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Autophagy plays a complex role in tumors, sometimes promoting cancer cell survival and sometimes inducing apoptosis, and its role in the colorectal tumor microenvironment is controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of autophagy-related genes (ARGs) in colorectal cancer. We identified 37 differentially expressed autophagy-related genes by collecting TCGA colorectal tumor transcriptome data. A single-factor COX regression equation was used to identify 11 key prognostic genes, and a prognostic risk prediction model was constructed based on multifactor COX analysis. We classified patients into high and low risk groups according to prognostic risk parameters (p

Aim To analyze the effect of preserving the left colic artery (LCA) on long-term oncologic outcomes during laparoscopic low anterior resection of rectal cancer. Methods Clinicopathological and follow-up patients undergoing laparoscopic low anterior resection of rectal cancer in general surgery department of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital from January 2014 to December 2015 were retrospectively collected. According to the difference surgical methods of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA), 159 cases were divided into the LCA preservation group and 225 cases in the LCA non-preservation group. The 5-year rates of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between two group. Results 384 patients were included in final analysis. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 7 patients (4.4%) in the LCA preservation group and in 16 patients (7.1%) in the LCA non-preservation group. The follow-up rate was 91.2% (145/159) during 5–60 months in LCA preservation group, and 89.8% (202/225) during 5–60 months in the LCA non-preservation group. The number of patients who developed death, local recurrence and metastasis were 59 (37.1%), 13 (8.2%) and 60 (37.7%) in the LCA preservation group, and 86 (38.2%), 20 (8.9%) and 92 (40.9%) in the LCA non-preservation group, without significant differences (all P ༞ 0.05). The 5-year OS and DFS rates were 69.0% and 59.3% in the LCA preservation group, and 68.8% and 55.9% in the LCA non-preservation group, without significant differences (all P ༞ 0.05). After stratification by TNM Stage, the difference on 5-year OS rates and DFS rates of I stage, II stage and III stage in two groups were no significant as well (all P ༞ 0.05). Conclusions The long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic low anterior resection of rectal cancer with preservation of the LCA are comparable with ligation at origin of IMA.

Background There is uncertainty in the literature about preserving the left colic artery (LCA) during low anterior resection for rectal cancer. We analyzed the effect of preserving the LCA on long-term oncological outcomes. Methods We retrospectively collected clinicopathological and follow-up details of patients who underwent low anterior resection for rectal cancer in the General Surgery Department of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, from January 2014 to December 2015. Cases were divided into low ligation (LL), LCA preserved, or high ligation (HL), LCA not preserved, of the inferior mesenteric artery. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were compared between the two groups. Results Altogether, there were 221 and 295 cases in the LL group and HL groups, respectively. Operating time in the LL group was significantly longer than in the HL group (224.7 vs. 211.7 min, p = 0.039). Postoperative 30-day mortality, early complications including anastomotic leakage showed no significant differences between the LL and HL groups (postoperative 30-day mortality, 0.9% LL, 1.4% HL, p = 0.884; early complications, 41.2% LL, 38.3% HL, p = 0.509; anastomotic leakage 8.6% LL, 13.2% HL, p = 0.100). The median follow-up periods were 51.4 (7–61) months in the LL group and 51.2 (8–61) months in the HL group. During follow-up, the percentages of patients who died, had local recurrence, or had metastases were 39.8, 7.7, and 38.5%, respectively, in the LL group and 39, 8.5, and 40%, respectively, in the HL group; these differences were not significant (all p > 0.05). The 5-year OS and DFS were 69.6 and 59.6% in the LL group, respectively, and 69.1 and 56.2% in the HL group, respectively; these differences were not significant (all p > 0.05). After stratification by tumor-node-metastasis stage, the difference between the 5-year OS and DFS for stages I, II, and III cancer were not significant (all p > 0.05). Conclusions The long-term oncological outcomes of LL group are comparable with HL group. LL cannot be supported due to the absence of lower complication rates and the longer operating times.