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Background and Aim There are no globally approved, distinguishing criteria enabling the classification of gastric adenomas and intramucosal carcinomas for differential diagnosis of noninvasive neoplasia (NIN). Methods Next‐generation sequencing of 50 cancer‐related genes was undertaken on 68 pathologically diagnosed microdissected gastric neoplasms (25 adenomas, 27 intramucosal carcinomas, and 16 submucosal carcinomas) obtained during endoscopic submucosal dissection. Findings from magnifying endoscopy with narrow‐band imaging (M‐NBI) of 52 NINs (the 25 adenomas and 27 intramucosal carcinomas) were compared with these data. Results Among all 68 neoplasms, the most frequently mutated genes were APC (76% in adenoma, 11.1% in intramucosal carcinoma, and 0% in submucosal carcinoma; P, Through a semiquantitative analysis of cancer‐related genes, it was found that noninvasive intraepithelial neoplasia (NIN) diagnosed as adenoma by both pathology and magnifying endoscopy with narrow‐band imaging (M‐NBI) had a profile of a single APC mutation, while NINs diagnosed as intramucosal carcinoma by both methods had a profile of TP53 mutation in most of the cases. On the other hand, some NINs were diagnosed as adenomas by pathology but were diagnosed as intramucosal carcinomas by M‐NBI, and such NINs with discrepant diagnoses had a characteristic profile of APC plus other mutation(s), suggesting that the M‐NBI finding reflects biological change and might be important for the diagnosis of NINs.

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a multisystem inflammatory disease of unknown origin. Rarely, BD occurs together with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Interestingly, it is speculated that these are not simple coexistence but that the etiology of intestinal BD is at least partly derived from MDS itself. Furthermore, there is a relationship between MDS in patients with intestinal BD and trisomy 8. Immunosuppressive agents alone are insufficient to control MDS-associated BD, and many of these patients die of infection or hemorrhage. Surgery is considered for intestinal BD patients who are unresponsive to medical treatment or those with bowel complications such as perforation or persistent bleeding. We report a case of intestinal BD associated with MDS and trisomy 8. The patient was unresponsive to oral steroids and immunosuppressive treatment; the patient improved by surgical repair of a bowel perforation. Five years after the surgery, the patient is free of recurrence and not on medication. Our experience suggests that surgery may provide an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of MDS-related BD.

Background and Aim Liquid biopsy is a method that can efficiently detect tumor genetic abnormalities from body fluids such as blood and urine. Detection sensitivity and the available number of mutations in cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) are limited. In this study, we develop a highly sensitive and comprehensive method to detect mutations from cfDNA by concentrating tumor fractions of small cfDNA in advanced colorectal cancers. Methods Biopsied specimens and 37 serum samples were collected from 27 patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma. A serum‐extracted cfDNA was divided into enriched fractionated small cfDNA and unfractionated cfDNA. Both cfDNAs were subjected to digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to evaluate their KRAS, BRAF, CDKN2A, and TP53 status. Consequently, their mutant allele frequencies (MAFs) were compared and analyzed by next‐generation sequencing (NGS) in conjunction with tissue‐derived DNA. Results NGS analyses revealed mutations in TP53 (63%), KRAS (63%), APC (30%), and PIK3CA (22%). Digital PCR could detect mutations in 25 of 27 samples (93%) of unfractionated cfDNA, a rate that increased to 100% when samples were enriched with fractionated small cfDNA (6.8 vs 10.7%, P, In this study, we develop a highly sensitive and comprehensive method to detect mutations from cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) by concentrating tumor fractions of small cfDNA in advanced colorectal cancers. Fractionated small cfDNA increased mutant allele frequencies of gene mutations and increases the possibilities to detect cancer‐related genes even in advanced cancer patients from whom it is difficult to obtain tissue samples.

Background and Aim Genetic indicators of endoscopic resection for colorectal carcinoma remain inconclusive. This study analyzed genetic changes in early colorectal tumors that could inform decisions for endoscopic procedures. Methods A total of 83 colorectal tumors from 81 patients, including adenoma (n = 7), Tis–T1a (n = 22), T1b (n = 14), and advanced carcinoma (n = 40), were analyzed. Tis tumors (n = 16) and some T1 carcinomas (n = 11) were analyzed as mixed adenomas and carcinomas. Lesions were laser‐capture microdissected for DNA extraction, and targeted sequencing of 50 cancer‐related genes was performed. Genetic data were then correlated with clinical records, including magnifying endoscopic findings. Results Numbers of gene alteration rates in TP53 and SMAD4 increased with tumor progression from adenoma to carcinoma. Frequencies of mutant variants in TP53 (P = 0.004) and rates of copy number loss in SMAD4 (P = 0.006) increased in carcinoma components of mixed tumors compared to adenoma components. Moreover, adenoma components of T1b carcinomas had higher TP53 mutation rates than Tis or T1a carcinomas (P = 0.011) and pure adenomas (P = 0.026). Gene alterations in TP53 (P = 0.0055) and SMAD4 (P = 0.0055) increased in cases with irregular surface patterns of magnifying endoscopic findings. Conclusions Numbers of copy number variations and TP53 and SMAD4 alterations were related to colorectal tumor progression. TP53 alteration rates in adenoma components were high in T1b carcinomas, warranting complete treatment with en bloc resection. Magnifying endoscopic findings might reflect the genetic status of colorectal tumors., Despite recent large‐scale gene analyses, genetic indicators of endoscopic resection for colorectal carcinoma remain inconclusive. Next‐generation sequencing analyses of 83 colorectal tumors demonstrated that numbers of copy number variations and TP53 and SMAD4 alterations were related to colorectal tumor progression. Furthermore, TP53 alteration rates in adenoma components were high in T1b carcinomas, warranting complete treatment with en bloc resection.

// Shoji Kobayashi 1 , Tatsuya Yamaguchi 1 , Shinya Maekawa 1 , Shinichi Takano 1 , Toru Kuno 1 , Keisuke Tanaka 1 , Yuya Tsukui 1 , Fumihiko Iwamoto 1 , Takashi Yoshida 1 , Yukiko Asakawa 1 , Mitsuharu Fukasawa 1 , Yasuhiro Nakayama 1 , Taisuke Inoue 1 , Tomoyoshi Uetake 1 , Minoru Sakamoto 1 , Masahiko Ohtaka 1 , Tadashi Sato 1 and Nobuyuki Enomoto 1 1 First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan Correspondence to: Shinya Maekawa, email: maekawa@yamanashi.ac.jp Keywords: next generation sequencing; early esophageal squamous neoplasia; cancer-related gene mutation; copy number variation Received: March 26, 2018 Accepted: October 24, 2018 Published: December 04, 2018 ABSTRACT Background and Aims : Next generation sequencing (NGS) has revealed a great deal about cancer-related somatic changes in esophageal squamous cell neoplasia; however, the changes in the very early stages remain unclear. Results : TP53 (87%) and CDKN2A (20%) hot spot mutations were frequently found in early lesions. TP53 was the most common mutation (LGIN/HGIN, 86%; EP, 83%; LPM, 95%; MM/SM1, 80%), followed by CDKN2A (29%, 28%, 16% and 10%, respectively); the frequency of other mutations increased as the disease advanced ( p < 0.01). Copy number variation analysis revealed copy number aberrations in multiple genes, including PIK3CA amplification (48%). NGS was superior to p53 immunostaining for detecting TP53 mutations (74% vs. 87%); in combination, the two tests improved detectability to 94%. Clinically, smoking was associated with the occurrence of TP53 mutations in these early lesions ( p = 0.049). Materials and Methods : Fifty-four early esophageal neoplasia lesions from 47 patients treated by endoscopic resection (low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia [LGIN], n = 1; high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia [HGIN] n = 7; invasion limited to epithelium [EP/M1], n = 18; lamina propria mucosae [LPM/M2], n = 19; muscularis mucosae [MM/M3], n = 8; and upper third of the SM [SM1], n = 2) were isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue specimens by laser-capture microdissection. Target sequencing of 50 cancer-related genes was performed with an Ion Proton sequencer; their association with the clinical characteristics was investigated. Conclusions : Mutations of TP53 and CDKN2A , and PIK3CA amplification were common in early esophageal squamous neoplasia, while other mutations accumulated with disease progression. An understanding of these molecular events might provide a molecular basis for early lesion treatment.

The accuracy of the inspection of the capsule endoscope is increased, if it can be manipulated by the operator with wireless communication. To develop it, the feasibility is important, however there are various studies. We consider the behavior of the endoscope in the broken-down. Therefore, this paper describes the manipulatable capsule endoscope that can behaves as the normal endoscope even if it is broken in the body of the patient, and that is not modified from the normal endoscope drastically. The fin for the maneuverability is knit using the biodegradable string for the surgical operation which is dissolved in the body, since the various shape can be realized. The safety is guaranteed, since the fin is dissolved in case that it comes off in the body. And, the small motor is employed as the actuator for the movement of the fin in the fundamental experiment to prevent from changing the shape of the capsule endoscope. The proposed endoscpoe can behave as the normal capsule endoscope, since the shape is similar to the normal capsule endoscope. Using it, the feasibility of the proposed endoscope is confirmed by the fundamental experiments.

Background and aim The treat-to-target strategy has emerged in ulcerative colitis management. Mucosal healing is the best target, albeit not in induction therapy of acute diseases as clinical conditions vary over a short duration. To determine the targets during induction therapy for acute ulcerative colitis, we identified markers to predict mucosal healing at 3 and 12 months of initiating the induction therapy. Methods This single-center prospective observational study enrolling 61 adult patients hospitalized for disease exacerbation collected the partial Mayo scores, ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity, fecal markers, and laboratory data (0 day, 2 weeks, and 3 and 12 months) of initiating induction therapy. Results At 2 weeks, patients with mucosal healing at 3 months had had lower partial Mayo and ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity scores and higher white blood cell count and total cholesterol than those without mucosal healing. At 3 months, patients with mucosal healing at 12 months had had lower partial Mayo and ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity scores than those without mucosal healing. A kinetic analysis demonstrated a difference in the partial Mayo scores and total cholesterol and albumin levels at 2 weeks and in the ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity, fecal calprotectin, and fecal immunochemical tests at 3 months between patients who achieved mucosal healing at 12 months and those who did not. Conclusions Partial Mayo scores and total cholesterol levels act as short-term therapeutic targets during induction therapy in patients with acute ulcerative colitis. Mucosal healing at 3 months correlates to longer time mucosal healing.

The recent advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has enabled the identification of cancer-related somatic aberrations in advanced gastric cancer. However, these remain unclear in early gastric cancers, especially in intramucosal gastric cancers. Thirty-one well-differentiated (tub1) intramucosal gastric cancers obtained by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) from 29 patients were analyzed. After precise collection of tumors and non-tumors from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues using laser-captured microdissection (LCM), target sequencing analysis of 50 cancer-related genes was performed using an Ion-Proton sequencer. The most frequent hotspot mutation was found in TP53 (17 lesions, 54.8%) followed by the Wnt-signaling pathway genes, APC and CTNNB1 (6 lesions, 19.4%). The mutations in TP53 and the Wnt-signaling genes were mutually exclusive (p = 0.004). There was a tendency that H. pylori infection (p = 0.082) and macroscopic protrusion (p = 0.095) was associated with the presence of these mutations. Only 10 lesions (59%) among 17 lesions with proven TP53 mutations were positive for p53 immunostaining demonstrating the superiority of the mutational analysis. In addition, focal gene amplification of ERBB2 (16%) was found frequently in these early stage lesions. Using LCM and NGS, mutations in TP53 and the Wnt-signaling pathway were frequently found and were mutually exclusive in the earliest stage of gastric carcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a useful marker for assessing the activity of intestinal inflammation. However, most studies have used ileocolonoscopy to evaluate the association of FC with intestinal inflammation, and it is not clear whether FC is useful for the evaluation of small-bowel Crohn's disease (CD). This study aimed to determine the usefulness of FC for predicting intestinal inflammation evaluated by balloon-assisted endoscopy (BAE), which can visualize the deep small intestine. METHODS This was a cross-sectional, observational study involving 69 CD patients, 39 of whom had only small-bowel disease. The extended simplified endoscopic activity score for Crohn's disease (eSES-CD) was calculated based on the findings of BAE. Mucosal healing was defined as an eSES-CD of 0. RESULTS In all CD patients, FC levels were correlated with the eSES-CD (r = 0.663, P