It is known and accepted that the gut microbiota composition of an organism has an impact on its health. Many studies deal with this topic, the majority discussing gastrointestinal health. Adenomatous colon polyps have a high prevalence as colon cancer precursors, but in many cases, they are hard to diagnose in their early stages. Gut microbiota composition correlated with the presence of adenomatous colon polyps may be a noninvasive and efficient tool for diagnosis with a high impact on human wellbeing and favorable health care costs. This review is meant to analyze the gut microbiota correlated with the presence of adenomatous colon polyps as the first step for early diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to develop a reliable objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) score for linear-stapled, hand-sewn closure of enterotomy intestinal anastomoses (A-OSATS). Materials and methods: The Delphi methodology was used to create a traditional and weighted A-OSATS score highlighting the more important steps for patient outcomes according to an international expert consensus. Minimally invasive novices, intermediates, and experts were asked to perform a minimally invasive linear-stapled intestinal anastomosis with hand-sewn closure of the enterotomy in a live animal model either laparoscopically or robot-assisted. Video recordings were scored by two blinded raters assessing intrarater and interrater reliability and discriminative abilities between novices (n = 8), intermediates (n = 24), and experts (n = 8). Results: The Delphi process included 18 international experts and was successfully completed after 4 rounds. A total of 4 relevant main steps as well as 15 substeps were identified and a definition of each substep was provided. A maximum of 75 points could be reached in the unweighted A-OSATS score and 170 points in the weighted A-OSATS score respectively. A total of 41 anastomoses were evaluated. Excellent intrarater (r = 0.807–0.988, p < 0.001) and interrater (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.923–0.924, p < 0.001) reliability was demonstrated. Both versions of the A-OSATS correlated well with the general OSATS and discriminated between novices, intermediates, and experts defined by their OSATS global rating scale. Conclusion: With the weighted and unweighted A-OSATS score, we propose a new reliable standard to assess the creation of minimally invasive linear-stapled, hand-sewn anastomoses based on an international expert consensus. Validity evidence in live animal models is provided in this study. Future research should focus on assessing whether the weighted A-OSATS exceeds the predictive capabilities of patient outcomes of the unweighted A-OSATS and provide further validity evidence on using the score on different anastomotic techniques in humans.

Many studies on gastric cancer treatment have identified predictors of immunotherapy benefits. This article provides an update on the major developments in research related to predictive factors of immunotherapy for gastric cancer. We used the search term “predictive factors, immunotherapy, gastric cancer” to find the most current publications in the PubMed database related to predictive factors of immunotherapy in gastric cancer. Programmed cell death, genetic, and immunological factors are the main study topics of immunotherapy’s predictive factors in gastric cancer. Other preventive factors for immunotherapy in gastric cancer were also found, including clinical factors, tumor microenvironment factors, imaging factors, and extracellular factors. Since there is currently no effective treatment for gastric cancer, we strongly propose that these studies be prioritized.

Gastric cancer (GC) remains a significant public health concern because of its lethality, underscoring the need for deeper insights into its molecular mechanisms. Recent studies have increasingly highlighted the role of epigenetic modifications as critical players in cancer progression. Despite their importance, research specifically addressing epigenetic factors in GC is relatively scarce. This paper seeks to bridge that gap by examining recent literature that elucidates the epigenetic landscape associated with GC. The investigation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has revealed their substantial involvement in gene dysregulation and epigenetic alterations within GC tumors. Notably, lncRNAs such as LINC00853 and LINC01266 have been identified as significant contributors to the epigenetic modulation of gene expression. Furthermore, the overexpression of KAT5 and GPX4 has been shown to mitigate the antiproliferative effects resulting from the depletion of circRHOT1, suggesting a complex interplay between these molecules in GC pathophysiology. Another pivotal aspect of epigenetic regulation in GC involves modifications in N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which play crucial roles in mRNA maturation processes such as splicing, export, degradation, and translation. m6A modifications are known for their influence on various cancer-related pathways, thus presenting a potential avenue for targeted interventions. Our findings indicate that the most pronounced instances of epigenetic dysregulation in GC can be traced back to the effects of long lncRNAs and alterations in m6A modification patterns. This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive investigations into these epigenetic factors, as a deeper understanding could lead to enhanced diagnostic markers and innovative therapeutic strategies. The integration of genetic and epigenetic considerations is essential for advancing the field of GC research. This synthesis of recent findings concerning epigenetic regulation offers valuable insights that could inform future studies and therapeutic developments. There is a critical need for ongoing research to elucidate the complexities of epigenetic modifications in GC, ultimately improving patient outcomes through tailored interventions.

Systemic inflammatory response (SIR) indicators are an emerging category of serum biomarkers with significant potential as prognostic and predictive factors in various types of cancers The primary focus of our study was to determine the prognostic value of the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-to-albumin ratio (PLR) and platelet-to-albumin ratio (PAR) in evaluating the response to neoadjuvant treatment for patients with rectal cancer. We included 99 consecutive patients with rectal cancer which were admitted for surgery in our institution after completing a standard neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy regimen. Several hematologic parameters, including LMR, PAR and PLR, were calculated by collecting and analyzing blood samples preoperatively. Cases were divided into groups using ROC curve analysis to determine optimal cutoff values for each of the investigated parameters. Treatment response was assessed through histopathological analysis of the resected specimens. PLR values over 215.2 were correlated with the presence of lymph node metastasis. A similar correlation was observed between PAR values over 41.89 and lymph node positivity. A significant correlation was observed between the presence of tumor budding on histopathological analysis and high-PAR values. A statistically significant correlation between a high PLR and a good response to neoadjuvant treatment was determined. High PLR values may be associated with a more favorable treatment response to neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy. A high PAR may be associated with unfavorable histopathological characteristics. Further studies on these readily available biomarkers are required in order to validate their clinical utility.

Extracellular vesicles, or EVs, are membrane-bound nanocompartments produced by tumor cells. EVs carry proteins and nucleic acids from host cells to target cells, where they can transfer lipids, proteomes, and genetic material to change the function of target cells. EVs serve as reservoirs for mobile cellular signals. The collection of EVs using less invasive processes has piqued the interest of many researchers. Exosomes carry substances that can suppress the immune system. If the results of exosome screening are negative, immunotherapy will be beneficial for GC patients. In this study, we provide an update on EVs and GC based on ongoing review papers and clinical trials.