Factor For Overall Survival In Patients Research Articles

Correlation between C-reactive protein/albumin ratio and prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

ObjectiveThis study was performed to examine the relationship between the C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) and the prognosis of patients with lung adenocarcinoma and thus provide a reference for evaluating the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma.MethodsThe clinical data of 130 patients with lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The patients’ overall survival (OS) time was calculated, and the factors affecting OS were statistically analyzed.ResultsThe CAR was correlated with sex, clinical stage, brain metastasis, S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B), interleukin 17, myelin basic protein, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag), and the lymphocyte count. The median OS was significantly shorter in the high- than low-CAR group (18 vs. 64 months, respectively). The CAR, clinical stage, brain metastasis, S100B, interleukin 17, SCC-Ag, C-reactive protein, albumin, and neutrophil count affected the OS of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. The CAR and clinical stage were independent risk factors for a poor prognosis in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.ConclusionsThe CAR and clinical stage are independent risk factors for OS in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Albumin and Derived Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio is a Novel Prognostic Factor for Patients with Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Multidisciplinary treatment combining neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) and surgery has slightly improved the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Although various biomarkers targeting nutrition and inflammation are associated with cancer prognosis, most studies have focused on conditions prior to NAT. Developing real-time and sensitive biomarkers that monitor changes in systemic conditions during NAT is important. We established a novel nutritional and inflammatory index, represented as the albumin to derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (Alb-dNLR), and calculated the change in Alb-dNLR (ΔAlb-dNLR) during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT). In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether ΔAlb-dNLR is associated with prognosis in patients with ESCC. We investigated 172 patients who underwent nCT before esophagectomy between April 2010 and March 2018. The dNLR was calculated as the ratio of neutrophil count to (white blood cell count - neutrophil count), Alb-dNLR was calculated by dividing the serum albumin level by the dNLR, and ΔAlb-dNLR was evaluated by dividing the post-Alb-dNLR by the pre-Alb-dNLR. Patients were divided into 'high' and 'low' groups according to the ΔAlb-dNLR. Thirty-nine patients (22.7%) had a low ΔAlb-dNLR (≤ 0.8), and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates in patients with low and high ΔAlb-dNLR were 38.1% and 53.6%, respectively (p = 0.0072). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that estimated blood loss (p = 0.044), pathological T stage (p = 0.0005), pathological N stage (p = 0.017), and ΔAlb-dNLR (p = 0.005) were independent prognostic factors for OS. ΔAlb-dNLR is a useful prognostic factor for OS in patients with ESCC receiving nCT.

Prognostic factors of primary neuroendocrine breast cancer: A population‐based study

BackgroundPrimary neuroendocrine breast carcinomas (NEBCs) are an extremely rare and underrecognized subtype of mammalian carcinoma. The prognostic factors for NEBCs remain controversial.MethodsIn this multicenter retrospective study, the prognostic factors for patients with primary NEBCs who underwent surgery and had a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of neuroendocrine carcinoma in China and the United States were examined. The endpoints were disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).ResultsA total of 51 Chinese patients and 98 US patients were included. In the Chinese cohort, tumor grade and Ki‐67 levels were prognostic factors for DFS in univariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.11 [1.67–15.60], p = 0.004; HR = 57.70 [6.36–523.40], p < 0.001, respectively) and multivariate analysis (HR = 100.52 [1.33–7570.21], p = 0.037; HR = 31.47 [1.05–945.82], p = 0.047, respectively). In the US cohort, age was an important prognostic factor for OS in univariate analysis (HR = 1.09 [1.04–1.15], p = 0.001). The random effects model for the combined cohorts revealed age and positive expression of estrogen receptor (ER) as potential prognostic factors for OS (HR = 1.08 [1.01–1.14], p = 0.015; HR = 0.10 [0.02–0.44], p = 0.003, respectively).ConclusionsTumor grade and Ki‐67 levels are important prognostic factors for DFS of patients with primary NEBCs. Age and ER status are important prognostic factors for OS of patients with primary NEBCs.

Expression and clinical significance of lncRNA BC041954 in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a highly lethal disease among all gynecologic malignant tumor types. Accumulating studies have indicated that certain long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve important roles in the development and progression of OC. In a previous study by our group, lncRNA BC041954 was identified as one of the most upregulated lncRNAs in OC. In the present study, the clinical significance of lncRNA BC041954 in OC was evaluated. The expression of BC041954 was detected in OC and non-tumor tissue (NT) samples using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Furthermore, the association between BC041954 and clinicopathological variables was analyzed using the Chi-square test. Survival was determined using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The prognostic significance of BC041954 was evaluated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. MicroRNA (miRNA)-lncRNA and miRNA-mRNA pairs were used to construct the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNA network with an in-house Perl script. BC041954 expression was increased in 103 OC tissues as compared with that in NT tissues. Upregulated BC041954 expression was significantly associated with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and distant metastasis. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that patients with high BC041954 expression had lower overall survival (OS). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, BC041954 was also identified as an independent poor prognostic factor for OS in patients with OC. The results suggested that overexpression of the lncRNA BC041954 is a poor prognostic indicator in patients with OC.

Recurrence and Prognostic Value of Circulating Tumor Cells in Resectable Pancreatic Head Cancer: A Single Center Retrospective Study.

Background and AimTo investigate the effect of preoperative circulation tumor cells (CTCs) on postoperative recurrence and overall survival prognosis of pancreatic head cancer after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).MethodsFrom March 2014 to January 2018, 73 patients with pancreatic head cancer underwent radical resection (R0) in Zhongshan People's Hospital. CTCs in peripheral blood of patients with pancreatic head cancer were detected by “Cyttel” method before PD. Seventy-three patients were divided into positive and negative groups according to the positive criteria. To explore the relationship between the clinical data of CTCs and disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyzing the risk factors affecting the postoperative recurrence and the survival prognosis of patients.Results41 patients (56.2%) were in the CTC-positive group. Preoperative CTCs were correlated with tumor vascular invasion, CA199 level and postoperative liver metastasis (P < 0.05). Preoperative CTC-positive, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, and nerve invasion were independent risk factors for DFS (P < 0.05). Preoperative CTC-positive, tumor diameter > 2 cm and vascular invasion were independent risk factors for OS of patients (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe detection of CTCs before PD is an important factor affecting the DFS and OS of pancreatic head cancer, which is significant in guiding clinical work.

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation for patients with liver metastasis from pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Objective To analyze the survival outcomes and prognostic factors of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for pancreatic adenocarcinoma liver metastasis (PALM). Methods Between January 2010 and July 2021, 20 patients (13 males) with an average age of 58.9 ± 11.7 years who underwent RFA for PALM were included. The mean maximum diameter of PALMs was 2.6 ± 1.1 cm (1.0–6.0 cm). Survival curves were built using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. Multivariable analyses were performed by using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results Twenty patients with 29 PALMs underwent 23 RFA sessions. Technical efficacy was achieved in 28 PALMs (28/29, 96.6%). The mean overall survival (OS) after RFA was 14.6 months and the 1-, 2-year survival rates were 39.5%, 18.1%, respectively. With multivariate analysis, abnormal serum levels of CA199 (p = 0.023) and extrahepatic metastasis before RFA (p = 0.038) were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with PALM. Additionally, the mean progression-free survival (PFS) after RFA was 11.5 months and 1-, 2- year survival rates were 26.0%, 17.3%, respectively. With multivariate analysis, abnormal serum levels of CA199 (p = 0.016) and extrahepatic metastasis before RFA (p = 0.043) were also identified as independent prognostic factors for PFS in patients with PALM. Conclusion RFA is a safe and effective treatment for patients with PALM, especially in patients with normal serum level of CA199 or the patients without extrahepatic metastases before RFA.

Prognostic impact of serum cytokeratin 19 fragments in patient with metastatic urothelial cancer treated with immune checkpoint inihibitors.

555 Background: Recent clinical trials such as Keynote-045, EV-201 and Javelin bladder100 have provided new therapeutic agents for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). However, the only tool that can evaluate the therapeutic responses is a radiological criteria, Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) in mUC. In the clinical practice, biomarkers that can predict the efficacy and prognosis of various agents are essential to treat these patients, and the search for such biomarkers is urgently needed. We reported that Performance status ≥ 1, liver metastasis and elevated serum cytokeratin 19 fragments (sCYFRA) are the prognostic factors for first-line cytotoxic cheomotherapy (CTC) for mUC. In this study we evaluated pretreated clinical biomarkers including sCYFRA that can predict overall survival (OS) in patients with mUC treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Methods: Thirty four patients with mUC received pembrolizuab (PB) from February 2018 to July 2020 at our institution. We retrospectively collected performance status, metastasis site, blood neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), hemoglobin (Hb), and serum levels of lactose dehydrogenase (LD), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), C-reacted protein (CRP), total protein, albumin, corrected calcium (Ca), carbohydrate antigen19-9, sCYFRA before PB was administered. OS rate were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was carried out using the Cox hazards model. Objective Response rate (ORR) was evaluated based on RECIST (version 1.1). Results: Of 34 patients (Pts), with median age of 73(31-86), during the median follow-up period of 25 (7-126) months, 21patients (65%) had died. Median OS was 9.2 months (0.2-33.4), A 1-year OS rate was 33%. ORR was 33% and 9 Pts was SD (27%) and 14 pts (40%) was progressive disease. On univariate analysis, bone metastasis (p=0.028), LD (p=0.003), ALP (p=0.001), Ca (p=0.003) and sCYFRA (p=0.001) were the significant prognostic factor for OS. On multivariate analysis, ALP (HR9.2, 95%CI [2.89-135.9], p=0.002), Ca (HR7.3, (95%CI [2.36-22.49], p=0.001), sCYFRA (HR 5.0, 95%CI [1.63-15.55], p=0.005) were the significant prognostic factor for OS. Based on these 3 factors we divided pts into three groups, good risk (G1,0 factor), intermediate risk (G2, 1 factor) and poor risk (G3, 2-3 factors)3. There was a significant difference between the three groups for OS on K-M curve (G1 vs G2, p=0.001, G2vs G3, p=0.009). Conclusions: sCYFRA, ALP and Ca were the independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with mUC treated with ICI. sCYFRA was the independent prognostic factor for OS in the 1st line CTC and 2nd line ICI and it can be a prognostic factor though those therapies.

Abstract P1-24-05: Breast conserving surgery for non-metastatic inflammatory breast cancer: A National Cancer Database (NCDB) study

Abstract Background: Single center studies have suggested breast conserving surgery (BCS) as treatment for inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Given its infrequency, a multi-hospital database study is useful. This study reports the characteristics, outcomes, and prognostic factors of women with non-metastatic IBC who underwent BCS. Methods: The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for women ≥18 years old with cT4dN0-3M0. Outcomes were compared between treatment groups. A Cox proportional hazards model assessed the relationship of variables and the overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 12,223 women were treated as follows: no surgery (12.8%), BCS (3.3%), and mastectomy (83.9%). BCS was significantly more common in academic/research institutions, South and North-East hospitals, no special type histology, triple negative breast cancer, single quadrant tumors, and node-negative tumors. Most patients who underwent BCS received chemotherapy (86.2%) and radiation therapy (61.9%), while hormonal therapy was infrequent (37.1%). Mortality was higher with BCS than mastectomy at 30 (1.3% versus 0.3%, p&amp;lt;0.001) and 90 (6.8% versus 1.5%, p&amp;lt;0.001) days post-surgery. Three- and five-year OS post-BCS was lower compared to mastectomy but higher than no surgery. Prognostic factors of OS for patients who underwent surgery included academic/research institutions, income ≥$63,000, hormone positive tumors, and receipt of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Conclusion: BCS is offered to select women with non-metastatic IBC across NCDB participating hospitals. Caution is necessary while studying if surgery can be de-escalated in IBC. Standardized multidisciplinary care along with mastectomy remains the norm for patients with non-metastatic IBC. Citation Format: Fernando A. Angarita, Stephen B. Edge, Kristopher Attwood, Kazuaki Takabe, Jessica Young. Breast conserving surgery for non-metastatic inflammatory breast cancer: A National Cancer Database (NCDB) study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-24-05.

Associations of DDX60L With the Clinical Features and Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

ObjectiveAlthough the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still unclear, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is considered a common cause of HCC. It has been reported that DDX60L can inhibit HCV replication, but its role in HCC is still poorly understood.MethodsThe expression levels of DDX60L in HCC tissues and in tissues adjacent to the tumor and their correlation with the clinicopathological features of patients were analyzed. We also used Kaplan–Meier curves of overall survival (OS) with Cox regression analysis and log-rank test to investigate the prognostic value of DDX60L in HCC. We further performed cell proliferation, Transwell, and wound healing assays to elucidate the role of DDX60L in HCC using the siRNA-DDX60L Hep3B or HCCLM3 cell line.ResultsUnivariate analysis showed that sex, Edmondson grade, microvascular invasion, tumor stage (III–IV/I–II), AFP, and DDX60L expression were strongly associated with the prognosis of HCC patients. The results of multivariate analysis further suggested that DDX60L might be an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients with HCC (Pmoderate/low = 0.015, Phigh/low = 0.011). The low DDX60L expression in HCC patients with no-metastasis, age ≥55 years, tumor size <5 cm, Edmondson grade = I–II, microvascular invasion, no cirrhosis, HBV positivity, tumor stage = III–IV, AFP >20 μg/L, and multiple tumor was associated with poorer prognosis (P <0.05). Moreover, the expression of DDX60L was significantly lower in HCC samples (N = 285) than in the normal tissues adjacent to the tumor (N = 167, P <0.001). There were no HCV-related HCC patients in this study. Additionally, we found that DDX60L knockdown can promote the proliferation of Hep3B cells, migration and invasion ability of Hep3B and HCCLM3 cells.ConclusionWe found that the downregulation of DDX60L expression correlated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC, which may be independent of the HCV-related pathway. Furthermore, DDX60L significantly inhibited the proliferation of Hep3B cells, migration and invasion of Hep3B and HCCLM3 cells. Therefore, DDX60L can serve as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

High expression of S100A2 predicts poor prognosis in patients with endometrial carcinoma

BackgroundS100A2, a member of the S100 protein family, is abnormally expressed and plays a vital role in multiple cancers. However, little is known about the clinical significance of S100A2 in endometrial carcinoma.MethodsClinicopathological data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC). First, the expression and prognostic value of different S100 family members in endometrial carcinoma were evaluated. Subsequently, the Kaplan–Meier plotter and Cox regression analysis were used to assess the prognostic significance of S100A2, while the association between S100A2 expression and clinical characteristics in endometrial carcinoma was also analyzed using logistic regression. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and a nomogram were constructed. The putative underlying cellular mechanisms were explored using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA).ResultsOur results revealed that S100A2 expression was significantly higher in endometrial carcinoma tissue than in non-cancerous tissue at both the mRNA and protein levels. Analysis of Kaplan–Meier plotter data revealed that patients with high S100A2 expression had shorter overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS) compared with those of patients with low S100A2 expression. Multivariate Cox analysis further confirmed that high S100A2 expression was an independent risk factor for OS in patients with endometrial carcinoma. Other clinicopathologic features found to be related to worse prognosis in endometrial carcinoma included age, clinical stage, histologic grade, and tumor invasion. Importantly, ROC analysis also confirmed that S100A2 has a high diagnostic value in endometrial carcinoma. KEGG enrichment analysis and GSEA revealed that the estrogen and IL-17 signaling pathways were significantly upregulated in the high S100A2 expression group, in which estrogen response, JAK-STAT3, K-Ras, and TNFα/NF-κB were differentially enriched.ConclusionsS100A2 plays an important role in endometrial carcinoma progression and may represent an independent diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for endometrial carcinoma.

A Low Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index Predicts a Poor Prognosis in Patients With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Introduction: Inflammation plays a crucial role in cancers, and the advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) is considered to be a potential factor reflecting systemic inflammation. Objectives: This work aimed to explore the prognostic value of the ALI in metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and classify patients according to risk and prognosis. Methods: We screened 318 patients who were diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC in Hubei Cancer Hospital from July 2012 to December 2013. The formula for ALI is body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) × serum albumin (Alb, g/dl)/neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Categorical variables were analyzed by the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. The overall survival (OS) rates were analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method and plotted with the R language. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the relationship between ALI and OS. Results: According to the optimal cut-off value determined by X-tile software, patients were divided into two groups (the ALI <32.6 and ALI ≥32.6 groups), and the median OS times were 19.23 and 39.97 months, respectively (p < 0.01). A multivariable Cox regression model confirmed that ALI and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with NSCLC. OS in the high ALI group was better than that in the low ALI group (HR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.03–1.89; p = 0.03). Conclusions: Patients with a low ALI tend to have lower OS among those with metastatic NSCLC, and the ALI can serve as an effective prognostic factor for NSCLC patients.

Salivary Metabolomics for Prognosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

This study aimed to identify salivary metabolomic biomarkers for predicting the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) based on comprehensive metabolomic analyses. Quantified metabolomics data of unstimulated saliva samples collected from patients with OSCC (n = 72) were randomly divided into the training (n = 35) and validation groups (n = 37). The training data were used to develop a Cox proportional hazards regression model for identifying significant metabolites as prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival. Moreover, the validation group was used to develop another Cox proportional hazards regression model using the previously identified metabolites. There were no significant between-group differences in the participants’ characteristics, including age, sex, and the median follow-up periods (55 months [range: 3–100] vs. 43 months [range: 0–97]). The concentrations of 5-hydroxylysine (p = 0.009) and 3-methylhistidine (p = 0.012) were identified as significant prognostic factors for OS in the training group. Among them, the concentration of 3-methylhistidine was a significant prognostic factor for OS in the validation group (p = 0.048). Our findings revealed that salivary 3-methylhistidine is a prognostic factor for OS in patients with OSCC.

Association between sarcopenia based on psoas muscle index and the response to nivolumab in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: A retrospective study.

PurposeTwo methods are used to identify sarcopenia by calculating skeletal muscle area on computed tomography: the skeletal muscle index (SMI) and the psoas muscle index (PMI). Programmed death (PD)-1 inhibitors are helpful in treating metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, there remains insufficient information regarding a clear and easy-to-use biomarker for predicting the response to PD-1 inhibitors in patients with mRCC. Therefore, we investigated the influence of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes in patients with mRCC undergoing treatment with nivolumab.Materials and MethodsThis study evaluated 96 patients with RCC who received nivolumab. The SMI and PMI were calculated for each patient and normalized for stature by use of the following formulas: SMI (cm2/m2)=([skeletal muscle cross-sectional area at the level of L3]/[height]2) and PMI (cm2/m2) = ([left-right sum of the psoas muscle areas at the level of L3]/[height]2). The relationship of the clinical variables with progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) was examined using a Cox proportional hazards model.ResultsAccording to the SMI-based definition of sarcopenia, 74.0% of patients had sarcopenia. However, according to the PMI-based definition of sarcopenia, only 34.3% of patients were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Multivariate analysis identified sarcopenia based on PMI (hazard ratio [HR], 3.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.04–7.26; p<0.001) and International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium poor risk status (HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.03–3.50; p=0.041) as significant and independent prognostic factors of OS.ConclusionsPMI-based sarcopenia is a significant prognostic factor for OS in patients with RCC who receive nivolumab therapy.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of malignant hydronephrosis associated with colorectal carcinoma

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics and outcome of hydronephrosis associated with advanced or metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Methods: Clinical data of 311 patients with locally advanced or metastatic colorectal carcinoma between June 2017 and March 2020 in National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital were retrospectively collected. Thirty-nine patients with hydronephrosis diagnosed by CT scan were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, Log rank method was used for comparison of survival between the two groups with or without hydronephrosis, and univariate and multivariate analyses was performed by Cox proportional risk regression model. Results: The incidence rate of malignant hydronephrosis associated with metastatic colorectal carcinoma was 12.5% (39/311), 26 were male, and 13 were female. The median age was 43 years (23-74 years). Among the 39 patients, 29 had unilateral hydronephrosis and 10 had bilateral hydronephrosis. Eleven patients with hydronephrosis at the initiate diagnosis, 28 patients with hydronephrosis at relapse or advanced course, and the median time to hydronephrosis was 17 months (4-62 months). The disease control rate (DCR, 77.8% and 84.6%, respectively) and progression free survival (PFS were 6 and 7 months) were not significantly different between patients with hydronephrosis and without hydronephrosis received the first-line chemotherapy (P>0.05). The median overall survival (OS) after presence of hydronephrosis was 26 months (95%CI: 8.3, 43.7). Multivariate analyses showed that the blood vessel invasion (LVSI) was an independent risk factor for OS (P<0.05). Conclusions: Malignant hydronephrosis had no effect on the efficacy of the first-line chemotherapy and PFS of patients with colorectal carcinoma received the first-line chemotherapy. LVSI was the independent prognostic factor for OS of patients with malignant hydronephrosis.

Radiologic Response as a Prognostic Factor in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Macroscopic Vascular Invasion after Transarterial Chemoembolization and Radiotherapy

Introduction: We evaluated the radiologic response rate of combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus radiotherapy (RT) in treatment-naïve patients with liver-confined hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with macroscopic vascular invasion (MVI) and analyzed its clinical importance in overall survival (OS) outcomes. Methods: Patients who were treated with TACE plus RT as a first-line treatment for HCC with MVI between January 2010 and December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Radiologic response was assessed according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) at 2 and 4 months after completion of RT. Landmark analysis at 2 and 4 months, and time-dependent Cox regression analysis using response as a time-dependent covariate were performed for univariable and multivariable analyses. Results: The 2-month landmark analysis included 427 patients, and the 4-month landmark analysis included 355 patients after excluding patients without imaging studies for response evaluation at 4 months. Radiologic responses were observed in 210 (49.2%) patients at 2 months and 181 (51.8%) patients at 4 months. In multivariable analyses, radiologic response was identified as an independent prognosticator for OS at 2 months (median OS: responders, 23.1 months vs. nonresponders, 8.0 months; hazard ratio [HR], 3.194; p < 0.001) and 4 months (median OS: responders, 26.5 months vs. nonresponders, 9.3 months; HR, 4.534; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Radiologic response assessed by mRECIST was a significant prognostic factor for OS in patients with advanced-stage HCC showing MVI treated with combined TACE plus RT.

Efficacy of Chemotherapy versus Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Advanced Primary Hepatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma and an Analysis of the Prognostic Factors: A Retrospective Study.

BackgroundPrimary hepatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PHNEC) is a rare liver tumor, and there is no clear therapeutic recommendation for patients with advanced PHNEC. This study aims to compare the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy (etoposide combined with cisplatin/carboplatin, EP/EC) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with advanced PHNEC, and to evaluate the relevant prognostic factors.Patients and MethodsThe clinical data of 41 patients with advanced PHNEC from June 2014 to October 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsAt a median follow-up time of 13.9 months, the median overall survival (OS) was 14.8 months in the EP/EC group and 12.2 months in the TACE group (P = 0.040). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.4 months and 2.7 months in the EP/EC group and the TACE group, respectively (P = 0.005). No significant differences in the overall response rate and disease control rate were observed between the EP/EC group and the TACE group (26.1% vs 11.1%, P = 0.429; 73.9% vs 44.4%, P = 0.055, respectively). A univariate analysis indicated that the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), Ki-67, tumor number, and treatment options were prognostic factors for OS. A multivariate analysis further showed that ECOG PS (P < 0.001), Ki-67 (P = 0.003), and treatment options (P = 0.022) were independent prognostic factors for OS.ConclusionKi-67, ECOG PS, and treatment options were the independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with advanced PHNEC. EP/EC may be a better choice for patients with advanced PHNEC.

Upregulated Transcription Factor PITX1 Predicts Poor Prognosis in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma-Based Bioinformatic Analysis and Experimental Verification.

Paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 1 (PITX1) is involved in numerous biological processes, including cell growth, progression, and invasion in various malignant tumors. Nevertheless, the relationship between PITX1 and kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remains unclear. The clinical role and functions of PITX1 were analyzed by integrating multiple open-access online datasets. Further experimental verification was performed via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to detect the expression of PITX1 in 10 pairs of KIRC tissues. Our results revealed that PITX1 mRNA was overexpressed in tumor tissues compared with normal tissues in the TCGA-KIRC database (p < 0.001) and numerous independent cohorts (p < 0.05). Further, high expression of PITX1 mRNA was detected in KIRC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues in our center by qRT-PCR (N = 10, p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the PITX1 level was positively associated with KIRC patients, T and M stages, histologic grade, and pathologic stage (all p < 0.05). Survival analysis showed that upregulation of PITX1 mRNA was associated with poor overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) (all p < 0.05). Univariate/multivariate Cox hazard regression analysis revealed that PITX1 was an independent risk factor for OS in patients with KIRC (HR = 1.998, p = 0.003). Accordingly, the time-independent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve confirmed that PITX1 had good predictive efficacy for OS and DSS. Meanwhile, a prediction model constructed by nomogram was used to predict the OS of KIRC patients, and the calibration plot indicated this model shows high accuracy. We also revealed some downstream target genes of PITX1-related signaling pathways. Our finding suggested that high PITX1 mRNA expression may act as an independent predictive factor of poor prognosis in patients with KIRC. The prognostic model based on the nomogram would be instrumental in evaluating the survival rate in KIRC patients.

Prognostic predictors in recurrent adult granulosa cell tumors of the ovary: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ovarian adult granulosa cell tumours are low-grade malignant sex cord-stromal neoplasm with a low recurrence rate. Prognostic factors for recurrence include tumor stage, tumor rupture in Stage I neoplasms and the presence of residual tumors after surgery. However, in recurrent tumors, prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) are lacking. In the present paper, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis with the aim to assess prognostic factors for OS in patients with recurrent GCT. Electronic databases were searched for all studies assessing prognostic factors in recurrent adult granulosa cell tumor of the ovary. Student T test, Fisher's exact test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with long-rank test were used to assess differences among groups; a p value < 0.05 was considered significant. Eleven studies analyzing 102 recurrent tumors were included in the systematic review. Tumor stage and localization of recurrent tumors were significantly associated with OS on Kaplan-Meier analysis; Cox regression analysis showed a HR of 0.879 for the stage II, of 3.052 for the stage III, and of 2.734 for stage IV tumor was significantly associated with OS (p = 0.037); observed HRs for abdominal and thoracic locations were of 2.405 and of 4.024, respectively. In conclusion, the present article emphasizes the prognostic significance of tumor stage > II and extrapelvic anatomic sites of recurrences in patients with recurrent granuolase cell tumors of the ovary.

Effect of epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutation on the prognosis of pathological stage II–IIIA (8th edition TNM classification) primary lung cancer after curative surgery

ObjectivesThis retrospective study aimed to elucidate the effect of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations on the prognosis of patients with pathological stage II–IIIA primary lung cancer after curative surgery. Materials and methodsWe enrolled 539 patients with p-stage II–IIIA (8th edition tumor–node–metastasis [TNM] classification) lung cancer who underwent curative resection at Kanagawa Cancer Center between January 2010 and December 2020 and whose tumors were tested for EGFR mutations. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancer (Mt, n = 126) including EGFR exon 21 L858R point mutation and EGFR exon 19 deletion mutation and EGFR mutation-wild lung cancer (Wt, n = 413) were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves and compared using a log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of EGFR gene mutations on RFS and OS at each stage. ResultsThere were 56/256 patients with p-stage II EGFR-Mt/Wt and 70/157 patients with p-stage IIIA EGFR-Mt/Wt. The 5-year RFS rate of patients with EGFR-Mt/Wt was 46.6%/52.0% (p = 0.787) for p-stage II and 17.4%/29.7% (p = 0.929) for p-stage IIIA. The 5-year OS rate was 92.0%/65.7% (p = 0.001) for p-stage II and 56.0%/39.3% (p = 0.016) for p-stage IIIA. EGFR-Mt was not an independent prognostic factor for OS of patients with p-stage IIIA lung cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51–1.76; p = 0.872); however, EGFR-Mt was an independent favorable prognostic factor for OS of patients with p-stage II lung cancer (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36–0.96; p = 0.034). ConclusionThe OS of lung cancer patients with p-stage II or IIIA, classified according to the 8th edition TNM classification, was remarkably favorable. Incorporating EGFR mutations to the anatomical TNM classification may lead to a more accurate prognosis prediction.

Clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors and their association with survival.

BACKGROUNDDespite the popularity of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the treatment of advanced cancer, patients often develop gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The clinical characteristics and survival outcomes of GI-irAEs have not been fully elucidated in previous reports. This necessitates the evaluation of the impact of GI-irAEs on patients receiving ICI treatment.AIMTo evaluate the clinical characteristics of GI-irAEs and their impact on survival in patients treated with ICIs.METHODSIn this single-center, retrospective, observational study, we reviewed the records of 661 patients who received ICIs for various cancers at Nagoya University Hospital from September 2014 to August 2020. We analyzed the clinical characteristics of patients who received ICI treatment. We also evaluated the correlation between GI-irAE development and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (LC) and malignant melanoma (MM). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the median overall survival (OS). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify prognostic factors. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTSGI-irAEs occurred in 34 of 605 patients (5.6%) treated with an anti-programmed cell death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) antibody alone and in nine of 56 patients (16.1%) treated with an anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) antibody alone or a combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies. The cumulative incidence and median daily diarrhea frequency were significantly higher in patients receiving anti-CTLA-4 antibodies (P < 0.05). In 130 patients with MM, OS was significantly prolonged in the group that continued ICI treatment despite the development of GI-irAEs compared to the group that did not experience GI-irAEs (P = 0.035). In contrast, in 209 patients with non-small cell LC, there was no significant difference in OS between the groups. The multivariate analyses showed that a performance status of 2-3 (hazard ratio: 2.406; 95% confidence interval: 1.125–5.147; P = 0.024) was an independent predictive factor for OS in patients with MM.CONCLUSIONPatients receiving anti-CTLA-4 antibodies develop GI-irAEs more frequently and with higher severity than those receiving anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies. Continuing ICI treatment in patients with MM with GI-irAEs have better OS.