Here we aimed to establish a simple detection method for detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood sample of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients using poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA)-coated plates. Adhesion test and spike test using CRC cell lines assured efficacy of PMEA coating. A total of 41 patients with pathological stage II–IV CRC were enrolled between January 2018 and September 2022. Blood samples were concentrated by centrifugation by the OncoQuick tube, and then incubated overnight on PMEA-coated chamber slides. The next day, cell culture and immunocytochemistry with anti-EpCAM antibody were performed. Adhesion tests revealed good attachment of CRCs to PMEA-coated plates. Spike tests indicated that ~75% of CRCs from a 10-mL blood sample were recovered on the slides. By cytological examination, CTCs were identified in 18/41 CRC cases (43.9%). In cell cultures, spheroid-like structures or tumor-cell clusters were found in 18/33 tested cases (54.5%). Overall, CTCs and/or growing circulating tumor cells were found in 23/41 CRC cases (56.0%). History of chemotherapy or radiation was significantly negatively correlated with CTC detection (p = 0.02). In summary, we successfully captured CTCs from CRC patients using the unique biomaterial PMEA. Cultured tumor cells will provide important and timely information regarding the molecular basis of CTCs.

Background Metastatic testicular cancer is rare. In particular, primary colorectal cancer rarely metastasizes to the testes. This study reports a case of testicular metastasis recurrence 9 years after the resection of a primary colorectal cancer and a simultaneous metastatic lung tumour. Case presentation A 69-year-old man underwent a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy for descending colon cancer. Preoperative computed tomography revealed a solitary left lung mass. Postoperative chemotherapy reduced the size of the lung mass, and 6 months after the primary resection, the patient underwent a left upper segmentectomy. Based on the pathological examination, he was diagnosed with pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer. After four courses of adjuvant chemotherapy, the patient was recurrence-free. However, 9 years and 6 months after the primary resection, he complained of discomfort in his left testicle. Physical examination revealed a left testicular mass. Since a malignancy was not excluded via imaging, left testicular resection was performed to confirm the diagnosis. The pathological diagnosis was testicular metastasis from colorectal cancer. The patient was followed up without medication, and remained healthy, without recurrence, 11 months postoperatively. Conclusions It is important to follow up with testicular metastasis in mind, although it is rare.

Desmoid tumors are benign proliferations of spindle cells originating in fibro-aponeurotic tissue. Many patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) die from desmoid tumors, which can arise spontaneously but often appear to be surgically induced by prophylactic colectomy. Desmoid tumors are the second most common cause of death in patients with FAP, second to colorectal cancer. Many patients can live a long life with desmoid tumors without symptoms, but when symptoms (ranging from bowel or ureteric obstruction to bowel perforation with abscess and fistula) appear or there is a risk of functional impairment, a wide spectrum of therapies (local and systemic) are valuable in improving the symptoms and controlling the disease. A half-Japanese, half-Caucasian male, who had been diagnosed with intra-abdominal desmoid tumors associated with FAP at age 13, was treated using abdominal wall incision for decompression and chemotherapy from the age of 38. The therapeutic outcome was progressive disease, based on the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST), and when he visited our hospital at age 41 the desmoid tumor had invaded the small bowel with a fistula to the abdominal wall. We performed a palliative operation to improve his symptoms, which were fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and difficulty eating. As the tumor was extremely large and had invaded the small intestine, massive resection including the small intestine was required. To prepare for anticipated massive bleeding, a balloon catheter was placed in the superior mesenteric artery just prior to surgery. Although the operation was extremely difficult, following surgery the patient regained his ability to eat and when discharged was ambulatory and without short-bowel syndrome. We report our experience treating one of the largest reported intraperitoneal desmoid tumors. Resection resulted in a good postoperative course, with improved quality of life and prognosis.