There were advantages and disadvantages in relation to the short-term outcomes of robot-assisted minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (RAMIE-MK) as compared with completely minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (CMIE-MK). However, there were no significant differences in the long-term outcomes between RAMIE-MK and CMIE-MK. The short-term and mid-term outcomes between robot-assisted minimally invasive transmediastinal esophagectomy (RATME) and open transmediastinal esophagectomy (OTME) were also compared. Although RATME has some disadvantages, such as a higher rate of pulmonary complications as compared with OTME, these are expected to be overcome in the future.

This study presents the annual report on the National Clinical Database 2020 for gastroenterological surgery in Japan. This manuscript revealed a consistent increase of the number of surgeries, especially with endoscopic surgeries, and aging of the Japanese population. Moreover, it indicated the good safety of Japanese gastroenterological surgeries, most of which have been increasingly carried out by the board-certified surgeons.

The number of surgeries for gastroenterological cancer across Japan declined soon after the state of emergency declared during the COVID-19 pandemic. The remarkable decline in T1/T2 tumors is suggestive of the prioritization or loss of the opportunity for cancer screening. The rates of severe complications and mortality were not worsened by COVID-19, even for acute diffuse peritonitis. However, the observed reduction in the cases and lack of rebound deserve further evaluation and public motivation to promote cancer screening.

The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term changes in bone mineral density after esophagectomy and identify the risk factors for postoperative osteoporosis. Esophageal cancer survivors are more likely to develop osteoporosis after esophagectomy, with risk factors including both preoperative patient factors and postoperative factors.

The stratified analysis according to remnant stomach sizes of 1/2 and 2/3 after proximal gastrectomy revealed that the double tract method was relatively superior to the esophagogastrostomy for QOL.

The prophylactic use of negative-pressure wound therapy was associated with a lower incidence of incisional surgical site infection after emergency surgery for colorectal perforation. Patients without diabetes mellitus or with longer operative times (≥190 min) might benefit from negative pressure wound therapy.

Using the Japanese National Database, we showed that mechanical and oral antibiotics bowel preparation for rectal cancer surgery is associated with a decreased incidence of postoperative complications without increasing the incidence of CD colitis or MRSA colitis. In fact, mechanical bowel preparation alone is still the most major bowel preparation for rectal cancer surgery in the real world.

Long noncoding RNA 01534 (LINC01534) had a function in maintenance of cancer stemness and coordinated suppression of endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Moreover, we found that high expression of LINC01534 was associated with poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This study suggested that targeting LINC01534 is a potential therapeutic option against CRC that may improve outcome in CRC patients.

Our real-world data highlight that laparoscopic surgery for CBD had short-term results comparable to those of open surgery. The rate of laparoscopic surgery has been increasing every year; however, the number of cases is still low, and the high cost of laparoscopic surgery is an issue that requires further research to resolve. More high-quality studies are needed to further validate our conclusions and long-term outcomes.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable CRLM might prolong the recurrence-free survival period for intermediate-risk patients with preoperative risk scores in the range of 1-10.

The present results from the JCGA dataset constitute a fundamental resource for genomic medicine for PC patients, especially in Japan.

The CALLY index may be an independent and significant indicator of poor long-term outcomes in patients with distal cholangiocarcinoma after pancreaticoduodenectomy, suggesting the importance of comprehensive assessment for inflammatory status.

Lymph node metastases are lethal prognostic factors in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Lymphadenectomy is crucial for accurate staging and hoped-for as possible oncological treatment in ICC. A prognostic value of lymphadenectomy could be proven by analysis of the therapeutic index, especially in the hilar type. Lymphadenectomy should be a minimal requirement for the multimodal treatment of ICC. The implication and extent of lymphadenectomy for ICC should rely on tumor location.

We investigated the correlation between changes in skeletal muscle mass during the preoperative waiting time and surgical outcomes of patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Preoperative skeletal muscle wasting had a negative effect on cancer recurrence and survival.

The specific growth rate of the perioperative carbohydrate antigen 19-9 values was not related to the prognosis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.