Prognostic Value of Lymph Node Necrosis at Different N Stages in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Lymph node necrosis (LNN), including retropharyngeal nodal necrosis and cervical nodal necrosis, which is related to radiotherapy/ chemotherapy resistance, is a common phenomenon in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study was to assess the prognostic value of LNN at different N stages in NPC patients. In total, 1,665 newly diagnosed NPC patients at stage TxN1-3M0 from two centers were enrolled.

A deep learning-based radiomic nomogram for prognosis and treatment decision in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A multicentre study.

Background: Induction chemotherapy (ICT) plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and CCRT alone were the optional treatment regimens in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Currently, the choice of them remains equivocal in clinical practice. We aimed to develop a deep learning-based model for treatment decision in NPC.

MRI of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: parapharyngeal subspace involvement has prognostic value and influences T-staging in the IMRT era.

Objectives: To identify the prognosis of parapharyngeal space involvement (PPSI) based on the number of subspaces involved (pre-styloid space, carotid space (CS), areas outside the CS) and explore its significance for current T-staging in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: PPSI was retrospectively identified in 1224 patients with non-disseminated NPC at two centers on MRI and separated into four invasion patterns: pattern A (only post-styloid space), pattern B (post-styloid space, CS extension), pattern C (post-styloid space, pre-styloid space extension), and pattern D (all spaces). The Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression models were used.

Grading Soft Tissue Involvement in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Using Network and Survival Analyses: A Two-Center Retrospective Study.

Background: Soft tissue involvement (STI) indicates poor prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, only a few studies have systematically assessed this extension using network analysis.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic value of STI and to propose an improved STI grading system for NPC therapy.

Prognostic influence of prevertebral space involvement in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A retrospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate how prevertebral space involvement (PSI) and degree of tumor extension within the space affects prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Participants And Methods: Data of patients with newly-diagnosed nonmetastatic NPC (n = 757) were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were separated into groups according to presence or absence of PSI and degree of tumor spread.

Influence of tumor necrosis on treatment sensitivity and long-term survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: To assess the impact of tumor necrosis on treatment sensitivity and long-term survival in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Participants And Methods: In total, 757 patients with non-metastatic, histologically confirmed NPC were retrospectively examined. All patients were treated using IMRT; 93.

Staging of T2 and T3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Proposed modifications for improving the current AJCC staging system.

Objectives: We aimed to reconstitute T2 and T3 stage classification in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cases and verify its utility in clinical settings.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 792 NPC patients. Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare the effect sizes (hazard ratio [HR]) of the cranial structure invasion on survival and select the structures for up-staging or downstaging T2 and T3 NPC.

Prognostic significance of quantitative metastatic lymph node burden on magnetic resonance imaging in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A retrospective study of 1224 patients from two centers.

Background And Purpose: The number of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) has been demonstrated to be an important prognosticator in some head and neck cancers. This study aimed to examine its prognostic value in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Materials And Methods: Patients with newly-diagnosed, non-distant metastatic NPC from two centers were enrolled in this study.

A Nomogram for Predicting Distant Metastasis Using Nodal-Related Features Among Patients With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Distant metastasis is among the main reasons for treatment failure in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. To identify patients with a high risk of distant metastasis is important to guide posttreatment surveillance, appropriate time treatments, and prolonging their long-term survival. In this study, we systematically examined the associations between a series of nodal-related characteristics and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) by detailed MRI reading and established a nomogram for DMFS in NPC patients.

Occurrence of parabens and their metabolites in the paired urine and blood samples from Chinese university students: Implications on human exposure.

Parabens, a group of p-hydroxybenzoic acid esters, are extensively used in cosmetics, personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and foodstuff. In the present study, the total forms (free plus conjugated) of four parent parabens, such as methylparaben (MeP), ethylparaben (EtP), propylparaben (PrP), and butylparaben (BuP), and four metabolites, namely methyl protocatechuate (OH-MeP), ethyl protocatechuate (OH-EtP), p-hydroxy benzoic acid (4-HB), and 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid (3,4-DHB), were detected in paired urine and blood samples collected from 196 Chinese university students. The median urinary and blood parabens and their metabolites concentrations ranged from 0.

Occurrence of bisphenol A and its alternatives in paired urine and indoor dust from Chinese university students: Implications for human exposure.

Bisphenol analogs (BPs), as the industrial chemicals, are widely used in consumer products. Limited information exists regarding human exposure to BPs in university students in China. In this study, we detected concentrations of seven BPs, namely bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol P (BPP), bisphenol AP (BPAP), bisphenol Z (BPZ), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol F (BPF), in paired urine (n = 160) and indoor dust samples (n = 40) from university students in South China.

Prognostic value of retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis laterality in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and a proposed modification to the UICC/AJCC N staging system.

Background And Purpose: Metastasis laterality is used for N classification of cervical lymph nodes, but not retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLNs). This study explored the prognostic value of laterality of RLN metastasis to provide suggestions for a better N standard classification.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 1225 patients with new biopsy-confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

MED12 exerts an emerging role in actin-mediated cytokinesis via LIMK2/cofilin pathway in NSCLC.

Background: Mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) is an essential hub for transcriptional regulation, in which mutations and overexpression were reported to be associated with several kinds of malignancies. Nevertheless, the role of MED12 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains to be elucidated.

Methods: MED12 mutation was detected by Next-generation sequencing.

The development and external validation of simplified T category classification for nasopharyngeal carcinoma to improve the prognostic value in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy era.

Background: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) provides excellent local control in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We investigated whether simplifying 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system T categories improves prognostic value.

Methods: We used 2191 NPC patients as a training set and 414 patients separately as an independent, external validation cohort.

Prognostic value of gross tumor regression and plasma Epstein Barr Virus DNA levels at the end of intensity-modulated radiation therapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Purpose: To assess gross tumor regression and plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA levels at the end of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and its prognostic impact on patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Participants And Methods: In total, 397 patients with non-metastatic, histologically confirmed NPC were retrospectively examined. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the nasopharynx and neck, and plasma EBV DNA assays before treatment and at the end of IMRT.

Imaging of a Novel Strain of via Metabolic Labeling.

Non-toxigenic is regarded as a potential candidate for probiotic owing to its various advantages. We previously isolated a new strain of (ZY-312) and verified its biosafety and capability of inhibiting the growth of pathogens . However, the colonization of ZY-312 in gastrointestinal (GI) tract remains to be determined.

Additional Cervical Lymph Node Biopsy is Not a Significant Prognostic Factor for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Era: A Propensity Score-matched Analysis from an Epidemic Area.

: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of cervical lymph node biopsy and whether different biopsy methods would lead different outcomes in NPC in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era. : 1492 patients with biopsy-proven, non-metastatic NPC, and treated by IMRT with or without chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Cervical lymph node biopsy was performed in 183 (12.

Comparison of the seventh and eighth editions of the UICC/AJCC staging system for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: analysis of 1317 patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy at two centers.

Background: In the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era, great improvement has been made in survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The 7th edition of the International Union against Cancer/American Joint Committee on Cancer (UICC/AJCC) staging system seems "outdated " as it mainly based on the study in 2D/3D era, and thus the 8th edition has made some amendments according to recent studies. We aimed to compare and evaluate these two editions of staging system for NPC in patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Survival and Toxicities of IMRT Based on the RTOG Protocols in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma from the Endemic Regions of China.

This study evaluated the survival outcomes and toxicities of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) based on the RTOG 0225/0615 RT protocols in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) from a region of China where this tumor type is endemic. A total of 455 patients with non-metastatic, histologically-confirmed NPC were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were treated by IMRT using the RTOG 0225/0615 RT protocols; 91.

Prognostic value of total tumor volume in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Background: Few studies have evaluated the prognostic value of total tumor volume (TTV), which reflects both the primary tumor volume and nodal tumor volume, in NPC. Furthermore, the relationship between TTV and survival remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of TTV in patients with NPC treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Application of single-cell technology in cancer research.

In this review, we have outlined the application of single-cell technology in cancer research. Single-cell technology has made encouraging progress in recent years and now provides the means to detect rare cancer cells such as circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells. We reveal how this technology has advanced the analysis of intratumor heterogeneity and tumor epigenetics, and guided individualized treatment strategies.

Rectal NSAIDs in the prevention of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in unselected patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aim: Efficacy of rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) prophylaxis in unselected patients remained controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of rectal NSAIDs in the prevention of PEP in unselected patients.

Methods: An electronic literature search in the Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed was carried out for randomized controlled trials comparing rectal indomethacin or diclofenac with placebo in the prevention of PEP in unselected patients.

Is maximum primary tumor diameter still a prognostic factor in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated using intensity-modulated radiotherapy?

Background: Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has represented a technical milestone that has facilitated the clinical implementation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of maximum primary tumor diameter (MPTD) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated using IMRT.

Methods: Five-hundred and sixty-six patients with non-metastatic, histologically-confirmed NPC were retrospectively reviewed.

Pretreatment Epstein-Barr virus DNA load and cumulative cisplatin dose intensity affect long-term outcome of nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with concurrent chemotherapy: experience of an institute in an endemic area.

Background: We retrospectively compared the long-term efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) regimens (docetaxel vs. cisplatin), total dose intensity of cisplatin (> 200 vs. ≤ 200 mg/m2) and pretreatment plasma levels of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and investigated the prognostic factors.