Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy. It is principally associated with liver cirrhosis and chronic liver disease. The major risk factors for the development of HCC include viral infections (HBV, HCV), alcoholic liver disease (ALD,) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The optimal treatment choice is dictated by multiple variables such as tumor burden, liver function, and patient’s health status. Surgical resection, transplantation, ablation, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and systemic therapy are potentially useful treatment strategies. TACE is considered the first-line treatment for patients with intermediate stage HCC. The purpose of this review was to assess the indications, the optimal treatment schedule, the technical factors associated with TACE, and the overall application of TACE as a personalized treatment for HCC.

The reported incidence of hollow viscus injuries (HVI) in blunt trauma patients is approximately 1 %. The most common site of injury to the intestine in blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) is the small bowel followed by colon, with mesenteric injuries occurring three times more commonly than bowel injuries. Isolated colon injury is a rarely encountered condition. Clinical assessment alone in patients with suspected intestinal or mesenteric injury after blunt trauma is associated with unacceptable diagnostic delays. This is a case of a 31-year-old man, admitted to the emergency department after being the restrained driver, involved in a car accident. After initial resuscitation, focused assessment with sonography for trauma examination (FAST) was performed revealing a subhepatic mass, suspicious for intraperitoneal hematoma. A computed tomography scan (CT) that followed showed a hematoma of the mesocolon of the ascending colon with active extravasation of intravenous contrast material. An exploratory laparotomy was performed, hemoperitomeum was evacuated, and a subserosal hematoma of the cecum and ascending colon with areas of totally disrupted serosal wall was found. Hematoma of the adjacent mesocolon expanding to the root of mesenteric vessels was also noted. A right hemicolectomy along with primary ileocolonic anastomosis was performed. Patient’s recovery progressed uneventfully. Identifying an isolated traumatic injury to the bowel or mesentery after BAT can be a clinical challenge because of its subtle and nonspecific clinical findings; meeting that challenge may eventually lead to a delay in diagnosis and treatment with subsequent increase in associated morbidity and mortality. Isolated colon injury is a rare finding after blunt trauma and usually accompanied by other intra-abdominal organ injuries. Abdominal ‘seatbelt’ sign, ecchymosis of the abdominal wall, increasing abdominal pain and distension are all associated with HVI. However, the accuracy of these findings remains low. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage, ultrasound, CT and diagnostic laparoscopy are used to evaluate BAT. Although CT has become the main diagnostic tool for this type of injuries, there are few pathognomonic signs of colon injury on CT. Given the potential for devastating outcomes, prompt diagnosis and treatment is necessary and high clinical suspicion is required.

Node stage (N stage) is of paramount importance for gastric cancer staging. Radiologically node status implies detection and characterization of suspect malignant lymph nodes. Clinically it might determine survival and alter therapeutic plans. A number of modalities, including computerized tomography, MRI, PET and endoscopic ultrasound are currently available. Using a multimodality strategy, accuracy ranges between 50–90% across various studies. Specificity and sensitivity varies with respect to method, number of positive lymph nodes, their location and other characteristics. Restaging after neoadjuvant therapy and staging of recurrence presents its own, particular challenges. Each method has its advantages and limitations and none of them alone is adequate enough for staging. While most of them are clinically well established, they are also active research topics. To overcome the aforementioned limitations a multidisciplinary, multimodality approach with emphasis on clinical staging and treatment plans is proposed.

Background/Objectives: Esophageal cancer (EC) represents a major global contributor to cancer-related mortality. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning, deep learning, and radiomics, holds promise for enhancing treatment decisions and predicting outcomes. The aim of this review is to present an overview of the current landscape and future perspectives of AI in the management of EC. Methods: A literature search was performed on MEDLINE using the following keywords: “Artificial Intelligence”, “Esophageal cancer”, “Barrett’s esophagus”, “Esophageal Adenocarcinoma”, and “Esophageal Squamous cell carcinoma”. All titles and abstracts were screened; the results included 41 studies. Results: Over the past five years, the number of studies focusing on the application of AI to the treatment and prognosis of EC has surged, leveraging increasingly larger datasets with external validation. The simultaneous incorporation in AI models of clinical factors and features from several imaging modalities displays improved predictive performance, which may enhance patient outcomes, based on direct personalized therapeutic options. However, clinicians and researchers must address existing limitations, conduct randomized controlled trials, and consider the ethical and legal aspects that arise to establish AI as a standard decision-support tool. Conclusions: AI applications may result in substantial advances in EC management, heralding a new era. Considering the complexity of EC as a clinical entity, the evolving potential of AI is anticipated to ameliorate patients’ quality of life and survival rates.