Functions of Sialyltransferases in gynecological malignancies: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The biosynthesis of tumor-associated sialoglycans involves Sialyltransferases expressed in cancer cells differentially. The current review aspires to bridge the existing knowledge gaps by consolidating evidence regarding the role of Sialyltransferases in gynecological malignant tumors (ovarian, cervix, endometrial, and breast). METHODS: In this systematic review, we searched databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library. Twenty-two high-quality articles were selected out of 559 researched studies using radiomics quality score (RQS) tools. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that 7 articles were related to Sialyltransferases in ovarian cancer, in which 6 studies was examined only ST6Gal-I and one study examined the ST3Gal-I, ST3Gal-II, ST3Gal-III, ST3Gal-IV, ST3Gal-VI, and ST3Gal-6. In addition, 5 articles were related to Sialyltransferases in cervix cancer (ST6Gal-I), 3 articles to endometrial cancer (ST6Gal-I, ST3Gal-III, ST3Gal-IV, and ST3Gal-6), and 7 articles to breast cancer (ST6Gal-I gene in 5 studies, ST6GAL-II gene in one study, and ST8SIA1 and ST3GAL-V genes in one study). CONCLUSION: ST6Gal-I gene expression occurs at a high speed in ovarian, cervix, endometrial, and breast cancers, leading to metastasis to distant cells, cell destruction, cell invasion, and reduced patient survival.

Assessing the Effect of Directional Bremsstrahlung Splitting on the Output Spectra and Parameters Using BEAMnrc Monte Carlo Simulation Package.

Introduction: EGSnrc software package is one of the computational packages for Monte Carlo simulation in radiation therapy and has several subset codes. Directional bremsstrahlung splitting (DBS) is a technique that applies braking radiations in interactions in this software. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of this technique on the simulation time, uncertainty, particle number of phase-space data, and photon beam spectrum resulting from a medical linear accelerator (LINAC). Materials and methods: The gantry of the accelerator, including the materials and geometries of different parts, was simulated using the BEAMnrc code (a subset code in the EGSnrc package). The phase-space data were recorded in different parts of the LINAC. The DBS values (1, 10, 100, and 1000) were changed, and their effects were evaluated on the simulation parameters and output spectra. Results: Increasing the DBS value from 1 to 1000 resulted in an increase in the simulation time from 1.778 to 11.310 hours, and increasing the number of particles in the phase-space plane (5 590 732-180 328 382). When the DBS had been picked up from 1 to 100, the simulation uncertainty decreased by about 1.29%. In addition, the DBS increment value from 100 to 1000 leads to an increase in uncertainty and simulation time of about 0.71% and 315%, respectively. Conclusion: Although using the DBS technique reduces the simulation time or uncertainty, increasing the DBS from a specific value, equal to 100 in our study, increases simulation uncertainties and times. Therefore, we propose considering a specific DBS value as we obtained for the Monte Carlo simulation of photon beams produced by linear accelerators.

A systematic review of the therapeutic effects of resveratrol in combination with 5-fluorouracil during colorectal cancer treatment: with a special focus on the oxidant, apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities.

PURPOSE: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), an effective chemotherapy drug, is commonly applied for colorectal cancer treatment. Nevertheless, its toxicity to normal tissues and the development of tumor resistance are the main obstacles to successful cancer chemotherapy and hence, its clinical application is limited. The use of resveratrol can increase 5-FU-induced cytotoxicity and mitigate the unwanted adverse effects. This study aimed to review the potential therapeutic effects of resveratrol in combination with 5-FU against colorectal cancer. METHODS: According to the PRISMA guideline, a comprehensive systematic search was carried out for the identification of relevant literature in four electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus up to May 2021 using a pre-defined set of keywords in their titles and abstracts. We screened 282 studies in accordance with our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirteen articles were finally included in this systematic review. RESULTS: The in vitro findings showed that proliferation inhibition of colorectal cancer cells in the groups treated by 5-FU was remarkably higher than the untreated groups and the co-administration of resveratrol remarkably increased cytotoxicity induced by 5-FU. The in vivo results demonstrated a decrease in tumor growth of mice treated by 5-FU than the untreated group and a dramatic decrease was observed following combined treatment of resveratrol and 5-FU. It was also found that 5-FU alone and combined with resveratrol could regulate the cell cycle profile of colorectal cancer cells. Moreover, this chemotherapeutic agent induced the biochemical and histopathological changes in the cancerous cells/tissues and these alterations were synergized by resveratrol co-administration (for most of the cases), except for the inflammatory mediators. CONCLUSION: The results obtained from this systematic review demonstrated that co-administration of resveratrol could sensitize the colorectal cancer cells to 5-FU treatment via various mechanisms, including regulation of cell cycle distribution, oxidant, apoptosis, anti-inflammatory effects.

Therapeutic potentials of resveratrol in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy during glioblastoma treatment: a mechanistic review.

Glioblastoma, WHO grade IV astrocytoma, is the most aggressive type of brain tumors. These cancerous cells have a rapid growth rate, tendency to penetrate vital brain structures, molecular heterogeneity, etc. and this cancer is associated with a poor prognosis and low survival rate. Due to the resistance of glioblastoma cells to conventional therapeutic modalities (such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy) as well as the adverse effects of these modalities, the researchers have attempted to discover an appropriate alternative or adjuvant treatment for glioblastoma. Resveratrol, as an herbal and natural polyphenolic compound, has anti-tumoral property and has shown to be effective in GBM treatment. Resveratrol exerts its anti-tumoral effect through various mechanisms such as regulation of cell cycle progression and cell proliferation, autophagy, oxidant system, apoptosis pathways, and so on. Resveratrol in combination with radiation therapy and chemotherapy has also been used. In the present study, we summarized the current findings on therapeutic potentials of resveratrol in glioblastoma radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Skin dose measurement and estimating the dosimetric effect of applicator misplacement in gynecological brachytherapy: A patient and phantom study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate skin dose differences between TPS (treatment planning system) calculations and TLD (thermo-luminescent dosimeters) measurements along with the dosimetric effect of applicator misplacement for patients diagnosed with gynecological (GYN) cancers undergoing brachytherapy. METHODS: The skin doses were measured using TLDs attached in different locations on patients' skin in pelvic regions (anterior, left, and right) for 20 patients, as well as on a phantom. In addition, the applicator surface dose was calculated with TLDs attached to the applicator. The measured doses were compared with TPS calculations to find TPS accuracy. For the phantom, different applicator shifts were applied to find the effect of applicator misplacement on the surface dose. RESULTS: The mean absolute dose differences between the TPS and TLDs results for anterior, left, and right points were 3.14±1.03, 6.25±1.88, and 6.20±1.97 %, respectively. The mean difference on the applicator surface was obtained 1.92±0.46 %. Applicator misplacements of 0.5, 2, and 4 cm (average of three locations) resulted in 9, 36, and 61%, dose errors respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The surface/skin differences between the calculations and measurements are higher in the left and right regions, which relate to the higher uncertainty of TPS dose calculation in these regions. Furthermore, applicator misplacements can result in high skin dose variations, therefore it can be an appropriate quality assurance method for future research.

The role of melatonin on radiation-induced pneumonitis and lung fibrosis: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Pneumonitis and lung fibrosis, as the most common compliances of lung irradiation, can affect the quality of life. The use of radio-protective agents can ameliorate these injuries. This study aimed to review the potential protective role of melatonin in the treatment of radiation-induced Pneumonitis and lung fibrosis. METHODS: The current systematic study was conducted based on PRISMA guidelines to identify relevant literature on " the effect of melatonin on radiation-induced pneumonitis and lung fibrosis" in the electronic databases of Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus up to January 2021. Eighty-one articles were screened in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. Finally, eight articles were included in this systematic review. RESULTS: The finding showed that the lung irradiation-induced pneumonitis and lung fibrosis. The co-treatment with melatonin could alleviate these compliances through its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Melatonin through upregulation of some enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, NADPH oxidases 2 and 4, dual oxidases 1 and 2, and also downregulation of malondialdehyde reduced oxidative stress following lung radiation. Moreover, melatonin through its anti-inflammatory effects, can attenuate the increased levels of nuclear factor kappa B, tumor necrosis factor alpha, transforming growth factor beta 1, SMAD2, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-4 receptor-a1 (IL4ra1), and IL-1 beta following lung radiation. The histological damages induced by ionizing radiation were also alleviated by co-treatment with melatonin. CONCLUSION: According to the obtained results, it was found that melatonin can have anti-pneumonitis and anti-fibrotic following lung irradiation.

Evaluating the radioprotective effect of single dose and daily oral consumption of green tea, grape seed, and coffee bean extracts against gamma irradiation.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the radio-protective effect of green tea, grape seed, and coffee bean extracts in different oral consumption methods in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental-quantitative study 150 mice in 15 equally sized groups were used. For each extract, two groups received 200 mg/kg of herbal extracts' combination for 7 and 30 consecutive days before irradiation, and one group received 800 mg/kg of the extract 2 h before irradiation (3 Gy gamma-rays of Co-60). The similar groups were classified to receive a combination of the plant extracts (green tea, grape seed, and coffee bean). Irradiation without consuming plant extract (irradiated group), and a control group were also devised. Alkaline comet and micronucleus assays were used to investigate the radioprotective effect on mice blood and bone marrow cells, respectively. RESULTS: Consumption of all plant extracts significantly decreased the radiation damage to blood and bone marrow cells, compared to the irradiated group (p < 0.01), with grape seed extract showing higher protective effect. Continuous daily oral consumption (one week/month) showed a significant higher radioprotective effect compared to single consumption (p < 0.05). Continuous consumption of the combination of the extracts showed a higher radio-protection in comparison to each of the plant extracts (p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The radioprotective effect of continuous consumption (for one week/month) of the plant extracts was greater than single dose. In continuous consumption protocols, we found the synergetic property and higher radioprotective effect of the plant extract combination compared to each one.

A comparison of skin dose estimation between thermoluminescent dosimeter and treatment planning system in prostatic cancer: A brachytherapy technique.

Aims: This study aimed to compare the skin dose calculated by treatment planning system (TPS) and measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) in brachytherapy of prostatic cancer to show the skin TLD dosimetry as an appropriate quality assurance procedure for TPS dose calculations. Methods: The skin dose of 15 patients with prostatic cancer treated by high dose rate brachytherapy technique was assessed by two types of TLD dosimeters (GR-200 and TLD-100). The TLDs were placed on the patient's skin at three different points (anterior, left, and right) using five TLDs for each point. The dose values of TLDs and TPS were compared using paired t-test and the percentages of difference were reported. Results: There was a good agreement between TPS calculations and TLDs measurements for both of the GR-200 and TLD-100 dosimeters. The mean skin dose values for anterior, left, and right points were 65.06±21.88, 13.88±4.1, and 10.05±4.39 cGy, respectively, for TPS. These values were 65.70±23.2, 14.51±4.3, and 10.54±5 cGy for GR-200, and 64.22±23.5, 13.43±4.4, and 9.99±4.1 cGy for TLD-100, respectively. Conclusion: The TPS skin dose calculations in brachytherapy of prostatic cancer had a good agreement with the TLD-100 and GR-200 measurements at the three different points on patients' skin. TLD-100 had lower differences with TPS calculations compared to GR-200. Relevance for Patients: The outcome of this research shows that for people with prostatic cancer, TPS can estimate accurately the skin dose of different points including anterior, left, and right in brachytherapy technique.

Investigating the radioprotective effect of sesamol oral consumption against gamma irradiation in mice by micronucleus and alkaline comet assays.

INTRODUCTION: Ionizing radiations induce damage to the bone marrow and blood cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the radioprotective effect of sesamol oral consumption on mice bone marrow and peripheral blood cells using micronuclei and alkaline comet assay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This experimental-quantitative study was performed on 50 mice in 5 equal groups. One group received 50 mg/kg of sesamol for 7 consecutive days and another group received 100 mg/kg of this extract 2 h before irradiation (3 Gy gamma-rays of Cobalt-60). Irradiation without consuming sesamol and sesamol without irradiation were applied in other groups. Micronucleus and alkaline comet assays were used to measure the DNA damages in bone marrow and peripheral blood cells. The data were statistically compared using one-way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD test. RESULTS: In comparison with the only-irradiated group, oral consumption of sesamol 2 h and 7 days before irradiation decreased remarkably micro-nucleated normochromatid erythrocytes (mnNCE) as 54.5% and 70.4% (P < 0.0001), and micro-nucleated nucleated polychromatid erythrocytes (mnPCE) as 49% and 66% (P < 0.001), respectively. Furthermore, the number of PCE/NCE ratio increased as 47% and 83.6% (P < 0.0001) compared to the irradiated group. The percentage of DNA in tail and apoptotic comets decreased significantly with oral consumption of sesamol (daily or single dose) compared to the irradiated group (P < 0.005). These variations were greater in 7-day continuous pre-irradiation method. CONCLUSION: Sesamol as a radioprotector can reduce the effects of gamma irradiation on mice bone marrow and blood cells. The daily oral consumption of this extract is more effective in comparison with the single consumption before irradiation.

Concomitant boost chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer: treatment tolerance and acute side effects.

AIM: In the present study, we evaluated treatment tolerance and side effects of 6 days a week accelerated radiation therapy using concomitant boost methods with chemotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients suffered locally advanced head and neck malignancies were included into this clinical trial. The patients were scheduled for accelerated radiotherapy with total dose of 70 Gy 6 days a week (5 days radiotherapy and 1-day concomitant boost radiotherapy) for 5 weeks and also concurrently for chemotherapy with cisplatin and also celecoxib. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 51.47 ± 11.49 years. The incidence of acute mucositis at the end of the 1st week was 33.3% that was gradually increased until the end of the 5th week (93.3%) and then had a decreasing trend within the 6th week (70.0%). The incidence of acute dysphagia was estimated 23.3% at the end of the 1st week and reached 60% at completion of treatment. CONCLUSION: Scheduling a treatment approach with 6 days a week, accelerated radiation therapy using concomitant boost methods with chemotherapy, and celecoxib leads to significant reducing the incidence of complications in the final weeks of therapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.