A 2-Protein Signature Predicting Clinical Outcome in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) accounts for approximately 70% deaths in ovarian cancer. The overall survival (OS) of HGSOC is poor and still remains a clinical challenge. High-grade serous ovarian cancer can be divided into 4 molecular subtypes. The prognosis of different molecular subtypes is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the prognostic values of immunohistochemistry-based different molecular subtypes in patients with HGSOC. METHODS: We analyzed the protein expression of representative biomarkers (CXCL11, HMGA2, and MUC16) of 3 different molecular subtypes in 110 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded HGSOC by tissue microarrays. RESULTS: High CXCL11 expression predicted worse OS, not disease-free survival (DFS; P = 0.028 for OS, P = 0.191 for DFS). High HMGA2 expression predicted worse OS and DFS (P = 0.037 for OS, P = 0.021 for DFS). MUC16 expression was not associated with OS or DFS (P = 0.919 for OS, P = 0.517 for DFS). Multivariate regression analysis showed that CXCL11 combined with HMGA2 signature was an independent predictor for OS and DFS in patients with HGSOC. CONCLUSIONS: CXCL11 combined with HMGA2 signature was a clinically applicable prognostic model that could precisely predict an HGSOC patient's OS and tumor recurrence. This model could serve as an important tool for risk assessment of HGSOC prognosis.

A simulator for percutaneous hepatic microwave thermal ablation under ultrasound guidance.

The purpose of this study was to provide a simulation therapy environment for microwave thermal ablation (MWA) under the guidance of ultrasound, and to present an inexpensive and portable simulator built on real patient-based pre-operative computed tomography (CT) data. We established an experimental simulation system for teaching MWA and present the results of a preliminary evaluation of the simulator's realism and utility for training. The system comprises physical elements of an electromagnetic tracking device and an abdominal phantom, and software elements providing three-dimensional (3D) image processing tools, real-time navigation functions and objective evaluation function module. Details of the novel aspects of this system are presented, including a portable electromagnetic tracking device, adoption of real patient-based pre-operative CT data of liver, operation simulation of MWA, and recording and playback of the operation simulation. Patients with liver cancer were selected for evaluation of the clinical application value of the experimental simulation system. A total of 50 consultant interventional radiologists and 20 specialist registrars in radiology rated the simulator's hardware reality and overall ergonomics. Results show that the simulator system we describe can be used as a training tool for MWA. It enables training with real patient cases prior to surgery, and it can provide a realistic simulation of the actual procedure.

Application of 3D imaging in the real-time US-CT fusion navigation for minimal invasive tumor therapy.

PURPOSE: Image-guided minimally invasive treatment (IG-MIT) has been widely used for local therapy of both benign and malignant tumors. However, precise needle targeting is a very important step in the minimally invasive treatment. Nowadays, minimally invasive treatment is usually performed with the guidance of the two-dimensional (2D) image. The tip of the puncture needle is difficult to place with precise positioning into the three-dimensional (3D) space of the tumor. This study was an experimental ex vivo study in porcine liver and heart samples with internal targets, focusing on the accuracy with the guidance of the real-time 3D imaging using a self-developed real-time ultrasonography and preoperative computed tomography (CT) fusion navigation system for minimal invasive tumor (liver tumor and uterine fibroid) therapy. METHODS: There are thirty porcine liver samples and thirty porcine heart samples used in the experiments. The average weight of the porcine liver samples was 2216.8 g, and the average weight of the porcine heart samples was 510.5 g. We conducted statistical analysis of the experimental results obtained by five medical students and five interventional radiologists. RESULTS: The puncture precision of the needle placement under the guidance of 3D imaging was significantly higher than that of the other groups, and the assistant function is more obvious for medical students than that for interventional radiologists [Formula: see text]. Assistant function of the US-CT fusion imaging is higher than that of the first group too [Formula: see text]. The precision of the puncture with guidance of the 3D imaging was very satisfied in the fact that it was found that there was a mean discrepancy of [Formula: see text] (medical students) and [Formula: see text] (interventional radiologists) in porcine livers and there was a mean discrepancy of [Formula: see text] (medical students) and [Formula: see text] (interventional radiologists) in porcine hearts. CONCLUSIONS: Experimental results showed that the accuracy of needle targeting can be improved with the guidance of the real-time 3D imaging than that with the guidance of both 2D US images and US-CT fusion images in IG-MIT. Assistant function of 3D imaging is obviously for medical students.