Placebo immune-related adverse events (irAEs): A neglected phenomenon in cancer immunotherapy trials.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the underexplored prevalence of placebo-reported immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) trials.

Methods: We searched public databases for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving ICI versus placebo treatments in patients with malignancies. Study characteristics and irAEs occurrences were extracted for meta-analyses using a random-effects model.

Unveiling the Mechanism of the ChaiShao Shugan Formula Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Background: The ChaiShao Shugan Formula (CSSGF) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula with recently identified therapeutic value in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of CSSGF in TNBC treatment.

Methods: TNBC targets were analyzed using R and data were from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases.

Insect-Inspired Strategy for Conferring Reversible, High Responsivity on Microgels to Dilute-Source CO.

We described an insect-inspired strategy for conferring reversible, high responsivity on polymer microgels to dilute-source CO (≤5000 ppm in gas mixtures). This is demonstrated on oligo(ethylene oxide)-based microgels that contain tertiary amines on the polymer chains with proper organic small molecular carbonates in the polymer-solvent system. Similar to the synergistic contribution of the CO receptor subunits in mosquitoes for CO response, laser light scattering and related studies indicated that the CO-response of the microgels in terms of the volume changes works through the coordination of different functional moieties in the system, making it different from the conventional CO-response mechanism.

Efficacy of Aidi injection combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for unresectable esophageal cancer treatment: A meta-analysis and systematic review of 29 randomized controlled trials based on Asian populations (China).

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Aidi combined with standard treatment, including radiotherapy (R), chemotherapy (C), or chemoradiotherapy (CR), for unresectable esophageal cancer (EC).

Methods: Eight online databases were queried to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from database construction to August 2022. Patients in the control group underwent standard treatment with R, C, or CR, whereas those in the experimental group underwent Aidi combined with standard treatment.

Analysis of Risk Factors for Distant Metastasis of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma without Regional Lymph Node Metastasis and a Nomogram Prediction Model for Survival.

Background: Negative regional lymph nodes do not indicate a lack of distant metastasis. A considerable number of patients with negative regional lymph node pancreatic cancer will skip the step of regional lymph node metastasis and directly develop distant metastasis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with negative regional lymph node pancreatic cancer and distant metastasis in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 2010 to 2015.

CPT1A promotes anoikis resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via redox homeostasis.

Anoikis resistance was a prominent hallmark of cancer metastasis, and lipo-genic characteristics have been identified as another metabolic alteration during tumorigenesis. However, their crosstalk has not been fully elucidated, especially in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In this study, we showed, for the first time, that the key enzyme carnitine O-palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT1A), which is involved in fatty acid oxidation (FAO), was markedly upregulated in ESCC cells upon detached culture via a metabolism PCR array.

Reversible Regulating the Substrate Specificity of Enzymes in Microgels by a Phase Transition in Polymer Networks.

Here, we report a distinct approach for regulating the substrate specificity of enzymes immobilized in microgels by a phase transition in polymer networks. The finding is demonstrated on glucose oxidase that is immobilized in thermoresponsive poly(-isopropylacrylamide)-based microgels. Laser light scattering and enzymatic oxidation tests indicate that the broadened specificity appears at low temperatures, at which the gel matrix is in the relatively swollen state relative to its state at microgel synthesis temperature; upon heating to the relative higher temperatures, the gel matrix is not able to shrink further that offers a tight space in which the enzyme resides to retain high glucose specificity.

Myopia prevalence and ocular biometry: a cross-sectional study among minority versus Han schoolchildren in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China.

Objectives: To describe and compare the prevalence of refractive error and its associated ocular biometric parameters in a large multi-racial sample of schoolchildren from Xinjiang.

Methods: A total of 67,102 school children of five ethnicity groups aged 6-23 years from 46 schools in Xinjiang participated in this study. The children underwent a comprehensive eye examination for vision screening, including uncorrected visual acuity and standardized refraction.

Immune Cell Infiltration of the Primary Tumor Microenvironment Predicted the Treatment Outcome of Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Background: With the interest in cancer immunotherapy, it may be possible to combine immunotherapy with bevacizumab and chemotherapy. We evaluated whether tumor-infiltrating immune cells are associated with the efficacy of chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Methods: This study enrolled mCRC patients on standard treatment with available detailed data and tumor tissue at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between July 1, 2005, and October 1, 2017.

Salt-Enhanced CO-Responsiveness of Microgels.

Here, we report a distinct mechanism for harnessing CO-responsiveness through enhancing CO capture ability. The finding is demonstrated on the microgels that are composed of oligo(ethylene glycol) and sulfonate moieties. Laser light scattering studies on dilute aqueous dispersion of these microgels indicated a low CO-responsivity, which can be significantly enhanced by adding NaCl and other salts.

Axis Contributes to Tumor Progression and Malignant Phenotypes in Bladder Cancer.

Abnormal expression or mutation of RNA splicing proteins are widely observed in human cancers. Here, we identified poly(U) binding splicing factor 60 () as one of the most differentially expressed genes out of 97 RNA splicing proteins between normal and bladder cancer tissues by bioinformatics analysis of TCGA bladder cancer expression data. The expression of was significantly higher in tumor tissues, while high expression was associated with malignant phenotypes of bladder cancer and shorter survival time.

Poly(U) binding splicing factor 60 promotes renal cell carcinoma growth by transcriptionally upregulating telomerase reverse transcriptase.

Abnormal transcriptional upregulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) plays a dominant role in telomerase activation in various cancers. TERT promoter mutations (TPMs) have been identified as a key mechanism in TERT upregulation. However, the mechanism of TERT upregulation in cancers with low frequency of TPMs are not fully elucidated so far.

Merging C-H Vinylation with Switchable 6π-Electrocyclizations for Divergent Heterocycle Synthesis.

Pyridinium-containing polyheterocycles exhibit distinctive biological properties and interesting electrochemical and optical properties and thus are widely used as drugs, functional materials, and photocatalysts. Here, we describe a unified two-step strategy by merging Rh-catalyzed C-H vinylation with two switchable electrocyclizations, including aza-6π-electrocyclization and all-carbon-6π-electrocyclization, for rapid and divergent access to dihydropyridoisoquinoliniums and dihydrobenzoquinolines. Through computation, the high selectivity of aza-electrocyclization in the presence of an appropriate "HCl" source under either thermal conditions or photochemical conditions is shown to result from the favorable kinetics and symmetries of frontier orbitals.

PD-L1 promotes tumor growth and progression by activating WIP and β-catenin signaling pathways and predicts poor prognosis in lung cancer.

PD-L1 is overexpressed in tumor cells and contributes to cancer immunoevasion. However, the role of the tumor cell-intrinsic PD-L1 in cancers remains unknown. Here we show that PD-L1 regulates lung cancer growth and progression by targeting the WIP and β-catenin signaling.

Association of body composition with survival and inflammatory responses in patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer.

Objectives: It is unknown whether or not the body composition is correlated with the prognosis and inflammatory response in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC).

Materials And Methods: This cohort included 1767 patients with NPC. Visceral, subcutaneous and intra muscular adipose tissues (VAT, SAT and IMAT), and skeletal muscle index were quantified with computed tomography.

KMT2A regulates cervical cancer cell growth through targeting VDAC1.

Cervical cancer is an aggressive cutaneous malignancy, illuminating the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and discovering novel therapeutic targets are urgently needed. KMT2A is a transcriptional co-activator regulating gene expression during early development and hematopoiesis, but the role of KMT2A in cervical cancer remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that KMT2A regulated cervical cancer growth via targeting VADC1.

Cutaneous extranodal natural killer (NK) / T - cell lymphoma: A comprehensive clinical features and outcomes analysis of 71 cases.

Background: The skin is the common extranasal sites in extranodal natural killer (NK) / T - cell lymphoma, (ENKTL). However, data regarding cutaneous ENKTL are relatively scarce. Thus, we performed a large retrospective study to analyze clinical features and treatment outcomes of cutaneous ENKTL.

Comparison of Mismatch Repair Status Between Primary and Matched Metastatic Sites in Patients With Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Differences between the features of primary cancer and matched metastatic cancer have recently drawn attention in research. This study investigated the concordance in microsatellite instability (MSI) and mismatch repair (MMR) status between primary and corresponding metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Consecutive patients with metastatic CRC who had both primary and metastatic tumors diagnosed at our institution in January 2008 through December 2016 were identified.

Inflammation-based markers can predict the prognosis of geriatric patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy.

Background: Relationship between inflammatory factors and survival or efficacy of first-line treatment in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC) who received first-line chemotherapy has not been clarified.

Methods: A total of 186 MCRC patients aged ≥65 years, receiving chemotherapy between January 1, 2004 and October 1, 2015 were identified. Pretreatment levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were measured.

Ku80 promotes melanoma growth and regulates antitumor effect of melatonin by targeting HIF1-α dependent PDK-1 signaling pathway.

Melanoma is one of the most malignant and aggressive cancers with high cancer-related deaths. However, it is unclear whether Ku80 regulates tumor growth in human melanoma. In this study, we screened a siRNA library targeting 6024 human genes and identified Ku80 as a potential therapeutic target in melanoma cells.

Panobinostat (LBH589) inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via upregulating APCL expression in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common malignant disease among women worldwide and the novel therapeutic agents are urgently needed. Panobinostat (LBH589), a pan-HDACs inhibitor, has shown promising anti-tumor effect in recent years. However, the targets of this compound are largely unclear because of its low selectivity.

Positive impact of the negative lymph node count on the survival rate of stage III colon cancer with pN1 and right-side disease.

: We aimed to investigate the role of the negative lymph node count (NLN) as a predictor of prognosis in patients with stage III colon cancer. : We conducted a retrospective study on patients who were diagnosed with stage III colon cancer at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. According to the number of negative lymph nodes, all patients were divided into the low or high NLN group.

Systemic neutrophil lymphocyte ratio and mismatch repair status in colorectal cancer patients: correlation and prognostic value.

Mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with increased local immune response as compared with mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) CRC. We evaluated the relationship between MMR status and systemic inflammatory factors, including neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). We also assessed the prognostic value of these parameters.