In the April issue of Gastroenterology, researchers report transplantation of mucosa from a patient’s stomach to esophagus, to prevent stricture formation after circumferential endoscopic mucosal dissection of early-stage esophageal cancer. Endoscopic submucosal resection and dissection are used to remove areas of dysplasia and cancer from the esophagus. However, stricture formation is a major drawback
Read moreEosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), which was barely recognized 20 years ago, affects at least 150,000 people in the United States, with three-quarters being adults, report Evan Dellon et al. in the April issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. EoE, also known as allergic esophagitis, is an allergic inflammatory disease characterized by
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Researchers have identified a mechanism by which vitamin D reduces levels of cholesterol. In a mouse study published in the April issue of Gastroenterology, Edwin Chow et al. show that activation of the vitamin D receptor increases cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1)—an enzyme that metabolizes cholesterol—by downregulating its repressor, SHP. Studies have
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Although alcohol-related liver disease is the 8th most common cause of mortality in the US and the 2nd leading cause of mortality among all gastrointestinal diseases, there are few therapeutic options for patients or resources to support identification of new therapies. However, treatment approaches are being developed; a review in
Read moreMany patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery experience hypoglycemia after meals. Researchers report in the March issue of Gastroenterology that they can correct this condition with an agent that blocks the receptor for the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1). Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, widely used to treat obesity, alters glucose metabolism in
Read moreBowel preparation is suboptimal for about one third of adults older than 55 undergoing outpatient colonoscopy, says the March issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Diabetes and low level of patient engagement in their own health care contribute to less-than-optimal preparation, the researchers show. Colonoscopy is an important screening tool for
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Pancreatic cancer cells can be detected in patients’ circulation before tumors are discovered, researchers report in the March issue of Gastroenterology. Cancer cells have long been believed to acquire metastatic potential after large primary tumors are established. However, many patients undergoing pancreatectomy for chronic pancreatitis are found to have disseminated pancreatic
Read morePatients receiving medical therapies when they have more complicated stages of Crohn’s disease (CD) are more likely to require surgery, researchers report in the March issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The disease is most-effectively treated by drugs at its early, inflammatory stages. Patients have a 40%–71% risk for requiring
Read moreA surgical complication, rather than eating habits, can cause patients to regain lost weight after gastric bypass surgery, reports Barham K. Abu Dayyeh et al. in the March issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The authors correlated increased diameter of the gastrojejunal stoma with long-term weight gain after this common
Read moreFunctional liver tissue can be grown in lymph nodes of mice and rescue them from lethal hepatic disease, reports Toshitaka Hoppo et al. in the February issue of Gastroenterology—lymph nodes therefore might someday be used as sites for hepatocyte transplantation in patients with end-stage liver disease. Many patients with chronic hepatic
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Dr. Kristine Novak has worked as an editor at biomedical research journals and as a science writer for over 15 years, covering advances in gastroenterology, hepatology, cancer, immunology, biotechnology, molecular genetics, and clinical trials. She has a PhD in cell biology and an interest in all areas of medical research.
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