PurposeTo investigate the association of cancer stem-cell markers [octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), and Nanog homebox (NANOG)] expression with clinicopathological properties and overall survival (OS) in operative rectal cancer (RC) patients receiving adjuvant therapy.Materials and Methods153 patients with primary RC receiving surgery were enrolled. Tumor tissue and paired adjacent normal tissue sample were collected, and OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG expressions were assessed by immunofluorescent staining. The median follow-up duration was 5.2 years, and the last follow-up date was August 2016.ResultsTumor tissue OCT4 (p<0.001), SOX2 (p=0.003), and NANOG (p<0.001) expressions were higher than those in adjacent tissue. OCT4 expression was positively correlated with pathological grade (R=0.185, p=0.022), tumor size (R=0.224, p=0.005), and N stage (R=0.170, p=0.036). NANOG expression was positively associated with tumor size (R=0.169, p=0.036). Kaplan-Meier suggested that OCT4+ was associated with worse OS compared with OCT4− (p<0.001), while no association of SOX2 (p=0.121) and NANOG expressions (p=0.195) with OS was uncovered. Compared with one or no positive marker, at least two positive markers were associated with shorter OS (p<0.001), while all three positive markers were correlated with worse OS compared with two or less positive markers (p<0.001). Multivariate Cox's analysis revealed that OCT4+ (p<0.001) and N stage (p=0.046) were independent factors for shorter OS.ConclusionTumor tissue OCT4 expression was correlated with poor differentiation, tumor size, and N stage, and it can serve as an independent prognostic biomarker in operative patients with RC receiving adjuvant therapy.

Previous studies evaluating the association between smoking and risk of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) have yielded controversial results. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the association based on available evidence. We searched the databases of Embase, PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to April 11, 2017. Studies that investigated the association between smoking and risk of CCA were included. Pooled odds ratio (OR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using either a random-effects or a fixed-effects model. A total of 22 studies involving 324,333 participants were identified. The summary OR of CCA was 1.31 (95% CI, 1.15 to 1.51) for smokers versus nonsmokers. The increased risk was independent of diabetes mellitus, bilious tract stone disease, and liver cirrhosis. Smokers also had increased risk of intrahepatic CCA (12 studies; OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.63) and extrahepatic CCA (12 studies; OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.59) compared with nonsmokers. The results of our meta-analysis support the hypothesis that there is a moderate association between cigarette smoking and risk of CCA.

ADIPOQ rs2241766 and rs1501299 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could be associated with colorectal pathogenesis and could have interactions with red meat intake. Both factors impact colorectal cancer occurrence.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory disease that occurs in the intestinal tract. It is mainly divided into two subtypes, i.e., the Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). At present, its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, but it has been generally believed that the environment, immune disorders, genetic susceptibility, and intestinal microbes are the main factors for the disease pathogenesis. With the development of the sequencing technology, microbial factors have received more and more attention. The gut microbiota is in a state of precise balance with the host, in which the host immune system is tolerant to immunogenic antigens produced by gut commensal microbes. In IBD patients, changes in the balance between pathogenic microorganisms and commensal microbes lead to changes in the composition and diversity of gut microbes, and the balance between microorganisms and the host would be disrupted. This new state is defined as dysbiosis. It has been confirmed, in both clinical and experimental settings, that dysbiosis plays an important role in the occurrence and development of IBD, but the causal relationship between dysbiosis and inflammation has not been elucidated. On the other hand, as a classic research method for pathogen identification, the Koch’s postulates sets the standard for verifying the role of pathogens in disease. With the further acknowledgment of the disease pathogenesis, it is realized that the traditional Koch’s postulates is not applicable to the etiology research (determination) of infectious diseases. Thus, many researchers have carried out more comprehensive and complex elaboration of Koch’s postulates to help people better understand and explain disease pathogenesis through the improved Koch’s postulates. Therefore, focusing on the new perspective of the improved Koch’s postulates is of great significance for deeply understanding the relationship between dysbiosis and IBD. This article has reviewed the studies on dysbiosis in IBD, the use of microbial agents in the treatment of IBD, and their relationship to the modified Koch’s postulates.

ObjectiveWe investigated the clinical significance of preoperative pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsIn this retrospective study, 366 cases who underwent surgery for CRC were enrolled. Their clinical data were collected. PIV was calculated with the formula PIV = [neutrophil count (109/L)× platelet count (109/L) × monocyte count (109/L) /lymphocyte count (109/L). Patients were divided into high PIV (&gt; median PIV) and low PIV (&lt; median PIV) groups. The relationship between PIV and clinicopathological features of CRC was investigated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to indicate the value of immune-inflammatory biomarkers (IIBs) in predicting the TNM stage of CRC, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the actual clinical value of IIBs. AUC &gt; 0.5 and closer to 1 indicated the better predictive efficacy. The influencing factors of PIV in CRC were analyzed.ResultsWe found that PIV was positively correlated with tumor size (r = 0.300, p &lt; 0.05), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (r = 0.214, p &lt; 0.05) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125) (r = 0.249, p &lt; 0.05), but negatively correlated with albumin (Alb) (r = −0.242, p &lt; 0.05). PIV was significantly different in patients with different tumor locations (left or right), surgical methods (laparotomy versus laparoscopic surgery) (p &lt; 0.05), and patients with different pathological T stages, N-stage and TNM stages (p &lt; 0.05). ROC curve analysis of IIBs showed the AUC of PIV was greater than other markers when combined with CEA or carbohydrate antigen 19–9 (CA19–9). Multivariate regression analysis identified T stage, CEA, Alb, and tumor size as the independent influential factors of PIV in CRC.ConclusionPIV is associated with the tumor stage in patients with CRC, which may be useful in preoperative assessment of CRC.