RETRACTED: Lai et al. MicroRNA-21 Plays Multiple Oncometabolic Roles in the Process of NAFLD-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma via PI3K/AKT, TGF-ß, and STAT3 Signaling. Cancers 2021, 13, 940.

The Cancers Editorial Office retracts the article, "MicroRNA-21 Plays Multiple Oncometabolic Roles in the Process of NAFLD-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma via PI3K/AKT, TGF-ß, and STAT3 Signaling" [...].

Serum Cytokines Correlate with Pretreatment Body Mass Index-adjusted Body Weight Loss Grading and Cancer Progression in Patients with Stage III Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Surgery.

Serum Cytokines Correlate with Pretreatment Body Mass Index-Adjusted Body Weight Loss Grading and Cancer Progression in Patients with Stage III Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Surgery. Circulating cytokines have been linked to the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its associated malnutrition process. Nonetheless, given the varied disease stages and treatment modalities in previous studies, the clinical relevance of their findings is limited. We retrospectively studied 52 patients with stage III ESCC who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and curative-intent surgery. We investigated the association of clinicopathological features, pretreatment laboratory data, and pretreatment inflammatory status, as indicated by the levels of albumin, C-reactive protein, and 10 circulating cytokines, namely tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma, interleukin-1-beta (IL-1ß), IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17A, and IL-23, with malnutrition, as shown by body mass index-adjusted body weight loss (BMI-BWL) grading, cancer progression. Half the patients showed severe malnutrition and high BMI-BWL grades (3 and 4). Multivariate analysis revealed an independent association between the levels of three cytokines (TNF-α, ≤ 5.8 pg/ml; IL-1ß, > 0.4 pg/ml; IL-6, ≤ 12.4 pg/ml) and high BMI-BWL grades and between IL-4 levels > 22.5 pg/ml and cancer progression. All 10 cytokines were closely correlated with each other. In conclusion, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 were independent markers of malnutrition status and IL-4 was a prognostic factor for cancer progression in this patient population.

Impact of pretreatment quality of life on tolerance and survival outcome in head and neck cancer patients undergoing definitive CCRT.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a predictor of treatment outcomes in cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pretreatment HRQoL on treatment tolerance and survival outcomes in patients with HNC planned for concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in Taiwan. METHODS: This study included 461 patients with HNC planned for definitive CCRT at three medical centers in Taiwan between August 2017 and December 2018. HRQoL was assessed using the QLQ-HN35 one week before the initiation of CCRT. Patients were grouped based on the sum scores of QLQ-HN35 (

Frailty is an independent factor for health-related quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer receiving definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

PURPOSE: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is associated with treatment-related complications and poor survival in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). We investigated the effects of frailty on HRQoL in patients with HNC receiving definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: A total of 461 consecutive patients with locally advanced HNC who received CCRT between 2017 and 2018 at three medical centers in Taiwan were included. Frailty and HRQoL were assessed using the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and QLQ-H&N35 before CCRT. The sum score was calculated based on the first 30 questions of QLQ-H&N35. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of frailty on HRQoL. RESULTS: The overall sum score was 39 (34-49). The sum scores of patients with impairments in 0, 1, 2, 3, and ≥ 4 frailty domains were 34 (32-38), 40 (34-47), 46 (36-55), 48 (41-64), and 56 (50-60), respectively. Patients with impairments in more frailty domains had a higher symptom burden (p for trend < 0.001). Frail patients tended to experience symptoms across all QLQ-H&N35 subscales. Sex, body mass index, tumor type, tumor stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and frailty were determinants of HRQoL in the univariate analysis. Frailty was an independent determinant of HRQoL in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Routine frailty assessment may serve as a surrogate for the selection of patients with HNC with poor HRQoL before CCRT. Further studies are needed to determine whether appropriate interventions in frail patients would improve their HRQoL during CCRT.