crossing96/oncoscreening huggingface dataset:
Impact of postoperative depression and immune-inflammatory biomarkers on the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer receiving minimally invasive esophagectomy: a retrospective cohort study based on a Chinese population.	BACKGROUND: Patients with esophageal cancer (EC) frequently experience depression following neoadjuvant therapy and surgery, a condition that may trigger systemic inflammation, suppress antitumor immunity, and alter immune-inflammatory pathways in the tumor microenvironment (TME), potentially contributing to residual tumor progression and theoretically worsening patient prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationship between depression and prognosis in patients with EC, with a focus on immune-inflammatory biomarkers. METHODS: This single-center retrospective trial was conducted at the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. A total of 319 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy between November 2023 and December 2024 were enrolled. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression in combination with multivariate Cox and logistic regression were employed to identify the main impact indicators of relapse-free survival (RFS) and depression. The developed predictive model was evaluated using calibration plots, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Internal validation was carried out using a 7:3 data split. RESULTS: LASSO and Cox regression identified clinical stage (hazard ratio [HR]=2.472, P=0.003), the preoperative systemic inflammatory index (SII, HR=1.001, P<0.001), and depression severity (HR=2.398, P=0.004) as independent predictors of RFS. Based on these variables, a predictive model for RFS was constructed utilizing multivariate logistic regression and visualized as a nomogram. The model demonstrated good discriminative ability, with the areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) of 0.826 (6 months) and 0.773 (12 months) in the training set and 0.817 (6 months) and 0.789 (12 months) in the validation set. The incidence of postoperative depression in the study cohort was 28.2%, with chronic postsurgical pain identified as the sole independent risk factor for depression. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that preoperative immune-inflammatory biomarkers and postoperative depression significantly affect patient prognosis after minimally invasive esophagectomy. Our work has also provided new insight into the individualized and comprehensive management of patients with EC, underscoring the necessity for comprehensive psychosocial interventions alongside conventional anticancer therapies to optimize clinical endpoints.	esophagus
Coffee Consumption and Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study in Japan.	BACKGROUND: Coffee consumption can be protective owing to its chemical compounds or harmful because of thermal injury in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, evidence remains inconsistent, as different studies have reported results ranging from protective effects to a 3-fold increase in esophageal cancer risk with coffee consumption. The association may differ between individuals who prefer hot beverages and those who do not. OBJECTIVES: To distinguish the effects of coffee from thermal injury, we examined the association between coffee consumption and ESCC according to beverage temperature preferences. METHODS: This population-based prospective cohort study used data from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study from 1990. Overall, 103,932 participants aged 40-69 y were included in the study. Coffee consumption and hot food or beverage preference were self-reported using baseline questionnaires. The incidence of ESCC until 2013 was identified through active surveillance of cancer registries. The association between coffee consumption and ESCC was assessed by stratification according to hot food or beverage preference. The joint association between the combination of coffee and hot food or beverage preference and ESCC risk was analyzed. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 18.7 y, 434 patients with ESCC were identified. Coffee consumption was not significantly associated with ESCC risk [hazard ratio (HR) for ≥3 cups/d: 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58, 1.20]. The associations were not statistically significant among those who preferred hot food or beverages (HR for ≥3 cups/d: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.48, 1.69) and those who did not (HR: 1.40, 95% CI: 0.80, 2.48). Joint association analysis revealed no clear association. The results were similar when ESCC cases diagnosed within the first 3 y of follow-up were excluded. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based prospective study did not find strong evidence supporting an association between coffee consumption and ESCC, either among individuals who preferred hot beverages or those who did not.	esophagus
Prognostic impact of recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph node metastatic status in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.	Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis, and lymph node metastasis significantly influences patient outcomes. This retrospective study analyzed 189 thoracic ESCC patients who underwent radical esophagectomy (2019-2021) to evaluate the prognostic role of recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph node metastasis (RLN LNM). Patients with RLN LNM showed significantly worse overall survival (OS, P = 0.01) and disease-free survival (DFS, P = 0.046) than those without metastasis, with a 50.53% higher mortality risk and 37.83% higher recurrence risk. Subgroup analysis revealed no survival differences between left- and right-sided RLN LNM (P>0.05), while bilateral RLN LNM trended toward poorer outcomes but without statistical significance. Patients with RLN LNM plus extranodal metastases had markedly reduced OS (P = 0.0014) and DFS (P = 0.0008) compared to isolated RLN LNM. RLN LNM significantly predicted poor prognosis in lower thoracic ESCC (OS: P = 0.0027; DFS: P = 0.037) but not in upper or middle thoracic tumors. Multivariate Cox regression identified RLN LNM, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with immunotherapy as independent risk factors for OS. These findings highlight RLN LNM as a critical prognostic indicator, particularly for lower thoracic ESCC, and emphasize the importance of integrating RLN LNM status into treatment strategies and staging systems.	esophagus
Triptonide facilitates autophagy-mediated apoptosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting the AMPK-mTOR-ULK1 axis.	Triptonide (TN) is a small-molecule compound initially derived from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, its potential antitumor mechanisms are still far from adequately understood. The purpose of this research is to elucidate the antitumor and pharmacological effects of TN on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Functional assays, such as CCK-8 and colony formation assays, are used to evaluate the effects of TN on KYSE450 and KYSE510 cells. Subsequently, western blot analysis, Hoechst 33258 staining, flow cytometric analysis, autophagic flux detection, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to determine the effects of TN on apoptosis and autophagy in ESCC cells. Additionally, the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and the AMPK inhibitor dorsomorphin (Compound C, CC) are administered to explore the molecular mechanisms and crucial pathways in ESCC cells. Our findings provide strong evidence that TN induces autophagy-dependent apoptosis by targeting the AMPK-mTOR-ULK1 axis in ESCC cells. Collectively, this study sheds light on the anticancer mechanisms of TN in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and suggests that TN is a promising candidate for the antitumor phytomedicine.	esophagus
Clinical efficacy of different neoadjuvant therapies for resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.	OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT), and neoadjuvant CT plus immunotherapy (NICT) in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: 175 treatment-naïve patients with ESCC (clinical stage II-IV) undergoing neoadjuvant therapy were included. Clinical data were systematically extracted from institutional electronic health records, including pre/post-treatment TNM staging, treatment-related adverse events, and oncologic outcomes. The categories were compared for quantitative variables using a one-way ANOVA and the chi-square test of variance. A t-test was used for comparison of continuous variables, and categorical variables were compared by a χ2 test or Fisher's exact test. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to generate curves, with intergroup comparisons conducted by the log-rank test. RESULTS: All enrolled 175 patients underwent esophagectomy at Meizhou People's Hospital between March 2020 and March 2024. Significant downstaging was observed in both postoperative T stages (t=-11.451, P < 0.001) and N stages (t=-10.272, P < 0.001) compared to baseline. Intergroup analysis revealed distinct therapeutic profiles. The NICT group demonstrated reduced postoperative nerve injury incidence compared to other modalities (χ²=7.811, P = 0.020), while no significant differences were observed in lymphovascular invasion rates or circumferential resection margins. Lymph node dissection analysis showed superior nodal yield in the NICT group versus NCRT (F = 4.88, P = 0.009), with correspondingly fewer metastatic lymph nodes in the NICT cohort compared to NCT alone (F = 4.256, P = 0.016). Notably, NCRT was associated with significantly longer neoadjuvant-to-surgery intervals compared to both NCT and NICT groups (F = 12.39, P < 0.001). No significant differences in recurrence rates were observed across treatment modalities during follow-up (χ²=0.530, P = 0.768). With a 28.5-month median follow-up, survival significantly differed between groups (log-rank p = 0.048). NICT had superior overall survival (median not reached vs. 31.2 months in NCRT and 34.5 months in NCT), with 2-year rates of 76.2%, 68.9%, and 63.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: NCRT, NCT, and NICT demonstrated effective tumor downstaging and surgical outcomes in locally advanced ESCC patients. Differences in surgical outcomes and adverse events highlight the potential benefits and considerations of combining immunotherapy with conventional treatments in this cohort.	esophagus
PET/CT imaging of esophageal cancer targeting tumor cell specific αvβ6-integrin expression.	PURPOSE: To assess the potential of αvβ6-integrin as a theranostic target in esophageal cancer. METHODS: Membranous β6-integrin (ITGB6) expression was analyzed in 306 specimens of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) obtained by immunohistochemistry (IHC) from 100 patient cases (1, 37, 58, and 4 of grade G1, G2, G3, and G4, respectively). Ga-68 labeling of D0103 was done manually for preclinical experiments and fully automated for clinical application. Preclinical characterization of Ga-68-D0103 was performed in SCID mice bearing subcutaneous xenografts of H2009 (αvβ6-positive) or MDA-MB-231 (αvβ6-negative) carcinoma cell lines, by ex vivo biodistribution (10, 30, 90, and 180 min p.i) and PET imaging (30, 90, and 180 min p.i.)., without and with co-injection of gelofusine (4% succinylated gelatin). A patient with type-II diabetes (f, 68y, 115 kg) with proximal G2 ESCC was investigated by Ga-68-D0103 PET/CT (193 MBq) at 15, 45, 90, and 104 min p.i.. RESULTS: 99% of ESCC cases were found β6-integrin positive by IHC, of which 48%, 31%, and 20% showed strong, moderate, and low ITGB6 expression, respectively, with no correlation to tumor grade. Ex vivo biodistribution of Ga-68-D0103 in H2009 xenografted mice after 30, 90, and 180 min showed tumor-to-blood ratios of 6.8, 37, and 124, respectively; tumor-to-muscle ratios of 12, 14, and 36, respectively; tumor-to-liver ratios of 10, 17, and 14, respectively; and tumor-to-pancreas ratios of 20, 47, and 56, respectively. Co-administration of gelofusine did not change the tumor uptake but reduced the kidney uptake by 89% (from 178%iA/g to 19.1%iA/g, 90 min p.i.), resulting in an 8.7-fold higher tumor/kidney ratio. µPET imaging in H2009 xenografted mice confirmed a high tumor uptake and low background already 30 min p.i.. Blockade biodistribution and µPET in αvβ6-(-) MDA-MB-231 mice demonstrated target specificity. Clinical PET/CT of a patient with ESCC showed increasing tracer uptake over time in the primary tumor (SUVmax 9.0 and 11.3 at 15 and 104 min p.i., respectively) and in a lymph node metastasis (SUVmax 19.5 and 28.3, respectively), and a decreasing blood pool activity (SUVmean 2.75 and 0.98, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: High (99%) membranous expression frequency and density on tumor cells underscores the potential of αvβ6-integrin as a theranostic target in ESCC, suggesting that αvβ6-integrin PET/CT imaging may adopt a role in re-staging and therapy guidance in this cancer type. The prolonged tumor retention furthermore indicates a therapeutic potential of αvβ6-integrin targeted radiopharmaceuticals when labeled with radionuclides such as lutetium-177, terbium-161, or actinium-225.	esophagus
Hypoxia-induced PGK1 expression promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression via stimulating MYH9-mediated GSK3β/β-catenin signalling.	BACKGROUND: Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) serves as a critical metabolic enzyme in the process of glycolysis and has many nonmetabolic functions in tumour progression. One of the most prevalent malignant tumours is still esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), with high recurrence rates, high probabilities of metastasis, and poor prognoses. However, the molecular mechanisms and physiological contribution of PGK1 to ESCC carcinogenesis remain largely elusive. METHODS: Esophageal cancer bioinformatics analysis and tissue microarray analysis were employed to elucidate the aberrant expression of PGK1 during ESCC progression. The carcinogenic effect of PGK1 was examined using cell proliferation, migration and sphere formation assays. Mass spectrometry analysis, immunoprecipitation, ChIP and luciferase assays, hypoxia assays and in vitro and in vivo experiments were used to clarify the mechanism of the PGK1‒MYH9 interaction in the β-catenin/c-Myc signalling pathway. RESULTS: We clarified that in patients with ESCC, elevated PGK1 levels were linked to poor survival, tumour size, lymph node metastatic status, and TNM stage. In vivo and in vitro experimental analyses revealed that PGK1 promoted ESCC cell tumour stemness and EMT both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we discovered that PGK1 interacts with myosin-9 (MYH9), leading to MYH9-mediated ubiquitination-mediated degradation of GSK-3β, thereby triggering the β-catenin signalling pathway and transcriptionally increasing c-Myc expression. In addition, we found that hypoxic conditions upregulated PGK1, with HIF-1α transactivating PGK1 expression, further promoting the PGK1-MYH9 interaction and PGK1/MYH9/β-catenin/c-Myc axis activation. CONCLUSIONS: PGK1 promotes ESCC tumourigenicity and migratory capacity by facilitating β-catenin-dependent c-Myc transcription. Under hypoxic conditions, the PGK1‒MYH9 interaction is strengthened, and HIF-1α-mediated transcription increases PGK1 expression, thereby activating the β-catenin/c-Myc signalling pathway. Taken together, PGK1 holds promise as a potential biomarker for predicting postoperative prognosis and recurrence in patients with ESCC.	esophagus
Clinical efficacy and biomarkers of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.	BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy for treating esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study evaluates the therapeutic efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (nICT) in ESCC and explores potential biomarkers associated with treatment outcomes. METHODS: Patients with locally advanced ESCC were enrolled and received two cycles of nICT followed by surgical resection. The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response rate, while secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS), safety, and the identification of predictive biomarkers. RESULTS: A total of 47 patients were enrolled in the study, with 42 undergoing surgical resection, all of whom achieved R0 resection. The rates of complete and partial pathological responses were 28.5% and 16.7%, respectively. The 1-year and 2-year EFS rates were 82% and 37.3%, while OS rates were 100% and 71.4%, respectively. The majority of treatment-related adverse events were Grade 1-2, and no surgical delays were observed. RNA sequencing analysis identified epithelial-mesenchymal transition as the most significantly enriched pathway in non-responders. Notably, higher infiltration of normal fibroblasts was associated with improved pathological response and enhanced long-term survival, while myofibroblastic cancer-associated fibroblasts (myCAF) negatively impacted treatment efficacy and clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy show promising potential for patients with locally advanced ESCC, inducing a robust immune response that correlates with clinical outcomes. The infiltration of myCAF emerges as a potential predictive biomarker for treatment response and disease progression, underscoring the need for further mechanistic exploration and validation in larger cohorts.	esophagus
Association between recurrent laryngeal nerve diameter and postoperative palsy following robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy.	Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (RLNP) is a significant complication following upper mediastinal lymphadenectomy during esophagectomy. In this retrospective study, we investigated the association between recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) diameter and the risk of RLNP following robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE). We analyzed consecutive patients with esophageal cancer who underwent RAMIE between January 2015 and March 2024. The left RLN diameter was measured from intraoperative digital recordings using validated image processing software. Patients were categorized into thick and thin nerve groups based on the median RLN diameter. Rates of immediate and permanent RLNP (defined as persisting beyond 6 months) were compared between groups. Multivariable analysis was performed to adjust for potential confounders. Among 149 patients, the median left RLN diameter was 1.5 mm. Immediate RLNP rates did not differ significantly between thick (n = 67) and thin (n = 82) nerve groups (19.5% vs. 11.9%, P = 0.265). However, recovery of vocal cord function was significantly more frequent in patients with thick nerves compared with those with thin nerves (87.5% vs. 43.8%, respectively), resulting in a higher permanent RLNP rate in the thin nerve group (11% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.023). Multivariable analysis identified thin RLN as the sole independent risk factor for permanent RLNP (odds ratio: 9.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.09-78.1, P = 0.041). Patients with thin left RLNs exhibit a significantly increased risk of permanent RLNP following RAMIE. Intraoperative RLN diameter assessment may inform surgical decisions and improve postoperative management strategies.	esophagus
Association Between CDK4/CDK6 Expression and Prognosis in Patients with Adenocarcinoma of Gastroesophageal Junction.	PURPOSE: Limited data are available on the relationship between expression of CDK4/CDK6 and prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of gastroesophageal junction (AEG). METHODS: A total of 135 patients diagnosed with AEG and treated with esophagogastrostomy were included in this study. Protein expression of CDK4 and CDK6 was assayed by immunohistochemistry staining and scored by two experienced pathologists. Differences in clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed between CDK4/CDK6-positive and -negative groups by Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. The prognostic significance of CDK4/CDK6 in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. RESULTS: The positive rates of CDK4 and CDK6 in AEG tissues were significantly higher than in adjacent tissues. CDK4 positivity was correlated with poor tumor differentiation, and CDK6 positivity was related to perineural invasion and poor tumor differentiation. There were no significant differences between CDK4/CDK6 expression and OS or PFS of AEG patients. CONCLUSION: CDK4/CDK6 may serve as prognostic factors for poor tumor differentiation, and CDK6 may also be a prognostic marker of perineural invasion for AEG patients.	esophagus
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Oligometastatic Recurrent Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study From a Single Tertiary Center.	BACKGROUND: Oligometastatic disease, characterized by a limited number of metastatic lesions, has gained significant attention for its potential to enable long-term survival with definitive local therapies. Esophageal cancer, an aggressive malignancy often diagnosed at advanced stages, carries a poor prognosis, particularly in cases involving distant metastasis. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has emerged as a promising local treatment modality for oligometastatic disease, offering precise high-dose radiation delivery. This study evaluated the outcomes of SBRT in patients with oligometastatic esophageal cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 33 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent SBRT for all oligometastatic lesions at a single institution between August 2014 and March 2024. The inclusion criteria were patients with squamous cell carcinoma, extracranial oligometastases, and no concurrent systemic therapy. Oligometastatic diseases were categorized into de novo, repeat, and induced subtypes. Survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The study cohort included 33 patients with a median age of 68 years. Most patients had one treated lesion, with SBRT doses ranging from 25-50 Gy in 4-10 fractions. Median OS and PFS were 17.3 months and 4.2 months, respectively. Patients with locoregional recurrence exhibited longer median PFS (5.1 months) and OS (19.6 months) compared to those with distant metastases (PFS: 3.0 months; OS: 14.8 months). Stratification by oligometastatic subtype revealed the best outcomes in de novo cases, with a median OS of 19.6 months and PFS of 8.8 months. Local control at 1 year was 90.7% for the entire cohort, with limited severe late adverse events. CONCLUSION: SBRT demonstrated promising outcomes in patients with oligometastatic esophageal cancer, offering high local control with minimal toxicity. Although these results highlight the feasibility of SBRT, larger prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.	esophagus