Efficacy and safety evaluation of PSOX, DOF and SOX regimens as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.

Aim: To explore the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel+oxaliplatin+S-1 (PSOX), docetaxel+oxaliplatin+fluorouracil (DOF) and oxaliplatin+S-1 (SOX) regimens as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (GC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was used in 306 patients with GC who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, consisting of 102 from the PSOX group, 100 from the DOF group and 104 from the SOX group. Results: The total effective rates and disease control rates for the PSOX, DOF and SOX groups were 31.4, 18 and 16.3% and 96.1, 94 and 92.3%, respectively. The highest total effective rate and disease control rate were found in the PSOX groups. Moreover, no difference among the PSOX, DOF and SOX groups on the incidence of adverse events was observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The PSOX regimen is an alternative neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen for GC patients.

Application of Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Free DNA from Peripheral Blood in the Prognosis of Advanced Gastric Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application value of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating free DNA (cfDNA) from peripheral blood in the prognosis of advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Here, we measured CTCs and cfDNA quantity for predicting the outcome of patients. Patients and Methods. Forty-five patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgical treatment were enrolled in this study. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel + S-1 + oxaliplatin (PSOX) regimen, and CTCs and cfDNA of the peripheral blood were detected before and after neoadjuvant therapy. Relationships between the number/type of CTC or cfDNA and the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 45 patients, 43 (95.6%) were positive, and the positive rate of mesenchymal CTC was increased with the increase in the T stage. The proportion of mesenchymal CTC was positively correlated with the N stage (P < 0.05), and the larger N stage will have the higher proportion of mesenchymal CTC. Patients with a small number of mesenchymal CTC before neoadjuvant chemotherapy were more likely to achieve partial response (PR) with neoadjuvant therapy. Patients with positive CA-199 were more likely to achieve PR with neoadjuvant therapy (P < 0.05). Patients in the PR group were more likely to have decreased/unchanged cfDNA concentration after neoadjuvant therapy (P=0.119). After neoadjuvant therapy (before surgery), the cfDNA concentration was higher and the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy (SD or PD) was lower (P=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral blood CTC, especially interstitial CTC and cfDNA, has a certain value in predicting the efficacy and prognosis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer.

Methylation of WWOX gene promotes proliferation of osteosarcoma cells.

PURPOSE: To explore the effects of WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene methylation on proliferation and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. METHODS: A total of 51 patients with osteosarcoma confirmed by pathological examinations were enrolled as the observation group, while 49 cases with non-osteosarcoma diagnosed and treated in our hospital were randomly selected as the control group. Osteosarcoma cell lines MG63 and HOS were selected as observation group, while those added with methylation inhibitor were set as control group, of which genomic methylation level was determined via HPLC. Proliferation of the two cell lines was compared via cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay at 12 h, 24 h, 36 h and 48 h. Invasion rate of cells in each group was tested via Transwell assay at 24 h. RESULTS: The average methylation rate of WWOX gene was remarkably higher in osteosarcoma tissues in comparison with normal adjacent tissues and control group (p<0.05). A higher methylation rate was found in MG63 cell line compared with in HOS cell line (p<0.05). More cells were observed in MG63 cell line than in HOS cell line and control group from 24h (p<0.05). Besides, 24-h invasion rate was higher in MG63 cell line than in HOS cell line and control group (p<0.05). Moreover, MG63 cell line prompted a lower 24-h apoptotic rate in comparison with HOS cell line and control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Methylation level of WWOX gene is intimately associated with the occurrence and progression of osteosarcoma, which is able to promote the proliferation of cancer cells to a certain extent, thus accelerating the development of disease.