Mutational landscape of nasopharyngeal carcinoma based on targeted next-generation sequencing: implications for predicting clinical outcomes.

Background: The aim of this study was to draw a comprehensive mutational landscape of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tumors and identify the prognostic factors for distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS).

Methods: A total of forty primary nonkeratinizing NPC patients underwent targeted next-generation sequencing of 450 cancer-relevant genes. Analysis of these sequencing and clinical data was performed comprehensively.

Demethylation of miR-34a upregulates expression of membrane palmitoylated proteins and promotes the apoptosis of liver cancer cells.

Background: Liver cancer is a common cancer and the main cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world. Although miR-34a and palmitoyl membrane palmitoylated protein (MPP2) are reportedly involved in various cell processes, their precise roles in liver cancer are still unclear.

A case report of targeted therapy with apatinib in a patient with recurrent high grade glioma.

Rationale: Despite the approval of antiangiogenic therapy for high grade glioma (HGG) patients, survival benefits are still limited. New treatment plans have always been developed to improve the survival.

Patient Concerns: A 26-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for distending pain of head and eye.

Which is the optimal threshold for defining functional lung in single-photon emission computed tomography lung perfusion imaging of lung cancer patients?

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal threshold for the functional lung (FL) definition of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) lung perfusion imaging.

Patients And Methods: Forty consecutive stage III non-small-cell lung cancer patients underwent SPECT lung perfusion scans and PET/CT scans for treatment planning, and the images were coregistered. Total lung and perfusion lung volumes corresponding to 10, 20, …, 60% of the maximum SPECT count were segmented automatically.

Clinical significance of serum dynamics of HSP90a level in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose: We evaluate whether the change of heat shock protein 90a (HSP90a) level before and after definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) affects tumor response and overall survival (OS). This study aimed to investigate the role of HSP90a reduction ratio after CRT.

Methods: Correlations between pre-CRT HSP90a levels and the tumor response to CRT were analysed.

Management of salivary gland carcinomas - a review.

Salivary gland carcinomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors with many histological subtypes which occur in both major and minor salivary glands. However, they have a relatively low of incidence. Their rarity limits study size and the ability to perform phase III trials.

Recurrence pattern of squamous cell carcinoma in the midthoracic esophagus: implications for the clinical target volume design of postoperative radiotherapy.

Background: Postoperative radiotherapy has shown positive efficacy in lowering the recurrence rate and improving the survival rate for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, controversies still exist about the postoperative prophylactic radiation target volume. This study was designed to analyze the patterns of recurrence and to provide a reference for determination of the postoperative radiotherapy target volume for patients with midthoracic ESCC.

Anatomic distribution of supraclavicular lymph node in patients with esophageal cancer.

Purpose: Definitive chemoradiation therapy remains the standard of care for patients with localized esophageal carcinoma who choose nonsurgical management. However, there is no consensus regarding delineation of the nodal clinical target volume (CTVn), especially for lower cervical lymph nodes. This study aimed to map the location of metastatic supraclavicular lymph nodes in thoracic esophageal carcinoma patients with supraclavicular node involvement and generate an atlas to delineate the CTVn for elective nodal radiation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Analysis of the variability among radiation oncologists in delineation of the postsurgical tumor bed based on 4D-CT.

Objective: This study investigated interobserver and intraobserver variability in radiation oncologists' definition of the tumor bed (TB) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS).

Results: The TB volume, CVS and number of surgical clips were not significantly related to intraobserver variability. Moreover, no correlation was noted between CT slice thickness and interobserver variability (Δinter, DSCinter) in TB delineation, and no significant difference was noted among the three groups.

Comparison of planning target volumes based on three-dimensional and four-dimensional CT imaging of thoracic esophageal cancer.

Background And Purpose: To investigate the definition of planning target volumes (PTVs) based on four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) compared with conventional PTV definition and PTV definition using asymmetrical margins for thoracic primary esophageal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Forty-three patients with esophageal cancer underwent 3DCT and 4DCT simulation scans during free breathing. The motions of primary tumors located in the proximal (group A), middle (group B), and distal (group C) thoracic esophagus were obtained from the 4DCT scans.

Low-grade nasopharyngeal papillary adenocarcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Low-grade nasopharyngeal papillary adenocarcinoma is an extremely rare tumor, with only a limited number of cases reported in the literature. Some published studies have paid more attention to the clinicopathological features of nasopharyngeal adenocarcinoma, while little effort has been made to study the optimal therapeutic strategies. We report about a woman diagnosed with low-grade nasopharyngeal papillary adenocarcinoma.

Comparison of primary tumour volumes delineated on four-dimensional computed tomography maximum intensity projection and (18) F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed tomography images of non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: The study aims to compare the positional and volumetric differences of tumour volumes based on the maximum intensity projection (MIP) of four-dimensional CT (4DCT) and (18) F-fluorodexyglucose ((18) F-FDG) positron emission tomography CT (PET/CT) images for the primary tumour of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Ten patients with NSCLC underwent 4DCT and (18) F-FDG PET/CT scans of the thorax on the same day. Internal gross target volumes (IGTVs) of the primary tumours were contoured on the MIP images of 4DCT to generate IGTVMIP .

Changes in tumour volume and motion during radiotherapy for thoracic oesophageal cancer.

Background And Purpose: Variations of target volume and position were important factors in correction of radiotherapy planning. The purpose was to investigate the changes in volume and motion of oesophageal cancer during radiotherapy using four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT).

Methods And Materials: In total, 109 enhanced 4D-CT data sets were acquired for 38 patients throughout treatment.

Diffusion-weighted imaging in assessing pathological response of tumor in breast cancer subtype to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for reflecting and predicting pathological tumor response in breast cancer subtype to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Materials And Methods: The retrospective study included 176 patients with breast cancer who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations before and after NAC prior to surgery. The pre- and post-NAC apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of tumor were measured respectively on DWI.

Diagnostic accuracy of MRI-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of solitary pulmonary nodules.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of MRI-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs).

Methods: Retrospective review of 69 patients who underwent MR-guided PTNB of SPNs was performed. Each case was reviewed for complications.

[Influence of registration based on different reference markers on the displacement of the geometry consisted of all clips in the cavity for external-beam partial breast irradiation at moderate deep inspiration breath holding].

Objective: To investigate the influence of registration based on different reference markers on the displacement of the geometry consisted of all clips in the cavity for external-beam partial breast irradiation at moderate deep inspiration breath holding assisted by active breathing control device.

Methods: Twenty-seven early stage breast cancer patients feasible for external beam partial breast irradiation (EB-PBI) were selected. The patients undertaken three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) simulation scan at moderate deep inspiration breath holding (mDIBH) assisted by active breathing control device, and two sets of mDIBH CT images were got and transferred to the Pinnacle 3 planning system.

Geometrical differences in gross target volumes between 3DCT and 4DCT imaging in radiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer.

The aim of this study was to explore the characteristic of 3DCT scanning phases and estimate the comparative amount of respiration motion information included in 3DCT and 4DCT by comparing the volumetric and positional difference between the volumes from 3DCT and 4DCT for the radiotherapy of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 28 patients with NSCLC sequentially underwent 3DCT and 4DCT simulation scans of the thorax during free breathing. The 4DCT images with respiratory signal data were reconstructed and sorted into 10 phases throughout a respiratory cycle.

Phase I/II study of induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemotherapy and SMART-IMRT-based radiotherapy in locoregionally-advanced nasopharyngeal cancer.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy, toxicity and tolerability of simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy (SMART)-intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy for patients with advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Forty-five patients with stage II-IV NPC, determined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer system, were treated with prescribed doses of 72 Gy total to the gross tumor volume, 60 Gy to the clinical target volume and metastatic nodal station, and 54 Gy to the clinically-negative neck region. Before radiotherapy, two cycles of cisplatin (30 mg/m(2)/day on days 1-3) plus 5-FU (400 mg/m(2)/day on days 1-5) were delivered every three weeks for two cycles.

[Evaluation of dosimetric variance in forward intensity modulated radiotherapy of the breast based on 4D CT and 3D CT during free breathing].

Objective: To explore the dosimetric variance in forward intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) based on 4D CT and 3D CT after breast conserving surgery.

Methods: Seventeen patients after breast conserving surgery underwent 3D CT simulation scans followed by respiration-synchronized 4D CT simulation scans at free breathing state. The treatment plan constructed using the end inspiration (EI) scan was then copied and applied to the end expiration (EE), and 3D scans and dose distribution were calculated separately.

Analysis of the advantage of individual PTVs defined on axial 3D CT and 4D CT images for liver cancer.

The purpose of this study was to compare positional and volumetric differences of planning target volumes (PTVs) defined on axial three dimensional CT (3D CT) and four dimensional CT (4D CT) for liver cancer. Fourteen patients with liver cancer underwent 3D CT and 4D CT simulation scans during free breathing. The tumor motion was measured by 4D CT.

[Displacement of the silver clips in surgical cavity based on four-dimensional CT images for patients undertaking external-beam partial breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery].

Objective: To explore the displacement of the selected clips and the center of the geometry consisted of all the clips in the surgical cavity measured on the basis of four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) simulation images.

Methods: Fourteen breast cancer patients after breast-conserving surgery were recruited for external beam partial-breast irradiation (EB-PBI), and received large aperture CT simulation. The 4D-CT image data sets were collected when the patient was in the free breathing state.

[Comparison of three methods to delineate internal gross target volume of the primary hepatocarcinoma based on four-dimensional CT simulation images].

Objective: To compare the position and magnitude of internal target gross volume (IGTV) of primary hepatocarcinoma delineated by three methods based on four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) and to investigate the relevant factors affecting the position and magnitude.

Methods: Twenty patients with primary hepatocarcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) underwent big bore 4D-CT simulation scan of the thorax and abdomen using a real-time position management (RPM) system for simultaneous record of the respiratory signals. The CT images with respiratory signal data were reconstructed and sorted into 10 phase groups in a respiratory cycle, with 0% phase corresponding to end-inhale and 50% corresponding to end-exhale.

Measurement of intra-fraction displacement of the mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes using four-dimensional CT in non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: To measure the intra-fraction displacements of the mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes by using four-dimensional CT (4D-CT) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four patients with NSCLC, who were to be treated by using three dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), underwent a 4D-CT simulation during free breathing. The mediastinal metastatic lymph nodes were delineated on the CT images of 10 phases of the breath cycle.

A study on the displacements of the clips in surgical cavity for external-beam partial breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery based on 4DCT.

To explore the clip and the geometrical center displacements based on the four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) for external-beam partial breast irradiation (EB-PBI), fourteen breast cancer patients treated with breast-conserving surgery were recruited for EB-PBI and undertook 4DCT simulation during free breathing. The displacements of the selected clips and the geometrical center at left-right (LR), anterior-posterior (AP) and superior-inferior (SI) directions were measured. The comparison and the correlation of the displacement between the selected clips and the geometric center were analyzed.

[Comparison of overlap ratios of the target volume in different respiratory states with active breathing control for external-beam partial breast irradiation].

Objective: To explore the overlap ratio of the target volume in different respiratory statuses of active breath control (ABC) and their differences during external-beam partial breast irradiation (EB-PBI), and from the perspective of target volume overlap to determine the influence of the ABC-assisted breathing condition on intra-fractional target movement of EB-PBI.

Methods: The patients, who received breast-conserving surgery with silver clips marked at the margins of the cavity and were suitable for EB-PBI, were immobilized on the breast bracket to undertake CT simulation assisted by ABC device, six sets of CT simulation images including two sets of image in state of moderate deep inspiration breathing control (mDIBH), two sets of images in state of free breath (FB) and two sets of images in state of deep expiration breathing control (DEBH) were obtained. The six sets of images were transferred to Pinnacle(3) treatment planning system (TPS), then automatic fusion and registration between two sets of mDIBH images, two sets of FB images, two sets of DEBH images and mDIBH image and DEBH image were achieved separately.