crossing96/oncoscreening huggingface dataset:
A genetic variant in CHRNB3-CHRNA6 increases risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese populations.	Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are important regulators of smoking behavior and tobacco carcinogenesis. We studied the association of the CHRNB3-A6 variant rs13280604 in relation to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Chinese populations. Two independent case-control studies were conducted. The first case-control study, consisted of 866 ESCC patients and 1621 healthy controls from Northern China, and the second case-control study consisted of 853 ESCC patients and 860 unrelated controls from Southern China. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the associations of rs13280604 with cancer risk. We found that Rs13280604 GG/AG genotypes were significantly associated with increased risk for ESCC in both case-control studies from Northern [odds ratio (OR), 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19-1.70, P = 1.1×10(-4)], Southern China (OR, 1.56, 95% CI, 1.26-1.93, P = 5.2×10(-5)), and the combined population of both studies (OR, 1.44, 95% CI, 1.26-1.65, P = 8.7×10(-8)), respectively. Our results suggest that this CHRNB3-A6 variant confers susceptibility to ESCC risk. However, future larger studies are needed to validate our finding.	esophagus
Interaction with CCNH/CDK7 facilitates CtBP2 promoting esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) metastasis via upregulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression.	CtBP2, as a transcriptional corepressor of epithelial-specific genes, has been reported to promote tumor due to upregulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells. CtBP2 was also demonstrated to contribute to the proliferation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells through a negative transcriptional regulation of p16(INK4A). In this study, for the first time, we reported that CtBP2 expression, along with CCNH/CDK7, was higher in ESCC tissues with lymph node metastases than in those without lymph node metastases. Moreover, both CtBP2 and CCNH/CDK7 were positively correlated with E-cadherin, tumor grade, and tumor metastasis. However, the concrete mechanism of CtBP2's role in enhancing ESCC migration remains incompletely understood. We confirmed that CCNH/CDK7 could directly interact with CtBP2 in ESCC cells in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, our data demonstrate for the first time that CtBP2 enhanced the migration of ESCC cells in a CCNH/CDK7-dependent manner. Our results indicated that CCNH/CDK7-CtBP2 axis may augment ESCC cell migration, and targeting the interaction of both may provide a novel therapeutic target of ESCC.	esophagus
Forward-viewing versus oblique-viewing echoendoscopes in the diagnosis of upper GI subepithelial lesions with EUS-guided FNA: a prospective, randomized, crossover study.	BACKGROUND: The role of the forward-viewing echoendoscope compared with the oblique-viewing echoendoscope for EUS-guided FNA (EUS-FNA) of upper GI subepithelial lesions has not been defined. OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic yield and clinical efficacy of EUS-FNA by using the 2 echoendoscopes in the same upper GI subepithelial lesion. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, crossover study. SETTING: Tertiary-care medical center. PATIENTS: Forty-one patients with an upper GI subepithelial lesion. INTERVENTIONS: All patients first underwent EUS-FNA with a 19-gauge needle by using both echoendoscopes, based on random selection. When required, 22-gauge or 25-gauge needles were used additionally. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Comparison of diagnostic yield, tissue sample area, puncture success rates, procedure time, and adverse events. RESULTS: Forty-one patients (median lesion size 22 mm, range 15-63 mm) were enrolled. Rates of histologic diagnosis were 80.5% (33/41) and 73.2% (30/41) (P=.453) by using forward-viewing and oblique-viewing echoendoscopes, respectively. Median tissue sample area in GI stromal tumors (n=22) obtained with the forward-viewing echoendoscope was larger than with the oblique-viewing echoendoscope (2.46 mm2 vs 1.00 mm2; P=.046). Puncture success rates were 39 of 41 (95.1%) and 35 of 41 (85.4%; P=.289) with forward-viewing and oblique-viewing echoendoscopes, respectively. Median procedure time was 21 minutes with the forward-viewing echoendoscope and 27 minutes with the oblique-viewing echoendoscope (P=.009). An infectious adverse event occurred in a patient and was treated with antibiotics. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic yield did not differ between the 2 echoendoscopes. However, tissue sample area and procedure time were superior with the forward-viewing echoendoscope.	esophagus
Hormonal and reproductive factors and risk of esophageal cancer in women: a meta-analysis.	Currently published studies on the relationship between hormonal and reproductive factors and esophageal cancer (EC) risk in women have yielded contradictory findings. For a better understanding of this relationship, we first performed this meta-analysis by pooling all available publications. Sixteen independent studies were retrieved after a comprehensive search in PubMed and Embase databases. The pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. The pooled RRs implicated that hormone replacement therapy was negatively associated with the risk of EC (RR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.60-0.86, P < 0.001) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (RR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.48-0.97, P = 0.031). Menopausal women were at an increased risk of EC (RR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.07-2.03, P = 0.018), particularly esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (RR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.12-2.48, P = 0.012). Additionally, decreased risk of EC (RR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.68-0.92, P = 0.003) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (RR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.53-0.82, P < 0.001) was demonstrated among women with breast-feeding history. Moreover, such associations were more significant among Caucasians, but not Asians. Our study suggests that menopause is an independent risk factor for EC, while hormone replacement therapy and breast-feeding history play a protective role against EC, particularly among Caucasians. All results are consistent with the hypothesis that effects of estrogen may lower the risk of EC in women.	esophagus
Short-term outcomes of robotic radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer by a nontransthoracic approach compared with conventional transthoracic surgery.	Transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) is believed to have advantages for mediastinal lymphadenectomy in the treatment of resectable esophageal cancer despite its association with a greater incidence of pulmonary complications and postoperative mortality. Transhiatal esophagectomy is regarded as less invasive, though insufficient in terms of lymph node dissection. With the aim of achieving lymph dissection equivalent to that of TTE, we have developed a nontransthoracic esophagectomy (NTTE) procedure combining a video-assisted cervical approach for the upper mediastinum and a robot-assisted transhiatal approach for the middle and lower mediastinum. We prospectively studied 22 accumulated cases of NTTE and verified feasibility by analyzing perioperative and histopathological outcomes. We compared this group's short-term outcomes with outcomes of 139 equivalent esophageal cancer cases operated on at our institution by conventional TTE (TTE group). In the NTTE group, there were no procedure-related events and no midway conversions to the conventional surgery; the mean operation time was longer (median, 524 vs. 428 minutes); estimated blood loss did not differ significantly between the two groups (median, 385 mL vs. 490 mL); in the NTTE group, the postoperative hospital stay was shorter (median, 18 days vs. 24 days). No postoperative pneumonia occurred in the NTTE group. The frequencies of other major postoperative complications did not differ significantly, nor were there differences in the numbers of harvested mediastinal lymph nodes (median, 30 vs. 29) or in other histopathology findings. NTTE offers a new radical procedure for resection of esophageal cancer combining a cervical video-assisted approach and a transhiatal robotic approach. Although further accumulation of surgical cases is needed to corroborate these results, NTTE promises better prevention of pulmonary complications in the management of esophageal cancer.	esophagus
Bronchial bleeding caused by recurrent pneumonia after radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.	We herein report a case of bronchial bleeding after radical esophagectomy that was treated with lobectomy. A 65-year-old male who underwent subtotal esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection for esophageal carcinoma was referred to our hospital because of sudden hemoptysis. After the esophagectomy, bilateral vocal cord paralysis was observed, and the patient suffered from repeated episodes of aspiration pneumonia. Bronchoscopy revealed hemosputum in the right middle lobe bronchus, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed tortuous arteries arising from the right inferior phrenic artery and left subclavian artery toward the right middle lobe bronchus. Although bronchial arterial embolization was performed twice to control the recurrent hemoptysis, the procedures were unsuccessful. Right middle lobectomy was therefore performed via video-assisted thoracic surgery. Engorged bronchial arterys with medial hypertrophy and overgrowth of the small branches were noted near the bronchus in the resected specimen. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged on postoperative day 14.	esophagus
Long-term results of definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with esophageal submucosal cancer (T1bN0M0).	BACKGROUND: The long-term outcomes of definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with esophageal submucosal cancer without regional and distant metastasis were retrospectively analyzed. METHODS: Patients with histologically confirmed esophageal submucosal cancers without regional and distant metastasis who received definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy from 2001 to 2011 were included. Radiation therapy of a median total dose of 60 Gy/30 fractions (range, 54-66 Gy) with elective nodal irradiation of 40 Gy was combined concurrently with 5-furuorouracil-based chemotherapy. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients (33 men and 3 women) aged from 45 to 80 years (median, 67 years) were assessed. All patients had squamous cell carcinoma. With a median follow-up time of 61 months, the 5-year overall survival, disease-free survival, and locoregional failure-free survival rates were 86 % [95 % confidence interval (CI), 74-99 %], 59 % (95 % CI, 42-77 %), and 90 % (95 % CI, 79-100 %), respectively. Late toxicities of grade 3 pleural effusion in 2 patients, grade 4 pericardial effusion in 1 patient, and grade 5 pneumonitis in 1 patient were observed. Metachronous esophageal cancer was observed in 8 patients (22 %). Among them, 6 patients with mucosal legions were salvaged by endoscopic resection. CONCLUSION: Our long-term results of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for patients with esophageal submucosal cancer showed acceptable toxicities and favorable locoregional control and survivals while maintaining organ preservation.	esophagus
HER2 status in gastroesophageal cancer: a tissue microarray study of 1040 cases.	"Among patients with gastric cancer (GC) and gastroesophageal cancer (G-EC), HER2 amplification identifies those who may benefit from trastuzumab. HER2 status assessment, however, is influenced by preanalytic, analytic, and postanalytic variables. In a series of 5426 microarray cancer tissue cores obtained from 1040 GC/G-ECs (824 GC, 216 G-EC) and 720 synchronous nodal metastases, we evaluated both the performances of 2 different immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocols and the HER2 status intratumor variability. The prevalence of HER2 amplification and protein overexpression were assessed by chromogenic in situ hybridization and by 2 IHC protocols (CB11 and 4B5). HER2 was amplified in 114 (11%) of 1040 cases; in 6 (5.3%) of 114 cases, gene amplification only involved nodal metastasis. HER2 amplification prevailed in intestinal-type (P = .001) and low-grade (P < .001) tumors, showing no correlation with patients' age/sex, tumor location, stage, and Ming histotype. Overall, 12.5% and 13.7% of cases IHC scored 2+/3+ using the CB11-IHC and the 4B5-IHC protocol, respectively. HER2 amplification was not associated with protein overexpression (score 0/1+) in 11.4% and 6.2% of cases using the CB11-IHC and the 4B5-IHC protocol, respectively. The 4B5-IHC protocol proved more sensitive than CB11-IHC (93.9% versus 88.6%) and just as specific (96.1% versus 96.9%). Tested by chromogenic in situ hybridization, intratumor HER2 status was ""substantially"" consistent in different tissue cores obtained from the same case (κ = 0.78). Similar results were obtained for HER2 protein expression (CB11-IHC, κ = 0.78, and 4B5-IHC, κ = 0.83). Immunohistochemistry testing, however, fails in identifying about 10% of HER2-amplified cancers, potentially excluding these patients from anti-HER2 therapy."	esophagus
Recent trends and predictors of multimodality treatment for oesophageal, oesophagogastric junction, and gastric cancer: A Dutch cohort-study.	BACKGROUND: In recent years, evidence supporting multimodality treatment for oesophageal, oesophagogastric junction (OGJ), and gastric cancer has accumulated. This population-based cohort-study investigates trends and predictors of utilisation of multimodality treatment for oesophagogastric cancer in the Netherlands. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from the Netherlands Cancer Registry regarding patients with oesophageal (n = 5450), OGJ (n = 2168) and gastric cancer (n = 6683) without distant metastases who had undergone R0 or R1 surgery diagnosed between 2000 and 2012. Follow-up was completed until February 2014. Preoperative/postoperative chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy combined with surgery were considered multimodality treatment. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyse the association of age, gender, socioeconomic status, clinical T and N classification, hospital type, comprehensive cancer centre network region, and year of diagnosis, with multimodality treatment receipt. Additional analyses were performed to explore differences in trends of utilisation of multimodality treatment between academic and non-academic hospitals. RESULTS: Multimodality treatment utilisation for oesophageal, OGJ and gastric cancer increased significantly to 90%, 85% and 56% in 2012, respectively. In oesophageal and OGJ cancer patients, preoperative chemoradiotherapy was most frequently administered (85% and 47% in 2012, respectively), and in gastric cancer patients preoperative chemotherapy (47% in 2012). Lower age, higher clinical T and N classification, and diagnosis in more recent years were significantly associated with more frequent multimodality treatment receipt. The adoption of most types of multimodality treatment in academic hospitals preceded non-academic hospitals by a year. CONCLUSION: In the Netherlands, the utilisation of multimodality treatment for oesophagogastric cancer has significantly increased during the past decade, especially in oesophageal and OGJ cancer. Multimodality treatment utilisation was especially dependent on patient and tumour characteristics and year of diagnosis, but multimodality treatment trends seem to be related to the publication of landmark studies, participation in nationally running clinical trials, and hospital type, preceding national guidelines.	esophagus
[Use of herbal medicine for cancer treatment-related toxicities].	Cancer treatment-related toxicities often require dose reductions and delays. Herbal medicine use is prevalent among cancer patients. Though evidence is lacking regarding benefits in treatment outcomes and immunity, a large body of evidence supports the use of herbals for reducing treatment-induced toxicities. We present three cases where herbal medicine provided relief from side effects of anti-cancer treatment, enabling the completion of treatment protocols. In the first case, a 79 year-old female patient with metastatic breast cancer developed flushing and excessive sweating from Tamoxifen treatment. Herbal medicine reduced symptoms significantly, enabling the continuation of treatment with partial disease resolution. In the second case, a 69 year-old male with esophageal cancer terminated treatment on the adjuvant treatment protocol because of severe nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, peripheral neuropathy and fatigue. Herbal medicine reduced symptom severity and chemotherapy was reinstituted. In the third case, a 58 year-old female patient with advanced metastatic colon cancer was referred by her oncologist for treatment with herbal medicine for alleviation of fatigue and weakness, flushing and palpitations, mouth ulcers and dyspnea. Despite significant symptom reduction, with completion of treatment regimens, her disease progressed and she subsequently succumbed to the disease. In summary, the above cases illustrate potential benefits of herbal medicine in the reduction of cancer treatment-related symptoms, enabling patients to complete their anti-cancer treatment regimen. Further research examining the efficacy and safety of herbal compounds is needed, in light of potential toxicity and negative interactions with conventional treatment.	esophagus
[Initial results of robotic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer].	INTRODUCTION: There is scant experience with robot-assisted esophagectomy in cases of esophageal and gastro-esophageal junction cancer. Our aim is to report our current experience. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational cohort study of the first 32 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer from September 2011 to June 2014. The gastric tube was created laparoscopically. In the thoracic field, a robot-assisted thoracoscopic approach was performed in the prone position with intrathoracic robotic hand-sewn anastomosis. Patient and tumour characteristics, surgical technique, short-term outcomes (morbidity and mortality) and oncological results (radicality and number of removed nodes) were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients, with a mean age of 58 years (34-74) were treated by a totally minimally invasive esophagectomy: robotic laparoscopy and thoracoscopy (11 McKeown and 21 Ivor-Lewis). Twenty-nine received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. There were no conversions to open surgery. Console time was 218minutes (190-285). Blood loss was 170ml (40-255). One patient died from cardiac disease. Nine patients had a major complication (Dindo-Clavien grade II or higher). There was no case of respiratory complication or recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Five patients had intrathoracic fistula, 4 radiological and one clinical. Three had chylothorax, 2 cervical fistula and one gastric tube necrosis. The median hospital stay was 12 days (8-50). All the resections were R0 and the median of removed lymph nodes was 16 (2-23). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that minimally invasive esophagectomy with robot-assisted thoracoscopy is safe and achieves oncological standards.	esophagus
Vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression as a biomarker of poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis.	BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is involved in the development and progression of tumor angio-/lymphangiogenesis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether VEGF-C expression is an indicator of aggressiveness and poor prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHOD: A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the association between VEGF-C expression with clinicopathological characteristics and survival of ESCC patients. The dataset was defined by searching PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane database for appropriate articles published until April 2014. RESULT: The final analysis was made from 9 studies, including 656 ESCC patients. Positive VEGF-C expression was defined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) or mRNA expression analysis. The results demonstrated that VEGF-C expression was significantly associated with advanced-stage disease (odds ratio (OR) = 2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.37-3.84, P = 0.002), deeper tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and lymphatic invasion. The 5-year survival of VEGF-C expression-negative patients was found to be better than that of VEGF-C expression-positive patients (OR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.21-0.58, P < 0.0001). However, there was no significant association between the VEGF-C expression levels and either poorer tumor differentiation or vascular invasion. CONCLUSION: The results of the meta-analysis strongly indicate that VEGF-C expression could function as a marker for predicting the aggressiveness and prognosis of ESCC.	esophagus
Postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy improved survival in lymph node-positive or stage III thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.	BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the effect of postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) on recurrence and survival in lymph node-positive or stage III thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC) patients, and evaluate its role in TESCC therapy. METHODS: We enrolled 538 patients who underwent radical resection with (S + R) or without (S) postoperative IMRT. The median total postoperative IMRT dose was 60 Gy. The Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and chi-square test were used for survival rate calculation, univariate analysis, and sites of failure analysis, respectively. RESULTS: The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival rates were 32.7 and 27.3%, respectively. The 5-year OS rates of lymph node-positive S and S + R patients were 28.4 and 38.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). The 5-year OS rates of stage III S and S + R patients were 24.0 and 38.0%, respectively (p = 0.001). Postoperative IMRT resulted in significantly decreased intrathoracic and supraclavicular recurrence, and obviously delayed median local recurrence and systemic metastases. Systemic metastases increased following postoperative IMRT. CONCLUSION: Postoperative IMRT reduces local recurrence and improves survival in lymph node-positive or stage III TESCC patients, providing a rationale for selection criteria for postoperative IMRT in TESCC.	esophagus
Histone Demethylase LSD1 Inhibitors Prevent Cell Growth by Regulating Gene Expression in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells.	BACKGROUND: The expression of genes can be influenced by the balance of histone acetylation and/or histone demethylation, with an imbalance of these processes possibly observed in many cancers. The histone demethylase LSD1 inhibitor activity is associated with selective transcriptional regulation and alterations in the gene expression. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects of LSD1 inhibitors are not fully understood. METHODS: The antitumor effects of NCL1, an LSD1 inhibitor, in esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) cell lines were evaluated. A comprehensive analysis of the changes in the gene expression in ESCC cell lines induced by NCL1 was carried out using a microarray analysis. A loss-of-function assay using a siRNA analysis was performed to examine the oncogenic function of the gene. RESULTS: NCL1 strongly inhibited the cell growth of T.Tn and TE2 ESCC cells and induced apoptosis. According to the microarray analysis, 81 genes in the T.Tn cells and 149 genes in the TE2 cells were up- or down-regulated 2-fold or more by NCL1 exposure. Among these genes, 27 were contained in both cell lines and exhibited similar expression patterns. PHLDB2, one of the genes down-regulated by NCL1, was overexpressed in the ESCC tumor tissues. Moreover, a high expression level of PHLDB2 was found to be significantly correlated with poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The present observations of the comprehensive analysis of the gene expression levels provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effects of LSD1 inhibitors in ESCC patients.	esophagus