SHG signal intensity can differentiate malignant from non-malignant colonic polyp tissue with high sensitivity and specificity. Anisotropic polarization can discern HGD from normal colonic polyp tissue. SHG can thus distinguish both HGD and malignant lesions in an objective numeric fashion, without contrast agents or interpretation skills. SHG could be incorporated into endoscopy equipment to enhance white light endoscopy.

The clinical management of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) remains ambiguous due to its heterogeneous presentations and its associations with liver disease, malignancy, and hypercoagulable states. The natural history and clinical outcome of PVT are highly variable, dependent upon size, extent and degree of the thrombotic occlusion, as well as the physiological impact of patient comorbidities. While existing clinical guidelines consistently recommend low molecular weight heparin or vitamin K antagonist anticoagulation in cirrhotic patients with symptomatic acute PVT, management of asymptomatic and chronic PVT may need to be determined on a case-by-case basis, factoring in the state of underlying liver disease. In general, patients with PVT and underlying malignancy should be anticoagulated to alleviate symptoms and prevent recurrences that could disrupt the cancer management. However, existing clinical data does not support routine anticoagulation of cirrhotic patients with asymptomatic PVT in the absence of underlying cancer. While low molecular weight heparin and vitamin K antagonist remain the most commonly used agents in PVT, an emerging body of clinical evidence now suggests that direct-acting oral anticoagulants may be used safely and effectively in PVT. As such, direct-acting oral anticoagulants may offer a more convenient anticoagulation alternative for PVT management in future practice.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease characterized by the presence of non-caseating granulomas in affected organs. Pulmonary involvement is the most common site of disease activity. However, hepatic involvement is also common in sarcoidosis, occurring in up to 70% of patients. Most patients with liver involvement are asymptomatic. Therefore, the majority of cases are discovered incidentally, frequently by the finding of elevated liver enzymes. Pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, fatigue, pruritus, and jaundice may be associated with liver involvement. Portal hypertension and cirrhosis are complications linked to long-standing hepatic sarcoidosis. Liver biopsy is usually required to confirm the diagnosis. It is important to differentiate hepatic sarcoidosis from other autoimmune and granulomatous liver diseases. Not all cases of hepatic sarcoidosis require treatment. For symptomatic patients, the first line treatment includes corticosteroids or ursodeoxycholic acid. Various immunosuppressant agents can be used as second line agents. Rarely, severe cases require liver transplantation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed form of cancer and second most deadly cancer worldwide. Introduction of better screening has improved both incidence and mortality. However, as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began, healthcare resources were shunted away from cancer screening services resulting in a sharp decrease in CRC screening and a backlog of patients awaiting screening tests. This may have significant effects on CRC cancer mortality, as delayed screening may lead to advanced cancer at diagnosis. Strategies to overcome COVID-19 related disruption include utilizing stool-based cancer tests, developing screening protocols based on individual risk factors, expanding telehealth, and increasing open access colonoscopies. In this review, we will summarize the effects of COVID-19 on CRC screening, the potential long-outcomes, and ways to adapt CRC screening during this global pandemic.

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are generally thought to be of Schwann cell origin and are typically S-100 positive. Up to 11% of these tumors affect the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly the esophagus, colon, and stomach. While GCTs are mostly benign, malignant and metastatic GCTs have been reported. GCTs are usually found incidentally during esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, imaging studies or during the evaluation of non-specific symptoms. Endoscopically, they are typically yellow in appearance with intact mucosa. On endoscopic ultrasound, they usually are hypoechoic, homogenous, smooth-edged lesions that appear to originate from the submucosal layer, although other endoscopic and ultrasound appearances have been described. There is no consensus on how to treat GCT. Surgical and conservative approaches have been described in the literature. GCTs can also affect the biliary tract, where patients may be misdiagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. We explore the epidemiology, histology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of these tumors in the gastrointestinal tract, including the pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and the perianal region. In addition, GCTs in the biliary tract are reviewed.

Direct visualization of bile and pancreatic duct pathology is proving to be beneficial in patients where previous techniques have failed. Recent advancements in technology and the development of the SpyGlass system have led to an increased use of cholangioscopy. It is already known that SpyGlass is beneficial in patients with difficult bile duct stones and indeterminate biliary lesions through the use of targeted lithotripsy and visually guided biopsy. Cholangioscopy allows the visualization of hidden stone and guide wire placement across difficult strictures and selective cannulation of the intrahepatic and cystic ducts. It is also demonstrating its utility in investigational applications such as post-liver transplant and primary sclerosing cholangitis stricture treatment, evaluation of hemobilia, and guided radiofrequency ablation of ductal tumors. In addition to having clinical utility, cholangioscopy may also be cost-effective by limiting the number of repeat procedures. Cholangioscopy overall has similar complication rates compared to other standard endoscopic retrograde cholangioscopy (ERCP) techniques, but there may be higher rates of cholangitis. This could be mitigated with prophylactic antibiotic use, and overall, cholangioscopy has similar complication rates compared to other techniques.

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Tumors of the liver and biliary tree, mainly hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, are the second leading cause of cancer related death worldwide and the sixth leading cause of cancer related death among men in developed countries. Recent developments in biomarkers and imaging modalities have enhanced early detection and accurate diagnosis of these highly fatal malignancies. These advances include serological testing, micro-ribonucleic acids, fluorescence in situ hybridization, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and hepatobiliary-phase magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, there have been major developments in the surgical and nonsurgical management of these tumors, including expansion of the liver transplantation criteria, new locoregional treatments, and molecularly targeted therapies. In this article, we review various types of hepatobiliary tumors and discuss new developments in their diagnosis and management.