scholarly journals The Role of Probiotics in Colorectal Cancer Management

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhagavathi Sundaram Sivamaruthi ◽  
Periyanaina Kesika ◽  
Chaiyavat Chaiyasut

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancerous diseases worldwide and causes leading cancer-associated deaths. Several factors are related to the incidence of CRC such as unhealthy diet and lifestyle, heredity, metabolic disorders, and genetic factors. Even though several advanced medical procedures are available for CRC treatment, the survival rates are poor with many adverse treatments associated side effects, which affects the quality of life. Probiotics are a well-known bioactive candidate for the treatment of several diseases and ill-health conditions. The recent scientific evidence suggested that probiotic supplementation protects the CRC patients from treatment-associated adverse effects. The manuscript summarizes the influence of probiotic supplementation on the health status of CRC patients and discusses the possible mechanism behind the protective effect of probiotics against CRC. The literature survey revealed that beneficial impact of probiotic supplementation depends on several factors such as strain, dosage, duration of the intervention, host physiology, and other food supplements. The probiotic intervention improves the microbiota, releases antimicrobials and anticarcinogenic agents, helps to remove carcinogens, and improves the intestinal permeability, tight junction function, and enzyme activity in CRC patients. Besides, not all probiotic strains exhibit anti-CRC activities; it is necessary to screen the potent strain for the development of a probiotic-based therapeutic agent to control or prevent the incidence of CRC.

Author(s):  
B. González Astorga ◽  
F. Salvà Ballabrera ◽  
E. Aranda Aguilar ◽  
E. Élez Fernández ◽  
P. García-Alfonso ◽  
...  

AbstractColorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. For metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients, it is recommended, as first-line treatment, chemotherapy (CT) based on doublet cytotoxic combinations of fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) and fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX). In addition to CT, biological (targeted agents) are indicated in the first-line treatment, unless contraindicated. In this context, most of mCRC patients are likely to progress and to change from first line to second line treatment when they develop resistance to first-line treatment options. It is in this second line setting where Aflibercept offers an alternative and effective therapeutic option, thought its specific mechanism of action for different patient’s profile: RAS mutant, RAS wild-type (wt), BRAF mutant, potentially resectable and elderly patients. In this paper, a panel of experienced oncologists specialized in the management of mCRC experts have reviewed and selected scientific evidence focused on Aflibercept as an alternative treatment.


Proceedings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Ariana Hudiță ◽  
Ionuț Cristian Radu ◽  
Cătălin Zaharia ◽  
Octav Ginghină ◽  
Bianca Gălățeanu ◽  
...  

The past few years have witnessed major developments in nanotechnology with great potential in powering new therapeutic tools for cancer management. Our goal in this study was to develop a biocompatible nanoshuttle for the efficient delivery of 5FU in colorectal cancer patients. Silk fibroin/Poly(ethylene glycol) nanoparticles (SF/PEG NPs) were obtained and further loaded with 5FU. These nanoshuttles were characterized in terms of morphological properties, size and size distribution, drug uptake and release potential as well as in vitro cytotoxicity potential screening. The SF/PEG + 5FU NPs cytotoxicity was determined on HT-29 cells after determination of the lethal dose 50 and targeted the evaluation of the cells viability, proliferation potential and migration and invasion potential. The inflammatory profile of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells was also determined by flow cytometry. The basic cytotoxicity screening revealed that the pristine SF/PEG NPs displayed good biocompatibility while the 5FU-loaded NPs induced cytotoxic effects on HT-29 cells. More, the 5FU-loaded SF/PEG NPs significantly reduced the migration and invasion processes as compared with the unloaded NPs. Lastly, we observed that the cytokine inflammatory profile was significantly altered after the treatment with the 5FU-loaded SF/PEG NPs as compared with the unloaded nanoshuttles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Richter ◽  
Lena Sonnow ◽  
Amir Mehdizadeh-Shrifi ◽  
Axel Richter ◽  
Rainer Koch ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To evaluate how the certification of specialised Oncology Centres in Germany affects the relative survival of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) by means of national and international comparison. Methods Between 2007 and 2013, 675 patients with colorectal cancer, treated at the Hildesheim Hospital, an academic teaching hospital of the Hannover Medical School (MHH), were included. A follow-up of the entire patient group was performed until 2014. To obtain international data, a SEER-database search was done. The relative survival of 148,957 patients was compared to our data after 12, 36 and 60 months. For national survival data, we compared our rates with 41,988 patients of the Munich Cancer Registry (MCR). Results Relative survival at our institution tends to be higher in advanced tumour stages compared to national and international cancer registry data. Nationally we found only little variation in survival rates for low stages CRC (UICC I and II), colon, and rectal cancer. There were notable variations regarding relative survival rates for advanced CRC tumour stages (UICC IV). These variations were even more distinct for rectal cancer after 12, 36 and 60 months (Hildesheim Hospital: 89.9, 40.3, 30.1%; Munich Cancer Registry (MCR): 65.4, 28.7, 16.6%). The international comparison of CRC showed significantly higher relative survival rates for patients with advanced tumour stages after 12 months at our institution (77 vs. 54.9% for UICC IV; raw p<0.001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that patients with advanced tumour stages of CRC and especially rectal cancer benefit most from a multidisciplinary and guidelines-oriented treatment at Certified Oncology Centres. For a better evaluation of cancer treatment and improved national and international comparison, the creation of a centralised national cancer registry is necessary.


Kidney Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Melissa Bersanelli ◽  
Camillo Porta

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic still has a huge impact on the management of many chronic diseases such as cancer. Few data are presently available reagarding how the management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has changed due to this unprecedented situation. Objective: To discuss the challenges and issues of the diagnosis and treatment of RCC in the COVID-19 era, and to provide recommendations based on the collected literature and our personal experience. Methods: Systematic review of the available Literature regarding the management of RCC during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Results: Our review showed a prevalence of narrative publications, raising the issue of the real relevance of the evidence retrieved. Indeed, the only original data about RCC and COVID-19 found were a small retrospective case series and two surveys, providing either patients’ or physicians’ viewpoints. Conclusions: The expected delayed diagnosis of RCC could lead to an increase of advanced/metastatic cases; thus, proper therapeutic choices for patients with small renal masses should be carefully evaluated case by case, in order to avoid negative effects on long-term survival rates. The controversial interaction between immune checkpoint blockade and COVID-19 pathogenesis is more hypothetical than evidence-based, and thus immunotherapy should not be denied, whenever appropriate. To avoid treatments which won’t have an impact on patients’ survival, a honest and accurate evaluation of the cost/benefit ratio of each treatment option should be always performed. Finally, SARS-CoV-2 swab positivity should not prevent the continuation of ongoing active treatments in asymptomatic cases, or or after symptoms’ resolution.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3592
Author(s):  
Chong-Chi Chiu ◽  
Chung-Han Ho ◽  
Chao-Ming Hung ◽  
Chien-Ming Chao ◽  
Chih-Cheng Lai ◽  
...  

It has been acknowledged that excess body weight increases the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC); however, there is little evidence on the impact of body mass index (BMI) on CRC patients’ long-term oncologic results in Asian populations. We studied the influence of BMI on overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and CRC-specific survival rates in CRC patients from the administrative claims datasets of Taiwan using the Kaplan–Meier survival curves and the log-rank test to estimate the statistical differences among BMI groups. Underweight patients (<18.50 kg/m2) presented higher mortality (56.40%) and recurrence (5.34%) rates. Besides this, they had worse OS (aHR:1.61; 95% CI: 1.53–1.70; p-value: < 0.0001) and CRC-specific survival (aHR:1.52; 95% CI: 1.43–1.62; p-value: < 0.0001) rates compared with those of normal weight patients (18.50–24.99 kg/m2). On the contrary, CRC patients belonging to the overweight (25.00–29.99 kg/m2), class I obesity (30.00–34.99 kg/m2), and class II obesity (≥35.00 kg/m2) categories had better OS, DFS, and CRC-specific survival rates in the analysis than the patients in the normal weight category. Overweight patients consistently had the lowest mortality rate after a CRC diagnosis. The associations with being underweight may reflect a reverse causation. CRC patients should maintain a long-term healthy body weight.


2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 003685042110106
Author(s):  
Walid Alam ◽  
Youssef Bouferraa ◽  
Yolla Haibe ◽  
Deborah Mukherji ◽  
Ali Shamseddine

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had a huge impact on all sectors around the world. In particular, the healthcare system has been subject to an enormous pressure that has surpassed its ability in many instances. Additionally, the pandemic has called for a review of our daily medical practices, including our approach to colorectal cancer management where treatment puts patients at high risk of virus exposure. Given their higher median age, patients are at an increased risk for severe symptoms and complications in cases of infection, especially in the setting of immunosuppression. Therefore, a review of the routine colorectal cancer practices is needed to minimize risk of exposure. Oncologists should weigh risk of exposure versus the patient’s oncologic benefits when approaching management. In addition, treatment protocols should be modified to minimize hospital visits and admissions while maintaining the same treatment efficacy. In this review, we will focus on challenges that colorectal cancer patients face during the pandemic, while highlighting the priority in each case. We will also discuss the evidence for potential modifications to existing treatment plans that could reduce infectious exposure without compromising care. Finally, we will discuss the impact of the socio-economic difficulties faced by Lebanese patients due to a poor economy toppled by an unexpected pandemic.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
S.S.P. Rodrigues ◽  
B. Franchini ◽  
I. Pinho ◽  
P. Graça

Abstract Scientific evidence has been reporting the health and environmental benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. However, countries of the Mediterranean region, Portugal included, are gradually abandoning this traditional food pattern. The aim of the present work was to develop the Portuguese Mediterranean Diet Wheel. Three main steps were followed: 1) Establishment of the most relevant Mediterranean diet and lifestyle principles to improve this pattern among the Portuguese population; 2) Converting those principles into a captivating and easy to understand tool; 3) Obtaining experts’ opinion. By a matter of consistency, the preservation and transmission of the Mediterranean heritage was represented through an upgrade of the current Portuguese food wheel guide. This complementary tool highlights the Mediterranean Diet enlarged character that encompasses a healthy lifestyle and reinforces sociocultural and environmental features. It was launched at the end of 2016 and was nationally disseminated with the support of the Portuguese Health Directorate. Initially it was presented in a poster format image that was subsequently spread in different communication formats. This newly developed Mediterranean Food Guide is a complementary educational tool that will support health and education professionals in the never ending mission of promoting healthy food choices.


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