ABSTRACT
Objective Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have potential value in the clinical application of various tumors. This study was to investigate the role of CTCs and their chemokine receptor CCR9 in the invasion and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods From May 2018 to June 2019, a total of 62 patients with NSCLC in the clinical oncology center of The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region were enrolled in this study. The CanpatrolTM CTC technique was used to detected the expressions of CTCs and CCR9 in CTCs in peripheral blood of patients. Furthermore, the relationships between expression levels of CTCs, CCR9 and clinical, pathological characteristics of NSCLC patients were analyzed. Results CTCs were detected in 56 of 62 (90.3%) NSCLC patients. CTCs counts were associated with TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis of NSCLC (P<0.05). In the analysis of clinical correlation between CTC subtypes and NSCLC, epithelial CTCs counts were related to TNM stage and distant metastasis of NSCLC (r=0.296 and r=0.273, P<0.05). Additionally, counts of mixed type CTCs were also correlative with NSCLC tumor metastasis (r =0.253, P =0.047). Finally, we found that the positive rate of CCR9 in mixed type CTCs was associated with distant metastasis of NSCLC (r=0.353, P=0.038). Conclusion CTCs counts and subtypes were correlated with TNM stage and metastasis of NSCLC. The expression level of CCR9 on CTC was expected to be a biomarker to evaluate the risk of tumor metastasis in NSCLC.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To clarify the molecular mechanism underlying the response of locally advanced cervical squamous carcinoma to radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Methods: Forty-nine patients were divided in to two groups. The 25 patients in radiotherapy (RT) group were given radiotherapy alone. The 24 patients in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) group were given 3 cycles of chemotherapy (DDP + 5-FU) in addition with RT. The specimens of the cervical tumors were obtained by biopsy before and during the treatment (10 Gy irradiation for RT group and 10 Gy irradiation plus one cycle of DDP + 5-FU chemotherapy for CCRT group). The cell cycle distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The apoptosis and PCNA expression in both groups were detected by TUNEL and immunohistochemical methods. Results: Apoptosis index (AI) and the positive rate of apoptosis were significantly increased after initiating RT and CCRT, respectively (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). There were also marked reduction of PCNA after 1 week of RT and CCRT (P = 0. 000 and P = 0.000). The CCRT significantly increased the apoptosis rate and decreased PCNA expression than RT (P = 0.03 and P = 0.005). Most cervical cancer cells were arrested in G2/M phase during RT treatment. However, CCRT induced S and G2/M phase arrest in a majority of cervical carcinoma cells. Conclusions: The additive or synergistic effects between chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be the mechanism for the effect of CCRT on locally advanced cervical squamous carcinoma CCRT induces apoptosis of tumor cells by inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing S and G2/M phase arrest, and synchronizing cell cycle.