng
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • gastrointestinal malignancy
  • surveillance
  • immunotherapy
  • targeted therapy
  • real-world practice
  • rare/ultra-rare GI malignancy

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2166 KiB  
Article
Novel Prediction Score for Arterial–Esophageal Fistula in Patients with Esophageal Cancer Bleeding: A Multicenter Study
by Sz-Wei Lu, Kuang-Yu Niu, Chu-Pin Pai, Shih-Hua Lin, Chen-Bin Chen, Yu-Tai Lo, Yi-Chih Lee, Chen-June Seak and Chieh-Ching Yen
Cancers 2024, 16(4), 804; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16040804 - 16 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1326
Abstract
Purpose: To develop and internally validate a novel prediction score to predict the occurrence of arterial–esophageal fistula (AEF) in esophageal cancer bleeding. Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with esophageal cancer bleeding in the emergency department. The primary outcome was the diagnosis [...] Read more.
Purpose: To develop and internally validate a novel prediction score to predict the occurrence of arterial–esophageal fistula (AEF) in esophageal cancer bleeding. Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with esophageal cancer bleeding in the emergency department. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of AEF. The patients were randomly divided into a derivation group and a validation group. In the derivation stage, a predictive model was developed using logistic regression analysis. Subsequently, internal validation of the model was conducted in the validation cohort during the validation stage to assess its discrimination ability. Results: A total of 257 patients were enrolled in this study. All participants were randomized to a derivation cohort (n = 155) and a validation cohort (n = 102). AEF occurred in 22 patients (14.2%) in the derivation group and 14 patients (13.7%) in the validation group. A predictive model (HEARTS-Score) comprising five variables (hematemesis, active bleeding, serum creatinine level >1.2 mg/dL, prothrombin time >13 s, and previous stent implantation) was established. The HEARTS-Score demonstrated a high discriminative ability in both the derivation and validation cohorts, with c-statistics of 0.90 (95% CI 0.82–0.98) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.72–0.92), respectively. Conclusions: By employing this novel prediction score, clinicians can make more objective risk assessments, optimizing diagnostic strategies and tailoring treatment approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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12 pages, 2168 KiB  
Article
Cost-Effectiveness of Surveillance after Metastasectomy of Stage IV Colorectal Cancer
by Philip Q. Ding, Flora Au, Winson Y. Cheung, Steven J. Heitman and Richard Lee-Ying
Cancers 2023, 15(16), 4121; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15164121 - 16 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1105
Abstract
Surveillance of stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) after curative-intent metastasectomy can be effective for detecting asymptomatic recurrence. Guidelines for various forms of surveillance exist but are supported by limited evidence. We aimed to determine the most cost-effective strategy for surveillance following curative-intent metastasectomy [...] Read more.
Surveillance of stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) after curative-intent metastasectomy can be effective for detecting asymptomatic recurrence. Guidelines for various forms of surveillance exist but are supported by limited evidence. We aimed to determine the most cost-effective strategy for surveillance following curative-intent metastasectomy of stage IV CRC. We performed a decision analysis to compare four active surveillance strategies involving clinic visits and investigations elicited from National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommendations. Markov model inputs included data from a population-based cohort and literature-derived costs, utilities, and probabilities. The primary outcomes were costs (2021 Canadian dollars) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. Over a 10-year base-case time horizon, surveillance with follow-ups every 12 months for 5 years was most economically favourable at a willingness-to-pay threshold of CAD 50,000 per QALY. These patterns were generally robust in the sensitivity analysis. A more intensive surveillance strategy was only favourable with a much higher willingness-to-pay threshold of approximately CAD 425,000 per QALY, with follow-ups every 3 months for 2 years then every 12 months for 3 additional years. Our findings are consistent with NCCN guidelines and justify the need for additional research to determine the impact of surveillance on CRC outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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10 pages, 680 KiB  
Article
Synchronous Head and Neck Cancer and Superficial Esophageal Squamous Cell Neoplasm: Endoscopic Treatment or No Treatment for the Superficial Esophageal Neoplasm
by Chung-Wei Liu, Bo-Huan Chen, Chi-Ju Yeh, Cheng-Han Lee, Puo-Hsien Le, Yung-Kuan Tsou and Cheng-Tang Chiu
Cancers 2023, 15(4), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15041079 - 8 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1657
Abstract
There are no studies on treating synchronous head and neck cancer (HNC) and superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasm (SESCN). We aimed to report the outcomes of endoscopic resection (ER) and no treatment (NT) of SESCN in patients with synchronous HNC and SESCN (SHNSESCN). [...] Read more.
There are no studies on treating synchronous head and neck cancer (HNC) and superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasm (SESCN). We aimed to report the outcomes of endoscopic resection (ER) and no treatment (NT) of SESCN in patients with synchronous HNC and SESCN (SHNSESCN). This retrospective study included 47 patients with SHNSESCN. Treatment for SESCN was ER (n = 30) or NT (n = 17). The ER group had significantly lower Charlson comorbidity index scores and a higher proportion of Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) scores ≤1. The location and stage of the two tumors did not differ significantly between the groups. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rates of the ER group were significantly better than those in the NT group. Treatment-related morbidity and mortality were not significantly different between the two groups. In the subgroup analysis of synchronous advanced HNC and SESCN, ER for SESCN also had a higher OS rate. Multivariate analysis showed that ECOG PS score and HNC disease progression were the two independent indicators of OS. In conclusion, treatment of SESCN with ER is the recommended approach for patients with SHNSESCN, but further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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12 pages, 2320 KiB  
Article
Efficacy of Organ Preservation Strategy by Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy after Non-Curative Endoscopic Resection for Superficial SCC: A Multicenter Western Study
by Arthur Berger, Guillaume Perrod, Mathieu Pioche, Maximilien Barret, Elodie Cesbron-Métivier, Vincent Lépilliez, Marianne Hupé, Enrique Perez-Cuadrado-Robles, Franck Cholet, Augustin Daubigny, Charles Texier, Einas Abou Ali, Edouard Chabrun, Jérémie Jacques, Timothee Wallenhorst, Jean Baptiste Chevaux, Marion Schaefer, Christophe Cellier and Gabriel Rahmi
Cancers 2023, 15(3), 590; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15030590 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1816
Abstract
Background. In case of high risk of lymph node invasion after endoscopic resection (ER) of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) can be an alternative to surgery. We assessed long-term clinical outcomes of adjuvant therapy by CRT after non-curative ER [...] Read more.
Background. In case of high risk of lymph node invasion after endoscopic resection (ER) of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) can be an alternative to surgery. We assessed long-term clinical outcomes of adjuvant therapy by CRT after non-curative ER for superficial SCC. Methods. We performed a retrospective multicenter study. From April 1999 to April 2018, all consecutive patients who underwent ER for SCC with tumor infiltration beyond the muscularis mucosae were included. Results. A total of 137 ER were analyzed. The overall nodal or metastatic recurrence-free survival rate at 5 years was 88% and specific recurrence-free survival rates at 5 years with and without adjuvant therapy were, respectively, 97.9% and 79.1% (p = 0.011). Independent factors for nodal and/or distal metastatic recurrence were age (HR = 1.075, p = 0.031), Sm infiltration depth > 200 µm (HR = 4.129, p = 0.040), and the absence of adjuvant CRT or surgery (HR = 11.322, p = 0.029). Conclusion. In this study, adjuvant therapy is associated with a higher recurrence-free survival rate at 5 years after non-curative ER. This result suggests this approach may be considered as an alternative to surgery in selected patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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12 pages, 2812 KiB  
Article
The Clinical Benefit of Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage for Malignant Biliary Tract Obstruction
by Ivan Nikolić, Jelena Radić, Andrej Petreš, Aleksandar Djurić, Mladjan Protić, Jelena Litavski, Maja Popović, Ivana Kolarov-Bjelobrk, Saša Dragin and Lazar Popović
Cancers 2022, 14(19), 4673; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14194673 - 26 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2247
Abstract
Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) is a decompression procedure for malignant proximal biliary obstruction. In this research, over a six-year period, 89 patients underwent PTBD procedure for jaundice caused by malignant disease to restart chemotherapy or for palliative intent. Clinical outcomes after PTBD [...] Read more.
Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) is a decompression procedure for malignant proximal biliary obstruction. In this research, over a six-year period, 89 patients underwent PTBD procedure for jaundice caused by malignant disease to restart chemotherapy or for palliative intent. Clinical outcomes after PTBD procedure in the two groups of patients, according to the adequate bilirubin decline (ABD) needed for subsequent chemotherapy, are presented in this paper. Survival and logistic regression were plotted and compared using Kaplan–Meier survival multivariate analysis with a long-range test. Results were processed by MEDCALC software. In the series, 58.4% (52/89) of patients were in good performance status (ECOG 0/1), and PTBD was performed with the intention to (re)start chemotherapy. The normalization of the bilirubin level was seen in 23.0% (12/52), but only 15.4% (8/52) received chemotherapy. The median survival time after PTBD was 9 weeks. In patients with ABD that received chemotherapy, the median survival time was 64 weeks, with 30-day mortality of 27.7%, and 6.4% of death within 7 days. The best outcome was in patients with good performance status (ECOG 0–1), low bilirubin (<120 µmol/L) and LDH (<300 µmol/L) levels and elevated leukocytes at the time of the procedures. PTBD is considered in ABD patients who are candidates for chemotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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12 pages, 1104 KiB  
Article
Therapeutic Effect of Regional Chemotherapy in Diffuse Metastatic Cholangiocarcinoma
by Yogesh Vashist, Kornelia Aigner, Sabine Gailhofer and Karl R. Aigner
Cancers 2022, 14(15), 3701; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14153701 - 29 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2790
Abstract
Background: Current therapeutic options in diffuse metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) are limited with unsatisfactory results. We evaluated the efficacy of regional chemotherapy (RegCTx) using arterial infusion (AI), hypoxic stop-flow abdominal perfusion (HAP), upper abdominal perfusion (UAP) and isolated-thoracic perfusion (ITP) in 36 patients with [...] Read more.
Background: Current therapeutic options in diffuse metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCC) are limited with unsatisfactory results. We evaluated the efficacy of regional chemotherapy (RegCTx) using arterial infusion (AI), hypoxic stop-flow abdominal perfusion (HAP), upper abdominal perfusion (UAP) and isolated-thoracic perfusion (ITP) in 36 patients with metastatic perihilar and intrahepatic CCC. Methods: Ten patients had previously undergone a liver resection and in 14 patients the previous systemic chemotherapy (sCTx) approach had failed. A total of 189 RegCTx cycles (90 AI, 74 UAP, 13 HAP and 12 ITP) were applied using cisplatin alone or with Adriamycin and Mitomycin C. A minimum of three cycles were applied in 75% of the study population. The response was evaluated using RECIST criteria with MediasStat 28.5.14. Mortality, morbidity and survival analysis were performed using a prospective follow-up database and SPSS–28.0. Results: No procedure related mortality occurred. The overall morbidity was 56% and dominated by lymph fistulas at the inguinal access site. No grade III or IV haematological complication occurred. The overall response rate was 38% partial response, 41% stable and 21% progressive disease. Median overall survival was 23 months (95%CI 16.3–29.7). The RegCTx specific survival was 12 months (95%CI 6.5–17.5) in completely therapy naive patients but also in patients who had failed a sCTx attempt previously. Conclusion: RegCTx is feasible, safe and superior to the current proposed therapeutic options in metastatic CCC. The role of RegCTx should be determined in a larger cohort of diffuse metastatic CCC patients but also at early stages especially in initially not resectable but potentially resectable patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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13 pages, 1632 KiB  
Article
Signature and Prediction of Perigastric Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients with Gastric Cancer and Total Gastrectomy: Is Total Gastrectomy Always Necessary?
by Chun-Dong Zhang, Hiroharu Yamashita, Yasuhiro Okumura, Koichi Yagi, Susumu Aikou and Yasuyuki Seto
Cancers 2022, 14(14), 3409; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14143409 - 13 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 12510
Abstract
Background: A growing number of studies suggest that the current indications for partial gastrectomy, including proximal gastrectomy and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), may be expanded, but evidence is still lacking. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 300 patients with gastric cancer (GC) who underwent total gastrectomy. [...] Read more.
Background: A growing number of studies suggest that the current indications for partial gastrectomy, including proximal gastrectomy and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), may be expanded, but evidence is still lacking. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 300 patients with gastric cancer (GC) who underwent total gastrectomy. We analyzed the incidence of pLNMs in relation to tumor location, tumor size and T stage. We further identified predictive factors for perigastric lymph node metastasis (pLNM) in stations 1, 2, 3, 4sa, 4sb, 4d, 5, and 6. Results: No patients with upper-third T1–T2 stage GC had pLNMs in stations 4sa, 4sb, 4d, 5, or 6, but 3.8% of patients with stage T3 had 4d pLNM. No patients with upper-third GC < 4 cm in diameter had pLNMs in 2, 4sa, 4d, 5, or 6, and 2.3% of patients had pLNMs in 4sb. For middle-third GCs, 2.9% of patients with T1 stage had pLNMs in 4sa and 5, but no patients with T2 stage or tumors < 4 cm had pLNMs in 2, 4sa, or 5. The shortest distance from pylorus ring to distal edge of tumor (sDPD) was a new predictive factor for pLNMs in 2, 4d, 5, and 6. Conclusions: Proximal gastrectomy may be expanded to patients with stage T1–T2 GC and/or tumor diameter < 4 cm in the upper-third stomach, whereas PPG may be expanded to include T1–T2/N0 and/or tumors < 4 cm in the middle-third stomach. A new predictive factor, sDPD, showed good predictive performance for pLNMs, especially in stations 4d, 5, and 6. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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Review

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15 pages, 4360 KiB  
Review
Rectal Cancer after Prostate Radiation: A Complex and Controversial Disease
by Dana M. Omer, Hannah M. Thompson, Floris S. Verheij, Jonathan B. Yuval, Roni Rosen, Nathalie R. A. Beets, Anisha Luthra, Paul B. Romesser, Philip B. Paty, Julio Garcia-Aguilar and Francisco Sanchez-Vega
Cancers 2023, 15(8), 2214; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15082214 - 9 Apr 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3292
Abstract
A small proportion of rectal adenocarcinomas develop in patients many years after the treatment of a previous cancer using pelvic radiation, and the incidence of these rectal cancers depends on the length of follow-up from the end of radiotherapy. The risk of radiation-associated [...] Read more.
A small proportion of rectal adenocarcinomas develop in patients many years after the treatment of a previous cancer using pelvic radiation, and the incidence of these rectal cancers depends on the length of follow-up from the end of radiotherapy. The risk of radiation-associated rectal cancer (RARC) is higher in patients treated with prostate external beam radiotherapy than it is in patients treated with brachytherapy. The molecular features of RARC have not been fully investigated, and survival is lower compared to non-irradiated rectal cancer patients. Ultimately, it is unclear whether the worse outcomes are related to differences in patient characteristics, treatment-related factors, or tumor biology. Radiation is widely used in the management of rectal adenocarcinoma; however, pelvic re-irradiation of RARC is challenging and carries a higher risk of treatment complications. Although RARC can develop in patients treated for a variety of malignancies, it is most common in patients treated for prostate cancer. This study will review the incidence, molecular characteristics, clinical course, and treatment outcomes of rectal adenocarcinoma in patients previously treated with radiation for prostate cancer. For clarity, we will distinguish between rectal cancer not associated with prostate cancer (RCNAPC), rectal cancer in non-irradiated prostate cancer patients (RCNRPC), and rectal cancer in irradiated prostate cancer patients (RCRPC). RARC represents a unique but understudied subset of rectal cancer, and thus requires a more comprehensive investigation in order to improve its treatment and prognosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Oncology: Clinical Management)
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