{"title":"Efficacy and safety of peptide radionuclide therapy with <sup>177</sup>Lu-DOTATATE in Japanese patients with advanced neuroendocrine neoplasm: a multicenter retrospective study (JON2203-N).","authors":"Kohei Okamoto, Susumu Hijioka, Noritoshi Kobayashi, Hiroshi Imaoka, Kazuo Hara, Satoshi Takeuchi, Nao Fujimori, Kentaro Sudo, Shigeru Horiguchi, Ryoji Takada, Takashi Ono, Takeshi Terashima, Kazuhiko Shioji, Shunsuke Kondo, Takaaki Furukawa, Masayuki Ueno, Hidetaka Tsumura, Kazutoshi Tobimatsu, Toshifumi Doi, Hiroyuki Asama, Shinya Kawaguchi, Yohei Kitano, Osamu Maeda, Satoshi Kobayashi, Shiho Arima, Michiaki Unno, Eizaburo Ohno, Kazuhito Kawata, Reiko Ashida, Atsushi Naganuma, Go Murohisa, Reiko Yamada, Hironaga Satake, Yuzo Kodama, Isao Yokota, Hiroyuki Okuyama, Satoshi Shimizu, Chigusa Morizane, Makoto Ueno, Hiroaki Nagano, Junji Furuse","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02396-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02396-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is an effective treatment for neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs); however, real-world data in Asia remain limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this multicenter, nationwide study, we retrospectively analyzed 422 patients with unresectable or recurrent NENs who received <sup>177</sup>Lu-DOTATATE-based PRRT at 33 institutions in Japan. Safety analyses were conducted in all enrolled patients and efficacy in 383 patients with complete covariates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median age was 64 years. The most common primary sites were pancreas (n = 210, 54.8%) and hindgut (n = 81, 21.1%), with fewer midgut cases (n = 19, 5.0%). The tumor grades were G1 (13.3%), G2 (71.2%), G3 (14.6%), and neuroendocrine carcinoma (1.8%). The objective response rate (ORR) was 37.6%, favorable in pancreas (45.2%) and hindgut (40.7%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 21.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.7-22.8). Of 24 patients with hormonal symptoms, 18 (75%) showed marked improvement. Multivariate analysis revealed the following predictors: for ORR (odds ratio, 95% CI), pancreas (4.02, 2.18-7.78), hindgut (3.14, 1.53-6.69), Krenning score (KS) of 4 (2.96, 1.54-6.04), and liver metastasis ≤ 30 mm (1.64, 1.01-2.67); for PFS (hazard ratio, 95% CI), Ki-67 < 10% (0.46, 0.32-0.66), KS of 4 (0.65, 0.43-0.99), liver tumor burden < 50% (0.59, 0.39-0.89), liver tumor size ≤ 30 mm (0.49, 0.32-0.74), and combination with somatostatin analogs (0.64, 0.42-0.99). Grade ≥ 3 adverse events were infrequent, including hematologic (18%) and renal toxicities (< 1%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong><sup>177</sup>Lu-DOTATATE demonstrated favorable efficacy and safety in Japanese patients, particularly for pancreatic and hindgut NENs, with symptomatic benefits in functional tumors.</p>","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1159-1169"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147499100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC) pattern is a negative predictor for first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors alone in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.","authors":"Chunyu Lin, Shuai Kang, Jing Zhang, Wenxuan Yu, Xiaoqun Wang, Xiangqi Huang, Qinghua Cao, Fang Liu","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02421-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02421-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC), an aggressive pathological pattern in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. However, its role in first-line systemic therapies-immune checkpoint inhibitors alone (ICI-alone), tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) alone, or ICIs-based combinations (ICI-combo)-remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to compare therapy efficacy in unresectable HCC (uHCC) stratified by VETC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis of 111 uHCC patients (ICI-alone, n = 34; TKIs, n = 24; ICI-combo, n = 53) used pooled data from 19 prospective studies (2017-2024). Objective response rate (ORR), investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and pathological characteristics were investigated. Tumor immune microenvironment was compared between the VETC and non-VETC by immunohistochemistry and transcriptome sequencing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>With a median follow-up of 47.9 months, ICI-combo cohort demonstrated significantly superior ORR (49.1% vs. 20.6% [ICI-alone] vs. 16.7% [TKIs], P = 0.003) and mPFS (8.57 vs. 2.10 vs. 3.97 months, P = 0.005), though no significant difference in OS was observed (median, 19.27 vs. 12.87 vs. 13.90 months, P = 0.070). VETC-positive patients receiving ICI-alone had markedly inferior outcomes (DCR, 9.1%; mPFS, 1.63 months; mOS, 3.47 months) compared to those receiving TKIs or ICI-combo (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed VETC as an independent negative OS predictor in the ICI-alone cohort (HR = 3.42, P = 0.013). VETC tumors exhibited an immunosuppressive microenvironment (reduced CD8<sup>+</sup> T/CD20<sup>+</sup> B-cell infiltration and M2-like macrophage dominance), corroborated by transcriptomic downregulation of T/B cells and M1 macrophage-related genes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>VETC, characterized by reduced immune infiltration, is a negative predictor of first-line ICIs alone in uHCC, guiding personalized treatment selection in uHCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1135-1145"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147773141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yoonchan Lee, Dongwook Oh, Sung Hyun Cho, Seung-Mo Hong, Tae Jun Song
{"title":"Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pancreatitis: a comprehensive review of epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management.","authors":"Yoonchan Lee, Dongwook Oh, Sung Hyun Cho, Seung-Mo Hong, Tae Jun Song","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02389-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02389-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer therapy but are associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) affecting multiple organ systems. ICI-related pancreatitis (ICI-P) is an uncommon but clinically significant toxicity with potential for irreversible pancreatic damage. This review synthesizes current evidence on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of ICI-P. The incidence ranges from 0.5% to 5.7% depending on definitions and regimens, with combination immunotherapy conferring a significantly higher risk. Histopathologically, ICI-P is characterized by acinar-centric T cell infiltration with temporal evolution from CD4 + to CD8 + predominance. Most cases present as asymptomatic lipase elevation rather than clinical pancreatitis; however, long-term sequelae, including pancreatic atrophy (44-55%), new-onset diabetes mellitus, and exocrine insufficiency, are increasingly recognized. The role of corticosteroids remains controversial, with evidence suggesting efficacy for acute symptoms but uncertain impact on long-term outcomes. Notably, ICI-P development may be associated with improved overall survival, potentially reflecting enhanced antitumor immunity. This review provides an evidence-based framework for diagnosis and management while highlighting unresolved controversies requiring further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1059-1067"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13407725/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147592674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of TOPAZ-1 eligibility on the survival benefit of durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin in advanced biliary tract cancer: a multicenter real-world study.","authors":"Hisashi Kosaka, Rie Sugimoto, Masahiko Kinoshita, Satoshi Yasuda, Satoru Kakizaki, Jun Sakata, Kiyonori Yamai, Takeshi Hatanaka, Yusuke Yamamoto, Toshifumi Sato, Toru Ishikawa, Takanori Morikawa, Jun Hanaoka, Haruki Mori, Hidenori Toyoda, Tsuyoshi Sanuki, Misaki Yokoi, Hiroyuki Shibata, Koji Fukuda, Kazuhito Kawata, Koji Amaya, Takashi Ito, Masaaki Hidaka, Atsushi Naganuma, Keishi Sugimachi, Masaki Kaibori","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02412-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02412-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin (GCD) has become a standard first-line therapy for advanced biliary tract cancer (BTC) following the TOPAZ-1 trial. However, whether the survival benefit observed in trial-eligible patients can be generalized to broader real-world populations remains uncertain. We evaluated the impact of TOPAZ-1 eligibility on the effectiveness of GCD in routine clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, 610 patients with unresectable or recurrent BTC treated with first-line GCD (n = 268) or gemcitabine-cisplatin (GC) (n = 342) at 19 Japanese institutions were analyzed. Patients were classified according to TOPAZ-1 eligibility criteria. Overall survival (OS) was compared between treatment groups in the entire cohort and stratified by eligibility status. Multivariable Cox models were constructed separately for eligible and ineligible patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 610 patients, 324 (53.1%) met TOPAZ-1 eligibility criteria. In the overall cohort, GCD was associated with longer OS than GC (median, 13.7 vs 11.3 months; p = 0.009). Among eligible patients, GCD significantly improved OS compared with GC (18.0 vs 13.1 months; p = 0.004), whereas no significant difference was observed among ineligible patients (10.8 vs 10.0 months; p = 0.675). However, the interaction between treatment and TOPAZ-1 eligibility was not statistically significant (p for interaction = 0.162).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this real-world cohort, the survival benefit of GCD appeared to be primarily observed in patients meeting TOPAZ-1 eligibility criteria. Trial-based eligibility may influence the magnitude of benefit from immunochemotherapy in advanced BTC, underscoring the importance of patient selection in routine practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1170-1180"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13407461/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147662471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Immediate discontinuation versus gradual tapering of proton pump inhibitors in long-term users: a randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Mariko Hojo, Kumiko Ueda, Hiroya Ueyama, Tsutomu Takeda, Shotaro Oki, Daiki Abe, Kei Nomura, Takashi Murakami, Dai Ishikawa, Yuji Shimada, Daisuke Asaoka, Ryunosuke Okahara, Shuko Nojiri, Tomoyoshi Shibuya, Akihito Nagahara","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02419-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02419-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often continued after symptoms have improved, despite no clear indications for maintenance therapy. Although unnecessary long-term PPI use should be avoided, concerns about symptom rebound after discontinuation frequently discourage withdrawal; evidence comparing discontinuation strategies remains insufficient.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a multicenter, randomized, parallel-group trial comparing immediate discontinuation and gradual tapering of PPIs, including PCABs, in clinically stable outpatients with gastroesophageal reflux disease receiving long-term PPI therapy. Participants were randomized 1:1 to abrupt discontinuation or dose reduction to half for 2 weeks followed by discontinuation. Rescue PPI use was permitted as needed. Successful discontinuation was defined as ≤ 8 days of rescue PPI use during each 28-day assessment window. The primary outcome was successful discontinuation at 24 weeks, and the secondary outcome was successful discontinuation at 48 weeks. Analyses were performed primarily in the intention-to-treat population.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sixty-three participants were randomized. At 24 weeks, successful discontinuation was achieved in 74.2% of the immediate discontinuation group and 75.0% of the gradual taper group (risk difference: - 0.008, 95% CI: - 0.231 to 0.215). Results were similar at 48 weeks and in per-protocol analyses. No protocol-specified adverse events were observed. On exploratory analyses, older age and lower baseline regurgitation score were associated with successful discontinuation. Rescue medication use occurred early after discontinuation but did not preclude long-term success.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Immediate discontinuation and gradual tapering resulted in comparable rates of successful PPI withdrawal in clinically stable patients. Counseling regarding transient symptoms and on-demand rescue therapy may facilitate successful discontinuation regardless of strategy.</p>","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1083-1092"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147773692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Diagnostic performance of magnifying endoscopy with third-generation narrow-band imaging for early gastric cancer: post hoc analysis of a randomized trial (3G detection trial).","authors":"Nobuhisa Minakata, Tomohiro Kadota, Seiichiro Abe, Noriya Uedo, Hisashi Doyama, Yasuaki Furue, Akira Yokoyama, Satoru Nonaka, Yasuhiro Tani, Naohiro Yoshida, Chikatoshi Katada, Manabu Muto, Takashi Ikeno, Masashi Wakabayashi, Tomonori Yano","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02434-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02434-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In this study, we investigated the diagnostic performance of magnifying endoscopy (ME) with third-generation narrow-band imaging (3G-NBI) for early gastric cancer (EGC), primarily in patients with Helicobacter pylori eradication.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a post hoc analysis of a multicenter, randomized trial comparing 3G-NBI, texture and color enhancement imaging, and white-light imaging in gastric neoplasm (GN) detection. For all detected lesions, the endoscopic diagnosis of ME using 3G-NBI was compared with the pathological diagnosis. The primary analyses focused on the sensitivity and specificity of ME with 3G-NBI for EGC or non-EGC. The diagnostic performance was analyzed according to confidence level, macroscopic type, lesion size, and H. pylori infection status.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study included 901 patients; 228 suspected GN lesions in 187 patients were analyzed. The lesions were diagnosed with EGC in 62 (27 with high confidence) and non-EGC in 166 (91 with high confidence) patients using ME with 3G-NBI and pathologically diagnosed as EGC in 61 and non-EGC in 167 patients. The overall diagnostic performance was sensitivity and specificity of 70.5% and 88.6%, respectively. The diagnostic performance of each category was as follows: (1) confidence level (high/low); sensitivity 78.1%/62.1%, specificity 97.7%/79.0%; (2) macroscopic type (elevated/flat or depressed); sensitivity 84.6%/66.7%, specificity 96.7%/86.9%; (3) lesion diameter (< 10 mm/ ≥ 10 mm); sensitivity 65.7%/76.9%, specificity 88.6%/88.9%; (4) H. pylori infection status (uninfected/previously infected/currently infected); sensitivity 50.0%/71.0%/86.7%, specificity 91.3%/88.2%/88.9%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The diagnostic performance of ME with 3G-NBI for EGC was acceptable, primarily in patients with H. pylori eradication.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This trial was registered in jRCT (Identifier jRCT1032210213).</p>","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1093-1103"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13407715/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147941561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dependence-related screening positivity among regular stimulant-laxative users with chronic constipation: a multicenter prospective observational study.","authors":"Yo Ishihara, Eikichi Ihara, Mitsuru Esaki, Kota Takahashi, Naoki Tomita, Thanh Huy Dang, Mayumi Ohira, Mayu Horiuchi, Ayaka Uchida, Yukiko Toriumi, Toshihiro Nishizawa, Hidenori Ohkubo, Kento Imajo, Shunsuke Oyamada, Tomoyuki Iwasaki, Takeo Kurihashi, Atsushi Yamauchi, Michiko Nakazato, Atsushi Nakajima, Takaomi Kessoku","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02455-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02455-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chronic constipation is common, and the appropriate use of stimulant laxatives remains challenging. Although dependence due to habitual stimulant-laxative use is frequently observed, the long-term effects of regular use on dependence and tolerance have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to characterize the clinical features and substance use-related symptoms associated with stimulant-laxative use in patients with chronic constipation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multicenter prospective observational study was conducted at three centers and enrolled patients with chronic constipation, including those meeting the Rome IV criteria. Patients were categorized based on stimulant-laxative use into None (N), Short-term/Rescue (SR), and Regular (R), defined as the use of stimulant laxatives ≥ 3 per week for > 1 year. Substance use-related symptoms were assessed using the CAGE-AID questionnaire (≥ 2 point), and self-reported ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR substance use disorder criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 280 patients were included (N = 197, SR = 51, R = 32). Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly among groups. CAGE-AID positivity was 5.1%, 58.8%, and 90.6% in the N, SR, and R groups, respectively. ICD-11 criteria were markedly higher in the R group (65.6%) compared with the N (0%) and SR (11.8%) groups. DSM-5-TR criteria showed a similar pattern (0%, 15.7%, and 65.6%, respectively). The R group consistently demonstrated higher positive screening rates across all tools.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Long-term stimulant-laxative use is associated with increased substance use-related symptoms and features suggestive of habituation in patients with chronic constipation.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>The study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000051617) on July 15, 2023.</p>","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1123-1134"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13407722/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148055010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Prognostic value of functional assessment in sarcopenia among pancreatic cancer patients.","authors":"Tsutomu Nishida, Aya Sugimoto, Kengo Matsumoto","doi":"10.1007/s00535-026-02376-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00535-026-02376-7","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16059,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Gastroenterology","volume":" ","pages":"1181-1182"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147306947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}