Evaluation of the role of postoperative radiotherapy in locally invasive thymoma: A propensity-matched study based on the SEER database.

OBJECTIVES: No consensus was reached on the efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in locally invasive thymomas because of the rarity of the thymic epithelial and the variations of study results. Therefore, we aimed to explore the efficacy of PORT in locally invasive thymomas using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with thymomas from 2004 to 2016 were identified using the SEER database. Prognostic factors of cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the baseline characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 700 eligible patients were identified. After PSM, 262 paired patients were selected from the two groups, those who received or did not receive PORT. Receiving PORT improved CSS and OS before and after PSM. In the matched population, the multivariate analyses showed that tumour invasion into adjacent organs/structures and non-utilisation of PORT were independent poor prognostic factors for CSS, whereas age ≥62 years,tumour invasion into adjacent organs/structures, and non-utilisation of PORT were independently associated with poorer OS. The subgroup analysis revealed that PORT improved CSS and OS in Masaoka-Koga stage III thymoma, but showed no OS benefit in Masaoka-Koga stage IIB thymoma. CONCLUSION: Based on the SEER database, we found that PORT provides a significant survival benefit in Masaoka-Koga stage III thymoma with complete or incomplete resection. The role of PORT in thymoma requires further evaluation.

Adjuvant radiotherapy shows benefit in selected stage I uterine sarcoma: A risk scoring system based on a population analysis.

BACKGROUND: The potential therapeutic benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy for patients with stage I uterine sarcoma has not been clear. In this study, we aimed to develop a risk scoring model to select the subgroup of patients with stage I uterine sarcoma who might benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. METHODS: Patients with stage I uterine sarcoma from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program from 2010 to 2014 were retrospectively included in this analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to identify risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 947 stage I uterine sarcoma patients were included. The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) of the overall cohort was 75.81%. Multivariate analysis identified stage (p = 0.013), tumor grade (p <0.001) and histology (p = 0.043) as independent prognostic factors for DSS, and these factors were used to generate the risk scoring model. The low-risk group presented a better DSS than the high-risk group (95.51% vs. 49.88%, p < 0.001). The addition of radiotherapy to surgery significantly increased the DSS in the high-risk group compared with surgery alone (78.06% vs. 46.88%, p = 0.022), but no significant survival benefit was observed in the low-risk group (98.36% vs. 100%, p = 0.766). CONCLUSIONS: Our risk scoring model based on stage, tumor grade, and histology predicted the outcome of patients with stage I uterine sarcoma cancer. This system may help to select stage I uterine sarcoma cancer patients who might benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy.

Delayed postoperative radiotherapy might improve the long-term prognosis of locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: There is no consensus on the optimal timing of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We aimed to determine whether the timing of PORT affects the long-term prognosis of ESCC, and plotted nomograms to predict survival. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 351 ESCC patients who underwent radical surgery and PORT. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to estimate the optimal cutoff point of the time interval between surgery and PORT. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify prognostic predictors. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were predicted using nomograms. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 53 months (range: 3-179 months). Compared to early PORT, PORT at >48 days after surgery was associated with better OS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.406, p = 0.037) and PFS (adjusted HR: 1.475, p = 0.018). In the chemotherapy subgroup, incorporation of chemotherapy timing into the analysis suggested that 2-4 chemotherapy cycles followed by PORT was the optimal treatment schedule as compared to 0-1 chemotherapy cycle followed by PORT and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (5-year PFS: 65.9% vs. 51.0% vs. 50.1%; p = 0.049). The nomograms for OS and PFS were superior to the TNM classification (concordance indices: 0.721 vs. 0.626 and 0.716 vs. 0.610, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Delayed PORT (>48 days) provides better survival benefit than early PORT among ESCC patients. PORT following 2-4 chemotherapy cycles might lead to the best survival rate. The nomogram plotted in this study effectively predicted survival and may help guide treatment.

Prognostic factors and treatment comparison in small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix based on population analyses.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the impact of the treatment modality on the outcome of small cell neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma (SCNEC) using the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. METHODS: Patients from the SEER program between 1981 and 2014 were identified. Significant factors for cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression methods. RESULTS: A total of 503 SCNEC patients were identified. The 5-year CSS and OS were 36.6% and 30.6%, respectively. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I to IV distributions was 189 (37.6%), 108 (21.5%), 95 (18.9%), and 111 patients (22.0%), respectively. Within the patients with known treatment strategies, 177 (45.9%) were treated with radical surgery and 209 (54.1%) underwent primary radiotherapy. Local treatment strategies were independent prognostic factor for CSS and OS. The 5-year CSS for radical surgery and primary radiotherapy was 50.0% and 27.9%, respectively (P < .001). The 5-year OS for those who received radical surgery and primary radiotherapy was 57.8%, and 29.6%, respectively (P < .001). In FIGO stage I SCNEC, patients treated with radical surgery had superior CSS (P = .001) and OS (P = .003) than those with primary radiotherapy. However, in FIGO stage II and III SCNEC, there were no differences in CSS and OS with respect to different local treatment strategies. Our results also found that the addition of brachytherapy impacted OS in the FIGO stage III SENCE (P = .002). The 5-year CSS and OS of patients with FIGO IV were only 11.7% and 7.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SCNEC is a rare disease with aggressive clinical behavior. The findings indicate that radical surgery should be suggested for early-stage SCNEC and combining radiation therapy with brachytherapy should be suitable for patients with advanced stage.

[Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy combined with epidural injection for prolapsed lumbar disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) combined with epidural injection for prolapsed lumbar disc herniation(PLDH). METHODS: In this prospective randomized controlled study, the clinical data of 126 patients who had undergone a PELD because of a single-level PLDH from March 2014 to June 2015 were analyzed. There were 67 males and 59 females, ranging in age from 17 to 75 years old with an average of(41.0±13.5) years old, 9 cases were L3,4, 76 cases were L4,5 and 41 cases were L5S1. According to the random number table, the patients were randomized into two groups, with 63 patients in each group. Patients in group 1 were injected normal saline after PLED, patients in group 2 were subjected to an epidural injection of Diprospan, Lidocaine and Mecobalamine after PLED. All the patients were followed up from 6 to 20 months with the mean of 12.4 months. Complications, the postoperative hospital stay, the period of return to work, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score were compared between two groups, and clinical outcomes were evaluated according to modified MacNab criteria. RESULTS: All the operations were successful, and no complications were found. The mean postoperative hospital stay and the period of return to work in group 1 were (4.61±1.25) days and (4.31±0.47) weeks, respectively, and in group 2 were (2.53±0.69) days and (3.14±0.52) weeks, there was significant differences between two groups(P=0.000). Postoperative VAS and JOA scores in two groups were obviously improved (P=0.000). At 1 day, 1 week, 1 month after operation, VAS, JOA scores in group 2 were better than that of group 1(P=0.000), and after 6 months, there was no significant difference between two groups(P>0.05). According to the modified MacNab criteria, 39 cases got excellent results, 21 good, 3 fair in group 1, and which in group 2 were 41, 20, 2, respectively, there was no significant difference between two groups(P=0.087). CONCLUSIONS: PELD is an mini-invasive technique for PLDH, it can fleetly reduce pain and improve function. And combination with epidural injection has the advantages of pain releasing and function improving in the short-term postoperative period, and it can decrease postoperative hospital stay and time of returning to work, and it is a safe and effective method.