Fraction Dose Escalation of Hypofractionated Radiotherapy with Concurrent Chemotherapy and Subsequent Consolidation Immunotherapy in Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase I Study.

Purpose: This phase I trial aimed to determine the maximum tolerated fraction dose (MTFD) of hypofractionated radiotherapy (hypo-RT) combined with concurrent chemotherapy and subsequent consolidation immune checkpoint inhibitors (cICI) for patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Patients And Methods: Split-course hypo-RT and hypoboost combined with concurrent chemotherapy was administered at three dose levels (DL), using a stepwise dose-escalation protocol. The sophisticated esophagus-sparing technique was implemented to restrict the dose to the esophagus.

Genetically Predicted Causal Effects of Gut Microbiota and Gut Metabolites on Digestive Tract Cancer: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

Background: Evidence from numerous observational studies and clinical trials has linked gut microbiota and metabolites to digestive tract cancer. However, the causal effect between these factors remains uncertain.

Methods: Data for this study were obtained from the MiBioGen, TwinsUK Registry, and FinnGen (version R8).

IGSF6 is a novel biomarker to evaluate immune infiltration in mismatch repair-proficient colorectal cancer.

Immunotherapy has dramatically changed the landscape of treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC), but currently lack of effective predictive biomarker, especially for tumors with mismatch repair (MMR) proficiency. The response of immunotherapy is associated with the cell-cell interactions in tumor microenvironment, encompassing processes such as cell-cell recognition, binding, and adhesion. However, the function of immunoglobulin superfamily (IGSF) genes in tumor immune microenvironment remains uncharacterized.

Development and Validation of a Radiomics Model Based on Lymph-Node Regression Grading After Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer.

Purpose: The response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) varies among patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), and the treatment response of lymph nodes (LNs) to nCRT is critical in implementing a watch-and-wait strategy. A robust predictive model may help personalize treatment plans to increase the chance that patients achieve a complete response. This study investigated whether radiomics features based on prenCRT magnetic resonance imaging nodes could predict treatment response in preoperative LARC LNs.

Hypofractionated Radiotherapy followed by Hypofractionated Boost with weekly concurrent chemotherapy for Unresectable Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Results of A Prospective Phase II Study (GASTO-1049).

Purpose: We launched a prospective phase 2 clinical trial to explore the safety and efficacy of hypofractionated radiation therapy (hypo-RT) followed by hypofractionated boost (hypo-boost) combined with concurrent weekly chemotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC).

Methods And Materials: Patients with newly diagnosed LA-NSCLC with unresectable stage III disease were recruited between June 2018 and June 2020. Patients were treated with hypo-RT (40 Gy in 10 fractions) followed by hypo-boost (24-28 Gy in 6-7 fractions) combined with concurrent weekly chemotherapy (docetaxel 25 mg/m and nedaplatin 25 mg/m).

Deciphering clonal dynamics and metastatic routines in a rare patient of synchronous triple-primary tumors and multiple metastases with MPTevol.

Multiple primary tumor (MPT) is a special and rare cancer type, defined as more than two primary tumors presenting at the diagnosis in a single patient. The molecular characteristics and tumorigenesis of MPT remain unclear due to insufficient approaches. Here, we present MPTevol, a practical computational framework for comprehensively exploring the MPT from multiregion sequencing (MRS) experiments.

Identification of an Autophagy-Related Gene Signature for the Prediction of Prognosis in Early-Stage Colorectal Cancer.

A certain number of early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) patients suffer tumor recurrence after initial curative resection. In this context, an effective prognostic biomarker model is constantly in need. Autophagy exhibits a dual role in tumorigenesis.

An 11-gene signature for the prediction of systemic recurrences in colon adenocarcinoma.

Background: Prognosis varies among patients within the same colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) stage, indicating the need for reliable molecular markers to enable individualized treatment. This study aimed to investigate gene signatures that can be used for better prognostic prediction of COAD.

Methods: Gene-expression profiles of COAD patients were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (=332) and The Cancer Genome Atlas database (=431).

MET exon 14 skipping mutation, amplification and overexpression in pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma: A multi-center study.

High frequency of MNNG HOS transforming (MET) exon 14 skipping mutation (MET exon 14Δ) has been reported in pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinomas (PSCs). However, the frequencies differ greatly. Our study aims to investigate the frequency of MET alterations and the correlations among MET exon 14Δ, amplification, and protein overexpression in a large cohort of PSCs.

Effects of Huaier Extract on Ameliorating Colitis-Associated Colorectal Tumorigenesis in Mice.

Background: Huaier extract has been a part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for roughly 1600 years and may serve as a potential anti-cancer drug as it is associated with good efficacy and low toxicity. Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at a higher chance of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) and as Huaier extract may potentially influence tumorigenesis, we set out to determine the effect of Huaier extract on colitis-associated CRC.

Methods: The CRC mouse model, established through azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), was administered Huaier extract.

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.

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.

A signature of hypoxia-related factors reveals functional dysregulation and robustly predicts clinical outcomes in stage I/II colorectal cancer patients.

Background: The hypoxic tumor microenvironment accelerates the invasion and migration of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a hypoxia gene signature for predicting the outcome in stage I/II CRC patients that have limited therapeutic options.

Methods: The hypoxic gene signature (HGS) was constructed using transcriptomic data of 309 CRC patients with complete clinical information from the CIT microarray dataset.

The 1-year mortality after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a population-based analysis.

To assess the incidence and predictors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)-specific mortality in the first year among NPC patients. We identified 2714 patients in the SEER program. Of the patients, 151 (5.

Overexpression of G protein-coupled receptor 31 as a poor prognosticator in human colorectal cancer.

Aim: To investigate the expression of G protein-coupled receptor 31 (GPR31) and its clinical significance in human colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: To determine the association between the GPR31 expression and the prognosis of patients, we obtained paraffin-embedded pathological specimens from 466 CRC patients who underwent initial resection. A total of 321 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 1996 to December 2008 were included as a training cohort, whereas 145 patients from the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2007 to November 2008 were included as a validation cohort.

Oxaliplatin-containing adjuvant chemotherapy improves the survival of locally advanced rectal cancer patients with pathological complete response after pre-operative chemoradiotherapy.

Background: The necessity for adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients who achieve pathological complete response (pCR) after pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is still not identified. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic value of ACT in these patients.

Methods: Clinical data were retrospectively collected from 105 consecutive LARC patients who achieved pCR after pre-operative CRT and underwent radical tumor resection between December 2008 and April 2014 in a comprehensive cancer center.

Comparison of immunological characteristics between paired mismatch repair-proficient and -deficient colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Currently, mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) status is a promising candidate for targeted immune checkpoint inhibition therapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, however, the potential immunological mechanism has not yet been well clarified and some other predictors need to be excavated as well.

Methods: We collected 330 CRC patients by the match of mismatch repair-proficient (167) and dMMR (163), explored the relationship between MMR status and some important immune molecules including MHC class I, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, programmed death-1 and programmed death ligand-1, and investigated the risk factors for dMMR status as well as low MHC class I expression. The Pearson Chi square test was used for analyzing the associations between clinicopathological and immune characteristics and MMR status, and two categories logistic regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis to predict the odds ratio of risk factors for dMMR status and low MHC class I expression.

Palliative primary tumor resection provides survival benefits for the patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and low circulating levels of dehydrogenase and carcinoembryonic antigen.

Background: It remains controversial whether palliative primary tumor resection (PPTR) can provide survival benefits to the patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have unresectable metastases. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether PPTR could improve the survival of patients with mCRC.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive mCRC patients with unresectable metastases who were diagnosed at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, between January 2005 and December 2012.

Elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with poor prognosis in gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic relevance of preoperative peripheral neutrophil- to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 129 consecutive GIST patients who underwent initial curative surgical resection with or without adjuvant/palliative imatinib treatment in our study. Blood NLR was calculated as neutrophil count (number of neutrophils ×10(9)/L) divided by lymphocyte count (number of lymphocytes ×10(9)/L).

Efficacy of taxane-based regimens in a first-line setting for recurrent and/or metastatic Chinese patients with esophageal cancer.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of taxane-based regimens in the first line setting retrospectively in Chinese patients with recurrent and/or metastatic esophageal cancer.

Methods: We analyzed 102 recurrent and/or metastatic esophageal cancer patients who received taxanes-based regimens in a first-line setting from January 2009 to December 2013. Sixteen (15.

[Comparison of local immune microenvironment between liver-metastasis colorectal cancer and non-liver-metastasis colorectal cancer].

Objective: To investigate the difference of local immune microenvironment in primary tumors between liver-metastasis and non-liver-metastasis cohort in stage III to IIII colorectal cancer patients.

Methods: Tumor samples from 167 patients of colorectal cancer were harvested, who received tumor resection for the first time in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2000 to 2005. Patients were divided into two groups according to liver metastasis or not.

Analysis of prognostic factors in male breast cancer: a report of 72 cases from a single institution.

Background And Objective: Male breast cancer (MBC) in China usually has been studied retrospectively with small sample size, and studies analyzing the prognostic factors are rare. This study was to investigate the prognostic factors of Chinese patients with MBC based on the data from a single institute with a relatively large sample.

Methods: Clinical data of 72 patients with histopathologically confirmed MBC who received treatment at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 1969 and March 2009, were collected.

[Short-term efficacy of cetuximab combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy on head and neck cancer: a report of 11 cases].

Background And Objective: Cetuximab combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy has been used to treat head and neck cancer in recent years, but few reports are available in China now. This study was to summarize our experiences in treating patients with head and neck cancer cetuximab.

Methods: From October 1st, 2005 to September 30th, 2008, six with patients head and neck cancer were treated using cetuximab combined with radiotherapy and five were treated using cetuximab combined with chemotherapy in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center.