Targeting Pin1 renders pancreatic cancer eradicable by synergizing with immunochemotherapy.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by notorious resistance to current therapies attributed to inherent tumor heterogeneity and highly desmoplastic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Unique proline isomerase Pin1 regulates multiple cancer pathways, but its role in the TME and cancer immunotherapy is unknown. Here, we find that Pin1 is overexpressed both in cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and correlates with poor survival in PDAC patients. Targeting Pin1 using clinically available drugs induces complete elimination or sustained remissions of aggressive PDAC by synergizing with anti-PD-1 and gemcitabine in diverse model systems. Mechanistically, Pin1 drives the desmoplastic and immunosuppressive TME by acting on CAFs and induces lysosomal degradation of the PD-1 ligand PD-L1 and the gemcitabine transporter ENT1 in cancer cells, besides activating multiple cancer pathways. Thus, Pin1 inhibition simultaneously blocks multiple cancer pathways, disrupts the desmoplastic and immunosuppressive TME, and upregulates PD-L1 and ENT1, rendering PDAC eradicable by immunochemotherapy.

Effect of HLA Genotype on Anti-PD-1 Antibody Treatment for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma in the SNiP-RCC Study.

Immune checkpoint blockade therapies are widely used for cancer treatment, including advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study aimed to investigate the impact of zygosity in HLA genes and individual HLA genotypes on the efficacy of an anti-PD-1 Ab, nivolumab, in treating advanced RCC. Patient enrollment was conducted across 23 institutions in Japan from August 19, 2019, to September 30, 2020, with follow-up concluding on March 31, 2021. HLA genotype imputation of HLA-A, B, and C, DQB1, and DRB1 loci was performed. Among 222 patients, the presence of at least one homozygosity of the HLA-II allele significantly improved the best objective response (hazard ratio, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.96; p = 0.042). The HLA evolutionary divergence (HED) of the HLA-A and HLA-B loci was higher than the HLA-C (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively), with high HED of the HLA-B locus correlating to clinical benefits in nivolumab treatment (hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.90; p = 0.024) and improving cancer-specific survival compared with the low group (p = 0.0202). Additionally, high HED of the HLA-B locus was correlated with the number of infiltrated CD8+ cells in the tumor microenvironment (correlation coefficient, 0.4042). These findings indicate that the diversity of the HLA-B locus plays a significant role in the anti-tumor effect of nivolumab treatment in advanced RCC, potentially offering insights for improved risk stratification in nivolumab treatment and leading to better medical management of advanced RCC.

Expression of Forkhead Box M1 and Anticancer Effects of FOXM1 Inhibition in Epithelioid Sarcoma.

Epithelioid sarcoma (ES) is a rare aggressive sarcoma that, unlike most soft-tissue sarcomas, shows a tendency toward local recurrence and lymph node metastasis. Novel antitumor agents are needed for ES patients. Forkhead box transcription factor 1 (FOXM1) is a member of the Forkhead transcription factor family and is associated with multiple oncogenic functions; FOXM1 is known to be overexpressed and correlated with pathogenesis in various malignancies. In this study, we immunohistochemically analyzed FOXM1 expression levels and their clinical, clinicopathologic, and prognostic significance in 38 ES specimens. In addition, to investigate potential correlations between FOXM1 downregulation and oncologic characteristics, we treated ES cell lines with thiostrepton, a naturally occurring antibiotic that inhibits both small interfering RNA (siRNA) and FOXM1. In the analyses using ES samples, all 38 specimens were diagnosed as positive for FOXM1 by immunohistochemistry. We separated specimens into high (n = 19) and low (n = 19) FOXM1-protein expression groups by staining index score, and into large (n = 12), small (n = 25), and unknown (n = 1) tumor-size groups using a cutoff of 5 cm maximum diameter. Although there were significantly more samples with high FOXM1 expression in the large tumor group (P = .013), there were no significant differences with respect to age (P = 1.00), sex (P = .51), primary site of origin (P = .74), histologic subtypes (P = 1.00), depth (P = .74), or survival rate (P = .288) between the high and low FOXM1-protein expression groups. In the in vitro experiments using ES cell lines, FOXM1 siRNA and thiostrepton successfully downregulated FOXM1 mRNA and protein expression. Furthermore, downregulation of FOXM1 inhibited cell proliferation, drug resistance against chemotherapeutic agents, migration, and invasion and caused cell cycle arrest in the ES cell lines. Finally, cDNA microarray analysis data showed that FOXM1 regulated cIAP2, which is one of the apoptosis inhibitors activated by the TNFα-mediated NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, the FOXM1 gene may be a promising therapeutic target for ES.

Impact of TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator on malignant activity and resistance to ferroptosis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

TP53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) is an important gene that encodes a regulatory enzyme of glycolysis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification and is associated with worse prognosis in various cancers. Ferroptosis is a recently identified type of programmed cell death that is triggered by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. There are no reports on the prognostic impact of TIGAR on intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and its role in ferroptosis is unclear. Ninety ICC patients who had undergone hepatic resection were enrolled. Immunohistochemical staining for TIGAR was performed. The regulation of malignant activity by TIGAR and the association between ferroptosis and TIGAR were investigated in vitro. Twenty-two (24.4%) patients were categorized into TIGAR-high and -low groups by immunohistochemical staining. There were no noticeable differences in background factors between the two groups, but TIGAR positivity was an independent prognostic factor in disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-3.85, p = 0.0378) and overall survival (HR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.03-4.30, p = 0.00422) in a multivariate analysis. In vitro, TIGAR knockdown (KD) decreased cell motility (cell proliferation/migration/invasion/colony-forming capabilities) and elevated ROS and lipid peroxidation. This indicated that TIGAR KD induced ferroptosis. TIGAR KD-induced ferroptosis was suppressed using liproxstatin. TIGAR KD decreased the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4, known as factor-suppressing ferroptosis. The combination of TIGAR KD with cisplatin significantly induced more ferroptosis. In conclusion, TIGAR is associated with poor outcomes in ICC patients and resistance to ferroptosis.

Immature stroma and high infiltration of CD15+ cells are predictive markers of poor prognosis in different subsets of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Preoperative treatment is commonly carried out for borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the relationship between the combination of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and their intratumoral heterogeneity along with their association with histological findings remains unclear, especially in patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy. We aimed to explore the therapeutic strategies for patients with PDAC with poor prognosis after receiving chemotherapy based on histological and immunological microenvironmental classifications. We investigated the correlation between the prognosis and histological immune microenvironmental factors of patients who initially underwent surgery (n = 100) and were receiving gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GEM + nabPTX) as preoperative chemotherapy (n = 103). Immune profiles were generated based on immune cell infiltration into the tumor, and their correlation with patient outcomes and histological features was analyzed. Tumor-infiltrating neutrophils (TINs) were identified as independent poor prognostic factors using multivariate analysis in both surgery-first and preoperative chemotherapy groups. The patients were further classified into four groups based on immune cell infiltration into the tumor. Patients with high CD15 infiltration into the tumor and immature stroma at the cancer margins showed the worst prognosis in the preoperative chemotherapy group. The analysis of mRNA expression and immunohistochemical features revealed that CXCR2, the receptor for CXCL8, was correlated with disease-free and overall survival. We inferred that patients with immature stroma at the margins and high infiltration of CD15+ neutrophils within the tumor showed the worst prognosis and they could particularly benefit from treatment with inhibitors targeting CXCR2 or CXCL8.

Immune evasion in lung metastasis of leiomyosarcoma: upregulation of EPCAM inhibits CD8+ T cell infiltration.

BACKGROUND: Leiomyosarcomas are among the most common histological types of soft tissue sarcoma (STS), with no effective treatment available for advanced patients. Lung metastasis, the most common site of distant metastasis, is the primary prognostic factor. We analysed the immune environment targeting lung metastasis of STS to explore new targets for immunotherapy. METHODS: We analysed the immune environment of primary and lung metastases in 38 patients with STS using immunohistochemistry. Next, we performed gene expression analyses on primary and lung metastatic tissues from six patients with leiomyosarcoma. Using human leiomyosarcoma cell lines, the effects of the identified genes on immune cells were assessed in vitro. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry showed a significant decrease in CD8+ cells in the lung metastases of leiomyosarcoma. Among the genes upregulated in lung metastases, epithelial cellular adhesion molecule (EPCAM) showed the strongest negative correlation with the number of CD8+ cells. Transwell assay results showed that the migration of CD8+ T cells was significantly increased in the conditioned media obtained after inhibition or knock down of EPCAM. CONCLUSIONS: EPCAM was upregulated in lung metastases of leiomyosarcoma, suggesting inhibition of CD8+ T cell migration. Our findings suggest that EPCAM could serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for leiomyosarcoma.

The Association of Transferrin Receptor with Prognosis and Biologic Role in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis is a cell death caused by iron-dependent accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Transferrin receptor (TFR) is a ferroptosis-related protein responsible for iron transport. The detailed biologic role of TFR in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is not fully elucidated. METHODS: The study enrolled 92 ICC patients who had undergone hepatic resection. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays were performed for TFR protein expression. The regulation of malignant activity and the effect on sensitivity to the ferroptosis-inducer artesunate by TFR were investigated in vitro. RESULTS: Using IHC staining, 23 patients were categorized as TFR-positive. The TFR-positive group had a significantly larger tumor size and more microscopic vascular invasion. In the multivariate analysis, TFR positivity was an independent poor prognostic factor. In vitro TFR-knockdown (KD) significantly decreased the intracellular iron levels and the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion rates. Artesunate treatment significantly decreased cell viability, whereas cisplatin promoted ferroptosis. When iron transport into cells was inhibited by TFR-KD, ferroptosis was significantly suppressed. Expression of PD-L1 was induced by cisplatin, with a further increase observed when artesunate and cisplatin were used in combination. CONCLUSIONS: Transferrin receptor is a poor prognostic factor for ICC and contributes to sensitivity to ferroptosis.

Clinical and Prognostic Significance of Glutathione Peroxidase 2 in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Glutathione peroxidase 2 (GPX2) is an antioxidant enzyme with an important role in tumor progression in various cancers. However, the clinical significance of GPX2 in lung adenocarcinoma has not been clarified. METHODS: Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze GPX2 mRNA expression. Then, we conducted immunohistochemistry (IHC) to assess GPX2 expression in specimens acquired from 351 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgery at Kyushu University from 2003 to 2012. We investigated the association between GPX2 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and further analyzed the prognostic relevance. RESULTS: qRT-PCR revealed that GPX2 mRNA expression was notably higher in tumor cells than in normal tissues. IHC revealed that high GPX2 expression (n = 175, 49.9%) was significantly correlated with male sex, smoking, advanced pathological stage, and the presence of pleural, lymphatic, and vascular invasion. Patients with high GPX2 expression exhibited significantly shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival. Multivariate analysis identified high GPX2 expression as an independent prognostic factor of RFS. CONCLUSIONS: GPX2 expression was significantly associated with pathological malignancy. It is conceivable that high GPX2 expression reflects tumor malignancy. Therefore, high GPX2 expression is a significant prognostic factor of poor prognosis for completely resected lung adenocarcinoma.

Clinical Significance of SIRPα Expression on Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Patients with Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Signal-regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) is an immune checkpoint molecule expressed on macrophages that functions to inhibit phagocytosis by binding to CD47 expressed on tumor cells. SIRPα has attracted increasing attention as a novel target for cancer immunotherapy; however, the expression and immune function of SIRPα in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the clinical importance of SIRPα expression in LUSC and to explore the factors that elevate SIRPα expression. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Primary LUSC specimens surgically resected from 172 patients underwent immunohistochemical evaluation of the association of SIRPα expression on tumor-associated macrophages with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes. Furthermore, we analyzed the association of SIRPα expression with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1). In vitro, monocytes were treated with cytokines, and SIRPα protein expression was assessed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: There were no differences in SIRPα expression and clinicopathological factors. High SIRPα expression was significantly associated with PD-L1-positive expression, and high CD8, PD-1, and CD163 expression. The high SIRPα expression group showed significantly shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). On multivariate analysis, high SIRPα expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for RFS and OS. The expression of SIRPα protein in monocytes was upregulated by treatment with IFNγ. CONCLUSION: Our analysis revealed that high SIRPα expression significantly predicts poor prognosis in patients with surgically resected LUSC.

Immunohistochemical p16 overexpression and Rb loss correlate with high-risk human papillomavirus infection in endocervical adenocarcinomas.

AIMS: p16 is a sensitive surrogate marker for transcriptionally active high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection in endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA); however, its specificity is not perfect. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined p16 and Rb expressions by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the transcriptionally active HR-HPV infection by mRNA in-situ hybridisation (ISH) with histological review in 108 ECA cases. Thirteen adenocarcinomas of endometrial or equivocal origin (six endometrioid and seven serous carcinomas) were compared as the control group. HR-HPV was detected in 83 of 108 ECA cases (77%), including five HPV-associated adenocarcinomas in situ and 78 invasive HPV-associated adenocarcinomas. All 83 HPV-positive cases showed consistent morphology, p16 positivity and partial loss pattern of Rb. Among the 25 cases of HPV-independent adenocarcinoma, four (16%) were positive for p16, and of these four cases, three of 14 (21%) were gastric type adenocarcinomas and one of 10 (10%) was a clear cell type adenocarcinoma. All 25 HPV-independent adenocarcinomas showed preserved expression of Rb irrespective of the p16 status. Similarly, all 13 cases of the control group were negative for HR-HPV with preserved expression of Rb, even though six of 13 (46%) cases were positive for p16. Compared with p16 alone, the combination of p16 overexpression and Rb partial loss pattern showed equally excellent sensitivity (each 100%) and improved specificity (100 versus 73.6%) and positive predictive values (100 versus 89.2%) in the ECA and control groups. Furthermore, HR-HPV infection correlated with better prognosis among invasive ECAs. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the combined use of p16 and Rb IHC could be a reliable method to predict HR-HPV infection in primary ECAs and mimics. This finding may contribute to prognostic prediction and therapeutic strategy.

TROP2 Expression and Therapeutic Implications in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Insights From Immunohistochemical and Functional Analysis.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common form of skin cancer, but treatments for advanced cases have limited efficacy. Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is a cell-surface protein that is widely expressed in various tumours, where it exerts significant influence over critical processes such as tumour cell growth, apoptosis, migration, invasion and metastasis. Sacituzumab govitecan, an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting TROP2, is emerging as a promising strategy for anticancer therapy. In this study, we investigated TROP2 expression in cSCC tissues from 51 patients and evaluated its function in the A431 human SCC cell line. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed TROP2 expression on the plasma membrane of cSCC tissues and A431 cells. A431 cells showed sensitivity to sacituzumab govitecan with a significant concentration-dependent decrease in viable cell number. In addition, Knockdown of TROP2 resulted in decreased expression of cyclin D1 and BCL-2, along with reduced cell viability. Knockdown of TROP2 also resulted in decreased expression of vimentin, along with reduced migratory capacity. These findings suggest that TROP2 plays a crucial role in cSCC cell proliferation and migration, and highlight the potential of sacituzumab govitecan as a promising therapeutic option for cSCC.

Impact of ACSL4 on the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: Association with cancer-associated fibroblasts and the tumour immune microenvironment.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Recently, the association between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and ferroptosis has been the focus of much attention. The expression of long chain fatty acyl-CoA ligase 4 (ACSL4), a marker of ferroptosis, in tumour tissue is related to better prognosis in various cancers. In HCC, ACSL4 expression indicates poor prognosis and is related to high malignancy. However, the mechanism remains to be fully understood. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 358 patients with HCC who had undergone hepatic resection. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for ACSL4 was performed. Factors associated with ASCL4 expression were investigated by spatial transcriptome analysis, and the relationships were investigated by IHC. The association between ACSL4 and the tumour immune microenvironment was examined in a public dataset and investigated by IHC. RESULTS: Patients were divided into ACSL4-positive (n = 72, 20.1%) and ACSL4-negative (n = 286, 79.9%) groups. ACSL4 positivity was significantly correlated with higher α-fetoprotein (p = .0180) and more histological liver fibrosis (p = .0014). In multivariate analysis, ACSL4 positivity was an independent prognostic factor (p < .0001). Spatial transcriptome analysis showed a positive correlation between ACSL4 and cancer-associated fibroblasts; this relationship was confirmed by IHC. Evaluation of a public dataset showed the correlation between ACSL4 and exhausted tumour immune microenvironment; this relationship was also confirmed by IHC. CONCLUSION: ACSL4 is a prognostic factor in HCC patients and its expression was associated with cancer-associated fibroblasts and anti-tumour immunity.

Clinical Significance of Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Endometrial Endometrioid Carcinoma, Grade 1 With DNA Mismatch Repair Protein Loss.

The administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is increasing in endometrial cancer, especially in the mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient group. To prevent unnecessary immune-related adverse events, ICIs need to be administered to more appropriate patients. The tumor immune microenvironment has been reported to be a predictive marker of the efficacy of ICI therapies. This study evaluated CD8, FoxP3, CD68, PD-L1, and ß-catenin expression in endometrial endometrioid carcinoma, grade 1 (G1) with DNA mismatch repair protein loss (MMR loss), and their association with clinicopathological features. We retrospectively analyzed tumor samples from 107 patients with endometrial endometrioid carcinoma, G1 (MMR-deficient group: n=67; MMR-proficient group: n=40). Overall, 47 cases of MLH1/PMS2 loss and 20 cases of MSH2/MSH6 loss were observed. The patients with low intraepithelial CD8 expression significantly more frequently exhibited deep myometrial invasion, and the elderly group (≥60 y) significantly more frequently showed low stromal CD8 expression. In addition, FoxP3-positive cell count and FoxP3/CD8+ ratio were significantly correlated with the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2023 stage and lymph node metastasis. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the patients with low intraepithelial or stromal CD8 expression had shorter progression-free survival (PFS) than those with high intraepithelial or stromal CD8 expression, albeit not significantly. We clarified that the tumor immune microenvironment had an impact on clinicopathological features within the group with MMR loss, which is the main target for ICIs, limited to endometrioid carcinoma, G1. Further studies are needed, including on patients administered ICIs.

Clinicopathological significance of microsatellite instability and immune escape mechanism in patients with gastric solid-type poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: In gastric solid-type poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (PDA), the role of microsatellite instability and immune escape mechanism remains unclear. The current study aimed to elucidate the clinical significance of mismatch repair (MMR) status, genome profile, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) expression, and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) infiltration in solid-type PDA. METHODS: In total, 102 primary solid-type PDA cases were retrieved, and classified into 46 deficient-MMR (dMMR) and 56 proficient-MMR (pMMR) cases based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) and polymerase chain reaction-based molecular testing results. The mRNA expression profiles (NanoString nCounter Assay) of stage-matched dMMR (n = 6) and pMMR (n = 6) cases were examined. The CXCR2 expression and MDSC infiltration (CD11b- and CD33-positive cells) were investigated via IHC in all solid-type PDA cases. RESULTS: mRNA analysis revealed several differentially expressed genes and differences in biological behavior between the dMMR (n = 46) and pMMR (n = 56) groups. In the multivariate analysis, the dMMR status was significantly associated with a longer disease-free survival (hazard ratio = 5.152, p = 0.002) and overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio = 5.050, p = 0.005). CXCR2-high expression was significantly correlated with a shorter OS in the dMMR group (p = 0.018). A high infiltration of CD11b- and CD33-positive cells was significantly correlated with a shorter OS in the pMMR group (p = 0.022, 0.016, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: dMMR status can be a useful prognostic predictor, and CXCR2 and MDSCs can be novel therapeutic targets in patients with solid-type PDA.

Tumor-infiltrating monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells contribute to the development of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by an immunosuppressive and treatment-resistant tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Here, we investigated the roles of different immunosuppressive cell types in the development of the GC TIME. METHODS: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and multiplex immunostaining of samples from untreated or immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-resistant GC patients were used to examine the correlation between certain immunosuppressive cells and the prognosis of GC patients. RESULTS: The results of the scRNA-seq analysis revealed that tumor-infiltrating monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (TI-M-MDSCs) expressed higher levels of genes with immunosuppressive functions than other immunosuppressive cell types. Additionally, M-MDSCs in GC tissues expressed significantly higher levels of these markers than adjacent normal tissues. The M-MDSCs were most enriched in GC tissues relative to adjacent normal tissues. Among the immunosuppressive cell types assessed, the M-MDSCs were most enriched in GC tissues relative to adjacent normal tissues; moreover, their presence was most strongly associated with a poor prognosis. Immediate early response 3 (IER3), which we identified as a differentially expressed gene between M-MDSCs of GC and adjacent normal tissues, was an independent poor prognostic factor in GC patients (P = 0.0003). IER3+ M-MDSCs expressed higher levels of genes with immunosuppressive functions than IER3- M-MDSCs and were abundant in treatment-resistant GC patients. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that TI-M-MDSCs, especially IER3+ ones, may play a predominant role in the development of the immunosuppressive and ICI-resistant GC TIME.

Geriatric nutritional risk index as a predictor for surgical site infection in malignant musculoskeletal tumours of the trunk.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Surgical site infection (SSI) is common in surgery for malignant musculoskeletal tumours, specifically those arising from the trunk. In this study, we investigated the risk factors for SSI after resection of musculoskeletal tumours of the trunk. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included 125 patients (72 males, 53 females) with musculoskeletal tumours of the trunk in our hospital from 1 April 2008 to 31 August 2023. The incidence of SSI and its risk factors were investigated. RESULTS: SSI was observed in 26% (32/125), and the median time to SSI was 22 days. On multivariate analysis, the following were identified as risk factors for SSI: tumours arising caudal to Jacoby's line (hazard ratio [HR] 4.04; P = .0107), soft tissue reconstruction (HR 3.43; P = .0131), and low Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) (HR 0.96; P = .0304). Patients were classified into two risk categories based on GNRI scores: the risk group (GNRI ≤98) and no risk group (>98). The risk group showed a significantly lower overall noninfection survival rate (P = .023). CONCLUSION: Tumours arising caudal to Jacoby line, soft tissue reconstruction, and lower GNRI were risk factors for SSI. Preoperative and postoperative nutritional interventions should be considered to improve GNRI.

Prognostic evaluation of the Ki-67 labeling system in histological grading of non-small round cell sarcoma: a supplementary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, JCOG1306.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue sarcoma (STS) has various histological types and is rare, making it difficult to evaluate the malignancy of each histological type. Thus, comprehensive histological grading is most important in the pathological examination of STS. The Fédération Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer (FNCLCC) grading system is most commonly used in daily pathological analysis of STS. Among the FNCLCC grading system parameters, mitotic count is a key morphological parameter reflecting the proliferative activity of tumor cells, although its reproducibility may be lacking. Here, we compared the prognostic utility of the conventional and modified FNCLCC grading systems in JCOG1306. METHODS: We analyzed 140 patients with non-small round cell sarcoma. We performed Ki-67 immunostaining using open biopsy specimens before preoperative chemotherapy in all patients. We assessed histological grade in individual cases by conventional FNCLCC grading (tumor differentiation, mitotic count, and necrosis) and modified FNCLCC grading using the Ki-67 labeling index instead of mitotic count. We conducted univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses to investigate the influence of grade on overall survival. RESULTS: In univariable analysis, prognosis was worse for patients with conventional FNCLCC Grade 3 tumors compared with Grade 1 or 2 tumors (hazard ratio [HR] 4.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47-12.05, P = 0.008). Moreover, prognosis was worse in patients with modified FNCLCC Grade 3 tumors compared with Grade 1 or 2 tumors (HR 4.90, 95% CI 1.64-14.65, P = 0.004). In multivariable analysis including both conventional and modified FNCLCC grading, the modified grading more strongly affected overall survival (HR 6.70, 95% CI 1.58-28.40, P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: The modified FNCLCC grading system was superior to the conventional system in predicting the prognosis of patients with non-small round cell sarcoma according to this supplementary analysis of data from the randomized controlled trial JCOG1306.

Clinical significance of CD155 expression in surgically resected lung squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cluster of differentiation 155 (CD155) is expressed in many tumor types. CD155 is involved in the immune avoidance of tumor cells and contributes to tumor development and progression. Therefore, CD155 is a novel target for cancer immunotherapy. The clinical significance of CD155 expression in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) has not been fully elucidated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 264 patients with surgically resected LUSC. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate CD155 expression. The association of CD155 expression with clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes was assessed. We also analyzed the relationship between CD155 expression and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. RESULTS: Among the 264 patients, 137 patients (51.9%) were classified in the high CD155 expression group. High CD155 expression was significantly associated with pleural invasion, vascular invasion, PD-L1 positivity, and high CD3, CD4, and CD8 expressions. In multivariate analysis, the presence of pleural invasion and PD-L1 positivity were independent predictors of high CD155 expression. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed that high CD155 expression was significantly associated with shorter disease-free survival and overall survival. In multivariate analysis, high CD155 expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for overall survival, but not for disease-free survival. Subgroup analyses revealed that the prognostic effect of CD155 expression was observed in the PD-L1 positive group but not the PD-L1 negative group. CONCLUSION: Our analysis revealed that high CD155 expression significantly predicted poor prognosis in patients with surgically resected LUSC, especially in patients with PD-L1-positive tumors.

Results of the JRS-I LRA0401 and LRB0402 Japan Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group trials for low-risk embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Failure-free survival (FFS) rates of low-risk patients with rhabdomyosarcoma improved in Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study IV after the escalation of cyclophosphamide total dose to 26.4 g/m2. However, this dose may increase the risk of adverse events, including infertility, in some patients. The JRS-I LRA0401 and LRB0402 protocols aimed to reduce the cyclophosphamide dose to 9.6 g/m2 and 17.6 g/m2, respectively, without decreasing the FFS rates. METHODS: Subgroup-A patients received eight cycles (24 weeks) of vincristine, actinomycin D, and 1.2 g/m2/cycle cyclophosphamide. Subgroup-B patients received eight cycles (24 weeks) of vincristine, actinomycin D, and 2.2 g/m2/cycle cyclophosphamide, followed by six cycles (24 weeks) of vincristine and actinomycin D. Group II/III patients in both subgroups received radiotherapy. RESULTS: In subgroup A (n = 12), the 3-year FFS rate was 83% (95% confidence interval [CI], 48-96), and the 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 100%. Only one isolated local recurrence was observed (8.3%). There were no unexpected grade-4 toxicities and no deaths. In subgroup B (n = 16), the 3-year FFS and OS rates were 88% (95% CI, 59-97) and 94% (95% CI, 63-99), respectively. There were no unexpected grade 4 toxicities and no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Shorter duration therapy using vincristine, actinomycin D, and lower dose cyclophosphamide with or without radiotherapy for patients with low-risk subgroup A rhabdomyosarcoma (JRS-I LRA0401 protocol) and moderate reduction of cyclophosphamide dose for patients with low-risk subgroup B rhabdomyosarcoma (JRS-I LRB0402 protocol) did not compromise FFS.

Association between hypothalamic Alzheimer's disease pathology and body mass index: The Hisayama study.

The hypothalamus is the region of the brain that integrates the neuroendocrine system and whole-body metabolism. Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been reported to exhibit pathological changes in the hypothalamus, such as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid plaques (APs). However, few studies have investigated whether hypothalamic AD pathology is associated with clinical factors. We investigated the association between AD-related pathological changes in the hypothalamus and clinical pictures using autopsied brain samples obtained from deceased residents of a Japanese community. A total of 85 autopsied brain samples were semi-quantitatively analyzed for AD pathology, including NFTs and APs. Our histopathological studies showed that several hypothalamic nuclei, such as the tuberomammillary nucleus (TBM) and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), are vulnerable to AD pathologies. NFTs are observed in various neuropathological states, including normal cognitive cases, whereas APs are predominantly observed in AD. Regarding the association between hypothalamic AD pathologies and clinical factors, the degree of APs in the TBM and LHA was associated with a lower body mass index while alive, after adjusting for sex and age at death. However, we found no significant association between hypothalamic AD pathology and the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia. Our study showed that a lower BMI, which is a poor prognostic factor of AD, might be associated with hypothalamic AP pathology and highlighted new insights regarding the disruption of the brain-whole body axis in AD.