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Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is a novel model for supplying blood to multiple tumors, including gastric cancer (GC), and is a potential target for its treatment. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a potential natural antitumor substance that inhibits the progression of tumors in many ways. The research aimed to evaluate the impact of DHA on VM formation and its mechanisms. The IC50 of DHA, DHA's effect on proliferation, invasion, and migration in GC cells and VM formation in both cell and animal models were determined through wound healing, MTT, EdU, colony formation, and Transwell assays. Genomics was employed to identify genes related to DHA inhibition of VM formation, and to analyze their relationship to VM formation. qRT‒PCR and western blot (WB) analysis were carried out to analyze the changes in protein and mRNA levels after DHA treatment and the changes in VM-associated protein biomarkers after blocking target gene-related pathways. The mechanism by which DHA inhibits VM in GC was elucidated in vivo. DHA reduced the invasion, proliferation, and migration of GC cells and inhibited VM in cells and in vivo. A total of 220 DEGs were identified in the DHA-treated HGC-27 cells. Among the 146 downregulated genes, fibroblast growth Factor 2 (FGF2) was most closely associated with angiogenesis and VM. The level of FGF2 in GC tissues with VM was markedly greater than in VM lacking tissues. Treatment with DHA or FGFR1 blockade suppressed VM formation and reduced VM-related biomarker proteins. DHA suppressed tumor progression and VM formation by reducing FGF2 in xenograft mouse models. Per our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of DHA on VM, providing a novel strategy for the treatment of GC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Peritoneal metastasis is one of the main causes of death in patients with gastric cancer (GC). Galectin-1 regulates various undesirable biological behaviors in GC and may be key in GC peritoneal metastasis., Methods: In this study, we elucidated the regulatory role of galectin-1 in GC cell peritoneal metastasis. GC and peritoneal tissues underwent hematoxylin-eosin (HE), immunohistochemical (IHC), and Masson trichrome staining to analyze the difference in galectin-1 expression and peritoneal collagen deposition in different GC clinical stages. The regulatory role of galectin-1 in GC cell adhesion to mesenchymal cells and in collagen expression was determined using HMrSV5 human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs). Collagen and corresponding mRNA expression were detected with western blotting and reverse transcription PCR, respectively. The promoting effect of galectin-1 on GC peritoneal metastasis was verified in vivo. Collagen deposition and collagen I, collagen III, and fibronectin 1 (FN1) expression in the peritoneum of the animal models were detected by Masson trichrome and IHC staining., Results: Galectin-1 and collagen deposition in the peritoneal tissues was correlated with GC clinical staging and were positively correlated. Galectin-1 enhanced the ability of GC cells to adhere to the HMrSV5 cells by promoting collagen I, collagen III, and FN1 expression. The in vivo experiments confirmed that galectin-1 promoted GC peritoneal metastasis by promoting peritoneal collagen deposition., Conclusion: Galectin-1-induced peritoneal fibrosis may create a favorable environment for GC cell peritoneal metastasis., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To explore the feasibility, safety and the economical efficiency of double-pouch anastomosis in laparoscopic radical rectal cancer assisted by small incisions., Methods: Clinical data of 224 patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery at Taizhou People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province from January 2011 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Indusion criteria: patients were diagnosed as primary rectal adenocarcinoma by preoperative enteroscopy pathology, the distance of the tumor to anal margin was from 4 to 15 cm, and patients were treated with laparoscopic total mesorectal excision(TME) through small incision. Patients were divided into two groups according to different anastomosis method, double-pouch group(108 cases) and single-pouch group (116 cases). The surgical indexes, tumor safety indexes, short-term efficacy and economic indexes were compared between the two groups., Results: There was no significant difference between two groups in baseline data, operative time, blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissection, average length of proximal and distal bowel, or incidence of urination and sexual dysfunction (all P>0.05). Compared with the single-pouch group, the double-pouch group presented lower anastomotic secondary bleeding rate [0.9%(1/108) vs. 6.0% (7/116), χ²=4.238, P=0.040], lower incidence of anastomotic leakage[1.9%(2/108) vs. 7.8%(9/116), χ²=4.179, P=0.041], lower incidence of anastomotic stricture [1.9% (2/108) vs. 8.6% (10/116), χ²=5.054, P=0.025], shorter hospital stay [(13.4±3.9) days vs. (15.9±9.8) days, t=2.524, P=0.013] and less average hospitalization costs [(34 000±7 000) yuan vs. (46 000±23 000) yuan, t=5.047,P<0.001]. There was no significant difference in local recurrence, distant metastasis or overall survival between the two groups during mean follow-up of 33 months (all P>0.05)., Conclusion: Laparoscopic TME assisted by small incision with double-pouch anastomosis is a safe, feasible and economical method.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, radicality and short-term outcome of preserving left colic artery (LCA) during laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) for the treatment of rectal cancer., Methods: From January 2013 to December 2016,136 patients with mid-lower rectal cancer received laparoscopic TME in the Gastrointestinal Surgery Department of Taizhou People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province. Patients with rectal tumor within 10 cm to the anal verge were enrolled into the study. All the enrolled patients had complete data of pathology and follow-up. Those receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, with severe base diseases, multifocal tumor, tumor invasion of surrounding tissues, fixation of tumor, recurrent tumor, complications such as acute ileus, bleeding, perforation were excluded. In this study, 72 patients did not undergo preservation of LCA (high ligation group) and 64 patients underwent preservation of LCA (low ligation group). Operative parameters, clinicopathological data and short-term outcome were collected and compared between two groups., Results: The baseline data including gender, age, body mass index, tumor stage, and distance of tumor from anal verge of two groups were comparable (P>0.05). The differences between two groups about the mean time of operation and the operative blood loss were not significant [(164.0±12.6) min vs. (167.3±9.4) min, (30.0±3.6) ml vs. (30.1±3.0) ml, all P>0.05]. There was no operative death in both groups. Differences in the lymph node dissection (13.7±2.6 vs. 13.3±2.1) and the specimen length of proximal resection margin [(16.4±1.9) cm vs. (16.7±2.1) cm] or distal resection margins [(3.9±0.6) cm vs. (4.1±0.9) cm] between high and low ligation groups were not significant (all P>0.05). Compared with high ligation group, the low ligation group had higher rate of sphincter preservation [92.2% (59/64) vs. 79.2% (57/72), χ 2 =4.580, P=0.032], lower rate of anastomotic leakage [1.6% (1/64) vs. 9.7% (7/72), χ 2 =4.075, P=0.044], anastomotic stenosis [3.1% (2/64) vs. 12.5%(9/72), χ 2 =4.006, P=0.045], and voiding and sexual dysfunction [6.3%(4/64) vs. 18.1%(13/72), χ 2 =4.317, P=0.038]. Mean time of follow-up was 19 months. In high ligation group, the local recurrent rate was 5.56%, distant metastasis rate was 13.89%, overall survival rate was 90.28%, disease-free survival rate was 80.56%, while in low ligation group, the local recurrence rate was 4.69%, distant metastasis rate was 12.50%, overall survival rate was 90.63%, disease-free survival rate was 82.81%, whose differences between two groups were not significant (all P>0.05)., Conclusion: Preservation of LCA during laparoscopic TME for the treatment of rectal cancer is safe and feasible, which can reduce the incidence of anastomotic leakage and stenosis, and voiding and sexual dysfunction.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical significance of No.12 lymph node dissection for advanced gastric cancer with D2 lymphadenectomy., Methods: Clinicopathologic data and No.12 lymph node dissection of 256 advanced gastric cancer patients undergoing radical operation in our department between January 2005 and December 2010 were retrospectively summarized and the influence factors of metastasis in No.12 lymph nodes were analyzed., Results: Of 256 patients, 179 were male and 77 were female with the average age of 59.2 years. Tumor located in the upper of stomach in 24 cases, middle of stomach in 41 cases, lower of stomach in 174 cases, multi-focus or diffuse distribution of stomach in 17 cases. Tumor diameter was <3 cm in 39 cases, 3 to 5 cm in 100 cases, >5 cm in 117 cases. Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level increased in 61 cases, serum carbohydrate antigens (CA)72-4 increased in 56 cases and CA19-9 increased in 61 cases. The number of No.12 lymph nodes resected from all the patients was 1 152, and the average number was 4.5±1.9. The metastasis rate of No.12 lymph nodes was 9.4%(24/256) after hematoxylin eosin staining (positive group). All the patients received effective follow-up to December 2015, and the average follow-up time was 101.2 months. The median survival time of positive No.12 group (24 cases) was 29.8 months and of negative No.12 group (232 cases) was 78.2 months, whose difference was statistically significant (χ 2 =21.715, P=0.000). Univariate analysis found that No.12 lymph node metastasis was not associated with age, gender, tumor differentiation (all P>0.05), but was associated with tumor location, tumor diameter, invasive depth (all P<0.05), and was closely associated with Borrmann type, outside metastatic lymph nodes of No.12 and high levels of serum CEA, CA72-4 and CA19-9 (all P=0.000). Multivariate regression analysis found that tumor location (RR=2.452, 95%CI:1.537 to 3.267, P=0.000), Borrmann type (RR=1.864, 95%CI:1.121 to 3.099, P=0.016) and number of outside metastatic lymph nodes of No.12 (RR=2.979, 95%CI: 2.463 to 3.603, P=0.000) were the independent risk factors of the No.12 metastasis (P<0.05)., Conclusions: Metastasis in No.12 lymph nodes indicates poorer prognosis. The No.12 lymph nodes of advanced gastric cancer patients with curative resection, especially those with the tumor located in the lower part, Borrmann type IIII(, outside metastatic lymph nodes of No.12, should be regularly cleaned.

Objective: To explore the feasibility, safety and efficacy of intraoperative regional infusion chemotherapy by celiac trunk in advanced gastric cancer patients., Methods: One hundred and twenty-six patients with advanced gastric cancer(stageII(-III() were screened from database of Gastrointestinal Surgery Department of Taizhou People's Hospital between January 2008 and December 2010 who underwent R0 resection and D2 lymphadenectomy, received postoperative chemotherapy(XELOX or FOLFOX), and had complete follow-up data. They were divided into infusion chemotherapy group (65 cases) and control group (61 cases) according to regional infusion chemotherapy or not (fluorine 1 000 mg and cisplatin 60 mg). The side effects of chemotherapy, parameters related to the operation, long-term survival and relapse rate were compared between the two groups., Results: The baseline data between the two groups were comparable(all P>0.05). Postoperative III( and IIII( adverse reaction of chemotherapy was not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). The time of postoperative intestinal function recovery [(67.9±14.8) hours vs. (68.9±15.0) hours, t=-0.380, P=0.705), volume of postoperative 1-week drainage [(66.1±17.1) ml vs.(61.9±18.2) ml, t=1.478, P=0.142], recent morbidity of complications[55.4%(36/65) vs. 49.2%(30/61), χ 2 =0.256, P=0.613], and the long-term morbidity of complications [16.9% (11/65) vs. 14.8% (9/61), χ 2 =0.111, P=0.739] were all not significantly different between the two groups. The 3-year survival rate and 3-year relapse-free survival rate in infusion chemotherapy group were significantly higher than those in control group(58.4% vs. 37.7%, χ 2 =5.382, P=0.020; 58.4% vs. 34.4%, χ 2 =6.636, P=0.010)., Conclusion: Regional infusion chemotherapy by celiac trunk during operation for advanced gastric cancer patients is safe and feasible, and can reduce the risk of local recurrence and improve survival rate.

Background: Approximately 50% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) suffer from anemia, which is prevalently caused by iron deficiency. Maresin 1 (MaR1) is a novel docosahexaenoic acid-derived pro-resolving agent that promotes the resolution of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of MaR1 on iron-deficient anemia in IL-10 knockout (IL-10(-/-)) mice with spontaneous chronic colitis., Methods: IL-10(-/-) mice of 16 weeks of age with established colitis were used for the experiments with MaR1 treatment for 2 weeks. Histologic injury, CD4+ lymphocyte values in the lamina propria, blood hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron concentrations, transferrin saturation, splenic iron stores, levels of inflammatory cytokines, expression of liver hepcidin mRNA, and western blotting of STAT3 were analyzed in this study., Results: MaR1 treatment (0.3 ng/mouse) effectively attenuated histological colitis typically associated with decreased CD4+ lymphocytes in the lamina propria as well as the concentrations of MPO, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-17 (P<0.05). Furthermore, reduced expression of liver hepcidin mRNA and p-STAT3 expression, as well as increased hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, levels of serum iron, transferrin saturation and splenic iron stores were found in IL-10(-/-) mice after MaR1 treatment (P<0.05)., Conclusions: These results indicate that MaR1 treatment ameliorates iron-deficient anemia by reducing colonic inflammation and inhibiting hepcidin expression though the IL-6/STAT3 pathway.

Objective: To explore the application of protective appendicostomy after sphicter-preserving surgery for patients with low rectal carcinoma who are at high-risk of anastomotic leakage., Methods: Clinical data of 74 low rectal cancer cases with high-risk anastomotic leakage undergoing laparoscope-assisted total mesorectal excision(TME) sphincter-preserving operation in our department from September 2013 to September 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: 36 patients received appendicostomy and catheter was removed 4 to 6 weeks after operation when sinus tract formation in abdominal wall was identified; 38 patients received traditional ileostomy and stoma closure was performed 3 to 6 months after operation., Results: The operation time was (149.2±9.4) min vs. (146.7±12.7) min, postoperative complication morbidity was 8.3%(3/36) vs. 13.2%(5/38), anastomotic leakage rate was 2.8%(1/38) vs. 2.6%(1/36), mean drainage volume of 1-week stoma was (203.2±76.9) ml vs. (195.8±76.5) ml, intestinal function recovery time was (25.5±5.6) h vs. (24.0±5.8) h in intubation colostomy group and ileostomy group respectively, and these differences were not significant (all P>0.05). While total hospital stay was shorter and cost was less in intubation colostomy group as compared to ileostomy group [(8.8±1.7) d vs. (18.0±1.7) d, (32 000±3000) yuan vs. (51 000±4000) yuan], and these differences were significant (all P<0.05)., Conclusion: For low rectal cancer patients who are at high-risk of developing anastomotic leakage undergoing sphincter-preserving anterior resection, protective appendicostomy can decrease anastomotic leakage rate, avoid second stoma closure, shorten hospital stay and reduce hospital cost.