Endoscopic resection (ER) is the standard treatment for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, in patients aged ≥ 80 years, ER has limited long-term benefits owing to the higher mortality risk from other diseases. We assessed the therapeutic outcomes and prognostic predictors of ER in patients with ESCC aged ≥ 80 years at three institutions. Patient characteristics and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. This study included 161 patients with 161 lesions. The median patient age was 82 years. Patient characteristics included a median Brinkman Index (BI) of 570, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) class 0–1 in 150 patients (93.2
To assess the clinical utility of a novel scan-timing protocol Pitch Optimized Bolus Tracking (POBT) for lower-extremity CT angiography (CTA). The POBT method individualizes the helical pitch on the basis of patient-specific cardiac output, thereby maximizing arterial enhancement and limiting venous contamination. In this retrospective study, 75 patients who underwent lower-extremity CTA were divided into two groups. The POBT group (n = 39) employed a patient-specific pitch factor derived from echocardiographic stroke volume and heart rate, whereas the conventional bolus-tracking (BT) group (n = 36) used a fixed pitch. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of arterial and venous contrast enhancement were performed at predefined anatomical levels. Relative to the conventional BT group, the POBT group exhibited significantly greater distal arterial enhancement (median, 302 HU vs. 265 HU; p < 0.05) and substantially lower venous contamination (5.1
In April 2023, the Japan Society of Hepatology published its official guidelines on liver rehabilitation for chronic liver disease. In this article, we summarize the current evidence on the role of liver rehabilitation in slowing the progression of chronic liver disease, particularly metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Specifically, we outline the following: (1) the definition of liver rehabilitation and its target population; (2) exercise therapy in liver rehabilitation according to disease state; (3) considerations for patients with complications; (4) nutritional therapy in liver rehabilitation; and (5) potential economic benefits. Liver rehabilitation represents a novel therapeutic approach for patients with chronic liver disease, and this guidance aims to promote high-quality clinical research and strengthen the evidence base for its application.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS:This multicenter retrospective study in Japan aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with durvalumab plus tremelimumab (Dur/Tre). METHODS:A total of 377 patients with HCC and treated with Dur/Tre across 30 institutions in Japan were included in this multicenter study. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine the optimal LMR cut-off value. Hazard ratio (HR) spline curve analysis was used to identify the optimal LMR range for predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS:Time-dependent ROC analysis identified an optimal LMR cut-off value of 2.52 for predicting median OS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that an LMR of ≥ 2.52 was independently associated with superior PFS (HR: 0.777) and OS (HR: 0.657). The median PFS was 2.6 months in patients with an LMR of < 2.52, compared with 3.5 months in those with an LMR of ≥ 2.52 (p = 0.022). The median OS was 12.8 months in patients with an LMR of < 2.52, compared with 23.4 months in those with an LMR of ≥ 2.52 (p < 0.001). The disease control rate was significantly higher in the high LMR group (p = 0.032). The HR spline curve analysis revealed that an LMR range of approximately 1.8-2.6 represents an optimal cut-off for predicting both PFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS:LMR is a readily accessible prognostic biomarker for both PFS and OS in patients with unresectable HCC treated with Dur/Tre, and may serve as a practical tool for risk stratification in clinical practice.
AIM:We aimed to determine the associations between the pretreatment Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index (ALI) and survival outcomes in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (u-HCC) who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev). METHODS:This retrospective study analyzed 563 patients with u-HCC who were treated with Atez/Bev (Sept 2020-Dec 2024). The ALI was calculated according to Body Mass Index × serum albumin level/neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Associations between ALI and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS:An ALI cutoff value of 27.04, determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, was used to classify patients into low- and high-ALI groups. High-ALI patients had longer median OS (26.1 vs. 13.7 months, p < 0.001) and PFS (9.3 vs. 5.2 months, p < 0.001), and a higher disease control rate (82.5% vs. 69.1%, p < 0.001) compared to low-ALI patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that a high ALI value was a significant prognostic marker for OS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54-0.88, p = 0.003) and PFS (HR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.61-0.92, p = 0.006). Subgroup analyses showed that the trend toward improved outcomes was consistent for high ALI values in all clinically relevant subgroups. CONCLUSIONS:A high pretreatment ALI value was associated with improved survival and disease control in u-HCC patients receiving Atez/Bev, underscoring its potential utility as a prognostic marker for clinical management and further studies.
