Published online Sep 27, 2023. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v15.i9.2052
Peer-review started: June 14, 2023
First decision: July 3, 2023
Revised: July 11, 2023
Accepted: July 26, 2023
Article in press: July 26, 2023
Published online: September 27, 2023
The background of this research study highlights the importance of ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of colorectal cancer (CRC). Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a non-invasive, safe, and cost-effective method that allows for the evaluation of tumor blood vessels. Tumor angiogenesis, which involves the formation of new blood vessels, plays a critical role in tumor growth and progression.
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CEUS in quantitatively assessing CRC blood vessels and their cor
Explore the role of CEUS in quantitative assessment of blood vessels in CRC and its correlation with angiogenic markers and prognosis. This study aims to prospectively recruit 100 CRC patients confirmed by histopathology and conduct preoperative CEUS examination.
This study enrolled 100 patients with confirmed CRC through histopathology. Preoperative CEUS examinations were performed on all patients. From the CEUS images, quantitative parameters including peak intensity (PI), time to peak (TTP), and area under the curve (AUC) were derived using time-intensity curve analysis. During surgery, tumor tissue samples were obtained and examined immunohistochemically for the expression of angiogenesis markers, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and microvessel density (MVD). The researchers used appropriate statistical tests to evaluate the correlations between CEUS parameters, angiogenesis markers, and clinicopathological features.
The study findings revealed significant associations between the quantitative CEUS parameters (PI, TTP, and AUC) and VEGF expression, MVD, tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, overall survival, and disease-free survival. The study concluded that CEUS holds potential for guiding treatment planning and predicting patient outcomes in CRC management but emphasized the need for more comprehensive multicenter studies to validate its clinical utility.
Demonstrated that CEUS has a significant role in the quantitative evaluation of CRC blood vessels. The quantitative CEUS parameters (PI, TTP, and AUC) showed strong correlations with angiogenesis markers, specifically VEGF expre
The study demonstrates the potential of CEUS in guiding treatment decisions and predicting patient outcomes in CRC, further comprehensive studies involving multiple centers are necessary to validate its clinical utility.