Early verrucous cell carcinoma of the esophagus: a case report and endoscopic and histologic features

Background Verrucous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (VCCE) is an extremely rare tumor and generally detected at advanced stage. Despite of its slow growth and well differentiation, it has very poor prognosis with high mortality. Therefore, early detection is a critical to improve patients’ survival. However, no early cases of VCCE have been reported and the endoscopic features of early VCCE are not well described. We herein report the endoscopic and histologic features of an early VCCE. Case presentation A 54-year-old man with a history of excessive alcohol and tobacco use was admitted to our hospital because of chronic persistent swallowing dysfunction for six months. White light endoscopy revealed a flat lesion covered with scattered leukoplakia in the middle esophagus. Magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging showed tiny irregular papillary microsurface structure. The lesion was considered as early esophageal cancer and completely resected with endoscopic submucosal dissection. Histological examination confirmed that the lesion was early VCCE which was limited within the mucosal lamina propria (m2). Conclusion VCCE is rare with poor prognosis. This is a report of early VCCE and description of its endoscopic features which will contribute to early detection of these cancers.

Utilization of Ultrasonic Image Characteristics Combined with Endoscopic Detection on the Basis of Artificial Intelligence Algorithm in Diagnosis of Early Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of artificial intelligence algorithm combined with ultrasound endoscopy in early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions by comparing the examination of conventional endoscopy and artificial intelligence algorithm combined with ultrasound endoscopy, and by comparing the real-time diagnosis of endoscopy and the ultrasonic image characteristics of artificial intelligence algorithm combined with endoscopic detection and pathological results. 120 cases were selected. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 80 patients who met the criteria were selected and randomly divided into two groups: endoscopic examination combined with ultrasound imaging based on intelligent algorithm processing (cascade region-convolutional neural network (Cascade RCNN) model algorithm group) and simple use of endoscopy group (control group). This study shows that the ultrasonic image of artificial intelligence algorithm is effective, and the detection performance is better than that of endoscopic detection. The results are close to the gold standard of doctor recognition, and the detection time is greatly shortened, and the recognition time is shortened by 71 frames per second. Compared with the traditional convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm, the accuracy and recall of image analysis and segmentation using feature pyramid network are increased. The detection rates of CNN model, Cascade RCNN model, and endoscopic detection alone in early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions are 56.3% (45/80), 88.8% (71/80), and 44.1% (35/80), respectively. The detection rate of Cascade RCNN model and CNN model was higher than that of endoscopy alone, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of Cascade RCNN model were higher than those of CNN model, which was close to the gold standard for physician identification. This provided a reference basis for endoscopic ultrasound identification of early upper gastrointestinal cancer or other gastrointestinal cancers.

Integrative proteogenomic characterization of early esophageal cancer

We performed a comprehensive multi-omics analysis of 756 trace-tumor-samples from 124 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma phase (ESCC) patients, covering 9 histopathological stages in 3 phases as nontumor phase (NT phase), intraepithelial neoplasia phase (IEN phase), and ESCC phase. Proteogenomics elucidated the stage-specific molecular characterization and defined the cancer-driving waves along with the mutation accumulation in EC progression. The integrated multi-omics uncovered the chromosome 3q gain was the key event in the transmit from the NT to IEN phase, disclosed the top mutation of TP53 enhanced cell cycle and DNA replication in the IEN phase, and revealed the ESCC phase mutations of AKAP9 and MCAF1 elevated glycolysis and Wnt signaling, respectively. Furthermore, the trajectory analysis identified 6 major tracks related to different clinical features during ESCC progression. Growingly enhanced and hyperphosphorylated phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1, S203) was detected and considered as a drug target in ESCC progression. Collectively, this study provides insight into the understanding of ESCC molecular mechanism and a valuable resource for the development of therapeutic targets.

305 RISK OF GENERALIZATON IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH-RISK EARLY ESOPHAGEAL CANCER: RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF PROSPECTIVELY COLLECTED DATA INCLUDING LYMPH-NODE MICROMETASTASES ASSESSMENT

Esophagectomy is a standard of care for patients with "high-risk" early esophageal cancer (HRC) despite a growing evidence that endoscopic treatment may be a safe alternative. Our aims were 1. to prospectively evaluate the long-term results of endoscopic and surgical treatments in consecutive patients with HRC and 2. to determine the risk of lymph node (LN) metastases and micrometastases in patients with HRC. Methods HRC was defined as any cancer with submucosal (sm) invasion or mucosal cancer with at least one of the following: poor differentiation, invasion to blood or lymphatic vessels and high tumor cell dissociation (TCD3). All patients (n = 69) underwent endoscopic resection (ER or ESD) and after the histopathological diagnosis of HRC, patients without contraindications were referred to surgery (n = 30). The remaining patients (n = 39) continued in endoscopic treatment, if necessary. All resected LNs were stained for hematoxylin–eosin to evaluate metastases and immunohistochemistry was used for the detection of micrometastases or isolated tumor cells. Results Eighteen patients (26%) had T1a and 51 (74%) had T1b cancer; 51 had adenocarcinoma (AC) and 18 had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The median follow-up was 32 months (3–120). No patient with mucosal invasion (15 AC, 3 SCC) experienced LN involvement. Among 17 patients with sm1 invasion, only 2 (12%, both AC)experienced generalization or LN involvement. The further rates of LN involvement were 0% (0/5) in sm2 AC, 50% (3/6) in sm2 SCC, 25% (4/16) in sm3 AC and 29% (2/7) in sm3 SCC. 60% (18/30) of surgically treated patients would have been completely cured by endoscopy (Table 1). Conclusion The risk of LN metastases/micrometastases was lower than expected. No patients with high-risk mucosal cancer or low-risk sm1 cancer experienced lymph node involvement. Endoscopic treatment provided long-term remission (or cure) in considerable number of patients and it may represent a valid alternative to surgery in patients with high-risk early esophageal cancer.

674 TRANSITION FROM ESOPHAGECTOMY TO ENDOSCOPIC THERAPY FOR EARLY ESOPHAGEAL CANCER

To assess the outcomes of patients with early esophageal cancer (EEC) and high-grade dysplasia (HGD) comparing esophagectomy, the historical treatment of choice, to endoscopic eradication therapy (EET). Methods Retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with EEC/HGD, treated between 2000 and 2018 at a tertiary referral centre. Primary outcomes were all-cause and disease-specific mortality assessed by multivariable Cox regression and a propensity score matching sub analysis, providing hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for age, tumor grade (G1/2 vs G3), tumor stage and lymphovascular invasion(LVI). Secondary outcomes included complications, hospital stay, and overall costs. Results Among 269 patients, 133 underwent esophagectomy and 136 received endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR)+/−further EET. Adjusted survival analysis showed no difference between groups regarding all-cause mortality (HR 1.85,95%CI 0.73,4.72) and disease-specific mortality (HR 1.10,95%CI 0.26,4.65). In-hospital and 30-day mortality was 0% in both groups. The surgical group had a significantly higher rate of complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥3 26.3% vs EMR 0.74%), longer in-patient stay (median 14 vs 0 days EMR) and higher hospital costs ($20.426 vs $10.988 per patient). Conclusion This series of patients with EEC/HGD treated during a transition period from surgery to EET, demonstrates a primary endoscopic approach does not compromise oncological outcomes with the benefit of fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, and lower costs compared to surgery. EET should be available as the gold standard treatment for patients with early esophageal cancer. Those with adverse prognostic features may still benefit from esophagectomy.

A nomogram to predict stricture after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early esophageal cancer

Background: Risk factors of esophageal stricture after ESD are inconsistent and incomprehensive, the present study aimed to identify a robust model to predict postoperative stricture.Methods: This retrospective study included 273 individuals underwent ESD for early esophageal cancer from January 1, 2014 to October 30, 2020 in Beijing Friendship Hospital. Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate potential factors of stricture after ESD, followed by multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression to identify significant independent predictors after adjusting for covariates. Nomogram building based on multivariate Cox regression model was used to evaluate accuracy and discrimination by ROC curves and calibration curves respectively.Results: Stricture was identified in 28 patients (10%). The other patients were enrolled in non-stricture group (n=243). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that operation time (HR 1.01, 95%CI: 1.00-1.01, P<0.01), upper segment of esophagus (HR 6.48, 95%CI: 2.07-20.33, P<0.01), middle segment of esophagus (HR 3.42, 95%CI: 1.36-8.64, P<0.01), >3/4 circumferential lumen of esophagus (HR 6.32, 95%CI: 2.20-18.13, P<0.01), postoperative fever (HR 6.17, 95%CI: 1.75-21.77, P<0.01), were independent predictive factors for postoperative stricture. The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was estimated by the AUC of ROC curves was 0.93, 0.87, 0.87 at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years respectively.Conclusion: Longer operation time, >3/4 of the circumferential lumen of esophagus, located at upper and middle esophageal segment, and postoperative fever were independent risk factors of esophageal stricture after ESD.

The application of rigid and flexible mediastinoscopy in esophagectomy: our experience and a new technology

Background To avoid the inconvenience of triangulation among various rigid operating instruments in mediastinoscopy-assisted esophagectomy, we invented a new technique: used a flexible endoscope to mobilize thoracic esophagus and dissected mediastinal lymph nodes through the left cervical incision. This technology has not been reported so far. In this study, we introduce our long-term experience and demonstrate this new technique. Methods Twenty-nine patients with early esophageal cancer underwent mediastinoscopy-assisted esophagectomy in our hospital from June 2018 to September 2020. Among them, 12 patients used flexible mediastinoscopy, and 17 patients used conventional rigid mediastinoscopy and instruments to observe their therapeutic effect. Results There were no significant differences between the two groups in gender, average age, body mass index, incidence of adverse reactions, bleeding volume, and postoperative hospital stay. The operation time of flexible mediastinoscopy group was significantly shorter than that of rigid mediastinoscopy group (192.9 ± 13.0 vs 246.8 ± 6.9 min, p < 0.01). The number of lymph nodes removed by flexible endoscopy was significantly more than that of rigid endoscopy (8.5 ± 0.6 vs 6.0 ± 0.3, P < 0.01). Postoperative follow-up was completed for all patients, and the average follow-up time was 11.6 ± 7.2 months. During the follow-up period, no recurrence or death was observed. Conclusions Mediastinoscopy-assisted esophagectomy is an effective way to treat early esophageal cancer. The application of flexible mediastinoscopy provides more convenience and better stability. It can facilitate the operation of the surgeon and lymph node dissection, which proved to be a feasible technology.