Cancer-related inflammation: an emerging prognostic domain in metastatic castration-resistant prostate carcinoma

Advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of gallbladder and potential predictive biomarkers for prognosis

Gallbladder cancer is a relatively rare malignancy that is generally diagnosed at an advanced stage. Palliative chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy may be appropriate options for advanced gallbladder cancer, instead of radical surgery. In the present report, we describe an extremely unusual case of a 59-year-old man diagnosed with advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder, according to imagological and pathological examinations. The symptoms of the patient were atypical. Preliminary data indicated that not only the systemic inflammatory biomarkers neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio but also jaundice might be correlated with the prognosis. Although the patient was treated with the best supportive care, overall survival time was only about 2 months. Advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of gallbladder is incurable and highly lethal.

Novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common form of biliary tract malignancy with a dismal prognosis. A poor outcome in patients with GBC is related to the aggressive nature of the tumor, delayed diagnosis, and a lack of reliable biomarkers and effective treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis and accurate disease assessment are crucial to prolonging the patient survival. Identification of novel prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers may help improve the early diagnostic rate and develop specific targeted treatments for patients with GBC. We herein review the novel biomarkers that may be associated with the diagnosis and prognosis in GBC and their potential clinical significance in the management of GBC.

Prognostic Value Of Preoperative Systemic Inflammatory Biomarkers In Patients With Gallbladder Cancer And The Establishment Of A Nomogram

Background and aim

Preoperative systemic inflammatory biomarkers, including neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) have been developed to predict patient outcome in several types of carcinomas. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential prognostic value of NLR, dNLR, PLR, and LMR, and establish a prognostic nomogram in postoperative GBC patients who underwent radical cholecystectomy.

Methods

169 GBC patients were retrospectively enrolled in the present study. ROC curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off values of systemic inflammatory biomarkers. The prognostic value of those biomarkers was investigated according to the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model. A relevant prognostic nomogram was established.

Results

Results showed that NLR, dNLR, PLR, and LMR were significantly associated with overall survival (OS); whereas, NLR and LMR were retained as independent indicators. Based on these independent predictors including tumor differentiation, T stage, N stage, CEA, NLR, and LMR, a nomogram was generated with an accuracy of 0.801.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, the predictive nomogram could accurately predict individualized survival probability of postoperative GBC patients, and might support clinicians in treatment optimization and clinical decision-making.

Protein kinase Ds promote tumor angiogenesis through mast cell recruitment and expression of angiogenic factors in prostate cancer microenvironment

Background

Mast cells are being increasingly recognized as critical components in the tumor microenvironment. Protein Kinase D (PKD) is essential for the progression of prostate cancer, but its role in prostate cancer microenvironment remains poorly understood.

Methods

The expression of PKD, mast cells and microvessel density were examined by IHC. The clinical significance was determined by statistical analyses. The biological function of PKD and the underlying mechanisms were investigated using in vitro and in vivo models.

Results

PKD2/3 contributed to MCs recruitment and tumor angiogenesis in the prostate cancer microenvironment. Clinical data showed that increased activation of PKD at Ser744/748 in prostate cancer was correlated with mast cell infiltration and microvascular density. PKD2/3 silencing of prostate cancer cells markedly decreased MCs migration and tube formation of HUVEC cells. Moreover, PKD2/3 depletion not only reduced SCF, CCL5 and CCL11 expression in prostate cancer cells but also inhibited angiogenic factors in MCs. Conversely, exogenous SCF, CCL5 and CCL11 reversed the effect on MCs migration inhibited by PKD2/3 silencing. Mechanistically, PKD2/3 interacted with Erk1/2 and activated Erk1/2 or NF-κB signaling pathway, leading to AP-1 or NF-κB binding to the promoter of scf, ccl5 and ccl11. Finally, PKD-specific inhibitor significantly reduced tumor volume and tumor growth in mice bearing RM-1 prostate cancer cells, which was attributed to attenuation of mast cell recruitment and tumor angiogenesis.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate a novel PKDs function that contributes to tumor angiogenesis and progression through mast cells recruitment in prostate cancer microenvironment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-019-1118-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Ubiquitin E3 Ligase MARCH7 promotes proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer cells through VAV2-RAC1-CDC42 pathway

Ubiquitin E3 Ligase MARCH7 is involved in T cell proliferation and neuronal development. In our previous study, we demonstrated MARCH7 promoted malignant behavior of ovarian cancer via the nuclear factor (NF)-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. However, the expression and function of MARCH7 in cervical cancer remains unknown. The present study aimed to unravel the expression and function of MARCH7 in cervical cancer to elucidate its potential role in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of cervical cancer. Results indicated that the expression of MARCH7 was abnormally high in cervical cancer tissues than normal cervical tissues. However, silencing the expression of MARCH7 in HeLa cells resulted in decreased cell proliferation and invasion. Mechanistic investigations revealed that MARCH7 interacted with VAV2. Silencing the expression of MARCH7 in HeLa cells inhibited the VAV2-RAC1-CDC42 signaling pathway. Overall, the results of the present study identified MARCH7 as a candidate oncogene in cervical cancer, and a potential target for cervical cancer therapy.

Prognostic value of inflammation in prostate cancer progression and response to therapeutic: a critical review

Prostate is an immune-competent organ normally populated by inflammatory cells. Prostatic inflammation origin can be multi-factorial and there are some emerging evidences on its possible role as a factor involved in prostate cancer (PC) pathogenesis and progression. This review critically analyzes the role of inflammation as a prognostic factor for progression and aggressiveness of PC. We verified the last 10 years literature data on the association between inflammation and PC aggressiveness, or PC response to therapies. Several studies tried to correlate different inflammatory factors with the aggressiveness and metastatization of PC; all data sustain the role of inflammation in PC progression but they also produce confusion to identify a reliable clinical prognostic marker. Data on patients submitted to radical prostatectomy (RP) showed that cases with marked intraprostatic tissue inflammation are associated with higher rate of biochemical progression; systemic inflammation markers appear to have a significant prognostic value. Analyzing data on patients submitted to radiotherapy (RT) emerges a significant association between high neuthrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and decreased progression free survival and overall survival; also plateled to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been proposed as significant prognostic factors for progression and overall survival. In patients submitted to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), inflammation may drive castration resistant PC (CRPC) development by activation of STAT3 in PC cells. NLR has been proposed as independent predictor of overall survival in CRPC submitted to chemotherapy. Most of data are focused on markers related to systemic inflammation such as NLR and CRP, more than specifically to chronic prostatic inflammation. The suggestion is that these inflammatory parameters, also if not specific for prostatic inflammation and possibly influenced by several factors other than PC, can integrate with established prognostic factors.