Volume 138  ·   Issue 21  ·  2025

China has made significant progress in medical accessibility and quality over the past decades, and quality improvements in gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy have been consistent. The study aimed to describe the status quo of gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy in the Chinese mainland based on the data from the National Clinical Improvement System (NCIS) and the Hospital Quality Monitoring System (HQMS).

Data were extracted from the NCIS and the HQMS. Data analysis included general information from the Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy centers, management of inpatients and outpatients, and annual volume and quality indicators of digestive endoscopy. Acute pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammatory bowel disease, and cirrhosis were identified as priority diseases and were subjected to detailed analysis.

Data from 4620 and 7074 hospitals were extracted from the NCIS and HQMS, respectively. In 2023, 9.6 gastroenterologists, 6.7 endoscopists, and 37.3 gastroenterology beds per hospital nationwide were observed, achieving 19,252.4 outpatient visits, 1615.2 hospitalizations (97.0 for acute pancreatitis, 146.1 for gastrointestinal bleeding, 40.2 for inflammatory bowel disease, and 111.4 for cirrhosis), and 9432.7 digestive endoscopic procedures per hospital. Overall, the quality of practice improved significantly. The proportion of early cancer among gastrointestinal cancers increased from 11.1% in 2015 to 23.4% in 2023, and the adenoma detection rate during colonoscopy increased from 19.3% in 2019 to 26.9% in 2023. Regarding priority diseases, hospitalizations increased, and 31-day unplanned readmission rates decreased between 2019 and 2023. The median hospitalization costs and median proportion of medication costs decreased for acute pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and cirrhosis. However, it increased for inflammatory bowel disease.

This report evaluates the status quo and development of gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy in the Chinese mainland, providing guidance for future quality improvements.

The STAR (Scientific, Transparent, and Applicable Rankings) working group conducts regular evaluations of Chinese guidelines and consensus statements. This study gathered insights from STAR working group members using qualitative interviews.

From March to August 2023, members of the STAR specialist committees were interviewed using semi-structured interview outline. The interviewees were selected through purpose-based sampling. Subject analysis was employed to summarize the findings.

We conducted interviews with 37 members from 36 committees and summarized the contents into four main themes and 16 specific topics. The value of STAR in enhancing the development and selection of high-quality guidelines in China was commonly mentioned. Challenges identified included the lack of resources and suboptimal organizational structures, collaboration, and evaluation efficiency. Suggestions for the STAR tool included developing extensions for different guideline types, adjusting certain items, and better covering guideline applicability. The promotion of STAR and the consideration of an international committee for global outreach were also highlighted.

STAR has exerted a substantial influence on the evaluation of Chinese guidelines, and the insights gained from interviews offer valuable directions for its further enhancement.

Lung cancer is currently the most prevalent malignancy and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Although the early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) presents a relatively good prognosis, a considerable number of lung cancer cases are still detected and diagnosed at locally advanced or late stages. Surgical treatment combined with perioperative multimodality treatment is the mainstay of treatment for locally advanced NSCLC and has been shown to improve patient survival. Following the standard methods of neoadjuvant therapy, perioperative management, postoperative adjuvant therapy, and other therapeutic strategies are important for improving patients’ prognosis and quality of life. However, controversies remain over the perioperative management of NSCLC and presently consensus and standardized guidelines are lacking for addressing critical clinical issues in multimodality treatment.

The working group consisted of 125 multidisciplinary experts from thoracic surgery, medical oncology, radiotherapy, epidemiology, and psychology. This guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The clinical questions were collected and selected based on preliminary open-ended questionnaires and subsequent discussions during the Guideline Working Group meetings. PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched for available evidence. The GRADE system was used to evaluate the quality of evidence and grade the strengths of recommendations. Finally, the recommendations were developed through a structured consensus-building process.

The Guideline Development Group initially collected a total of 62 important clinical questions. After a series of consensus-building conferences, 24 clinical questions were identified and corresponding recommendations were ultimately developed, focusing on neoadjuvant therapy, perioperative management, adjuvant therapy, postoperative psychological rehabilitation, prognosis assement, and follow-up protocols for NSCLC.

This guideline puts forward reasonable recommendations focusing on neoadjuvant therapy, perioperative management, adjuvant therapy, postoperative psychological rehabilitation, prognosis assessment, and follow-up protocol of NSCLC. It standardizes perioperative multimodality treatment and provides guidance for clinical practice among thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiotherapists, aiming to reduce postoperative recurrence, improve patient survival, accelerate recovery, and minimize postoperative complications such as atelectasis.

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells have reshaped the treatment landscape of hematological malignancies, offering a potentially curative option for patients. Despite these major milestones in the field of immuno-oncology, growing experience with CAR-T cells has also highlighted several limitations of this strategy. The production process of CAR-T cells is complex, time-consuming, and costly, thus leading to poor drug accessibility. The potential carcinogenic risk of viral transfection systems remains a matter of controversy. Treatment-related side effects, such as cytokine release syndrome, can be life-threatening. And the biggest challenge is the inadequate efficacy related to poor infiltration and retention of CAR-T cells in tumor tissues and impaired T cell activation caused by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Innovative strategies are urgently needed to address these problems, and nanomedicine offers good solutions to these challenges. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of recent advancements in the application of nanomaterials to enhance CAR-T cell therapy. We examine the role of innovative nanoparticle-based delivery systems in the production of CAR-T cells, with a particular focus on polymeric delivery systems and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Furthermore, we explore various strategies for delivering immune stimulators, which significantly enhance the efficacy of CAR-T cells by modulating T cell viability and functionality or by reprogramming the immunosuppressive TME. In addition, we discuss several novel therapeutic approaches aimed at mitigating the adverse effects associated with CAR-T therapies. Finally, we offer an integrated perspective on the future challenges and opportunities facing CAR-T therapies.

Neurodegenerative diseases constitute a group of chronic disorders characterized by the progressive loss of neurons. Major neurodegenerative conditions include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Pathologically, these diseases are marked by the accumulation of aggregates formed by pathological proteins such as amyloid-β, tau, α-synuclein, and TAR DNA-binding protein 43. These proteins assemble into amyloid fibrils that undergo prion-like propagation and dissemination, ultimately inducing neurodegeneration. Understanding the biology of these protein aggregates is fundamental to elucidating the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms underlying the aggregation and transmission of pathological proteins, the processes through which these protein aggregates trigger neurodegeneration, and the interactions between different pathological proteins. We also provide an overview of the current diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies targeting pathological protein aggregates.

Brain cancer remains among the most lethal malignancies worldwide, with approximately 321,476 new cases and 248,305 deaths reported globally in 2022. The treatment of malignant brain tumors presents substantial clinical challenges, primarily due to their resistance to standard therapeutic approaches. Despite decades of intensive research, effective treatment strategies for brain cancer are still lacking. Nuclear receptors (NRs), a superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors, regulate a broad range of physiological processes including metabolism, immunity, stress response, reproduction, and cellular differentiation. Increasing evidence highlights the involvement of NRs in oncogenesis, with several members demonstrating altered expression and function in brain tumors. Aberrations in NR signaling, encompassing receptors such as androgen receptors, estrogen receptors, estrogen-related receptors, glucocorticoid receptors, NR subfamily 4 group A, NR subfamily 1 group D member 2, NR subfamily 5 group A member 2, NR subfamily 2 group C member 2, liver X receptors, peroxisome-proliferator activated receptors, progesterone receptors, retinoic acid receptors, NR subfamily 2 group E member 1, thyroid hormone receptors, vitamin D receptors, and retinoid X receptors, have been implicated in promoting hallmark malignant phenotypes, including enhanced survival, proliferation, invasion, migration, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. This review aims to explore the roles of key NRs in brain cancer, with an emphasis on their prognostic significance, and to evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeting these receptors using selective agonists or antagonists.

The benefits of ideal cardiovascular-health metrics (ICVHMs) in patients with renal insufficiency remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between ICVHM and prognosis in a renal insufficiency population.

The trial enrolled 29,682 participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2018, with mortality follow-up through December 31, 2019. Participants were divided into three groups based on estimated glomerular filtration rates. Cardiovascular health was assessed using new "Life’s Essential 8" metrics. Cox regression analyses based on NHANES data were used to determine the associations between ICVHMs and cardiovascular mortality in patients with renal insufficiency.

During a mean follow-up of 6.58 years, ideal cardiovascular health (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.25-0.70) and ideal health behavior (HR = 0.53; 95% CI; 0.39-0.73) reduced cardiovascular mortality in participants with renal insufficiency. For each one ICVHM increment, a 25% reduction in cardiovascular mortality was recorded (95% CI; 0.69-0.82). When compared with participants with normal renal function, for those with mild renal insufficiency, the HR for cardiovascular mortality gradually decreased from 1.47 (95% CI; 0.85-2.52) in those who had ≤1 ICVHMs to 0.30 (95% CI; 0.12-0.77) in participants who had >6 ICVHMs.

From an ICVHM perspective, enhanced cardiovascular benefits were observed in individuals with renal insufficiency, coupled with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Furthermore, when compared with individuals with normal renal function, increased ICVHMs can mitigate adverse risks associated with renal impairment.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder that significantly impairs quality of life among elderly individuals because of chronic pain and physical disability. As the global burden of OA continues to rise, novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Kaempferide (KA), a flavonoid derived from traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of KA on the progression of OA has not been well investigated. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of KA in an OA model and investigate the underlying mechanisms via transcriptomic sequencing.

An in vitro OA model was established using SW1353 cells treated with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and different concentrations of KA (30, 60, or 90 µmol/L) for 24 h. The anti-inflammatory effects of KA were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Western blotting. In vivo, a papain-induced OA rat model was used to evaluate the therapeutic effects of KA through histological and behavioral analyses. Transcriptomic sequencing was performed to explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and related signaling pathways. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way analysis of variance.

KA significantly increased cell viability in the OA chondrocyte model and downregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines and cartilage degradation markers, with the greatest reduction observed at 90 µmol/L. In vivo, KA treatment mitigated cartilage degradation and improved gait behavior in OA rats. Transcriptomic analysis revealed substantial modulation of DEGs, implicating the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway as a key mechanism. Further blocking and rescue experiments revealed that KA regulated key molecules within the HIF-1 pathway, specifically interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), confirming their critical roles in mediating the therapeutic effects of KA.

KA inhibited the progression of OA by targeting the HIF-1 signaling pathway, reducing inflammation, and cartilage degradation.

Circadian syndrome (CircS) may be closely linked to lifestyle, psychological, and occupational factors, but evidence is lacking. This study aimed to explore complex associations between lifestyle, psychological and occupational factors and CircS among employed people in southwestern China.

In this study, network analysis was used to identify complex associations between lifestyle, psychological and occupational factors and CircS in employed people from the Chinese Cohort of Working Adults (CCWA). The centrality of each variable was estimated by strength centrality index, which was calculated by the sum of edge weights connected to the variable. Bridge in the network was identified as the variables in the top 80^th percentile of overall bridge strength, which was defined as the most strongly connected variables across lifestyle, psychological and occupational factors and CircS. The differences were assessed in network structures between subgroups divided by the median score of the variable with the strongest bridge strengthen.

Among 31,105 participants from CCWA, 5213 (16.76%) had CircS. In the constructed network, anxiety (edge weights: 0.28), smoking (edge weights: 0.15), drinking (edge weights: 0.10), perceived noise at work (edge weights: 0.08), and implicit health attitude (edge weights: -0.02) were directly related to CircS, with 83.31% of the variance for CircS explained by these neighboring factors. Anxiety was the most central variable (strength centrality: 1.20) in the network and the strongest bridge (bridge strength: 0.84) connecting all domains of variables. A stronger association between anxiety and CircS was observed in the network of participants with more severe anxiety (edge weight: 0.23) than those with less severe anxiety (edge weight: 0.03).

Anxiety had the strongest association with CircS and was the central factor with the highest strength centrality, also the bridge with the highest bridge strength in the network.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery has been a common practice for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, but the response rate varies among patients. This study aimed to develop a ResNet-Vision Transformer based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-endoscopy fusion model to precisely predict treatment response and provide personalized treatment.

In this multicenter study, 366 eligible patients who had undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery at eight Chinese tertiary hospitals between January 2017 and June 2024 were recruited, with 2928 pretreatment colonic endoscopic images and 366 pelvic MRI images. An MRI-endoscopy fusion model was constructed based on the ResNet backbone and Transformer network using pretreatment MRI and endoscopic images. Treatment response was defined as good response or non-good response based on the tumor regression grade. The Delong test and the Hanley-McNeil test were utilized to compare prediction performance among different models and different subgroups, respectively. The predictive performance of the MRI-endoscopy fusion model was comprehensively validated in the test sets and was further compared to that of the single-modal MRI model and single-modal endoscopy model.

The MRI-endoscopy fusion model demonstrated favorable prediction performance. In the internal validation set, the area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy were 0.852 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.744-0.940) and 0.737 (95% CI: 0.712-0.844), respectively. Moreover, the AUC and accuracy reached 0.769 (95% CI: 0.678-0.861) and 0.729 (95% CI: 0.628-0.821), respectively, in the external test set. In addition, the MRI-endoscopy fusion model outperformed the single-modal MRI model (AUC: 0.692 [95% CI: 0.609-0.783], accuracy: 0.659 [95% CI: 0.565-0.775]) and the single-modal endoscopy model (AUC: 0.720 [95% CI: 0.617-0.823], accuracy: 0.713 [95% CI: 0.612-0.809]) in the external test set.

The MRI-endoscopy fusion model based on ResNet-Vision Transformer achieved favorable performance in predicting treatment response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and holds tremendous potential for enabling personalized treatment regimens for locally advanced rectal cancer patients.

Growing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert pivotal roles in fostering chemoresistance across diverse tumors. Nevertheless, the precise involvement of lncRNAs in modulating chemoresistance within the context of gallbladder cancer (GBC) remains obscure. This study aimed to uncover how lncRNAs regulate chemoresistance in gallbladder cancer, offering potential targets to overcome drug resistance.

To elucidate the relationship between gemcitabine sensitivity and small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) expression, we utilized publicly available GBC databases, GBC tissues from Renji Hospital collected between January 2017 and December 2019, as well as GBC cell lines. The assessment of SNHG1, miR-23b-3p, and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression was performed using in situ hybridization, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to quantify the cell viability. Furthermore, a GBC xenograft model was employed to evaluate the impact of SNHG1 on the therapeutic efficacy of gemcitabine. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were executed to assess the specificity and sensitivity of SNHG1.

Our analyses revealed an inverse correlation between the lncRNA SNHG1 and gemcitabine resistance across genomics of drug sensitivity in cancer (GDSC) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, GBC cell lines, and patients. Gain-of-function investigations underscored that SNHG1 heightened the gemcitabine sensitivity of GBC cells in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Mechanistic explorations illuminated that SNHG1 could activate PTEN—a commonly suppressed tumor suppressor gene in cancers—thereby curbing the development of gemcitabine resistance in GBC cells. Notably, microRNA (miRNA) target prediction algorithms unveiled the presence of miR-23b-3p binding sites within SNHG1 and the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of PTEN. Moreover, SNHG1 acted as a sponge for miR-23b-3p, competitively binding to the 3′-UTR of PTEN, thereby amplifying PTEN expression and heightening the susceptibility of GBC cells to gemcitabine.

The SNHG1/miR-23b-3p/PTEN axis emerges as a pivotal regulator of gemcitabine sensitivity in GBC cells, holding potential as a promising therapeutic target for managing GBC patients.

To the Editor: The high morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the peritoneal dialysis (PD) population has given rise to the urgent need to explore interventional strategies. As hyperlipidemia is closely related to CVD, lipid management is essential. However, hyperlipidemia is a nutritional marker in dialysis patients and has been shown to have a reverse epidemiological phenomenon in the prediction of mortality. These paradoxical findings raise the perennial question of whether statins are truly beneficial for PD patients. The latest guidelines recommend that dialysis patients continue but not initiate statins; however, some small sample observational studies showed the beneficial role of statins in PD patients. Thus, we conducted this multi-center large-scale cohort study to investigate the association between statins and prognosis in the PD population.

To the Editor: Surgery-induced tissue damage leads to the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), triggering the inflammatory response. Similarly, perioperative trauma and stress can disrupt the neuroendocrine and immune systems, activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system, and promote the release of catecholamines and changes in cytokines. The principal functions of the inflammatory biomarkers are detailed in Supplementary Table 1, http://links.lww.com/CM9/C539. The initial pro-inflammatory cytokine storm is followed by a proportional compensatory anti-inflammatory response, with a reduction in apoptotic T cells and a shift toward the immunosuppressive T helper 2 (Th2) phenotype after surgery. Unbalanced responses due to excessive immune activation and immunosuppression increase the body’s susceptibility, ultimately resulting in tissue and multi-organ functional damage.^[1]Inflammatory markers such as interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-1β are associated with postoperative complications, including postoperative atrial fibrillation, postoperative cognitive dysfunction, impaired intestinal barrier, and postoperative infection.^[2]

To the Editor: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal malignancies, with a five-year survival rate below 10%. Despite advancements in treatment, PC is still associated with poor survival outcomes, contributing to a significant global disease burden.^[1]In the context of global aging, a comprehensive report on the burden of PC is crucial to optimize healthcare resource allocation and formulate effective prevention strategies.

To the Editor: Nutrition optimization is a key component of the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol for patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, aiming to improve surgical outcomes through perioperative intervention.^[1]According to the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines, malnourished patients undergoing major cancer surgery should be treated with a specific enteral nutrition formula enriched with arginine and omega-3 fatty acids, either perioperatively or at least postoperatively. This approach has been shown to reduce postoperative infectious complications, promote wound healing, and shorten hospital stays.^[2,3]This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of an immunonutritional formula (INF), Oral Impact (Nestle Health Science, Taizhou, China) in the ERAS protocol for Chinese patients with gastrointestinal cancer (healing trials). INF, containing arginine, n-3 fatty acids, and nucleotides, has been used overseas for years but was unavailable in China until recently. For comparison, the enteral nutrition formula widely used in China, Enteral Nutritional Emulsion (TPF-T) (Fresenius Kabi, Wuxi, China) was selected as the control. The key nutrients in the two formulas are provided in Supplementary Table 1, http://links.lww.com/CM9/C496.

To the Editor: Coronary artery disease (CAD), the most prevalent form of cardiovascular disease (CVD), poses a significant threat to global health, leading to high mortality rates and substantial economic costs. The incidence of CAD in China is 10.2‰ and is increasing steadily.^[1,2]CAD is a chronic inflammatory disease based on atherosclerosis. One of the most frequently activated inflammatory pathways involved in atherosclerosis is the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome.^[3]Given the crucial impact of NLRP3 on CAD, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between theNLRP3gene variant and CAD by a case-control association study in a Chinese Han population [Supplementary Figure 1, http://links. lww.com/CM9/C596].

To the Editor: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a prevalent vascular condition characterized by arterial narrowing or occlusion, primarily due to atherosclerosis. Approximately 17.5% of patients with PAD develop acute lower limb ischemia due to vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque rupture, which significantly impacts their quality of life.^[1]A key feature of vulnerable plaque is pronounced macrophage infiltration into the fibrous cap, which drives a robust inflammatory response.^[2]Previous studies have demonstrated that vitamin D receptor (VDR) exerts atheroprotective effects by modulating macrophage functions.^[3,4]However, the role of VDR in macrophage inflammatory responses and atherosclerosis remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that VDR activates silent information regulator transcript-1 (SIRT1) transcription and subsequently reduces interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) expression in macrophages. Besides, vitamin D supplementation inhibited the progression of atherosclerosis and enhanced the stability of atherosclerotic plaques in a mouse model.

To the Editor: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that poses a significant threat to global health, and its early diagnosis is critical for reducing mortality rates. However, current biomarkers exhibit limited efficacy in early detection. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which carry a diverse array of cell-derived bioactive components, offer an integrated, effective, and accessible approach to assessing the risk of sepsis progression in patients. Therefore, we examine the applications of EVs in the early diagnosis of sepsis and highlight their advantages over conventional biomarkers.

To the Editor: Lymphomas, classified as hematological malignancies (HMs),^[1,2]continue to pose significant challenges to public health. Although gut microbiota is widely connected with lymphoma via several plausible mechanisms,^[1,2,3,4]the causality and directionality of this relationship are not fully understood.

To the Editor: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a significant health issue in China, with the age-standardized prevalence rising 2.5-fold from 1990 to 9.96% in 2021.^[1]Despite this rise, only 32.9% of patients received treatment, and just 50.1% achieved controlled blood sugar.^[1]The Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) advocates for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) to help patients track levels and manage their condition.^[2]While SMBG has been shown to lower HbA1c in type 1 diabetes and untreated type 2 diabetes (T2D), large-scale evidence for its effect in insulin-treated T2D is still limited.^[3]