Introduction: For effective preventive strategies against GORD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease), we assessed the GORD burden from 1990 to 2019.Methods: The burden of GORD between 1990 and 2019 was evaluated globally, regionally, and nationally. Using ASIR (age-standardized incidence), ASYLDs (age-standardized years lived with disabilitys), we compared them to the GBD world population per 100,000. The estimates were based on 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). The AAPC (average annual percent change) in incidence, YLDs, along with prevalence rates with associated 95% CIs were estimated.Results: Data to estimate the burden of GORD are scarce till now. The global ASIR of GORD in 2019 was 3792.79 per 100,000, an increase AAPC of 0.112% from 1990. The prevalence of GORD increased with a AAPC of 0.096% to 9574.45 per 100,000. Global ASYLDs in 2019 was 73.63, an increase AAPC of 0.105% from 1990. The GORD burden varies greatly depending on the development level and geographical location. USA demonstrated the most obvious decreasing trend in burden of GORD, while Sweden had an increasing trend. That the increase in GORD YLDs was mediated primarily by the growth and aging of population, was revealed by decomposition analyses. There was an inverse relationship between SDI (socio-demographic index) and GORD-burden. Frontier analyses revealed significant scope of improvement in the status of development at all levels.Conclusion: GORD is a public health challenge, especially in Latin America. Some SDI quintiles had declining rates, while some countries experienced increased rates. Thus, resources should be allocated for preventative measures based on country-specific estimates.

Context: Obesity is widely regarded as an established risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, recent studies have shown that lower mortality and better cancer-specific survival were observed in CRC patients with elevated body mass index (BMI), an example of the obesity paradox, which is the inverse correlation between obesity and mortality in some populations. Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the association between BMI and CRC outcomes. Data Sources: PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for relevant articles published from inception to December 31, 2020. Study Selection: Studies comparing the prognosis of CRC patients with obesity or overweight with that of normal-weight CRC patients were eligible. Data Extraction: Data were extracted by 2 reviewers independently; differences were resolved by a third reviewer. BMI was classified according to WHO categories. Data Analysis: To assess the prognostic effects of different BMI categories in CRC patients, hazard ratios and 95%CIs of overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-specific survival were extracted from included articles. Results: Sixteen studies (55 391 patients in total) were included. Higher BMI was significantly associated with more favorable CRC outcomes. Compared with normal-weight patients, underweight patients had worse overall survival (HR = 1.26; 95%CI, 1.15–1.37) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.19; 95%CI, 1.11–1.27, while patients with overweight had better overall survival (HR = 0.92; 95%CI, 0.86–0.99), disease-free survival (HR = 0.96; 95%CI, 0.93–1.00), and cancer-specific survival (HR = 0.86; 95%CI, 0.76–0.98). Patients with morbid obesity had worse overall survival (HR = 1.12; 95%CI, 1.02–1.22) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.15; 95%CI, 1.07–1.24) than normal-weight patients. There was no significant difference in cancer-specific survival between patients with obesity (HR = 0.94; 95%CI, 0.76–1.16) and patients with normal weight, nor between patients with underweight and patients with normal weight (HR = 1.14; 95%CI, 0.82–1.58). Conclusions: CRC patients with a higher BMI appear to have reduced mortality compared with normal-weight CRC patients, even though higher BMI/obesity is an established determinant for the development of CRC. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020202320.

The high mobility group box (HMGB) protein family consists of four members: HMGB1, 2, 3, and 4. They share similar amino acid sequences and identical functional regions, especially HMGB1, 2, and 3. The homology in structure may lead to similarity in function. In fact, though their targets may be different, they all possess the fundamental function of binding and distorting target DNAs. However, further research confirmed they are distributed differently in tissues and involved in various distinct physiological and pathological cellular processes, including cell proliferation, division, migration, and differentiation. Recently, the roles of HMGB family members in carcinogenesis has been widely investigated; however, systematic discussion on their functions and clinical values in malignant tumors is limited. In this review, we mainly review and summarize recent advances in knowledge of HMGB family members in terms of structure, distribution, biochemical cascades, and specific mechanisms regarding tumor progression. Importantly, the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value of these proteins in cancers is discussed. Finally, we envisage the orientation and challenges of this field in further studies.

Colorectal cancer (CRC), ranking as the third commonest cancer, leads to extremely high rates of mortality. Metastasis is the major cause of poor outcome in CRC. When metastasis occurs, 5-year survival rates of patients decrease sharply, and strategies to enhance a patient’s lifetime seem limited. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved small non-coding RNAs that are significantly involved in manipulation of CRC malignant phenotypes, including proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. To date, accumulating studies have revealed the mechanisms and functions of certain miRNAs in CRC metastasis. However, there is no systematic discussion about the biological implications and clinical potential (diagnostic role, prognostic role, and targeted therapy potential) of metastasis-related miRNAs in CRC. This review mainly summarizes the recent advances of miRNA-mediated metastasis in CRC. We also discuss the clinical values of metastasis-related miRNAs as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets in CRC. Moreover, we envisage the future orientation and challenges in translating these findings into clinical applications.