Gastric Cancer Screening by Combined Determination of Serum Helicobacter pylori Antibody and Pepsinogen Concentrations: ABC Method for Gastric Cancer Screening.

OBJECTIVE: Gastroscopy combined with gastric mucosa biopsies is currently regarded as a gold standard for diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, its application is restricted in clinical practice due to its invasive property. A new noninvasive population screening process combining the assay of anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody and serum pepsinogen (PG) (ABC method) is adopted to recognize the high-risk patients for further endoscopy examination, avoiding the unnecessary gastroscopy for most population and saving the cost consumption for mass screening annually. Nevertheless, controversies exist for the grouping of ABC method and the intervals of gastroscopy surveillance for each group. In this review, we summarized these popular concerned topics for providing useful references to the healthcare practitioner in clinical practice. DATA SOURCES: The PubMed databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to November 22, 2017, using the keywords "Helicobacter pylori," "Pepsinogens," and "Stomach Neoplasms." STUDY SELECTION: Original articles and reviews on the topics were selected. RESULTS: Anti-H. pylori antibody and serum PG concentration showed significant changes under the different status of H. pylori infection and the progression of atrophic gastritis, which can be used for risk stratification of gastric cancer in clinic. In addition, anti-H. pylori antibody titer can be used for further risk stratification of gastric cancer contributing to determine better endoscopy surveillance interval. CONCLUSIONS: The early detection and diagnosis of gastric cancer benefit from the risk stratification, but the cutoff values for H. pylori antibody and serum PG concentration require further modification.

Surgical approach for Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction: transthoracic or transabdominal? -a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The surgical approach (transthoracic or transabdominal) for patients with Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) still remains controversial. METHODS: Data of patients with Siewert type II AEG were collected in the Guangdong General Hospital from 2004 to 2014 and we compared their clinicopathological outcome and prognosis in regard to the transthoracic (TT) and transabdominal (TA) approach. RESULTS: A total of 158 patients with Siewert type II AEG were analyzed and our results demonstrated that their overall medium survival was 52 months. Also, their 5-year overall survival rate was 39.1%, which was comparable between the TT and TA group (35.1% vs. 43.2%, P>0.05), while more lymph nodes were dissected in TA group (23.7±0.2 vs. 18.1±0.3, P<0.05), with less postoperative complications (14.3% vs. 28.4%, P<0.05) and shorten hospital stay (12±4 vs. 15±7 d, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with Siewert type II AEG, the TA approach is more suitable to achieve an optimal extent of lymph node dissection, reduction in the incidence of complication, shorten hospital stay, and to promote the recovery.

Diagnosis and Treatment of 26 Cases of Abdominal Cocoon.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Abdominal cocoon (AC) is a rare abdominal disease with nonspecific clinical features, and it is difficult to be diagnosed before operation and hard to be treated in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of AC. METHODS: The clinical manifestations, findings during surgery, treatments, and follow-up results of 26 cases of AC were retrospectively studied from January 2001 to January 2015. RESULTS: All of 26 cases were diagnosed as AC definitely by laparotomy or laparoscopic surgery. Their clinical findings were various, with 7 intestines obstructed with bezoars and 4 intestines perforated by spiny material. Based on the existence of the second enterocoelia, all cases were categorized into 2 types: type I is absent of second enterocoelia (18 cases, 69.23%), while type II shows second enterocoelia (8 cases, 30.77%). Twenty cases (12 were type I and 8 were type II) underwent membrane excision and careful enterodialysis to release the small intestine entirely or partially, while the other 6 cases (all were type I) did not. In addition, all patients were treated with medical treatment and healthy diet and lifestyle. Finally, most of the patients recovered smoothly. CONCLUSIONS: AC can be categorized into two types; surgery is recommended for type II and part of type I with severe complications, but sometimes conservative therapy might be appropriate for type I. Laparoscopic surgery plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of AC. Furthermore, favorite health education, healthy diet and lifestyle are of significance in patients' recovery.