Efficacy and Safety of Image-Guided Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Combined with Paclitaxel Liposomes and Cisplatin for Locally Advanced Stage IIB-IIIB Cervical Cancer: A Retrospective Study at a Single Center.

BACKGROUND This retrospective study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) combined with administration of paclitaxel liposomes and cisplatin for locally advanced stage IIB-IIIB cervical cancer at a single center in China. MATERIAL AND METHODS The clinical data of 126 patients with stage IIB-IIIB cervical cancer treated in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the IMRT group (n=63) and the VMAT group (n=63). The short-term clinical efficacy, the incidence of adverse reactions, the quality-of-life score, and the changes in levels of T-lymphocyte subsets, serum inflammatory factors, and tumor markers were compared pre- and posttreatment between the 2 groups. RESULTS The clinical response rate was 90.5% and 96.8% in the IMRT group and the VMAT group, respectively; the difference was not statistically significant. After treatment, the levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ subsets rose significantly, while the CD8⁺ level declined significantly in both groups compared with the pretreatment levels. After treatment, the levels of serum vascular endothelial growth factor, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-a, carcinoembryonic antigen, and carbohydrate antigen 125 declined in both groups compared with pretreatment levels. After treatment, the Karnofsky performance scale score rose in both groups, and it was higher in the VMAT group than in the IMRT group. CONCLUSIONS IMRT and VMAT combined with paclitaxel liposomes and cisplatin have similar short-term clinical efficacy and long-term survival rates in the treatment of stage IIB-IIIB cervical cancer.

Benefit of double-reading cytology smears as a triage strategy among high-risk human papillomavirus-positive women in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to determine whether the detection of histologically confirmed cases of cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or worse (HSIL+) can be increased by having each liquid-based cytology (LBC) slide read by 2 cytotechnologists as part of routine screening. METHODS: Over 36,212 women aged 30 to 64 years participated in the Forwarding Research for Improved Detection and Access for Cervical Cancer Screening and Triage (FRIDA) Study in Mexico between 2013 and 2016. For each participant, 2 cervical samples were collected at the same clinic visit, one to test for high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) and the other for LBC, which was used to triage those with a hrHPV positive result. LBC slides were evaluated by 7 cytotechnologists, with each slide read independently by 2 blinded cytotechnologists. All women with atypical cells of undetermined significance or a worse result were referred to colposcopy for further evaluation and diagnosis. Three pathologists evaluated the biopsy specimens to confirm the final HSIL+ diagnosis. The HSIL+ detection rates for the single versus double reading were estimated and compared. RESULTS: A total of 3,914 women with a positive hrHPV result were triaged with LBC. The first and second cytology readings resulted in 43 HSIL+ cases detected; the double-reading strategy detected 9 additional HSIL+ cases, resulting in a total of 52 HSIL+ cases. The HSIL+ detection rate increased from 10.99/1000 with a single reading to 13.29/1000 with the double-reading strategy (P = .004). CONCLUSION: A 20.9% increase in HSIL+ cases detected was achieved with a double reading of the LBC slides in this sample of hrHPV-positive women.

Anti-proliferative activity and structure-activity relationship of honokiol derivatives.

As a known natural product with anti-tumor activity, honokiol has been widely researched and structural modified. Lots of honokiol derivatives have been found to possess good anti-proliferative activity and showed great potential in cancer therapy, but the SAR (structure-activity relationship) was still confused. Here in, the SAR were comprehensively researched by summary of reported derivatives and synthesis of novel derivatives. Amongst novel derivatives, the promising compounds A6 and A10 exhibited potent and selective anti-proliferative activities against K562 cell line with the IC50 values of 5.04 and 7.08 µM respectively. The SAR was discussed around honokiol and 79 derivatives by the means of CoMFA and theoretical calculation, which provided useful suggestion for further structural optimization of honokiol derivatives.