Search

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced various aspects of colorectal cancer (CRC) patient care, including diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. This study assesses the pandemic's impact on CRC patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records for CRC patients who underwent surgery at five hospitals affiliated with Hallym University from January 2017 to December 2022. Patients were divided into two groups: the pre-COVID group (2017– 2019) and the COVID group (2020– 2022). Results: Among 2038 patients, 987 (48.4%) were in the pre-COVID group, and 1051 (51.6%) were in the COVID group. The COVID group had more patients with two or more comorbidities (P < 0.001) and a higher incidence of rectal cancer (P = 0.010). While the rates of laparoscopic surgeries were similar, the COVID group had increased emergency surgeries (P = 0.005) and diversion procedures (P = 0.002). Additionally, the COVID group faced more overall complications (P < 0.001) and severe complications (Grade III–V, P = 0.004). There was a rise in lymphovascular invasion (P < 0.001) and T4 stage tumors (P < 0.001) within the COVID group. Despite these differences, both groups had similar 2-year overall survival rates (P = 0.409). Conclusion: Although patients treated during the COVID period experienced more frequent stoma formation, complications, and adverse prognostic factors, there were no differences in short-term oncologic outcomes, which was likely due to the follow-up period being insufficient to detect differences in OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: In vivo imaging with luciferaseluciferin has been limited by the inability to visualize the low emitted light, with the signal quantified only by photon counting using a cumbersome highly-cooled CCD camera in a dark room. In the present study, we demonstrate direct visualization of the luciferase-luciferin signal from an orthotopic lung cancer in a nude-mouse xenograft model with a sensitive low-light camera and optics. Materials and Methods: Mouse Lewis-lung carcinoma cells expressing luciferase (LL/2-Luc2) were injected transcutaneously into the lung of a nude mouse. One week later after cell injection, luciferase imaging for emission at 560 nm was performed using the UVP Biospectrum Advanced system after i.v. injection of D-luciferin potassium salt. The intensity of the visualized light was measured and quantified with the instrument. Results: A week following the implantation of LL/2- Luc2 cells in nude mice, the luciferase-luciferin signal from LL/2-Luc2 tumors in the lung was sufficiently visible through the skin to produce true images. At fifteen minutes, the intensity peaked and then progressively dropped due to clearance of luciferin from the tumor. Conclusion: Using the UVP Biospectrum Advanced system we demonstrated non-invasive visualization of true images from luciferase-luciferin signals from an orthotopic lung-cancer mouse model. The luciferase-luciferin emitted light was directly visible through the skin which is a major improvement over previous photon counting to detect the luciferase-luciferin signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The objective of this study was to compare the long-term prognosis of patients with T1 and T2 colorectal cancer (CRC) according to lymph node metastasis (LNM) and to identify risk factors for LNM. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent curative resection for T1 or T2 CRC at five University-affiliated hospitals between January 2012 and December 2021. The patients were divided into several groups depending on the presence of LNM or the number of risk factors. Results. Of the total 765 patients, 87 (11.3%) patients had LNM. These patients had poorer recurrence-free survival (RFS) than patients without LNM (72.6% vs. 88.6%). The multivariable analysis showed that high-grade tumors (p = 0.003), lymphovascular invasion (p < 0.001), and rectal location (p = 0.049) were independent predictors of LNM. When divided into groups according to the number of the three risk factors, the risk of LNM increased from 5.4% (ultralow-risk group; no risk factor) to 60.0% (high-risk group; all three risk factors) and the 5-year RFS rate decreased from 96.3% in the ultralow-risk group to 60% in the high-risk group (p < 0.001). Conclusion. Radical surgery should be considered for T1 and T2 CRC patients with these risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Single-port laparoscopic surgery (SPLS) was recently introduced as an innovative minimally invasive surgery method. Retrospective studies have revealed the safety and feasibility of SPLS for colon cancer treatment. However, no prospective randomized trials have been performed. The multicenter, randomized SIMPLE (single-port versus multiport laparoscopic surgery) trial aimed to investigate short-term perioperative outcomes of SPLS for colon cancer treatment, compared with multiport laparoscopic surgery (MPLS).Methods: Between August 2011 and April 2014, a total of 194 patients with colon cancer were recruited from seven hospitals in Korea. Patients were randomly allocated into the SPLS group (n = 99) or MPLS group (n = 95). The primary endpoint was postoperative complications. Operative, postoperative, and pathologic outcomes were analyzed after 50% of the patient study population had been recruited.Results: The patients' demographic characteristics, operative times, estimated blood volume losses, numbers of harvested lymph nodes, and lengths of both resection margins were not significantly different between groups. In the SPLS group, the rates of conversion to MPLS and open surgery were 12.9 and 2.2%, respectively. Postoperative complications occurred in 10.8% of the SPLS, and 12.5% of the MPLS patients (p = 0.714). Times to functional recovery, pain scores, and amounts of analgesia were similar between groups.Conclusion: The results of this interim analysis suggested that SPLS is technically safe and appropriate when used for radical resection of colon cancer. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01480128). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]