5-year Disease-specific Survival Rates Research Articles

Prognostic value of a mandibular canal staging system for primary lesions in patients with lower gingival squamous cell carcinoma: a multicenter, retrospective study.

The Union for International Cancer Control and American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor staging system is used globally for treatment planning. As it may be insufficient for tumor staging of lower gingival carcinomas, we proposed the mandibular canal tumor staging system. In this study, we aimed to compare the two systems for such tumor staging and to identify prognostic markers. This multicenter, retrospective study included patients with lower gingival squamous cell carcinoma who underwent radical surgery during 2001-2018. We compared survival rates (Kaplan-Meier estimator) and patient stratification according to the two systems. The proposed system yielded more balanced patient stratification than the existing system. Progression in the tumor grade according to the proposed system was associated with a poorer prognosis. The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates for the entire cohort were 74.9% and 81.8%, respectively. Independent factors affecting overall survival were tumor stage according to the proposed system, excision margins, and number of positive nodes, whereas those affecting disease-specific survival were excision margins and number of positive nodes. Subsite-specific tumor classification should be used for patients with oral cancer, and our results suggest that mandibular canal tumor classification may be effective for patients with lower gingival carcinoma.

Comparing the clinical outcomes of initial surgery and primary definitive radiotherapy with a dosage of 6600 cGy or higher in cT1-2N0M0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: A nationwide cohort study.

To compare the clinical outcomes of two treatment modalities, initial surgery and primary definitive radiotherapy (RT), in Taiwanese patients diagnosed with cT1-2N0M0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC). Between 2011 and 2019, we analyzed data for 13,542 cT1-2N0M0 patients who underwent initial surgery (n = 13,542) or definitive RT with a dosage of at least 6600 cGy (n = 145) for the treatment of OCSCC. To account for baseline differences, we employed propensity score (PS) matching, resulting in two well-balanced study groups (initial surgery, n = 580; definitive RT, n = 145). Before PS matching, the 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rates were 88% for the surgery group and 58% for the RT group. After PS matching, the 5-year DSS rates of the two groups were 86% and 58%, respectively. Similarly, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates before PS matching were 80% for the surgery group and 36% for the RT group, whereas after PS matching, they were 73% and 36%, respectively. All these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). A multivariable analysis identified treatment with RT, older age, stage II tumors, and a higher burden of comorbidities as independent risk factors for both DSS and OS. We also examined the 5-year outcomes for various subgroups (margin ≥5 mm, margin <5 mm, positive margins, RT combined with chemotherapy, and RT alone) as follows: DSS, 89%/88%/79%/63%/51%, respectively, p < 0.0001; OS, 82%/79%/68%/39%/32%, respectively, p < 0.0001. In Taiwanese patients with cT1-2N0M0 OCSCC, a remarkably low proportion (1.1%) completed definitive RT. A significant survival disparity of 30% was observed between patients who underwent initial surgery and those who received definitive RT. Interestingly, even patients from the surgical group with positive surgical margins exhibited a significantly superior survival compared to those in the definitive RT group.

Average log change rate of pretreatment squamous cell carcinoma antigen after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in stage IIIC1 cervical squamous cell carcinoma

We aimed to determine whether pretreatment squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) levels and the average logarithmic change in SCC-Ag levels (ΔlogSCC-AgΔtime\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{{\\Delta \\log \\left( {{\ ext{SCC-Ag}}} \\right)}}{{\\Delta {\ ext{time}}}}$$\\end{document}) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) could predict treatment outcomes in patients with stage IIIC1 cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We analyzed 168 patients with stage IIIC1 cervical SCC who underwent primary CCRT and collected data on age, local extension, treatment details, hematological parameters, and tumor markers such as SCC-Ag and carcinoembryonic antigen 21-1 (Cyfra). Predictive performances of pretreatment SCC-Ag levels and ΔlogSCC-AgΔtime\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{{\\Delta \\log \\left( {{\ ext{SCC-Ag}}} \\right)}}{{\\Delta {\ ext{time}}}}$$\\end{document} were assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves. Survival analysis was performed using the Cox regression model and Kaplan–Meier plots. The combination of pretreatment SCC-Ag levels and ΔlogSCC-AgΔtime\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{{\\Delta \\log \\left( {{\ ext{SCC-Ag}}} \\right)}}{{\\Delta {\ ext{time}}}}$$\\end{document} showed higher area under the curve values than pretreatment SCC-Ag levels alone (area under the curve; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.708 [0.581–0.836] vs. 0.666 [0.528–0.804], respectively). Pretreatment SCC-Ag (≥ 5 ng/ml and Cyfra levels (≥ 3.15 ng/ml) and ΔlogSCC-AgΔtime\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{{\\Delta \\log \\left( {{\ ext{SCC-Ag}}} \\right)}}{{\\Delta {\ ext{time}}}}$$\\end{document} (≥ − 1.575) were significant predictors of disease-specific survival. The 5-year disease-specific survival rates significantly differed among the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. Risk stratification using both pretreatment SCC-Ag levels and ΔlogSCC-AgΔtime\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\frac{{\\Delta \\log \\left( {{\ ext{SCC-Ag}}} \\right)}}{{\\Delta {\ ext{time}}}}$$\\end{document} may predict treatment outcomes of patients with stage IIIC1 SCC.

Impact of gene expression profiling on diagnosis and survival after metastasis in patients with uveal melanoma.

Surveillance frequency for metastasis is guided by gene expression profiling (GEP). This study evaluated the effect of GEP on time to diagnosis of metastasis, subsequent treatment and survival. A retrospective study was conducted of 110 uveal melanoma patients with GEP (DecisionDx-UM, Castle Biosciences, Friendswood, Texas, USA) and 110 American Joint Committee on Cancer-matched controls. Surveillance testing and treatment for metastasis were compared between the two groups and by GEP class. Rates of metastasis, overall survival and melanoma-related mortality were calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Baseline characteristics and follow-up time were balanced in the two groups. Patients' GEP classification was 1A in 41%, 1B in 25.5% and 2 in 33.6%. Metastasis was diagnosed in 26.4% ( n = 29) in the GEP group and 23.6% ( n = 26) in the no GEP group ( P = 0.75). Median time to metastasis was 30.5 and 22.3 months in the GEP and no GEP groups, respectively ( P = 0.44). Median months to metastasis were 34.7, 75.8 and 26.1 in class 1A, 1B and 2 patients, respectively ( P = 0.28). Disease-specific 5-year survival rates were 89.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 81.0-94.2%] and 84.1% (95% CI: 74.9-90.1%) in the GEP and no GEP groups respectively ( P = 0.49). Median time to death from metastasis was 10.1 months in the GEP group and 8.5 months in the no GEP group ( P = 0.40). There were no significant differences in time to metastasis diagnosis and survival outcomes in patients with and without GEP. To realize the full benefit of GEP, more sensitive techniques for detection of metastasis and adjuvant therapies are required.

Component Patterns and Survival Outcomes in Patients with Mixed Malignant Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors: A Retrospective Cohort Study

AimsTo evaluate the component patterns and risk stratification in patients with mixed malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (mMOGCT). MethodsA retrospective study of 70 mMOGCT patients treated in our hospital between 2000 and 2022 was conducted. The recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and risk stratification systems based on scoring the identified prognostic factors were assessed. ResultsYolk sac tumor component was the most common type (80%), followed by dysgerminoma (50%), immature teratoma (40%), embryonic carcinoma (27.1%), and chorionic carcinoma (15.7%). The 5-year RFS and DSS rates were 77.9% and 87.9%, respectively. International federation of gynecology and obstetrics (FIGO) stage III-IV (RR 3.253, P = 0.029) and normalization of tumor marker (TM) ≤ 3 cycles of chemotherapy (RR 6.249, P = 0.017) were risk factors for RFS and DSS, respectively. Significant DSS (RR 8.268, P = 0.006) was also noted between patients who had normalized TM ≤ 4 and ≥5 cycles of chemotherapy. FIGO stages I–II and stages III–IV were scored as 0 and 2, respectively. AFP normalization ≤3, 4, and ≥5 cycles of chemotherapy were scored as 0, 1, and 4, respectively. A total score of 0, 1–2, and ≥3 stratified patients into low-risk (43 patients), intermediate-risk (13 patients), and high-risk groups (14 patients), respectively. Patients in three risk stratifications manifested significant differences in DSS (P = 0.010) but not in RFS (P > 0.05). ConclusionDistinct different component patterns existed among mMOGCT patients, and predicting survival outcomes in a universal model was challenging.

Clinicopathological features of cholangiolocarcinoma and impact of tumor heterogeneity on prognosis: A single institution retrospective study.

Cholangiolocarcinoma (CLC) is an extremely rare tumor classified as a subtype of small duct-type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). There are few detailed reports on CLC and the prognostic impact of tumor heterogeneity is not clear. Between April 2006 and June 2022, of the 774 primary liver cancer resection cases who presented at Kanazawa University Hospital, 14 patients were pathologically diagnosed with CLC through immunohistochemical analysis of their molecular and biological features. Clinicopathological features and prognoses were evaluated retrospectively. Additionally, tumor heterogeneity was assessed and tumors were classified into pure and partial types according to the CLC component proportion in a single tumor. Chronic liver disease was observed in nine patients (64.3%). All tumors were mass-forming, and pathological R0 resection was achieved in 11 patients (78.6%). Tumor heterogeneity was classified as pure in 11 (78.6%) and partial in three (21.4%) patients. The median follow-up was 59.5 months (12-114 months). There was no difference in the 5-year disease-specific survival rates between the pure and partial (90.0% vs. 100.0%; P=0.200) types, but rates were significantly higher in the R0 resection group compared with those in the R1 resection group (100.0% vs. 50.0%; P=0.025). In conclusion, these results suggest that it is important for CLC patients to achieve curative resection, and CLC may have a good prognosis regardless of the proportion of CLC components in a single tumor.

Epidemiology and Prognostic Nomogram for Predicting Long-Term Disease-Specific Survival in Patients With Pancreatic Carcinoid Tumor: A SEER-Based Study.

Pancreatic carcinoid tumor (PCT) is described as a malignant form of carcinoid tumors. However, the epidemiology and prognostic factors for PCT are poorly understood. The data of 2447 PCT patients were included in this study from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and randomly divided into a training cohort (1959) and a validation cohort (488). The epidemiology of PCT was calculated, and independent prognostic factors were identified to construct a prognostic nomogram for predicting long-term disease-specific survival (DSS) among PCT patients. The incidence of PCT increased remarkably from 2000 to 2018. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year DSS rates were 96.4%, 90.3%, and 86.5%, respectively. Age at diagnosis, stage, surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were identified as independent prognostic factors to construct a prognostic nomogram. The C -indices; area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for predicting 1-, 5-, and 10-year DSS, and calibration plots of the nomogram in both cohorts indicated a high discriminatory accuracy, preferable survival predictive ability, and optimal concordances, respectively. The incidence of PCT has increased rapidly since 2000. In addition, we established a practical, effective, and accurate prognostic nomogram for predicting the long-term DSS of PCT patients.

Laparoscopic versus laparotomic surgical treatment in apparent stage I ovarian cancer: a multi-center retrospective cohort study

BackgroundLaparoscopic treatment shows non-inferior survival outcomes and better surgical outcomes in apparent stage I ovarian cancer (OC) in some studies but has not been well defined.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of patients with apparent stage I OC treated in two hospitals between 2012 and 2022. The surgical and oncologic outcomes were evaluated between patients receiving laparoscopic and laparotomic surgery.ResultsWe identified 37 patients with apparent stage I OC, including 15 (40.5%) serous carcinomas, 9 (24.3%) mucinous cancers, 3 (8.1%) endometroid cancers, 2 clear cell carcinomas, and 8 (21.6%) non-epithelial cancers. Sixteen patients received laparoscopic surgery and the other 21 patients underwent laparotomic surgery. The median age (44.5 vs. 49.0 years), mean mass size (10.5 vs. 11.3 cm), and median follow-up time (43.5 vs. 75.0 months) showed no statistically significant differences between patients in laparoscopic and laparotomic groups (all P > 0.05). All the patients underwent comprehensive surgical staging surgery, and the mean surgical time (213.5 vs. 203.3 min, P = 0.507), number of lymph nodes sampling (18.6 vs. 17.5, P = 0.359), proportion of upstaging (12.5% vs. 19.0%, P = 0.680), and postoperative complications (no Accordion Severity Grading System grade ≥ 3) were comparable between two surgical groups. Moreover, patients in the laparoscopic group had significantly less intraoperative blood loss (231.3 vs. 352.4 mL, P = 0.018), shorter interval between surgery and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (7.4 vs. 9.5 days, P = 0.004), shorter length of hospital stay (9.9 vs. 13.8 days, P < 0.001) than those treated with laparotomic surgery. During a median follow-up of 54.0 months, 9 (24.3%) relapsed and 1 (2.7%) died, with a 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 70.6% and 100%, respectively. However, the 5-year RFS (93.3% vs. 58.8%, P = 0.084) and DSS (100% vs. 100%, P = 0.637) rates did not significantly differ between the two groups.ConclusionLaparoscopic surgical treatment had less intraoperative blood loss, earlier postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy administration, shorter hospitalization time, and non-inferior survival outcomes in apparent stage I OC when compared with laparotomic surgery.

Ki-67 labeling index predicts tumor progression patterns and survival in patients with atypical meningiomas following stereotactic radiosurgery

PurposeThis study investigated whether Ki-67 labeling index (LI) correlated with clinical outcomes after SRS for atypical meningiomas.MethodsThis retrospective study examined 39 patients with atypical meningiomas who underwent SRS over a 10-year study period. Ki-67 LI was categorized into 3 groups: low (< 5%), intermediate (5%–10%), and high (> 10%). Local tumor control rates (LCRs), progression-free rates (PFRs), disease-specific survival (DSS) rates, and adverse radiation-induced events (AREs) were evaluated.ResultsThe median follow-up periods were 26 months. SRS was performed at a median prescription dose of 18 Gy for tumors with a median Ki-67 LI of 9.6%. The 3-year LCRs were 100%, 74%, and 25% in the low, intermediate, and high LI groups, respectively (p = 0.011). The 3-year PFRs were 100%, 40%, and 0% in the low, intermediate, and high LI groups (p = 0.003). The 5-year DSS rates were 100%, 89%, and 50% in the low, intermediate, and high LI groups (p = 0.019). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis showed a significant correlation of high LI with lower LCR (hazard ratio [HR], 3.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18–13.04, p = 0.026), lower PFR (HR 3.80; 95% CI 1.46–9.88, p = 0.006), and shorter DSS (HR 6.55; 95% CI 1.19–35.95, p = 0.031) compared with intermediate LI. The ARE rates were minimal (8%) in the entire group.ConclusionPatients with high Ki-67 LI showed significantly more tumor progression and tumor-related death. Ki-67 LI might offer valuable predictive insights for the post-SRS management of atypical meningiomas.

A retrospective propensity score-matched analysis of oncological and functional outcomes of submental island flap versus radial forearm free flap for oral cavity cancer reconstruction

BackgroundThis retrospective study aims to compare the oncological and functional outcomes of the submental island flap versus the radial forearm free flap used for oral cavity cancer reconstruction after minimizing differences in baseline characteristics.MethodsPropensity scores for each oral cavity cancer patient who underwent surgical resection and immediate reconstruction with a submental island flap or a radial forearm free flap with a flap size ≤ 60 cm2 between October 2008 and December 2021 were generated based on the likelihood of being selected given their baseline characteristics. Patients were matched using a 1:1 nearest-neighbor approach.ResultsThe final matched-pair analysis included 51 patients in each group. The 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, and locoregional control rates were 70.1% and 64.8% (p = 0.612), 77.3% and 83.7% (p = 0.857), and 76.1% and 73.3% (p = 0.664), respectively, for the submental island flap group and the radial forearm free flap group. Speech and swallowing functions were comparable between groups. However, there were significantly lower rates of complication associated with both donor and recipient sites in the submental island flap group, and also the duration of hospital stays and hospital costs were significantly lower in these patients. A subgroup analysis of patients in which the reconstruction was carried out using the submental island flap procedure revealed that in selected cases, the presence of clinically and pathologically positive level I lymph nodes did not affect survival or locoregional control rates.ConclusionsAlthough this study was not randomized, the matched-pair analysis of surgically treated oral cavity cancer patients showed that submental island flap reconstruction is as effective as radial forearm free flap reconstruction with regard to oncological and functional outcomes with lower complication rates, hospital stay, and hospital costs. This flap can be safely and effectively performed in selected cases with a clinical level I lymph node smaller than 1.5 cm and no signs of extranodal extension.

Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Upregulates the Immunogenicity of Cold to Hot Tumors in Esophageal Cancer Patients.

To test the hypothesis that neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) is more effective against hot esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and that it may upregulate tumor immunogenicity. There have been several recent reports showing the efficacy of immune check-point inhibitors (ICIs) against esophageal cancer, especially immunologically hot tumors. In addition, several studies have suggested that chemotherapy and radiotherapy may convert cold tumors to hot tumors. Of 105 ESCC patients who underwent surgery after NACRT between 2010 and 2018 at our hospital, 99 whose biopsy tissue samples were obtained were enrolled. Based on immunohistochemical analysis, tumors that were FOXA1 (+) and/or EYA2 (+) were defined as hot tumors, others were cold tumors. We then investigated the association between tumor immunogenicity and clinicopathological features. The 29 patients with hot tumors before NACRT had a significantly better 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate than the remaining 70 patients with cold tumors (85% vs 64%; P = 0.036). In a multivariate analysis, tumor immunogenicity was a significant independent predictor of DSS. Of 68 patients without a pathological complete response (non-pCR) in their primary tumor, 51 (75%) had hot tumors after NACRT. Moreover, 75% (36/48) of tumors that were cold before NACRT were converted to hot tumors after NACRT. Patients with hot ESCC tumors treated with NACRT plus esophagectomy had a better prognosis than those with cold tumors. NACRT upregulated cold tumor immunogenicity to hot tumors, suggesting NACRT may increase the sensitivity of ESCC to adjuvant ICIs.

Comparisons of the oncological results of transoral laser surgery and radiotherapy for early stage laryngeal squamous cell cancer: single-center long-term results.

In the treatment of early stage laryngeal cancers, surgery (transoral laryngeal surgery (TOLS), open partial laryngeal surgery (OPLS) and radiotherapy (RT) are used. Compare the oncological results of patients with early stage laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) treated with TOLS or RT. Retrospective. Tertiary training and research hospital. The participants were divided into patients who underwent TOLS and RT treatment. The groups were compared with each other in terms of local recurrence, regional recurrence, distant metastasis, 3 and 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and laryngectomy-free survival rates (LFS). The effects of TOLS and RT treatment on local control, regional control, OS, DFS, DDS and LFS in early stage laryngeal cancers. 261. The mean follow-up time was 48 (26) months. There were 186 patients who underwent TOLS and 75 patients who underwent RT treatment. Gender, cigarette/alcohol consumption, tumor localization, anterior commissure involvement, tumor grades, recurrence rates and recurrence localizations of the groups were similar. The 5-year overall, disease specific, disease free and laryngectomy-free survival rates were 85.9%, 88%, 79.4%, 96.3% in the TOLS group and 74.3%, 76.7%, 72.3%, 85.2% in the RT group (P=.034, .065, .269, .060, respectively). TOLS had equal and good oncological outcomes on OS and DFS compared to RT. Anterior commissure involvement was statistically significant independent prognostic risk factor for DFS in both groups. The 5-year OS rate was greater in the TOLS groups (P=.034). Retrospective, but to the best our knowledge, this is the first study in Turkey with a high patient volume and a long follow-up time.

Lacrimal Gland Adenocarcinoma Clinicopathologic Features and Outcomes Compared With Those of Lacrimal Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

Lacrimal gland (LG) adenocarcinomas (ACs) are rare, with limited data. We compared clinicopathologic features and local recurrence, distant metastasis, and survival rates between LG AC and LG adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). The records of LG AC patients treated from 2008 to 2022 and LG ACC patients treated from 1998 to 2022 at the same center were retrospectively reviewed. The study included 20 patients with AC; 10 de-novo AC, 10 ex-pleomorphic AC; and 51 ACC patients. The median age at diagnosis was 61 years for de-novo AC, 54 years for ex-pleomorphic AC, and 45 years for ACC. All groups had male predominance. The initial T category was T2 in 50% (5/10) of de-novo ACs; 60% (6/10) of ex-pleomorphic ACs; and 59% (30/51) of ACCs. Perineural invasion was present in 33% (5/15) of ACs and 90% (45/50) of ACCs ( p < 0.001). Of the 20 AC patients, 14 had eye-sparing surgery; 4 had orbital exenteration; and 2 had unresectable disease. All AC patients received postoperative radiotherapy and 15 (75%) received concurrent chemotherapy. Fourteen AC patients were tested for human growth factor receptor 2 expression, and 10 (71%) were human growth factor receptor 2 positive; 5 received human growth factor receptor 2-targeted therapy. AC and ACC had similar 5-year recurrence rates (20% and 33%, respectively, p = 0.31) and metastasis rates (20% and 34%, respectively, p = 0.30). de-novo AC, ex-pleomorphic AC, and ACC had similar 5-year disease-specific survival rates (80%, 79%, and 81%, respectively, p > 0.99). LG AC and ACC have similar baseline clinicopathologic features, except that perineural invasion is more common in ACC, and similar recurrence, metastasis, and survival rates. Human growth factor receptor 2-targeted therapy may be appropriate in some patients with LG AC.

Neoadjuvant Intra-arterial Cytoreductive Chemotherapy Improves Outcomes in Lacrimal Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

Lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (LGACC) has historically been associated with a poor prognosis even with localized disease, with a survival of 56% at 5 years. In 1988, we treated the first patient with neoadjuvant intra-arterial cytoreductive chemotherapy (IACC). Since then, we have used this protocol as the standard approach. We aim to analyze the outcomes of patients with LGACC treated with the protocol and compare them to a population-based cohort to assess if IACC can improve survival. We prospectively assessed all non-metastatic patients with LGACC treated with IACC at a single institution between 1988 and 2021. For a comparison group, we identified all non-metastatic patients with LGACC treated with excision from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry. We calculated disease-specific survival using the Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional-hazards modeling methods. Thirty-five non-metastatic patients with LGACC treated with IACC were identified at a single institution, and 64 patients with non-metastatic LGACC treated with excision were identified in the SEER database. The 5- and 10-year disease-specific survival rates for patients treated with IACC were 84% (95%CI 71-97) and 76% (95%CI 60-92), respectively. While the 5- and 10-year disease-specific survival rates for the population-based cohort were 72% (95%CI 62-82) and 46% (95%CI 32-60). The survival analysis favored IACC, with a 60% lower risk of death (HR: 0.4; 95%CI 0.2-0.9). IACC improves disease-specific survival in comparison to a population-based cohort treated with excision. Additional patients treated with IACC at multiple institutions are required to provide further external validity.

Amputation in patients with extremity soft tissue sarcoma: the experience of an East Asian referral center

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the characteristics and clinical outcomes in a series of patients with extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS) who underwent amputation at a large East Asian referral center.Patients and methodsOf the 652 patients who underwent surgery for extremity STS, data of 37 consecutive patients who underwent amputation were reviewed retrospectively. The median follow-up period was 96.0 months (range, 15–216). The patients were classified in to three cohorts. The primary localized (PL) group included patients who underwent amputation as a primary surgical procedure with curative intent. The recurrent localized (RL) group included patients who underwent amputation as a revision procedure after failure of previous limb sparing surgeries. The metastatic group included patients who underwent amputation as a palliative procedure.ResultsThere were 22 cases of amputation in 596 STS patients and the amputation rate was 3.6% (22/596). Further, 1.8% (9/490) of patients with primary localized STS underwent amputation. Patients with localized STS who underwent amputation had a 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 89.9% (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 87.1–92.7%), a local-recurrence-free survival (LRFS) of 84.1% (95% CI, 80.5–87.6%), and a metastasis-free survival (MFS) of 84.6%. (95% CI, 81.1–88.0%) Compared with previous studies, our results showed higher DSS and MFS rates with similar LRFS.ConclusionsThe amputation rate of extremity STS in our institute in East Asia was similar but slightly lower than that reported in Western studies. The oncologic outcome of amputation reported in this study was higher than that indicated in Western studies and oncologic outcome of amputation was not statistically different from those of limb salvage surgery. However, considering the small cohort in single institute study, there is a possibility of selection bias and future multi-center study is necessary. From our results, amputation is still a feasible option for appropriately selected patients unsuitable for limb-conserving surgery.

Correlation Between Low Cytoplasmic Expression of XBP1 and the Likelihood of Surviving Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Our objectives in this study were to (i) evaluate the clinical significance of X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1) expression in cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and (ii) assess the potential of XBP1 to be used as a prognostic biomarker. The expression of XBP1 protein in 267 HCC tissue specimens was measured using immunohistochemistry in order to characterize the associations among XBP1 expression, clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes. Survival analysis using follow-up data was used to assess the prognostic value of XBP1 in cases of HCC. Immunohistochemistry revealed a significant decrease in cytoplasmic XBP1 protein expression in HCC tumor tissue. Immunoreactivity results showed that low cytoplasmic XBP1 expression was significantly associated with vascular invasion, as well as poor 5-year overall survival and long-term disease-specific (DSS) and disease-free (DFS) survival rates. Kaplan-Meier survival curves further confirmed a significant association between low cytoplasmic XBP1 protein expression and poor DSS and DFS. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that XBP1 expression, tumor differentiation, vascular invasion, tumor stage, and the rate of recurrence were linked to DSS, while low cytoplasmic XBP1 expression remained an independent predictor of poor DSS. Our analysis also revealed that XBP1 expression, tumor differentiation, vascular invasion, and T classification were linked to DFS, while low cytoplasmic XBP1 expression remained an independent predictor of poor DFS. Low cytoplasmic XBP1 protein expression may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HCC, which suggests that XBP1 could potentially be targeted to benefit therapeutic strategies for HCC.

Epidemiological, clinical, and prognostic analysis of oral squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed and treated in a single hospital in Galicia (Spain): a retrospective study with 5-year follow-up.

Oral cancer is a common neoplasm worldwide, mostly corresponding to squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Unfortunately, its overall prognosis remains poor, with no improvement in recent decades. In this study, we have analysed the epidemiological, clinical, and prognostic characteristics of OSCC on patients of a specific Spanish region (Galicia), in order to improve its prognosis and apply effective preventive and early diagnosis measures. We retrospectively analysed 243 cases of OSCC, diagnosed and treated in a single hospital centre in Galicia between 2010 and 2015 (minimum of 5 years of evolution). Overall and specific survival were calculated (Kaplan-Meier) and associated variables were identified (log rank test and Cox regression). The mean age of the patients was 67 years, with the majority being male (69.5%), smokers (45.9%) and alcohol consumers (58.6%), who lived in non-urban areas (79.4%). Cases diagnosed at advanced stages entailed the 48.1% of the sample, and 38.7% of cases relapsed. The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were 39.9% and 46.1%, respectively. Patients who consumed tobacco and alcohol had a worse prognosis. OSCC cases referred to hospital by specialist dentists had a better prognosis, as those who were previously diagnosed with an oral potentially malignant oral disorder (OPMD) or received dental care during OSCC treatment. In view of these findings, we conclude that OSCC in Galicia (Spain) still has a very poor overall prognosis, which is mainly related to the advanced age of the patients and the late diagnosis. Our study highlights the better survival of OSCC in relation to the referring health professional, the presence of a previous OPMD and the dental care after diagnosis. This demonstrates the importance of dentistry as a health profession involved in the early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of this malignant neoplasm.

Prognostic value of a novel index combining the prognostic nutritional index and D-dimer levels for gastric cancer after gastrectomy.

The prognostic nutritional index and D-dimer level are two useful measures for gastric cancer prognosis. Since they each comprise different factors, it is possible to employ a more useful combined indicator. This study therefore aimed to establish a prognostic nutritional index-D score-which combines the prognostic nutritional index and D-dimer level-and validate its usefulness as a prognostic marker. We collected data from 1,218 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone radical gastrectomy (R0) between January 2004 and December 2015. Patients were divided into three prognostic nutritional index-D score groups based on the following criteria: score 2, low prognostic nutritional index (≤46) and high D-dimer levels (>1.0 µg/ml); score 1, either a low prognostic nutritional index or high D-dimer levels; and score 0, no abnormality. We then defined the PNI-D score as low (score 0 or 1) and high (score 2). The prognostic nutritional index-D score was significantly associated with overall, recurrence-free, and disease-specific survival (all log-rank P<0.0001). The 5-year overall survival rates of the patients with prognostic nutritional index-D scores of low and high were 88.1% and 64.7%, respectively; their 5-year recurrence-free survival rates were 86.7% and 61.3%, respectively; and their 5-year disease-specific survival rates were 99.3% and 76.5%, respectively. Cox multivariate analysis revealed that a high prognostic nutritional index-D score was an independent, statistically significant prognostic factor for poor overall (P=0.01) survival in the patients with gastric cancer. The prognostic nutritional index-D is an independent prognostic factor for patients with gastric cancer.

The Relationship Between the Resected Colon Length and the Number of Lymph Nodes in Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: The prognostic factors that are important for colorectal cancer are the pathological grade of the tumor and the existence of lymph node involvement. Currently, the curative treatment option is resection of the tumor with adequate length and margin along with complete dissection of lymph nodes draining the site of resection. Our study investigated into retrieving adequate lymph nodes for accurate staging as well as the relationship between lymph nodes and colon and rectum specimen length. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study examined the correlation between resected colon length and lymph node count in people with colorectal cancer diagnosed between January 2010 and June 2018. We defined a cutoff value for the segment length to be resected to allow adequate staging of the tumor. Furthermore, we examined the relationship between the resected segment lengths and survival. Results: Of the patients who were included in this study, 211 were men and 169 were women. The mean resected colon length was 26.47±17.09 cm and the mean dissected lymph node count was 29.05±20.84. There was a positive correlation between specimen length and total lymph node count as well as specimen length and the existence of reactive lymph nodes that were statistically significant (r=0.319, p=0.001; r=0.312, p=0.001, respectively). In our study, tumor localization was described in three regions: the right colon, left colon and rectum. The mean right colon region specimen length was 28.8±15.5 cm, while it was 22.0±11.0 cm for the left colon region, and 21.7±10.6 cm for the rectum region. The 5-year overall survival rate was 53.2%, whereas the 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 58.2%. Conclusion: The mean specimen length to achieve the cutoff value for adequate lymph node retrieval (least 12 lymph nodes) was 16 cm in our study (ROC curve, AUC=0.689±0.05, p=0.001). The resected colon length and the number of retrieved lymph nodes were positively correlated in our study. Based on this confirmation, a cutoff value of 16 cm was calculated to achieve an adequate segment length to be resected.

CT-assessed sarcopenia and prognostic nutritional index are associated with poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Recently, it has been reported that sarcopenia and nutritional evaluation are associated with the prognosis of patients with cancer; however, there are only a few detailed reports on oral cancer. This single-center retrospective study aimed to analyze the relationship between computed tomography (CT)-assessed sarcopenia (CT-SP), immunocompetence, nutritional status, and the prognosis of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This retrospective study included patients who underwent radical therapy with surgery for OSCC between January 2014 and January 2021. Skeletal muscle in the third cervical vertebra (C3) was measured using preoperative cervical CT, and the skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated. Nutritional status were investigated using blood tests. The correlation between each parameter and prognosis was analyzed. The primary predictor variables were SMI, ECOG performance status, BMI, and nutritional status. The primary outcome variable was the 5-year overall survival rate (OS) and the secondary outcome variable was 5-year disease-specific survival rate (DSS). One hundred sixty-three patients were registered retrospectively. The number of patients with CT-SP was 76 (52%). In the univariate analysis, CT-SP, prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) were associated with poor prognosis, with statistically significant differences in OS and DSS. In the multivariate analysis, only CT-SP was identified as an independent prognostic factor for DSS. CT-SP was significantly correlated with the PNI. CT-SP was associated with a significant decrease in survival rate in patients with OSCC. Furthermore, CT-SP was correlated with the PNI.