A Post-International Gastrointestinal Cancers' Conference (IGICC) Position Statements.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent liver tumor, is usually linked with chronic liver diseases, particularly cirrhosis. As per the 2020 statistics, this cancer ranks 6th in the list of most common cancers worldwide and is the third primary source of cancer-related deaths. Asia holds the record for the highest occurrence of HCC. HCC is found three times more frequently in men than in women. The primary risk factors for HCC include chronic viral infections, excessive alcohol intake, steatotic liver disease conditions, as well as genetic and family predispositions. Roughly 40-50% of patients are identified in the late stages of the disease. Recently, there have been significant advancements in the treatment methods for advanced HCC. The selection of treatment for HCC hinges on the stage of the disease and the patient's medical status. Factors such as pre-existing liver conditions, etiology, portal hypertension, and portal vein thrombosis need critical evaluation, monitoring, and appropriate treatment. Depending on the patient and the characteristics of the disease, liver resection, ablation, or transplantation may be deemed potentially curative. For inoperable lesions, arterially directed therapy might be an option, or systemic treatment might be deemed more suitable. In specific cases, the recommendation might extend to external beam radiation therapy. For all individuals, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach should be adopted when considering HCC treatment options. The main treatment strategies for advanced HCC patients are typically combination treatments such as immunotherapy and anti-VEGFR inhibitor, or a combination of immunotherapy and immunotherapy where appropriate, as a first-line treatment. Furthermore, some TKIs and immune checkpoint inhibitors may be used as single agents in cases where patients are not fit for the combination therapies. As second-line treatments, some treatment agents have been reported and can be considered.

Cystic echinococcosis of the liver in Kazakhstan: The effectiveness of the PAIR method in comparison with laparoscopic and «open¼ surgical methods.

BACKGROUND: One of the urgent problems of surgical parasitology in the Republic of Kazakhstan is liver cystic echinococcosis. The study aimed to analyze the effectiveness and safety of the percutaneous treatment with different techniques in comparison with the results of laparoscopic and "open" surgical methods. METHODS: Retrospectively, we analyzed the outcome of 485 patients with active echinococcal cysts in the period from January 2017-July 2023. Indications for surgical treatment and the choice of the intervention method were based on this classification. Patients were conditionally divided into 3 groups: Laparoscopy-33, Laparotomy-319, PAIR-133. RESULTS: The duration of the operation in the PAIR was significantly shorter compared to the Laparotomy and Laparoscopy groups (55.4vs.225.2 and 215.3, p = 0.0001). There was no intraoperative blood loss in PAIR, whereas in Laparotomy and Laparoscopy there were 146.0 and 111.0. The postoperative stay of patients in PAIR is significantly shorter than in Laparotomy and Laparoscopy (3.8 compared to 7.5 and 6.4, p = 0.0001). The follow-up time averaged 39.8 months ± 21. There were no statistically significant differences in relapses. Laparotomy and PAIR groups had 11 (3.5 %) and 6 (4.5 %) relapses, respectively. CONCLUSION: In cystic echinococcosis of the liver types CE1, CE3a regardless of the localization, the optimal volume is a PAIR is characterized by a shorter postoperative stay of the patient, early recovery and cure. In the CE2, CE3b stages, laparoscopic pericystectomy is the most effective and safe in individual patients. In case of an intimate arrangement of cysts to tubular structures, the safest method is laparotomy.

Ethanol Sclerotherapy in the Management of Ovarian Endometrioma: Technical Considerations for Catheter- and Needle-Directed Sclerotherapy.

PURPOSE: To provide technical guidance on applying catheter-directed and needle-directed ethanol sclerotherapy for endometriomas and present the results of these sclerotherapy methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2015 to March 2021, the results of the patients with symptomatic ovarian endometriomas who underwent needle-directed or catheter-directed sclerotherapy were evaluated, retrospectively. The decision to apply which sclerotherapy technique was made during the procedure for each patient considering the following factors: cyst size, cyst location, cyst viscosity, and tissue rigidity. RESULTS: Both needle-directed (n = 34 cysts) and catheter-directed (n = 34 cysts) sclerotherapy techniques were effective, with a 100% technical success rate and a 97% clinical success rate. In two of 34 cysts (6%) treated with needle-directed sclerotherapy, recurrence was detected and successfully retreated with catheter-directed sclerotherapy. Significant reductions in cyst size, pain, and serum cancer antigen 125 levels (p < 0.05) were noted. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone levels remained unaffected, indicating preserved ovarian reserve (p > 0.05). Among those treated for infertility, the pregnancy rate was 54% (n = 6/11). The mean ± SD cyst size decline was greater in catheter-directed sclerotherapy than needle-directed sclerotherapy (5.5 ± 3.1 cm vs. 4.0 ± 2.1 cm, p < 0.05). However, the pretreatment cyst volumes were considerably higher in catheter-directed sclerotherapy group (202.0 ± 233.5 mL vs. 78.8 ± 59.7 mL, p < 0.05) and were associated with significant post-treatment volume decrease (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The choice between catheter-directed and needle-directed ethanol sclerotherapy should be determined during the procedure, with a preference for catheter-directed sclerotherapy when feasible. Crucial factors in making this decision include cyst size, cyst location, cyst viscosity, and tissue rigidity. Level of evidence Level 3, non-controlled retrospective cohort study.

Assessing the Potential Apoptotic Effects of Different Hydatid Cyst Fluids on Human Healthy Hepatocytes and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic infection caused by the larval form of Echinococcus granulosus in humans. Emerging evidence suggests an intriguing inverse association between E. granulosus infection and the occurrence of cancer. This study aimed to investigate the influence of diverse host-derived hydatid cyst fluids (HCF) with distinct genotypes on human liver hepatocytes (HC) and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2). Specifically, we examined their effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis sensitivity (BAX/BCL-2), apoptosis-related p53 expression, and the expression of cancer-related microRNA (hsa-miR-181b-3p). Cell proliferation assays, real-time PCR, and ELISA studies were conducted to evaluate potential anti-cancer properties. The findings revealed that animal-origin HCF (G1(A)) induced direct cell death by augmenting the susceptibility of HepG2 cells to apoptosis. Treatment with both G1(A) and G1(H) HCF sensitized HepG2 and HC cell lines to apoptosis by modulating the BAX/BCL-2 ratio, accompanied by upregulation of the p53 gene. Additionally, G1(A) HCF and human-derived HCFs (G1(H), G7(H)) reduced the expression of miR-181b-3p in HepG2 cells. Consequently, this study demonstrates the potential anti-cancer effect of HCF in HepG2 cells and provides the first comparative assessment of HCFs from human and animal sources with diverse genotypes, offering novel insights into this field.

Percutaneous treatment of liver hydatid cysts: to PAIR or not to PAIR.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim is to review recent literature for percutaneous treatment of liver hydatid cysts (cystic echinococcosis: CE) via different techniques such as PAIR (puncture, aspiration, injection, and reaspiration), standard catheterization, and modified catheterization technique (MoCaT). RECENT FINDINGS: PAIR is an established technique and considered to be safe and effective for CE1 and CE3a as it is associated with lower morbidity, mortality, recurrence, and shorter hospital stay as compared with surgery. Standard catheterization is also dedicated for the treatment of CE1 and CE3a. PAIR should be preferred for treatment of liver CE1 and CE3a cysts, since PAIR is associated with lower major complication rates and shorter hospital stay. However, standard catheterization technique is indicated when cysto-biliary fistula develops or any technical difficulty arises during the PAIR. In these cases it is needed to switch PAIR to standard catheterization to complete the procedure. SUMMARY: For CE1 and CE3a cysts, PAIR and standard catheterization are the choice for percutaneous treatments, while MoCaT is a treatment option for CE2 and CE3b cysts.

Percutaneous nephrostomy in infants: a 20-year single-center experience.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of the imaging-guided percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) procedure in infants. METHODS: A total of 75 (50 boys; 66.7%) patients with a mean age of 121 days (range, 1-351 days) who underwent PCN over a period of 20 years were included in this retrospective study. For each patient, PCN indications, catheter size, the mean duration of catheterization, complications, and the procedure performed following nephrostomy were recorded. Technical success was determined based on the successful placement of the nephrostomy catheter within the pelvicalyceal system. Clinical success was defined as the complete resolution of hydronephrosis and improvement in renal function tests during follow-up. In patients with urinary leakage, technical and clinical success was determined based on the resolution of leakage. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 100%, and no procedure-related mortality was observed. In 11 patients (14.7%), bilateral PCN was performed. The most frequent indication of PCN was ureteropelvic junction obstruction (n = 41, 54.7%). Procedure-related major complications were encountered in two patients (methemoglobinemia and respiratory arrest caused by the local anesthetic agent in one patient and the development of urinoma caused by urinary leakage from the puncture site in the other). Mild urinary leakage was the only minor complication that occurred and only in one patient. Catheter-related complications were managed through replacement or revision surgery in 16 patients (21.3%). CONCLUSION: Imaging-guided PCN is a feasible and effective procedure with high technical success and low major complication rates, and it is useful for protecting kidney function in infants.

Role of interventional radiology in the management of iatrogenic urinary tract injury: the factors affecting the outcome.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of interventional radiological (IR) procedures in iatrogenic urinary tract injury and investigate the factors affecting the outcome. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients (21 male) with a mean age of 50.3 ± 15.8 years referred for iatrogenic urinary tract injury were enrolled in this study. Technical success was defined as (i) successful placement of a nephrostomy catheter within the renal pelvis and/or (ii) successful antegrade ureteral stent placement (double J stent) between the renal pelvis and bladder lumen. Complete resolution was defined as maintained ureteral patency without an external drain and ureteral stent. The factors that may affect complete resolution [ureteral avulsion, ureterovaginal fistula (UVF), history of malignancy/radiotherapy, and time to IR management] were also investigated. The receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to estimate the cut-off time point for the IR management timing affecting complete resolution. RESULTS: The technical success rate for nephrostomy and ureteral stent placement was 100% (n = 58/58) and 78% (n = 28/36), respectively. In 14 patients, non-dilated pelvicalyceal systems were evident. In 18 patients, no further intervention after percutaneous nephrostomy was performed due to (i) poor performance status (n = 6) and (ii) reconstruction surgery upon clinicians' and/or patients' request (n = 12). Reconstruction surgery was required in 11 of the remaining 40 patients due to failure of percutaneous treatment (n = 11/40, 27.5%). In six of the patients, ureteral stents could not be removed due to the development of benign ureteral strictures (n = 6/40, 15%). Our complete resolution rate was 57.5% (n = 23/40). Age, gender, type of surgery (endoscopic or open), side and location of the injury did not statistically affect the complete resolution rate. The presence of ureteral avulsion, history of malignancy and radiotherapy individually or in combination significantly affected the complete resolution rate negatively. The presence of UVF also had a negative effect on the complete resolution rate; however, it did not reach statistical significance. Delayed intervention was also a significant factor related to lower complete resolution. The optimal cut-off point of the time interval for favorable clinical outcome was found to be 0-19th day following the surgery. CONCLUSION: IR procedures are safe and effective in the management of iatrogenic urinary tract injuries. Antegrade ureteral stenting should be performed as soon as possible to establish ureteral integrity without the development of stricture.

Radiofrequency Ablation for Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases: Outcomes and Prognostic Factors Associated with Survival.

BACKGROUND: To determine the long-term outcomes of radiofrequency ablation with respect to overall survival, disease-free survival, and complications in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases. Additionally, we sought to examine whether various patient- and treatment-related characteristics were associated with prognosis. METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases who had undergone percutaneous radiofrequency ablation treatment were included in this study. A total of 138 lesions were treated with radiofrequency ablation in the first and second sessions. Tumor diameters ranged from 10 to 60 mm (mean, 2.45 mm). Treatment efficacy, complications, and overall survival and disease-free survival were analyzed. RESULTS: The primary success rate of radiofrequency ablation was 94.4%. At the end of the first month, the residual disease was detected in 12 lesions, 10 of which underwent secondary radiofrequency ablation treatment, resulting in a cumulative secondary success rate of 98.4%. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates in 59 patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases were 94.9%, 52.5%, and 40.6%, respectively. The median survival was 42 months in patients with metastasis size of ≤3 cm, while it was 25 months in patients with metastasis size of >3 cm (P = .001). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 44%, 10.2%, and 6.7%, respectively. Metastatic tumor status (solitary or multiple) was a significant prognostic factor in determining overall survival and disease-free survival; furthermore, extrahepatic recurrence during follow-up was a prognostic factor affecting overall survival. Minor complications developed in four radiofrequency ablation procedures (6.7%). CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation remains a safe and effective treatment option improving survival in select cases of colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Percutaneous management in hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: A sum of single center experiences and a brief overview of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) is a serious zoonotic infection that affects humans. It may have a tumor-like appearance at times. Percutaneous treatment of HAE patients is extremely relaxing for them. HAE is a significant human zoonotic infection caused by the fox tapeworm Echinococcus Multilocularis larvae. It possesses the characteristics of an invasive tumor-like lesion due to its infiltrative growth pattern and protracted incubation period. The disease is endemic over central Europe, Asia, and North America. AIM: To characterize HAE patients who were treated percutaneously, their outcomes, and the major technical features of percutaneous treatment in HAE. METHODS: Patients who were treated with percutaneous cyst drainage and/or percutaneous biliary drainage were included in the study. Uncorrected abnormal coagulation values and solid or non-infected HAE with minor necrotic change were excluded. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients underwent percutaneous cyst drainage, two patients underwent percutaneous biliary drainage, and four patients underwent percutaneous biliary drainage alone. Interventional radiology is utilized to drain echinococcal necrosis and abscesses within/without the liver, as well as diseased and clogged bile ducts. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous drainage of cyst contents and/or biliary channels using a minimally invasive technique is a very beneficial. Percutaneous cyst drainage with albendazole therapy improves quality of life in patients who are unable to undergo surgery, even when the mass resolves with long-term treatment.

A novel technique for the non-surgical management of inadvertent bowel catheterization during percutaneous abscess drainage: a technical note

Percutaneous abscess drainage-related inadvertent bowel catheterization is an undesired complication that requires treatment. In two cases without signs of peritonitis that we examined, it was possible to achieve successful abscess drainage, and to treat abscess-related inadvertent bowel catheterization by using a novel technique without surgery.

Management of single double-J stent failure in malignant ureteral obstruction: tandem ureteral stenting with less frequent stent exchange

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the placement and exchange of tandem ureteral stents (TUS) under fluoroscopic guidance in the management of indwelling single double-J stent (DJS) failure in patients with malignant ureteral obstruction. We also aimed to investigate whether the generally accepted exchange period of DJSs could be extended using TUS. METHODS: This retrospective study involved 11 patients (10 female) with an age range of 27-64 years, median of 49 years, who underwent TUS (ipsilateral two 8F DJSs) placement due to indwelling single DJS failure occurring in less than 3 months. TUS exchanges were performed initially at 6-month intervals, and subsequent exchange intervals were extended to 9 and 12 months for seven patients. The interval from initial TUS placement to percutaneous nephrostomy, repeat exchange, or death was defined as the duration of stent patency. RESULTS: Indwelling single DJS failure occurred during a median follow-up of 45 days (range, 35-60 days) in 14 ureters of 11 patients. TUS were successfully placed and exchanged with a technical success rate of 100% without any early major complications. Thirty-nine procedures (11 placement and 28 exchange procedures) in 55 ureters were performed. The median duration of urinary patency was significantly higher with TUS [300 days (range, 60-440 days)] compared with single DJSs [45 days (range, 35-60 days)] (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The placement and exchange of TUS can be safely and effectively performed under fluoroscopic guidance. The need for frequent DJS exchange could be reduced with increased duration of stent patency using TUS.

Long-term results of liver thermal ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer liver metastasis regarding spatial features and tumor-specific variables

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are widely treated using microwave and radiofrequency ablation. Local tumor progression (LTP) may develop depending on the shortest vascular distance and large lesion diameter. This study aims to explore the effect of these spatial features and to investigate the correlation between tumor-specific variables and LTP. METHODS: This is a retrospective study covering the period between January 2007 and January 2019. One hundred twenty-five patients (CRLM: HCC: 64:61) with 262 lesions (CRLM: HCC: 142:120) were enrolled. The correlation between LTP and the variables was analyzed using the chi-square test, Fischer's exact test, or the Fisher-Freeman-Halton test where applicable. The local progression-free survival (Loc-PFS) was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed for LTP in both CRLM and HCC at a lesion diameter of 30-50 mm (P = 0.019 and P < 0.001, respectively) and SVD of ≤3 mm (P < 0.001 for both). No correlation was found between the ablation type and LTP (CRLM: P = 0.141; HCC: P = 0.771). There was no relationship between residue and the ablation type, but a strong correlation with tumor size was observed (P = 0.127 and P < 0.001, respectively). In CRLM, LTP was associated with mutant K-ras and concomitant lung metastasis (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). In HCC, a similar correlation was found for Child-Pugh B, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level of >10 ng/mL, predisposing factors, and moderate histopathological differentiation (P < 0.001, P = 0.008, P = 0.027, and P <0.001, respectively). In CRLM, SVD of ≤3 mm proved to be the variable with the greatest negative effect on Loc-PFS (P = 0.007), followed by concomitant lung metastasis (P = 0.027). In HCC, a serum AFP level of >10 ng/mL proved to be the variable with the greatest negative effect on Loc-PFS (P = 0.045). CONCLUSION: In addition to the lesions' spatial features, tumor-specific variables may also have an impact on LTP.

Imaging-Guided De Novo Retrograde Ureteral Access and Stent Placement without Cystoscopy in Women.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of a new technique for imaging-guided de novo retrograde ureteral double J (DJ) stent placement without cystoscopy in women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-four women referred for ureteral stent placement between April 2019 and January 2022 were included. In all the patients, the initial attempt for stent placement was performed in a retrograde fashion. Successful ureteral catheterization and DJ stent placement were considered as technical success. The fluoroscopy time required to catheterize the ureter and that for the entire procedure were recorded. Factors affecting the technical success rate and fluoroscopy time were examined. RESULTS: A total of 108 ureteral stent placement procedures in 84 women, with a mean age of 57.5 years (range, 19-85 years), were performed. The most common underlying pathologies were cervical (n = 33, 31%) and ovarian (n = 32, 30%) carcinomas. The most commonly involved segments of the ureter were the lower half (n = 44, 40%) and trigone (n = 39, 36%). The technical success rate was 81.5%, and it reached 93% in the case of lower-half ureteral obstruction. Distorted trigonal anatomy caused by external compression of the bladder wall by a mass was associated with a higher rate of technical failure (90.6% vs 47.8%; P < .001). The use of ultrasound guidance to guide the sheath to the ureteral orifice allowed for a significant decrease in the fluoroscopy time for ureteral catheterization (4.6 minutes ± 3.91 vs 2.26 minutes ± 2.32; P = .003) and that for the entire procedure (9.42 minutes ± 4.95 vs 5.93 minutes ± 4.06; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Imaging-guided de novo retrograde ureteral catheterization and stent placement can be successfully performed in a high percentage of patients within a reasonable fluoroscopy time without the need for cystoscopy in women.

Evaluation of Potential Inflammatory Markers for Cystic Echinococcosis: P-selectin and Resistin

Objective: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most common zoonotic diseases worldwide. Diagnosis of CE is predominantly based on imaging techniques and serological tests are used in cases of non-characteristic imaging findings as diagnostic reference. However, serological test results cannot be completely reliable as they are affected by multi-factors. P-selectin and resistin are inflammatory markers that are altered during the acute stages of infection. In this purpose, inflammatory markers as P-selectin and resistin have been investigated for a potential diagnostic reference for CE diagnosis. Methods: A total of 60 patients who were diagnosed with CE and twenty-five healthy individuals were included in this study. Blood samples were obtained from all participants. Obtained sera were evaluated using the P-selectin and resistin ELISA kits for protein levels. Additionally, the relative expression of SELP (P-selectin) and RETN (resistin) genes were determined using the comparative CT (ΔΔCT) method between groups as CE patients with active and inactive cysts, CE patients and healthy controls. Results: SELP (13.9-fold change, p<0.05) and RETN (8.1-fold change, p<0.05) were differentially expressed in CE patients compared in the control group. Whereas resistin protein levels were significantly higher in CE patients than the healthy controls (p<0.001), the difference in P-selectin protein levels was not significant (p>0.05). There was no difference between active and inactive CE patients in terms of P-selectin and resistin in gene and protein levels (p>0.05). Conclusion: Although there was no difference between the active and inactive CE patients, the good differentiation between the healthy controls and the CE patients suggested that resistin is a potential inflammatory diagnostic reference.

Case Report: Imaging-Guided Percutaneous Catheterization and Microwave Ablation of a Bone Hydatid Cyst with Soft-Tissue Component.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) of the bone is a rare disease compared with CE of the viscera, and the most involved bony structures are the spine and the pelvis. Both the diagnosis and the treatment of bone CE are challenging for several reasons. The combination of surgery and antimicrobial therapy is the most common approach, the results are far from adequate. Luckily, percutaneous treatment has appeared on the horizon for bone lesions as a more practical option with fewer drawbacks in light of current reports. This article deals with the successful result of ablation-assisted percutaneous treatment of a bone CE lesion and a soft tissue CE lesion treated by modified catheterization technique in a male patient with left hip pain that was unresponsive to previous surgery for CE.

Mucinous cystadenoma of the liver with pathological-radiological correlation.

The paper presents a pathological-radiological correlation of the manifestation of mucosal cystadenoma with ovarian stroma of the liver with examination and correlation with the new stroma nomenclature and differential diagnostic dilemmas of radiologists and pathologists.

Imaging Aspects of Hepatic Alveolar Echinococcosis: Retrospective Findings of a Surgical Center in Turkey.

Radiologists should be aware of the findings of alveolar echinococcosis (AE) due to the diagnostic and management value of imaging. We are attempting to define the most common diagnostic imaging findings of liver AE, along with the prevalence and distribution of those findings. The patients' US, CT, and MRI images were reviewed retrospectively. CT images were acquired with and without the administration of contrast medium. The MRI protocol includes T2-weighted images (WI), diffusion (WI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, and pre- and post-contrast T1WIs. The current study included 61 patients. The mean age of the population was 58.2 ± 9.6 years According to Kratzer's categorization (US), 139 lesions (73.1%) were categorized as hailstorm. According to Graeter's classification (CT), 139 (73.1%) lesions were type 1-diffuse infiltrating. The most frequent types were Kodama type 2 and 3 lesions (MRI) (42.6% and 48.7%, accordingly). P2N0M0 was the most frequent subtype. The current study defines the major, characteristic imaging findings of liver AE using US, CT, and MRI. Since US, CT, and MRI have all been utilized to diagnose AE, we believe that a multi-modality classification system is needed. The study's findings may aid radiologists in accurately and timely diagnosing liver AE.

Can parasite-derived microRNAs differentiate active and inactive cystic echinococcosis patients?

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by the metacestode form of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. Non-invasive imaging techniques, especially ultrasound, are primarily used for CE diagnosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that act as post-transcriptional regulators in various biological processes. After identification of parasite-derived miRNAs, these miRNAs are considered to be potential biomarkers for diagnosis and follow-up. The focus of this research is to compare the expression profiles of certain parasite-derived miRNAs in CE patients with active and inactive cysts as well as healthy controls. Parasite-derived miRNAs, egr-let-7-5p, egr-miR-71a-5p, and egr-miR-9-5p, of inactive CE patients were found to be differentially expressed with 3.74-, 2.72-, and 20.78-fold change (p < 0.05), respectively, when compared with active CE patients. In this study, we evaluated for the first time the expression profile of three parasite-derived miRNAs in the serum of CE patients to determine their potential to distinguish between active and inactive CE. It was concluded that serum levels of parasite-derived miRNAs, egr-let-7-5p and egr-miR-9-5p, could be promising new potential biomarkers for stage-specific diagnosis of CE. Further studies are needed with larger sample set to validate discriminating potential of these miRNAs.

The position of transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads and yttrium-90 transarterial radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Consensus statements from a Delphi-method expert panel in Turkey.

PURPOSE: Clinical studies conducted in different geographic regions using different methods to compare transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) have demonstrated discordant results. Meta-analyses in this field indicate comparable overall survival (OS) with TACE and TARE, while reporting a longer time to progression and a higher downstaging effect with TARE treatment. In terms of isolated procedure costs, treatment with TARE is 2 to 3 times more, and in some countries even more, expensive than TACE. However, relevant literature indicates that TARE is more advantageous compared to TACE regarding the need for repeat procedures, costs of complication management, total hospital stay and quality of life. Heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients as well as the shortcomings of clinical classifications, randomized clinical trials and cost-effectiveness studies make it difficult to choose between treatment alternatives in this field. As in other countries, these challenges lead to differences in treatment choice across different centers in Turkey. METHODS: The present expert panel used two round modified Delphi method to investigate the resources and clinical parameters referenced while selecting patients for drug-eluting beads (DEB)-TACE and TARE treatment modalities in Turkish clinical practice. The cost-effectiveness parameters and comparisons of these treatments have also been evaluated at a prediction level. RESULTS: The panelists stated that they most commonly use the BCLC staging system for the management of HCC patients in Turkey. However, they did not find any of the staging systems or treatment guidelines sufficient enough for their clinical practice in terms of covering the down-staging intent of treatments. Since living donor transplant preference is higher in Turkey than the rest of the Western countries, down-staging treatments are thought to be more prioritized in Turkey than that in other Western countries. The panelists reached a consensus that TARE may provide improved OS and reduce the number of repeat procedures compared to DEB-TACE in intermediate-stage patients with a single tumor spanning a diameter above 5 cm who experience recurrence after previous treatment with TACE and most TACE-naïve patient groups in intermediate stage. CONCLUSION: Based on the consensus on OS and the number of procedures, the panelists assumed that TARE would be more cost-effective than DEB-TACE in most groups of TACE-naïve patients in intermediate stage and in those with a single tumor spanning a diameter above 5 cm. It was also stated that the predicted cost-effectiveness advantage of TARE could be more pronounced in patients with a tumor diameter greater than 7 cm.