Background: Pancreatic cancer is the most common pancreatic solid malignancy with an aggressive clinical course and low survival rate. There are a limited number of reliable prognostic biomarkers and a need to understand the pathogenesis of pancreatic tumors; neuroendocrine (PNET) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC) encouraged us to analyze the serum metabolome of pancreatic tumors and disturbances in the metabolism of PDAC and PNET. Methods: Using the AbsoluteIDQ^® p180 kit (Biocrates Life Sciences AG, Innsbruck, Austria) with liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), we identified changes in metabolite profiles and disrupted metabolic pathways serum of NET and PDAC patients. Results: The concentration of six metabolites showed statistically significant differences between the control group and PDAC patients (p.adj < 0.05). Glutamine (Gln), acetylcarnitine (C2), and citrulline (Cit) presented a lower concentration in the serum of PDAC patients, while phosphatidylcholine aa C32:0 (PC aa C32:0), sphingomyelin C26:1 (SM C26:1), and glutamic acid (Glu) achieved higher concentrations compared to serum samples from healthy individuals. Five of the tested metabolites: C2 (FC = 8.67), and serotonin (FC = 2.68) reached higher concentration values in the PNET serum samples compared to PDAC, while phosphatidylcholine aa C34:1 (PC aa C34:1) (FC = −1.46 (0.68)) had a higher concentration in the PDAC samples. The area under the curves (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves presented diagnostic power to discriminate pancreatic tumor patients, which were highest for acylcarnitines: C2 with AUC = 0.93, serotonin with AUC = 0.85, and PC aa C34:1 with AUC = 0.86. Conclusions: The observations presented provide better insight into the metabolism of pancreatic tumors, and improve the diagnosis and classification of tumors. Serum-circulating metabolites can be easily monitored without invasive procedures and show the present clinical patients’ condition, helping with pharmacological treatment or dietary strategies.

(1) Background: stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1/CXCL12), hepatocyte and vascular-endothelial growth factors (HGF and VEGF) have been shown to facilitate cell motility, proliferation and promote local tumor progression and metastatic spread. Recent research shows the important role of these cytokines in gastric cancer (GC) progression. (2) Methods: 21 gastric cancer patients and 19 healthy controls were included in the study. SDF-1, HGF and VEGF levels were evaluated in sera by ELISA. Patients and control sera were used to stimulate CRL-1739 GC cell line, and chemotaxis, adhesion and proliferation potential were assessed. (3) Results: Concentrations of SDF-1, HGF and VEGF were significantly higher in patients than in controls. Chemotaxis and adhesion assays revealed a significant response of GC cells to patients’ serum. Furthermore, significant relationships were seen between chemotactic/adhesion response and tumor stage. Serum from intestinal early GC patients produced significantly stronger chemotactic response when compared to patients with metastatic spread. In turn, serum from patients with distal metastases significantly increased the adhesion of GC cells when compared to sera from the patients with no distal metastases. We also observed that HGF strongly stimulated the proliferation of CRL-1739 cells. (4) Conclusions: We observed that the sera from GC patients, but also SDF-1, HGF and VEGF used alone, have a strong pro-metastatic effect on CRL-1739 cells. We also demonstrated that the concentration of these cytokines is specifically elevated in the sera of patients in an early stage of malignancy. Our results indicate that SDF-1, HGF and VEGF are very important molecules involved in gastric cancer progression.

Background: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a therapeutic method involving the administration of appropriately prepared feces from a healthy donor to the gastrointestinal tract of a recipient. This literature review aims to summarize and critically evaluate the available evidence on the impact of different dietary patterns and nutrients on the efficacy of FMT. Methods: The present literature review focuses on the impact of diet on the gut microbiota in the context of the effectiveness of fecal microbiota transplantation. A literature review was conducted based on the PubMed Database. Results: More and more data confirm the close link between diet and gut microbiota and suggest that proper nutrition before and after FMT may support the effectiveness of this procedure. It appears that increased fiber intake significantly delays the loss of diversity in the transplanted microbiota, thereby enhancing the beneficial clinical effects following FMT. Additionally, the use of an anti-inflammatory components in the diet combination with FMT could be effective in achieving clinical remission in patients with ulcerative colitis. Conclusions: Based on the literature review, it appears that the most optimal nutritional model (through its beneficial effect on the composition of the gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids production, and intestinal barrier integrity) to support the effectiveness of FMT is an anti-inflammatory diet rich in dietary fiber (for both the donor and the recipient).

Background/Objectives: Crohn’s disease is known for being associated with an abnormal composition of the bacterial flora, dysbiosis and intestinal function disorders. Metabolites produced by gut microbiota play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of CD, and the presence of unspecific extraintestinal manifestations. Methods: The aim of this study was a determination of the level of bacterial metabolites in blood plasma in patients with Crohn’s disease. CD patients (29) and healthy individuals (30) were recruited for this study. Bacterial metabolites (SCFAs and TMAO panel) were measured by a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry system. Results: A significant correlation (p-value < 0.05) between CD and bacterial metabolites was obtained for three of eight tested SCFAs; acetic acid (reduced in CD; FC 1.7; AUC = 0.714), butyric acid (increased; FC 0.68; AUC = 0.717), 2MeBA (FC 1.168; AUC = 0.702), and indoxyl (FC 0.624). The concentration of CA (FC 0.82) and choline (FC 0.78) in plasma was significantly disturbed according to the biological treatment. Choline level (FC 1.28) was also significantly disturbed in the patients treated with glucocorticoids. In total, 68.97% of Crohn’s patients presented extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) of Crohn’s disease, mainly osteoarticular complications. The level of BA was statistically significantly elevated in patients with extraintestinal (FC 0.602) manifestations, while in the group of patients with osteoarticular complications, a significant difference in the level of betaine (FC 1.647) was observed. Conclusions: The analyzed bacterial metabolites of plasma may significantly help in the diagnostic process, and in the monitoring of the disease course and treatment, in a lowly invasive way, as biomarkers after additional research on a larger group of patients.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses chronic gastrointestinal disorders that significantly impact patients’ quality of life (QoL). While clinical trials support the efficacy and safety of vedolizumab, real‐world data linking its effectiveness to QoL‐related patient‐reported outcomes remain limited. This prospective observational study assessed the effects of 14‐week vedolizumab induction therapy on QoL (i.e., fatigue, mood, and sleep disturbances), clinical response, safety, and predictors of response. Methods: A total of 257 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC; n = 205) and Crohn’s disease (CD; n = 52) received 14‐week vedolizumab induction therapy. Disease activity, QoL (assessed using the total Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire [IBDQ]), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy‐Fatigue [FACIT‐Fatigue]), mood and sleep disturbances (PROMIS Depression and Sleep Disturbance scales), and selected biomarkers were evaluated. Clinical response was assessed using the Mayo score for UC and Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score for CD. Results: At Week 14, clinical response was observed in 82% of UC patients and 82.7% of CD patients. Median total IBDQ scores increased by 45.0 points in UC and 31.5 points in CD ( p < 0.001). Median prorated FACIT‐Fatigue scores increased by 5.0 points in both groups ( p < 0.001), while median prorated PROMIS Sleep Disturbance and Depression T‐scores decreased ( p < 0.05). Improvement in QoL was moderately correlated with clinical response ( r = 0.5). In logistic regression analysis, baseline patient characteristics indicative of advanced disease were associated with a reduced likelihood of clinical and QoL response to treatment. A total of 28 adverse events were reported, including 11 serious events and four treatment‐related events. Conclusions: Vedolizumab reduced disease activity and led to a rapid improvement in QoL during the 14‐week induction therapy in patients with IBD. Clinical response was positively correlated with QoL improvement. Predictors of reduced response were consistent with features of advanced disease.

This article describes a patient with a severe relapse of newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis, with toxic megacolon, sclerosing cholangitis, and a Bauhin valve neuroendocrine neoplasm. The relationship between inflammatory diseases of the colon, cancer risk including neuroendocrine tumors, the potential impact of these tumors on the course of the underlying disease, and clinical differences between ulcerative colitis with and without coexisting sclerosing cholangitis are discussed based on the latest literature.