Epidemiology of esophageal cancer: update in global trends, etiology and risk factors

Burden of esophageal cancer and its attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer is a global health concern. Regularly updated data about the burden of esophageal cancer are essential for formulating specific public policies. We aimed to estimate the global, regional, and national burden and trends of esophageal cancer and its attributable risk factors from 1990 to 2019, by age, sex and socio-demographic index (SDI).

METHODS

Data about the incidence, death, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and age-standardized rates were collected from Global Burden of Disease study 2019. Estimated annual percentage changes were used to quantify the temporal trends of age-standardized rates. Moreover, the risk factors attributable to esophageal cancer deaths were also presented.

RESULTS

There were 534,563 incident cases and 498,067 deaths in 2019, contributing to 11,666,017 DALYs. The absolute numbers of incidence, death, and DALYs had increased from 1990 to 2019, contrasting with declined changes in their corresponding age-standardized rates. The burden of esophageal cancer varied across different regions and countries, and the age-standardized rates were negative with SDI. Almost half of the esophageal cancer was concentrated in China. Males accounted for most of the burden of esophageal cancer, and the onset age tended to be older. The death of esophageal cancer was primarily attributable to smoking, followed by alcohol use, high body mass index, diet low in fruits and diet low in vegetables.

CONCLUSION

The burden of esophageal cancer was heterogeneous across regions and countries by sex, age, and SDI, providing information for governments that may help to formulate more targeted policies.

The Disease and Economic Burdens of Oesophageal Cancer in China from 2013 to 2030: A Dynamic Cohort Modelling Study

Background

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the sixth leading cause of tumor-related deaths worldwide. Estimates of the EC burden are necessary and could offer evidence-based suggestions for local cancer control.

Objective

The aim of this study was to predict the disease burden of EC in China through the estimation of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and direct medical expenditure by sex from 2013 to 2030.

Methods

A dynamic cohort Markov model was developed to simulate EC prevalence, DALYs, and direct medical expenditure by sex. Input data were collected from the China Statistical Yearbooks, Statistical Report of China Children’s Development, World Population Prospects 2019, and published papers. The JoinPoint Regression Program was used to calculate the average annual percentage change (AAPC) of DALY rates, whereas the average annual growth rate (AAGR) was applied to analyze the changing direct medical expenditure trend over time.

Results

From 2013 to 2030, the predicted EC prevalence is projected to increase from 61.0 to 64.5 per 100,000 people, with annual EC cases increasing by 11.5% (from 835,600 to 931,800). The DALYs will increase by 21.3% (from 30,034,000 to 36,444,000), and the years of life lost (YLL) will account for over 90% of the DALYs. The DALY rates per 100,000 people will increase from 219.2 to 252.3; however, there was a difference between sexes, with an increase from 302.9 to 384.3 in males and a decline from 131.2 to 115.9 in females. The AAPC was 0.8% (95% CI 0.8% to 0.9%), 1.4% (95% CI 1.3% to 1.5%), and –0.7% (95% CI –0.8% to –0.7%) for both sexes, males, and females, respectively. The direct medical expenditure will increase by 128.7% (from US $33.4 to US $76.4 billion), with an AAGR of 5.0%. The direct medical expenditure is 2-3 times higher in males than in females.

Conclusions

EC still causes severe disease and economic burdens. YLL are responsible for the majority of DALYs, which highlights an urgent need to establish a beneficial policy to reduce the EC burden.

Usefulness of delta neutrophil index as a biomarker to predict postoperative complication in patients who underwent esophagectomy: A case-control study

Esophagectomy demonstrates a high incidence of complications owing to its complexity and invasiveness; hence, early detection of complications is important. We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the delta neutrophil index (DNI) for complications after esophagectomy.We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent esophagectomy in the department of general surgery at a single institution between January 2011 and October 2020. Patient characteristics, laboratory findings, and clinical outcomes were assessed.Fifty-seven patients were enrolled in this study, of whom 31 (54.4%) had complications. The complication group had significantly longer mean mechanical ventilation, hospital stay and intensive care unit stay periods, and higher acute physiology, age, chronic health evaluation score and mortality rate than the noncomplication group. DNI on postoperative day (POD) 2 was also significantly higher in the complication group. Logistic regression analysis showed that DNI on POD 2 was an independent risk factor associated with the complications. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under curve of DNI on POD 2 was 0.712 (cutoff value: 2.15%, sensitivity 61.5%, and specificity 70.8%).Our study indicated that postoperative DNI can be useful as an early predictive biomarker of the complications after esophagectomy.

Prognostic Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT Volume-Based Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Node-Negative Stage II Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a major cancer prevalent in Asian males. Pretreatment tumor burden can be prognostic for ESCC. We studied the prognostic value of metabolic parameters of 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F] fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) and the serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) level in node-negative stage II ESCC patients. Eighteen males underwent staging evaluation were included. The volume-based metabolic parameters derived from ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT, including metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG), were obtained using the PET Volume Computer Assisted Reading application. The Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationship between metabolic parameters and pretreatment serum SCC-Ag levels. Based on the 5-year follow-up, patients were sub-divided into the demised and the stable groups. Potential prognostic value was assessed by independent t-test and the Mann–Whitney U test. The association of overall survival was assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The demised group showed significant higher values in serum SCC-Ag, as well as in MTV and TLG, but not SUVmax and SUVmean. The SUVmax, MTV, TLG, and serum SCC-Ag showed significant association with overall survival. Our findings suggest potential usage of pretreatment volume-based metabolic parameters of ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT and serum SCC-Ag as prognostic factors for node-negative stage II ESCC patients.

Alterations in the Ca2+ toolkit in oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Aim:

To investigate alterations in transcription of genes, encoding Ca²⁺ toolkit proteins, in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) and to assess associations between gene expression, tumor grade, nodal-metastatic stage, and patient survival.

Methods:

The expression of 275 transcripts, encoding components of the Ca²⁺ toolkit, was analyzed in two OAC datasets: the Cancer Genome Atlas [via the University of Alabama Cancer (UALCAN) portal] and the oesophageal-cancer, clinical, and molecular stratification [Oesophageal Cancer Clinical and Molecular Stratification (OCCAMS)] dataset. Effects of differential expression of these genes on patient survival were determined using Kaplan-Meier log-rank tests. OAC grade- and metastatic-stage status was investigated for a subset of genes. Adjustment for the multiplicity of testing was made throughout.

Results:

Of the 275 Ca²⁺-toolkit genes analyzed, 75 displayed consistent changes in expression between OAC and normal tissue in both datasets. The channel-encoding genes, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor 2D (GRIN2D), transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel classical or canonical 4 (TRPC4), and TRP ion channel melastatin 2 (TRPM2) demonstrated the greatest increase in expression in OAC in both datasets. Nine genes were consistently upregulated in both datasets and were also associated with improved survival outcomes. The 6 top-ranking genes for the weighted significance of altered expression and survival outcomes were selected for further analysis: voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channel subunit α 1D (CACNA1D), voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channel auxiliary subunit α2 δ4 (CACNA2D4), junctophilin 1 (JPH1), acid-sensing ion channel 4 (ACCN4), TRPM5, and secretory pathway Ca²⁺ ATPase 2 (ATP2C2). CACNA1D, JPH1, and ATP2C2 were also upregulated in advanced OAC tumor grades and nodal-metastatic stages in both datasets.

Conclusions:

This study has unveiled alterations of the Ca²⁺ toolkit in OAC, compared to normal tissue. Such Ca²⁺ signalling findings are consistent with those from studies on other cancers. Genes that were consistently upregulated in both datasets might represent useful markers for patient diagnosis. Genes that were consistently upregulated, and which were associated with improved survival, might be useful markers for patient outcome. These survival-associated genes may also represent targets for the development of novel chemotherapeutic agents.

Early Esophageal Cancer: What the Gastroenterologist Needs to Know

Endoscopic findings in early esophageal cancer are often subtle and require careful inspection and meticulous endoscopic examination. When dysplasia is suspected, we recommend performing 1 or 2 targeted biopsies of the abnormal area and review with a pathologist specialized in evaluating gastrointestinal diseases. In the case of adenocarcinoma, after resection of any visible cancer, residual Barrett's can be treated by ablation. Endoscopic resection can offer the opportunity for patients to avoid surgery. Further studies are needed to evaluate the optimal management of circumferential and near-circumferential lesions as well as tools and techniques to facilitate the performance of endoscopic submucosal dissection and endoscopic mucosal resection.

Dietary risk factors for esophageal cancer based on World Health Organization regions

OBJECTIVES

Esophageal cancer (EC) has become one of the most alarming cancers in the world. There are significant differences in incidence and risk factors associated with the two most common histological subtypes of EC, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma, between regions. This systematic review was undertaken to analyze dietary risk factors specific to EC and its two subtypes based on World Health Organization regions.

METHODS

A systematic search of five databases (Global Health, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) for the past 5 y (2015-2020) was conducted from March 2020 to July 2020. Titles and abstracts were screened to determine the primary inclusion eligibility, followed by an examination of the full-text articles. Finally, 59 articles were reviewed to identify EC risk factors and compare these by region. Data were extracted using a table developed by the research team. Risk factors found in >50% of regions were highlighted.

RESULTS

The study identified some major dietary risk factors for EC that were previously reported, as well as some uncommon dietary risk factors, such as salty foods and beverages, unpiped drinking water, sugar-related factors (e.g., sweet intake), and foods with high glycemic index.

CONCLUSIONS

EC risk factors extend beyond those previously identified. Targeting all EC risk factors by region will assist the World Health Organization and other health agencies in providing a tailored, culturally appropriate response to effectively reduce the incidence and prevalence of EC within a region.

LINC00261 Inhibits Esophageal Cancer Radioresistance by Down-Regulating microRNA-552-3p and Promoting DIRAS1

OBJECTIVE

Esophageal cancer (EC) represents a life-threatening tumor with an ever-increasing incidence rate. Long intergenic non-protein coding RNAs (LINCs) have also become a topic of interest in EC. In a similar light, the current study aimed to investigate the role of LINC00261 in EC radioresistance.

METHODS

Firstly, radioresistant EC cell lines TE-1-R and TE-5-R were established using TE-1 and TE-5 cells. Subsequently, LINC00261, microRNA (miR)-552-3p, and DIRAS1 expression patterns in EC tissues and adjacent normal tissues and EC cells were evaluated. In addition, survival fraction (SF), colony formation, apoptosis, and γ-H2AX levels were analyzed, followed by the detection of the binding relation between LINC00261 and miR-552-3p and between miR-552-3p and DIRAS1. Lastly, xenograft transplantation was carried out to confirm the effects of LINC00261 on EC radioresistance in vivo.

RESULTS

LINC00261 and DIRAS1 were poorly-expressed in EC tissues and cells, but miR-552-3p was over-expressed. In EC cells with X-ray radiation, over-expression of LINC00261 reduced SF and cell viability, strengthened γ-H2AX levels, and promoted apoptosis, while all these trends were counteracted by miR-522-3p over-expression or DIRAS1 silencing. Mechanistic investigation further validated the binding relation between LINC00261 and miR-552-3p, and between miR-552-3p and DIRAS1. Moreover, LINC00261 over-expression suppressed tumor growth and reduced EC radioresistance in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Altogether, our findings indicated that LINC00261 exerts a suppressive effect on EC radioresistance via the competing endogenous RNA network to sponge miR-552-3p and up-regulate DIRAS1 transcription.

Crosstalk between lncRNAs and miRNAs in gastrointestinal cancer drug resistance

Gastrointestinal cancers are one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Dysregulation of lncRNAs by epigenetic alteration is crucial in gastrointestinal carcinogenesis. Epigenetic alteration includes DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, and deregulated-gene expression by miRNAs. LncRNAs are involved in biological processes, including, uncontrolled cell division, migration, invasion, and resistance to apoptosis and drugs. Multiple-drug resistance (MDR) is a crucial obstacle in effective chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers. MDR can be associated with the prognosis and diagnosis of patients receiving chemotherapeutic agents (i.e. cisplatin, oxaliplatin, platinum, 5-fluorouracil, gefitinib, methotrexate, taxol, cetuximab, docetaxel, and gemcitabine). In this review, we focused on recently known lncRNAs and their relation with miRNAs and chemotherapeutic drugs, and their modulation in gastrointestinal cancers. Moreover, we mentioned the future prospective and clinical application of lncRNAs as a critical indicator and biomarker in diagnosis, prognosis, staging, grading, and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

Ursolic Acid Accelerates Paclitaxel-Induced Cell Death in Esophageal Cancer Cells by Suppressing Akt/FOXM1 Signaling Cascade

Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid extracted from various plants, inhibits cell growth, metastasis, and tumorigenesis in various cancers. Chemotherapy resistance and the side effects of paclitaxel (PTX), a traditional chemotherapy reagent, have limited the curative effect of PTX in esophageal cancer. In this study, we investigate whether UA promotes the anti-tumor effect of PTX and explore the underlying mechanism of their combined effect in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Combination treatment with UA and PTX inhibited cell proliferation and cell growth more effectively than either treatment alone by inducing more significant apoptosis, as indicated by increased sub-G1 phase distribution and protein levels of cleaved-PARP and cleaved caspase-9. Similar to the cell growth suppressive effect, the combination of UA and PTX significantly inhibited cell migration by targeting uPA, MMP-9, and E-cadherin in ESCC cells. In addition, combination treatment with UA and PTX significantly activated p-GSK-3β and suppressed the activation of Akt and FOXM1 in ESCC cells. Those effects were enhanced by the Akt inhibitor LY2940002 and inverted by the Akt agonist SC79. In an in vivo evaluation of a murine xenograft model of esophageal cancer, combination treatment with UA and PTX suppressed tumor growth significantly better than UA or PTX treatment alone. Thus, UA effectively potentiates the anti-tumor efficacy of PTX by targeting the Akt/FOXM1 cascade since combination treatment shows significantly more anti-tumor potential than PTX alone both in vitro and in vivo. Combination treatment with UA and PTX could be a new strategy for curing esophageal cancer patients.

Definitive chemoradiotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy for the treatment of esophageal and gastroesophageal carcinoma - A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

There currently exists limited data comparing definitive chemoradiotherapy to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with esophagectomy for patients with esophageal carcinoma. While we await more trials, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies with either propensity score matched or multivariable analyses, to provide a better understanding of the relative efficacy and effectiveness.

METHODS

MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from database initiation (1946 for MEDLINE, 1974 for EMBASE, and 1995 for Cochrane) up until May 2021. Articles were included if they reported on overall survival or toxicity data. Summary hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using a random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model.

RESULTS

Eight studies with a total of 16,647 patients were included in this review. Patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with esophagectomy had better overall survival - HR 0.55; 95% CI: 0.49-0.62. Toxicity was similar, between the two treatments.

CONCLUSION

Patients with esophageal carcinoma receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy have better survival than patients receiving definitive chemoradiotherapy. Given the paucity of data and lack of uniform reporting of endpoints, further studies should be conducted.

Meta-Analysis of the Association between Asbestos Exposure and Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

We conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively assess the association between asbestos exposure and esophageal cancer.

METHODS

We systematically collected articles from three electronic databases and calculated the pooled standardized mortality rate (SMR) from the meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis according to the type of asbestos exposure, follow-up years, sample size, industry classification, sex, and high-dose exposure was conducted.

RESULTS

From 242 studies, 34 cohort studies were included in our meta-analysis. Pooled SMR was positively associated with asbestos exposure and esophageal cancer (pooled SMR = 1.28; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-1.38, p < 0.00001). In the subgroup analysis, (1) chrysolite, (2) four groups with follow-up over ten years, (3) the textile industry and shipyard, (4) both male and female, and (5) eight studies on highest asbestos exposure, all the subgroups showed significantly increased pooled SMRs.

CONCLUSION

Asbestos exposure was significantly and positively associated with esophageal cancer, especially chrysolite. Considering the long latency period, we suggest that patients should be followed up for cancer, including esophageal cancer, for over ten years.

3D Organoids: An Untapped Platform for Studying Host-Microbiome Interactions in Esophageal Cancers

The microbiome is an emerging key co-factor in the development of esophageal cancer, the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. However, there is a paucity of data delineating how the microbiome contributes to the pathobiology of the two histological subtypes of esophageal cancer: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma. This critical knowledge gap is partially due to inadequate modeling of host-microbiome interactions in the etiology of esophageal cancers. Recent advances have enabled progress in this field. Three dimensional (3D) organoids faithfully recapitulate the structure and function of the normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic epithelia of the esophagus ex vivo and serve as a platform translatable for applications in precision medicine. Elsewhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the co-culture of 3D organoids with the bacterial microbiome has fostered insight into the pathogenic role of the microbiome in other GI cancers. Herein, we will summarize our current understanding of the relationship between the microbiome and esophageal cancer, discuss 3D organoid models of esophageal homeostasis, review analogous models of host-microbiome interactions in other GI cancers, and advocate for the application of these models to esophageal cancers. Together, we present a promising, novel approach with the potential to ameliorate the burden of esophageal cancer-related morbidity and mortality via improved prevention and therapeutic interventions.

miR-488-5p promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression by suppressing the P53 pathway

Background

miR-488-3p has been reported to play an important role in cancer progression and metastasis. The protein 53 (P53) gene serves as a mediator and biomarker of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the molecular mechanism underlying miR-488-5p in the pathology of ESCC through the P53 pathway has not been examined.

Methods

The expression levels of miR-488-5p were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cytological experiments were performed to evaluate the biological functions of miR-488-5p. A bioinformatics analysis was performed to determine the pathways and key miR-488-5p targets associated with ESCC. Correlations between miR-488-5p and P53 signaling pathways were validated by western blotting and the dual luciferase reporter gene system. Finally, the expression level of miR-488-5p was regulated and tumor formation experiments were performed in nude mice.

Results

The qRT-PCR analysis showed that MiR-488-5p expression was more upregulated in the KYSE-150 group than the HEEC group. In the KYSE-150 cells, the colony formation assay and flow cytometry analysis indicated that the miR-488-5p inhibitor inhibited cell viability and increased cell apoptosis; however, these effects were recovered by P53 knockdown (KD). In addition, cell invasion and cell migration were inhibited by the miR-488-5p inhibitor, but were also improved by P53 KD. Similarly, the miR-488-5p inhibitor induced the expression of P53 and P21 than normal control (NC) group in which miR-488-5p expression was normal, while P53 KD prevented the effects of the miR-488-5p inhibitor in KYSE-150 cells. Additionally, we found that tumor size was obviously smaller in miR-488-5p overexpression (OE)+ P53 OE mice than miR-488-5p OE mice. Hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry staining also revealed similar results.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that miR-488-5p promotes ESCC progression by suppressing the P53 pathway. These findings should provide novel ideas for ESCC therapies.

BRCA1/Trp53 heterozygosity and replication stress drive esophageal cancer development in a mouse model

BRCA1 germline mutations are associated with an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Recent findings of others suggest that BRCA1 mutation carriers also bear an increased risk of esophageal and gastric cancer. Here, we employ a Brca1/Trp53 mouse model to show that unresolved replication stress (RS) in BRCA1 heterozygous cells drives esophageal tumorigenesis in a model of the human equivalent. This model employs 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) as an RS-inducing agent. Upon drinking 4NQO-containing water, Brca1 heterozygous mice formed squamous cell carcinomas of the distal esophagus and forestomach at a much higher frequency and speed (∼90 to 120 d) than did wild-type (WT) mice, which remained largely tumor free. Their esophageal tissue, but not that of WT control mice, revealed evidence of overt RS as reflected by intracellular CHK1 phosphorylation and 53BP1 staining. These Brca1 mutant tumors also revealed higher genome mutation rates than those of control animals; the mutational signature SBS4, which is associated with tobacco-induced tumorigenesis; and a loss of Brca1 heterozygosity (LOH). This uniquely accelerated Brca1 tumor model is also relevant to human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, an often lethal tumor.

The impact of lymphopenia during chemoradiotherapy using photons or protons on the clinical outcomes of esophageal cancer patients

We assessed the development of lymphopenia during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) using X-ray versus proton beams and the impact on survival in patients with esophageal cancer. Among patients with esophageal cancer who were administered concurrent CRT with a curative intent at our institute from 2014 to 2018, 69 (15 receiving X-ray radiotherapy (XRT) and 54 receiving proton beam therapy [PBT]) who underwent weekly blood testing during treatment were enrolled. The absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) at 1, 5 and 6 weeks were significantly higher in the patients who received PBT than in those who received XRT (p = 0.002, p = 0.006 and p = 0.009, respectively), and a similar trend in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was observed (p = 0.003 at 5 weeks). The 2-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates tended to be higher in the patients who maintained an ALC ≥200 compared with those who did not (p = 0.083 and p = 0.053, respectively), and similar trends were observed in the NLR (p = 0.061 and p = 0.038, respectively). Dose-volume analysis revealed significant correlations between volumes of the thoracic bones irradiated by 5-50 Gy and minimum ALCs and maximum NLR. These findings suggested that PBT prevented the development of lymphopenia during CRT by reducing the irradiated volume of the thoracic bone, and the maintained lymphocyte count is possibly one of the early predictors for survival in patients with esophageal cancer.

Extrahepatic biliary obstruction secondary to metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: An unusual presentation of Courvoisier's law

Courvoisier's law states, "In the presence of jaundice and a palpable bladder, the cause is unlikely to be due to stone". Although esophageal squamous carcinoma is known to spread to celiac nodes, there is no description in the literature with it presenting and mimicking the above findings in Courvoisier's Law.

Combined Therapy of Locally Advanced Oesophageal and Gastro-Oesophageal Junction Adenocarcinomas: State of the Art and Aspects of Predictive Factors

The following main treatment approaches are currently used in locally advanced adenocarcinomas of the oesophagus and gastrooesophageal junction (GOJ): preoperative chemoradiotherapy and surgery, and perioperative chemotherapy and surgery. While preoperative chemoradiotherapy is used primarily in oesophageal tumours, perioperative chemotherapy is the treatment of choice in Western countries for gastric cancer. The optimal treatment strategy for GOJ adenocarcinoma is still not clear. In comparison to other malignancies, biomarkers are used as predictive factors in distal oesophageal and GOJ adenocarcinomas in a very limited way, and moreover, only in metastatic stages (e.g., HER2 status, or microsatellite instability status). The aim of the article is to provide an overview of current treatment options in locally advanced adenocarcinomas of oesophagus and GOJ based on the latest evidence, including the possible potential of predictive biomarkers in optimizing treatment.

Occurrence and Prognostic Value of Perineural Invasion in Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer: A Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the occurrence and prognostic value of perineural invasion (PNI) as a classic tumor pathological feature in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled 794 ESCC patients who underwent radical esophagectomy at Shanghai Chest Hospital from 2017 to 2018. The incidence, associated factors, and prognosis of PNI were analyzed.

RESULTS

PNI was identified in 15.7% (125/794) of patients. The presence of PNI was significantly associated with depth of invasion (p < 0.001), pN stage (p = 0.008), tumor stage (p < 0.001), and lymphovascular invasion (LVI; p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that advanced pT stage and LVI were independently associated with the presence of PNI, while multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that PNI was not an independent risk factor for poor overall survival (OS) or recurrence-free survival (RFS) in ESCC patients (OS hazard ratio [HR] 0.688, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.448-1.056, p = 0.087; RFS HR 0.837, 95% CI 0.551-1.273, p = 0.406). In the PNI-positive patient subgroup, adjuvant therapy was associated with better OS and RFS.

CONCLUSION

PNI correlates with, and may be a concomitant consequence of, LVI and advanced tumor invasion (T3-4) in ESCC patients. Although PNI was not identified as an independent prognostic indicator, our results suggest ESCC patients with PNI should be considered for adjuvant therapy.

Recent advances in early esophageal cancer: diagnosis and treatment based on endoscopy

Esophageal cancer (EC) often cannot be discovered in time because of its asymptomatic or symptom-atypical characteristics in early stage. The risk and probability of lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis increase correspondingly as the cancer aggressively invades deeper layers. Treatment regimens may be shifted to surgery and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) from endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) with poor quality of life and prognosis. It is imperative to identify dysplasia and EC early and enable early curative endoscopic treatments. Newer methods have been attempted in the clinical setting to achieve early detection at a more microscopic and precise level. Newer imaging techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) technology have been involved in targeted biopsies and will gradually unveil the visualization of pathology in the future. Early detection and diagnosis are the prerequisite to choose personal and precise treatment regimens. EET has also been undergoing development and improvement to benefit more patients as the first option or the firstly chosen alternative therapy, when compared with esophagectomy. More clinical studies are needed to provide more possibilities for EET.

A glypican-1-targeted antibody-drug conjugate exhibits potent tumor growth inhibition in glypican-1-positive pancreatic cancer and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

An antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) is a promising therapeutic modality because selective and effective delivery of an anti-cancer drug is achieved by drug-conjugated antibody-targeting cancer antigen. Glypican 1 (GPC1) is highly expressed in malignant tumors, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Herein, we describe the usefulness of GPC1-targeting ADC. Humanized anti-GPC1 antibody (clone T2) was developed and conjugated with monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) via maleimidocaproyl-valine-citrulline-p-aminobenzyloxycarbonyl (mc-vc-PABC) linkers (humanized GPC1-ADC[MMAE]). Humanized GPC1-ADC(MMAE) inhibited the growth of GPC1-positive PDAC and ESCC cell lines via inducing cycle arrest in the G2/M phase and apoptosis in vitro. The binding activity of humanized GPC1-ADC(MMAE) with GPC1 was comparable with that of the unconjugated anti-GPC1 antibody. The humanized GPC1-ADC(MMAE) was effective in GPC1-positive BxPC-3 subcutaneously xenografted mice but not in GPC1-negative BxPC-3-GPC1-KO xenografted mice. To assess the bystander killing activity of the humanized GPC1-ADC(MMAE), a mixture of GPC1-positive BxPC-3 and GPC1-negative BxPC-3-GPC1-KO-Luc cells were subcutaneously inoculated, and a heterogenous GPC1-expressing tumor model was developed. The humanized GPC1-ADC(MMAE) inhibited the tumor growth and decreased the luciferase signal, measured with an in vivo imaging system (IVIS), which suggests that the suppression of the BxPC-3-GPC1-KO-Luc population. The humanized GPC1-ADC(MMAE) also inhibited the established liver metastases of BxPC-3 cells and significantly improved the overall survival of the mice. It exhibited a potent antitumor effect on the GPC1-positive PDAC and ESCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Our preclinical data demonstrate that GPC1 is a promising therapeutic target for ADC.

A Meta-Analysis for Using Radiomics to Predict Complete Pathological Response in Esophageal Cancer Patients Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation

BACKGROUND

Preservation of organ function is important in cancer treatment. The 'watch-and-wait' strategy is an important approach in management of esophageal cancer. However, clinical imaging cannot accurately evaluate the presence or absence of residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemoradiation. As a result, using radiomics to predict complete pathological response in esophageal cancer has gained in popularity in recent years. Given that the characteristics of patients and sites vary considerably, a meta-analysis is needed to investigate the predictive power of radiomics in esophageal cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

PRISMA guidelines were used to conduct this study. PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were searched for literature review. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated by the radiomics quality score. I² score and Cochran's Q test were used to evaluate heterogeneity between studies. A funnel plot was used for evaluation of publication bias.

RESULTS

A total of seven articles were collected for this meta-analysis. The pooled area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of the seven selected articles for predicting pathological complete response in eosphageal cancer patient was quite high, achieving a pooled value of 0.813 (95% confidence intervaI=0.761-0.866). The radiomics quality score ranged from -2 to 16 (maximum score: 36 points). Three out of the seven studies used machine learning algorithms, while the others used traditional biostatistics methods. One of the seven studies used morphology class features, while four studies used first-order features, and five used second-order features.

CONCLUSION

Using radiomics to predict complete pathological response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in esophageal cancer is feasible. In the future, prospective, multicenter studies should be carried out for predicting pathological complete response in patients with esophageal cancer.

Comparative study of treatment options and construction nomograms to predict survival for early-stage esophageal cancer: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of several common treatment options on the long-term survival of patients with early-stage esophageal cancer and to construct nomograms for survival prediction.

METHOD

This study was performed using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database (2004-2015) on patients with early-stage (pT1N0M0) esophageal cancer who underwent endoscopic local therapy (ET), radiotherapy (RT), esophagectomy (ES) or neoadjuvant therapy (NT). Multivariate Cox regression was used to explore which factors influenced patient survival, and these factors were then incorporated into propensity sore matching (PSM) and the construction of nomogram plots. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare whether there was a difference in long-term survival between the other three treatments and esophagectomy.

RESULT

Data from 4184 patients were included in this study. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, grade, marital status, and treatment method were independent factors affecting survival. After matching, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the ET group had better CSS than the ES group, but no difference in OS, while the NT and RT groups had worse OS and CSS than the ES group. In the nomogram prediction model, the c-indexes of the training and validation cohorts were 0.805 and 0.794, respectively. Additionally the ROC curve (5-year AUC = 0.877) and DCA curve showed that the model had a good predictive effect.

CONCLUSION

For early-stage esophageal cancer, the results of this study showed that ET is not inferior to ES. Based on the independent factors affecting prognosis identified in the study, we constructed and validated a predictive model for predicting long-term survival in patients with early-stage esophageal cancer.

Construction of a Nine-MicroRNA-Based Signature to Predict the Overall Survival of Esophageal Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a common malignant tumor. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in the occurrence and metastasis and are closely related to the prognosis of EC. Therefore, it will provide a powerful tool to predict the overall survival (OS) of EC patients based on miRNAs expression in EC tissues and blood samples.

METHODS

Five independent databases, TCGA, GSE106817, GSE113486, GSE122497, and GSE112264, were used to construct nine-miRna signature and nomograms for prognosis. The bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the enrichment pathways of targets.

RESULTS

A total of 132 overexpressed miRNAs and 23 suppressed miRNAs showed significant differential expression in both EC serum and tissue samples compared with normal samples. We also showed that nine miRNAs were related to the prognosis of EC. Higher levels of miR-15a-5p, miR-92a-3p, miR-92a-1-5p, miR-590-5p, miR-324-5p, miR-25-3p, miR-181b-5p, miR-421, and miR-93-5p were correlated to the shorter survival time in patients with EC. In addition, we constructed a risk prediction model based on the levels of nine differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and found that the OS time of EC patients with high-risk score was shorter than that of EC patients with low-risk score. Furthermore, our results showed that the risk prediction scores of EC samples were higher than those of normal samples. Finally, the area under the curve (AUC) was used to analyze the risk characteristics of EC and normal controls. By calculating the AUC and the calibration curve, the RNA signature showed a good performance. Bioinformatics analysis showed that nine DEMs were associated with several crucial signaling, including p53, FoxO, PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, and TORC1 signaling. Finally, 14 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were identified as hub targets of nine miRNAs, including BTRC, SIAH1, RNF138, CDC27, NEDD4L, MKRN1, RLIM, FBXO11, RNF34, MYLIP, FBXW7, RNF4, UBE3C, and RNF111. TCGA dataset validation showed that these hub targets were significantly differently expressed in EC tissues compared with normal samples.

CONCLUSION

We have constructed maps and nomograms of nine-miRna risk signals associated with EC prognosis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that nine DEMs were associated with several crucial signaling, including p53, FoxO, PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, and TORC1 signaling, in EC. We think that this study will provide clinicians with an effective decision-making tool.

Heterogeneity Analysis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Cell Lines, Tumor Tissues and Patient-Derived Xenografts

Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) is the predominant type of Esophageal Cancer (EC), accounting for nearly 88% of EC incidents worldwide. Importantly, it is also a life-threatening cancer for patients diagnosed in advanced stages, with only a 20% 5-year survival rate due to a limited number of actionable targets and therapeutic options. Increasing evidence has shown that inter-tumor and intra-tumor heterogeneity are widely distributed across ESCC tumor tissues. In our work, multi-omics data from ESCC cell lines, tumor tissue, normal tissue and Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) tissues were analyzed to investigate the heterogeneity among ESCC samples at the DNA, RNA, and protein level. We identified enrichment of ECM-receptor interaction and Focal adhesion pathways from the subset of protein-coding genes with non-silent mutations in ESCC patients. We also found that TP53, TTN, KMT2D, CSMD3, DNAH5, MUC16 and DST are the most frequently mutated genes in ESCC patient samples. Out of the identified genes, TP53 is the most frequently mutated, with 84 distinct non-silent mutation variants. We observed that p.R248Q, p.R175G/H, and p.R273C/H are the most common TP53 mutation variants. The diversity of TP53 mutations reveal its importance in ESCC progression and may also provide promising targets for precision therapeutics. Additionally, we identified the Olfactory transduction as the top signaling pathway, enriched from genes uniquely expressed in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-ESCC patient tumor tissues, which may provide implications for the exact roles of the corresponding genes in ESCC. Cyclic nucleotide-gated channel subunit beta 1(CNGB1), a gene belonging to the Olfactory transduction pathway, was found exclusively overexpressed in ESCC. Expression of CNGB1 could serve as a marker, indicating potential diagnostic or therapeutic value. Finally, we investigated heterogeneity in the context of the ESCC PDX model, which is an emerging tool used to predict drug response and recapitulate tumor behavior in vivo. We observed trans-species heterogeneity in as high as 75% of the identified proteins, indicating that the ambiguity of proteins should be addressed by specific strategies to avoid drawing false conclusions. The identification and characterization of gene mutation and expression heterogeneity across different ESCC datasets, including various novel TP53 mutations, ECM-receptor interaction, Focal adhesion, and Olfactory transduction pathways (CNGB1), provide researchers with evidence and implications for accurate research and precision therapeutic development.

Understanding the immuno-biology of oesophageal adenocarcinoma: Towards improved therapeutic approaches

With an incidence that is constantly rising, oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is becoming an increasing health burden worldwide. Although significant advances in treatment regimens have improved patient outcomes, survival rates for this deadly cancer remain unsatisfactory. This highlights the need to improve current therapeutic approaches and develop novel therapeutic strategies for treating OAC patients. The advent of immunotherapy has revolutionised treatment across a range of malignancies, however outcomes in OAC show modest results. The inherent resistance of OAC to treatment reflects the complex genomic landscape of this cancer, which displays a lack of ubiquitous driver mutations and large-scale genomic alterations along with high tumour and immune heterogeneity. Research into the immune landscape of OAC is limited, and elucidation of the mechanisms surrounding the immune responses to this complex cancer will result in improved therapeutic approaches. This review explores what is known about the immuno-biology of OAC and explores promising therapeutic avenues that may improve responses to immunotherapeutic regimens.

Characteristics of P-Type and N-Type Photoelectrochemical Biosensors: A Case Study for Esophageal Cancer Detection

P-type and N-type photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensors were established in the laboratory to discuss the correlation between characteristic substances and photoactive material properties through the photogenerated charge carrier transport mechanism. Four types of human esophageal cancer cells (ECCs) were analyzed without requiring additional bias voltage. Photoelectrical characteristics were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis reflectance spectroscopy, and photocurrent response analyses. Results showed that smaller photocurrent was measured in cases with advanced cancer stages. Glutathione (L-glutathione reduced, GSH) and Glutathione disulfide (GSSG) in cancer cells carry out redox reactions during carrier separation, which changes the photocurrent. The sensor can identify ECC stages with a certain level of photoelectrochemical response. The detection error can be optimized by adjusting the number of cells, and the detection time of about 5 min allowed repeated measurement.

THAP9-AS1/miR-133b/SOX4 positive feedback loop facilitates the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive system with a high incidence and poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNA) have been reported to be closely associated with the occurrence and development of various human cancers. Data from GSE89102 shows an increase of THAP9-AS1 expression in ESCC. However, its functions and mechanisms underlying ESCC progression remain to be investigated. In this study, we found that THAP9-AS1 was overexpressed in ESCC tissues and cells. High THAP9-AS1 expression was positively correlated with tumor size, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and worse prognosis. Functionally, depletion of THAP9-AS1 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while enhanced apoptosis in vitro. Consistently, knockdown of THAP9-AS1 inhibited xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, THAP9-AS1 could serve as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-133b, resulting in the upregulation of SOX4. Reciprocally, SOX4 bound to the promoter region of THAP9-AS1 to activate its transcription. Moreover, the anti-tumor property induced by THAP9-AS1 knockdown was significantly impaired due to miR-133b downregulation or SOX4 overexpression. Taken together, our study reveals a positive feedback loop of THAP9-AS1/miR-133b/SOX4 to facilitate ESCC progression, providing a potential molecular target to fight against ESCC.

Preoperative Radiochemotherapy in Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer with 5-Fluorouracil/Cisplatin or Carboplatin/Paclitaxel: Treatment Practice over a 20-Year Period and Implications for the Individual Treatment Modalities

Simple Summary

We retrospectively studied outcomes in patients treated with preoperative radiochemotherapy and surgery for esophageal squamous cell cancer. We put a special focus on the comparison of patients treated with 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin (‘Walsh’) or carboplatin/paclitaxel (‘CROSS’). First, the higher age and more comorbidities of ‘CROSS’ patients, along with a shorter intensive care/intermediate care unit stay, might reflect an improvement in supportive and surgical/perioperative procedures in the periods. Second, the ‘CROSS’ patients experienced more hematologic toxicity and were less likely to complete chemotherapy as per protocol. This indicates that efforts should be taken to guide patients through a toxic treatment regimen. Third, the negative prognostic impact of radiochemotherapy-related toxicities and the duration of the intensive care/intermediate care unit stay underlines that further optimization of treatment procedures remains an important goal. Toxicity profiles could be improved by tailoring the regimen to individual patients (e. g., careful use of the taxane-based regimen in elderly patients).

Abstract

We retrospectively studied outcomes in patients treated with preoperative radiochemotherapy and surgery for esophageal squamous cell cancer. We put special focus on the comparison of patients treated with 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin (‘Walsh’) or carboplatin/paclitaxel (‘CROSS’). We compared characteristics between patients treated according to ‘Walsh’ vs. ‘CROSS’. Cox regression was performed to test for an association of parameters with outcomes. Study eligibility was met by 90 patients. First, the higher age and more comorbidities of the ‘CROSS’ patients, along with a shorter intensive care/intermediate care stay, might reflect an improvement in supportive and surgical/perioperative procedures over the periods. Second, the ‘CROSS’ patients experienced more hematologic toxicity and were less likely to complete chemotherapy as per protocol. This indicates that efforts should be taken to guide patients through a toxic treatment regimen by supportive measures. Third, the negative prognostic impact of radiochemotherapy-related toxicities (i.e., dysphagia and hematologic toxicities) and the duration of the intensive care/intermediate care unit stay underlines that further optimization of treatment procedures remains an important goal. We found no differences in tumor downstaging and survival between treatment regimen. Toxicity profiles could be improved by tailoring the regimen to individual patients (e.g., careful use of the taxane-based regimen in elderly patients).

Next-Generation Sequencing of 487 Esophageal Adenocarcinomas Reveals Independently Prognostic Genomic Driver Alterations and Pathways

PURPOSE

To delineate recurrent oncogenic driver alterations and dysregulated pathways in esophageal adenocarcinoma and to assess their prognostic value.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We analyzed a large cohort of patients with lower esophageal and junctional adenocarcinoma, prospectively sequenced by MSK-IMPACT with high-quality clinical annotation. Patients were subdivided according to treatment intent, curative versus palliative, which closely mirrored clinical staging. Genomic features, alterations, and pathways were examined for association with overall survival using Cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for relevant clinicopathologic factors knowable at the time of diagnosis.

RESULTS

Analysis of 487 patients revealed 16 oncogenic driver alterations, mostly amplifications, present in ≥5% of patients. Patients in the palliative-intent cohort, compared with those in the curative-intent cohort, were more likely to have metastatic disease, ERBB2 amplifications, Cell-cycle and RTK-RAS pathway alterations, as well as a higher fraction of genome altered and rate of whole-genome doubling. In multivariable analyses, CDKN2A alterations, SMAD4 alterations, KRAS amplifications, Cell-cycle and TGFβ pathways, and overall number of oncogenic drivers were independently associated with worse overall survival. ERBB2 amplification was associated with improved survival, presumably due to trastuzumab therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that higher levels of genomic instability are associated with more advanced disease in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, CDKN2A, KRAS, and SMAD4 represent prognostic biomarkers, given their strong association with poor survival.

Mutant p53 regulates Survivin to foster lung metastasis

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide and evolves often to lung metastasis. P53R175H (homologous to Trp53R172H in mice) is a common hot spot mutation. How metastasis is regulated by p53R175H in ESCC remains to be investigated. To investigate p53R175H-mediated molecular mechanisms, we used a carcinogen-induced approach in Trp53R172H/- mice to model ESCC. In the primary Trp53R172H/- tumor cell lines, we depleted Trp53R172H (shTrp53) and observed a marked reduction in cell invasion in vitro and lung metastasis burden in a tail-vein injection model in comparing isogenic cells (shCtrl). Furthermore, we performed bulk RNA-seq to compare gene expression profiles of metastatic and primary shCtrl and shTrp53 cells. We identified the YAP-BIRC5 axis as a potential mediator of Trp53R172H -mediated metastasis. We demonstrate that expression of Survivin, an antiapoptotic protein encoded by BIRC5, increases in the presence of Trp53R172H Furthermore, depletion of Survivin specifically decreases Trp53R172H-driven lung metastasis. Mechanistically, Trp53R172H but not wild-type Trp53, binds with YAP in ESCC cells, suggesting their cooperation to induce Survivin expression. Furthermore, Survivin high expression level is associated with increased metastasis in several GI cancers. Taken together, this study unravels new insights into how mutant p53 mediates metastasis.

Investigating the association between rs6983267 polymorphism and susceptibility to gastrointestinal cancers in Iranian population

Genome-wide association studies have revealed that some single nucleotide polymorphisms at 8q24, such as rs6983267, might be effective in susceptibility to various cancers in different populations. Therefore, rs6983267 might be useful as a marker for multiple cancers. In this study, we considered a population, including 478 gastrointestinal cancer cases from the Iranian population, to investigate the association between rs6983267 and susceptibility to gastrointestinal cancers. The samples were genotyped using the TaqMan real-time PCR method while 10% of them were also confirmed by sequencing. Higher frequency of G allele was associated with higher grades of tumors in esophageal cancer and the tumors located in the lower portion of the esophagus (OR 3.56; 95% CI 1.13-11.24; P = 0.03) and cardia (OR 5.24; 95% CI 1.26-21.83; P = 0.02), which both locations are involved in esophageal adenocarcinomas with poor prognosis. The results indicated that in the male subgroup, the rs6983267 GG genotype significantly enhanced the gastric cancer susceptibility (OR 4.76; 95% CI 1.57-14.45; P = 0.01). GG genotype also increased the risk of intestinal-type gastric cancer, located in non-cardia (OR 4.62; 95% CI 1.25-17.04; P = 0.02). Moreover, gastric cancer cases and controls with a family history of gastrointestinal tumors were mostly genotyped with the G allele (OR 3.61; 95% CI = 1.09-12.01; P = 0.04). There were no remarkable associations between rs6983267 and susceptibility to esophageal and colon cancers in the Iranian population. However, different genotypes of rs6983267 had significant correlations with tumor grade, cancer type, and family history of gastrointestinal cancers. Further investigations in a larger population and other ethnicities are required to confirm these results.

Endoscopic Management of Refractory Benign Esophageal Strictures

Benign esophageal strictures are commonly encountered in clinical practice. The principal etiologies of benign esophageal strictures include long term acid reflux, caustic injuries, eosinophilic esophagitis, anastomotic strictures or endoscopic therapy. Dysphagia is most prominently present in esophageal strictures along with a variety of other symptoms which depend on the stricture etiology. Benign esophageal strictures can be categorized into two groups: simple or complex depending on their structure. Most strictures can be treated successfully with endoscopic dilation by bougies or balloons dilators. In some cases, treatment is more challenging, involving a higher risk of the patient developing recurrent or refractory strictures. To improve symptoms in these patients, other endoscopic treatments such as steroid injection, incisional therapy and stent placement should be considered. In this manuscript, we provide a comprehensive review of the main treatment options currently available to manage recurrent benign esophageal strictures.

MicroRNA-210 targets FBXO31 to inhibit tumor progression and regulates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and EMT in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Evidence from previous studies showed that the dysregulation of microRNA (miR) is frequently associated with tumor progression. The aberrant miR‐210 expression has been identified in a variety of tumors. However, its biological roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) still need further elucidation. Thus, in the current study we explore the roles of miR‐210 in ESCC progression. The findings of our study reveal that miR‐210 is down‐regulated in ESCC, which indicates poor prognosis and aggressive tumor progression. Moreover, miR‐210 restoration was found to enhance ESCC viability, invasion, and migration abilities. F‐Box only protein 31 (FBXO31) was confirmed to be one of the targets of miR‐210 in ESCC cells. Results also revealed that miR‐210 played crucial roles in regulating ESCC cell epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. In conclusion, data show that miR‐210 serves as an anti‐ESCC miR via down‐regulation of FBXO31 and regulation of EMT and Wnt signaling, suggesting that the miR‐210/FBXO31 axis may function as promising therapeutic targets and effective prognostic markers for ESCC patients.

miR‐210 serves as an anti‐ESCC miR via down‐regulation of FBXO31 and regulation of EMT and Wnt signaling

The prevalence of esophageal cancer after caustic and pesticide ingestion: A nationwide cohort study

Habits such as smoking and alcohol drinking and existing esophageal malfunction are considered the main risk factors for esophageal carcinogenesis. Caustic ingestion of acidic or alkaline agents or strong irritants can induce severe esophageal corrosive injury and increase esophageal cancer risk. We studied the relationship between esophageal carcinoma and acute detergent or pesticide poisoning by using nationwide health insurance data. Methodology/Principle findings: We compared a pesticide/detergent intoxication cohort (N = 21,840) and an age- and gender-matched control cohort (N = 21,840) identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2000 and 2011. We used the multivariable Cox proportional model to determine esophageal carcinoma risk. The overall incidence density of esophageal cancer was 1.66 per 10,000 person-years in the comparison cohort and 4.36 per 10,000 person-years in the pesticide/detergent intoxication cohort. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for esophageal cancer was 2.33 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.41–3.86) in the pesticide/detergent intoxication cohort compared with the control cohort. Patients with corrosive and detergent intoxication did not have a higher risk of esophageal cancer (adjusted HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.29–3.33) than those without pesticide/detergent intoxication. However, patients with pesticide intoxication had a significantly higher risk of esophageal cancer (adjusted HR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.52–4.18) than those without pesticide/detergent intoxication. Conclusion: In the present study, after adjusting for conventional risk factors, we observed that pesticide intoxication could exert substantial effects through increased esophageal cancer risk. However, patients with detergent intoxication may not have an increased risk of esophageal cancer.

Circ0120816 acts as an oncogene of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by inhibiting miR-1305 and releasing TXNRD1

BACKGROUND

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been discovered to participate in the carcinogenesis of multiple cancers. However, the role of circRNAs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) progression is yet to be properly understood. This research aimed to investigate and understand the mechanism used by circRNAs to regulate ESCC progression.

METHODS

Bioinformatics analysis was first performed to screen dysregulated circRNAs and differentially expressed genes in ESCC. The ESCC tissue samples and adjacent normal tissue samples utilized in this study were obtained from 36 ESCC patients. All the samples were subjected to qRT-PCR analysis to identify the expression of TXNRD1, circRNAs, and miR-1305. Luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation assay and RNA pull-down assay were later conducted to verify the existing relationship among circ0120816, miR-1305 and TXNRD1. CCK-8, BrdU, cell adhesion, cell cycle, western blot and caspase 3 activity assays were also employed to evaluate the regulation of these three biological molecules in ESCC carcinogenesis. To evaluate the effect of circ0120816 on ESCC tumor growth and metastasis, the xenograft mice model was constructed.

RESULTS

Experimental investigations revealed that circ0120816 was the highest upregulated circRNA in ESCC tissues and that this non-coding RNA acted as a miR-1305 sponge in enhancing cell viability, cell proliferation, and cell adhesion as well as repressing cell apoptosis in ESCC cell lines. Moreover, miR-1305 was observed to exert a tumor-suppressive effect in ESCC cells by directly targeting and repressing TXNRD1. It was also noticed that TXNRD1 could regulate cyclin, cell adhesion molecule, and apoptosis-related proteins. Furthermore, silencing circ0120816 was found to repress ESCC tumor growth and metastasis in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

This research confirmed that circ0120816 played an active role in promoting ESCC development by targeting miR-1305 and upregulating oncogene TXNRD1.