Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and deadly malignancies worldwide. Helicobacter pylori have been documented as a risk factor for GC. The development of sequencing technology has broadened the knowledge of the gastric microbiome, which is essential in maintaining homeostasis. Recent studies have demonstrated the involvement of the gastric microbiome in the development of GC. Therefore, the elucidation of the mechanism by which the gastric microbiome contributes to the development and progression of GC may improve GC’s prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge about changes in gastric microbial composition in GC patients, their role in carcinogenesis, the possible therapeutic role of the gastric microbiome, and its implications for current GC therapy.

The development of fibrostenotic intestinal disease occurs in approximately one-third of patients with Crohn’s disease and is associated with increased morbidity. Despite introducing new biologic agents, stricturing Crohn’s disease remains a significant clinical challenge. Medical treatment is considered the first-line treatment for inflammatory strictures, and anti-TNF agents appear to provide the most considerable benefit among the available medical treatments. However, medical therapy is ineffective on strictures with a mainly fibrotic component, and a high proportion of patients under anti-TNF will require surgery. In fibrotic strictures or cases refractory to medical treatment, an endoscopic or surgical approach should be considered depending on the location, length, and severity of the stricture. Both endoscopic balloon dilatation and endoscopic stricturoplasty are minimally invasive and safe, associated with a small risk of complications. On the other hand, the surgical approach is indicated in patients not suitable for endoscopic therapy. This review aimed to present and analyze the currently available medical, endoscopic, and surgical management of stricturing Crohn’s disease.

Background: Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is the leading cause of chronic intestinal failure and is frequently associated with long-term dependence on parenteral nutrition (PN) and intravenous fluids. Teduglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) analogue, promotes intestinal adaptation and has been demonstrated to reduce parenteral support requirements. However, real-world data from the Greek population are scarce. Methods: We conducted a non-interventional, multicenter, retrospective cohort study across 5 centers in Greece, including adult patients with SBS receiving teduglutide therapy. Demographic and clinical characteristics, parenteral nutrition and intravenous fluid requirements, body mass index (BMI), laboratory parameters, and adverse events were recorded at baseline and during follow-up at weeks 4, 12, 26, and 52. Results: Eight adult patients with SBS were included (75% female), with a median age of 53 years (range 19–71). Over 52 weeks of treatment, mean parenteral nutrition requirements decreased by approximately 45% compared with baseline (from 1430 to 788 kcal/day), while mean intravenous hydration requirements decreased by approximately 80% (from 5170 to 1000 mL/week). Complete independence from parenteral nutrition was achieved in 2 of 8 patients (25%). Nutritional status improved, with a 10.6% increase in mean BMI at Week 52. Teduglutide was generally well tolerated; mild adverse events occurred in 3 of 8 patients, were predominantly gastrointestinal, and did not lead to treatment discontinuation. Conclusions: This study provides data from the Greek population and supports the effectiveness and favorable safety profile of teduglutide in adult patients with SBS and chronic intestinal failure. Further prospective studies are warranted to better define predictors of response and optimize long-term management strategies.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising non-invasive biomarker for detecting minimal residual disease (MRD) and predicting recurrence after curative treatment, yet evidence in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), and gastric cancer has largely been examined within individual tumor types. In this scoping review, we mapped this evidence across all three malignancies and clarified key methodological and clinical considerations. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library (3 April 2026) for studies linking ctDNA to disease-free, recurrence-free, or overall survival after curative-intent treatment. Twenty-seven studies (1746 patients; 10 ESCC, 4 EAC, 8 gastric, and 5 mixed) were included. Across every tumor type, postoperative ctDNA MRD was the most informative timepoint, with independent multivariable hazard ratios for disease-free, recurrence-free, or event-free survival of 2.8 to 21.8, whereas preoperative ctDNA was seldom prognostic. Serial monitoring further improved performance and flagged recurrence 78 to 278 days before imaging. Tumor-informed assays showed higher sensitivity than tumor-agnostic ones (80% vs. 35%), though direct comparisons were limited; correction for clonal hematopoiesis was essential for tumor-agnostic assays, and blood-based assays performed poorly in diffuse-type and peritoneal disease. Postoperative ctDNA MRD is a consistent, independent prognostic biomarker across upper gastrointestinal cancers that adds prognostic information beyond conventional staging and pathological response, supporting prospective interventional trials of ctDNA-guided management.