crossing96/oncoscreening huggingface dataset:
Exploring Recurrence Patterns of Esophageal Carcinoma Post-Curative Resection: a Comprehensive Study from a High-Volume Oncology Center in India.	PURPOSE: Carcinoma esophagus is an aggressive malignancy with high recurrence rates even after curative resection. This study aimed to evaluate recurrence patterns-both locoregional and systemic-after curative esophagectomy and to identify clinical and pathological predictors of recurrence to guide post-treatment surveillance and therapeutic strategies. METHODS: This retrospective study of a prospectively maintained database included 314 patients with carcinoma esophagus who underwent curative esophagectomy at a tertiary oncology center in India between January 2012 and January 2020. Clinical, pathological, and treatment-related parameters were analyzed. Recurrence patterns and survival outcomes were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 29, with univariate and multivariate analyses to determine prognostic factors for recurrence. RESULTS: The study included 314 patients, with a mean age of 54 years (range 22-82 years); the most common presenting symptom was dysphagia (92.0%), followed by anorexia (18.5%) and vomiting (10.5%). The overall recurrence rate was 30.9%, with systemic recurrence being the most common (12.1%), followed by locoregional (8.0%) and combined recurrences (10.8%). The liver (47%), lungs (34%), and mediastinal nodes (30%) were the most frequent sites of recurrence. Median survival post-recurrence was 9.13 months for locoregional, 7.53 months for systemic, and 5.2 months for combined recurrence. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations with smoking, alcohol use, tumor length, and lymphovascular invasion. Multivariate analysis identified poor response to neoadjuvant therapy, perineural invasion, and advanced disease stage as independent predictors of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Recurrence after curative esophagectomy is driven by multiple factors, including tumor biology and treatment response. Identifying high-risk patients based on response to neoadjuvant therapy and pathological features can inform tailored surveillance and treatment approaches to improve patient outcomes.	esophagus
Is chemoradiotherapy equivalent to surgery for cT1bN0M0 esophageal cancer? A multicenter retrospective study (Korean Radiation Oncology Group 21-10).	INTRODUCTION: While esophagectomy remains the standard of care for cT1bN0M0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), definitive chemoradiotherapy (DCRT) offers a potential organ-preserving alternative. This study aimed to evaluate the equivalence of DCRT and esophagectomy in this patient population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of patients with cT1bN0M0 ESCC treated between January 2010 and April 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into the surgery and DCRT groups. Disease recurrence and overall survival (OS) were compared between two groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) and age-comorbidity subgroup analyses were performed to adjust for baseline differences. RESULTS: A total of 333 and 88 patients who had undergone esophagectomy and DCRT, respectively, were included. Patients in the surgery group were significantly younger and had better performance status than those in the DCRT group. Clinical complete response was achieved in 84 patients (95.5 %) following DCRT. With a median follow-up of 55 months (range, 0.4-134), disease recurrences was observed in 19.2 % (64 patients) and 17.0 % (15 patients) in the surgery and DCRT groups, respectively. Although the surgery group displayed a trend toward improved OS (77.8 % vs. 65.8 %, p = 0.072) in initial analysis, no significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS) was observed between the groups (78.5 % vs. 74.7 %, p = 0.854). After PSM, the survival differences disappeared, demonstrating equivalent OS, locoregional DFS (LRDFS), and DFS. DCRT was associated with significantly better distant DFS (DDFS) (p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: DCRT was equivalent to esophagectomy in terms of LRDFS, DFS, and OS rates in patients with cT1bN0M0 ESCC.	esophagus
Exploring the Role of LINC00115 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Insights Into JAK1/STAT3 Pathway Activation and Metastatic Potential.	PURPOSE: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. This study aims to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying ESCC metastasis, particularly focusing on the role of the long noncoding RNA LINC00115, its interaction with the KHSRP protein, and the activation of the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression levels of LINC00115 were analyzed in 96 paired ESCC tumor and adjacent normal tissues using RT-qPCR. In vitro assays, including CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, Transwell migration, and invasion assays, were performed on ESCC cell lines to assess the functional impact of LINC00115. In vivo experiments were conducted using nude mouse models to evaluate the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of LINC00115. RNA pull-down, mass spectrometry, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were used to identify and validate LINC00115 interaction partners. The involvement of the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway was confirmed through qPCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: LINC00115 was found to be upregulated in ESCC tissues and associated with advanced TNM staging and lymph node metastasis. Its silencing appeared to suppress ESCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and reduce tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, LINC00115 may interact with KHSRP in the cytoplasm and potentially activate the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway involved in ESCC progression. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that LINC00115 may promote ESCC progression via the JAK1/STAT3 pathway through KHSRP interaction. Further validation is needed, and it should be considered a candidate marker rather than a therapeutic target.	esophagus
Application of a staged health education pathway checklist in perioperative care of patients with esophageal cancer.	OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a staged health education pathway in the perioperative care of patients with esophageal cancer. METHODS: A total of 110 patients who underwent radical surgery for esophageal cancer and were discharged from our department between January and November 2022 were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into a control group and an experimental group (55 patients each) based on the order of admission. The control group received routine health education, in which the responsible nurses provided subjective and random health guidance based on patients' daily treatment and condition. The experimental group received education based on a standardized staged health education pathway checklist. The two groups were compared in terms of discharge readiness scores and health education effectiveness, assessed using the Health Education Evaluation Criteria for Thoracic Surgery Patients. RESULTS: The discharge readiness scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). In addition, the experimental group outperformed the control group in overall health education scores and in the dimensions of health knowledge, health beliefs, and health behaviors, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The application of a standardized staged health education pathway checklist in the perioperative period of esophageal cancer patients allows nurses to provide more systematic and timely health guidance. This approach helps patients and their families gain a more comprehensive understanding of the disease and better meets their health information needs.	esophagus
Peripheral blood cells predict the efficacy and prognosis of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.	BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Several studies have reported the prognostic significance of blood cells in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); however, the relationship between blood cells and the efficacy and prognosis of neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of ESCC has not been evaluated.In this study, we aimed to elucidate the predictive value of response and prognostic value of peripheral blood cells for neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in patients with ESCC. METHODS: A total of 91 patients with ESCC (clinical stage II-IVA) who underwent neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy (nICT) followed by surgery were enrolled in this study. A comparative analysis was performed to determine whether the pathological response after treatment was pathological complete response (PCR) and to establish the pathological regression grading. RESULTS: The pathological complete response rate (PCR) was 22%, and more than half (52%) of the tumor regression grades assessed after neoadjuvant therapy responded well demonstrating significant tumor regression. A pathological complete response was strongly associated with the number of lymphocytes in the blood before treatment (p = 0.018). The efficacy response was strongly correlated with the number of erythrocytes in the blood before treatment (p = 0.011).Patients with a low red blood cell (RBC) count had a better 3-year disease free survival (DFS) than those with a high RBC(95.2% vs. 45.9%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatmentment Lymphocytes ≥ 1.845 × 10(9)/L were found to have a good predictive effect on the PCR and RBCs < 4.31 × 10(12)/L were reflective of better tumor regression grades. Therefore, RBCs < 4.31 × 10(12)/L may serve as a surrogate marker of better prognosis in patients who have undergone nICT followed by esophagectomy.	esophagus
Correlation of nutritional support and immunonutritional indicators with prognosis and survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy.	BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is commonly associated with high rates of malnutrition, adversely affecting patient outcomes. This study aims to assess the impact of nutritional support combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) on survival and prognosis in ESCC patients, utilizing prognostic models based on five key immunonutritional indicators. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of 200 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients who were treated between January 2017 and June 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their treatment records: one group received nutritional support in addition to standard CCRT, and the other received only CCRT. We retrospectively analyzed survival outcomes using Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests, and identified independent prognostic factors through Cox proportional hazards models. The study further assessed five specific immunonutritional indicators to develop and validate predictive nomogram models. The effectiveness of these models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine their predictive accuracy for patient outcomes. RESULTS: Nutritional support improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) compared to the non-nutritional group. Patients in the nutritional group showed better biochemical markers and quality of life with fewer treatment-related complications. The nomogram models based on the immunonutritional indicators demonstrated strong predictive accuracy for both OS and PFS, with LMY and PAR showing the highest prognostic power. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating nutritional support into the treatment plan for ESCC patients undergoing CCRT enhances may enhance treatment tolerance, reduce toxicity, and indirectly contribute to improved survival rates, quality of life, and fewer complications. The five immunonutritional indicators provide robust predictive capabilities for patient outcomes, supporting the use of personalized nutritional interventions and nomogram models in clinical practice.	esophagus
Three-year outcomes of neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a real-world retrospective study.	BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and 3-year survival outcomes of neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy (NICT) plus surgery in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in real-world settings. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with locally advanced ESCC who underwent surgery after NICT in our hospital between May 2019 and March 2022, with a median follow-up of 37.6 months. RESULTS: A total of 121 patients were enrolled; the R0 resection rate was 99.2%, with a pCR rate of 23.1% and a major pathologic response (MPR) rate of 41.3%. NICT promoted a significant regression in T stage from the adventitia to the esophageal mucosa and the obliteration of deep cancer nests. Eight patients (6.6%) experienced grade 3 and 4 treatment-related adverse events, 1 patient (0.8%) experienced grade 3 immune-related adverse events, and none experienced intraoperative complications or died in the hospital. The most common complications were malnutrition (15.7%) and anastomotic leakage (9.9%). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 80.0%, and the 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 77.5%. Stepwise Cox regression showed that MPR was an independent prognostic factor for DFS, and pre-cN stage was an independent prognostic factor for OS. A total of 20 patients (16.5%) showed treatment failure, and deaths were reported in 27 patients (22.3%). CONCLUSION: NICT shows promising survival outcomes, clinical efficacy, and safety in locally advanced ESCC.	esophagus
Preoperative esophageal cancer staging assessment based on intravoxel incoherent motion and apparent diffusion coefficient: a comparative study of maximum-diameter slice region of interest and whole volume of interest analysis.	PURPOSE: MRI-based intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) parameters evaluate molecular diffusion and microvascular perfusion. This study assessed their utility in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) staging, compared different measurement approaches, and explored their predictive value for surgical staging. METHODS: Eighty prospectively enrolled ESCC patients (61 males, 19 females; median age 70 years) from February 2020 to August 2020 underwent 3.0T IVIM-DWI with respiratory-triggered and fat saturation techniques. Tumor ADC and IVIM parameters were calculated (b-values: 0-1000 s/mm²) for maximum-diameter slices and whole-volume regions of interest (ROI), and their correlations with T (tumor)/N (lymph node involvement) staging were analyzed. RESULTS: Full-volume measurements demonstrated higher interobserver reproducibility than single-slice measurements. For T staging, tumors with lower single-slice ADC_max and D_min values, as well as lower whole-volume ADC_std, were more likely to present with advanced stages (all p < 0.05). Parameters derived from the maximum-diameter slice provided higher diagnostic accuracy for T-stage discrimination compared with whole-volume analysis (AUC 0.75 vs. 0.70). For N staging, single-slice D_mean was associated with nodal involvement, while whole-volume analysis revealed that lower D_max, f_mean, f_min, and D*_std along with higher D*_min were correlated with lymph node metastasis, yielding better diagnostic performance (AUC 0.70 vs. 0.60). CONCLUSION: MRI-derived IVIM and ADC parameters provide non-invasive biomarkers for ESCC staging with the potential to guide preoperative decision-making, while exploring different ROI delineation strategies may further enhance research and clinical application.	esophagus
Exploring the factors influencing anticipatory grief in esophageal cancer patients: A cross-sectional study.	PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the level of anticipatory grief (AG) and its influencing factors among hospitalized patients with esophageal cancer in China, with a specific focus on psychological distress, clinical symptoms, coping strategies, and social support. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 324 hospitalized esophageal cancer patients recruited from a tertiary hospital in Shanghai. Data were collected using validated instruments including the Preparatory Grief in Advanced Cancer Patients Scale, Distress Thermometer and Problem List, Social Support Rating Scale, and Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was employed to identify predictors of AG. RESULTS: The AG score ranged from 0 to 66, with a median of 7 (interquartile range: 3-15), indicating a moderate-to-low level of AG. Psychological distress (β = 0.368, p < 0.001) emerged as the strongest predictor of AG. Other significant predictors included sadness, loss of interest in daily life, nervousness, pathological type, fever, and work/school-related problems. Notably, avoidance coping style was negatively associated with AG (β = -0.149, p < 0.001), suggesting a possible short-term protective effect. Although social support was negatively correlated with AG, this association was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological distress score plays a pivotal role in shaping AG among esophageal cancer patients. While avoidance coping may provide temporary relief, it may hinder emotional processing in the long run. These findings underscore the need for early psychological screening and the promotion of adaptive coping strategies to support emotional well-being in this population.	esophagus
Salvage involved-field versus extended-field chemoradiotherapy for postoperative lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective clinical study.	BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is a major global health threat, causing over 187,000 deaths in China in 2022. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients face high recurrence risks postradical esophagectomy, with 28.5% - 54% experiencing relapse. Current guidelines lack strong evidence for salvage treatments. Although salvage concurrent chemoradiotherapy has shown potential in improving outcomes, the optimal irradiation fields remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to compare salvage involved-field irradiation (IFI) versus extended-field irradiation (EFI) with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in postoperative thoracic ESCC patients with lymph node metastases, assessing whether IFI reduces toxicity without compromising efficacy. METHODS: This retrospective study included 106 patients (2015-2024) treated with IFI (targeting involved nodes) or EFI (involved nodes + prophylactic areas) plus concurrent chemotherapy. Outcomes included local control rate (LCR), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), objective response rate (ORR), adverse events (CTCAE v5.0), and elective nodal control (ENC, IFI group). RESULTS: With 57.2-month median follow-up, IFI and EFI showed comparable media OS (63.2 vs. 59.5 months, P = 0.519) and media DFS (28.4 vs. 17.8 months, P = 0.334). IFI achieved higher 3-/5-year LCR (81.1% vs. 61.8%; 60.8% vs. 49.4%, P = 0.026) and lower Grade 1-2 radiation esophagitis (29.3% vs. 46.9%), pneumonia (25.8% vs. 40.8%), and Grade 3-4 toxicity (32.8% vs. 57.1%, all P < 0.05). No significant differences in ORR/DCR were observed. IFI's ENC was 10.5% (6/57). CONCLUSION: Salvage IFI demonstrates non-inferior efficacy to EFI with significantly reduced severe toxicity (32.8% vs. 57.1%, P = 0.011) and potential survival benefits in single-node metastases, supporting its clinical prioritization. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This retrospective study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Jiangsu Cancer Hospital (Ethical Approval No. [KY-2024-020]).	esophagus
Cell death mechanisms induced by gold nano-immunoconjugates-mediated photodynamic therapy against human oesophageal cancer stem cells.	BACKGROUND: The current conventional therapy for oesophageal cancer is unable to effectively eliminate oesophageal cancer cells as a result of cancer stem cells (CSCs). These CSCs are the main factors responsible for treatment failure and tumour relapse associated with the present conventional oesophageal cancer therapy. A nano-immunoconjugate-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) proposes a potential approach to eliminate these CSCs efficiently. METHOD: In this study, we examined the mode of cell death action induced by the nano-immunoconjugates (NIC) mediated PDT comprising aluminium phthalocyanine tetra sulfonic acid chloride (AlPcS(4)Cl), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and anti-CD271 antibody (AlPcS(4)Cl-AuNPs-anti-CD271) against human oesophageal CSCs in vitro. The oesophageal CSCs were treated with NIC-mediated PDT, and their impacts on cell viability, oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane, efflux of cytochrome c protein, caspase 3/7 activity, and cell death mechanism were examined. We further evaluated the effects of the treatment on the various phases of the cell cycle, DNA damage response pathways, and autophagy. RESULTS: Findings from this study showed that NIC-mediated PDT significantly inhibited the cell growth of oesophageal CSCs, promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic cell death through the alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential Δψm, high efflux of cytochrome c protein, high activity of caspase 3/7 protease, and early apoptosis. Moreover, NIC-mediated PDT triggered cell cycle checkpoint activity in the G0/G1 phase, stimulated DNA damage response by increased DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) upregulation, and activated an autophagy action. CONCLUSION: The outcomes from this study showed the anticancer efficiency of gold nano-immunoconjugate-based PDT against human oesophageal CSCs. Overall, this study provides a rationale for gold nano-immunoconjugate-based PDT for a promising therapeutic application in the clinical treatment of oesophageal cancer.	esophagus
Clinicopathological characteristics and immune infiltration analysis of esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma with alterations in SWI/SNF complex.	BACKGROUND: Alterations in SWI/SNF complex were mostly detected in poorly differentiated or undifferentiated gastric/esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EGJA). However, there was a lack of studies investigating these alterations in a consecutive series of cases regardless of the morphology. Therefore, our study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological, prognostic, molecular and immune infiltration characteristics of a consecutive series cases with altered SWI/SNF complex in EGJA. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 266 patients who underwent surgery without neoadjuvant therapy. Tissue microarrays were constructed for evaluating molecular markers (INI1, ARID1A, BRM, BRG1, MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, MSH6, EGFR, c-MET, HER2, p53 and PD-L1) and immune cell markers (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD68 and CD163). Immune cell counts were quantified using Qupath. RESULTS: Among the 266 patients, 36 (13.5 %) cases exhibited alterations in SWI/SNF complex. Specifically, 14 (5.3 %) cases were identified with ARID1A alteration, 21 (7.9 %) cases with BRG1 alteration, 7 (2.7 %) cases with altered BRM and 2 (0.8 %) cases with INI1 alteration. Alterations in ARID1A correlated with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) (p < 0.001), increased CD3(+)T-cell (p = 0.017) and relatively increased CD8(+) T-cell infiltration (p = 0.057), whereas alterations of BRG1 correlated with reduced CD3(+)T-cell infiltration(p = 0.036). There were no significant differences in clinicopathological or prognostic characteristics in EGJA patients with or without SWI/SNF or its subunits alterations. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the SWI/SNF complex demonstrates a notable frequency of alteration within the consecutive series of cases of EGJA. Alterations in ARID1A and BRG1 may correlate with distinct tumor microenvironment, which may provide new insights for optimizing treatment strategies in patients with SWI/SNF complex alterations.	esophagus