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Bariatric surgery improves liver health in MASLD patients

Current findings highlight the efficacy of bariatric surgery in treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its progression to steatohepatitis. The surgical interventions, including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, significantly enhance liver outcomes by reducing steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, while lowering cancer risk. These improvements are linked to changes in liver transcriptional programs rather than solely dietary restrictions, suggesting a deeper mechanistic relationship that warrants further exploration in future studies.

Journal Article by Liu H, Lefere S (…) Tacke F et 2 al. in Hepatology

Copyright © 2025 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

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New MRI Index Improves Risk Assessment for Liver Failure

A study involving 292 patients undergoing major liver surgery revealed that the hepatic uptake index (hui) derived from gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI outperformed traditional volume-only assessments in identifying those at risk for severe post-hepatectomy liver failure (phlf). Among the cohort, 8.6% developed severe phlf, with affected individuals showing significantly lower hui scores. Combining hui with the MELD 3 score further enhanced predictive accuracy, suggesting a more effective strategy for preoperative risk assessment and potentially improved surgical outcomes.

Observational Study by Bartholomä WC, Gilg S (…) Sandström P et 18 al. in Br J Surg

© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Foundation Ltd.
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of BJS Foundation Ltd.

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Mass-based drug screening shows promise for personalized chemotherapy

A phase II clinical trial demonstrates the feasibility of mass-based response testing (MRT) in tailoring intraperitoneal chemotherapy for patients with unresectable appendiceal or colorectal peritoneal metastases. MRT assessed tumor susceptibility to various HIPEC drug regimens, offering a personalized approach to treatment. The study aims to improve outcomes by personalizing regimens based on patient-specific sensitivities, thereby addressing the inconsistencies in HIPEC efficacy seen in previous trials. Results will guide future research on MRT-selected regimens.

Journal Article by Bader JM, Ospina A (…) Turaga K et 6 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2025. Society of Surgical Oncology.

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Stemness subtype of gastric cancer linked to higher metastasis risk

Research highlights two molecular subtypes of gastric cancer, revealing that the stemness subtype substantially increases the risk of hematogenous metastasis (HM). Through analyses of bulk-rna sequencing from 64 samples and a patient-derived xenograft model, the study identified 10 stemness signature genes. These genes helped stratify patients into HM risk groups, demonstrating a notable decrease in hematogenous metastasis-free survival for high-risk individuals across multiple external cohorts, suggesting a pathway for improved predictive models in precision medicine.

Journal Article by Lee S, Yoo J (…) Yang HK et 11 al. in Int J Surg

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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Tertiary lymphoid structures predict improved survival and treatment response in colorectal cancer

A newly established colorectal cancer-specific tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) signature correlates with enhanced overall survival and treatment responses in patients. In the TCGA cohort, those with high TLS scores showed significantly longer survival (p=0.008) and greater complete or partial response rates (p=0.017). The study also identified a positive association between TLS scores and tumor mutation burden, as well as increased activation of anti-tumoral pathways. This TLS signature offers potential for personalized treatment strategies.

Journal Article by Guo Z, Feng H (…) Cheng X et 11 al. in Int J Surg

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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Faith-based hospitals show significantly lower surgical mortality rates.

A study analyzing over 106,000 surgical cases in East, Central, and Southern Africa reveals that faith-based hospitals have significantly lower mortality rates compared to public and private hospitals. The overall perioperative mortality rate was 1.6%. Specifically, faith-based hospitals experienced a 57% lower mortality rate than public hospitals and 47% lower than private hospitals during major operations. These findings suggest that the practices and resources integral to faith-based hospitals contribute positively to surgical outcomes in this region.

Journal Article by Parker RK, Yankunze Y (…) Mwachiro MM et 4 al. in JAMA Surg

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Approximately 20% of deaths after emergency surgery are preventable.

A significant analysis of 7 emergency general surgery procedures revealed that 18.5% of deaths were potentially preventable. Patients in this category experienced higher rates of postoperative complications and clinical management issues occurring predominantly in the preoperative phase. Specifically, 38.6% exhibited problems before surgery compared to only 7.0% of nonpreventable deaths. The findings highlight the urgent need for quality improvement measures, including enhanced recovery protocols, to address identified patient care deficiencies and reduce mortality rates.

Journal Article by Bedrikovetski S, Kopunic HS (…) Maddern GJ et 4 al. in BMC Surg

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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New model predicts long-term pain reduction post-cholecystectomy

A newly developed model for predicting long-term pain relief after laparoscopic cholecystectomy shows promising results. Following a five-year follow-up of 1,240 patients, 70.2% reported clinically relevant pain reduction. Key predictive factors included male sex, baseline pain severity, pain radiating to the back, and specific gastrointestinal symptoms. The model demonstrated good discrimination and calibration for identifying patients likely to benefit from surgery. It offers a tool to enhance patient selection and support shared decision-making.

Journal Article by Comes DJ, Latenstein CSS (…) de Reuver PR et 12 al. in Int J Surg

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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New machine learning tool enhances obstructive jaundice diagnosis

A novel machine learning-based diagnostic tool for obstructive jaundice has shown promising results. Researchers analyzed data from over 6,000 patients and identified key causes including pancreatic adenocarcinoma and biliary cholangiocarcinoma. Traditional markers performed poorly on their own. Two machine learning models were developed, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic of 0.862 for identifying malignant causes and 0.777 accuracy for classifying conditions, enhancing diagnostic confidence and clinical decision-making.

Journal Article by Wen N, Wang Y (…) Cheng N et 9 al. in Clin Transl Gastroenterol

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.

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Integrated care pathways enhance sarcoma treatment efficiency

A digital platform, ShapeHub, is proposed to streamline sarcoma care by integrating patient data across multiple healthcare providers. The initiative aims to address care fragmentation that often leads to delays and redundant testing. In a case study within the Swiss sarcoma network, ShapeHub demonstrated significant improvements in diagnostic pathways, decreased unplanned surgeries, and optimized radiotherapy protocols. By transforming unstructured records into real-time insights, the platform enhances multidisciplinary collaboration and supports the goals of value-based healthcare.

Review by Fuchs B and Heesen P in J Pers Med

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