Anoikis-Related Long Non-Coding RNA Signatures to Predict Prognosis and Immune Infiltration of Gastric Cancer.

Anoikis is a distinct type of programmed cell death and a unique mechanism for tumor progress. However, its exact function in gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the function of anoikis-related lncRNA (ar-lncRNA) in the prognosis of GC and its immunological infiltration. The ar-lncRNAs were derived from RNA sequencing data and associated clinical information obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Pearson correlation analysis, differential screening, LASSO and Cox regression were utilized to identify the typical ar-lncRNAs with prognostic significance, and the corresponding risk model was constructed, respectively. Comprehensive methods were employed to assess the clinical characteristics of the prediction model, ensuring the accuracy of the prediction results. Further analysis was conducted on the relationship between immune microenvironment and risk features, and sensitivity predictions were made about anticancer medicines. A risk model was built according to seven selected ar-lncRNAs. The model was validated and the calibration plots were highly consistent in validating nomogram predictions. Further analyses revealed the great accuracy of the model and its ability to serve as a stand-alone GC prognostic factor. We subsequently disclosed that high-risk groups display significant enrichment in pathways related to tumors and the immune system. Additionally, in tumor immunoassays, notable variations in immune infiltrates and checkpoints were noted between different risk groups. This study proposes, for the first time, that prognostic signatures of ar-lncRNA can be established in GC. These signatures accurately predict the prognosis of GC and offer potential biomarkers, suggesting new avenues for basic research, prognosis prediction and personalized diagnosis and treatment of GC.

Comparative Efficacy and Acceptability of Endoscopic Methods for Rectal Neuroendocrine Neoplasms with Low Malignant Potential: A Network Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS:  Although endoscopic resection is an effective treatment of rectal neuroendocrine neoplasms (R-NENs) with low malignant potential, there is no consensus on the most recommended endoscopic method. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and acceptability of different endoscopic treatments for R-NENs with low malignant potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS:  We searched databases for studies on treatments of R-NENs using endoscopic resection. These studies comprised techniques such as endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), modified endoscopic mucosal resection (EMRM), modified endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESDM), and transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM). The primary outcomes assessed were histological complete resection (HCR). RESULTS:  Overall, 38 retrospective studies (3040 R-NENs) were identified. Endoscopic mucosal resection with a cap (EMRC), endoscopic mucosal resection with ligation (EMRL), ESD, ESDM, and TEM demonstrated higher resectability than did EMR in achieving HCR. Endoscopic mucosal resection, EMRC, EMRL, EMRP, EMRD, and EMRU required shorter operation times than did ESD. Endoscopic mucosal resection, EMRC, ESDM, and TEM incurred lower risks than did ESD. CONCLUSION:  Regarding R-NENs <20 mm with low malignant potential, ESD could be used as the primary treatment. However, TEM may be more effective if supported by economic conditions and hospital facility. With respect to R-NENs <16 mm with low malignant potential, EMRL could be used as the primary treatment. In regard to R-NENs <10 mm with low malignant potential, EMRL, EMRC, and ESD could be used as the primary treatment. However, EMRL and EMRC might be better when operational difficulties and economic conditions were considered.

Case report: Disitamab vedotin combined with immunotherapy demonstrated excellent efficacy in scrotal Paget's disease with Her-2 overexpression.

Background: Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare epithelial malignancy, and approximately 30%-40% of EMPD patients overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2). Currently, there are no established standard treatments for advanced EMPD while anti-Her-2 therapy is recommended for Her-2-positive cases. Case presentation: Here, we report a 51-year-old male diagnosed with advanced Her-2-positive EMPD, presenting with numerous lymph node metastases. This patient received disitamab vedotin (an antibody-drug conjugate, targeting Her-2) combined with serplulimab as first-line treatment. After seven cycles of combination therapy, the patient tolerated the treatment well and the lymph node lesions continued to shrink. However, the patient developed immunotherapy-related pneumonia following the eighth treatment. Hormone therapy was administered while all the anti-tumor therapies were halted. After the pneumonia improved, the patient underwent positron emission tomography-computed tomography, revealing a complete response to his tumor. To consolidate the effect, he received another five cycles of disitamab vedotin monotherapy as maintenance therapy, without experiencing any adverse events. To date, the patient has remained in good health without any recurrence 10 months after drug discontinuance. Conclusion: Disitamab vedotin combined with immunotherapy demonstrated a long-term clinical benefit in advanced Her-2-positive EMPD. For rare solid tumors with Her-2 overexpression, disitamab vedotin combined with immunotherapy might offer a viable therapeutic choice.

Regional transarterial chemoembolization combined with chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: a retrospective study of a new combination.

Objectives: Locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) has a high risk of distant metastasis (DM). Currently, many treatment courses of LARC have arisen, but patients' DM status has not significantly improved. This study was designed to compare the effect between preoperative regional transarterial chemoembolization combined with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and standard neoadjuvant therapy on preventing DM in patients with LARC. Methods: A total of 81 LARC patients between July 2013 and May 2018 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Among them, 44 patients received preoperative regional transarterial chemoembolization combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (the interventional group), and 37 patients received only neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (the control group). The baseline data; preoperative toxicities; postoperative DM rate within 1, 2, and 3 years; and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results: All patients successfully completed their treatments. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, gender, tumor size, distance between the tumor and anal verge, CEA level, lymphovascular invasion, or tumor stage before treatment. The pathological T staging post-treatment in the interventional group was significantly reduced compared to that of the control group (p = 0.025). There were no significant differences between groups in DM rates within 1 and 2 years after surgery. In terms of DM rate within 3 years after surgery, the interventional group was significantly lower than that of the control group (9.1% vs. 29.7%, p = 0.036). Conclusion: Preoperative regional transarterial chemoembolization combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy may play an important role in reducing postoperative DM in LARC.

[Rapid identification of variable star spectrum based on information entropy].

Variable star is very important for mankind studying cosmic origin and evolution. For studying variable star, the chief difficulty results from the filtration and identification of variable star, that is how to validly identify variable star spectra from large high-dimensional star spectra data. The traditional outlier definition tries to find the difference between the outlier data and the general model by different ways, and then the result is quantitatively analyzed and filtrated. However, the time complexity of this method is over size and its results are inscrutable and unaccountable. Information entropy is a measure of the uncertainty associated with a random variable. In the present paper, information entropy is imported as the standard of dataset common mode. A novel method is proposed to identify the variable star spectrum rapidly based on information entropy. The time complexity of this method is observably reduced and the man-made impact is effectively overcome. The preliminary experimental results based on Sloan star spectrum data show that the method is workable for rapid identification of variable star spectrum.