A comprehensive computational analysis to explore the importance of SIGLECs in HCC biology.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive, malignant cancer with a complex pathogenesis. However, effective therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers are limited. Sorafenib provides delaying cancer progression and survival improvement in advanced HCC. But despite 10 years of research on the clinical application of sorafenib, predictive markers for its therapeutic effect are lacking. METHODS: The clinical significance and molecular functions of SIGLEC family members were assessed by a comprehensive bioinformatic analysis. The datasets included in this study (ICGC-LIRI-JP, GSE22058 and GSE14520) are mainly based on patients with HBV infections or HBV-related liver cirrhosis. The TCGA, GEO, and HCCDB databases were used to explore the expression of SIGLEC family genes in HCC. The Kaplan-Meier Plotter database was used to evaluate relationships between the expression levels of SIGLEC family genes and prognosis. Associations between differentially expressed genes in the SIGLEC family and tumour-associated immune cells were evaluated using TIMER. RESULTS: The mRNA levels of most SIGLEC family genes were significantly lower in HCC than in normal tissues. Low protein and mRNA expression levels of SIGLECs were strongly correlated with tumour grade and clinical cancer stage in patients with HCC. Tumour-related SIGLEC family genes were associated with tumour immune infiltrating cells. High SIGLEC expression was significantly related to a better prognosis in patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib. CONCLUSIONS: SIGLEC family genes have potential prognostic value in HCC and may contribute to the regulation of cancer progression and immune cell infiltration. More importantly, our results revealed that SIGLEC family gene expression may be used as a prognostic marker for HCC patients treated with sorafenib.

Psychological distress as risk factor for the efficacy of whole-brain radiotherapy in brain metastasis patients.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between psychological distress and the efficacy of whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in advanced brain metastasis patients. Methods: Brain metastasis patients (40 with psychological distress and 47 without psychological distress) completed distress thermometer tests before WBRT, and progression-free survival (PFS) was acquired during the follow-up period. Results: Psychological distress was a risk factor for poorer PFS in patients treated with WBRT (p < 0.01). The PFS of survivors who underwent WBRT was superior for those without psychological distress (hazard ratio: 0.295; 95% CI: 0.173-0.500; p < 0.01). Conclusion: The survival of brain metastasis patients receiving WBRT was influenced by psychological distress, which negatively affected the treatment outcome and is likely to be a potential risk indicator in advanced cancer patients receiving WBRT.

Distress thermometer tests were carried out 1 week before whole-brain radiotherapy to assess psychological distress in 87 brain metastasis patients. The results demonstrated that the progression-free survival of brain metastasis patients with psychological distress was obviously inferior to that of patients without psychological distress. The negative effects of psychological distress could be recognized in advanced patients with brain metastases after whole-brain radiotherapy. Psychological distress is likely to be a potential risk indicator for radiotherapy in brain metastasis patients.

Impact of the CALM intervention on breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 outbreak has adversely affected breast cancer patients both physically and mentally. Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) is a psychological intervention that is easy to implement. It also decreases the possibility of virus transmission because it can be administered online. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of CALM on the sleep quality, memory, psychological distress, and quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer patients during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Sixty breast cancer patients were recruited and randomly assigned to a CALM group and a Care as Usual (CAU) group. They filled in questionnaires before and after the CALM intervention and CAU. These included the Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), Prospective Memory Scale (PM), Retrospective Memory Scale (RM), Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT), and Quality of life (QoL) Scale. RESULTS: The scores of all the aforementioned scales after the CALM intervention (ACM) were significantly lower compared to the said scores before the CALM intervention (BCM) and after Care as Usual (ACU) (t = 12.369/8.013, t = 8.632/4.583, t = 7.500/6.900, t = 12.479/9.780, t = 12.224/6.729 respectively, P < 0.05) There was a linear correlation between the QoL, DT, and SQS scores. CONCLUSION: CALM is an effective psychotherapy for breast cancer patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, for improving the QoL because it relieves psychological distress and enhances sleep quality.

Adding glucose delays the conversion of ethanol and acetic acid to caproic acid in Lacrimispora celerecrescens JSJ-1.

Caproic acid is an important fatty acid with diverse applications. In this study, the biomass growth and metabolites of Lacrimispora celerecrescens JSJ-1 were investigated under different carbon sources (ethanol, starch, sucrose, and glucose), with a focus on the effect of the coexistence of glucose and ethanol on the synthesis of caproic acid. The results showed that starch, glucose, and sucrose all contributed to the biomass of L. celerecrescens JSJ-1. Under the three carbon sources, L. celerecrescens JSJ-1 produced acetic acid, butyric acid, lactic acid, ethanol, and butanol, but caproic acid was not produced. Ethanol was the optimal substrate for the production of caproic acid. When glucose and ethanol coexisted, the generation time of caproic acid was delayed compared with that in ethanol sodium acetate medium (ES medium). This was because glucose was preferentially consumed over ethanol. Lactic acid was generated as a result of glucose consumption, which led to a significant decrease in pH from 6.45 to 4.68. The low pH (< 5) inhibited the synthesis of caproic acid. Then, the strain's usage of lactic acid and the reaction between CaCO3 and lactic acid caused the pH to increase. L. celerecrescens JSJ-1 did not start producing caproic acid using ethanol and acetic acid until the pH increased to 5.8. This research enriches the knowledge regarding the metabolism of L. celerecrescens JSJ-1 and provides guidelines for the industrial production of caproic acid by using L. celerecrescences JSJ-1. KEY POINTS: • Ethanol is the optimal substrate for the synthesis of caproic acid by Lacrimispora celerecrescens JSJ-1. • Lacrimispora celerecrescens JSJ-1 produced lactic acid rapidly when it used glucose, causing a sharp drop in pH. • pH is a crucial factor affecting the synthesis of caproic acid from ethanol by Lacrimispora celerecrescens JSJ-1.

Comprehensive Analysis of Aldehyde Dehydrogenases (ALDHs) and Its Significant Role in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Oxidative DNA damage is closely related to the occurrence and progression of cancer. Oxidative stress plays an important role in alcohol-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is a family of enzymes that plays an essential role in the reducing oxidative damage. However, how ALDHs family affects alcohol-related HCC remains obscure. We aimed to explore the correlation between the differential expression of ALDHs in patients with HCC and pathological features, as well as the relationship between ALDHs and prognosis, and finally analyze the possible mechanism of ALDHs in targeted therapy of HCC. The data of HCC were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. This research explored the expression and prognostic values of ALDHs in HCC using Oncomine, UALCAN, Human Protein Atlas, cBioPortal, Kaplan-Meier plotter, GeneMANIA, Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, GEPIA databases, and WebGestalt. Low mRNA and protein expressions of ALDHs were found to be significantly associated with tumor grade and clinical cancer stages in HCC patients. In particular, the loss of ALDH expression is more obvious in Asians, and its effect on prognosis is far more significant than that in the White race. Our findings play an important role in the study of prognostic markers and anti-liver cancer therapeutic targets for the members of the ALDHs family, especially in patients with liver cancer in Asia.

Impact toughness and dynamic constitutive model of geopolymer concrete after water saturation.

The dynamic compression test of geopolymer concrete (GC) before and after water saturation was carried out by the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). And the effects of water saturation and strain rate on impact toughness of GC were studied. Based on Weibull statistical damage distribution theory, the dynamic constitutive model of GC after water saturation was constructed. The results show that the dynamic peak strain and specific energy absorption of GC have strain rate strengthening effect before or after water saturation. The impact toughness of GC decreases after water saturation. The size distribution of GC fragments has fractal characteristics, and the fractal dimension of GC fragments after water saturation is smaller than that before water saturation. The dynamic constitutive model based on Weibull statistical damage distribution theory can accurately describe the impact mechanical behavior of GC after water saturation, and the model fitting curves are in good agreement with the experimental stress-strain curves.

Psychological distress is involved in CRCI in breast cancer survivors via mediating cytokine levels.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a frequent consequence in breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy and lowers their quality of life (QOL). Psychological distress is frequently experienced by breast cancer survivors. There are currently few studies investigating the role of psychological distress in the genesis of CRCI. METHODS: In total, 122 breast cancer survivors after standard chemotherapy within a year were recruited and assessed using the Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT). Sixty breast cancer survivors had non-psychological distress (NPD group) and sixty-two breast cancer survivors with psychological distress (PD group). The scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), prospective and retrospective memory (PM and RM) Questionnaire (PRMQ), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) and the levels of cytokines including interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were compared between the two groups. Using PROCESS, we investigated whether psychological distress predicted cognitive function based on MMSE through IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-4. RESULTS: The PD group had higher scores on RM, PM, and FACT-G and lower scores on MMSE than the NPD group (t = -11.357, t = -10.720, t = -15.419, t = 10.162, respectively; p < 0.05). Meanwhile, a higher level of IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-4 was observed in the PD group than in the NPD group (t = -3.961, t = -3.396, t = -3.269, respectively; p < 0.05). The link between psychological distress and cognitive function as measured by the MMSE was also mediated by IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-4 (effect size: 26%, 25%, and 24%). CONCLUSION: Breast cancer patients with psychological distress displayed poor cognitive function, poor memory, and inferior quality of life, which was accompanied by higher cytokine levels of IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-4. This study demonstrated IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-4 as potential pathways to CRCI in response to ongoing psychological distress, which provided evidence for the involvement of psychological distress in CRCI in breast cancer survivors.

Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) alleviates chemotherapy related cognitive impairment (CRCI) in breast cancer survivors: A pilot study based on resting-state fMRI.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a type of memory and cognitive impairment induced by chemotherapy and has become a growing clinical problem. Breast cancer survivors (BCs) refer to patients from the moment of breast cancer diagnosis to the end of their lives. Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) is a convenient and easy-to-apply psychological intervention that has been proven to improve quality of life and alleviate CRCI in BCs. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has become an effective method for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of brain networks in CRCI. The fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and ALFF have often been used in analyzing the power and intensity of spontaneous regional resting state neural activity. METHODS: The recruited BCs were randomly divided into the CALM group and the care as usual (CAU) group. All BCs were evaluated by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) before and after CALM or CAU. The rs-fMRI imaging was acquired before and after CALM intervention in CALM group BCs. The BCs were defined as before CALM intervention (BCI) group and after CALM intervention (ACI) group. RESULTS: There were 32 BCs in CALM group and 35 BCs in CAU group completed the overall study. There were significant differences between the BCI group and the ACI group in the FACT-Cog-PCI scores. Compared with the BCI group, the ACI group showed lower fALFF signal in the left medial frontal gyrus and right sub-gyral and higher fALFF in the left occipital_sup and middle occipital gyrus. There was a significant positive correlation between hippocampal ALFF value and FACT-Cog-PCI scores. CONCLUSIONS: CALM intervention may have an effective function in alleviating CRCI of BCs. The altered local synchronization and regional brain activity may be correlated with the improved cognitive function of BCs who received the CALM intervention. The ALFF value of hippocampus seems to be an important factor in reflect cognitive function in BCs with CRCI and the neural network mechanism of CALM intervention deserves further exploration to promote its application.

GBP2 promotes M1 macrophage polarization by activating the notch1 signaling pathway in diabetic nephropathy.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common diabetic complications, which has become the primary cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) globally. Macrophage infiltration has been proven vital in the occurrence and development of DN. This study was designed to investigate the hub genes involved in macrophage-mediated inflammation of DN via bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Methods: Gene microarray datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) public website. Integrating the CIBERSORT, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and DEGs, we screened macrophage M1-associated key genes with the highest intramodular connectivity. Subsequently, the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was utilized to further mine hub genes. GSE104954 acted as an external validation to predict the expression levels and diagnostic performance of these hub genes. The Nephroseq online platform was employed to evaluate the clinical implications of these hub genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were performed to elucidate the dominant biological functions and signal pathways. Finally, we conducted experiments to verify the role of GBP2 in M1 macrophage-mediated inflammatory response and the underlying mechanism of this role. Results: Sixteen DEGs with the highest connectivity in M1 macrophages-associated module (paleturquoise module) were determined. Subsequently, we identified four hub genes through LASSO regression analysis, including CASP1, MS4A4A, CD53, and GBP2. Consistent with the training set, expression levels of these four hub genes manifested memorably elevated and the ROC curves indicated a good diagnostic accuracy with an area under the curve of greater than 0.8. Clinically, enhanced expression of these four hub genes predicted worse outcomes of DN patients. Given the known correlation between the first three hub genes and macrophage-mediated inflammation, experiments were performed to demonstrate the effect of GBP2, which proved that GBP2 contributed to M1 polarization of macrophages by activating the notch1 signaling pathway. Conclusion: Our findings detected four hub genes, namely CASP1, MS4A4A, CD53, and GBP2, may involve in the progression of DN via pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage phenotype. GBP2 could be a promising prognostic biomarker and intervention target for DN by regulating M1 polarization.

The correlations between psychological distress, cognitive impairment and quality of life in patients with brain metastases after whole-brain radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Psychological distress and cognitive impairment are highly prevalent among patients with brain metastases after whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Our purpose was to evaluate the correlations between psychological distress, cognitive impairment and quality of life in patients with brain metastases after WBRT. METHODS: Seventy-one patients with brain metastasis treated with WBRT were enrolled in this study and were investigated with several scales, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function version 3 (FACT-Cog, version 3), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain Module version 4 (FACT-Br, version 4) and the Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT), before and after WBRT. RESULTS: The MoCA, FACT-Cog and FACT-Br scores in patients with brain metastases were significantly decreased after WBRT compared with before WBRT (z = - 7.106, - 6.933 and - 6.250, respectively, P < 0.001), while the DT scores were significantly increased (z = 6.613, P < 0.001). There was an obvious negative correlation between the DT score and the FACT-Cog score (r = - 0.660, P < 0.001), a significant negative correlation between the DT score and the FACT-Br score (r = - 0.833, P < 0.001), and an obvious positive correlation between the FACT-Cog score and the FACT-Br score (r = 0.603, P < 0.001). These results suggest that WBRT can cause cognitive impairment in patients with brain metastases, increase their psychological distress and reduce their quality of life (QOL). CONCLUSION: After receiving WBRT, the cognitive function and QOL of patients with brain metastases were decreased, while psychological distress increased. The cognitive impairment and the decline of QOL after WBRT are associated with increased psychological distress, and that the decline of QOL is associated with cognitive impairment of patients.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism is associated with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in patients with breast cancer who receive chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common but easily overlooked condition that markedly affects the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer. The rs671 is a common gene polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in Asia that is involved in aldehyde metabolism and may be closely related to CRCI. However, no study has yet summarised the association between ALDH2 and CRCI. METHODS: This study enrolled one hundred and twenty-four patients diagnosed with breast cancer according to the pathology results, genotyped for ALDH2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) to explore these. The mini-mental state exam (MMSE), verbal fluency test (VFT), and digit span test (DST) results were compared in these patients before and after chemotherapy (CT). RESULTS: We found that patients with ALDH2 gene genotypes of rs671_GG, rs886205_GG, rs4648328_CC, and rs4767944_TT polymorphisms were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment during chemotherapy. A trend toward statistical significance was observed for rs671_GG of DST (z = 2.769, p = 0.006), VFT (t = 4.624, P<0.001); rs886205_GG of DST (z = 3.663, P<0.001); rs4648328_CC of DST (z = 2.850, p = 0.004), VFT (t = 3.477, p = 0.001); and rs4767944_TT of DST (z = 2.967, p = 0.003), VFT (t = 2.776, p = 0.008). The cognitive indicators of these patients significantly decreased after chemotherapy (p < 0.05). The difference in ALDH2 rs671 was most obvious. CONCLUSION: Our results showed what kinds of ALDH2 genotyped patients that are more likely to develop CRCI. In the future, it may be possible to infer the risk of CRCI by detecting the single-nucleotide locus of ALDH2 that is conducive to strengthening clinical interventions for these patients and improving their QOL. More importantly, this study has important implications for Asian women with breast cancer as ALDH2 rs671 is a common polymorphism in Asians.

Effect of depression disorder on the efficacy and quality of life of first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy in oncogene-driver negative NSCLC patients.

Objective: The current research was to assess the relevance between depression disorder and first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, quality of life in patients with oncogene-driver negative non-small cell cancer (NSCLC). Methods: NSCLC patients (33 with depression disorder and 34 with no depression disorder) who was received first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy performed Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). Results: The Progression-Free Survival (PFS) of depression disorder group survivors were lower than these of no depression disorder group survivors (HR, 0.352; 95% CI, 0.201-0.617; P<0.05). The statistical significant was revealed about the Objective Response Rate (ORR) and Disease Control Rate (DCR) in two groups (P<0.05). The quality of life scores of NSCLC patients in no depression disorder group was significantly higher after chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, and manifested as 92.7 ± 28 vs. 76.3 ± 23.3 (t=8.317, P<0.05), and had a significant difference. Conclusion: Depression disorder in oncogene-driver negative NSCLC patients influence the curative effect of chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, and depression disorder was significantly negatively associated with quality of life following chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy.

The Impact of VR-CALM Intervention Based on VR on Psychological Distress and Symptom Management in Breast Cancer Survivors.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully based on VR (VR-CALM), which is used to manage expected symptoms of cancer itself, relieve psychological distress, and improve quality of life (QOL) in the Chinese breast cancer survivors (BCs). Methods: Ninety-eight patients with breast cancer were recruited in this study. These patients were randomly assigned to the VR-CALM group or the care as usual (CAU) group. All patients were evaluated by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast cancer patient (FACT-B), Distress Thermometer (DT), Concerns About Recurrence Scale (CARS), Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), The Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) before and after VR-CALM or CAU application to BCs. We compared the differences in all these scores between the VR-CALM group and the control group. Results: Patients in the VR-CALM group showed a significant decrease in levels of distress, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and fatigue (t = -6.829, t = -5.819, t = -2.094, t = -3.031, t = -10.082, P ≤ 0.001, 0.001, 0.05, 0.01, 0.001, respectively) and had higher level of quality of life (t = 8.216, P ≤ 0.001) compared with the CAU group after intervention. And postintervention patients in VR-CALM group compared with preintervention showed lower level of distress and remarkable improvement of QOL (t = 11.521, t = -10.379, P ≤ 0.001, 0.001). The preintervention questionnaire revealed no significant between-group differences regarding distress, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, fatigue, and quality of life. Conclusion: VR-CALM is a psychotherapy tailored to the needs of patients with breast cancer. This research innovatively used VR-based CALM intervention to improve psychological and chronic symptoms in BCs. The results of the present study indicate that VR-CALM has salutary effects on the improvement of QOL and relieves psychological distress, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and fatigue in BCs.

Negative correlations of psychological distress with quality of life and immunotherapy efficacy in patients with advanced NSCLC.

To evaluate the relationships between psychological distress and immunotherapy efficacy, adverse reactions and quality of life scores in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 104 NSCLC patients who received 4-6 cycles of standard immunotherapy were enrolled and evaluated with the Distress Thermometer (DT) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). The aim was to analyze the correlation between psychological distress and quality of life and to analyze whether psychological distress affects the efficacy of and adverse reactions to immunotherapy. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of the psychological distress group were 6% and 50%, respectively, and those of the no psychological distress group were 18.5% and 83.3%, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (χ2=14.131, P<0.05). The progression-free survival (PFS) of advanced NSCLC patients who received comprehensive immunotherapy and had no psychological distress was significantly better than that of the psychological distress group (HR, 0.338; 95% CI, 0.192-0.592; P<0.05). The PFS of advanced NSCLC patients who received immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in the no psychological distress group was significantly better than that in the psychological distress group (HR, 0.458; 95% CI, 0.296-0.709; P<0.05). Psychological distress in advanced NSCLC patients affects the efficacy of immunotherapy, and psychological distress is negatively correlated with quality of life during immunotherapy.

The correlation between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, carcinoembryonic antigen, and carbohydrate antigen 153 levels with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in early-stage breast cancer patients.

Background: The changes in inflammation and tumor biomarkers are associated with the anti-tumor immunological processes. Early detection and intervention are of great significance to the clinical management of cancer-related diseases. Peripheral blood biomarkers [e.g., neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 153 (CA153)] are obtained in real-timely, conveniently, and less invasively, and proved to availably predicted the disease states and prognosis of various cancers, including breast cancer (BC). Inflammation and poor disease management promote cognitive impairment. Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) hazard long-term survival and quality of life (QOL) of BC patients, but its correlation with NLR, CEA, and CA153 is not clear. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate changes in NLR, CEA, and CA153 levels before and after chemotherapy and their correlation with CRCI in patients with early-stage BC. Materials and methods: The 187 patients with BC who were measured for NLR, CEA, and CA153 values within the first 24 hours of admission, were assigned into two groups: the before/after chemotherapy group (BCG/ACG). The ACG was assigned into two subgroups based on the cognitive assessment results: the cognitive normal/impaired group (CNG/CIG). Patients' self-perceived cognitive impairments were evaluated using a mini-mental state examination (MMSE), prospective and retrospective memory (PM and RM) questionnaire (PRMQ), and functional assessment of cancer therapy-cognitive function version 3 (FACT-Cog, version 3, including CogPCI, CogOth, CogPCA, and CogQOL). Their QOL was also evaluated. Results: The NLR and CA153 levels were elevated after chemotherapy (BCG vs ACG: Z = -1.996 and -1.615, P = 0.046 and 0.106, respectively), and significantly elevated in patients with CRCI (BCG vs CIG: Z = -2.444 and -2.293, P = 0.015 and 0.022; respectively). However, there was not reach significant difference in CEA levels between the four groups. In addition, there was a weak to moderate correlation between peripheral blood biomarkers (NLR, CEA, and CA153) levels and CRCI (r = -0.404, -0.205, -0.322; respectively; P < 0.001). Cognitive impairment scores (MMSE, PM, RM, and FACT-Cog) had a strong correlation with QOL in patients with early-stage BC (r = -0.786, 0.851, 0.849, and 0.938; respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusion: NLR and CA153 m be valuable diagnostic adjuncts of CRCI, and CRCI has a strong correlation with QOL in patients with early-stage BC.

The Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) Intervention Alleviates Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Breast Cancer by Modulating Pan-Immune-Inflammation Values.

BACKGROUND: The number of patients with breast cancer is increasing worldwide, resulting in a growing number of patients with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), which seriously affects their quality of life. CRCI is associated with inflammatory factors and systemic inflammatory markers such as pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), which can reflect the level of inflammation in the body. While the Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) intervention has been demonstrated to alleviate CRCI in patients with breast cancer, the specific mechanism remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the impact of the CALM intervention on systemic inflammation. METHODS: Ninety patients with breast cancer with CRCI were enrolled and randomized into care as usual (CAU) and CALM intervention groups. All patients were assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog), Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) before and after the CAU/CALM intervention. The blood levels of inflammatory markers were also analyzed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Compared to the CAU group, the CALM group showed significantly improved cognitive function and significantly decreased PIV (P < .05). PIV was significantly negatively correlated with FACT-Cog (P < .05). The levels of other inflammatory markers, including MLR, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (GLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), were also reduced in the CALM group. CONCLUSION: PIV is an important marker of inflammation. The CALM intervention may improve the cognitive function of patients by regulating the systemic inflammation marker PIV through the neuroimmune axis.

Fear of cancer recurrence is related to the efficacy of immunotherapy and quality of life in patients with NSCLC during the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), making the fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) more pronounced. We explored the effects of FCR on immunotherapy efficacy and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic in China among the 124 NSCLC patients enrolled in this study. Quality of life and immunotherapy efficacy were compared between high- and low-FCR groups after completing 4-6 courses of treatment or cancer progression. Worse immunotherapy efficacy and quality of life were reported for the high-FCR group than for the low-FCR group. These findings emphasize the need to pay close attention to the level of FCR in NSCLC patients. Efforts should be taken to alleviate FCR levels among NSCLC patients. Moreover, research is needed to investigate the possible link between immunotherapy efficacy and FCR.

Exploring ALDH2 expression and immune infiltration in HNSC and its correlation of prognosis with gender or alcohol intake.

The aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 point mutation (ALDH2*2) is a common frequent human gene variant, especially in East Asians. However, the expression and mechanism of action of ALDH2 in HNSC remain unknown. The present study explored the clinical significance and immune characteristics of ALDH2 in HNSC. The receiver operating characteristic curve was analysed to assess the diagnostic value of ALDH2 expression. ALDH2 expression in normal tissues and HNSC tissues was evaluated by IHC, and we also analysed ALDH2 gene expression in 4 HNSC cell lines. ALDH2 expression was significantly reduced in HNSC tissues compared to normal tissues (p < 0.05). HNSC patients with high ALDH2 expression had a better prognosis compared to patients with low ALDH2 expression (p < 0.05). GSEA indicated that these gene sets were correlated with signalling pathways, including the JAK-STAT signalling pathway. Unexpectedly, we found a significant prognostic effect of ALDH2 for HNSC based on alcohol consumption and the male sex. The correlation between ALDH2 expression and immune inhibitors showed an effect for ALDH2 in modifying tumour immunology in HNSC, and there may be a possible mechanism by which ALDH2 regulates the functions of T cells in HNSC. In addition, we developed a prognostic nomogram for HNSC patients, which suggested that low ALDH2 expression indicated poor prognosis in HNSC patients who were males and alcoholics.

ALDH2 is a prognostic biomarker and related with immune infiltrates in HCC.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a malignant type of carcinoma with complicated pathogenesis. For HCC patients, there is not only a lack of valuable therapeutic targets, but also a lack of prognostic biomarker. The protein encoded by Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Family Member (ALDH2) is a critical member of the aldehyde dehydrogenase family. Many researchers have found that ALDH2 mutations play an important role in the activation of hepatocellular carcinoma carcinogenic pathways. However, the clinicopathological meaning of ALDH2 in HCC and its relation with immune infiltration is still indistinguishable. In this study, we explored the expression of ALDH2 in 41 HCC tissues by immunohistochemistry. The clinicopathological meaning and molecular function of ALDH2 were analyzed and evaluated through comprehensive bioinformatics. ALDH2 expression in HCC was validated in TCGA, GEO and Oncomine databases, and a survival of ALDH2 based on TCGA database was analysed. LinkedOmics was used to classify the co-expressed genes of ALDH2 and its regulatory factors. The relation between ALDH2 and immune infiltration in HCC was further explored by TIMER. IHC results showed decreased levels of ALDH2 in HCC tumor tissues compared with corresponding normal liver tissues. The pathological grade and prognosis of patients with low expression of the ALDH2 gene were worse. Bioinformatics analysis results showed that ALDH2 was considerably down-regulated in cancer tissues compared with corresponding normal liver tissues in 8 GEO series and TCGA profile (all P<0.05). A nomogram was designed using expression of ALDH2 and clinical factors. ALDH2 was correlated with dendritic cells and macrophages in immune infiltration. In conclusion, ALDH2 has significant prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma and they may play key roles in regulating tumor progression and the immune cells infiltration. Our results suggest that ALDH2 may be a new type of tumor biomarker, which can be used to judge the prognosis, targeted therapy and immunotherapy of patients with HCC.

Changes in cytokine levels in breast cancer patients with CRCI before or after CALM intervention.

To investigate the changes in cytokine (interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 4 (IL-4)) levels and cognitive function before and after managing cancer and living meaningfully (CALM) intervention, in early-stage breast cancer patients with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI). One hundred and twenty-eight breast cancer patients with CRCI enrolled in this study, there are fifty patients underwent with 6 CALM interventions and seventy-eight patient care as usual (CAU). Cytokine (IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-4) levels in the patients were assessed, and the patients were evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Prospective Memory (PM) and Retrospective Memory (RM), and Quality-of-life (QOL) and Psychological Distress Thermometer (DT) assessments before CALM intervention (BCM), after CALM intervention (ACM) and care of usual (CAU). Measures at these two time points and two groups were compared. There were significant differences in the performance on the RM, PM, MMSE, QOL and DT measures after, compared to before (t=8.126, t=8.007, t=-10.789, t=9.236, t=17.649, respectively; P<0.05), the CALM intervention, compared to CAU (t=-7.408, t=-7.300, t=8.128, t=-8.851, t=-10.572, respectively; P<0.05). In addition, cytokine levels, including IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-4, were significantly different before and after the CALM intervention (t=5.073, t=4.228, t=5.815, respectively; P<0.05) and the two groups (ACM vs CAU) were distinctly different (t=-3.353, t=-2.694, t=-3.268, respectively; P<0.05). furthermore, the cytokine levels (IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-4) have linear correlation with cognitive function before and after CALM intervention (r=-0.343/r=0.538, r=-0.375/r=-0.330, r=-0.310/r=-0.541, respectively; P<0.05). The present results indicated that CALM intervention could alleviate CRCI and that this process is accompanied by changes in IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-4 levels. These results further confirm that cytokines may be involved in CRCI and that CALM may become an efficient method to relieve CRCI-related symptoms in breast cancer patients.