Efficacy and safety of regorafenib in Japanese patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors

BACKGROUND

Regorafenib is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor that has been established as third-line treatment for patients after the failure of imatinib and sunitinib. However, since clinical data of regorafenib in the Japanese population are still lacking, the management of regorafenib is mainly based on the clinical experience of each oncologist. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of regorafenib in a Japanese population.

METHODS

Thirty-three patients treated with regorafenib for metastatic and recurrent gastrointestinal stromal tumors were retrospectively enrolled. This study investigated the anti-tumor effect, including overall survival, progression-free survival, and safety, which was evaluated based on the incidence of adverse events.

RESULTS

The median overall survival of patients treated with regorafenib was 23.8 months and the 1-year overall survival rate was 80.0%, the median progression-free survival was 7.1 months and the 1-year progression-free survival rate was 40.2%. The responses to regorafenib were partial response in 3 cases (9.1%), stable disease in 17 (51.5%), progressive disease in 10 (30.3%), and non-evaluable in 3 (9.1%). The disease control rate was 54.0%. Treatment-related adverse events were reported in all patients, with the most common being hand-foot syndrome (72.7%), followed by liver damage (36.4%) and diarrhea (27.3%), and six patients (20.0%) were discontinued due to adverse events.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of Japanese patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors treated with regorafenib. Regorafenib showed efficacy and a manageable safety profile in Japanese patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors, which was comparable with previous studies.

Three-Year Outcomes of a Phase II Study of Perioperative Capecitabine Plus Oxaliplatin Therapy for Clinical SS/SE N1-3 M0 Gastric Cancer (OGSG 1601)

Background

We previously reported the good feasibility and favorable efficacy of perioperative capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (CapeOx) in patients (pts) with clinical T3(SS)/T4a(SE) N1-3 M0 gastric cancer (GC) in a phase II study in which the pathological response rate, the primary endpoint, of 54.1% was demonstrated. Here, we report 3-year follow-up data.

Methods

The eligibility criteria included clinical T3(SS)/T4a(SE) N1-3 M0 GC according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma-3rd English Edition (JCGC). Three cycles of neoadjuvant CapeOx (capecitabine, 2000mg/m² for 14 days; oxaliplatin, 130mg/m² on day 1, every 3 weeks) were administered, followed by 5 cycles of adjuvant CapeOx after D2 gastrectomy. Three-year overall survival and relapse-free survival are presented here, and analyzed by cohorts based on pathologic response rate (pRR).

Results

Thirty-seven pts were enrolled from July 2016 to May 2017, and fully evaluated for efficacy and toxicity. Thirty-three pts (89.2%) completed the planned three cycles of neoadjuvant CapeOx and underwent gastrectomy, with an R0 resection rate of 78.4% (n = 29). The overall survival (OS) rate and relapse-free survival (RFS) rate at 3 years was 83.8% (95% CI, 72.7-96.5%) and 73.0% (95% CI, 60.0-88.8%), respectively. Further, the 3-year OS rate in pts with pathological response of grade 1a (n = 13) and grade 1b or higher (n = 20) was 69.2% (95% CI: 48.2-99.5%) and 100.0%, respectively, based on JCGC. Pathological response rate was classified according to JCGC as follows: grade 0, the tumor was not affected; grade 1a, less than one-third of the tumor was affected; grade 1b, one to two thirds of the tumor was affected; grade 2, greater than or equal to two thirds was affected; and grade 3, no residual tumor. A pathological response was defined as grade 1b or greater.

Conclusion

Perioperative CapeOx showed good feasibility and favorable prognosis, especially in pts with pathological response of grade 1b or higher and was found to be useful in predicting prognosis. The data obtained using this novel approach warrant further investigation (Trial ID: UMIN000021641, jRCTs051180109).

A novel, simple, and dedicated device for endoscopic mucosal defect closure

OBJECTIVES

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has become popular, but complications such as postoperative bleeding remain an issue. Although some methods of closing a mucosal defect with a snare and clips have been reported to be effective and safe, the snare is not a dedicated device, and the procedure is difficult and time-consuming. We aimed to find an alternative method for defect closure after ESD by developing a dedicated device.

METHODS

We have improved five prototypes. The load on the stopper when starting to tighten and loosen a loop and the maximum load on the stopper and the movement distance of the thread when sliding the stopper were measured five times for each prototype. With the 5th prototype, we finalized the design and named it FLEXLOOP. Additionally, the material and shape of the outer tube were improved. Then, the usability of FLEXLOOP was evaluated in pigs. The operation time for closing mucosal defects with the snare or FLEXLOOP was measured five times.

RESULTS

We made FLEXLOOP, which had a lower load when sliding and a higher load when loosening than the snare. The improvement of the outer tube significantly reduced the load on the sheath when sliding it. We confirmed the feasibility of mucosal defect closure with FLEXLOOP in pigs. The median operation time was 563 s (range 340-679 s) with the snare and 355 s (range 303-455 s) with FLEXLOOP (p = 0.047).

CONCLUSIONS

FLEXLOOP can be a promising option for defect closure after ESD.

A Smoke Evacuator Equipped With a Filter Contributes Enough to Safe Gas Exhaustion From the Abdominal Cavity

Surgical plume (SP) carries biological risks such as virus transmission. An evacuation system can remove SP from the surgical field, but is it safe to release evacuated gas into the operating room (OR) atmosphere? We examined this using a commercially available evacuator equipped with a filter under a laparoscopic porcine surgery model. SP was generated by activating an electrocautery or ultrasonic scalpel on the surface of the liver, and we evaluated whether DNA fragments derived from porcine tissue were present in the exhausted gas from the evacuation system into the atmosphere. DNA fragments were detected in the inlet gas of the evacuation system, while it was not detected in the outlet gas. As far as pathogen transmission via SP in the abdominal cavity is concerned, if the smoke evacuator ensures filter adsorption, it seems that there is little risk in releasing the suction gas into the atmosphere in the OR.

Current Status of Endoscopic Surgery in Japan: The 15th National Survey of Endoscopic Surgery by the Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery

In Japan, the first endoscopic surgery, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, was performed in 1990. Since then, operative procedures have been standardized, and the safety and efficacy of endoscopic surgery have been evaluated. In accordance with the social acceptance of endoscopic surgery as a less invasive type of surgery, the number of endoscopic procedures performed has increased in all surgical domains. The Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery (JSES) has played an important role in the development of endoscopic surgery in Japan. Notably, a technical skills certification system for surgeons was established by the JSES to train instructors on how to teach safe endoscopic surgery. Furthermore, the JSES has conducted a national survey every 2 years. In 2019, 291,792 patients underwent endoscopic surgery in all surgical domains, such as abdominal, thoracic, mammary and thyroid gland, cardiovascular, obstetrics and gynecology, urologic, orthopedic, and plastic surgery. The 15th National Survey of Endoscopic Surgery conducted by the JSES demonstrated the status of laparoscopic surgery in Japan in 2018-2019.

Surgical and perioperative treatment strategy for resectable esophagogastric junction cancer

Esophagogastric junction cancer is defined as adenocarcinoma with the epicenter within 5 cm of the esophagogastric junction in the West according to the Siewert classification. In contrast, it is defined as cancer of any histological type with the epicenter located within 2 cm proximal or distal to the esophagogastric junction in Japan according to the Nishi classification. Recently, the incidence of esophagogastric junction cancer has been rapidly rising all over the world, leading to much attention. Esophagogastric junction cancer was previously treated like gastric cancer or esophageal cancer because it is a less frequently occurring tumor. Esophagogastric junction cancer is considered to have worse prognosis than gastric cancer. Therefore, in recent years, esophagogastric junction cancer has been recognized as an independent malignant disease with poor prognosis, and thus development of treatment strategies focused on esophagogastric junction cancer is needed. The mapping of frequent metastasis in the mediastinal and abdominal lymph nodes has revealed the lymphatic flow from esophagogastric junction cancer specifically, establishing the optimal lymph node dissection area and surgical approach. The development of multimodal treatment that includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy has been applied to improve the survival of esophagogastric junction cancer. In this review, we summarize clinical trials with important evidence on surgical and multimodal perioperative treatments for esophagogastric junction cancer.

Negative impact of intraoperative blood loss on long-term outcome after curative gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer: exploratory analysis of the JCOG1001 phase III trial

BACKGROUND

Recent retrospective studies have shown that increased intraoperative blood loss (IBL) during curative gastrectomy for patients with advanced gastric cancer is a negative prognostic indicator for recurrence. However, there are no reliable reports assessing this with a large-scale prospective cohort. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of IBL on long-term outcomes using data from the JCOG1001 phase III trial, which was designed to determine if bursectomy led to improved survival vs. nonbursectomy in patients with cT3/4a gastric cancer.

METHODS

This study included 1203 of the 1204 patients enrolled in the JCOG1001. From the tertiles of IBL (196 ml, 400 ml), we divided the patients into three groups: IBL < 200 ml representing small blood loss (SBL, n = 404), 200 ml ≤ IBL < 400 ml representing medium blood loss (MBL, n = 393), and IBL ≥ 400 ml representing large blood loss (LBL, n = 406). The impact of IBL on relapse-free survival (RFS) was evaluated with univariable comparisons and multivariable Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Three-year RFS after SBL, MBL, and LBL was 81.7%, 74.8%, and 70.6%, respectively. Multivariable analysis identified IBL, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, pT, pN, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy as independent predictors of RFS. Compared with SBL as a reference, the hazard ratios of MBL and LBL were 1.461 (P = 0.012) and 1.520 (P = 0.009), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the analysis of data from a large-scale prospective study, an IBL of ≥ 200 ml after curative surgery for patients with cT3/4a gastric cancer was an independent predictor of reduced RFS.

Sequential treatment strategy using fluoropyrimidine plus bevacizumab followed by oxaliplatin for metastatic colorectal cancer: A phase II study (OGSG 1107)

Introduction: Previous prospective studies suggest that the sequential use of cytotoxic agents, such as oxaliplatin, in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has the potential to improve prognosis and maintain quality of life than combination chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a sequential treatment strategy consisting of an initial therapy (capecitabine, S-1, or 5-fluorouracil with leucovolin [LV/5-FU] plus bevacizumab) and subsequent therapy (i.e., initial therapy plus oxaliplatin) for mCRC. Methods: The primary endpoint was second progression-free survival (2nd PFS) between the start of initial therapy and tumor progression after sequential therapy; secondary endpoints were PFS after initial treatment (1st PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety. Results: Sixty-six patients were planned to be recruited. However, owing to a slow accrual rate, recruitment was terminated when only 19 patients were enrolled between 2011 and 2015; 4, 10, and 5 patients were administered capecitabine plus bevacizumab, S-1 plus bevacizumab, and LV/5-FU plus bevacizumab, respectively. The proportions of those with a KRAS status (wild-type/mutant/unknown) were 26%, 21%, and 53%, respectively. The median 2nd PFS and OS were 19.1 months and not reached, respectively. The ORR was 45.5% in the initial therapy and 16.7% in the subsequent therapy. Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia (5%), proteinurea (5%), and hypertension (47%). Discussion/Conclusion: Although our data are limited and preliminary, the sequential treatment strategy may provide a survival benefit in patients with mCRC. Further investigation of this treatment approach is warranted.

Early experience of laparoscopic resection and comparison with open surgery for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor: a multicenter retrospective study

The advantages of laparoscopic resection over open surgery in the treatment of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) are not conclusive. This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative and oncologic outcome of laparoscopic resection for gastric GIST, compared to open surgery. We retrospectively reviewed the prospectively collected database of 1019 patients with gastric GIST after surgical resection at 13 Korean and 2 Japanese institutions. The surgical and oncologic outcomes were compared between laparoscopic and open group, through 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). The laparoscopic group (N = 318) had a lower rate of overall complications (3.5% vs. 7.9%, P = 0.024) and wound complications (0.6% vs. 3.1%, P = 0.037), shorter hospitalization days (6.68 ± 4.99 vs. 8.79 ± 6.50, P < 0.001) than the open group (N = 318). The superiority of the laparoscopic approach was also demonstrated in patients with tumors larger than 5 cm, and at unfavorable locations. The recurrence-free survival was not different between the two groups, regardless of tumor size, locational favorableness, and risk classifications. Cox regression analysis revealed that tumor size larger than 5 cm, higher mitotic count, R1 resection, and tumor rupture during surgery were independent risk factors for recurrence. Laparoscopic surgery provides lower rates of complications and shorter hospitalizations for patients with gastric GIST than open surgery.

Effectiveness of third- or later-line therapy in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer: Results from an observational retrospective study in Japan

277

Background: The real-world effectiveness of third- or later-line (3L+) therapies in patients (pts) with HER2-positive gastric cancer remains unknown. We report a multicenter, retrospective, observational study at 20 centers in Japan to investigate the outcomes of 3L+ therapy in pts with HER2-positive advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer previously receiving trastuzumab (UMIN000040853). Methods: Pts aged ≥20 years with HER2-positive advanced G/GEJ cancer who were previously treated with trastuzumab and newly initiated on nivolumab, irinotecan, or trifluridine/tipiracil monotherapy as 3L+ therapy (Sep 2017 to Mar 2020) were evaluated for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of response (DOR), time to treatment failure (TTF), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR). An exploratory analysis for factors affecting OS was conducted using a multivariate Cox regression model, with HER2 status as a covariate. Results: The overall analysis population was 117 pts (median: age, 71 years; number of prior treatment lines, 2; days since the initiation of first-line treatment, 431 days). Median (95% confidence interval) OS, PFS, and TTF were 6.2 months (4.5–8.0), 1.9 months (1.5–2.3), and 1.8 months (1.5–2.2), respectively, at a median follow-up of 150 days. Outcomes by treatment groups are shown in the Table. ORR and DCR in 100 pts with evaluable target lesions were 9.0% and 32.0%, respectively, and median DOR was 8.4 months. A higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (≥2.540), Glasgow prognostic score (≥1), ECOG PS (≥2), and hepatic metastasis significantly impacted OS. Conclusions: The real-world effectiveness of 3L+ therapies was limited in this study. New HER2 treatment agent is expected to improve outcomes in pts with HER2-positive G/GEJ cancer.[Table: see text]

[A Case of Long-Term Survival after Multimodal Therapy against Gastric GIST with Multiple Hepatic Metastasis]

A male in his forties experiencing epigastric pain visited our hospital and was diagnosed with a large gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST)invading pancreatic tail with synchronous multiple liver metastases. We diagnosed as unresectable and started imatinib. Two weeks later, tumor necrosis and penetration were occurred. We performed partial gastrectomy with pancreatic tail resection and splenectomy. During the surgery, we also performed radiofrequency ablation(RFA)on all the liver metastases. After surgery, we immediately resumed imatinib. Four years after surgery, metastatic lesion in liver S4/8 was detected, RFA was performed and Imatinib was continued. Eight years after surgery, a recurrent metastatic lesion of the liver coincident with the previous RFA site was detected. We performed a right hepatic lobectomy and he continued imatinib, Currently, 16 years after the first operation, he is alive under the imatinib continuation. This case demonstrates that the combination of surgery, RFA and imatinib can be effective for prolonging survival in patients with advanced gastric GIST with synchronous multiple liver metastases.

Usefulness of an S-1 dosage formula: An exploratory analysis of randomized clinical trial (JCOG1001)

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Background: Although the S-1 dose is determined by body surface area (BSA), its blood concentration and adverse events are affected by renal function. One study had reported the clinical utility of an S-1 dosage formula for calculating the dose for target blood concentration based on renal function (Booka E. Gastric Cancer 2016;19:876-86.). The present study aimed to explore the usefulness of this formula in adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer. Methods: Ad hoc analyses was performed using data from patients enrolled in a phase III trial, JCOG1001, to evaluate the role of bursectomy for resectable advanced gastric cancer. In the abovementioned trial, patients with stage II/III received adjuvant S-1 chemotherapy based on BSA. The present study calculated the S-1 dose using the following formula: 1447.8 * (14.5+0.301*CLcr+8.23*SEX [male=1, female=0])*BSA (mg/day). Patients were divided into three groups, overdosed (OD), equal dosed (ED), and underdosed (UD), by comparing the initial dosage administered with that recommended by the formula. Results: Among the 686 eligible pts, 324, 304, and 58 were respectively classified as OD/ED/UD, with the following characteristics: median age, 67.5/64/53.5 years; men 188/229/57 (58%/75%/98%); undifferentiated type, 168/172/38 (52%/57%/66%); and pStage III, 212/200/41 (65%/66%/71%). Median relative dose intensity in OD/ED/UD pts was 93.8%/108.8%/75.0% based on the formula-recommended dose. The planned adjuvant S-1 therapy was completed in 69%/74%/74%, dose reduction and treatment schedule alteration were required in 31%/21%/9% and 20%/17%/9%, and treatment was terminated due to adverse events in 25%/18%/12%. The 5-year relapse-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) OD/ED/UD patients were 66.6%/69.2%/74.0% and 77.0%/74.3%/77.3%, in pStage II 80.2%/85.6%/93.8% and 88.3%/90.1%/100%, and pStage III 59.6%/60.4%/65.8% and 67.0%/70.0%/67.7%, respectively. OD pts had significantly higher incidences of grade 3 or higher anemia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, stomatitis than ED and UD pts. Conclusions: Despite no difference in survival, this formula improved treatment compliance in OD patients receiving adjuvant S-1 chemotherapy for gastric cancer.[Table: see text]

New response evaluation criteria using early morphological change in imatinib treatment for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor

BACKGROUND

The introduction of molecularly targeted drugs, including imatinib, has greatly improved the prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and based on the different response image, the methods of response evaluation have been established for GISTs. Furthrmore, the best response evaluation using them has been reported to be associated with progression-free survival (PFS) in imatinib treatment. However, since it is more important to predict the clinical outcomes of imatinib treatment in "early treatment phase", new predicting factor in earlier stage is desired to work out the whole strategy of each patient. Early morphological change (EMC) was previously reported as a predictive marker for molecularly targeted drugs in metastatic colorectal cancer. The purpose of the present study was to verify the efficacy of EMC in predicting the outcome in patients with GIST receiving imatinib at early evaluation.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 66 patients. EMC in computed tomography (CT) image was evaluated, and the patients were categorized into two groups: active MR (morphological response) (+) group and active MR (-) group. We investigated the association between the presence of active MR and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Forty-five patients had active MR ( +). The median progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with/without active MR was 49/23 months (P = 0.0039).

CONCLUSION

The evaluation criteria based on EMC could be a sensitive method to predict the clinical outcome of imatinib treatment for patients with unresectable GIST.

Usefulness of an S-1 dosage formula: an exploratory analysis of randomized clinical trial (JCOG1001)

BACKGROUND

The blood concentration of S-1 and adverse events are affected by renal function. Herein, an S-1 dosage formula was developed based on renal function, indicating the dose for a target blood concentration. This study aimed to explore the usefulness of the formula in adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer.

METHODS

In this ad hoc analysis of the JCOG1001 trial, which evaluated the role of bursectomy for resectable gastric cancer, the recommended dose of S-1 was calculated using the following formula: 1447.8 × (14.5 + 0.301 × CLcr + 8.23 × SEX [male = 1, female = 0]) × body surface area (BSA) (mg/day). Patients were divided into three groups by comparing the initial S-1 dose determined using BSA with the dose recommended by the formula: underdose (UD), equal dose (ED), and overdose (OD).

RESULTS

Among 686 eligible patients, 58, 304, and 324 patients were classified into the UD, ED, and OD groups. The patients' characteristics in the UD/ED/OD groups were median age (53.5/64.0/67.5 years), male sex (98.3%/75.3%/58.0%), and median BMI (24.8/22.8/22.3), respectively. The planned 1-year adjuvant S-1 therapy was completed in 74.1%/73.7%/68.5%, dose reduction was required in 8.6%/21.1%/30.6%, and treatment schedule was altered in 8.6%/17.1/19.8% in the UD/ED/OD groups, resulting in the 5-year overall survival rates of 77.3%/74.3%/77.0%, respectively. The incidences of grade > 3 anemia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, stomatitis, and anorexia were significantly higher in the OD group than in the ED and UD groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Dose optimization using an S-1 dosage formula can potentially reduce grade ≥ 3 adverse events for overdosed patients.

Effects of an oral elemental nutritional supplement in gastric cancer patients with adjuvant S-1 chemotherapy after gastrectomy: A multicenter, open-label, single-arm, prospective phase II study (OGSG1108)

AIM

Post-surgical weight loss influences chemotherapy compliance and may be a risk factor for survival. Intake of an oral elemental nutritional supplement (OENS) can reduce weight loss after gastric cancer (GC) surgery. We assessed whether therapy completion levels would increase in patients receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in combination with an OENS.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study in GC patients who underwent curative total or distal gastrectomy (TG/DG) and received adjuvant S-1 chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was the S-1 completion rate for 1 year with a relative performance (RP) value of ≥70%; secondary endpoints included factors affecting the completion rate of S-1, RP value after eight S-1 courses, S-1 and OENS persistence rates, nutritional index, OENS compliance, and safety.

RESULTS

In 71 efficacy-evaluable patients, the S-1 completion rate was 69.0% (TG, 68.0%; DG, 69.6%) and the RP value was 87.5 (TG, 89.1; DG, 87.5). Over eight treatment courses, median persistence rates were 89.0% for S-1 and 93.8% for the OENS. The mean OENS compliance was 81.8% at the fourth S-1 course and 52.9% at the eighth course. The incidence of Grade 3 or 4 adverse events was 27.2%, most commonly neutropenia (12.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

The completion rate of S-1 for 1 year in patients who could take the OENS exceeded the pre-defined threshold level. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the role of OENS in adjuvant chemotherapy.

Utility of monthly minodronate for osteoporosis after gastrectomy: Prospective multicenter randomized controlled trials

AIM

Osteoporosis in patients after gastrectomy is increasing with the aging of gastric cancer patients. Bisphosphonates are effective treatments for osteoporosis; however, their safety or efficacy in postgastrectomy patients has not been established. The purpose of this multicenter prospective intervention study was to investigate the impact of monthly minodronate on osteoporosis after gastrectomy.

METHODS

Of the 261 enrolled gastric cancer patients, 164 patients were diagnosed with osteoporosis based on criteria of the Japan Society of Osteoporosis. They were randomly assigned 1:1 to groups treated with active vitamin D (VD group) or monthly minodronate (MIN group). The primary endpoint was changes in lumbar bone mineral density (L-BMD) 12 mo after the start of administration. The secondary endpoints were changes in bone metabolism markers, adverse events (AEs), or treatment completion rates.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in patient background between the VD (n = 82) and MIN (n = 82) groups. In the MIN group, the increase in L-BMD was significantly higher than that in the VD group (4.52% vs 1.72%, P = .001), with a significant reduction in bone metabolism markers; blood NTX (-25.6% vs -1.6%, P < .01) and serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (-34.3% vs -20.1%, P < .01). AEs were observed in 26.8% and 9.3% of the patients and treatment completion rates were 77.5% and 89.3% in the MIN and VD groups, respectively. Serious AEs were not observed in either group.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of monthly minodronate, suggesting that this treatment may be useful for osteoporosis after gastrectomy (UMIN000015517).

A Preclinical Feasibility Study of Endoscopic Barostat: A Possible Diagnostic Tool for Visceral Hypersensitivity in Functional Dyspepsia

INTRODUCTION

Diagnosing functional dyspepsia requires excluding organic disease and gastrointestinal function evaluation; however, there are no modalities to evaluate these simultaneously. This preclinical study examined the possibility of an endoscopic barostat.

METHODS

Ultrathin endoscopy and our newly developed pressure-regulated endoscopic insufflator, which insufflates the gastrointestinal tract until the preset pressure is achieved, were used. The actual intragastric pressure was measured using an optical fiber manometer placed in the stomach. Experiment-1: in an ex vivo experiment, we insufflated the isolated stomach and verified whether the intragastric pressure reached the preset pressure. Experiment-2: we inserted the endoscope orally in a porcine stomach, insufflated the stomach, and verified whether the intragastric pressure reached the preset pressure. Finally, we insufflated the stomach at a random pressure to verify the functional tests for proof-of-concept.

RESULTS

Experiment-1: the intragastric pressure reached the preset pressure. After reaching the plateau, the pressure remained stable at the preset pressure (Huber M value: 1.015, regression line: 0.988, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.994-0.994). Experiment-2: the intragastric pressure reached the preset pressure. After reaching the plateau, the pressure remained stable at the preset pressure (Huber M value: 1.018, regression line: 0.971, 95% CI: 0.985-0.986). At randomly preset pressures, the transendoscopic theoretical intragastric pressure detected by using the insufflator was correlated with the actual pressure measured by using the pressure manometer.

CONCLUSIONS

This proof-of-concept study shows that a pressure-regulated endoscopic insufflator provides stable intragastric pressure at the preset level, with the potential of an endoscopic barostat to assess the visceral hypersensitivity related to functional dyspepsia.

Protein-enhanced feeds after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer attenuate postoperative catabolism: a prospective observational study

PURPOSE

To evaluate if nutritional supplements can attenuate postoperative catabolism in esophageal cancer patients after radical esophagectomy.

METHODS

We analyzed data prospectively from 30 patients who underwent curative esophagectomy for esophageal cancer between August and December, 2019. We compared postoperative nitrogen balance and changes in body composition between patients who received protein-enhanced enteral feeds (PEF) or other enteral feeds (OF).

RESULTS

Postoperative enteral feeding was administered safely to all patients. The average nitrogen balance was significantly higher in the PEF group than in the OF group on postoperative days (PODs) 3 (2.41 vs. - 1.50 g, P = 0.002), 4 (3.74 vs. - 0.08 g, P = 0.006), and 5 (3.27 vs. 0.11 g, P = 0.031). The cumulative nitrogen balance in the 7 days after surgery was significantly higher in the PEF group than in the OF group (6.12 vs. - 8.40 g, P = 0.025). The bodyweight loss and lean body mass loss on POD 14 were equivalent in the two groups (bodyweight loss 3.70 vs. 2.87%, P = 0.25; lean body mass loss, 4.34 vs. 1.91%, P = 0.33).

CONCLUSIONS

PEF improved the postoperative nitrogen balance significantly in patients who underwent esophagectomy.