Latino colon cancer patients in California face disparities, with lower rates of surgical resection, delays, and reduced receipt of recommended care compared to non-Latino White counterparts. Access to high-volume hospitals is linked to improved outcomes for Latino patients, emphasizing the importance of directing at-risk individuals to such facilities for enhanced health equity. Journal Article by […]

Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis improves quality of life but may not fully resolve extraintestinal disorders like primary sclerosing cholangitis, joint, skin, and eye issues. Treatment of pouchitis does not impact primary sclerosing cholangitis, but biologic therapies for pouch inflammatory disorders may benefit joint, skin, and eye manifestations. Journal Article by […]

A single institution retrospective analysis of rectal cancer cases before and after the adoption of a nonoperative “watch and wait” pathway found no significant increase in abdominoperineal resection for patients without a complete clinical response to neoadjuvant therapy. Although there was a higher rate of pathologic complete responses in the post-“watch and wait” period, restaging […]

Intestinal microbiota composition plays a crucial role in modulating the antitumor effects of oncolytic virus vaccines (OVVs) in colorectal cancer (CRC). OVVs significantly inhibit tumor growth and prolong survival in early-stage CRC but have minimal impact in advanced stages. Probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation enhance OVVs’ effectiveness in advanced CRC by increasing activated CD8 T […]

Rectal cancer patients who refused surgery despite incomplete response to neoadjuvant therapy had shortened overall survival (OS). Some patients converted to a complete clinical response (CCR) on subsequent staging, leading to prolonged OS. Patients with near CCR at initial endoscopic staging may benefit from prolonged monitoring before declaring CCR. Increased physician visits and testing were […]

Patients engaging with patient engagement technologies (PETs) during colorectal surgery showed improved outcomes. In a retrospective study, 89.1% activated PETs, completing surveys and health-checks. Those engaging more frequently experienced shorter lengths of stay, lower readmission rates, and fewer post-operative complications. Notably, patients who completed more post-discharge health-checks had a lower complication rate, emphasizing the positive […]

Compared to upfront surgery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced colon cancer is associated with lower recurrence and mortality hazards, higher 5-year survival rates, and increased disease-free survival rates. Additionally, it reduces the risk of incomplete resection without significantly impacting perioperative complications or mortality. These findings emphasize the benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy as a treatment strategy […]

Researchers evaluated total neoadjuvant therapy with immunotherapy for high-risk rectal cancer with proficient mismatch repair status. The study showed a pathologic complete response rate of 33.3%, with 48% achieving clinical complete response. R0 resection was achieved in all patients. Adverse effects were manageable, with nausea being the most common. Patients with tumor shrinkage or clinical […]

Implementing enhanced recovery pathways in rectal cancer surgery decreased short-term morbidity and length of hospital stay. However, adherence to these protocols did not show an improvement in long-term overall survival, cancer-specific survival, or disease-free survival compared to non-enhanced care. Therefore, while enhanced recovery pathways reduce short-term complications, they do not affect long-term oncological outcomes in […]

Researchers conducted a randomized trial comparing stapled hemorrhoidopexy alone to stapled hemorrhoidopexy plus ligation anopexy for grade III-IV hemorrhoids. Although short-term outcomes were similar, the combined approach showed significantly better long-term results. After 36 months, the stapled-only group had a 16% recurrence rate, requiring redo surgery, while the combined group had only 5% recurrence with […]