crossing96/oncoscreening huggingface dataset:
Risk factors of Esophageal Cancer in Punjab- A Case Control Study.	BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is a significant health concern globally. In Punjab, where pesticides use and heavy metal exposure are widespread esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is among the leading cancers. This study aims to investigate the association between these environmental factors and esophageal carcinoma, for instituting preventive strategies. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study in Punjab, with 380 carcinoma cases and 760 age, gender, and district-matched controls from hospital and community settings. The participants completed a case report form with validated questions on risk factors. The urine, water, oral cytology, blood, and esophageal biopsies samples were collected from a subset of the population to evaluate pesticide metabolites, heavy metal exposure, cytological changes and infections like H. pylori and HPV. FINDINGS: The mean age of cases was 57.17 ± 9.54 (SD) years, similar to that of controls, 56.96 ± 8.93 (SD)years  (p>0.05).The key risk factors for esophageal carcinoma were, Dimethylphosphate presence in urine (5.41 (95% CI: 1.42-20.67, p<0.05), tobacco use  (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.24-2.06, p < 0.001), alcohol use (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.31-2.08, p < 0.001) and hot beverages (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.44-2.28, p < 0.001), with population attributable fraction of 86.7%, 10.8%, 16.5%, and 16.7%, respectively.. The daily intake of fruits (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.59-0.92, p = 0.008) and vegetables (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.65-0.99, p = 0.045) had protective association, with inadequate intake contributing to 27% and 26.8% of risk, respectively. The exposure to heavy metals from drinking water was higher in both groups but not statistically significant. INTERPRETATION: This study confirms established risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, and diet contribute to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Punjab, while identifying pesticide exposure as a new risk factor. It calls for stricter regulations, public health interventions, and further research into environmental risks.	esophagus
NDC80 promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through macrophages polarization and PI3K/AKT pathway activation.	OBJECTIVE: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a lethal malignancy with limited therapeutic options, primarily due to its aggressive metastatic behavior. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular drivers of ESCC metastasis by identifying a critical oncogene and investigate its functional mechanisms. METHODS: Using integrated bioinformatics screening, we identified NDC80 as a potential regulator of metastasis. The role and underlying mechanisms of NDC80 in ESCC progression have remained to be fully elucidated. We conducted in vitro functional assays-including real-time PCR, western blotting, and flow cytometry-to assess the effects of NDC80 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and malignant behavior. Mechanistic studies such as co-culture systems and ELISA, were used to evaluate tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) polarization, with a specific focus on the PI3K/AKT pathway. In vivo, we established subcutaneous xenograft models in immunocompromised mice to validate the impact of NDC80 on ESCC progression. Clinical validation was performed using immunohistochemistry analysis of ESCC tissue samples. RESULTS: NDC80 was identified as a clinically significant oncogene, showing marked overexpression in ESCC tissues that was associated with advanced invasion depth, lymphatic metastasis, and vascular invasion. Functionally, NDC80 promoted tumor cell migration, invasion, and EMT progression. Mechanistically, NDC80 fostered a tumor-promoting microenvironment by inducing M2 macrophages polarization via secretion of M-CSF and CXCL-2, which in turn activated the PI3K/AKT pathway to further amplify EMT. CONCLUSION: Our findings established NDC80 as a master regulator of ESCC metastasis by activating TAM-mediated PI3K/AKT and promoting EMT. These insights positioned NDC80 as a promising therapeutic target, offering a potential strategy to prevent ESCC progression.	esophagus
Rikkunshito attenuates nutritional decline and skeletal muscle loss during preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.	BACKGROUND: Rikkunshito is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine known to alleviate chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal symptoms. However, the clinical impact of rikkunshito on patients undergoing neoadjuvant or conversion chemotherapy followed by curative surgery for esophageal cancer remains unclear. METHODS: We analyzed 57 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent curative surgery with preoperative chemotherapy between April 2021 and December 2024. Patients who did and did not receive rikkunshito during chemotherapy were assigned to the rikkunshito and control groups, respectively. Nutritional status was evaluated using albumin levels, lymphocyte counts, prognostic nutritional index, geriatric nutritional risk index, body weight, and body mass index (BMI), and skeletal muscle area (SMA) at L3 before and after chemotherapy. Propensity score matching (PSM) based on baseline characteristics, including age, sex, initial BMI, clinical stage, chemotherapy regimen, and initial PNI and SMA was performed. RESULTS: Overall, the rikkunshito group showed significantly lower rates of body weight (p = 0.016) and BMI loss (p = 0.011) than controls. Although SMA reduction did not reach statistical significance, a trend toward preservation was observed (p = 0.093). After PSM (n = 16 per group), the rikkunshito group showed a significantly lower reduction in body weight (p = 0.031), BMI (p = 0.016), and SMA (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Rikkunshito administration during preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer was associated with better preservation of body composition, including skeletal muscle mass. This suggests the potential role of rikkunshito as a supportive therapy to mitigate sarcopenia and nutritional decline during intensive treatment of esophageal cancer.	esophagus
A case of branchial cleft cyst in the esophagus: A case report.	Branchial cleft cyst, also known as a benign lymphoepithelial cyst, is a congenital disorder with an unclear pathogenesis. It most commonly occurs in the anterior triangle of the neck along the upper third of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, while occurrences at other sites are exceedingly rare. Diagnosis through ultrasound, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging is challenging. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) enables the acquisition of complete specimens, aiding in the diagnosis and treatment of such lesions. This study presents a case of an esophageal branchial cleft cyst that was successfully diagnosed and treated with ESD, resulting in an excellent postoperative outcome. This case enhances clinical recognition of this rare entity and demonstrates the therapeutic utility of ESD in its management.	esophagus
Development and validation of a prognostic model for first-line immunotherapy for metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.	BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly prevalent malignant tumor worldwide, with patients in Asia mainly suffering from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Most patients are already in the metastatic stage when diagnosed, with a poor prognosis. For patients with advanced distant metastasis, immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has gradually become an important treatment method, and the survival time of some patients has significantly improved. However, the prognostic factors for this group of patients after treatment have not yet been determined. Therefore, constructing a relevant nomogram is of great significance for accurately evaluating patient survival and guiding personalized treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 224 patients with advanced-stage ESCC who received immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and developed distant metastasis. Establish a predictive nomogram for the survival outcomes of the training cohort using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). The performance of the model is further measured in the validation cohort and overall queue by examining the concordance index (C-index), calibration curves, decision curve analysis (DCA), accuracy (receiver operating characteristic curve), and utility (patient stratification into low-risk vs high-risk groups). RESULTS: Patient-related inflammatory indicators and clinical pathological characteristics were analyzed using LASSO, univariate, and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and a nomogram model was established for the five factors. The nomogram model exhibited acceptable discrimination, with C-indices of 0.818, 0.804, and 0.815 for the training cohort, validation cohort, and entire cohort, respectively. The calibration chart confirmed a good consistency between the model prediction results and the actual observations. DCA showed that the model had good clinical application value. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated using the time-dependent ROC curves. According to the total score of the nomogram in the training cohort, a cutoff value of 116.84 points was taken to divide the patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Among them, the median overall survival (OS) of high-risk group patients was significantly shorter than that of low-risk group patients in the training cohort, validation cohort, and entire cohort. CONCLUSION: This study constructed a prognostic nomogram for metastatic ESCC patients receiving first-line immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy. The model integrates five independent prognostic factors and demonstrates good discriminatory power, calibration, and clinical utility in training, validation, and the entire cohort. It can effectively divide patients into high-risk and low-risk groups to distinguish differences in OS, providing a basis for clinicians to accurately assess patient survival prognosis and develop personalized treatment strategies.	esophagus
Phase II trial of enfortumab vedotin in patients with previously treated gastric and esophageal cancers.	BACKGROUND: Enfortumab vedotin (EV), a Nectin-4-directed antibody-drug conjugate, was evaluated in patients with solid tumors in EV-202 (NCT04225117), a multicohort, open-label, phase II study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) or esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cohorts from EV-202 included adults with predominantly heavily pretreated locally advanced or metastatic (la/m) GEA or ESCC, respectively. Patients received EV 1.25 mg/kg intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of each 28-day cycle. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed confirmed objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints included duration of response (DOR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Of 40 response-assessable patients, ≥7 (≥17.5%) per cohort were required to declare promising antitumor activity. RESULTS: In the GEA cohort, 42 patients (71.4% male; median age 62 years) received EV (median follow-up 11.1 months). Confirmed ORR and DCR were 9.5% and 47.6%, respectively. Median DOR, PFS, and OS were 10.3, 3.1, and 8.3 months, respectively. The most common all-grade treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were pruritus (n = 16, 38.1%), alopecia (n = 15, 35.7%), and dysgeusia (n = 13, 31.0%). Twelve patients (28.6%) experienced grade ≥3 TRAEs. In the ESCC cohort, 44 patients (81.8% male; median age 66 years) received EV (median follow-up not estimable). Confirmed ORR and DCR were 18.2% and 45.5%, respectively. Median DOR, PFS, and OS were 3.9, 2.1, and 7.4 months, respectively. The most common all-grade TRAEs were pruritus (n = 12, 27.3%), rash maculopapular (n = 12, 27.3%), and dysgeusia (n = 11, 25.0%). Twelve patients (27.3%) experienced grade ≥3 TRAEs. CONCLUSIONS: EV demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with predominantly heavily pretreated la/m GEA or ESCC. The predefined threshold for promising antitumor activity was met in patients with ESCC but not in those with GEA. Safety was manageable and consistent with previous reports.	esophagus
Progenitor-exhausted T cell as prognostic indicator in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: illuminating their key contribution to tumor immunity.	BACKGROUND: Despite notable advances with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), their clinical efficacy remains limited, largely due to CD8⁺T cell exhaustion. Among these, progenitor exhausted T cells (T(pex)) represent a key subset with stem cell-like features that sustain durable anti-tumor immunity. METHODS: We applied multi-color immunohistochemistry (mIHC) to determine the spatial distribution and clinical significance of T(pex) cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of ESCC. Publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets were further analyzed to characterize T(pex) cell phenotypes, differentiation trajectories, and intercellular communication networks. RESULTS: T(pex) cells constituted a distinct subset of infiltrating CD8⁺T cells and represented a transitional stage of the exhaustion continuum. A higher degree of T(pex) infiltration was significantly associated with improved overall survival in ESCC patients. Moreover, scRNA-seq data from patients treated with PD-1 blockade revealed that responders harbored markedly enriched T(pex) populations compared with non-responders. CONCLUSION: Our findings identify T(pex) cells as a critical prognostic and immunologically active CD8⁺T cell subset in ESCC. Their abundance and functional engagement are closely associated with favorable clinical outcomes and response to PD-1 blockade. Furthermore, their stem cell-like properties may be pivotal in shaping durable anti-tumor immunity and could provide novel therapeutic targets to enhance the efficacy of PD-1-based immunotherapy.	esophagus
The BAF53A-BACH1-GCLM axis regulates glutathione metabolism and enhances ferroptosis resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.	OBJECTIVE: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), a highly lethal malignancy, exhibits poor survival rates and limited treatment options. Ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death driven by lipid peroxidation, emerges as a potential therapeutic target. However, the mechanisms suppressing ferroptosis in ESCC remain poorly understood. METHODS: Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was employed to knock down BAF53A and BACH1 in ESCC cell lines, followed by assessments of cell proliferation, colony formation, and ferroptosis sensitivity. Glutathione (GSH) metabolism was evaluated by measuring GSH/GSSG and NADP(+)/NADPH ratios, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and lipid peroxidation through flow cytometry and fluorescence imaging. Molecular interactions were evaluated using co-immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) to identify transcriptional targets of the BAF53A-BACH1 complex. RESULTS: BAF53A was elevated in ESCC, and its depletion impaired cell proliferation and colony formation ability of cells. Knockdown of BAF53A disrupted GSH metabolism, leading to increased ROS levels, reduced GSH/GSSG and NADP(+)/NADPH ratios, and enhanced ferroptosis sensitivity. Mechanistically, BAF53A collaborated with BACH1 to transcriptionally activate glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM), a key enzyme in GSH biosynthesis. Overexpression of GCLM restored redox balance and cell viability in BAF53A- or BACH1-silenced cells. CONCLUSIONS: The BAF53A-BACH1-GCLM axis constitutes a novel egulatory pathway that integrates chromatin remodeling, transcriptional regulatione, and ferroptosis resistance in ESCC. Targeting this axis may offer a promising approach to exploit metabolic vulnerabilities and enhance ferroptosis sensitivity in ESCC treatment.	esophagus
[Mediastinoscopic and Transabdominal Robotic Esophagectomy Using da Vinci Xi].	Mediastinoscopic esophagectomy (ME) for esophageal cancer, first reported by Tangoku et al. in 2004, has evolved into a standardized procedure incorporating radical lymphadenectomy. The surgery is performed using a mediastinoscope from the neck and a laparoscope from the abdomen, creating a connected operative field within the mediastinum. ME avoids thoracotomy and one-lung ventilation, preserving respiratory muscles and significantly reducing postoperative pneumonia, while maintaining pulmonary function and quality of life. Meta-analyses have shown that although recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy is relatively common, ME results in shorter operative time, less blood loss, lower incidence of pneumonia, and a reduced overall complication rate compared to conventional approaches. Its greatest advantage lies in expanding surgical indications to patients who were previously considered inoperable due to thoracic adhesions, poor pulmonary function (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)), or prior thoracic surgery. These patients often cannot tolerate radiation either, making ME particularly valuable. As Japan's population continues to age, the need for ME is expected to grow. Although ME was covered by national insurance in 2018, evidence from Japan remains limited. The 2022 esophageal cancer guidelines refrain from recommending ME due to insufficient data. However, recent retrospective studies using propensity score matching have shown significantly better overall and disease-free survival compared to thoracotomy, and prospective multicenter trials are underway.	esophagus
The LBX2-AS1-miR-491-5p-PKM2 Positive Feedback Loop Promotes Radiation Resistance of Esophageal Cancer by Enhancing Glycolysis.	BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Radioresistance is a significant factor affecting the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy. This study is aimed at investigating the molecular mechanism by which LBX2-AS1 regulates pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) to influence radioresistance and its potential as a biomarker for radioresistance in esophageal cancer. METHODS AND KEY FINDINGS: Radioresistant sub-cell lines, KYSE150R, were established in KYSE150 cells, and PKM2, cyclin D1, HIF-1α, and LBX2-AS1 levels were elevated in KYSE150R. Upregulated and downregulated PKM2 sub-cell lines were established. Upregulating PKM2 increased the PKM2 level in the nucleus and increased levels of HIF-1α, cyclin D1, and LBX2-AS1. The knockdown of PKM2 showed the opposite result. Downregulated LBX2-AS1 sub-cell lines were established. Downregulation of LBX2-AS1 decreased cell proliferation, glycolysis, cell cycle progression, and radioresistance, along with a reduction in cyclin D1, HIF-1α, and PKM2 levels. The dual-luciferase reporter system was used to verify that LBX2-AS1 directly binds to miR-491-5p, and miR-491-5p directly binds to the 3 (')UTR of PKM2 mRNA. Downregulation of miR-491-5p in sh-LBX2-AS1 cells could increase cell proliferation, cell cycle, glycolysis, and radiation resistance. The LBX2-AS1 level in serum of patients with esophageal cancer was detected, and its clinical relevance was analyzed. Results showed that high LBX2-AS1 levels correlated with worse disease control, increased lymphatic metastasis, and poorer overall and progression-free survival. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: LBX2-AS1-miR-491-5p-PKM2 positive feedback loop enhances the radioresistance of esophageal cancer cells by altering the cell cycle and enhancing glycolysis. High level of LBX2-AS1 in serum was correlated with worse DCR, lymphatic metastasis, worse overall survival, and progression-free survival.	esophagus
Ectopic HLA-II Expression in ESCC: Exploration of Its Relationship with Neoantigen Burden and Patient Survival.	"Ectopic expression of human leukocyte antigen class II (HLA-II) on tumor cells correlates with anti-tumor immunity and prognosis in various cancers, but its role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. METHODS: HLA-II expression was evaluated in 34 ESCC tissue sections and a 102-sample tissue microarray (TMA) using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in 10 ESCC cell lines via flow cytometry. Transcriptome sequencing of KYSE270, KYSE180, KYSE450, and KYSE510 was performed to investigate HLA-II regulatory mechanisms, while tumor samples from 104 ESCC patients were analyzed for neoantigen load. The prognostic significance of neoantigen burden was assessed using Cox regression. RESULTS: HLA-II was ectopically expressed in ESCC, with positivity rates of 20.59% (34 tissues) and 25.49% (TMA). Among 10 ESCC cell lines, only KYSE270 exhibited spontaneous HLA-II expression. Transcriptome analysis revealed 1278 KYSE270-specific genes enriched in immune-related pathways (e.g., ""Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction""), suggesting immune-mediated HLA-II regulation. IFN-γ stimulation induced HLA-II expression in KYSE180, KYSE450, and KYSE510, indicating broader inducible HLA-II potential. In 104 patients, MHC-II-restricted neoantigen burden varied widely (0-75) and lacked direct correlation with HLA-II expression. Additionally, MHC-II-restricted neoantigen load was not significantly associated with overall survival (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ectopic HLA-II expression in ESCC may influence the tumor immune microenvironment, while the prognostic value of MHC-II-restricted neoantigen burden in ESCC remains unclear, providing potential implications for immunotherapy strategies."	esophagus
Real-world survival benefit of adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy in esophageal cancer: A large SEER-based analysis.	BACKGROUND: The integration of immunotherapy with chemotherapy has shown promise in improving survival for advanced esophageal cancer. However, most supporting evidence comes from prospective trials with small cohorts, and large-scale real-world validation remains limited. METHODS: Esophageal cancer patients from the SEER database (2000-2021) were reviewed and analyzed. Patients diagnosed after 2021 were categorized into the chemotherapy plus immunotherapy group, while those diagnosed earlier formed the chemotherapy-alone group. The primary endpoint was the long-term survival. Additionally, subgroup analyses were further conducted for adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SC) to assess histology-specific outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 7793 patients were included (5840 chemotherapy-alone, 1953 chemotherapy plus immunotherapy). After PSM, baseline characteristics between the two groups were well balanced. Chemotherapy plus immunotherapy was identified as an independent protective factor for survival both before (HR = 0.868, 95 % CI: 0.766-0.984, P = 0.027) and after matching (HR = 0.845, 95 % CI: 0.745-0.958, P = 0.009). Subgroup analyses revealed consistent survival benefits of combination therapy in both AC and SC patients. The protective effect remained statistically significant in AC (HR = 0.822, 95 % CI: 0.682-0.990, P = 0.039), and a favorable trend was also observed in SC. In addition, female sex, married status, early T stage, and absence of distant metastasis were independently associated with better outcomes across subgroups. CONCLUSION: This large, SEER-based real-world study confirms that adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy significantly improves survival in esophageal cancer. The benefit was observed in both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma subtypes, supporting its broad clinical utility and the need for further prospective validation.	esophagus