Esophageal Dysbiosis in Achalasia and Cancer Development: A Critical Review

Long-term outcomes of treatment for achalasia: Laparoscopic Heller myotomy versus POEM

Achalasia is a rare esophageal motility disorder characterized by nonrelaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) is the gold standard treatment for achalasia. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), a less invasive treatment, is performed extensively, and the selection of the intervention method remains debatable to date. In addition to the availability of extensive studies on short-term outcomes, recent studies on the long-term outcomes of LHM and POEM have shown similar clinical success after 5 y of follow-up. However, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was more common in patients who had undergone POEM than in those who had undergone LHM. Moreover, existing studies have compared treatment outcomes in various disease states. Some studies have suggested that POEM is superior to LHM for patients with type III achalasia because POEM allows for a longer myotomy. Research on treatment for sigmoid types is currently in progress. However, the long-term results comparing LHD and POEM are insufficient, and the best treatment remains controversial. Further research is needed, and treatment options should be discussed with patients and tailored to their individual needs and pathologies.

Esophageal cancer in an adult with congenital esophageal stenosis: a case report

BACKGROUND

Congenital esophageal stenosis (CES) is a rare condition. We encountered a case of esophageal cancer that developed in an adult with persistent CES. Although many studies have investigated the therapeutic outcomes and performed surveillance for symptoms after treatment for CES, few have performed long-term surveillance or reported on the development of esophageal cancer. We report this case because it is extremely rare and has important implications.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 45-year-old woman with worsening dysphagia was transferred to our hospital. The patient was diagnosed with CES at 5 years of age and underwent surgery at another hospital. The patient underwent esophageal dilatation for stenosis at 36 years of age. Esophagoscopy performed at our hospital revealed a circumferential ulcerated lesion and stenosis 15-29 cm from the incisors. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen revealed squamous cell carcinoma. Computed tomography (CT) revealed abnormal circumferential wall thickening in parts of the cervical and almost the entire thoracic esophagus. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography-CT revealed increased uptake in the cervical and upper esophagus. No uptake was observed in the muscular layers of the middle or lower esophagus. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with clinical stage IVB cervical and upper esophageal cancer (T3N1M1 [supraclavicular lymph nodes]). The patient underwent a total esophagectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The esophagus was markedly thickened and tightly adhered to the adjacent organs. Severe fibrosis was observed around the trachea. Marked thickening of the muscular layer was observed throughout the esophagus; histopathological examination revealed that this thickening was due to increased smooth muscle mass. No cartilage, bronchial epithelium, or glands were observed. The carcinoma extended from the cervical to the middle esophagus, oral to the stenotic region. Finally, we diagnosed the patient with esophageal cancer developing on CES of the fibromuscular thickening type.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic mechanical and chemical irritations are believed to cause cancer of the upper esophagus oral to a persistent CES, suggesting the need for long-term surveillance that focuses on residual stenosis and cancer development in patients with CES.

Role of circular RNAs and gut microbiome in gastrointestinal cancers and therapeutic targets

Gastrointestinal cancers are a huge worldwide health concern, which includes a wide variety of digestive tract cancers. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a kind of non-coding RNA (ncRNAs), are a family of single-stranded, covalently closed RNAs that have become recognized as crucial gene expression regulators, having an impact on several cellular functions in cancer biology. The gut microbiome, which consists of several different bacteria, actively contributes to the regulation of host immunity, inflammation, and metabolism. CircRNAs and the gut microbiome interact significantly to greatly affect the growth of GI cancer. Several studies focus on the complex functions of circRNAs and the gut microbiota in GI cancers, including esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, hepatocellular cancer, and pancreatic cancer. It also emphasizes how changed circRNA expression profiles and gut microbiota affect pathways connected to malignancy as well as how circRNAs affect hallmarks of gastrointestinal cancers. Furthermore, circRNAs and gut microbiota have been recommended as biological markers for therapeutic targets as well as diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Targeting circRNAs and the gut microbiota for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers is also being continued to study. Despite significant initiatives, the connection between circRNAs and the gut microbiota and the emergence of gastrointestinal cancers remains poorly understood. In this study, we will go over the most recent studies to emphasize the key roles of circRNAs and gut microbiota in gastrointestinal cancer progression and therapeutic options. In order to create effective therapies and plan for the future gastrointestinal therapy, it is important to comprehend the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs and the gut microbiota.