OncoQuick significantly reduced the co-enriched number of MNCs, with a high tumor cell recovery rate. Processing blood from tumor patients with OncoQuick increased the chance of detecting circulating tumor cells.

Telomeres in colorectal carcinoma tissue were significantly shorter compared with adjacent normal mucosa as an indication for extensive cell proliferation. The correlation with tumor stage and patient survival suggest that hTERT-mediated telomere stabilization may be critical for progression and prognosis of colorectal carcinoma.

The aim of the study was to compare the new density gradient centrifugation system OncoQuick with the standard density gradient centrifugation system Ficoll for improved tumor cell enrichment in blood of tumor patients. Evaluation of OncoQuick and Ficoll density gradient centrifugation was performed by flow-cytometry and immunocytochemistry using 10 ml unspiked and tumor cell-spiked blood samples of tumor-free probands. From 10 ml blood, OncoQuick density gradient centrifugation separated a cell fraction which consisted of a mean cell number of 9.5X10 4 mononuclear cells compared to 1.8x10 7 cells by Ficoll. Density gradient centrifugation of tumor cell-spiked blood samples with OncoQuick and Ficoll led to similar tumor cell recovery rates, between 70% and 90% for both methods. The improved depletion of mononuclear blood cells by OncoQuick simplified further immunocytochemical evaluation of the enriched cell fraction, which could be spun onto 1-2 glass slides by cytocentrifugation. In comparison, the mononuclear cells separated by Ficoll had to be spun onto more than 50 glass slides for complete immunocytochemical evaluation. Consequently, tumor cell density on each cyto spin was higher after OncoQuick preparation compared to Ficoll. Density gradient centrifugation with OncoQuick results in higher relative tumor cell enrichment than Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. This simplifies further immunocytochemical tumor cell detection and is a promising tool for the detection of circulating tumor cells in blood of tumor patients. Introd,uctionTumor recurrence in cancer patients after curative tumor resection can be explained by the presence of minimal residual disease (MRD).

Although quality of studies on long-term functional outcome is limited, current evidence demonstrates that pR(C)T negatively affects anorectal function after TME.

The defined cut-off values of LNRs were strong independent prognostic factors for colorectal cancer patients and should be calculated for risk group stratification.

Metabolic response to a preoperative RCTX using FDG-PET/CT in rectal cancer patients can be correlated with histopathological response, but FDG uptake of peritumoral inflammation cells limited the results and led to false negative results.

Risk estimation for lymph node metastases should not be based on depth of tumor infiltration alone but additional clinicopathological parameters should also be considered. The extent of lymphadenectomy in surgical procedures should respect the presented topography of lymph node metastases.

This meta-analysis highlights some clinical advantages of pouch reconstruction after total gastrectomy.