ENDOSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS WITH COMPLETE PATHOLOGICAL RESPONSE AFTER NEOADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY FOR GASTRIC AND ESOPHAGOGASTRIC JUNCTION ADENOCARCINOMAS.

BACKGROUND: Gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma are responsible for approximately 13.5% of cancer-related deaths. Given the fact that these tumors are not typically detected until they are already in the advanced stages, neoadjuvancy plays a fundamental role in improving long-term survival. Identification of those with complete pathological response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is a major challenge, with effects on organ preservation, extent of resection, and additional surgery. There is little or no information in the literature about which endoscopic signs should be evaluated after NAC, or even when such re-evaluation should occur. AIM: To describe the endoscopic aspects of patients with gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinomas who underwent NAC and achieved pCR, and to determine the accuracy of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in predicting the pCR. METHODS: A survey was conducted of the medical records of patients with these tumors who were submitted to gastrectomy after NAC, with anatomopathological result of pCR. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were identified who achieved pCR after NAC within the study period. Endoscopic responses were used to classify patients into two groups: G1-endoscopic findings consistent with pCR and G2-endoscopic findings not consistent with pCR. Endoscopic evaluation in G1 was present in an equal percentage (47.4%; p=0.28) in Borrmann classification II and III. In this group, the predominance was in the gastric body (57.9%; p=0.14), intestinal subtype with 42.1% (p=0.75), undifferentiated degree, 62.5% (p=0.78), Herb+ in 73.3% (p=0.68). The most significant finding, however, was that the time interval between NAC and EGD was longer for G1 than G2 (24.4 vs. 10.2 days, p=0.008). CONCLUSION: EGD after NAC seems to be a useful tool for predicting pCR, and it may be possible to use it to create a reliable response classification. In addition, the time interval between NAC and EGD appears to significantly influence the predictive power of endoscopy for pCR.

Endoscopic characteristics of patients with complete pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinomas / Características endoscópicas de pacientes com resposta patológica completa após quimioterapia neoadjuvante para adenocarcinomas gástricos e de junção esofagogástrica

ABSTRACT Background: Gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma are responsible for approximately 13.5% of cancer-related deaths. Given the fact that these tumors are not typically detected until they are already in the advanced stages, neoadjuvancy plays a fundamental role in improving long-term survival. Identification of those with complete pathological response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is a major challenge, with effects on organ preservation, extent of resection, and additional surgery. There is little or no information in the literature about which endoscopic signs should be evaluated after NAC, or even when such re-evaluation should occur. Aim: To describe the endoscopic aspects of patients with gastric and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinomas who underwent NAC and achieved pCR, and to determine the accuracy of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in predicting the pCR. Methods: A survey was conducted of the medical records of patients with these tumors who were submitted to gastrectomy after NAC, with anatomopathological result of pCR. Results: Twenty-nine patients were identified who achieved pCR after NAC within the study period. Endoscopic responses were used to classify patients into two groups: G1-endoscopic findings consistent with pCR and G2-endoscopic findings not consistent with pCR. Endoscopic evaluation in G1 was present in an equal percentage (47.4%; p=0.28) in Borrmann classification II and III. In this group, the predominance was in the gastric body (57.9%; p=0.14), intestinal subtype with 42.1% (p=0.75), undifferentiated degree, 62.5% (p=0.78), Herb+ in 73.3% (p=0.68). The most significant finding, however, was that the time interval between NAC and EGD was longer for G1 than G2 (24.4 vs. 10.2 days, p=0.008). Conclusion: EGD after NAC seems to be a useful tool for predicting pCR, and it may be possible to use it to create a reliable response classification. In addition, the time interval between NAC and EGD appears to significantly influence the predictive power of endoscopy for pCR.

RESUMO Racional: O adenocarcinoma gástrico e da junção esofagogástrica é responsável por aproximadamente 13,5% das mortes relacionadas ao câncer. Dado que esses tumores não são normalmente detectados até que já estejam em estágios avançados, a neoadjuvância desempenha um papel fundamental na melhoria da sobrevida em longo prazo. A identificação daqueles com resposta patológica completa (pCR) após a quimioterapia neoadjuvante (NAC) é um grande desafio, com efeitos na preservação do órgão, extensão da ressecção e cirurgia adicional. Há pouca ou nenhuma informação na literatura sobre quais sinais endoscópicos devem ser avaliados após a NAC, ou mesmo quando essa reavaliação deve ocorrer. Objetivo: Descrever os aspectos endoscópicos de pacientes com adenocarcinoma gástrico e da junção esofagogástrica que foram submetidos à quimioterapia neoadjuvante e alcançaram pCR, e determinar a acurácia da esofagogastroduodenoscopia (EGD) em predizer a pCR. Métodos: Foram revisados os prontuários de pacientes submetidos à gastrectomia subtotal e total após NAC, com resultado anatomopatológico de pCR. Resultados: Vinte e nove pacientes que alcançaram pCR após NAC foram identificados no período estudado. As respostas endoscópicas foram usadas para classificar os pacientes em dois grupos: G1- achados endoscópicos consistentes com pCR, G2 - achados endoscópicos não consistentes com pCR. A avaliação endoscópica no G1 esteve presente em igual percentual (47,4%; p=0,28) na classificação de Borrmann II e III. Nesse grupo, a predominância foi no corpo gástrico (57,9%; p=0,14), subtipo intestinal com 42,1% (p=0,75), grau indiferenciado, 62,5% (p=0,78), Herb+ em 73,3% (p=0,68). O achado mais significativo, no entanto, foi que o intervalo de tempo entre NAC e EGD foi maior para G1 do que G2 (24,4 vs. 10,2 dias, p=0,008). Conclusão: A EGD após NAC, nessa pesquisa, sugeriu ser método útil para prever pCR, mediante uma classificação de resposta confiável. Além disso, o intervalo de tempo entre NAC e EGD parece influenciar significativamente a sua capacidade preditiva de diagnosticar a pCR.

Cadherin-catenin adhesion system and mucin expression: a comparison between young and older patients with gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Young patients are thought to develop gastric carcinomas with a molecular genetic profile that is distinct from that of gastric carcinomas occurring at a later age. The aim of this study was to compare the clinicopathological features and expression patterns of the markers E-cadherin and beta-catenin, and mucins (MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC6) in young and older patients. METHODS: The clinicopathological features and overall survival data of 62 young patients (age 40 years). A tissue microarray method and immunohistochemistry were used in order to analyze marker expression in paraffin-embedded tissue blocks obtained from both groups. RESULTS: The young group presented a higher percentage of diffuse-type tumors in comparison to the older group (P<0.01). The rates of positivity for E-cadherin and beta-catenin membranous expression patterns and mucin (MUC2, MUC5AC and MUC6) positivity were higher in the young group (P<0.01). Although young patients showed a lower frequency of alterations in marker expression and had significantly better survival rates than the older patients, neither age nor the marker expression pattern were found to be independent prognostic factors of survival. Only stage, tumor size, and tumor location persisted as prognostic factors for patients with gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: Biological markers of cellular adhesion and gastric differentiation were differently expressed in young and older patients. Our findings support the hypothesis that young patients develop carcinomas with a different genetic pathway compared to the pathway of tumors occurring at a later age, and we suggest further investigations to assess the prognostic relevance of the markers to specific subgroups.

Expression profile of malignant and nonmalignant lesions of esophagus and stomach: differential activity of functional modules related to inflammation and lipid metabolism.

Adenocarcinomas of stomach and esophagus are frequently associated with preceding inflammatory alterations of the normal mucosa. Whereas intestinal metaplasia of the gastric mucosa is associated with higher risk of malignization, Barrett's disease is a risk factor for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Barrett's disease is characterized by the substitution of the squamous mucosa of the esophagus by a columnar tissue classified histopathologically as intestinal metaplasia. Using cDNA microarrays, we determined the expression profile of normal gastric and esophageal mucosa as well as intestinal metaplasia and adenocarcinomas from both organs. Data were explored to define functional alterations related to the transformation from squamous to columnar epithelium and the malignant transformation from intestinal metaplasia to adenocarcinomas. Based on their expression profile, adenocarcinomas of the esophagus showed stronger correlation with intestinal metaplasia of the stomach than with Barrett's mucosa. Second, we identified two functional modules, lipid metabolism and cytokine, as being altered with higher statistical significance. Whereas the lipid metabolism module is active in samples representing intestinal metaplasia and inactive in adenocarcinomas, the cytokine module is inactive in samples representing normal esophagus and esophagitis. Using the concept of relevance networks, we determined the changes in linear correlation of genes pertaining to these two functional modules. Exploitation of the data presented herein will help in the precise molecular characterization of adenocarcinoma from the distal esophagus, avoiding the topographical and descriptive classification that is currently adopted, and help with the proper management of patients with Barrett's disease.

Molecular classifiers for gastric cancer and nonmalignant diseases of the gastric mucosa.

High incidence of gastric cancer-related death is mainly due to diagnosis at an advanced stage in addition to the lack of adequate neoadjuvant therapy. Hence, new tools aimed at early diagnosis would have a positive impact in the outcome of the disease. Using cDNA arrays having 376 genes either identified previously as altered in gastric tumors or known to be altered in human cancer, we determined expression signature of 99 tissue fragments representing normal gastric mucosa, gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and adenocarcinomas. We first validated the array by identifying molecular markers that are associated with intestinal metaplasia, considered as a transition stage of gastric adenocarcinomas of the intestinal type as well as markers that are associated with diffuse type of gastric adenocarcinomas. Next, we applied Fisher's linear discriminant analysis in an exhaustive search of trios of genes that could be used to build classifiers for class distinction. Many classifiers could distinguish between normal and tumor samples, whereas, for the distinction of gastritis from tumor and for metaplasia from tumor, fewer classifiers were identified. Statistical validations showed that trios that discriminate between normal and tumor samples are powerful classifiers to distinguish between tumor and nontumor samples. More relevant, it was possible to identify samples of intestinal metaplasia that have expression signature resembling that of an adenocarcinoma and can now be used for follow-up of patients to determine their potential as a prognostic test for malignant transformation.

Braquiterapia intraluminar de alta taxa de dose: uma nova perspectiva no tratamento do câncer do esôfago / Intraluminal high-dose-rate brachytherapy: a new perspective on treatment of esophageal cancer

Braquiterapia com microfonte radioativa operada por controle remoto comandado por computador trouxe nova perspectiva no tratamento intraluminar de vários tumores. Este relato apresenta a experiência preliminar do Serviço de Braquiterapia do Departamento de Radioterapia do Hospital A.C. Camargo no tratamento do carcinoma de esôfago com braquiterapia de alta taxa de dose. A técnica utiliza a inserção de um aplicador esofágico sob videoendoscopia após a radioterapia externa. Três inserções de 6 Gy, em intervalo de duas semanas, iniciando-se 15 dias após radioterapia externa com 54 Gy em 30 frações, são empregadas para os tratamentos curativos. Nos tratamentos paliativos, duas inserções de 7,5 Gy, com uma semana de intervalo, são utilizadas e a dose de radioterapia externa limita-se a 40 Gy em 20 frações. A extensão do esôfago a ser tratada é determinada pelo esofagograma e pela reação actínica residual após a radioterapia externa, detectável à endoscopia de controle, com margem de 2 cm. O cálculo da dose se faz a 10 mm do centro do cateter. De janeiro/93 a dezembro/94, 100 procedimentos foram realizados em 35 pacientes. Vinte e cinco foram tratados com intenção curativa e dez, com intenção paliativa. A idade variou dos 43 aos 82 anos (mediana de 64 anos), com predominância do sexo masculino (9:1). A braquiterapia foi bem tolerada e realizada em caráter ambulatorial. Reações agudas, representadas por esofagite transitória, ocorreram em todos os pacientes. Reações tardias, como fístulas e estenoses, foram observadas em 16 por cento e 40 por cento dos casos, respectivamente. A sobrevida média foi de oito meses para os tratamentos curativos e de quatro meses para os paliativos. Capacidade de alimentação por via oral se manteve em 85 por cento dos pacientes até o óbito. Os resultados preliminares concluem que o procedimento é seguro, prático e efetivo, e deve ser estimulado na abordagem terapêutica multidisciplinar do carcinoma do esôfago.