Chlorogenic Acid, the Main Antioxidant in Coffee, Reduces Radiation-Induced Apoptosis and DNA Damage via NF-E2-Related Factor 2 (Nrf2) Activation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Radiotherapy produces excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can lead to DNA damage and apoptosis in tumor cells, thereby killing malignant cells. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a well-known antioxidant in coffee due to its strong ability to remove ROS. However, the effect of CGA on radiotherapeutic efficacy remains unclear. In this study, we showed that CGA could hinder the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy by inhibiting radiation-induced apoptosis and DNA damage via scavenging excessive ROS and activating the NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant system in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and a murine model. The knockdown of Nrf2 reversed CGA-mediated radiation resistance in HCC cells. In conclusion, CGA might be a potential tumor-protective compound upon irradiation and reduce the efficacy of radiotherapy via ROS scavenging and Nrf2 activation.

Trends in Treatment for Prostate Cancer in China: Preliminary Patterns of Care Study in a Single Institution.

Objectives: A Patterns of Care Study (PCS) was performed in the largest regional medical center in Zhejiang Province, China. The hospital information system (HIS) was used to evaluate patient characteristics and changes in initial treatment patterns for prostate cancer and to determine recent predominant trends in treatment plans for prostate cancer (PCa) in China. Methods: Men who were newly diagnosed with localized or locally advanced PCa for 2010-2011 and 2016-2017 were identified in the HIS database. Patient characteristics and temporal trends in initial management were assessed, and differences between groups were evaluated for significance using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: In total, 1792 patients met the study criteria, including 505 and 1287 patients in the 2010-2011 and 2016-2017 samples, respectively. The average age of patients diagnosed in the 2010-2011 PCS survey was 70 years, decreasing to 68 years when the 2016-2017 patients were included (P<0.001). In the 2010-2011 sample, 50.69% of the patients had an initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level ≥20 ng/ml. In contrast, the initial PSA level was 4-19.99 ng/ml for 66.67% of the patients in the 2016-2017 sample (P<0.001). Based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria, the percentages of patients in low- and intermediate-risk groups increased from 33.06% to 54.78%; conversely, the percentages in high-risk, very high-risk, and regional (N1) groups decreased to a certain extent (P<0.001). According to European Association of Urology (EAU) criteria, the percentages of patients in low- and intermediate-risk groups increased from 32.07% to 53.69%, yet the percentage in the high-risk group decreased (P<0.001). The use of radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiation therapy (RT) increased from 48.32% to 76.46% and 5.35% to 16.94%, particularly in high-risk and low-risk groups, respectively, whereas the rates of hormone therapy (HT) and active surveillance and observation (AS&O) decreased from 32.28% to 4.27% and from 16.04% to 2.33%, respectively (P<0.001). A similar pattern was observed when patients were stratified by EAU risk group. Conclusions: The results of this real-world study in the largest regional medical center in Zhejiang Province, China, indicate that the predominant characteristics of PCa patients and trends in initial management are changing rapidly. We found the following: (a) a trend toward a decreased age among newly diagnosed patients; (b) a trend toward lower initial PSA levels; (c) a downward trend in risk group classification; (d) a significant increase in the likelihood of receiving RP, particularly in the high-risk group; (e) an increase in the rate of RP, mostly due to use of the Da Vinci robotic system; (f) a significant increase in the likelihood of receiving RT, especially in the low-risk group; and (g) a decrease in HT and AS&O.

Biomedical imaging in the safety evaluation of new drugs.

Toxicology accounts for approximately one-third of attrition in new drug development and is a major concern in the pharmaceutical industry. This paper reviews the role of biomedical imaging in the safety evaluation of new candidate drugs. Ex vivo high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of specimens can provide a quick overview of the specimens. Volumetric measurements of tissue structures and lesions can be made with higher precision and reproducibility than histology approaches. As opposed to histology, in vivo animal imaging permits longitudinal studies of the same animals over an extended period of time, with individual animals serving as their own control. Therefore, the number of animals required for a study can be significantly reduced and the intra-subject variability is minimized. Repeated in vivo imaging allows monitoring of the occurrence and progression, or regression, of various structural and functional abnormalities. Compared with other biological assays, imaging can provide anatomically specific information about tissue abnormality. Imaging offers the opportunity to carry forward the same methodology in animal experiments into human studies and has an important role in clinical trials when other safety biomarkers for early toxicities are not available.