Clinical Effect of Iodine-125 Seed Implantation in Patients with Primary Liver Cancer and Its Effect on Th1/Th2 Cells in Peripheral Blood

Construction of a prognostic prediction model in liver cancer based on genes involved in integrin cell surface interactions pathway by multi-omics screening

Background: Liver cancer is a common malignant tumor with an increasing incidence in recent years. We aimed to develop a model by integrating clinical information and multi-omics profiles of genes to predict survival of patients with liver cancer. Methods: The multi-omics data were integrated to identify liver cancer survival-associated signal pathways. Then, a prognostic risk score model was established based on key genes in a specific pathway, followed by the analysis of the relationship between the risk score and clinical features as well as molecular and immunologic characterization of the key genes included in the prediction model. The function experiments were performed to further elucidate the undergoing molecular mechanism. Results: Totally, 4 pathways associated with liver cancer patients' survival were identified. In the pathway of integrin cell surface interactions, low expression of COMP and SPP1, and low CNVs level of COL4A2 and ITGAV were significantly related to prognosis. Based on above 4 genes, the risk score model for prognosis was established. Risk score, ITGAV and SPP1 were the most significantly positively related to activated dendritic cell. COL4A2 and COMP were the most significantly positively associated with Type 1 T helper cell and regulatory T cell, respectively. The nomogram (involved T stage and risk score) may better predict short-term survival. The cell assay showed that overexpression of ITGAV promoted tumorigenesis. Conclusion: The risk score model constructed with four genes (COMP, SPP1, COL4A2, and ITGAV) may be used to predict survival in liver cancer patients.

Exploring the diagnostic value, prognostic value, and biological functions of NPC gene family members in hepatocellular carcinoma based on a multi-omics analysis

Liver cancer is a cunning malignancy with a high incidence and mortality rate among cancers worldwide. The NPC gene family members (NPCs: NPC1, NPC2, and NPC1L1) are closely linked to the development of multiple cancers, but their role in liver cancer remains unclear. As a result, we must investigate their functions in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). NPCs were significantly differentially expressed between normal and LIHC tissues, with a high mutation frequency in LIHC. The ROC curve analysis revealed that NPC1/NPC2 had high diagnostic and prognostic values in LIHC. NPC1 expression was also found to be negatively correlated with its methylation level. The differentially expressed genes between high and low NPC1 expression groups in LIHC were mainly related to channel activity, transporter complexes, and plasma membrane adhesion molecules. Additionally, NPC1 expression was significantly associated with multiple immune cells and immunization checkpoints. It was hypothesized that a TUG1/SNHG4-miR-148a-3p-NPC1 regulatory axis is associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. Finally, the protein expression of NPC1 in LIHC tissues and paraneoplastic tissues was detected, and NPC1-knockdown HepG2 cells (NPC1KO) inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion. This study helped to identify new prognostic markers and potential immunotherapeutic targets for LIHC and revealed the molecular mechanisms underlying NPC1 regulation in LIHC. The NPCs play a key role in the prognosis and diagnosis of LIHC and may be an important indicator for LIHC prognosis and diagnosis; NPC1 might be a potential therapeutic target in LIHC.

Clinical significance and changes to the immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis

Background

Liver metastasis is common in colorectal cancer patients. Immunotherapy covers a wide range of tumor types and is safer than traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, its overall effective rate is only 20-40%. At present, there is a lack of relevant research clarifying whether the changes and clinical significance of the immune microenvironment in colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis are conducive to enhancing the promotion and further improving the efficacy of immunotherapy.

Methods

We retrospectively collected the data of 50 colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis treated in Chongqing University Cancer Hospital from January 2017 to January 2019. Liver metastatic cancer tissues and normal liver tissues were collected to detect the levels of immune cells in the two samples. At the same time, the correlation between T-cell subsets in the liver metastatic cancer tissue immune microenvironments of colorectal cancer patients and prognosis was analyzed.

Results

Compared with the normal liver tissues, the level of T helper cell 1/T helper cell 2 (Th1/Th2) in the liver metastatic cancer tissues was significantly decreased (0.88±0.24 vs. 1.34±0.27, P=0.000), while the levels of regulatory T cells were markedly increased (8.57±2.31 vs. 6.89±1.71, P=0.000). The Th1/Th2 level in liver metastatic cancer tissue exhibited a good predictive value for recurrence and survival 3 years after surgery, and the areas under the curves were 0.783 (95% confidence interval: 0.649-0.916, P=0.002) and 0.763 (95% confidence interval: 0.628-0.898, P=0.001), respectively. Moreover, the regulatory T-cell level in liver metastatic cancer tissue had a good predictive value for recurrence and survival at 3 years postoperatively, and the areas under the curves were 0.788 (95% confidence interval: 0.656-0.919, P=0.002) and 0.763 (95% confidence interval: 0.628-0.897, P=0.001), respectively.

Conclusions

The immunosuppressive condition of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer patients was related to poor prognosis.

One case of iodine-125 therapy – A new minimally invasive treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary liver cancer associated with a poor prognosis. ICC accounts for about 10% of primary liver malignancies but with increasing incidence in recent years. Recently, some studies suggested that minimally interventional therapy can be used in the treatment of ICC. However, there are few references on interventional therapy for the clinical treatment of ICC. Herein we reported a case of a 48-year-old man who suffered from ICC. The patient was diagnosed with ICC by computerized tomography scan and pathological biopsy. The patient was completely cured by minimally interventional therapy with iodine-125 seed implantation. These results provide an important reference for the treatment option of ICC.

Lentinan Combined with (125)I Brachytherapy for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Objective

To investigate the clinical value of lentinan combined with (125)I brachytherapy in the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.

Methods

A total of 160 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer admitted at Jiaozhou Central Hospital from June 2009 to October 2015 were enrolled in this study and randomly divided into observation group (80 cases) and control group (80 cases). The control group received chemotherapy. Observation group (80 cases) was treated with lentinan combined with (125)I brachytherapy on the basis of control group, and the efficacy, adverse reactions, and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) and quality of life scale (QOL) scores of the two groups were analyzed and compared.

Results

After treatment, the levels of CA125, CA199, and CA724 in the 2 groups were markedly lower than those before treatment, and the observation group was lower than the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the proportion of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ cells and helper T cells and NK cells in the control group remarkably depleted, while the proportion of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ cells, NK cells, and B cells in the observation group increased significantly compared to that before treatment, and the level of IgA, IgG, and IgM in the control group decreased, while that in the observation group showed no conspicuous difference compared with that before chemotherapy (P > 0.05). The effective rate of observation group (85%) was higher than that of control group (75%) (P < 0.05). The overall survival of patients in the control group was (16.2 ± 2.04) months and that of the observation group was (24.8 ± 1.8) months. KPS and QOL scores in both groups were enormously higher than those before treatment, and the observation group was higher than the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of hemoglobin reduction, leukopenia, aglobulia, granulocytopenia, nausea and vomiting, hepatorenal toxicity, and neurovirulence in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group.

Conclusion

Lentinan combined with (125)I brachytherapy is effective in treating recurrent ovarian cancer, with mild adverse reactions and good tolerance.