Loco-regional radiotherapy in de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma with chemotherapy and immunotherapy: A real-world retrospective study from two cancer centers.

Background: Immunochemotherapy has become the first-line treatment for initial diagnosed metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (mNPC). Loco-regional radiotherapy combined with systemic chemotherapy significantly improves the survival. However, the safety and efficacy of loco-regional radiotherapy combined with immunochemotherapy remained unknown.

Serum exosomal circCCDC66 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for pituitary adenomas.

Purpose: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an important role in tumorigenesis, and exosomal circRNAs have the potential to be novel biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. Here, we are committed to reveal serum exosomal circCCDC66 as a noninvasive biomarker to diagnose and predict recurrence in pituitary adenoma (PA).

Methods: A total of 90 PA patients and 50 healthy subjects were enrolled for clinical validation.

CircDDX17 inhibits invasive progression of pituitary adenomas by sponging miR-1279 and regulating CADM2 expression.

Purpose: Increasing evidence has revealed that circDDX17 plays significant regulatory roles in tumor progression. In the present study, we investigated the role of circDDX17 in pituitary adenomas (PAs).

Methods: Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to detect the expression of Circular RNA DDX17 (circDDX17), microRNA-1279 (miR-1279), and cell adhesion molecule 2 (CADM2) in PA tissues.

The short-term efficacy and safety of induction chemotherapy combined with PD-1 inhibitor or anti-EGFR in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of induction chemotherapy (IC) combined with PD-1 inhibitor or anti-EGFR in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC).

Methods And Materials: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 206 patients with LA-NPC, including IC combined with anti-PD-1 (57 patients), IC combined with anti-EGFR (28 patients), and IC alone (121 patients). The short-term efficacy was assessed at the end of IC and one month after overall treatment.

Serum exosomal lncRNA XIST is a potential non-invasive biomarker to diagnose recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer.

Exosomal lncRNAs secreted by cancer cells can serve as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of various tumours. Here, we are committed to explore the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum exosomal XIST secreted by tumour cells to predict recurrence in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Significant increments in XIST and exo-XIST from tumour tissues and blood serum were found in reoccurring TNBC patients by comparison with non-recurrences.

Exosomal microRNA-210 is a potentially non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of glioma.

MicroRNAs (miRs) transferred by exosomes can function as non-invasive potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis in various types of cancer. The present study examined the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum exosomal-(exo-)miR-210 levels in association with hypoxic conditions in patients with glioma. Serum levels of exo-miR-210 were determined by quantitative PCR in samples obtained from patients with glioma.

Hypoxic Glioma Cell-Secreted Exosomal miR-301a Activates Wnt/β-catenin Signaling and Promotes Radiation Resistance by Targeting TCEAL7.

Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) can be released to the extracellular microenvironment and mediate cell-cell communication through exosomes. The aim of this study was to identify exosomal miR-301a (exo-miR-301a) involved in glioblastoma (GBM) radioresistance and reveal the possible mechanisms. The exo-miR-301a specifically secreted by hypoxic GBM cells could transfer to corresponding normoxia-cultured cells and promote radiation resistance.

Effect of glycolysis inhibition by miR-448 on glioma radiosensitivity.

Objective: Although glucose metabolism reengineering is a typical feature of various tumors, including glioma, key regulators of glycolytic reprogramming are still poorly understood. The authors sought to investigate whether glycolysis inhibition by microRNA (miR)-448 increases radiosensitivity in glioma cells.

Methods: The authors used glioma tissue samples from glioma patients, cells from glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines and normal human astrocyte cells, and subcutaneous tumor-bearing U87 cells in mice to examine the effects of signaling regulation by miR-448 in the response of glioma tissues and cells to radiation treatment.

Serum exosomal miR-301a as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for human glioma.

Purpose: Exosomal miRNAs that play an important role in cell-cell communication have attracted major attention as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for various cancers. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic/prognostic significance of serum exosomal miR-301a in glioma patients.

Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine the serum exosomal expression levels of miR-301a.

MiR-301a is activated by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and promotes glioma cell invasion by suppressing SEPT7.

Background: miR-301a is frequently dysregulated and specific to human tumors, playing a critical role in tumorigenesis; however, the exact functions and regulatory mechanisms of miR-301a in glioma cells remain largely unknown. Herein, we show that miR-301a activated by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway promoted the invasion of glioma cells by directly targeting SEPT7.

Methods: Biochemical, luciferase reporter, and hromatin immunoprecipitation PCR assays characterized the function and regulatory mechanisms of miR-301a in glioma invasion.

Sulforaphane reverses chemo-resistance to temozolomide in glioblastoma cells by NF-κB-dependent pathway downregulating MGMT expression.

The survival benefits of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) remain unsatisfactory due to the intrinsic or acquired resistance to temozolomide (TMZ). We elucidated the mechanisms of sulforaphane (SFN) reverse TMZ resistance in TMZ-inducing cell lines by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) transcriptional activity. TMZ-resistant cell lines (U87-R and U373-R) were generated by stepwise (6 months) exposure of parental cells to TMZ.

miR-144-3p exerts anti-tumor effects in glioblastoma by targeting c-Met.

The study aimed to explore the specific function and mechanism of miR-144-3p in glioblastoma (GBM) cells with different phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) phenotypes. We demonstrated that the miR-144-3p level was significantly down-regulated in glioma compared with the non-neoplastic brain tissues, and decreased with ascending grades. The loss of miR-144-3p effectively predicted the decreased overall survival in glioma patients.

Downregulation of serum microRNA-205 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for human glioma.

OBJECT Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are a new class of highly promising cancer biomarkers. Malignant glioma is one of the most devastating and lethal forms of intrinsic CNS tumor. Here, the authors evaluated serum miRNA 205 (miR-205) levels in patients with glioma.

Sulforaphane enhances temozolomide-induced apoptosis because of down-regulation of miR-21 via Wnt/β-catenin signaling in glioblastoma.

Temozolomide (TMZ) has been widely used in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM), although inherent or acquired resistance restricts the application. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sulforaphane (SFN) to TMZ-induced apoptosis in GBM cells and the potential mechanism. Biochemical assays and subcutaneous tumor establishment were used to characterize the function of SFN in TMZ-induced apoptosis.

Serum toll-like receptors are potential biomarkers of radiation pneumonia in locally advanced NSCLC.

Objective: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are highly or lowly expressed in a wide variety of tumors and exhibit either pro-tumor or anti-tumor activities. In the present study, we investigate whether there are relationships between the expressions of TLRs and the occurrence of radiation pneumonia in advanced NSCLC patients treated with radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: 76 patients diagnosed with NSCLC and 50 healthy controls were recruited from Oct 2012 to Jan 2014.

miR-15a/16 enhances radiation sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cells by targeting the TLR1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Purpose: Many miRNAs have been identified as essential issues and core determining factors in tumor radiation. Recent reports have demonstrated that miRNAs and Toll-like receptors could exert reciprocal effects to control cancer development in various ways. However, a novel role of miR-15a/16 in enhancing radiation sensitivity by directly targeting TLR1 has not been reported, to our knowledge.

Outcome Study of Cobalt Based Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Patients with Inoperable Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Aim of this paper is to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of specialized Body Cobalt based system (BCBS) treatment in the senior patients group (.65 years) with Stage III non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). A total of 49 patients (41 males and 8 females) with Stage III NSCLC according to UICC TNM classification (6(th) edition) were treated using OUR-QGD™ BCBS which was designed and manufactured in China.

A meta-analysis of carotid endarterectomy versus stenting in the treatment of symptomatic carotid stenosis.

Background: Carotid stenosis is one of the common reasons for patients with ischemic stroke, and the two invasive options carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are the most popular treatments. But the relative efficacy and safety of the methods are not clear.

Methods: About 521 articles related to CAS and CEA for carotid stenosis published in 1995 - 2011 were retrieved from MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (CL), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) China Journal Full-Test database.

MiR-21 modulates hTERT through a STAT3-dependent manner on glioblastoma cell growth.

Background And Purpose: As an important oncogenic miRNA, miR-21 has been reported to play crucial roles in glioblastoma (GBM) carcinogenesis. However, the precise biological function and molecular mechanism of miR-21 in GBM remain elusive. This study is designed to explore the mechanism of miR-21 involved in the control of GBM cell growth.

MicroRNA-21 expression is regulated by β-catenin/STAT3 pathway and promotes glioma cell invasion by direct targeting RECK.

Aims: MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) expression is increased in many types of human malignancy, including glioma. Recent studies report that miR-21 regulates cell invasion by targeting RECK, however, the underlying transcriptional regulation of miR-21 in glioma cells remains elusive.

Results: Here, we identify a positive correlation between miR-21 expression and pathological grade in glioma tissues.

Genome-wide identification of TCF7L2/TCF4 target miRNAs reveals a role for miR-21 in Wnt-driven epithelial cancer.

Transcription factor 7 like 2 (TCF7L2, also known as TCF4) is a Wnt signaling pathway transcription factor involved in regulation of numerous Wnt targeted genes. Recently, thousands of high-confidence TCF4 binding sites were reported in LS174T colon carcinoma cells, however, potential TCF4 target miRNAs remain largely unknown. Here, we utilized a bioinformatics approach to discover 26 miRNA transcription start sites (TSSs) within close proximity to TCF4 chromatin occupancy sites, and validated these sites as bona fide TCF4 targets in LS174T colon carcinoma cells, MCF-7 breast cancer cells and U87 glioma cells by ChIP-PCR.

Antitumor effect of aspirin in glioblastoma cells by modulation of β-catenin/T-cell factor-mediated transcriptional activity.

Object: The goal in this study was to investigate the antitumor effect of aspirin in glioblastoma cells and the molecular mechanism involved in its antineoplastic activities.

Methods: The authors used the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method, flow cytometry, the annexin V method, and Transwell cell invasion test to detect the proliferation and invasive activity of U87 and A172 glioma cells before and after being treated with aspirin. To determine the effects of aspirin on β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) transcription activity, reporter constructs containing 3 repeats of the wild-type (TOPflash) or mutant (FOPflash) TCF-binding sites were used.

Interruption of β-catenin suppresses the EGFR pathway by blocking multiple oncogenic targets in human glioma cells.

Malignant gliomas are the most common type of intrinsic central nervous system (CNS) tumors with high mortality and morbidity. β-catenin is overexpressed in human glioblastoma and knockdown of β-catenin inhibits glioblastoma cell proliferation and invasive ability, and induces apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, treating the nude mice carrying established subcutaneous LN229 gliomas with siRNA targeting β-catenin intratumorally also delayed the tumor growth.