World journal of gastroenterology : WJG
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World J. Gastroenterol. · Jul 2019
ReviewHepatocellular carcinoma: Mechanisms of progression and immunotherapy.
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies, and various pathogenic factors can lead to its occurrence and development. Among all primary liver cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common. With extensive studies, an increasing number of molecular mechanisms that promote HCC are being discovered. ⋯ However, early detection and treatment are difficult for most HCC patients, and the postoperative recurrence rate is high, resulting in poor clinical prognosis of HCC. Although immunotherapy takes longer than conventional chemotherapy to produce therapeutic effects, it persists for longer. In recent years, the emergence of many new immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint blockade and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies, has given new hope for the treatment of HCC.
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World J. Gastroenterol. · Jul 2019
Comparative Study Observational StudyAssessing significant fibrosis using imaging-based elastography in chronic hepatitis B patients: Pilot study.
Accurate detection of significant fibrosis (fibrosis stage 2 or higher on the METAVIR scale) is important especially for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with high viral loads but with normal or mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels because the presence of significant fibrosis is accepted as the indication for antiviral treatment. Liver biopsy is the reference standard for diagnosing significant fibrosis, but it is an invasive procedure. Consequently, noninvasive imaging-based measurements, such as magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) or two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE), have been proposed for the quantitative assessment of liver fibrosis. ⋯ Compared to SWE, MRE might be more precise non-invasive assessment for depicting significant fibrosis and for making-decision to initiate antiviral-therapy in treatment-naïve CHB patients with normal or mildly-elevated ALT levels.
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World J. Gastroenterol. · Jun 2019
Observational StudyEvaluation of clinical outcomes in an interdisciplinary abdominal pain clinic: A retrospective, exploratory review.
Pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common and well-accepted to be etiologically complex in terms of the contribution of biological, psychological, and social factors to symptom presentations. Nonetheless, despite its documented benefits, interdisciplinary treatment, designed to address all of these factors, for pediatric FGIDs remains rare. The current study hypothesized that the majority of pediatric patients seen in an interdisciplinary abdominal pain clinic (APC) would demonstrate clinical resolution of symptoms during the study period and that specific psychosocial variables would be significantly predictive of GI symptom improvement. ⋯ Outcomes for youth with FGIDs may be significantly improved by paying specific attention to sleep, ensuring adequate skills for relaxation, and screening of and referral for treatment of comorbid depression.
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World J. Gastroenterol. · Jun 2019
ReviewApplication of Big Data analysis in gastrointestinal research.
Big Data, which are characterized by certain unique traits like volume, velocity and value, have revolutionized the research of multiple fields including medicine. Big Data in health care are defined as large datasets that are collected routinely or automatically, and stored electronically. With the rapidly expanding volume of health data collection, it is envisioned that the Big Data approach can improve not only individual health, but also the performance of health care systems. ⋯ Other potential drawbacks include data validity, missing data, incomplete data capture due to the unavailability of diagnosis codes for certain clinical situations, and individual privacy. With continuous technological advances, some of the current limitations with Big Data may be further minimized. This review will illustrate the use of Big Data research on gastrointestinal and liver diseases using recently published examples.
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World J. Gastroenterol. · Jun 2019
Plasma Nogo-A and placental growth factor levels are associated with portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) and severe portal hypertension (SPH) increase the risk for decompensation and life-threatening complications in liver cirrhosis. Pathologic angiogenesis might contribute to the formation of these conditions. Placental growth factor (PlGF) and Nogo-A protein are biomarkers of pathological angiogenesis, but data on their role in liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension is scarce. ⋯ Plasma PlGF levels were higher while Nogo-A levels were lower in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Biomarkers showed moderate predictive value in determining CSPH and SPH.