Relationship Between the Expression of LC3 (Microtubule-Associated Protein 1A/1B-Light Chain 3) in Nasal Mucosa and Serum IL-5 and IL-4 Concentrations in Allergic Rhinitis Mice.

Objective: To investigate the expression and correlation of autophagy-related microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta LC3 and interleukin-5 IL-5 in allergic rhinitis AR. Methods: Fifty-six 7-week-old BALC/C mice were randomly divided into experimental group (n = 56) and control group (n = 8). The experimental group used Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) for AR modeling, and control group used PBS solution. As the experimental group sampled at 6 time points, and 8 mice were sacrificed each time, while the control group was sacrificed 24 hours after the last dose. The contents of serum IL-4, IL-5, and dust mite specific IgE HDM-sIgE in mice were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA, and the morphological changes of nasal mucosa were detected by a hematoxylin-eosin H&E staining. The expression of LC3 in mouse nasal mucosa was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between LC3 and IL-5 levels. Results: In AR mice modelled with dust mites, the serum levels of IL-4 and HDM-sIgE increased gradually, and the serum IL-5 concentration had a peak at the early intraperitoneal administration stage similar to that at the end of modelling. The LC3 level in nasal mucosa of AR mice modelled with dust mites increased gradually in the early stages, but stabilized in the later stages. The expression of LC3 level in nasal mucosa was a positively correlated ration between serum IL-5 level in AR mice. Conclusion: In the early stage of AR mice, the level of nasal mucosal autophagy and serum IL-5 levels were significantly increased and correlated, suggesting that nasal mucosal autophagy played a promoting role in the early stage of AR.

Establishment of predictive nomogram and web-based survival risk calculator for desmoplastic small round cell tumor: A propensity score-adjusted, population-based study.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare undifferentiated malignant soft tissue tumor with a poor prognosis and a lack of consensus on treatment. This study's objective was to build a nomogram based on clinicopathologic factors and an online survival risk calculator to predict patient prognosis and support therapeutic decision-making. A retrospective cohort analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was performed for patients diagnosed with DSRCT between 2000 and 2019. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis was applied to identify the individual variables related to overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS), as well as to construct online survival risk calculators and nomogram survival models. The nomogram was employed to categorize patients into different risk groups, and the Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to determine the survival rate of each risk category. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to assess survival with different therapeutic approaches. A total of 374 patients were included, and the median OS and CSS were 25 (interquartile range 21.9-28.1) months and 27 (interquartile range 23.6-30.3) months, respectively. The nomogram models demonstrated high predictive accuracy. PSM found that patients with triple-therapy had better CSS and OS than those who received surgery plus chemotherapy (median survival times: 49 vs 34 months and 49 vs 35 months, respectively). The nomogram successfully predicted the DSRCT patients survival rate. This approach could assist doctors in evaluating prognoses, identifying high-risk populations, and implementing personalized therapy.

Differences in the effectiveness of the high-efficient concentrated pretreatment method on the norovirus detection in oysters and mussels.

Oysters and mussels are important vectors for norovirus (NoV). An efficient pretreatment method for NoV detection in oysters based on ISO 15216-2:2019 was established in our previous work, but its effectiveness for other types of shellfish remains unknown. Therefore, this study systematically compared the differences between the standard and modified ISO methods in detecting NoV for oysters and mussels. Using the standard ISO method, the recovery rates of NoV in oysters (2.10 ± 0.80 %) and mussels (2.39 ± 0.56 %) were comparable (p > 0.05, unpaired t-test). In contrast, the virus recovery rates in oysters (19.83 ± 3.64 %) and mussels (46.96 ± 3.55 %) were both significantly improved by the modified method. Also, a significant difference was found between the virus recovery rates in two shellfish (p < 0.05, unpaired t-test), resulting in a 2.09-fold difference in their virus concentrations. Additionally, the limits of detection at 95 % probability of the modified ISO method for oysters and mussels could both reach 3.33 × 103 copies/g of digestive glands. Finally, the modified ISO method has been successfully applied in commercial oysters (14/27, 51.85 %) and mussels (15/23, 65.22 %), and the results indicated a significant difference in NoV recovery rates between two shellfish (p < 0.05, one-way analysis of variance). In summary, the modified ISO method showed higher virus recovery rates than the standard ISO method, which would be used as an essential tool for NoV detection in oysters and mussels.

A systematic review and meta-analysis indicates a substantial burden of human noroviruses in shellfish worldwide, with GII.4 and GII.2 being the predominant genotypes.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) have been found as the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in all age groups and are significantly correlated with the consumption of shellfish. In this study, the contamination of HuNoVs in shellfish was estimated through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Studies on the contamination of HuNoVs in shellfish were searched from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library from January 2000 to August 2021. A total of 75 studies were included, and the pooled HuNoVs prevalence in shellfish was 29% (95% CI: 23-35) worldwide. As revealed by the results of the subgroup meta-analysis, the prevalence of dominant genogroup was variable, and 4% (95% CI: 3-6), 13% (95% CI: 10-17), with 7% (95% CI: 4-11) of the samples, respectively, contaminated by GI alone, GII alone, and GI&GII. The HuNoVs prevalence of shellfish in Europe, America, and Asia was 33% (95% CI: 24-43), 24% (95% CI: 7-47), and 27% (95% CI: 18-35), respectively, while only 10% (95% CI: 5-17) in Africa. Furthermore, the prevalence of HuNoVs in shellfish was the highest in spring (35%, 95% CI: 23-49) and winter (35%, 95% CI: 22-50), and the lowest in summer (11%, 95% CI: 5-18). Oysters, clams, and mussels had comparable HuNoVs prevalence of 28% (95% CI: 20-37), 27% (95% CI: 16-39) and 24% (95% CI: 17-32), respectively. The prevalence of HuNoVs in shellfish from harvest areas and markets was 30% (95% CI: 23-38) and 30% (95% CI: 19-41), respectively. The results of this study suggest a substantial burden of HuNoVs in shellfish worldwide, with GII.4 (92.86%) and GII.2 (46.43%) as the predominant genotypes. This study provides information regarding the contamination of HuNoVs in shellfish worldwide, which will contribute to the development of appropriate control measures to prevent shellfish-related HuNoVs gastroenteritis.

Estimating the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) of m6A methylation-associated genes.

Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) mRNA modification is the most prevalent in certain tumors. However, its expression profile and prognostic value in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unknown. Methods: Herein, we performed an extensive investigation of the m6A-associated gene expression profile and determined its significance in the prognosis of ESCC. We received the RNA expression profiles of 81 ESCC tissues and one normal esophageal tissue from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis was used to assess the predictability of m6A methylation-associated gene expression in ESCC prognosis. In addition, univariate and multivariate Cox regression, as well as least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression models were employed for the establishment of prognostic signatures. Lastly, KM survival analysis, proportional hazard models, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to verify the prognostic value. Moreover, we also investigated the associations among the m6A prognostic signature, immune cell infiltration, and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Results: We demonstrated that YTHDF3 [hazard ratio (HR): 0.910; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.832-0.995; P=0.038], RBM15 (HR: 0.721; 95% CI: 0.549-0.948; P=0.019), KIAA1429 (HR: 0.801; 95% CI: 0.664-0.967; P=0.021), and ALKBH5 (HR: 0.948; 95% CI: 0.895-1.003; P=0.0.064) overexpression predicted better overall survival (OS) of ESCC patients. Furthermore, based on prognostic factors, the high-risk (H-R) cohort was found to have worse survival than the low-risk (L-R) cohort (P<0.001). Conclusions: We revealed three m6A methylation-associated genes that were closely correlated with enhanced survival in ESCC patients. In addition, we generated an independent prognostic signature based on the expression of YTHDF3, RBM15, KIAA1429, and ALKBH5 genes. The results revealed significantly higher proportions of CD8+ T cells and higher expression of PD-L1 in the H-R group.

Epidemiological characteristics and temporal-spatial analysis of overseas imported dengue fever cases in outbreak provinces of China, 2005-2019.

BACKGROUND: Overseas imported dengue fever is an important factor in local outbreaks of this disease in the mainland of China. To better prevent and control such local outbreaks, the epidemiological characteristics and temporal-spatial distribution of overseas imported dengue fever cases in provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs) where dengue fever is outbreak in the mainland of China were explored. METHODS: Using the Chinese National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting Information System (CNNDS), we identified overseas imported dengue fever cases in dengue fever outbreak areas in the mainland of China from 2005 to 2019 to draw the epidemic curve and population characteristic distribution of overseas imported cases in each PLAD. Based on spatial autocorrelation analysis of ArcGIS 10.5 and temporal-spatial scanning analysis of SaTScan 9.5, we analyzed the temporal-spatial distribution of overseas imported dengue fever in dengue fever outbreak areas in the mainland of China. RESULTS: A total of 11,407 imported cases, mainly from Southeast Asia, were recorded from 2005 to 2019 in these 13 PLADs. Of which 62.1% were imported into Yunnan and Guangdong Provinces. Among the imported cases, there were more males than females, mainly from the 21-50 age group. The hot spots were concentrated in parts of Yunnan, Guangdong and Fujian Provinces. We found the cluster of infected areas were expanding northward. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the analysis of overseas imported dengue cases in 13 PLADs of the mainland of China from 2005 to 2019, we obtained the epidemiological characteristics and spatial distribution of imported dengue cases. Border controls need to pay attention to key population sectors, such as 21-50 years old men and education of key populations on dengue prevention. There is a need to improve the awareness of the prevention and control of imported cases in border areas. At the same time, northern regions cannot relax their vigilance.

Conversion therapy with tislelizumab for high microsatellite instability, unresectable stage III gastric cancer: a case report.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth-highest ranked cancer for incidence and second for mortality from cancer worldwide. Conversion therapy has recently emerged as an alternative therapy for advanced/metastatic GC patients who are unable to undergo surgical resection at the time of diagnosis. Herein, we present the case of a patient with unresectable stage III GC of high microsatellite instability (MSI), high tumor mutation burden (TMB), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positive. The patient received conversion therapy involving a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy regimens. After 3 courses of chemotherapy combined with tislelizumab, the patient underwent laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy. The pathological examination demonstrated that there was no cancerous tissue at the proximal or distal end of the tumor and no lymph node metastases in the lesser or greater curvature, indicating a pathologic complete response. Thereafter, the patient continued tislelizumab treatment to prevent postoperative carcinoma recurrence and metastasis, and to improve prognosis. In conclusion, our study confirmed that chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy is a promising conversion therapy for GC patients with locally unresectable lesions or distant lymph node metastasis, and these findings warrant large-scale clinical studies. This report highlights the clinical importance of next-generation sequencing technology in investigating therapeutic strategy to provide the maximal clinical benefit for patients with GC.

Serum carcinoembryonic antigen elevation in benign lung diseases.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is not only used to aid the diagnosis of lung cancer, but also help monitor recurrence and determine the prognosis of lung cancer as well as evaluate the therapeutic efficacy for lung cancer. However, studies have also shown that CEA is present at low levels in the serum of patients with benign lung diseases (BLD), which will interfere with the accurate judgment of the disease. Due to difference in sample size, detection methods, cutoff values and sources of BLD, the positive rate of CEA in BLD is different with different literature. Therefore, it is necessary to define CEA levels in patients of different BLD in a large sample study. 4796 patients with BLD were included in this study. The results showed that the CEA levels of 3.1% (149/4796) patients with BLD were elevated, with three cases exceeds 20 ng/mL (0.06%, 3/4796). The results from the literature showed that BLD had a mean positive rate of 5.99% (53/885) and only two cases had CEA above 20 ng/mL. The CEA elevations mainly distributed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonitis and interstitial lung disease and significantly correlated with age of patients (OR 2.69, 95% CI 1.94-3.73, p < 0.001). Pulmonary tuberculosis (7/1311, 0.53%) had the lowest positive rate of CEA elevations while pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (6/27, 22.22%) had the highest positive rate. The majority of patients with abnormally elevated CEA levels had multiple underlying diseases, mainly diseases of the circulatory system (42.28% [63/149]), endocrine diseases (26.85% [40/149]), and respiratory or heart failure (24.16% [36/149]. In endocrine diseases, 87.5% (35/40) of patients had diabetes. In conclusion, CEA is present at a low positive rate in the serum of patients with BLD, but few exceed 20 ng/mL. For lung disease patients, if CEA levels rise, we should carry out comprehensive analysis of types of lung diseases, age of patients, and comorbid diseases.

Comparative analyses on epidemiological characteristics of dengue fever in Guangdong and Yunnan, China, 2004-2018.

BACKGROUND: In China, Guangdong and Yunnan are the two most dengue-affected provinces. This study aimed to compare the epidemiological characteristics of dengue fever in Guangdong and Yunnan during 2004-2018. METHODS: Descriptive analyses were used to explore the temporal, spatial, and demographic distribution of dengue fever. RESULTS: Of the 73,761 dengue cases reported in mainland China during 2004-2018, 93.7% indigenous and 65.9% imported cases occurred in Guangdong and Yunnan, respectively. A total of 55,970 and 5938 indigenous cases occurred in 108 Guangdong and 8 Yunnan counties, respectively during 2004-2018. Whereas 1146 and 3050 imported cases occurred in 84 Guangdong and 72 Yunnan counties, respectively during 2004-2018. Guangdong had a much higher average yearly indigenous incidence rate (3.65 (1/100000) vs 0.86 (1/100000)), but a much lower average yearly imported incidence rate (0.07 (1/100000) vs 0.44(1/100000)) compared with Yunnan in 2004-2018. Furthermore, dengue fever occurred more widely in space and more frequently in time in Guangdong. Guangdong and Yunnan had similar seasonal characteristics for dengue fever, but Guangdong had a longer peak period. Most dengue cases were clustered in the south-western border of Yunnan and the Pearl River Delta region in Guangdong. Most of the imported cases (93.9%) in Guangdong and Yunnan were from 9 Southeast Asian countries. Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia imported mainly into Guangdong while Myanmar and Laos imported into Yunnan. There was a strong male predominance among imported cases and an almost equal gender distribution among indigenous cases. Most dengue cases occurred in individuals aged 21-50 years, accounting for 57.3% (Guangdong) vs. 62.8% (Yunnan) of indigenous and 83.2% (Guangdong) vs. 62.6% (Yunnan) of imported cases. The associated major occupations (house worker or unemployed, retiree, and businessman, for indigenous cases; and businessman, for imported cases), were similar. However, farmers accounted for a larger proportion of dengue cases in Yunnan. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the different epidemiological characteristics of dengue fever in Guangdong and Yunnan can be helpful to formulate targeted, strategic plans, and implement effective public health prevention measures in China.

Characteristics and prognosis of telangiectatic osteosarcoma: a population-based study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.

BACKGROUND: Telangiectatic osteosarcoma (TOS) is a rare type of osteosarcoma for which limited clinical data is available. Furthermore, the clinical characteristics and prognosis of TOS remain unclear. METHODS: A large population-based cohort analysis was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry. The data of TOS and conventional osteosarcoma (COS) patients from 2000 to 2017 were collected. The categorical variables were assessed by Chi-squared tests. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank (Mantel-Cox) tests were used to examine the survival outcomes between the groups. Cox proportional hazard models were used for univariate and multivariate analyses of TOS patient survival-related variables. RESULTS: A total of 141 TOS patients and 2961 COS patients were included in this analysis, and the mean age at diagnosis was 23.5 and 29.4 years, respectively. Compared to COS patients, TOS patients were more likely to be under 20 years old (61.7% vs. 51.7%, P=0.022), and without a second peak of incidence after 60 years of age. The median overall survival (mOS) of TOS patients was not reached compared to a median survival of 84 months for COS patients (hazard ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.95, P=0.0175). After adjusting these data for age at diagnosis, stage, and surgery at the primary site, no significant differences in mOS were observed between the two groups. In univariate analyses, being under 20 years of age, having localized or regional stage disease, and having undergone surgery were associated with a decreased risk of death. Subsequent multivariate analysis indicated that age at diagnosis, stage, and surgery at the primary site were all independent predictors of prognosis in TOS patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with TOS were younger than patients with COS and did not show a second peak after 60 years of age. Age, summary stage at diagnosis, and surgery at the primary site were independent predictors of survival for TOS patients.

Clinicopathological characteristics and survival in lung signet ring cell carcinoma: a population-based study.

Lung signet-ring cell carcinoma (LSRCC) is a very rare type of lung cancer, the clinical characteristics, and prognosis of which remain to be clarified. In order to explore the clinicopathological and survival-related factors associated with LSRCC, we performed a large population-based cohort analysis of data included in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry from 2001 to 2015. A total of 752 LSRCC and 7518 lung mucinous adenocarcinoma (LMAC) patients were incorporated into our analysis, with respective mean ages of 63.8 and 67.5 years at the time of diagnosis. LSRCC patients were significantly more likely than LMAC patients to have distant-stage disease (72.1% vs. 45.8%, p < 0.0001), tumors of a high pathological grade (40.6% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.0001), have undergone chemotherapy (62.1% vs. 39.9%, p<0.0001), be male (52.7% vs. 48.5%, p = 0.03), and be < 40 years old (3.3% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.022), whereas they were less likely to have undergone surgical treatment (52.4% vs. 77.0%, p < 0.0001). LSRCC and LMAC patients exhibited median overall survival (OS) duration of 8 and 18 months (p < 0.0001), respectively, although these differences were not significant after adjusting for confounding variables. Independent factors associated with a favorable patient prognosis included a primary site in the middle or lower lung lobe, underwent surgery, and underwent chemotherapy. However, age ≥80 years, higher grade, distant summary stage disease, and T4 stage disease were linked to poor prognosis. Patient age, tumor grade, primary tumor site, summary stage, T stage, surgery, and chemotherapy were all significantly associated with LSRCC patient prognosis.

Complete response of radioresistant brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer with temozolomide: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases (BMs) have been found as subjects of poor prognosis. Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), surgery, and stereotactic radiosurgery, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), or some combinations are the most commonly employed strategies for the treatment of treatments BMs. However, some patients are resistant to all these treatments. PATIENT CONCERNS: We present an NSCLC patient with progression of BMs after treatment with WBRT and EGFR-TKIs. The patient was diagnosed with multiple metastases on July 9, 2014, and treated with docetaxel plus cisplatin chemotherapy followed with gefitinib as the maintenance therapy. The patient showed recurrence of BMs after 8-months of chemotherapy. WBRT with 30 Gy was administrated in 10 fractions. Tumor progression of the brain was diagnosed with an magnetic resonance imaging scan after 2-months of WBRT. DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed as pulmonary adenocarcinoma with diffuse metastases in both lungs and multiple metastases in bone and brain. Progression of BMs was confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging. INTERVENTIONS: This patient was administered temozolomide (150 mg/m2/d for 5 days every 28-day cycle). As a whole, 6 cycles were performed after the progression of BMs from August 2015. OUTCOMES: The patient got complete brain remission and lived without discomfort. The intracranial lesion did not progress until the progression of the lung lesion and led to death on February 20, 2019. The intracranial progression-free survival was 42 months, whereas the overall survival was 55 months. LESSONS: For patients with NSCLC and BMs, temozolomide can be used as a treatment option, especially in patients with EGFR-TKIs resistance or without driver mutations.

ctDNA facilitated the diagnosis of a patient with synchronous urothelial carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer: case report.

The diagnosis and treatment for multiple primary cancers have been a great challenge in clinical practice. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is tumor-derived fragmented DNA that circulates in the blood. Herein we report a case that ctDNA facilitated the diagnosis of synchronous urothelial carcinoma (UC) and lung adenocarcinoma. A 58-year-old male patient was diagnosed with UC initially. Computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple metastases without the brain after surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. However, the patient had a progressively worsened headache symbol during system therapy. We explored the genome variations using next-generation sequencing (NGS). HRAS and TP53 mutations were detected from UC surgical tissue and postoperative ctDNA. Unexpectedly, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletion (19del) mutation, which is common in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), was also identified in ctDNA. Pathological analysis of a neck lymph node confirmed adenocarcinoma derived from the lung. Meanwhile, EGFR 19del was detected in neck lymph node biopsy. The ctDNA contained both UC and lung adenocarcinoma-derived mutations. Thus, the diagnosis was modified into synchronous UC and lung adenocarcinoma. Interestingly, the lung adenocarcinoma-derived lesions responded well to osimertinib (80mg, once daily), while the UC did not. His headache rapidly subsided and disappeared. This case demonstrates that ctDNA analysis may better capture the molecular heterogeneity harbored by multiple primary tumors in a patient and can facilitate the diagnosis and therapy of patients with simultaneous cancers.

Prognostic value of preoperative lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio in gallbladder carcinoma patients and the establishment of a prognostic nomogram.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential prognostic value of preoperative lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and establishment of a prognostic nomogram in post surgical patients with gallbladder carcinoma (GBC).Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the optimal cut-off value of LMR. The correlation between preoperative LMR and overall survival (OS) was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. A relevant prognostic nomogram was established.Three hundred fifteen GBC patients were retrospectively enrolled. Based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cutoff value of LMR was 2.685. Patients were categorized into high-LMR group (n = 143) or low-LMR group (n = 172). Low-LMR value was significantly associated with elderly age, advanced tumor, and the performance of a palliative cholecystectomy. The results of the univariate and multivariate analyses eliminated the degree of tumor differentiation, tumor-node-metastasis stages, surgery types, and LMR as independent predictors of OS. Based on those independent predictors, a predictive nomogram for OS was generated with an accuracy of 0.848.Based on our findings, the predictive nomogram should be included in the routine assessment of GBC patients.

Clinical characteristics and risk of second primary lung cancer after cervical cancer: A population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is increasingly common as a second primary malignancy. However, the clinical characteristics of second primary non-small cell lung cancer after cervical cancer (CC-NSCLC) compared with first primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC1) is unknown. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry between 1998 and 2010 was used to conduct a large population-based cohort analysis. The demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as prognostic data, were systematically analyzed. The overall survival (OS) in the two cohorts was further compared. The risk factors of second primary lung cancer in patients with cervical cancer were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 557 patients (3.52%) developed second primary lung cancer after cervical cancer, and 451 were eligible for inclusion in the final analyses. Compared with NSCLC1, patients with CC-NSCLC had a higher rate of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (36.59% vs 19.07%, P < 0.01). The median OS was longer for CC-NSCLC than for NSCLC1 before propensity score matching (PSM) (16 months vs. 13 months) but with no significant difference after PSM (16 months vs. 17 months). The high-risk factors for the development of cervical cancer to CC-NSCLC include age 50-79 years, black race [odds ratio (OR) 1.417; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.095-1.834; P < 0.05], and history of radiotherapy (OR 1.392; 95% CI 1.053-1.841; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Age 50-79 years, black race, and history of radiotherapy were independent risk factors for second primary lung cancer in patients with cervical cancer. Patients with CC-NSCLC had distinctive clinical characteristics and better prognosis compared with patients with NSCLC1.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Osteoclast-like Giant Cell Tumors of the Pancreas Compared with Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas: A Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND The incidence of osteoclast-like giant cell tumor of the pancreas (OGTP) is very low, and relatively little OGTP clinical data is available. The present study, therefore, sought to conduct a more comprehensive analysis of the clinical characteristics and prognosis of OGTP. MATERIAL AND METHODS A large population-based cohort analysis was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry. We conducted a systematic assessment of the demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients, in addition to assessing available prognostic and therapeutic data corresponding to their disease. We further compared overall survival (OS) in these OGTP and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) patient cohorts, adjusting for sex, grade, stage, and surgical treatment by propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS We included a total of 47 OGTP patients and 73 150 PA patients in the present analysis. The mean ages of PA and OGTP diagnosis were 68.0 and 62.8 years, respectively. Compared with PA patients, OGTP patients were more likely to be female (70.2% versus 48.7%, P<0.01), to have early-stage disease, to have lower rates of lymph node metastasis (17.0% versus 28.8%, P<0.01) and distant metastasis (17.0% versus 45.1%, P<0.01), and to have higher rates of tumor resection (70.2% versus 15.4%, P<0.01). OGTP patients also had a significantly longer median OS than did PA patients (13 months versus 6 months; hazard ratio [HR] 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37-0.57, P<0.0001). No significant differences in tumor site preferences were detected. Our findings also suggested that being female, having early-stage disease, and undergoing surgical resection may be associated with a more favorable prognosis in patients with OGTP. CONCLUSIONS OGTP patients had distinctive clinical characteristics and a better prognosis compared with PA patients. Understanding these differences will help clinicians accurately recognize these diseases. Radical resection was beneficial to the survival of OGTP patients.

Comprehensive analysis of the correlation between base-excision repair gene SNPs and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma risk in a Chinese Han population.

This study sought to assess the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affecting DNA base-excision repair (BER) genes and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) risk in a Han Chinese population. Genes screened for such SNPs included 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 protein (XRCC1). Blood samples that had been collected in a prospective manner were used for DNA extraction, with all DNA samples then being subjected to PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyping for BER gene SNPs, including APE1 Asp148Glu and -141T/G, OGG1 Ser326Cys, and XRCC1 Arg399Gln. The relationship between these SNPs and ESCC risk was then assessed, with the comparability of the case and control groups being enhanced via propensity score matching (PSM). This study initially included 642 healthy controls and 321 ESCC patients, with PSM optimization leading to a final analyzed total of 311 matched subjects per group (311 total). Factors associated with elevated ESCC risk in this analysis included advanced age, being male and smoking. We further identified that the XRCC1 399 Gln/Gln genotype was associated with a significant reduction in ESCC risk prior to propensity matching (odds ratio=0.48; 95% CI: 0.23-1.00; P<0.05), although this did not remain true following matching. For the remaining analyzed SNPs, no significant associations between genotype and ESCC risk were detected prior to or following propensity matching. A multivariate analysis incorporating patient age, sex, smoking status and drinking status failed to detect any relationship between the four tested genotypes and ESCC risk. In conclusion, being male, a smoker or of advanced age was associated with an elevated ESCC risk. However, we did not detect any significant relationship between ESCC risk and BER polymorphisms in XRCC1, OGG1, APE1 or the APE1 promoter region in a Han Chinese population.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of B-cell lymphoma 2 homology 3 mimetic gossypol combined with docetaxel and cisplatin for advanced non-small cell lung cancer with high expression of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1.

Background Overexpression of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) is an important cause of poor chemotherapeutic efficacy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Gossypol, a new inhibitor of APE1, in combination with docetaxel and cisplatin is believed to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC with high APE1 expression. Methods Sixty-two patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Thirty-one patients in the experimental group received 75 mg/m2 docetaxel and 75 mg/m2 cisplatin on day 1 with gossypol administered at 20 mg once daily on days 1 to 14 every 21 days. The control group received placebo with the same docetaxel and cisplatin regimen. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), response rate, and toxicity. Results There were no significant differences in PFS and OS between the experimental group and the control group. The median PFS (mPFS) in the experimental and control groups was 7.43 and 4.9 months, respectively (HR = 0.54; p = 0.06), and the median OS (mOS) was 18.37 and 14.7 months, respectively (HR = 0.68; p = 0.27). No significant differences in response rate and serious adverse events were found between the groups. Conclusion The experimental group had a better mPFS and mOS than did the control group, though no significant difference was observed. Because the regimen of gossypol combined with docetaxel and cisplatin was well tolerated, future studies with larger sample sizes should be performed.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G promoter polymorphisms and risk of venous thromboembolism - a meta-analysis and systematic review.

Background: A 4G/5G polymorphism in the promoter region of the plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) gene has been reported to enhance the plasma levels of PAI-1, which plays an important role in fibrinolysis disorders and venous thromboembolism, but a large number of studies have reported inconclusive results. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to analysis these associations. Materials and methods: We performed a publication search for articles published before April 2019 by using the electronic databases of web of Science, Embase, PubMed, CNKI, CBM and WanFang data with the following terms "PAI-1", "polymorphism", "Venous Thromboembolism". Two investigators independently extracted data and assessed study quality. Statistical analyses were undertaken using Stata 14.0. Results: A total of 27 studies, with 3135 patients and 5346 controls were included. Overall, the variant PAI-1 4G/4G and PAI-1 4G/5G was associated with venous thromboembolism risk, compared with the PAI-1 5G/5G allele in the populations included in the analysis. Stratified analysis revealed that PAI-1 4G/4G and PAI-1 4G/5G genotypes were associated with an increased VTE risk among Asia populations in all five genetic models. Conclusions: The PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism may be a potential biomarker of VTE risk, particularly in Asia populations. Further larger studies with multi-ethnic populations are required to further assess the association between PAI-1 4G/4G polymorphisms and VTE risk.

LINC01018 confers a novel tumor suppressor role in hepatocellular carcinoma through sponging microRNA-182-5p.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that some long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the development and progression of HCC. Herein, the current study aimed to explore the potential mechanism of LINC01018 in regulating the progression of HCC. Initially, the expression of LINC01018, microRNA-182-5p (miR-182-5p), and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) was quantified in 72 paired HCC and adjacent normal tissue samples as well as HCC cells, followed by identification of the interaction among them. To define the contributory role of LINC01018 in the progression of HCC, the expression of LINC01018, miR-182-5p, or FOXO1 was altered in HCC cells, followed by evaluation of cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and cell apoptosis. Finally, in vivo tests were performed to further verify the role of LINC01018 in HCC. It was observed that LINC01018 and FOXO1 were poorly expressed but miR-182-5p was highly expressed in HCC tissues and cells. The upregulation of LINC01018 was shown to decrease proliferation while promoting apoptosis of HCC cells. LINC01018 acted as a sponge of miR-182-5p, which targeted FOXO1. Last, mice injected with Hep3B overexpressing FOXO1 displayed suppressed xenograft tumor formation. Collectively, overexpression of LINC01018 represses proliferation and promotes apoptosis of HCC cells via upregulation of FOXO1 by sponging miR-182-5p, which highlights overexpression of LINC01018 as a candidate suppressor of HCC.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study provides evidence for understanding the molecular mechanism involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma and identifies a novel network of LINC01018/miR-182-5p/FOXO1. We also conducted in vivo experiments in nude mice to validate the anti-tumor effect of LINC01018.