Identification of an individualized therapy prognostic signature for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are the most common cancers in the head and neck. Therapeutic response-related genes (TRRGs) are closely associated with carcinogenesis and prognosis in HNSCC. However, the clinical value and prognostic significance of TRRGs are still unclear. We aimed to construct a prognostic risk model to predict therapy response and prognosis in TRRGs-defined subgroups of HNSCC. METHODS: The multiomics data and clinical information of HNSCC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The profile data GSE65858 and GSE67614 chip was downloaded from public functional genomics data Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Based on TCGA-HNSC database, patients were divided into a remission group and a non-remission group according to therapy response, and differentially expressed TRRGs between those two groups were screened. Using Cox regression analysis and Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis, candidate TRRGs that can predict the prognosis of HNSCC were identified and used to construct a TRRGs-based signature and a prognostic nomogram. RESULT: A total of 1896 differentially expressed TRRGs were screened, including 1530 upregulated genes and 366 downregulated genes. Then, 206 differently expressed TRRGs that was significantly associated with the survival were chosen using univariate Cox regression analysis. Finally, a total of 20 candidate TRRGs genes were identified by LASSO analysis to establish a signature for risk prediction, and the risk score of each patient was calculated. Patients were divided into a high-risk group (Risk-H) and a low-risk group (Risk-L) based on the risk score. Results showed that the Risk-L patients had better overall survival (OS) than Risk-H patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed great predictive performance for 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS in TCGA-HNSC and GEO databases. Moreover, for patients treated with post-operative radiotherapy, Risk-L patients had longer OS and lower recurrence than Risk-H patients. The nomogram involves risk score and other clinical factors had good performance in predicting survival probability. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed risk prognostic signature and Nomogram based on TRRGs are novel promising tools for predicting therapy response and overall survival in HNSCC patients.

Toripalimab Plus Chemotherapy for Recurrent or Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: The JUPITER-02 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There are currently no therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Gemcitabine-cisplatin is the current standard of care for the first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic NPC (RM-NPC). Objective: To determine whether toripalimab in combination with gemcitabine-cisplatin will significantly improve progression-free survival and overall survival as first-line treatment for RM-NPC, compared with gemcitabine-cisplatin alone. Design, Setting, and Participants: JUPITER-02 is an international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind phase 3 study conducted in NPC-endemic regions, including mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore. From November 10, 2018, to October 20, 2019, 289 patients with RM-NPC with no prior systemic chemotherapy in the RM setting were enrolled from 35 participating centers. Interventions: Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive toripalimab (240 mg [n = 146]) or placebo (n = 143) in combination with gemcitabine-cisplatin for up to 6 cycles, followed by maintenance with toripalimab or placebo until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or completion of 2 years of treatment. Main Outcome: Progression-free survival as assessed by a blinded independent central review. Secondary end points included objective response rate, overall survival, progression-free survival assessed by investigator, duration of response, and safety. Results: Among the 289 patients enrolled (median age, 46 [IQR, 38-53 years; 17% female), at the final progression-free survival analysis, toripalimab treatment had a significantly longer progression-free survival than placebo (median, 21.4 vs 8.2 months; HR, 0.52 [95% CI, 0.37-0.73]). With a median survival follow-up of 36.0 months, a significant improvement in overall survival was identified with toripalimab over placebo (hazard ratio [HR], 0.63 [95% CI, 0.45-0.89]; 2-sided P = .008). The median overall survival was not reached in the toripalimab group, while it was 33.7 months in the placebo group. A consistent effect on overall survival, favoring toripalimab, was found in subgroups with high and low PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) expression. The incidence of all adverse events, grade 3 or greater adverse events, and fatal adverse events were similar between the 2 groups. However, adverse events leading to discontinuation of toripalimab or placebo (11.6% vs 4.9%), immune-related adverse events (54.1% vs 21.7%), and grade 3 or greater immune-related adverse events (9.6% vs 1.4%) were more frequent in the toripalimab group. Conclusions and Relevance: The addition of toripalimab to chemotherapy as first-line treatment for RM-NPC provided statistically significant and clinically meaningful progression-free survival and overall survival benefits compared with chemotherapy alone, with a manageable safety profile. These findings support the use of toripalimab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin as the new standard of care for this patient population. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03581786.

Plasma Epstein-Barr Virus MicroRNA BART8-3p as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated tumor that is highly common in southern China. Our previous sequencing data demonstrated that the EBV-encoded microRNA BART8-3p was most upregulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and was closely associated with the metastasis of NPC. However, the values of plasma BART8-3p in NPC patients have not yet been well characterized. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We quantified plasma BART8-3p expression by quantitative real-time PCR in 205 newly diagnosed NPC patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) between the groups. RESULTS: Plasma pretreatment BART8-3p was highly expressed in NPC patients compared with healthy controls. Pretreatment BART8-3p yielded a 92% predictive value for detecting NPC. Importantly, BART8-3p decreased dramatically after therapy relative to pretreatment levels. High levels of pretreatment or post-treatment BART8-3p were associated with worse OS, DMFS, and LRRFS. Multivariate analysis showed that high pretreatment or post-treatment BART8-3p was an independent unfavorable prognostic marker for OS (HR 3.82, 95% CI 1.77-8.24, P = .001 or HR 2.74, 95% CI 1.27-5.91, P = .010), DMFS (HR 2.82, 95% CI 1.36-5.85, P = .005 or HR 3.27, 95% CI 1.57-6.81, P = .002), and LRRFS (HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.12-3.35, P = .018 or HR 2.03, 95% CI 1.14-3.62, P = .016) in NPC. Subgroup analysis revealed that for patients with locally advanced NPC with high levels of pretreatment BART8-3p (n = 58), more cycles of chemotherapy (≥6 cycles) tended to prolong OS (P = .070). Over 50% (6/11) patients with high levels of post-treatment BART8-3p presented distant metastasis. CONCLUSION: Plasma BART8-3p is a promising biomarker for the detection and prognosis of NPC.

Optimizing the treatment mode for de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma with bone-only metastasis.

BACKGROUND: No standard radiotherapy regimens have been established for the treatment of de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (mNPC) with bone-only metastasis. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of palliative chemotherapy (PCT) plus locoregional radiotherapy (LRRT) with or without local radiotherapy (RT) for metastatic bone lesions in mNPC. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 131 de novo patients with mNPC who had bone-only metastasis and received at least two cycles of PCT with LRRT. The difference in survival was evaluated by the log-rank test. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed by Cox regression. RESULTS: The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 33.0 months and 24.0 months, respectively. Patients with five or fewer metastatic bone lesions had significantly longer OS (72.0 months vs. 23.0 months, Hazard ratios (HR) = 0.45, p <  0.001) and PFS (48.0 months vs. 15.0 months, HR = 0.52, p = 0.004) than those who had more than five metastatic bone lesions. Patients who received four or more cycles of chemotherapy were associated with significantly longer OS (unreached vs. 19.0 months, HR = 0.27, p <  0.001) and PFS (66 months vs. 16.0 months, HR = 0.32, p <  0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed that fewer bone metastases (≤ 5) and more chemotherapy cycles (≥ 4) were favourable prognostic factors for OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that RT to metastatic bone lesions tended to prolong OS (83.0 months vs. 45.0 months) and PFS (60 months vs. 36.5 months) in patients with five or fewer metastatic bone lesions than in those without RT to metastatic bone lesions (p > 0.05). Patients who received a RT dose > 30 Gy had neither better OS (63.5 months vs. 32.0 months, p = 0.299) nor PFS (48.0 months vs. 28.0 months, p = 0.615) than those who received a RT dose ≤30 Gy. CONCLUSIONS: Local RT to bone metastases may not significantly improve survival in patients with de novo mNPC with bone-only metastasis who have already received PCT plus LRRT. Receiving four or more cycles of chemotherapy can significantly prolong survival and is a favourable independent protective factor.

RNF38 suppress growth and metastasis via ubiquitination of ACTN4 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Accumulated evidence suggests that RING finger proteins (RNFs) are involved in the carcinogenesis of cancers. However, RNF38, a member of the RNF protein family, has not been studied in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: RNF38 expression was analyzed by RT-PCR, Western blotting and Immunohistochemistry. Biological functions of RNF38 were evaluated by cell growth, colony formation, apoptosis, migration and invasion assays in vitro. Xenograft growth and lung metastasis models were conducted to investigate the effect of RNF38 in vivo. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation, and CHX assay were implemented to detect the interaction among RNF38 and ACTN4. RESULTS: RNF38 was significantly downregulated in NPC cells and tissues. Immunohistochemistry implied that loss of RNF38 was an independent prognostic factor for poor outcomes of NPC patients. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that RNF38 inhibited proliferation and metastasis in NPC in vitro and in vivo. Upregulation of RNF38 promoted apoptosis of NPC cells to etoposide but not cisplatin. ACTN4 was upregulated in NPC and negatively correlated with RNF38. Mechanistic investigations suggested that RNF38 inactivates the NF-𝛋B and ERK1/2 signaling pathways by inducing ubiquitination and degradation of ACTN4. RNF38 suppress the development of NPC by interacting with ACTN4. CONCLUSIONS: RNF38 plays a potential cancer suppressor gene role in NPC tumorigenesis and is a prognostic biomarker in NPC.

Comparison of radiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab vs. chemoradiotherapy for locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The present study compared the effectiveness and toxicity of two treatment modalities, namely radiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab (N) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with locally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LR-NPC). METHODS: Patients with LR-NPC who were treated with radiotherapy were retrospectively enrolled from January 2015 to December 2018. The treatment included radiotherapy combined with N or platinum-based induction chemotherapy and/or concurrent chemotherapy. The comparison of survival and toxicity between the two treatment modalities was evaluated using the log-rank and chi-squared tests. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients were included, of whom 32 and 55 were divided into the N group and the CRT group, respectively. No significant differences were noted in the survival rate between the N and the CRT groups (4-year OS rates, 37.1% vs. 40.7%, respectively; P = 0.735). Mild to moderate acute complications were common during the radiation period and mainly included mucositis and xerostomia. The majority of the acute toxic reactions were tolerated well. A total of 48 patients (55.2%) demonstrated late radiation injuries of grade ≥ 3, including 12 patients (37.5%) in the N group and 36 patients (66.5%) in the CRT group. The CRT group exhibited significantly higher incidence of severe late radiation injuries compared with that of the N group (P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy combined with N did not appear to enhance treatment efficacy compared with CRT in patients with LR-NPC. However, radiotherapy combined with N may be superior to CRT due to its lower incidence of acute and late toxicities. Further studies are required to confirm the current findings.

Circulating Epstein-Barr virus microRNAs BART7-3p and BART13-3p as novel biomarkers in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BamHI A rightward transcripts (BART) encoded microRNAs (EBV-miR-BARTs) are abnormally highly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aims to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic performance of miR-BART7-3p and miR-BART13-3p. Plasma levels of EBV DNA, miR-BART7-3p, and miR-BART13-3p were examined by quantitative PCR in 483 treatment-naïve NPC patients and 243 controls without NPC. The prognostic performance was examined by comparing plasma levels with rates of distant metastasis during follow-up. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for diagnosing NPC was 0.926 for EBV DNA, 0.964 for plasma miR-BART7-3p, 0.973 for miR-BART13-3p, and 0.997 for all three indices. Among 465 NPC patients without distant metastasis, the above-median miR-BART7-3p and EBV DNA were independent risk for shorter distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.94, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-5.97, P = .003; HR = 2.27, 95% CI, 1.26-4.10, P = .006) in multivariate Cox regression. Epstein-Barr virus DNA, miR-BART7-3p, and miR-BART13-3p after radiotherapy were detectable in 28.6%, 17.6%, and 54.7% of patients, respectively. In multivariate Cox regression, detectable miR-BART7-3p and EBV DNA were independent risks for shorter DMFS (HR = 4.13, 95% CI, 1.89-9.01, P < .001; HR = 2.14, 95% CI, 1.04-4.42, P = .039). The 4-year DMFS rate was 92.0% in subjects (n = 156) with neither detectable miR-BART7-3p nor EBV DNA, 80.0% in subjects (n = 65) with either detectable miR-BART7-3p or EBV DNA, and 52.9% in subjects (n = 24) with both detectable miR-BART7-3p and EBV DNA after radiotherapy (P < .001). Circulating levels of miR-BART7-3p and miR-BART13-3p show excellent diagnostic performance for NPC. The combination of plasma levels of miR-BART7-3p and EBV DNA at diagnosis and after radiotherapy could help stratify patients by risk of poor DMFS.

Diffusion kurtosis imaging and tumour microstructure for monitoring response to radiotherapy in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma xenografts.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlations and feasibility of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) parameters and tumour histopathology after radiotherapy in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) xenografts on nude mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two nude mice were used for the construction of CNE-1 (radio-insensitive) and CNE-2 (radio-sensitive) NPC xenograft models, followed by fraction irradiation at different doses of X-ray. The nude mice were randomly divided into six groups in each cell line models according to the dose of X-ray they have received and with six mice in each group. DKI scan was performed after radiation. DKI parameters, tumour histopathology and AQP-1 biomarkers were detected. One-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation analysis were used in statistical analysis. RESULTS: In CNE-1 and CNE-2 NPC xenografts, D values were increased (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001), while K values (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001) and tumour size (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001) were reduced during fraction irradiation. Additionally, cell density (CD) and AQP-1 expressions were decreased, and necrosis ratio (NR) was increased in CNE-2 xenografts after fraction irradiation (P < 0.001). The changes in D values were negatively correlated with tumour size (r = -0.856, P < 0.001), CD (r = -0.918, P < 0.001), AQP-1 mRNA (r = -0.856, P < 0.001) and protein (r = -0.381, P = 0.022) expressions while positively correlated with NR (r = 0.908, P < 0.001) in CNE-2 xenografts. The changes in K values were positively correlated with tumour size (r = 0.964, P < 0.001), CD (r = 0.888, P < 0.001), AQP-1 mRNA (r = 0.955, P < 0.001) and protein (r = 0.330, P = 0.049) expression levels while negatively correlated with NR (r = -0.930, P < 0.001). However, in CNE-1 xenografts, there were no correlation between DKI parameters and the expression of AQP-1. CONCLUSION: Changes in D and K parameters after fractional irradiation are closely related with NPC cellular and pathological characteristics, especially size reduction and necrosis induction. These parameters exhibit potential abilities of monitoring the response to fractional irradiation in radio-sensitive NPC xenografts.

Neoadjuvant dose-modified docetaxel in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A phase 3 study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dose-modified docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (TPF) in Chinese patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This Phase III, open-label, multi-center study included Chinese adults with previously untreated TNM Stage III or IV SCCHN (NCT00995293). Patients were randomized (1:1) to induction chemotherapy with TPF (docetaxel 60 mg/m2 and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1 and 5-FU 750 mg/m2  per day continuous IV infusion on days 1-5) or PF (cisplatin 75 mg/m2 on day 1 and 5-FU 750 mg/m2  per day on days 1-5) every 3 weeks for 3-4 cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Median PFS in the TPF (n = 108) and PF (n = 111) groups was 400 days and 342 days (HR = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.53─1.06; p = .227), respectively. Overall response rate was higher for TPF versus PF (76.3% vs. 52.9%; p = .001), although this equalized following radiotherapy (75.0% vs. 73.9%). In the TPF and PF groups, ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse event was experienced by 104 (94.5%) and 110 (93.2%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Adding dose-modified docetaxel to PF did not significantly improve PFS but may increase anti-tumor activity in Chinese patients with locally advanced SCCHN.

Whole-exome sequencing identifies MST1R as a genetic susceptibility gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Multiple factors, including host genetics, environmental factors, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, contribute to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) development. To identify genetic susceptibility genes for NPC, a whole-exome sequencing (WES) study was performed in 161 NPC cases and 895 controls of Southern Chinese descent. The gene-based burden test discovered an association between macrophage-stimulating 1 receptor (MST1R) and NPC. We identified 13 independent cases carrying the MST1R pathogenic heterozygous germ-line variants, and 53.8% of these cases were diagnosed with NPC aged at or even younger than 20 y, indicating that MST1R germline variants are relevant to disease early-age onset (EAO) (age of ≤20 y). In total, five MST1R missense variants were found in EAO cases but were rare in controls (EAO vs. control, 17.9% vs. 1.2%, P = 7.94 × 10(-12)). The validation study, including 2,160 cases and 2,433 controls, showed that the MST1R variant c.G917A:p.R306H is highly associated with NPC (odds ratio of 9.0). MST1R is predominantly expressed in the tissue-resident macrophages and is critical for innate immunity that protects organs from tissue damage and inflammation. Importantly, MST1R expression is detected in the ciliated epithelial cells in normal nasopharyngeal mucosa and plays a role in the cilia motility important for host defense. Although no somatic mutation of MST1R was identified in the sporadic NPC tumors, copy number alterations and promoter hypermethylation at MST1R were often observed. Our findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of NPC by highlighting the involvement of the MST1R-mediated signaling pathways.

Metal Carbonyls for the Biointerference-Free Ratiometric Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy-Based Assay for Cell-Free Circulating DNA of Epstein-Barr Virus in Blood.

By taking advantage of the spectral properties of metal carbonyls, we have designed a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) ratiometric assay for measuring cell-free circulating DNA (cfDNA) from Epstein-Barr virus in blood for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This assay consists of a rhenium carbonyl (Re-CO) to serve as a DNA probe, an osmium carbonyl (Os-CO) embedded within the SERS-active substrate as an internal reference, and a streptavidin layer on the surface of the substrate. Hybridization of cfDNA with biotinylated-capture sequence leads to immobilization of cfDNA on the substrate. The binding of Re-CO via daunorubicin (DNR) to cfDNA is accompanied by an appearance of a strong symmetry stretching vibrations peak at 2113 cm-1, which has spectral overlap with Os-CO (2025 cm-1). This results in an increase in the I2113/ I2025 ratio and quantitatively correlates with cfDNA. This SERS assay can be readily used to detect cfDNA in blood samples from patients due to the intensity ratio of I2113/ I2025 lying in a silent region (1780-2200 cm-1) in the SERS spectrum of the biomolecules.

Gemcitabine plus cisplatin versus fluorouracil plus cisplatin in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes are poor for patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma and no well established first-line chemotherapy is available for the disease. We compared the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine plus cisplatin versus fluorouracil plus cisplatin in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial, patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma were recruited from 22 hospitals in China. Key inclusion criteria were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, adequate organ function, and measurable lesions according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either gemcitabine (1 g/m2 intravenously on days 1 and 8) and cisplatin (80 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1), or fluorouracil (4 g/m2 in continuous intravenous infusion over 96 h) and cisplatin (80 mg/m2 on day 1 given intravenously) once every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. The randomisation was done centrally via an interactive phone response system using block randomisation with a size of six. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival assessed by the independent image committee in the intention-to-treat population. Safety analyses were done in patients who received at least one cycle of study drug. This study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01528618. FINDINGS: Between Feb 20, 2012, and Oct 30, 2015, 362 patients were randomly assigned to a group (181 to the gemcitabine [plus cisplatin] group and 181 to the fluorouracil [plus cisplatin] group). Median follow-up time for progression-free survival was 19·4 months (IQR 12·1-35·6). The median progression-free survival was 7·0 months (4·4-10·9) in the gemcitabine group and 5·6 months (3·0-7·0) in the fluorouracil group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·55 [95% CI 0·44-0·68]; p<0·0001). A total of 180 patients in the gemcitabine group and 173 patients in the fluorouracil group were included in the safety analysis. Significantly different treatment-related grade 3 or 4 adverse events between the gemcitabine and fluorouracil groups were leucopenia (52 [29%] vs 15 [9%]; <0·0001), neutropenia (41 [23%] vs 23 [13%]; p=0·0251), thrombocytopenia (24 [13%] vs three [2%]; p=0·0007), and mucosal inflammation (0 vs 25 [14%]; <0·0001). Serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in seven (4%) patients in the gemcitabine group and ten (6%) in the fluorouracil group. Six (3%) patients in the gemcitabine group and 14 (8%) patients in the fluorouracil group discontinued treatment because of drug-related adverse events. No treatment-related deaths occurred in either group. INTERPRETATION: Gemcitabine plus cisplatin prolongs progression-free survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The results establish gemcitabine plus cisplatin as the standard first-line treatment option for this population. FUNDING: Sun Yat-Sen University Clinical Research 5010 Programme, Chinese National Natural Science Foundation project (grant numbers 81372502 and 81201917), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 program numbers 2012AA02A501 and 2012AA02A502), and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong (grant number S2013010016564).

NF-κB Signaling Regulates Expression of Epstein-Barr Virus BART MicroRNAs and Long Noncoding RNAs in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

UNLABELLED: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) expresses few viral proteins in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) but high levels of BamHI-A rightward transcripts (BARTs), which include long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and BART microRNAs (miRNAs). It is hypothesized that the mechanism for regulation of BARTs may relate to EBV pathogenesis in NPC. We showed that nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activates the BART promoters and modulates the expression of BARTs in EBV-infected NPC cells but that introduction of mutations into the putative NF-κB binding sites abolished activation of BART promoters by NF-κB. Binding of p50 subunits to NF-κB sites in the BART promoters was confirmed in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and further demonstrated in vivo using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis. Expression of BART miRNAs and lncRNAs correlated with NF-κB activity in EBV-infected epithelial cells, while treatment of EBV-harboring NPC C666-1 cells with aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid [ASA]) and the IκB kinase inhibitor PS-1145 inhibited NF-κB activity, resulting in downregulation of BART expression. Expression of EBV LMP1 activates BART promoters, whereas an LMP1 mutant which cannot induce NF-κB activation does not activate BART promoters, further supporting the idea that expression of BARTs is regulated by NF-κB signaling. Expression of LMP1 is tightly regulated in NPC cells, and this study confirmed that miR-BART5-5p downregulates LMP1 expression, suggesting a feedback loop between BART miRNA and LMP1-mediated NF-κB activation in the NPC setting. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism underlying the deregulation of BARTs in NPC and identify a regulatory loop through which BARTs support EBV latency in NPC. IMPORTANCE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells are ubiquitously infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Notably, EBV expresses very few viral proteins in NPC cells, presumably to avoid triggering an immune response, but high levels of EBV BART miRNAs and lncRNAs which exhibit complex functions associated with EBV pathogenesis. The mechanism for regulation of BARTs is critical for understanding NPC oncogenesis. This study provides multiple lines of evidence to show that expression of BARTs is subject to regulation by NF-κB signaling. EBV LMP1 is a potent activator of NF-κB signaling, and we demonstrate that LMP1 can upregulate expression of BARTs through NF-κB signaling and that BART miRNAs are also able to downregulate LMP1 expression. It appears that aberrant NF-κB signaling and expression of BARTs form an autoregulatory loop for maintaining EBV latency in NPC cells. Further exploration of how targeting NF-κB signaling interrupts EBV latency in NPC cells may reveal new options for NPC treatment.

Pretreatment Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase Level as an Independent Prognostic Factor of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Era.

BACKGROUND The aims of this study were to analyze the prognostic value of baseline lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) among nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and to evaluate the potential application of LDH in monitoring treatment efficacy dynamically. MATERIAL AND METHODS From June 2005 to December 2010, 1188 patients with non-metastatic NPC who underwent IMRT with or without chemotherapy were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the predictive value of baseline LDH. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze the difference between baseline and post-radiotherapy LDH, and to compare post-radiotherapy LDH with the LDH in cases of distant failure. RESULTS Patients with elevated LDH had significant inferior survival rates, in terms of overall survival (70.0% vs. 83.2%, p=0.010), disease-specific survival (71.1% vs. 85.7%, p=0.002), and distant metastasis-free survival (71.1% vs. 83.4%, p=0.009), but not correlated with locoregional relapse-free survival (p=0.275) or progression-free survival (p=0.104). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that this predictive effect was more significant with advanced stage. Sixty-five post-radiotherapy LDH levels were available from the 90 patients with high LDH at initial diagnosis, and these levels fell in 65 patients, with 62 cases (95.4%) falling within the normal range. Of the 208 patients who experienced distant metastasis, 87 had an available LDH level at that time. Among them, 69 cases (79.3%) had an increased level compared with the post-radiotherapy LDH level. CONCLUSIONS Pretreatment LDH is a simple, cost-effective biomarker that could predict survival rates and might be used in individualized treatment. It is also a potential biomarker that might reflect tumor burden and be used to monitor therapy efficacy.

Long-term survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with Stage II in intensity-modulated radiation therapy era.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term survival and the role of chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients in Stage II treated by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). METHODS: Three hundred and eleven NPC patients in Stage II were reviewed. All were treated with IMRT with or without chemotherapy, with 191, 20 and 100 patients being defined as T1N1M0, T2N0M0 and T2N1M0 stage, respectively. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 57 months, the 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival, distant metastasis-free survival, loco-regional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) and progression-free survival were 91.1, 93.5, 90.6, 95.9 and 87.6%, respectively. T2N1 patients had significant poorer survival outcomes than T1N1 patients, with T2N0 patients in between. Further analysis showed that the addition of chemotherapy could only improve LRRFS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.263, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.083-0.839, P = 0.024], especially for T1N1 patients (HR 0.209, 95% CI 0.046-0.954, P = 0.043). For those in the T2N1M0 group, chemotherapy, as used in our series, added no benefit to any endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: IMRT in NPC patients in Stage II was quite therapeutic; however, different subgroups have distinct survival outcomes. Distant metastasis was the main failure pattern, especially for those with T2N1 disease, and the chemotherapy currently in use failed to treat subclinical metastatic foci effectively. Further prospective study is warranted to find out the role and the optimal schedule of chemotherapy in this subgroup of patients.

Circulating Epstein-Barr virus microRNAs miR-BART7 and miR-BART13 as biomarkers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosis and treatment.

More than 75% of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients have already developed local or regional spread at diagnosis, which hampers effective treatment and results in a poor prognosis. It is essential to characterize more sensitive and specific biomarkers for screening of high risk individuals and assessment of NPC treatment effectiveness. NPC is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated tumor in which only a few viral proteins but more than 20 BamHI A rightward transcripts (BART) microRNAs are detected, at abundant levels. We hypothesized that these BART microRNAs may be novel biomarkers for NPC. Systematic analysis of EBV BART microRNA expression profiles in EBV latently infected Mutu I and Mutu III cell lines, EBV-harboring NPC and noncancerous NP cells found that miR-BART3, miR-BART7 and miR-BART13 microRNAs are highly expressed and regularly secreted into the extracellular environment of NPC cells. These BART microRNAs were evaluated for used as potential NPC biomarkers. Analysis of plasma specimens obtained from NPC patients (n = 89), and healthy (n = 28) and non-NPC tumor patient controls (n = 18) found levels of both miR-BART7 and miR-BART13, but not miR-BART3, to be distinctly presence among NPC patients, with elevated levels being particularly apparent among patients with advanced disease. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis combining miR-BART7 and miR-BART13 levels produces a 90% predictive value for the presence of NPC. Analysis of 41 NPC patients before and after radiotherapy showed that miR-BART7 and miR-BART13, but not miR-BART3, were diminished after treatment. These results indicate that EBV microRNAs, miR-BART7 and miR-BART13, may constitute useful new serological biomarkers for diagnosis of NPC and prediction of treatment efficacy.

Diffusion kurtosis imaging predicts neoadjuvant chemotherapy responses within 4 days in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

PURPOSE: To explore the clinical value of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and monoexponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for predicting early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with stage III-IVb NPC underwent four 3.0T MR scans: prior to, and on the 4th, 21st, 42nd days after NAC initiation. The parameters of DKI (corrected diffusion coefficient, D; excess diffusion kurtosis coefficient, K) and monoexponential DWI (apparent diffusion coefficient, ADC) were obtained at the first three scans. Statistical methods included Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses and paired X(2) test. RESULTS: D(pre) in responders group (RG) was significantly lower than nonresponders group (NRG) (1.029 ± 0.033 vs. 1.184 ± 0.055, ×10(-3) mm(2) /s, P = 0.020). ADC(day4) and ΔD(day4) were the most useful parameters of the two diffusional models to distinguish RG from NRG, respectively (area under the curve, 0.761 vs. 0.895). ΔD(day4) was more sensitive than ADC(day4) to predict treatment response to NAC (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Both DKI and monoexponential DWI showed potential to predict treatment response to NAC prior to morphological change. DKI may be superior to monoexponential DWI for predicting early response to NAC in patients with locally advanced NPC.

[Prognostic analysis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after curative radiotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prognosis and its influencing factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after radical radiotherapy. METHODS: Clinical data of 184 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radical radiotherapy with distant metastases were retrospectively reviewed and the factors affecting prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: The median survival time was 12 months for the whole group, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 50.6%, 30.7% and 20.9%, respectively. Cox univariate analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with metastasis after radiotherapy was significantly related with The N stage, chemotherapy, time interval between the end of radiotherapy and occurrence of distant metastasis, metastatic sites, chemotherapy after metastasis, cycles of chemotherapy and palliative radiotherapy after metastasis (P<0.05), but not significantly related with sex, age, T stage, clinical stage, cycles of chemotherapy, radiation technique and radiation dose for initial treatment (P>0.05). Advanced N stage, no chemotherapy, short time interval between the end of radiotherapy and occurrence of distant metastasis, multiple metastases, no radiotherapy or chemotherapy for metastases were predictive for poor prognosis (P<0.05). Multivariable analysis indicated that factors including N stage at initial diagnosis, metastatic sites, whether or not chemotherapy was given, the time interval between the end of radiotherapy and the occurrence of distant metastasis were independent factors affecting the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: N stage at initial diagnosis, metastatic sites, whether or not chemotherapy was given, the time interval between the end of radiotherapy and the occurrence of distant metastasis are independent factors affecting the prognosis for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with distant metastasis after radiotherapy. Systemic chemotherapy and local palliative radiotherapy are the primary treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with metastasis.

Is Gemcitabine and Cisplatin Induction Chemotherapy Superior in Locoregionally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcome of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: Between June 2005 and October 2007, 604 patients with locoregionally advanced NPC were analyzed, of whom 399 and 205 were treated with conventional radiotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) respectively. Meanwhile, 153 patients received concurrent chemotherapy, and 520 were given induction chemotherapy. RESULTS: With a median follow-up time of 65 months, the 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS), locoregional free survival (LRFS), and distant-metastasis free survival (DMFS) rates were 82.5% vs. 72.6%, 90.6% vs. 87.1%, and 82.5% vs. 81.2%, respectively. Induction chemotherapy was not an independent prognostic factor for OS (P=0.193) or LRFS, but there was a positive tendency for DMFS (P=0.088). GP regimen (gemcitabine + cisplatin) was an independent prognostic factor for OS (P = 0.038) and it had a trend toward improved DMFS (P = 0.109). TP regimen (taxol + cisplatin) was only a significant prognostic factor for DMFS (P =0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Adding induction chemotherapy had no survival benefit, but GP regimen benefited overall survival and had a trend toward improved DMFS. GP regimen may be superior to TP/FP regimen (fluorouracil + cisplatin) in treating locoregionally advanced NPC.

Clinical significance of the expression of EGFR signaling pathway-related proteins in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling is an important pathway that is not only involved in the determination of cellular development, but also has significant roles in tumor development and progression. The study aims to examine the expression of EGFR signaling pathway-related proteins (EGFR, c-Fos, and c-erb-B2) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and to investigate their relationships with clinical significance. Sixty esophageal squamous carcinoma specimens obtained by fiber esophagoscope were subjected to two-step immunohistochemistry to test the expression of EGFR, c-Fos, and c-erb-B2. EGFR expression was observed in 73.3% of tumors (44/60); positive EGFR expression was significantly correlated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis (P < 0.05). c-Fos expression was found in 85% (51/60) of tumors, and its expression was significantly related to tumor depth and TNM staging (P < 0.05). c-erb-B2 expression was 75% (45/60) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) specimens, and positive-erb-B2 expression had a significant association with the depth of tumor invasion (P < 0.05). c-Fos expression was significantly and positively correlated with c-erb-B2 (P < 0.05). Overexpression of EGFR, c-Fos, and c-erb-B2 was associated with tumor progression and development. EGFR and c-Fos expression can predict the tumor stage. c-Fos and c-erb-B2 expression can be used to determine the depth of tumor invasion and can also act as a combined prognostic indicator in ESCC.