Efficacy and Safety Aiming at the Combined-Modality Therapy of External Beam Radiotherapy (40Gy) and Iodine-125 Seed Implantation for Locally Advanced NSCLC in the Elderly.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined-modality therapy for elderly patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) invading the chest wall. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 21 elderly patients (aged ≥60 years) with locally advanced NSCLC invading the chest wall. For external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) of the primary tumor, 40Gy was applied and supplemented with iodine-125 seed implantation while 60Gy was applied to the lymph nodes of the mediastinum. Follow-up was conducted every 3 months postoperatively. The related analytic parameters were change in tumor size, the objective response rate (ORR), the disease control rate (DCR), the degree of pain relief, the improvement of physical status, and toxicity. RESULTS: The combined-modality therapy significantly inhibited local growth of the tumor (from 7.84±1.20 to 4.69±1.90 cm) (P <0.0001), with 71.4% ORR and 90.5% DCR at 1 year. The cancer-related pain was significantly relieved (P <0.05) and physical status was significantly improved (P <0.05). No procedure-associated death or grade > 2 irradiation-related adverse effects were reported in this study. CONCLUSION: The combined-modality therapy of EBRT with 40Gy and permanent iodine-125 seed implantation is an efficacious and safe treatment option for elderly patients with locally advanced NSCLC invading the chest wall.

APJ Is Associated with Treatment Response in Gastric Cancer Patients Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy and Endostar Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Endostar combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has been used in patients with gastric cancers (GCs). However, there are no reliable markers to predict the treatment response and prognosis of these patients. Apelin and its receptor (APJ) are involved in angiogenesis in tumor tissues. We aimed to study whether Apelin and Apelin receptor (APJ) tumor expression can predict the treatment response of combination therapy of endostar and CRT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled patients with locally advanced GC receiving CRT only and CRT+endostar combination therapy. Apelin receptor (APJ) in tumor samples was determined by immunohistological staining and scored by measuring staining area and signal intensity. RESULTS: The high APJ expression has significantly higher rates of tumor invasion, local lymph node, and distant metastasis (all p < 0.001). In the CRT only group, the distribution of high and low APJ expression in patients with good and poor treatment response to CRT is not significantly different (p = 0.235). However, in the CRT+endostar group, the chance of having poor response to combined treatment is 3.645-fold higher in those having high APJ expression levels than those who have low APJ expression levels. Our prognostic analysis shows that in the CRT+endostar group, high APJ expression had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) period than those with low APJ expression (p < 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate survival analysis reveals that the APJ expression is an independent predictor for the OS period in GC patients treated with CRT+endostar. CONCLUSION: Tumor APJ can be used to predict the therapy response and prognosis in GC patients receiving CRT+endostar therapy.

MicroRNA-182 modulates chemosensitivity of human non-small cell lung cancer to cisplatin by targeting PDCD4.

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of microRNA-182 (miR-182) is found in various human cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our aim is to investigate the association of miR-182 expression with the sensitivity of NSCLC to cisplatin. METHODS: TaqMan RT-PCR or Western blot assay was performed to detect the expression of mature miR-182 and programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) protein. miR-182 and (or) PDCD4 depleted cell lines were generated using miR-182 inhibitor and (or) siRNA. The viabilities of treated cells were analyzed using MTT assay. RESULTS: The expression level of miR-182 in A549 cell line was significantly higher than that in NHBE cell line (p < 0.01). Transfection of miR-182 inhibitor induced sensitivity of A549 cells to cisplatin. A549 cells transfected with PDCD4 siRNA became more resistant to cisplatin therapy. We found an increase PDCD4 protein level following the transfection of miR-182 inhibitor using Western blot analysis. In addition, the enhanced growth-inhibitory effect by miR-182 inhibitor was weakened after the addition of PDCD4 siRNA. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study demonstrated that overexpression of miR-182 may involve in chemoresistance of NSCLC cells to cisplatin by down-regulating PDCD4. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1793467320130186.

A phase II study of preoperative chemotherapy with modified FOLFOX6 followed by surgery and postoperative chemoradiation in patients with localized gastric adenocarcinoma.

The optimal neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment for gastric cancer remains controversial. We conducted a phase II study using preoperative chemotherapy with modified FOLFOX6 followed by surgical resection and postoperative chemoradiation in patients with gastric carcinoma. Preoperative chemotherapy (two or three cycles) consisted of a 2-h infusion of oxaliplatin (100 mg/m2) and folinic acid (100 mg/m2) followed by a 46-h continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU; 2,400 mg/m2). Surgical resection was planned 4 weeks after the last chemotherapy cycle. Patients underwent postsurgical chemoradiation, receiving a total dose of 45 Gy and 5-FU continuous infusion (350 mg/m2/day). The primary end points were feasibility, overall response rate, and R0 resectability rate after preoperative chemotherapy. The secondary end points were tolerability, treatment-associated complications, disease-free survival, and overall survival. Nineteen patients were enrolled in this study. After neoadjuvant treatment, four patients (21.1%) experienced progressive disease, six patients (31.6%) showed partial remission, and nine patients (47.3%) showed stable disease. In 15 patients (78.9%) R0 resectability could be achieved. Eleven of these patients (73.3%) were able to undergo postoperative chemoradiation. Notably, eight (72.7%) of these patients were disease free and alive at median follow-up of 60 months. Chemotherapy associated neutropenia, neutropenic fever, and anastomotic dehiscence were observed. The combination of preoperative chemotherapy and postoperative chemoradiation is feasible in a significant subset of gastric cancer patients.