Correction: Systemic Delivery of MicroRNA-101 Potently Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Vivo by Repressing Multiple Targets.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004873.].

Radiofrequency Ablation Following Downstaging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Using Transarterial Chemoembolization: Long-term Outcomes.

Background Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an effective downstaging procedure for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, knowledge of the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) after downstaging of HCC is currently lacking. Purpose To evaluate the clinical outcomes of RFA after downstaging of HCC by using TACE. Materials and Methods This retrospective study investigated a cohort of patients who underwent RFA with curative intent after downstaging with TACE to meet Milan criteria (one lesion up to 5 cm or no more than three lesions ≤3 cm without vascular invasion or extrahepatic metastasis) from January 2012 to July 2017. A control group of patients initially meeting the Milan criteria also underwent RFA as first-line treatment in the same period. Overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and major complication rates were compared by using the log-rank test. To reduce potential bias, a propensity score analysis was also performed. Results There were 72 patients (median age, 56.5 years; range, 30-78 years; 67 men) in the downstaging group and 357 patients meeting the Milan criteria (median age, 58.0 years; range, 25-87 years; 313 men) included in this study. After propensity score matching, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 99%, 80%, and 66%, respectively, for the patients in the downstaging group and 94%, 84%, and 69%, respectively, for the patients in the Milan criteria group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year DFS rate were 73%, 34%, and 24% for the downstaging group and 74%, 43%, and 37% for the Milan criteria group. There were no differences in the OS, DFS, or major complication rates between the two groups (P = .74, P = .39, P = .73, respectively). Conclusion The long-term patient survival and major complication rates of radiofrequency ablation following transarterial chemoembolization downstaging for hepatocellular carcinoma were similar to that of patients initially meeting the Milan criteria. © RSNA, 2019 See also the editorial by vanSonnenberg and Mueller in this issue.

Systemic delivery of microRNA-101 potently inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo by repressing multiple targets.

Targeted therapy based on adjustment of microRNA (miRNA)s activity takes great promise due to the ability of these small RNAs to modulate cellular behavior. However, the efficacy of miR-101 replacement therapy to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. In the current study, we first observed that plasma levels of miR-101 were significantly lower in distant metastatic HCC patients than in HCCs without distant metastasis, and down-regulation of plasma miR-101 predicted a worse disease-free survival (DFS, P<0.05). In an animal model of HCC, we demonstrated that systemic delivery of lentivirus-mediated miR-101 abrogated HCC growth in the liver, intrahepatic metastasis and distant metastasis to the lung and to the mediastinum, resulting in a dramatic suppression of HCC development and metastasis in mice without toxicity and extending life expectancy. Furthermore, enforced overexpression of miR-101 in HCC cells not only decreased EZH2, COX2 and STMN1, but also directly down-regulated a novel target ROCK2, inhibited Rho/Rac GTPase activation, and blocked HCC cells epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis, inducing a strong abrogation of HCC tumorigenesis and aggressiveness both in vitro and in vivo. These results provide proof-of-concept support for systemic delivery of lentivirus-mediated miR-101 as a powerful anti-HCC therapeutic modality by repressing multiple molecular targets.

Percutaneous CT-guided Radiofrequency Ablation for Lymph Node Oligometastases from Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-matching Analysis.

Purpose To assess the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for lymph node (LN) oligometastases from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods This retrospective study was approved by the institutional ethics committee, and all patients provided written informed consent. From January 2004 to December 2013, 119 consecutive patients with HCC and LN oligometastases (115 men [mean age, 51.3 years; age range, 16-83 years] and four women [mean age, 38.2 years; age range, 23-47 years]) were included in this study. A matched cohort composed of 46 patients from each group was selected after adjustment with propensity score matching. The median follow-up time was 14.0 months in the RFA group and 13.8 months in the non-RFA group. The overall survival (OS), local control rate, and complications were evaluated. Survival curves were constructed with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by using the log-rank test. Results Eighty-seven patients had LN metastases located in the regional site, and 32 patients had LN metastases in the distant site. No significant differences were observed in the baseline characteristics between groups after propensity score matching adjustment. The RFA group showed higher 6-month and 1-year OS rates compared with the non-RFA group (87.0% and 58.3% vs 62.4% and 17.9%, respectively; P = .001). The 3-month local control rate after RFA was 84.4%, including complete response in 71.1% of patients and partial response in 13.3%. The complications of RFA were short-term abdominal pain and self-limited local hematoma, which occurred in 10 patients (21.7%) and five patients (10.9%), respectively. Conclusion Percutaneous CT-guided RFA may be a safe and effective treatment for the LN oligometastases generated by HCC. © RSNA, 2016.

Critical weight loss predicts poor prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The impacts of weight loss on prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain unclear. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the association between critical weight loss and long-term survival in NPC patients. METHODS: The eligible 2399 NPC patients were reviewed. Weight change was categorized into critical weight loss (CWL) and non-critical weight loss (Non-CWL). The associations of CWL with long-term survival were analyzed by Cox regression in the entire patient and two subsets. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce the effects of confounding factors. RESULTS: CWL was defined as body weight loss of ≥4.6 %. Compared with patients without CWL, patients with CWL had significantly lower 5-year OS (72.4 vs. 79.3 %, P < 0.001), FFS (71.1 vs. 78.4 %, P <0.001), and LR-FFS (78.1 vs. 84.8 %, P <0.001), respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, CWL remained an independence prognostic factor for OS (HR = 1.352; 95 % CI 1.160-1.576; P < 0.001), FFS (HR = 3.275; 95 % CI 1.101-9.740; P = 0.033), and LR-FFS (HR = 6.620; 95 % CI 2.990-14.658; P < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, subgroup analysis in the cohort of patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone confirmed the results in the entire patient even after the propensity-score matching. In IMRT cohort, CWL was also significantly associated with a lower OS (P = 0.04) and FFS (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: CWL has a significant and independent impact on long-term survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with retropharyngeal lymph node metastases: a minimum axial diameter of 6 mm is a more accurate prognostic predictor than 5 mm.

OBJECTIVE: The criteria for the diagnosis of metastatic retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLNs) have not yet been resolved and are not included in the current edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system (seventh edition) for the staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The aim of this study was to use MRI to identify an RLN size criterion that can accurately predict prognosis in patients with NPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight hundred seventeen patients with newly diagnosed localized NPC were identified. All of the patients underwent MRI before treatment with definitive radiation therapy. All the MRI studies and medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and local relapse-free survival (LRFS) were assessed using SPSS software (version 17.0). RESULTS: RLN size cutoffs of ≥ 5 mm and of ≥ 6 mm were used. There was no significant difference in OS (p = 0.216), DMFS (p = 0.081), or LRFS (p = 0.067) in patients with RLNs ≥ 5 mm and in those with RLNs < 5 mm. When 6 mm was used as a size cutoff, significant differences in OS (p = 0.000) and DMFS (p = 0.001) were identified; there was no significant difference observed for LRFS (p = 0.380). CONCLUSION: A minimum axial RLN diameter of 6 mm was a more accurate prognostic predictor in NPC patients with RLN metastases than 5 mm.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with CT-guided percutaneous thermal ablation versus hepatectomy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus thermal ablation has been widely used recently in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we aimed to compare results of the combination of TACE and percutaneous thermal ablation with those of hepatectomy in patients with HCC. METHODS: The clinical data of 137 HCC patients who sequentially received TACE and computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous thermal ablation as an initial curative treatment (combination group) and 148 matched HCC patients who received hepatectomy (surgery group) between 2004 and 2011 were collected and analyzed. After TACE, multiphase contrast-enhanced CT was performed to identify the total number of tumors as well as lipiodol deposition in the liver. Survival was calculated by using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by using the log-rank test. The prognostic factors were assessed with multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: Of all 285 patients, 225 (79.0%) had cancerous lesions≤5 cm in diameter. In preoperative contrast-enhanced CT or magnetic resonance imaging, the number of tumors was 1-4 for each patient. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 95, 74%, and 67% in the combination group and 88, 66, and 47% in the surgery group, respectively (P=0.004); the corresponding recurrence-free survival rates for the two groups were 92, 69, and 61% and 75, 58, and 44%, respectively (P=0.001). In the multivariate analysis, treatment allocation was an independent prognostic factor for survival. Only 60 patients in the combination group had sufficient imaging data, and 135 new lesions with lipiodol deposition were diagnosed as malignancies in 22 of 60 patients, whereas 20 new lesions were found in 11 of 148 patients in the surgery group. CONCLUSION: The combination of TACE and CT-guided percutaneous thermal ablation for HCC improves survival of HCC patients compared with hepatectomy.

Subdivision of M category for nasopharyngeal carcinoma with synchronous metastasis: time to expand the M categorization system.

INTRODUCTION: The current metastatic category (M) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a "catch-all" classification, covering a heterogeneous group of tumors ranging from potentially curable to incurable. The aim of this study was to design an M categorization system that could be applied in planning the treatment of NPC with synchronous metastasis. METHODS: A total of 505 NPC patients diagnosed with synchronous metastasis at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between 2000 and 2009 were involved. The associations of clinical variables, metastatic features, and a proposed M categorization system with overall survival (OS) were determined by using Cox regression model. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) N category (N1-3/N0), number of metastatic lesions (multiple/single), liver involvement (yes/no), radiotherapy to primary tumor (yes/no), and cycles of chemotherapy (>4/≤4) were independent prognostic factors for OS. We defined the following subcategories based on liver involvement and the number of metastatic lesions: M1a, single lesion confined to an isolated organ or location except the liver; M1b, single lesion in the liver and/or multiple lesions in any organs or locations except the liver; and M1c, multiple lesions in the liver. Of the 505 cases, 74 (14.7%) were classified as M1a, 296 (58.6%) as M1b, 134 (26.5%) as M1c, and 1 was not specified. The three M1 subcategories showed significant difference in OS [M1b vs. M1a, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-2.48, P = 0.007; M1c vs. M1a, HR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.75-3.98, P < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: We developed an M categorization system based on the independent factors related to the prognosis of patients with metastatic NPC. This system may be helpful to further optimize individualized care for NPC patients.

Simple measurements on diffusion-weighted MR imaging for assessment of complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: To determine diagnostic performance of simple measurements on diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) for assessment of complete tumour response (CR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) by signal intensity (SI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-five patients with LARC who underwent neoadjuvant CRT and subsequent surgery were included. Patients underwent pre-CRT and post-CRT 3.0 T MRI. Regions of interest of the highest brightness SI were included in the tumour volume on post-CRT DWI to calculate the SIlesion, rSI, ADClesion and rADC; diagnostic performance was compared by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. In order to validate the accuracy and reproducibility of the current strategy, the same procedure was reproduced in 80 patients with LARC at 1.5 T MRI. RESULTS: Areas under the ROC curve for identification of a CR, based on SIlesion, rSI, ADClesion, and rADC, respectively, were 0.86, 0.94, 0.66, and 0.71 at 3.0 T MRI, and 0.92, 0.91, 0.64, and 0.61 at 1.5 T MRI. CONCLUSION: Post-CRT DWI SIlesion and rSI provided high diagnostic performance in assessing CR and were significantly more accurate than ADClesion, and rADC at 3.0 T MRI and 1.5 T MRI. KEY POINTS: • Signal intensity (SI lesion ) and rSI are accurate for assessment of complete response. • rSI seems to be superior to SI lesion at 3.0 T MRI. • ADC or rADC measurements are not accurate for assessment of complete response.

The number of tumor-free axillary lymph nodes removed as a prognostic parameter for node-negative breast cancer.

Recently, there has been controversy about the relationship between the number of lymph nodes removed and survival of patients diagnosed with lymph node-negative breast cancer. To assess this relationship, 603 cases of lymph node-negative breast cancer with a median of 126 months of follow-up data were studied. Patients were stratified into two groups (Group A, 10 or fewer tumor-free lymph nodes removed; Group B, more than 10 tumor-free lymph nodes removed). The number of tumor-free lymph nodes in ipsilateral axillary resections as well as 5 other disease parameters were analyzed for prognostic value. Our results revealed that the risk of death from breast cancer was significantly associated with patient age, marital status, histologic grade, tumor size, and adjuvant therapy. The 5- and 10-year survival rates for patients with 10 or fewer tumor-free lymph nodes removed was 88.0% and 66.4%, respectively, compared with 69.2% and 51.1%, respectively, for patients with more than 10 tumor-free lymph nodes removed. For patients with 10 or fewer tumor-free lymph nodes removed, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for risk of death from breast cancer was 0.579 (95% confidence interval, 0.492-0.687, P < 0.001), independent of patient age, marital status, histologic grade, tumor size, and adjuvant therapy. Our study suggests that the number of tumor-free lymph nodes removed is an independent predictor in cases of lymph node-negative breast cancer.

Debulking treatment with CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and hepatic artery infusion of floxuridine improves survival of patients with unresectable pulmonary and hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer.

The survival of most patients with both unresectable hepatic and pulmonary metastases of colorectal cancer is poor. In this retrospective study, we investigated the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and systemic chemotherapy plus hepatic artery infusion of floxuridine (HAI-FUDR). Sixty-one patients were selected from 1,136 patients with pulmonary and hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. Patients were treated with RFA and systemic chemotherapy plus HAI-FUDR (ablation group, n = 39) or systemic chemotherapy plus HAI-FUDR (FUDR group, n = 22). Patients in the two groups were matched by sex, age, number of metastases, and calendar year of RFA or FUDR. Survival data were evaluated by using univariate and multivariate analyses. Clinical characteristics were comparable between the two groups. All patients in the ablation group underwent RFA and chemotherapy. Median follow-up was 56.8 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 97%, 64%, and 37%, respectively, for the ablation group, and 82%, 32%, and 19%, respectively, for the FUDR group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates after metastasis were 97%, 49%, and 26% for the ablation group, and 72%, 24%, and 24% for the FUDR group, respectively. The median OS times were 45 and 25 months for the ablation and FUDR groups, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, treatment allocation was a favorable independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.001) and survival after metastasis (P = 0.009). These data suggest that the addition of RFA to systemic chemotherapy plus HAI-FUDR improves the survival of patients with both unresectable hepatic and pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer.

Safe temperature range for intraoperative and early postoperative continuous hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion in a swine model of experimental distal gastrectomy with Billroth II reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The current study sought to investigate the safety of intraoperative and early postoperative continuous hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion (IEPCHIP) at different temperatures in a swine model of experimental distal gastrectomy with Billroth II reconstruction. METHODS: Thirty pigs were randomly divided into 5 groups. Two groups were used as the control groups (groups A1 and A2), and 3 groups were used as the perfusion groups (groups B, C and D). Pigs in group A1 received distal gastrectomy with Billroth II reconstruction only. Pigs in groups A2, B, C and D received the same surgery as group A1, followed by IEPCHIP at 37 ± 0.5°C, 42.5 ± 0.5°C, 43.5 ± 0.5°C or 44.5 ± 0.5°C, respectively. The perfusion time was assessed for each pig in group A2 as well as in the perfusion groups, and the perfusions were performed twice for each group. The first perfusion was conducted intraoperatively, and the second perfusion was initiated 1 day after surgery. Data concerning vital signs and hepatic and renal function were collected. Parameters concerning anastomotic healing, the pathology of the anastomotic tissue and abdominal adhesion were compared. RESULTS: The vital signs and hepatic and renal functions of the pigs in groups A1, A2, B and C were not significantly affected by this procedure. In contrast, the vital signs and hepatic and renal functions of the pigs in group D were significantly affected. Compared to the pigs in groups A1, A2 or B, the anastomotic bursting pressure, breaking strength and hydroxyproline content in group C and D pigs were significantly lower. No significant differences were observed in these parameters between groups A1, A2 and B. Abdominal adhesion was more severe in group D pigs. Collagen deposition in group A1, A2 and B pigs was dense in the anastomosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in group D. CONCLUSIONS: IEPCHIP at 42.5 ± 0.5°C was safe and caused minimal impairments. However, anastomotic healing was affected by perfusion at 43.5 ± 0.5°C and 44.5 ± 0.5°C, and abdominal adhesion was most severe in the group D animals, which were perfused at 44.5 ± 0.5°C.

The efficacy of cytokine-induced killer cell infusion as an adjuvant therapy for postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Even after surgery, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has poor prognosis; adjuvant therapy is needed to improve effectively the outcome of HCC patients. We evaluated the efficacy of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell infusion as an adjuvant therapy for postoperative HCC patients. METHODS: A total of 410 patients were studied retrospectively (January 2002 to January 2007): 206 received surgery alone; 204 received surgery and at least four cycles of CIK cell transfusion (CIK group). Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to explore differences in OS between two groups. RESULTS: The CIK group overall survival rates were significantly higher than that of the surgery-alone group (log-rank test; p = 0.0007). Multivariate survival analysis showed that CIK cell treatment was an independent prognostic factor. In subgroup analysis, patients who received ≥8 cycles of CIK cell transfusion exhibited significantly better survival than the <8 cycle group (p = 0.0272). There was no significant difference in overall survival in patients with ≤5-cm tumors between the CIK and surgery-alone groups (p = 0.7567). However, in patients with >5-cm tumors, the CIK group displayed significantly better overall survival than the surgery-alone group (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative immunotherapy with CIK cell transfusion may be an effective adjuvant treatment for improving the outcomes of HCC patients; >8 cycles of CIK cell transfusion may ensure that patients derive maximal benefits. Moreover, patients with large tumors might benefit more from CIK cell adjuvant treatment than patients with small tumors.

CT and MRI of radiation-induced sarcomas of the head and neck following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate the radiological findings of head and neck radiation-induced sarcomas (RISs) following radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with RISs were identified. Imaging characteristics on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including lesion location, extent, size, margin, internal architecture, pattern, and degree of enhancement, together with patient characteristics at NPC diagnosis and latency periods, were reviewed. RESULTS: The study included 20 women and 39 men, with a median age of 49 years (range 30-71 years). The median latency was 9 years (range 3-37 years). The median radiation dose at the site of RIS was 66 Gy (range 44-78 Gy). The most common histological RIS types were fibrosarcoma (44.1%) and osteosarcoma (30.5%). The most common RIS sites were the paranasal sinuses and the nasal cavity (39%), the neck (16.9%), and the mandible (15.3%). The mean size was 5.1 cm (range 1.2-8.6 cm). Overall, 78% of lesions extended to adjacent spaces and 66.1% were accompanied by bone destruction. Heterogeneous density/signal intensity before and after enhancement was seen in all lesions on imaging. Marked lesion enhancement was noted in 49 cases (76.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The radiologist should be aware of the different sites at which RISs occur and the radiological appearance of the wide variety of RIS subtypes. Careful imaging follow-up is necessary for early detection of RISs in patients with NPC after radiotherapy.

Hepatic angiomyolipoma: CT and MR imaging findings with clinical-pathologic comparison.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical, pathologic, and computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of hepatic angiomyolipoma (HAML) and to improve the diagnostic efficacy of the tumor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical, pathologic, and imaging findings were retrospectively evaluated in 18 patients with HAML. Two patients underwent both CT and MRI, ten underwent CT alone, and six underwent MRI alone. Unenhanced and contrast-enhanced examinations were performed in all patients. Imaging characteristics, such as the lesion location, lesion diameter, presence of early draining veins, attenuation/signal intensity of the lesions on imaging, and enhancement pattern were reviewed. RESULTS: There were 3 male and 15 female patients. HAML was seen as a well-defined, solitary mass on imaging with medium size (mean diameter, 5.9 cm). Fat was detected in ten patients. Calcification was noted in two patients and cystic degeneration was seen in one patient. Hepatic cirrhosis and capsule were not detected in all patients. The mean attenuation values exceeded 120 hounsfield units (HU) in 11 patients (91.7%). Peripherally decreasing enhancement rim as well as early draining vein was seen in 15 patients (83.3%). The early draining veins were all hepatic veins. Tumor vessels were noted in all patients. CONCLUSION: The presence of early draining vein, peripheral decreasing enhancement rim, and the absence of tumor capsule in the hypervascular hepatic tumor on CT and/or MRI together with normal alpha fetal protein may be helpful for the diagnosis of HAML in non-cirrhotic liver.

Abnormal baseline brain activity in patients with HBV-related cirrhosis without overt hepatic encephalopathy revealed by resting-state functional MRI.

Neurocognitive dysfunction of varying degrees is common in patients with hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis (HBV-RC) without overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE). However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these dysfunctions are not well understood. We sought to identify changes in the neural activity of patients with HBV-RC without OHE in the resting state by using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method and to determine whether these changes were related to impaired cognition. Resting-state functional MRI data from 30 patients with HBV-RC and 30 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and years of education were compared to determine any differences in the ALFF between the two groups. Cognition was measured with the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES), and the relationship between these scores and ALFF variation was assessed. Compared with controls, patients showed widespread lower standardized ALFF (mALFF) values in visual association areas (bilateral lingual gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and left inferior temporal gyrus), motor-related areas (bilateral precentral gyrus, paracentral lobule, and right postcentral gyrus), and the default mode network (bilateral cuneus/precuneus and inferior parietal lobule). Higher mALFF values were found in the bilateral orbital gyrus/rectal gyrus. In patients, mALFF values were significantly positive correlated with the PHES in the right middle occipital gyrus and bilateral precentral gyrus. Our findings of resting-state abnormalities in patients with HBV-RC without OHE suggest that neurocognitive dysfunction in patients with HBV-RC without OHE may be caused by abnormal neural activity in multiple brain regions.

[Evaluation of the prognostic significance of refinement and stratification of distant metastasis status in 1016 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with different metastatic status, and to improve the NPC management by multi-level refinement and stratification of M1 stage distant metastases. METHODS: Clinicopathological data of 1016 NPC patients with distant metastases were retrospectively reviewed. The M1 stage distant metastases were subdivided into synchronous or metachronous metastases, metastatic sites (lung, bone, liver), number of metastatic organs (solitary, multiple) and number of metastases (solitary, multiple) subgroups to analyze the prognosis and survival of the patients. RESULTS: The most frequently involved metastatic sites were bone (542, 53.3%), lung (420, 41.3%) and liver (302, 29.7%). There were solitary metastatic lesions in 164 patients (16.2%), synchronous metastases in 376 cases and metachronous metastases in 640 cases. The median overall survival of the whole group of 1016 NPC patients was 30.8 months since the time of diagnosis of metastasis. For the 376 patients in the synchronous metastasis group, the median survival was 23.3 months and the 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 74.2%, 27.6% and 18.5%, respectively. For the 640 patients in the metachronous metastases group, the median survival was 36.7 months, and the 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 88.1%, 49.6% and 28.6%, respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (all P < 0.001). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that the number of metastatic lesions, different metastatic sites and N stage at initial diagnosis were independent prognostic factors for patients with metachronous metastases (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A theory of detailed multi-level metastasis (M1) stratification aiming at different distant metastasis status for nasopharyngeal carcinoma is proposed. To take appropriate individualized treatment scheme according to the prognosis and expected survival should be helpful to improving the diagnosis and treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer.

Magnetic resonance image-guided versus ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of breast cancer.

Image-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been used for more than ten years, primarily in the treatment of liver and prostate cancers. HIFU has the advantages of precise cancer ablation and excellent protection of healthy tissue. Breast cancer is a common cancer in women. HIFU therapy, in combination with other therapies, has the potential to improve both oncologic and cosmetic outcomes for breast cancer patients by providing a curative therapy that conserves mammary shape. Currently, HIFU therapy is not commonly used in breast cancer treatment, and efforts to promote the application of HIFU is expected. In this article, we compare different image-guided models for HIFU and reviewed the status, drawbacks, and potential of HIFU therapy for breast cancer.

Efficacy of minimally invasive therapies on unresectable pancreatic cancer.

For patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer, current chemotherapies have negligible survival benefits. Thus, developing effective minimally invasive therapies is currently underway. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization plus radiofrequency ablation and/or 125I radioactive seed implantation on unresectable pancreatic cancer. We analyzed the outcome of 71 patients with unresectable pancreatic carcinoma who underwent chemoembolization plus radiofrequency ablation and/or radioactive seed implantation. Of the 71 patients, the median survival was 11 months, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 32.4%, 9.9%, and 6.6%, respectively. Patients who had no metastasis, who had oligonodular liver metastases (≤3 lesions), and who had multinodular liver metastases (>3 lesions) had median survival of 12, 18, and 8 months, respectively, and 1-year overall survival rates of 50.0%, 68.8%, and 5.7%, respectively. Although the survival of patients without liver metastases was worse than that of patients with oligonodular liver metastasis, the result was not significant (P = 0.239). In contrast, the metastasis-negative patients had significantly better survival than did patients with multinodular liver metastases (P < 0.001). Patients with oligonodular liver lesions had a significant longer median survival than did patients with multinodular lesions (P < 0.001). In conclusion, combined minimally invasive therapies had good efficacy on unresectable pancreatic cancer and resulted in a good control of liver metastases. In addition, the number of liver metastases was a significant factor in predicting prognosis and response to treatment.

[Clinical value of CT-guided (125)I brachytherapy for retroperitoneal metastatic lymph node from PHC].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical value of CT-guided (125)I brachytherapy with retroperitoneal metastatic lymph nodes from primary hepatic carcinoma(PHC). METHODS: Twenty patients with retroperitoneal metastatic lymph node recurrence from PHC were percutaneously treated by (125)I brachytherapy with computed tomographic (CT) guidance. The number, radioactive dose, placed position of radioactive seeds and puncture path were determined by computerized treatment planning system (TPS). The radioactive seeds were implanted when the needles were in right position by CT scan. Radiotherapy verification and quality assessment were performed after treatment by CT scan. Follow-up contrast material-enhanced CT were reviewed. RESULTS: The local control rate of 3, 6, 10, 15 months was 70.0%, 56.3%, 44.4%, 25.0% respectively. There were no severe complications such as massive bleeding and radiation injury of normal tissues. CONCLUSION: CT-guided (125)I brachytherapy are effective and may be safely applied to retroperitoneal metastatic lymph nodes from PHC.