Real-world tobacco cessation practice in China: findings from the prospective, nationwide multicenter China National Tobacco Cessation Cohort Study (CNTCCS).

Background: Tobacco cessation is proven to be the most effective and cost-effective strategy for smokers to reduce their risk of smoking-related disease and premature death. Providing effective, efficient, safe, and patient-centred tobacco cessation treatment to reach those who need them is a significant challenge. To date, only a few nationwide studies in China have assessed the overall clinical care practice and treatment outcome of tobacco cessation. Methods: This a prospective, nationwide, multicenter, cohort study covering all Eastern China, Northwest China, Central China, North China, Southwest China, Northeast China, and South China. Participants who were current smokers aged 18-85 years attending clinic for smoking cessation were included. All the participants were treated with 3-month cessation treatment and followed up for 3 months. Data were collected prospectively using online system. The primary outcome was 7-day point abstinence rate at 24 weeks, validated biochemically by an expired carbon monoxide level of less than 10 ppm. The participants lost to follow-up or not providing validation were included as non-abstainers. Findings: A representative sample of 3557 participants were recruited and 2943 participants were included into this analysis. These participants had mean age of 53.05 years, and 94.8% were males, with 75.8% showing symptoms of tobacco dependence. A total of 965 (32.8%) participants were treated with Bupropion + behavioural counselling, followed by 935 (31.8%) with behavioural counselling, 778 (26.4%) with Varenicline + behavioural counselling, 135 (4.6%) with alternative treatments + behavioural counselling, and 130 (4.4%) with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) + behavioural counselling. After 3-month treatment and 3-month follow-up, 21.74% of the participants quit smoking at 24 weeks. In the multivariable-adjusted analyses, quitting smoking was significantly associated with female, higher socioeconomic status, poor health condition, different treatment received, and less smoking intensity. The tobacco cessation treatment varied widely across different areas of China. In particular, the areas with higher usage of cessation medication were associated with better cessation treatment outcome. Interpretation: The CNTCCS is the first large-scale nationwide cohort study of smoking cessation in China. Rich data collected from this prospective cohort study provided the opportunity to evaluate the clinical practice of tobacco cessation treatment in China. Funding: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) Initiative for Innovative Medicine (CAMS 2021-I2M-1-010), Heilongjiang Provincial Science and Technology Key Program (2022ZXJ03C02), and National Key R&D Program of China (grant no. 2017YFC1309400).

PF-429242 exhibits anticancer activity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via FOXO1-dependent autophagic cell death and IGFBP1-dependent anti-survival signaling.

Effective therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are urgently needed, as it is a type of cancer resistant to chemotherapy. Recent evidence showed that PF-429242, a membrane-bound transcription factor site-1 protease (MBTPS1) inhibitor, exhibited anticancer activities against glioblastomas, renal cell carcinoma, and pancreatic cancer. However, its anticancer activity against HCC has yet to be investigated. In this study, we found that PF-429242 induced autophagy-dependent cell death in HCC cells. RNA-sequencing analysis indicated that the primary effect of PF-429242 was inhibition of the sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) signaling pathway. However, overexpression of SREBP proteins did not efficiently rescue PF-429242-induced autophagy and cell death. Mechanistically, PF-429242 induced forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1)-dependent autophagic cell death. Additionally, PF-429242 caused FOXO1-independent upregulation of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP1), ultimately leading to autophagy-independent cell death. The in vivo anticancer activity of PF-429242 against HCC cells was demonstrated in a tumor xenograft mouse model. Therefore, PF-429242 is a potential anticancer agent to treat HCC by triggering FOXO1-dependent autophagic cell death and IGFBP1-mediated anti-survival signaling in parallel.

Inhibition of CDK9 exhibits anticancer activity in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via targeting ribonucleotide reductase.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) inhibitors are a novel category of anticancer treatment for cancers. However, their effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are rarely investigated. Human ribonucleotide reductase (RR, which consists of RRM1 and RRM2 subunits) catalyzes the conversion of ribonucleoside diphosphate into 2'-deoxyribonucleoside diphosphate to maintain the homeostasis of nucleotide pools, which play essential roles in DNA synthesis and DNA repair. In this study, we identified that CDK9 protein expression in adjacent non-tumor tissues predicted HCC patients' overall and progression-free survivals. The anticancer activity of a CDK9-selective inhibitor, LDC000067, on HCC cells was positively associated with its ability to inhibit the expression of RRM1 and RRM2. LDC000067 downregulated RRM1 and RRM2 expression through post-transcriptional pathway. Specifically, LDC000067 triggered RRM2 protein degradation via multiple pathways, including proteasome-, lysosome-, and calcium-dependent pathways. Furthermore, CDK9 positively correlates with RRM1 or RRM2 expression in HCC patients, and the expressions of these three genes were associated with the higher infiltration of immune cells in HCC. Taken together, this study identified the prognostic relevance of CDK9 in HCC and the molecular mechanism for the anticancer effect of CDK9 inhibitors on HCC.

Anlotinib dramatically improved pulmonary hypertension and hypoxia caused by Pulmonary Tumor Thrombotic Microangiopathy (PTTM) associated with gastric carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a rare malignancy-related respiratory complication, demonstrating rapid progression of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and respiratory failure. Although a number of treatments have been attempted for patients diagnosed with or suspected of having PTTM, successful-treated cases of PTTM were mainly from imatinib therapy, which was a PDGF receptor inhibitor. Anlotinib was a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets VEGFR, FGFR, PDGFR, and c-kit. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a patient of PTTM associated with gastric carcinoma, whom were treated with anlotinib, thereby exhibiting significant improvement of PH and respiratory dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Our case provides a new understanding of therapy to PTTM, with implications for defining anlotinib as candidate drug for PTTM. Clinical diagnosis and prompt initiation of anlotinib might be one of the strategies in patients with unstable PTTM.

Ultralow-Power RRAM with a High Switching Ratio Based on the Large van der Waals Interstice Radius of TMDs.

Low power and high switching ratio are the development direction of the next generation of resistive random access memory (RRAM). Previous techniques could not increase the switching ratio while reducing the SET power. Here, we report a method to fabricate low-power and high-switching-ratio RRAM by adjusting the interstice radius (rg) between the van der Waals (vdW) layers of transitional-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which simultaneously increases the switching ratio and reduces the SET power. The SET voltage, SET power, switching ratio and endurance of the device are strongly correlated with rg. When the ratio of rg to the radius of the metal ions that form the conductive filaments (rg/rAg+) is near 1, the SET voltage and SET power vertically decrease while the switching ratio vertically rises with increasing rg/rAg+. For the fabricated Ag/[SnS2/poly(methyl methacrylate)]/Cu RRAM with an rg/rAg+ of 1.04, the SET voltage, SET power and switching ratio are 0.14 V, 10-10 W and 106, respectively. After 104 switching cycles and a 104 s retention time, the switching ratio of the device can still be stable above 106. Bending has no influence on the performance of the device when the bending radius is not <2 mm.

Design and semisynthesis of oleanolic acid derivatives as VEGF inhibitors: Inhibition of VEGF-induced proliferation, angiogenesis, and VEGFR2 activation in HUVECs.

Angiogenesis inhibitors targeting the VEGF signaling pathway are developed into drugs for the treatment of vaious diseases, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and age-related macular degeneration. Recent studies have revealed that oleanolic acid (OA), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid, inhibited the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway and angiogenesis in HUVECs, which may represent an attractive VEGF inhibitor. In this paper, rational structural modification towards OA was performed in order to improve its inhibitory effects aganist VEGF and anti-angiogenesis potential. As a result, a series of novel OA derivatives, possessing α,ß-unsaturated ketone system in ring A and amide functional group at C-28, were prepared and evaluated for cytotoxicity and their ability to inhibit VEGF-induced abnormal proliferation of HUVECs. The results showed that two promising derivatives, OA-1 and OA-16, exhibited no in vitro cytotoxicity against HUVECs but showed more potent inhibitory activity against VEGF-induced proliferation and angiogenesis in HUVECs, compared with OA. The results of Western blot indicated that OA-1 and OA-16 inhibited VEGF-induced VEGFR2 activation. Furthermore, small interfering RNA experiments were performed to confirm that both compounds inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenesis via VEGFR2. Thus, the present study resulted in the discovery of new promising OA-inspired VEGF inhibitors, which can serve as potential lead compounds for the treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases.

Genotypes of informative loci from 1000 Genomes data allude evolution and mixing of human populations.

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) projects high-dimensional genotype data into a few components that discern populations. Ancestry Informative Markers (AIMs) are a small subset of SNPs capable of distinguishing populations. We integrate these two approaches by proposing an algorithm to identify necessary informative loci whose removal from the data deteriorates the PCA structure. Unlike classical AIMs, necessary informative loci densely cover the genome, hence can illuminate the evolution and mixing history of populations. We conduct a comprehensive analysis to the genotype data of the 1000 Genomes Project using necessary informative loci. Projections along the top seven principal components demarcate populations at distinct geographic levels. Millions of necessary informative loci along each PC are identified. Population identities along each PC are approximately determined by weighted sums of minor (or major) alleles over the informative loci. Variations of allele frequencies are aligned with the history and direction of population evolution. The population distribution of projections along the top three PCs is recapitulated by a simple demographic model based on several waves of founder population separation and mixing. Informative loci possess locational concentration in the genome and functional enrichment. Genes at two hot spots encompassing dense PC 7 informative loci exhibit differential expressions among European populations. The mosaic of local ancestry in the genome of a mixed descendant from multiple populations can be inferred from partial PCA projections of informative loci. Finally, informative loci derived from the 1000 Genomes data well predict the projections of an independent genotype data of South Asians. These results demonstrate the utility and relevance of informative loci to investigate human evolution.

Ceftazidime-avibactam in the treatment of infections from carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae: Ceftazidime-avibactam against CR-KP infections.

OBJECTIVES: Clinical experience with ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) for the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) infections is not well evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess its efficacy in a single-centre cohort of patients infected with CR-KP. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of consecutive patients treated for >72 h with CAZ-AVI or other active antibiotics (OAAs) for CR-KP infections. The primary outcome was 30-d mortality. The secondary outcomes were 14-d clinical failure and 14-d microbiological failure. Multivariate regression and propensity score matching were used to evaluate the relationship between CAZ-AVI treatment and outcomes. RESULTS: Ninety infections caused by CR-KP were documented in our study. Forty-two patients were treated with CAZ-AVI and 48 with OAAs. The crude 30-d mortality (8/42 vs. 22/48, P=0.007), 14-d clinical failure (14/42 vs. 24/48, P=0.046) and 14-d microbiological failure (11/42 vs. 15/48, P=0.034) were significantly lower in patients with CAZ-AVI treatment. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves of 30-d mortality confirmed the findings (logrank=0.004). In the multivariable models, the odds ratio (OR) of 30-d mortality (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.10-0.51, P<0.000), 14-d clinical failure (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.14-0.95, P=0.039) and 14-d microbiological failure (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.08-0.93, P=0.038) remain consistently significant. In the subgroup analysis, CAZ-AVI was associated with decreased 30-d mortality in the positive blood culture (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.08-0.63, P=0.004), septic shock (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07-0.78, P=0.019), SOFA score (>5, OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.36, P<0.000), mechanical ventilation (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.36, p<0.000) and Charlson comorbidity index (>3, OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.04-0.55, P=0.004). After propensity score matching, 29 cases from each group were well matched. The 30-d mortality remained significantly lower in the CAZ-AVI group (6/29 vs. 13/29, P=0.05). CONCLUSION: CAZ-AVI may be a more valuable therapeutic option for severe CR-KP infections than for mild cases and further randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy.

Adenovirus diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 228 case reports.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical characteristics of various adenovirus (ADV) infection are underexplored up till now. To investigate the risk factors, manifestation, current status of ADV species, treatment and prognosis of this disease. METHODS: We performed a Pubmed and Embase systematic review for case report reporting the ADV infection to analyze the clinical characteristics of disease. RESULTS: Initial database searched identified articles of which 168 (228 cases) were included in the final analysis. Previous solid organ transplantation [odds ratio (OR) = 3.45, 95% CI 1.31-9.08, P = 0.01], hematopoietic stem cell transplant (OR = 4.24, 95% CI 1.33-13.51, P = 0.01) and hematological malignancy (OR = 4.78, 95% CI 1.70-13.46, P = 0.01) were associated with increased risk of disseminated ADV infection. Use of corticosteroids (OR = 3.86, 95% CI 1.21-12.24, P = 0.02) was a significant risk factor for acquiring urinary tract infections. A total of six species (21 types) of ADV infection have been identified in 100/228 (43.9%) cases. ADV B was the most common species. ADV B species (26/60, 52.0% or 5/41, 12.2% P = 0.001) were more isolated in patients with ADV pneumonia. ADV C (13/15, 86.7% versus 35/86, 40.7% P = 0.001) species were more identified in patients with disseminated disease. The species associated with keratoconjunctivitis is only ADV D in our analysis. Urinary tract ADV infections were observed in ADV A/B/D species. Cidofovir (CDV) (82/228, 36.0%) remained the most commonly antiviral therapy in our cases, followed by ribavirin (15/228, 6.6%), ganciclovir (18/228, 7.9%), and brincidofovir (12/228, 5.3%). Brincidofovir was administered as salvage therapy in 10 cases. Death was reported in 81/228 (35.5%) patients. Mortality rate was higher among patients with gastrointestinal (GI) ADV infection (5/10, 50.0%), ADV pneumonia (20/45, 44.4%) and disseminated ADV infection (53/122, 43.4%). CONCLUSION: Previous solid organ transplantation, hematopoietic stem cell transplant and hematological malignancy were risk factors for disseminated ADV infection. Use of corticosteroids was significant for urinary tract ADV infection. Different species correlated with different clinical manifestations of infection. Mortality rate was higher among patients with GI disease, pneumonia and disseminated disease. Our review clarified the current treatment of ADV infections, and more treatment required further investigation.

The roles of MASPIN expression and subcellular localization in non-small cell lung cancer.

Accumulating studies have confirmed that mammary serine protease inhibitor (MASPIN) plays an essential role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, results are still controversial or inconsistent. In the present study, we attempted to identify the clinical significance of MASPIN and its potential molecular roles in NSCLC. The correlation of MASPIN with prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics was assessed by meta-analysis. Additionally, the potential molecular mechanisms of MASPIN in NSCLC was also investigated through several online databases. A total of 2220 NSCLC patients from 12 high quality studies were included and the results indicated that up-regulated MASPIN nucleus and cytoplasm expression was associated with poor overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-2.04, P<0.05), elevated MASPIN cytoplasm expression was associated with poor OS (HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.01-2.07, P<0.05), disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.31-2.88, P=0.001), and disease-specific survival (DSS) (HR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.18-3.99, P=0.013). MASPIN both nucleus and cytoplasm location were associated with clinicopathological characteristics. Bioinformatics analysis validated the above results and suggested that human serpin family B member 5 (SERPINB5) hypomethylated levels were negatively correlated with its mRNA expression. Bioinformatics analysis also revealed the 85 most frequently altered neighboring genes of SERPINB5, and gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed 20 GO terms and 3 KEGG pathways with statistical significance. MASPIN had a statistically negative correlation with NSCLC prognosis, functioning as an oncoprotein by hypomethylation and influencing specific pathways involving the 85 genes identified herein. MASPIN might be a promising prognostic signature in NSCLC.

Treatment of a case presenting as critical adenoviral ARDS using Cidofovir with early combinatorial prone ventilation and ECMO.

Here, we report a case of adenoviral pneumonia associated with critical ARDS treated with Cidofovir, prone ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The patient responded well to therapy and recovered without further complications. Cidofovir, with early prone ventilation and ECMO support, may be a therapeutic option for patients with critical ARDS related to adenoviral pneumonia.

Safety and use of pulmonary function tests: a retrospective study from a single center over seven years' clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: To promote the utilization of pulmonary function tests (PFT) through analyzing the data of PFT during the past seven years in one large teaching hospital in China. METHODS: Through a retrospective analysis, the allocation of full-time staff in PFT room, the demographic characteristics of patients, cost-effectiveness of PFT, positive rate and failure rate of PFT, adverse events were analyzed. RESULTS: 1) From 2012 to 2018, the numbers of PFT showed the trend of escalation year by year. The proportion of patients receiving PFT rose from 29.0/10,000 in 2012 to 34.7/10,000 in 2018. The best allocation of PFT room was 20-25/ person / day. 2) The number of PFT provided by Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM) accounted for 97.2, 97.1, 97.3, 97.8, 97.8, 98.0, and 98.2% of the total cases of outpatient PFT in the same year. The top three departments in the inpatient department were Department of Thoracic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, and Department of Urinary Surgery, the total cases of PFT in these three departments accounted for 65.1, 64.4, 62.1, 63.5, 62.4, 65.3 and 69.1% of the total cases of inpatient PFT in the same year. 3) Data from 2018 showed that the revenue from PFT was about 3.7 million Chinese Yuan, and that the salary of personnel and expenditure on machine maintenance and wear were about 800,000 Chinese Yuan. 4) 58.2% of the patients who had undergone PFT had ventilatory dysfunction. 5) The average failure rate of PFT in the past seven years was 1.91%. 6) The main adverse events of PFT examination were dizziness, amaurosis, limb numbness, lip numbness and falls. The incidence rates were 0.49, 0.42, 0.41, 0.39, 0.44, 0.48, and 0.45% respectively, with an average of 0.44%. CONCLUSIONS: The number of PFT showed an upward trend in the past seven years, and the optimal staffing of PFT room was 20-25 cases per person per day. The positive rate of pulmonary dysfunction was 58.2%. The failure rate of PFT and the incidence of adverse events were very low, suggesting it is a simple and safe clinical examination. It's worthy of further popularization and promotion.

A Pilot Study of a Novel through-the-Scope Self-Expandable Metallic Airway Stents Delivery System in Malignant Central Airway Obstruction.

Objective: Self-expandable metallic (SEM) airway stents are an important approach to malignant central airway obstruction (CAO). SEM airway stent insertions are usually performed under fluoroscopic guidance over a guide wire placed through a flexible bronchoscope often resulting in a longer procedure time and exposure to radiation. In this pilot study, we designed a novel delivery system of the through-the-scope (TTS) SEM airway stent insertion and observed its feasibility. Methods: From Jan 2015 to Sept 2016, 25 consecutive patients with inoperable malignant CAO were enrolled requiring airway stent implantation. All patients were followed up to death or at least 6 months. Results: 36 TTS stents were inserted into 25 patients using a flexible bronchoscope under general anesthesia or local anesthesia. All stents were successfully deployed directly through the working channel (2.8 mm diameter) of the flexible bronchoscope in 91.7% (33/36) of the subjects. The mMRC score and stenosis grade improved significantly after stent implantation. The common stent-related complications were secretion retention (25%, 9/36), development of granulation tissue (13.9%, 5/36), tumor in-growth (13.9%, 5/36), and hemoptysis (8.3%, 3/36). The 6-month overall survival (OS) was 44% (11/25). Conclusion: The novel TTS stent release system was an effective and safe approach in malignant central airway obstruction.

Primary Pulmonary Lymphoma: A Retrospective Analysis of 27 Cases in a Single Tertiary Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to improve the understanding of primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) for clinicians. METHODS: We enrolled 27 patients diagnosed with PPL in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2000 to December 2016. The clinical manifestations, imaging findings, pathologic features, treatments and prognosis of the patients were collected. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 1.5:1 and the average age was 54.6 ± 15.7 years old. Nine patients were asymptomatic. The main manifestations were cough, expectoration, bloody sputum and fever. The imaging findings presented as nodule, mass, pneumonia or consolidation. There were 2 cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma, 18 cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and 7 cases of undifferentiated lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases were divided into T-cell lymphoma (n = 2), mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT) (n = 11), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 3), small B-cell lymphoma (n = 1) and plasmacytoid B-cell lymphoma (n = 1). Ten MALT cases survived and 1 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma case has been in stable condition for 71 months after surgery and chemotherapy. The international prognostic index was related to the prognosis of PPL. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations and imaging findings of PPL were nonspecific. The prognosis of MALT was better than other types of PPL. The International prognostic index can be used for predicting the prognosis of PPL.

Autophagy and its role in pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a very common kind of pulmonary vascular disease, which can cause a heavier burden on patient's quality of life, even lead to death. Yet, the mechanism of PH is incomprehensive and not so clear nowadays. In recent years, more and more studies show that autophagy plays a pivotal role in the development of PH. Some modalities target on the formation or maturation of autophagosome that has emerged from our increasing knowledge of autophagy machinery, which may prevent or eliminate the process of PH. The deciphering of molecular selectivity of autophagy has also been a source of novel modulators that act specifically on selective forms of autophagy. Tremendous recent progress has opened a new possibility for modulating autophagy in complex diseases. Thus, autophagy may become a prospective choice for treatment of PH. Herein, we reviewed the literatures and discussed the role of autophagy in the development and treatment of PH.

Van der Waals Heteroepitaxial Growth of Monolayer Sb in a Puckered Honeycomb Structure.

Atomically thin 2D crystals have gained tremendous attention owing to their potential impact on future electronics technologies, as well as the exotic phenomena emerging in these materials. Monolayers of α-phase Sb (α-antimonene), which shares the same puckered structure as black phosphorous, are predicted to be stable with precious properties. However, the experimental realization still remains challenging. Here, high-quality monolayerα-antimonene is successfully grown, with the thickness finely controlled. The α-antimonene exhibits great stability upon exposure to air. Combining scanning tunneling microscopy, density functional theory calculations, and transport measurements, it is found that the electron band crossing the Fermi level exhibits a linear dispersion with a fairly small effective mass, and thus a good electrical conductivity. All of these properties make the α-antimonene promising for future electronic applications.

Fatal interstitial lung disease associated with AZD9291.

AZD9291 is one of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Interstitial lung disease (ILD) induced by AZD9291 is very seldom. We provide a case of NSCLC treated with AZD9291 who developed ILD and died in order to improve the knowledge on AZD9291.

The prognostic value of interleukin-17 in lung cancer: A systematic review with meta-analysis based on Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-17 (IL-17) plays an important role in cancer progression. Previous studies remained controversial regarding the correlation between IL-17 expression and lung cancer (LC) prognosis. To comprehensively and quantitatively summarize the prognostic value of IL-17 expression in LC patients, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. METHODS: We identified the relevant literatures by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data databases, up until April 1, 2017. Overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS) and clinicopathological characteristics were collected from relevant studies. Pooled hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to estimate the effective value of IL-17 expression on clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Six studies containing 479 Chinese LC patients were involved in this meta-analysis. The results indicated high IL-17 expression was independently correlated with poorer OS (HR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.44-2.29, P < 0.00001) and shorter DFS (HR = 2.41, 95% CI 1.42-4.08, P = 0.001) in LC patients. Further, when stratified by LC histological type (non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer), tumor stage (Ⅰ-Ⅲ,Ⅰ-Ⅳ and Ⅳ), detection specimen (serum, intratumoral tissue and pleural effusion), test method (immunological histological chemistry and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), and HR estimated method (reported and estimated), all of the results were statistically significant. These data indicated that elevated IL-17 expression is correlated with poor clinical outcomes in LC. The meta-analysis did not show heterogeneity or publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis revealed that high IL-17 expression was an indicator of poor prognosis for Chinese patients with LC. It could potentially help to assess patients' prognosis and estimate treatment efficacy in therapeutic interventions.