Development and validation of nomograms to intraoperatively predict metastatic patterns in regional lymph nodes in patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer.

Background: An accurate intraoperative prediction of lymph node metastatic risk can help surgeons in choosing precise surgical procedures. We aimed to develop and validate nomograms to intraoperatively predict patterns of regional lymph node (LN) metastasis in patients with esophageal cancer.

Methods: The prediction model was developed in a training cohort consisting of 487 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy with complete LN dissection from January 2016 to December 2016.

Comparison Between Size and Stage of Preoperative Tumor Defined by Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Postoperative Specimens After Radical Resection of Esophageal Cancer.

Background: Our objective is to explore the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in determining the preoperative T and N staging, pathological stage, and the length of esophageal tumor in patients with esophageal cancer.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included 57 patients admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery of The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2015 and December 2016. Postoperative pathological results were used as the reference to verify the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating tumor T and N staging, pathological stage, and tumor length.

Concurrent liposomal paclitaxel and cisplatin chemotherapy improved outcomes for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Background: To ascertain whether concurrent chemotherapy using liposomal paclitaxel and cisplatin could improve the outcomes of patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Methods: A total of 72 patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, which were admitted to our hospital from October 2011 to December 2013, were retrospectively analyzed in this study.

Results: Thirty-six patients (50%) were treated with IMRT alone, while the other 36 patients (50%) were treated by IMRT combined with chemotherapy containing liposomal paclitaxel and cisplatin.

Systematic cancer-testis gene expression analysis identified CDCA5 as a potential therapeutic target in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies with poor prognosis. Cancer-testis genes (CTGs) have been vigorously pursued as targets for cancer immunotherapy, but the expressive patterns and functional roles of CTGs remain unclear in ESCC.

Methods: A systematic screening strategy was adopted to screen CTGs in ESCC by integrating multiple public databases and RNA expression microarray data from 119 ESCC subjects.

Identification of Germline Mismatch Repair Gene Mutations in Lung Cancer Patients With Paired Tumor-Normal Next Generation Sequencing: A Retrospective Study.

Paired tumor-normal targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) is primarily used to identify actionable somatic mutations, but can also detect germline variants including pathogenic germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes that underlie Lynch syndrome. In the present study we examined paired NGS data from lung cancer patients to identify germline mutations in MMR genes. As lung cancer is not one of the recognized Lynch syndrome-associated neoplasms, we also investigated whether these lung cancer cases are due to Lynch syndrome or are instead sporadic cancers occurring in Lynch syndrome patients.

Comprehensive Analysis of lncRNA-miRNA- mRNA Network Ascertains Prognostic Factors in Patients with Colon Cancer.

Background: Non-coding RNAs are competing endogenous RNAs in the occurrence and development of tumorigenesis; numerous microRNAs are aberrantly expressed in colon cancer tissues and play significant roles in oncogenesis development and metastasis. However, large clinical and RNA data are lacking to further confirm the exact role of these RNAs in tumors. This study aimed to ascertain differential RNA expression between colon cancer and normal colon tissues.

Clinicopathologic predictors of metastasis of different regional lymph nodes in patients intraoperatively diagnosed with stage-I non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Selection of the best lymph node for dissection is a controversial topic in clinical stage-I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we sought to identify the clinicopathologic predictors of regional lymph node metastasis in patients intraoperatively diagnosed with stage-I NSCLC.

Methods: A retrospective review of 595 patients intraoperatively diagnosed as stage I non-small-cell lung cancer who underwent lobectomy with complete lymph node dissection was performed.

Genome-wide copy number variation analysis identified ANO1 as a novel oncogene and prognostic biomarker in esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Copy number variations (CNVs) represent one of the most common genomic alterations. This study aimed to evaluate the roles of genes within highly aberrant genome regions in the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Exome sequencing data from 81 paired ESCC tissues were used to screen aberrant genomic regions.

LINC00665 Induces Acquired Resistance to Gefitinib through Recruiting EZH2 and Activating PI3K/AKT Pathway in NSCLC.

Gefitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor, has been used as the first choice of treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. However, during the course of treatment, cancer cells often develop resistance to gefitinib without fully understood mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to elucidate an important role of long intergenic non-coding RNA 00665 in developing resistance to gefitinib in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Efficacy and safety of chemoradiation therapy compared with chemotherapy for esophageal carcinoma: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: The role of the chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and chemotherapy (CT) in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma (EC) remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of CRT with CT in the treatment of EC patients.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and The Cochrane library were systematically reviewed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared CRT with CT.

iTRAQ-Based Quantitative Proteomic Analyses of High Grade Esophageal Squamous Intraepithelial Neoplasia.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is the fourth most lethal cancer in China. Little is known about the proteome of high grade esophageal squamous intraepithelial neoplasia (HGN), which is a premalignant lesion of ESCC. A quantitative proteomic analysis using an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) approach is used to characterize the protein expression profiles in HGN.

Clinical outcome of using gastric remnant or jejunum or colon conduit in surgery for esophageal carcinoma with previous gastrectomy.

Background: For esophageal carcinoma patients with early gastrectomy, individualized surgical plans-including selection of replacement conduit and operation route based on patient's new lesion and surgical history-can achieve the desired therapeutic effect and improve postoperative life quality. We investigated the outcomes at our institution.

Methods: The clinical data of 42 esophageal carcinoma patients with early gastrectomy were analyzed retrospectively.

Apparent diffusion coefficient values detected by diffusion-weighted imaging in the prognosis of patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving chemoradiation.

Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated that apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values measured by magnetic resonance imaging have prognostic value in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the role of ADC needs to be validated in a cohort of Chinese ESCC patients. This study assessed the role of ADC in predicting the outcome of patients with ESCC treated only by chemoradiation in the People's Republic of China.

[Study on the association of gastric conduit width and postoperative early delayed gastric emptying in middle-lower esophageal cancer patients undergoing Ivor-Lewis procedure].

Objective: To examine the relationship between gastric conduit width and postoperative early delayed gastric emptying (DGE) in patients with middle-lower esophageal carcinoma who underwent Ivor-Lewis operation.

Methods: Clinical data of 282 consecutive patients with middle-lower esophageal cancer who underwent the Ivor-Lewis operation by same surgical team in our department from January 2013 to June 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups according to the width of gastric conduit: width > 5.

Long-term clinical outcome of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Methods: Between August 2009 and December 2011, 112 patients with pathologically confirmed ESCC treated with IMRT at Jiangsu Province People's Hospital and Nantong Tumor Hospital were included in a retrospective analysis. Patients received either IMRT alone (group A) or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) (group B).

Ginsenoside Rg3 enhances radiosensitization of hypoxic oesophageal cancer cell lines through vascular endothelial growth factor and hypoxia inducible factor 1α.

Objective: To determine if the pretreatment of hypoxic human oesophageal carcinoma cell lines (EC109, TE1 and KYSE170) with ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) increases their radiosensitivity to X-rays.

Methods: The growth inhibitory effect of different Rg3 concentrations was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Radiation sensitivity was measured using a clone formation assay and flow cytometry was used to measure the effects of Rg3 on radiation-induced apoptosis.

[Comparative analysis on the classic and modified Ivor-Lewis procedure in the treatment of mid-low thoracic esophageal carcinoma].

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of classic and modified Ivor-Lewis surgical procedure in the treatment of mid-low thoracic esophageal cancer.

Methods: Clinical data of 140 patients with middle-lower thoracic esophageal cancer undergoing modified Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy from March 2009 to April 2010 (modified group) and 112 patients with same disease undergoing classic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy from April 2010 to April 2011 in our department were collected. Operative time, surgical complications, total number of harvested lymph node, distribution of lymph nodes, lymph node metastasis rate, as well as postoperative pathological stage were compared between two groups.