Prevention of malignant digestive system tumors should focus on the control of chronic inflammation

Bridging the gap: The role of technological advances in shaping gastrointestinal oncological outcomes

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are highly prevalent and considered a major global health challenge. Their approach has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past years due to the development of new technologies that enabled better outcomes regarding their diagnosis and management. These include artificial intelligence, robotics, next-generation sequencing and personalized medicine. Nonetheless, the integration of these advances into everyday clinical practice remains complex and challenging as we are still trying to figure out if these innovations tangibly improve oncological outcomes or if the current state of art should remain as the gold standard for the treatment of these patients. Additionally, there are also some issues regarding ethical subjects, data privacy, finances and governance. Precision surgery concept has evolved considerably over the past decades, especially for oncological patients. It aims to customize medical treatments and to operate on those patients who most likely will benefit from a specific surgical procedure. In the future, to improve GI oncological outcomes, a delicate balance between technological advances adoption and evidence-based care should be chased. As we move forward, the question will be to harness the power of innovation while keeping up the highest standards of patient care.

Effect of aspirin on incidence, recurrence, and mortality in prostate cancer patients: integrating evidence from randomized controlled trials and real-world studies

PURPOSE

Aspirin has been suggested to reduce the risk of cancer. However, previous studies have been inconsistent regarding the relationship between aspirin use and the risk of occurrence of prostate cancer (PCa). The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of aspirin on clinical outcomes in patients with PCa in a meta-analysis and to explore the possible dose-response relationship.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in 10 electronic databases and 4 registries. The combined relative risks (RRs) were calculated using a random-effects model with 95% confidence interval (CIs) to assess the effect of aspirin on the risk of PCa. Relevant subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The across studies results show that aspirin use associated with lower incidence of PCa (RR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.98), and reduced mortality (RR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.95). The results of the subgroup analysis indicated that both cohort and population studies in the Americas showed a reduction in PCa incidence and mortality with aspirin use. A linear correlation was observed between dosage/duration of aspirin use and its protective effect. Additionally, post-diagnosis aspirin use was associated with decreased risk of PCa mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis revealed an independent correlation between the use of aspirin and reductions in both the incidence and mortality rates of PCa. However, randomized controlled trials did not find any association between aspirin use and PCa. Furthermore, the impact of aspirin on PCa occurrence was found to be dependent on both dosage and duration.