LncRNA HCG18 suppresses CD8+ T cells to confer resistance to cetuximab in colorectal cancer via miR-20b-5p/PD-L1 axis.

Aim: We aimed to explore the effect of long noncoding RNA HCG18 in colorectal cancer (CRC). Materials & methods: Relative gene and protein expression were screened. Colony formation and flow cytometry assays were performed to determine proliferation and apoptosis. Dual luciferase and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to validate the interaction between indicated molecules. Xenograft in nude mice was applied to verify the conclusion in vivo. Results:HCG18 and PD-L1 were upregulated while miR-20b-5p was downregulated in CRC tissue. Functional analysis revealed that lncRNA HCG18 promoted proliferation, migration and resistance to cetuximab of CRC cells via the miR-20b-5p/PD-L1 axis. Conclusion:HCG18 facilitated progress of the tumor, conferred to cetuximab resistance and suppressed CD8+ T cells via the miR-20b-5p/PD-L1 axis.

Lay abstract In the present study, we found a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), HCG18 (a recently discovered lncRNA that facilitates tumor progression via multiple mechanisms), was upregulated in colorectal cancer (CRC). Further studies revealed that HCG18 suppressed CD8⁺ T-cell (cytotoxic T lymphocyte which kills cancer cell) activation to induce cetuximab (a first-line drug in CRC) resistance. Mechanically, HCG18 elevated expression of PD-L1 (a receptor in T-cell membranes, thus suppressing the proliferation of CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes) via sponging (lncRNA binds with miRNA) miR-20b-5p. This study might provide a deeper insight into understanding cetuximab resistance in CRC.

Hsa_circ_0136666 activates Treg-mediated immune escape of colorectal cancer via miR-497/PD-L1 pathway.

PURPOSE: In the rankings of cancer mortality and incidence worldwide, colorectal cancer ranks fourth and the third, respectively. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0136666 (hsa_circ_0136666) is reported to participate in the growth of colorectal cancer. However, the mechanism by which hsa_circ_0136666 regulates the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer needs to be further explored. In this study, we report here the role of hsa_circ_0136666 in the aberrant activation of Treg cells and immune evasion of tumor cells, providing a new strategy for the treatment of colorectal cancer. METHODS: Western blotting assay and qRT-PCR assay were used to determine protein and mRNA expression levels. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to evaluate the targeted regulatory relationship. RNA immunoprecipitation was used to detect RNA binding. Colony formation assay was utilized to measure the cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to assess cell apoptosis. Xenograft model was setup to evaluate tumor growth. RESULTS: The results showed that hsa_circ_0136666 and PD-L1 was increased in colorectal cancer cells while miR-497 was decreased in colorectal cancer cells when compared with normal colon epithelial cell line. Hsa_circ_0136666 was demonstrated to directly target miR-497, which also regulated PD-L1 by binding to its 3'UTR. Further mechanistic studies identified that hsa_circ_0136666 controlled cell proliferation and apoptosis via targeting miR-497 and regulating PD-L1 expression. Of note, hsa_circ_0136666 stimulated Treg cells mediated by miR-497/PD-L1 axis and its downstream signal pathway in Treg cells. Finally, hsa_circ_0136666 was found to accelerate the tumor growth in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that hsa_circ_0136666 promoted the expression of PD-L1 by inhibiting miR-497 level in colorectal cancer, thus inducing the activation of Treg cells and leading to the immune escape of tumor, providing a novel mechanistic insight into the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.

GPC5 suppresses lung cancer progression and metastasis via intracellular CTDSP1/AhR/ARNT signaling axis and extracellular exosome secretion.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Glypican-5 (GPC5) is a member of heparan sulfate proteoglycans, and its biological importance in initiation and progression of lung cancer remains controversial. In the present study, we revealed that GPC5 transcriptionally enhanced the expression of CTDSP1 (miR-26b host gene) via AhR-ARNT pathway, and such up-regulation of CTDSP1 intracellularly contributed to the inhibited proliferation of lung cancer cells. Moreover, exosomes derived from GPC5-overexpressing human lung cancer cells (GPC5-OE-derived exosomes) had an extracellular repressive effect on human lymphatic endothelial cells (hLECs), leading to decreased tube formation and migration. Comparison between GPC5-WT- and GPC5-OE-derived exosomes showed that miR-26b (embedded within introns of CTDSP1 gene) was significantly up-regulated in GPC5-OE-derived exosomes and critical to the influence on hLECs. On the mechanism, we demonstrated that miR-26b transferred into hLECs directly targeted to PTK2 3'-UTR and led to PTK2 down-regulation, resulting in defects in tube formation and migration of hLECs. By uncovering the regulation network among GPC5, miR-26b, miR-26b host gene (CTDSP1), and target gene (PTK2), our findings demonstrated that GPC5 functioned as a tumor suppressor in human lung cancer.

The hepatic microenvironment promotes lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation, metastasis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition via METTL3-mediated N6-methyladenosine modification of YAP1.

The inflammatory microenvironment plays an important role in the onset and progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and the liver is a suitable site of metastasis for LUAD cells. However, whether the inflammatory microenvironment of the liver is conducive to the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of LUAD cells remains unclear. In this study, we confirmed that the hepatic inflammatory microenvironment stimulated by IL-6 promoted the proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of LUAD cells, increased the m6A methylation of total RNA, and transcriptionally activated METTL3 expression. Additionally, METTL3 activated the YAP1/TEAD signaling pathway by increasing the m6A modification and expression of YAP1 mRNA. These results indicate that the hepatic inflammatory microenvironment plays a role in regulating the biological functions of LUAD cells. Further, our study identifies a molecular mechanism that may provide a new strategy for the early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of liver metastasis in LUAD patients.

Effect of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio on prognosis in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

AIM: Systemic inflammatory response is closely related to tumor progression. We retrospectively investigated relationships between systemic inflammatory scores, C-reactive protein/albumin (CRP/Alb) ratio (CAR) and clinical characteristics in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 436 patients to find better clinical predictors of NSCLC prognosis. METHODS: Blood specimens were collected 1 week before treatment to test for systemic inflammatory scores and albumin. Patients' overall survival (OS) was calculated via Kaplan-Meier method. Single-factor log-rank and multivariate Cox regression analyses and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of CAR and other systemic inflammatory indexes in predicting OS. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier method showed that Glasgow prognosis score (GPS), modified GPS (mGPS), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were reliable prognostic factors for advanced NSCLC. CAR was positively correlated with GPS, mGPS, NLR, PLR and MLR in these patients. CAR was an independent risk factor for OS in advanced NSCLC, and was more closely associated with prognosis than were GPS, mGPS, NLR, PLR or MLR. CONCLUSION: In advanced NSCLC patients, CAR may be a better predictor of prognosis compared with other inflammatory markers. A prospective multicenter study is needed to verify these findings.

Three-year Follow-up on the Safety and Effectiveness of Rituximab Plus Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Follicular Lymphoma in Real-World Clinical Settings in China: A Prospective, Multicenter, Noninterventional Study.

BACKGROUND: Prospective real-life data on the safety and effectiveness of rituximab in Chinese patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) or follicular lymphoma (FL) are limited. This real-world study aimed to evaluate long-term safety and effectiveness outcomes of rituximab plus chemotherapy (R-chemo) as first-line treatment in Chinese patients with DLBCL or FL. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation management was also investigated. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, single-arm, noninterventional study of previously untreated CD20-positive DLBCL or FL patients receiving first-line R-chemo treatment at 24 centers in China was conducted between January 17, 2011 and October 31, 2016. Enrolled patients underwent safety and effectiveness assessments after the last rituximab dose and were followed up for 3 years. Effectiveness endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Safety endpoints were adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, drug-related AEs, and AEs of special interest. We also reported data on the incidence of HBV reactivation. RESULTS: In total, 283 previously untreated CD20-positive DLBCL and 31 FL patients from 24 centers were enrolled. Three-year PFS was 59% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 50-67%) for DLBCL patients and 46% (95% CI: 20-69%) for FL patients. For DLBCL patients, multivariate analyses showed that PFS was not associated with international prognostic index, tumor maximum diameter, HBV infection status, or number of rituximab treatment cycles, and OS was only associated with age >60 years (P < 0.05). R-chemo was well tolerated. The incidence of HBV reactivation in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive and HBsAg-negative/hepatitis B core antibody-positive patients was 13% (3/24) and 4% (3/69), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: R-chemo is effective and safe in real-world clinical practice as first-line treatment for DLBCL and FL in China, and that HBV reactivation during R-chemo is manageable with preventive measures and treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01340443; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01340443.

Famitinib versus placebo in the treatment of refractory metastatic colorectal cancer: a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase II clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients with progressive disease after all available standard therapies need new medication for further treatment. Famitinib is a small-molecule multikinase inhibitor, with promising anticancer activities. This multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase II clinical trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of famitinib in mCRC. METHODS: Famitinib or placebo was administered orally once daily. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), quality-of-life (QoL), and safety. RESULTS: Between July 18, 2012 and Jan 22, 2014, a total of 167 patients were screened, and 154 patients were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive either famitinib (n = 99) or placebo (n = 55). The median PFS was 2.8 and 1.5 months in the famitinib and placebo groups (hazard ratio = 0.60, 95% confidence interval = 0.41-0.86, P = 0.004). The DCR was 59.8% and 31.4% (P = 0.002) and the ORR was 2.2% and 0.0% (P = 0.540) in the famitinib and placebo groups, respectively. The most frequent grade 3-4 adverse events were hypertension (11.1%), hand-foot syndrome (10.1%), thrombocytopenia (10.1%), and neutropenia (9.1%). Serious adverse events occurred in 11 (11.1%) patients in the famitinib group and 5 (9.1%) in the placebo group (P = 0.788). The median OS of the famitinib and placebo groups was 7.4 and 7.2 months (P = 0.657). CONCLUSION: Famitinib prolonged PFS in refractory mCRC patients with acceptable tolerability. Trial registration This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01762293) and was orally presented in the 2015 ASCO-Gastrointestinal Symposium.

Prognostic value of interim (18)F-FDG-PET in diffuse large B cell lymphoma treated with rituximab-based immune-chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The prognostic value of an interim fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG PET) for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has been assessed by different groups. However, studies have suggested that the use of rituximab could limit the predictive value of interim (18)F-FDG PET for DLBCL. To clarify the prognostic value of interim (18)F-FDG PET in DLBCL patients treated with rituximab based immunochemotherapy, we searched for relevant studies in PubMed, the Cochrane Library and EMBASE. A random versus fixed effects model was applied according to the heterogeneity. According to the literature search strategies, 11 studies were identified. The pooled HR comparing PFS between patients with positive and negative results was 2.96 (95% CI=2.25-3.89). The patients in interim (18)F-FDG PET negative group had a higher CR rates than that in interim (18)F-FDG PET positive group (RR=5.53, 95% CI=2.59-11.80). Consistent evidence favoring interim (18)F-FDG PET-based treatment assessment should be considered in the management of patients with DLBCL.

Association between polymorphism of CD20 gene and chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Chinese population.

Rituximab was widely used in clinical practice. Some chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients were primary or secondary resistance to rituximab, but the mechanism has not been yet clear. CD20 gene coding region was amplified by PCR in 92 cases of newly diagnosed CLL patients and 200 healthy donors. The expression of CD20 was conducted in peripheral blood specimens of CLL patients. Proportions of CD20 expression and fluorescence intensity were detected by flow cytometry. Exon-3 c.246C>T (rs17155019) and Exon-4 c.632C>T (rs2070770) were present in 4.35% (4/92) and 9.78% (9/92) of newly diagnosed CLL patients. The mutations were not found in remaining exons. The frequency of C/C genotype and C allele of rs2070770 were significantly higher than the normal control population (90.22% vs 81.00%, P=0.04; 95.11% vs 90%, P=0.04). There was no significant relationship between genotypes with CLL development (P>0.05), however, C allele of rs2070770 may be associated with CLL (P=0.04, OR=0.46, 95% CI=0.22-0.98). The expression CD20 mRNA, proportion and intensity of CD20 were no significant different between genotypes of two polymorphic loci (P>0.05). Low expression of CD20 for CLL was not associated with mutation of CD20 gene coding region. Other mechanisms, such as promoter methylation, may result in low expression of CD20.

High expression of CD11c indicates favorable prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

AIM: To determine the relationship between CD11c expression level and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: This retrospective survival study was performed from July 31, 2008 to June 30, 2014. Our study inclusion criteria included all the patients with GC who underwent surgical resection between January 1998 and December 2009 in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. CD11c expression levels in 140 patients with GC at different UICC stages were evaluated using immunohistochemistry, and GC tissues from 16 cases were further verified by qRT-PCR. The χ (2) test was used to compare the patient- and disease-related factors between the low CD11c expression group and the high expression group. Univariate probabilities of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log rank test was used to compare survival curves. Different multivariate COX models were used to estimate the association between CD11c expression and both death and recurrence risk in GC patients. RESULTS: The average CD11c expression level was 5.1 ± 1.8/high power field (HPF) in 10 gastritis samples, 4.5 ± 2.3/HPF in 10 gastric polyp samples and 9.7 ± 6.3/HPF in 140 gastric cancer samples, respectively. The CD11c expression level was significantly decreased from UICC stage I to stage IV (stage I: 16.0 ± 7.4, stage II: 10.4 ± 5.5, stage III: 9.4 ± 6.1, stage IV: 5.3 ± 3.2, P < 0.001). Patients in the high CD11c expression group had a greater 3- and 5-year OS probability and longer median survival time compared with the low CD11c expression group, (67.7% vs 39.2%; 51.4% vs 29.0%; 67.0 mo vs 28.0 mo; χ(2) = 6.80, P = 0.009), and had a greater 3- and 5-year DFS probability and longer median DFS time (63.7% vs 24.0%; 49.1% vs 11.9%; 64.0 mo vs 18.0 mo; χ (2) = 15.39, P < 0.001). Patients with high CD11c high expression had a reduced risk of death (HR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.33-0.98, P < 0.05) and relapse (HR = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.23-0.67, P < 0.01) compared with patients with low CD11c expression after adjustment of potential confounders, with the exception of tumor size. However, the protective effect related to death (HR = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.49-1.67, P = 0.749) and relapse (HR = 0.65, 95%CI: 0.36-1.19, P = 0.160) disappeared when tumor size was incorporated into the model. CONCLUSION: High expression of CD11c decreased the risk of death and relapse, and may be regarded as an alternative indicator of favorable prognosis in patients with GC.

Cisplatin plus gemcitabine versus paclitaxel plus gemcitabine as first-line therapy for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (CBCSG006): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Platinum chemotherapy has a role in the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer but its full potential has probably not yet been reached. We assessed whether a cisplatin plus gemcitabine regimen was non-inferior to or superior to paclitaxel plus gemcitabine as first-line therapy for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. METHODS: For this open-label, randomised, phase 3, hybrid-designed trial undertaken at 12 institutions or hospitals in China, we included Chinese patients aged 18-70 years with previously untreated, histologically confirmed metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, and an ECOG performance status of 0-1. These patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either cisplatin plus gemcitabine (cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) on day 1 and gemcitabine 1250 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8) or paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) on day 1 and gemcitabine 1250 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8) given intravenously every 3 weeks for a maximum of eight cycles. Randomisation was done centrally via an interactive web response system using block randomisation with a size of eight, with no stratification factors. Patients and investigator were aware of group assignments. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival and analyses were based on all patients who received at least one dose of assigned treatment. The margin used to establish non-inferiority was 1·2. If non-inferiority of cisplatin plus gemcitabine compared with paclitaxel plus gemcitabine was achieved, we would then test for superiority. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01287624. FINDINGS: From Jan 14, 2011, to Nov 14, 2013, 240 patients were assessed for eligibility and randomly assigned to treatment (120 in the cisplatin plus gemcitabine group and 120 in the paclitaxel plus gemcitabine group). 236 patients received at least one dose of assigned chemotherapy and were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis (118 per group). After a median follow-up of 16·3 months (IQR 14·4-26·8) in the cisplatin plus gemcitabine group and 15·9 months (10·7-25·4) in the paclitaxel plus gemcitabine group, the hazard ratio for progression-free survival was 0·692 (95% CI 0·523-0·915; pnon-inferiority<0·0001, psuperiority=0·009, thus cisplatin plus gemcitabine was both non-inferior to and superior to paclitaxel plus gemcitabine. Median progression-free survival was 7·73 months (95% CI 6·16-9·30) in the cisplatin plus gemcitabine group and 6·47 months (5·76-7·18) in the paclitaxel plus gemcitabine group. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events that differed significantly between the two groups included nausea (eight [7%] vs one [<1%]), vomiting (13 [11%] vs one [<1%]), musculoskeletal pain (none vs ten [8%]), anaemia (39 [33%] vs six [5%]), and thrombocytopenia (38 [32%] vs three [3%]), for the cisplatin plus gemcitabine compared with the paclitaxel plus gemcitabine groups, respectively. In addition, patients in the cisplatin plus gemcitabine group had significantly fewer events of grade 1-4 alopecia (12 [10%] vs 42 [36%]) and peripheral neuropathy (27 [23%] vs 60 [51%]), but more grade 1-4 anorexia (33 [28%] vs 10 [8%]), constipation (29 [25%] vs 11 [9%]), hypomagnesaemia (27 [23%] vs five [4%]), and hypokalaemia (10 [8%] vs two [2%]). Serious drug-related adverse events were seen in three patients in the paclitaxel plus gemcitabine group (interstitial pneumonia, anaphylaxis, and severe neutropenia) and four in the cisplatin plus gemcitabine group (pathological bone fracture, thrombocytopenia with subcutaneous haemorrhage, severe anaemia, and cardiogenic syncope). There were no treatment-related deaths. INTERPRETATION: Cisplatin plus gemcitabine could be an alternative or even the preferred first-line chemotherapy strategy for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. FUNDING: Shanghai Natural Science Foundation.

Cytokine-induced killer cells co-cultured with dendritic cells loaded with the protein lysate produced by radiofrequency ablation induce a specific antitumor response.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) causes coagulative necrosis of tumor tissue and the production of local tumor protein debris. These fragments of tumor protein debris contain a large number of various antigens, which can stimulate a specific cellular immune response. In the present study, dendritic cells (DCs) were loaded with tumor protein lysate antigens that were produced in situ by RFA, and were used to treat murine colon carcinoma in combination with cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells. Subsequent to the treatment of murine colon carcinoma by RFA, the in situ supernatant of tumor lysis was collected and the DCs were loaded with the lysate antigen to generate Ag-DCs. CIK cells induced from the spleen cells of mice were co-cultured with Ag-DCs to generate Ag-DC-CIK cells. The results revealed that the Ag-DC-CIK cells exhibited strong antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The morphology and immunophenotypes of these cells were determined using microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. The cytotoxic activity of Ag-DC-CIK cells was determined using a CCK-8 assay. To establish a mouse model, mice were randomized into Ag-DC-CIK, DC-CIK, CIK and PBS control groups and monitored for tumor growth and survival time. ANOVA was used to compare the trends in the three groups for implanted tumor volumes. The log-rank test was used to compare the survival time. The present findings indicated that DCs loaded with the protein lysate antigens of tumors, produced in situ by RFA, combined with CIK cells may be a novel strategy for cancer treatment.

PD-1/PD-L1 pathway in non-small-cell lung cancer and its relation with EGFR mutation.

Immunotherapy has become a crucial modality for non-small-cell lung cancer treatment. Recently, two immune checkpoints, PD-1 and PD-L1, have emerged as important targets for immunotherapy. Their antitumor efficacy has been confirmed by in vitro and in vivo studies. But the correlation between PD-1/PD-L1 expression and EGFR expression was controversial and needs more evidences to support the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Elevated serum C-reactive protein, carcinoembryonic antigen and N2 disease are poor prognostic indicators in non-small cell lung cancer.

AIM: To assess the prognostic value of mediastinal lymph node metastases (N2 disease), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the 7th edition of the TNM classification. METHODS: Newly diagnosed stage III-IV NSCLC were enrolled, including 75 patients with malignant pleural effusion. The relationship between serum CRP levels and other relevant variables such as sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, smoking status, initial staging, N2 disease, serum albumin, white blood cell count, platelet count, CEA, comorbidity and pathology were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to find prognostic markers using Cox's proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Of the 127 patients enrolled, 55 (43%) had elevated CRP levels. There was a significant correlation between serum CRP level and platelet count (P = 0.011). Median overall survival (OS) in the normal CRP group was significantly longer than in the high CRP group (15.7 months vs 9.1 months, P = 0.013). Hypoalbuminemia (P = 0.047), higher CEA (P = 0.043) and N2 disease (P = 0.040) were additional prognostic factors on univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis an elevated CRP serum level (HR = 1.796; P = 0.005), higher CEA (HR = 1.563; P = 0.031) and N2 disease (HR = 1.723; P = 0.012) were independent prognostic factors for poor survival. CONCLUSION: High levels of serum CRP and CEA, and N2 disease are independent prognostic indicators for the survival of patients with stage III-IV NSCLC.

Serum ferritin is elevated in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients and is associated with efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the expression levels of serum ferritin (SF) and investigate the correlation between SF expression levels and clinical characteristics as well as the efficacy to platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electrochemiluminescence method was used to determine the expression levels of SF in the peripheral blood of 46 advanced NSCLC patients and 63 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The expression levels of SF in healthy subjects were significantly lower than those in patients with advanced NSCLC patients (t = -3.279,P = 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between SF expression levels and distant metastasis, regional lymph node metastasis, respectively (P < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between SF expression levels and sex, age, eastern cooperative oncology group performance status, smoking history, pathological type, tumor location and tumor-node-metastasis stage (All P > 0.05). The overall response rate to platinum-based chemotherapy was 57.1% (12/21) in normal SF expression levels group, which was significantly higher than that was 28% (7/25) in high SF expression levels group (χ² = 3.998,P = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: SF may be a valuable blood marker for predicting the tumor progression and the efficacy of platinum-based therapies for advanced NSCLC patients.

A double-blind, randomized phase II study of dicycloplatin plus paclitaxel versus carboplatin plus paclitaxel as first-line therapy for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancers.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and toxicity of dicycloplatin plus paclitaxel with those of carboplatin plus paclitaxel as first-line treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, 240 NSCLC patients with stage IIIB (with pleural effusion) and stage IV disease were randomly assigned (1: 1) to receive dicycloplatin 450 mg/m(2) or carboplatin AUC = 5, in combination with paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) (D + P or C + P) every 3 weeks for up to 4 to 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was response rate. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and adverse events. RESULTS: The response rates for the D + P and C + P arm were 36.44% and 30.51%, respectively (p = 0.33). The median PFS was 5.6 months in the D + P arm and 4.7 months in the C + P arm (p = 0.31). The median OS was 14.9 months for D + P and 12.9 months for C + P (p = 0.37). Adverse events in the two arms were well balanced. The most common grade 3/4 adverse event was hematologic toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with D + P had similar response and survival rates to those treated with C + P, and toxicities of both treatments were generally tolerable.

Report of clinical studies on chronochemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer in China.

Chronochemotherapy has been proposed as a promising modality to provide timely optimized medication to achieve maximum efficacy with minimum side effect for patients with non-small cell lung cancer for years. We collected the data of 11 clinical studies performed in China with the purpose to compare the difference between chronochemotherapy and traditional chemotherapy. Results showed that chronochemotherapy has a more favorable efficacy and safety than traditional chemotherapy.

Evaluation of tumor response to cytokine-induced killer cells therapy in malignant solid tumors.

CIK cells therapy has been evaluated as an adoptive cell immunotherapy for cancer patients, but there still have not been any standardized systems for evaluating the antitumor efficacy yet. The WHO and RECIST criteria have already been established for a few years but not sufficient to fully characterize the activity of immunotherapy. Based on these two criteria, the irRC was proposed for evaluating the efficacy of immunotherapy. A variety of bioassays for immune monitoring including the specific and non-specific methods, have been established. We recommend detect levels of various immunocytes, immune molecules and soluble molecules to find the correlations among them and clinicopathological characteristics to establish criteria for immunological classification. We also recommend a paradigm shift for the oncologists in the evaluation of immune therapies to ensure assessment of activity based on clinically relevant criteria and time points.

Clinical significance of serum ferritin in elderly patients with primary lung carcinoma.

This study determined the levels of serum ferritin (SF) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in elderly patients with advanced primary lung cancer (PLC), and aimed to investigate the correlation between the SF level and clinical characteristics and compare the positive rates of SF and CEA levels in PLC patients and those in normal subjects. The SF and CEA levels of 69 elderly cases of advanced PLC and 63 elderly controls were determined by electrochemiluminescence method. The correlation between each independent clinicopathological characteristic and levels of SF and CEA was calculated. The positive rates of SF and CEA levels in PLC patients and those in normal subjects were compared. The results revealed that the level of SF in controls was significantly lower than those in patients with advanced LC (145.04 ± 141.77 vs. 293.57 ± 274.95 ng/ml, t = -3.845, P = 0.000). There was a statistically significant difference between SF level and gender, smoking, and regional lymph node metastasis, respectively (P < 0.05). The positive rate of SF combining with CEA was significantly higher than those of SF and CEA alone in patients with advanced PLC. High serum level of SF is helpful for diagnosing PLC in elderly patients and indicates poor prognosis.