Prognostic value of metastatic cervical lymph node stiffness in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Extracellular matrix stiffness plays an important role in tumorigenesis. In this study, we assessed the prognostic value of metastatic cervical lymph node (CLN) stiffness measured using ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: A total of 325 consecutive patients with NPC and CLN metastases were prospectively enrolled in this study.

Head and neck MRI-based T stage and [F]FDG PET/CT-based N/M stage improved prognostic stratification in primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objectives: To evaluate whether MRI-based T stage (T), [F]FDG PET/CT-based N (N), and M stage (M) are superior in NPC patients' prognostic stratification based on long-term survival evidences, and whether TNM staging method involving T + N + M could improve NPC patients' prognostic stratification.

Methods: From April 2007 to December 2013, 1013 consecutive untreated NPC patients with complete imaging data were enrolled. All patients' initial stages were repeated based on (1) the NCCN guideline recommended "T + N + M" ("MMP") staging method; (2) the traditional "T + N + M" ("MMC") staging method; (3) the single-step "T + N + M" ("PPP") staging method; or (4) the "T + N + M" ("MPP") staging method recommended in present research.

Evolutionary route of nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis and its clinical significance.

It is critical to understand factors associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) metastasis. To track the evolutionary route of metastasis, here we perform an integrative genomic analysis of 163 matched blood and primary, regional lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis tumour samples, combined with single-cell RNA-seq on 11 samples from two patients. The mutation burden, gene mutation frequency, mutation signature, and copy number frequency are similar between metastatic tumours and primary and regional lymph node tumours.

Predictive factors for the benefit of triple-drug transarterial chemoembolization for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Compared with single-drug TACE, our previous phase III study demonstrated that triple-drug transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) prolonged overall survival (OS) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to find which patients can benefit from the triple drugs TACE compared with single-drug TACE.

Methods: Patients in the triple-drug TACE arm received sponge embolization and emulsions composed of 50 mg epirubicin, 50 mg lobaplatin, 6 mg mitomycin C, and lipiodol, while patients in the single-drug TACE arm received sponge embolization and emulsions composed of 50 mg epirubicin and lipiodol.

Sorafenib Plus Hepatic Arterial Infusion of Oxaliplatin, Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin vs Sorafenib Alone for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Portal Vein Invasion: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Sorafenib is the first-line treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion; however, it has shown unsatisfactory survival benefit. Sorafenib plus hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) of oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (FOLFOX) has shown promising results for these patients in a previous phase 2 study.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of sorafenib plus HAIC compared with sorafenib for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion.

A curative-intent endoscopic surgery for postradiation nasopharyngeal necrosis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Postradiation nasopharyngeal necrosis (PRNN) is a severe complication after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which can severely affect the quality of life and threaten the patient's life. Only 13.4%-28.

The efficacy and safety of long- versus short-interval transarterial chemoembolization in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

To compare the efficacy and safety of long- versus short-interval of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. This retrospective analysis enrolled 574 patients with unresectable HCC who underwent at least two sessions of TACE between January 2007 and December 2014. The patients were divided into a short-interval group (SIG) and a long-interval group (LIG) based on the median TACE interval of the first two sessions.

Comparison of Stable and Unstable Ethiodized Oil Emulsions for Transarterial Chemoembolization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results of a Single-Center Double-Blind Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: To compare the stability of stable and unstable water-in-oil emulsions and the efficacy and safety of these emulsions in a single-center, prospective double-blind trial of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: A total of 812 patients with inoperable HCC were randomized (stable emulsion, n = 402; unstable emulsion, n = 410). The 2 emulsions were prepared by using the same protocol except that different solvents were used for chemotherapy agents, including epirubicin, lobaplatin, and mitomycin C.

Phase II Study of Sorafenib Combined with Concurrent Hepatic Arterial Infusion of Oxaliplatin, 5-Fluorouracil and Leucovorin for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Major Portal Vein Thrombosis.

Background: Sorafenib is recommended for the first-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the median progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with HCC and major portal vein tumor thrombosis treated with sorafenib monotherapy is no more than 3 months. A prospective single-arm phase II study was conducted to determine whether adding hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin to sorafenib could improve on these results.

Efficacy of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy in cervical lymphadenopathy: A retrospective study of 6,695 cases.

Objectives: To determine the diagnostic yield of ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (US-CNB) in cervical lymphadenopathy and identify the factors influencing the diagnostic accuracy of US-CNB.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 6,603 patients with cervical lymphadenopathy who underwent 6695 US-CNB procedures between 2004 and 2017.

Results: Adequate specimens were obtained in 92.

Hydrochloric acid-enhanced radiofrequency ablation for treating a large hepatocellular carcinoma with spontaneous rapture: a case report.

Background: A ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often fatal. In addition to surgery and transarterial embolization, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) might be another option for treating a ruptured HCC. Unfortunately, conventional RFA has a limited ablation zone; as such, it is rarely used to treat ruptured tumors.

Intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma treated with hepatic resection: the NSP score as an aid to decision-making.

Background: The subgroups of patients with intermediate-stage (BCLC-B) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who would truly benefit from hepatic resection (HR) are unknown. An objective point score was established to guide the selection of these patients for HR.

Methods: In all, 255 consecutive patients with intermediate-stage HCC treated with HR were evaluated retrospectively and included in this study (the training cohort).

Optimal surgical strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus: a propensity score analysis.

Objectives: The optimal surgical resection method for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) that maximizes both safety and long-term outcome has not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes following peeling off versus en bloc resection for PVTT.

Methods: From 2005 to 2012, 252 patients with HCC and type I/II PVTT who underwent hepatic resection were divided into two groups according to whether they received en bloc resection (n = 113) or peeling off resection (n = 139).

MEP1A contributes to tumor progression and predicts poor clinical outcome in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Unlabelled: Although many staging classifications have been proposed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), determining a patient's prognosis in clinical practice is a challenge due to the molecular diversity of HCC. We investigated the relationship between MEP1A, a candidate oncogene, and clinical outcomes of HCC patients; furthermore, we explored the role of MEP1A in HCC. In this report, it was demonstrated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction that MEP1A messenger RNA levels were significantly elevated in HCC tumor tissues compared with matched adjacent nonneoplastic tissues and nonmalignant liver disease tissues.

Ex Vivo Liver Experiment of Hydrochloric Acid-Infused and Saline-Infused Monopolar Radiofrequency Ablation: Better Outcomes in Temperature, Energy, and Coagulation.

Objective: To compare temperature, energy, and coagulation between hydrochloric acid-infused radiofrequency ablation (HAIRFA) and normal saline-infused radiofrequency ablation (NSIRFA) in ex vivo porcine liver model.

Materials And Methods: 30 fresh porcine livers were excised in 60 lesions, 30 with HAIRFA and the other 30 with NSIRFA. Both modalities used monopolar perfusion electrode connected to a RF generator set at 103 °C and 30 W.

Efficacy and safety of preoperative chemoembolization for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion: a prospective comparative study.

Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein invasion.

Methods: From February 2006 to July 2011, 320 patients initially diagnosed with resectable HCC and portal vein invasion were prospectively non-randomized into two arms. In the immediate resection arm (Arm 1, n = 205) patients received immediate surgical resection.

Quantitative Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonic Imaging Reflects Microvascularization in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Prognosis after Resection.

Our aim was to evaluate the correlation between tumor vasculature detected by pre-surgical contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and the post-surgical prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. One hundred ninety-five patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone curative resection and pre-operative contrast-enhanced ultrasonography were enrolled. Intra-tumoral microvessels were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for anti-CD31 and anti-CD34.

WNT5A promotes stemness characteristics in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells leading to metastasis and tumorigenesis.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has the highest metastasis rate among head and neck cancers with unclear mechanism. WNT5A belongs to the WNT family of cysteine-rich secreted glycoproteins. Our previous high-throughput gene expression profiling revealed that WNT5A was up-regulated in highly metastatic cells.

Prospective study of tailoring whole-body dual-modality [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography with plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA for detecting distant metastasis in endemic nasopharyngeal carcinoma at initial staging.

Purpose: To evaluate which patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) obtained the greatest benefits from the detection of distant metastasis with [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) combined with plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA levels.

Patients And Methods: Consecutive patients with NPC were prospectively enrolled. PET/CT, conventional work-up (CWU), and quantification of plasma EBV DNA were performed before treatment.

A modified radiofrequency ablation approach for treating distant lymph node metastasis in two patients with late-stage cancer.

Patients with late-stage cancer commonly have distant lymph node metastasis; however, poor health often contraindicates surgical treatment. Although the quality of life and overall survival for these patients are low, there is neither a consensus nor a guide for treatment. Ablation technique and surrounding tissue damage are two possible reasons for limited study of radiofrequency ablation in patients with superficial distant lymph node metastasis.

Roles played by chemolipiodolization and embolization in chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: single-blind, randomized trial.

Background: The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy and safety of: 1) transarterial chemolipiodolization with gelatin sponge embolization vs chemolipiodolization without embolization, and 2) chemolipiodolization with triple chemotherapeutic agents vs epirubicin alone.

Methods: A single-blind, three parallel arm, randomized trial was conducted at three clinical centers with patients with biopsy-confirmed unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Arm 1 received triple-drug chemolipiodolization and sponge embolization, whereas Arm 2 received triple-drug chemolipiodolization only.

Liver hypertrophy and accelerated growth of implanted tumors in nonembolized liver of rabbit after left portal vein embolization.

Background: Portal vein embolization (PVE) has become a standard preoperative procedure to promote hypertrophy of the future remnant liver to reduce postoperative liver failure. Whether PVE accelerates tumor growth is still controversial. We developed a left PVE procedure and investigated its effect on liver hypertrophy and tumor growth in a rabbit liver tumor model.

LIN28 expression and prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma patients who meet the Milan criteria and undergo hepatectomy.

Stem cell marker LIN28, related closely with SOX2 and OCT4, has been studied as a biomarker for the maintainance of pluripotent cells in several malignancies. Our previous study showed that SOX2 and OCT4 were negative predictors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the predictive value of LIN28 in HCC outcome is still undetermined.

NADPH oxidase DUOX1 and DUOX2 but not NOX4 are independent predictors in hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.

NADPH oxidase DUOX1, DUOX2, and NOX4 have recently been gained considerable concerns, owing to the fact that they involve in reactive oxygen species-induced genetic and epigenetic alternations of human carcinogenesis and serve as biomarkers in several cancers. Whether they predict survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still uncertain. Here, we detected the expressions of DUOX1, DUOX2, and NOX4 in one normal liver cell line, seven HCC cell lines, 30 non-cirrhotic normal liver tissues, and 107 paired HCC tissues using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.