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Chan YT, Zhang C, Wu J, Lu P, Xu L, Yuan H, Feng Y, Chen ZS, Wang N. Biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic options in hepatocellular carcinoma. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:189. [PMID: 39242496 PMCID: PMC11378508 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02101-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is a global health challenge, causing a significant social-economic burden. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant type of primary liver cancer, which is highly heterogeneous in terms of molecular and cellular signatures. Early-stage or small tumors are typically treated with surgery or ablation. Currently, chemotherapies and immunotherapies are the best treatments for unresectable tumors or advanced HCC. However, drug response and acquired resistance are not predictable with the existing systematic guidelines regarding mutation patterns and molecular biomarkers, resulting in sub-optimal treatment outcomes for many patients with atypical molecular profiles. With advanced technological platforms, valuable information such as tumor genetic alterations, epigenetic data, and tumor microenvironments can be obtained from liquid biopsy. The inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity of HCC are illustrated, and these collective data provide solid evidence in the decision-making process of treatment regimens. This article reviews the current understanding of HCC detection methods and aims to update the development of HCC surveillance using liquid biopsy. Recent critical findings on the molecular basis, epigenetic profiles, circulating tumor cells, circulating DNAs, and omics studies are elaborated for HCC diagnosis. Besides, biomarkers related to the choice of therapeutic options are discussed. Some notable recent clinical trials working on targeted therapies are also highlighted. Insights are provided to translate the knowledge into potential biomarkers for detection and diagnosis, prognosis, treatment response, and drug resistance indicators in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yau-Tuen Chan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Cheng Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Junyu Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Pengde Lu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Lin Xu
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Hongchao Yuan
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Yibin Feng
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
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Zhu S, Yu Y, Yang M, Liu X, Lai M, Zhong J, Zhao X, Lu L, Liu Y. Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy combined with the FOLFOX regimen for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: recent advances and literature review. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2024; 24:423-434. [PMID: 38651280 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2024.2346624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The incidence of primary liver cancer (PLC) has experienced a significant global increase, primarily attributed to the rise in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unfortunately, HCC is often diagnosed in advanced stages, leaving patients with limited treatment options. Therefore, transformation therapy is a crucial approach for long-term survival and radical resection in patients with advanced HCC. Conversion therapy has demonstrated promise in the treatment of advanced HCC. When integrated with the FOLFOX regimen, hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) can significantly improve tumor response efficiency, leading to high conversion and resection rates. AREAS COVERED We reviewed landmark trials of HAIC in combination with different drugs or means for the treatment of HCC to determine the clinical value of HAIC-centric translational therapies in HCC treatment. Furthermore, we specifically emphasize the advantages associated with employing FOLFOX-HAIC in the treatment of advanced HCC. EXPERT OPINION The combination of HAIC with the FOLFOX regimen can help prevent the low intratumoral accumulation and high adverse reaction rate caused by the FOLFOX alone, holding significant potential in the comprehensive treatment of future HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suqi Zhu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Yahan Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingqi Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Zhuhai Precision Medical Center, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingkai Lai
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Jieren Zhong
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Center, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoguang Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment, Zhuhai Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University (Zhuhai People's Hospital), Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
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Li D, Zhang M, Liu J, Li Z, Ni B. Potential therapies for HCC involving targeting the ferroptosis pathway. Am J Cancer Res 2024; 14:1446-1465. [PMID: 38726269 PMCID: PMC11076240 DOI: 10.62347/sigp9279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer ranks as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, predominantly in the form of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Conventional detection and treatment approaches have proven inadequate for addressing the elevated incidence and mortality rates associated with HCC. However, a significant body of research suggests that combating HCC through the induction of ferroptosis is possible. Ferroptosis is a regulated cell death process characterized by elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxide accumulation, both of which are dependent on iron levels. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on investigating ferroptosis, revealing its potential as an inhibitory mechanism against various diseases, including tumors. Therefore, ferroptosis induction holds great promise for treating multiple types of cancers, including HCC. This article provides a review of the key mechanisms involved in ferroptosis and explores the potential application of multiple targets and pathways associated with ferroptosis in HCC treatment to improve therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denghui Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing 400038, China
| | - Mengjie Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing 400038, China
| | - Ju Liu
- Department of Foreign Languages, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhifang Li
- Department of Foreign Languages, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing 400038, China
| | - Bing Ni
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqing 400038, China
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Saylor PJ, Kozin SV, Matsui A, Goldberg SI, Aoki S, Shigeta K, Mamessier E, Smith MR, Michaelson MD, Lee RJ, Duda DG. The radiopharmaceutical radium-223 has immunomodulatory effects in patients and facilitates anti-programmed death receptor-1 therapy in murine models of bone metastatic prostate cancer. Radiother Oncol 2024; 192:110091. [PMID: 38224917 PMCID: PMC10905770 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2024.110091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & PURPOSE Radium-223 (Ra223) improves survival in metastatic prostate cancer (mPC), but its impact on systemic immunity is unclear, and biomarkers of response are lacking. We examined markers of immunomodulatory activity during standard clinical Ra223 and studied the impact of Ra223 on response to immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in preclinical models. MATERIALS & METHODS We conducted a single-arm biomarker study of Ra223 in 22 bone mPC patients. We measured circulating immune cell subsets and a panel of cytokines before and during Ra223 therapy and correlated them with overall survival (OS). Using two murine mPC models-orthotopic PtenSmad4-null and TRAMP-C1 grafts in syngeneic immunocompetent mice-we tested the efficacy of combining Ra223 with ICI. RESULTS Above-median level of IL-6 at baseline was associated with a median OS of 358 versus 947 days for below levels; p = 0.044, from the log-rank test. Baseline PlGF and PSA inversely correlated with OS (p = 0.018 and p = 0.037, respectively, from the Cox model). Ra223 treatment was associated with a mild decrease in some peripheral immune cell populations and a shift in the proportion of MDSCs from granulocytic to myeloid. In mice, Ra223 increased the proliferation of CD8+ and CD4+ helper T cells without leading to CD8+ T cell exhaustion in the mPC lesions. In one of the models, combining Ra223 and anti-PD-1 antibody significantly prolonged survival, which correlated with increased CD8+ T cell infiltration in tumor tissue. CONCLUSION The inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and the angiogenic biomarker PlGF at baseline were promising outcome biomarkers after standard Ra223 treatment. In mouse models, Ra223 increased intratumoral CD8+ T cell infiltration and proliferation and could improve OS when combined with anti-PD-1 ICI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Saylor
- MGH Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Sergey V Kozin
- Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aya Matsui
- Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Saveli I Goldberg
- Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shuichi Aoki
- Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kohei Shigeta
- Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emilie Mamessier
- Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthew R Smith
- MGH Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M Dror Michaelson
- MGH Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard J Lee
- MGH Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dan G Duda
- Steele Laboratories for Tumor Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Zhao M, Guo Z, Zou YH, Li X, Yan ZP, Chen MS, Fan WJ, Li HL, Yang JJ, Chen XM, Xu LF, Zhang YW, Zhu KS, Sun JH, Li JP, Jin Y, Yu HP, Duan F, Xiong B, Yin GW, Lin HL, Ma YL, Wang HM, Gu SZ, Si TG, Wang XD, Zhao C, Yu WC, Guo JH, Zhai J, Huang YH, Wang WY, Lin HF, Gu YK, Chen JZ, Wang JP, Zhang YM, Yi JZ, Lyu N. Arterial chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in China: consensus recommendations. Hepatol Int 2024; 18:4-31. [PMID: 37864725 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-023-10599-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) treatment is widely accepted as one of the alternative therapeutic modalities for HCC owing to its local control effect and low systemic toxicity. Nevertheless, although accumulating high-quality evidence has displayed the superior survival advantages of HAIC of oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (HAIC-FOLFOX) compared with standard first-line treatment in different scenarios, the lack of standardization for HAIC procedure and remained controversy limited the proper and safe performance of HAIC treatment in HCC. Therefore, an expert consensus conference was held on March 2023 in Guangzhou, China to review current practices regarding HAIC treatment in patients with HCC and develop widely accepted statements and recommendations. In this article, the latest evidence of HAIC was systematically summarized and the final 22 expert recommendations were proposed, which incorporate the assessment of candidates for HAIC treatment, procedural technique details, therapeutic outcomes, the HAIC-related complications and corresponding treatments, and therapeutic scheme management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhao
- Department of Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy, Liver Cancer Study and Service Group, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China.
| | - Zhi Guo
- Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying-Hua Zou
- Department of Interventional and Vascular Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Department of Interventional Therapy, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Ping Yan
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min-Shan Chen
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Jun Fan
- Department of Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy, Liver Cancer Study and Service Group, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Liang Li
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ji-Jin Yang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Chen
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin-Feng Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Wei Zhang
- Hepatopancreatbiliary Center, Tsinghua University Affiliated Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Kang-Shun Zhu
- Department of Minimally Invasive Interventional Radiology and Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun-Hui Sun
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Interventional Treatment Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Ping Li
- Department of Interventional Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong Jin
- The Interventional Therapy Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hai-Peng Yu
- Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng Duan
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Xiong
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guo-Wen Yin
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hai-Lan Lin
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yi-Long Ma
- Department of Interventional Therapy, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Hua-Ming Wang
- Department of Interventional Therapy, The Fifth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shan-Zhi Gu
- Department of Interventional Therapy, Hunan Cancer Hospital and the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tong-Guo Si
- Department of Interventional Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Wang
- Departments of Interventional Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Chang Zhao
- Department of Interventional Therapy, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Wen-Chang Yu
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jian-Hai Guo
- Departments of Interventional Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Zhai
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong-Hui Huang
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Yu Wang
- Department of Interventional Oncology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai-Feng Lin
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Yang-Kui Gu
- Department of Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy, Liver Cancer Study and Service Group, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Zhang Chen
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Unit, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Peng Wang
- Department of Oncology, First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Foshan, China
| | - Yi-Min Zhang
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun-Zhe Yi
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ning Lyu
- Department of Minimally Invasive Interventional Therapy, Liver Cancer Study and Service Group, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, China
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Lin W, Lu L, Zheng R, Yuan S, Li S, Ling Y, Wei W, Guo R. Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters: a novel efficacy predictor of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:17231-17239. [PMID: 37801135 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05444-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters (VETC) is a novel vascular pattern structurally and functionally distinct from microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to explore the prognostic value of VETC in patients receiving hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) for unresectable HCC. METHODS From January 2016 to December 2017, 145 patients receiving HAIC as the initial treatment for unresectable HCC were enrolled and stratified into two groups according to their VETC status. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR) were evaluated. RESULTS The patients were divided into two groups: VETC+ (n = 31, 21.8%) and VETC- (n = 114, 78.2%). The patients in the VETC+ group had worse ORR and DCR than those in the VETC- group (RECIST: ORR: 25.8% vs. 47.4%, P = 0.031; DCR: 56.1% vs. 76.3%, P = 0.007; mRECIST: ORR: 41.0% vs. 52.6%, P = 0.008; DCR: 56.1% vs. 76.3%, P = 0.007). Patients with VETC+ had significantly shorter OS and PFS than those with VETC- (median OS: 10.2 vs. 21.6 months, P < 0.001; median PFS: 3.3 vs. 7.2 months, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed VETC status as an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.46-3.94; P = 0.001) and PFS (HR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.20-3.22; P = 0.007). CONCLUSION VETC status correlates remarkably well with the tumor response and long-term survival in patients undergoing HAIC. It may be a promising efficacy predictor and help identify patients who will benefit from HAIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Lianghe Lu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Rongliang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- Department of Nuclear Medicine of Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shasha Yuan
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yihong Ling
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| | - Rongping Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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7
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Ding Y, Wang S, Qiu Z, Zhu C, Wang Y, Zhao S, Qiu W, Wang K, Lv J, Qi W. The worthy role of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in combination with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 monoclonal antibody immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1284937. [PMID: 38022559 PMCID: PMC10644007 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1284937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic therapy remains the primary therapeutic approach for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, its efficacy in achieving control of intrahepatic lesions is constrained. Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) is a therapeutic approach that combines localized treatment with systemic antitumor effects, which aim is to effectively manage the progression of cancerous lesions within the liver, particularly in patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). Combining HAIC with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) immunotherapy is anticipated to emerge as a novel therapeutic approach aimed at augmenting the response inside the localized tumor site and achieving prolonged survival advantages. In order to assess the effectiveness, safety, and applicability of various therapeutic modalities and to address potential molecular mechanisms underlying the efficacy of HAIC-sensitizing immunotherapy, we reviewed the literature about the combination of HAIC with anti-PD-1 mAb therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Ding
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shasha Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhenkang Qiu
- Interventional Medical Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chunyang Zhu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shufen Zhao
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wensheng Qiu
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Kongjia Wang
- Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jing Lv
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Weiwei Qi
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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8
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Jiang S, Sun HF, Li S, Zhang N, Chen JS, Liu JX. SPARC: a potential target for functional nanomaterials and drugs. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1235428. [PMID: 37577749 PMCID: PMC10419254 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1235428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), also termed osteonectin or BM-40, is a matricellular protein which regulates cell adhesion, extracellular matrix production, growth factor activity, and cell cycle. Although SPARC does not perform a structural function, it, however, modulates interactions between cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix due to its anti-proliferative and anti-adhesion properties. The overexpression of SPARC at sites, including injury, regeneration, obesity, cancer, and inflammation, reveals its application as a prospective target and therapeutic indicator in the treatment and assessment of disease. This article comprehensively summarizes the mechanism of SPARC overexpression in inflammation and tumors as well as the latest research progress of functional nanomaterials in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and tumors by manipulating SPARC as a new target. This article provides ideas for using functional nanomaterials to treat inflammatory diseases through the SPARC target. The purpose of this article is to provide a reference for ongoing disease research based on SPARC-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Healthcare, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China
| | - Hui-Feng Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Shuang Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Healthcare, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China
- College Pharmacy, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Healthcare, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China
| | - Ji-Song Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Healthcare, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China
| | - Jian-Xin Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation and Healthcare, Hunan University of Medicine, Huaihua, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of South China, Hengyang, China
- Institute of Innovation and Applied Research in Chinese Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
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9
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Zhou L, Wang Q, Hou J, Wu X, Wang L, Chen X. Upregulation of hsa_circ_0002003 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:611. [PMID: 37400785 PMCID: PMC10316602 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-11086-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circular RNAs (circRNAs), which are involved in various human malignancies, have emerged as promising biomarkers. The present study aimed to investigate unique expression profiles of circRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identify novel biomarkers associated with HCC development and progression. METHODS CircRNA expression profiles of HCC tissues were jointly analyzed to identify differentially expressed circRNAs. Overexpression plasmid and siRNA targeting candidate circRNAs were used in functional assays in vitro. CircRNA-miRNA interactions were predicted using miRNAs expressed in the miRNA-seq dataset GSE76903. To further screen downstream genes targeted by the miRNAs, survival analysis and qRT-PCR were conducted to evaluate their prognostic role in HCC and construct a ceRNA regulatory network. RESULTS Three significantly upregulated circRNAs, hsa_circ_0002003, hsa_circ_0002454, and hsa_circ_0001394, and one significantly downregulated circRNA, hsa_circ_0003239, were identified and validated by qRT-PCR. Our in vitro data indicated that upregulation of hsa_circ_0002003 accelerated cell growth and metastasis. Mechanistically, DTYMK, DAP3, and STMN1, which were targeted by hsa-miR-1343-3p, were significantly downregulated in HCC cells when hsa_circ_0002003 was silenced and were significantly correlated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. CONCLUSION Hsa_circ_0002003 may play critical roles in HCC pathogenesis and serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for HCC. Targeting the hsa_circ_0002003/hsa-miR-1343-3p/STMN1 regulatory axis could be an effective therapeutic strategy in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Central Asia High Incidence Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center, Department of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qianwen Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Central Asia High Incidence Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jun Hou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Central Asia High Incidence Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xiangwei Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Central Asia High Incidence Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Lianghai Wang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Central Asia High Incidence Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.
- Department of Pathology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.
| | - Xueling Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Central Asia High Incidence Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.
- Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.
- Department of Immunology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.
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10
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Fang Y, Zhang X, Huang H, Zeng Z. The interplay between noncoding RNAs and drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma: the big impact of little things. J Transl Med 2023; 21:369. [PMID: 37286982 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04238-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death in people, and a common primary liver cancer. Lacking early diagnosis and a high recurrence rate after surgical resection, systemic treatment is still an important treatment method for advanced HCC. Different drugs have distinct curative effects, side effects and drug resistance due to different properties. At present, conventional molecular drugs for HCC have displayed some limitations, such as adverse drug reactions, insensitivity to some medicines, and drug resistance. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been well documented to be involved in the occurrence and progression of cancer. Novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, as well as research into the molecular basis of drug resistance, are urgently needed for the management of HCC. We review current research on ncRNAs and consolidate the known roles regulating drug resistance in HCC and examine the potential clinical applications of ncRNAs in overcoming drug resistance barriers in HCC based on targeted therapy, cell cycle non-specific chemotherapy and cell cycle specific chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Fang
- Organ Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - XiaoLi Zhang
- Gastrointestinal and Hernia Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, People's Republic of China
| | - HanFei Huang
- Organ Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhong Zeng
- Organ Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Kunming, 650032, Yunnan, People's Republic of China.
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11
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Acitelli E, Maiorca C, Grani G, Maranghi M. Metabolic adverse events of multitarget kinase inhibitors: a systematic review. Endocrine 2023:10.1007/s12020-023-03362-2. [PMID: 37067769 PMCID: PMC10239378 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-023-03362-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Multitargeted kinase inhibitors (MKIs) are used for the treatment of several cancers. By targeting multiple signaling pathways, MKIs have become cornerstones of the oncologic treatment. Although their use leads to important results in terms of survival, treatment with MKIs can determine important side effects the clinician must be aware of. Among those, arterial hypertension, mucositis and skin lesions are universally reported, while data about metabolic alterations are scarce. In our review, we focused on glucose and lipid alterations in MKI-treated patients. METHODS We searched for articles, published between January 2012 and December 2022, evaluating the effects on lipid and glucose metabolism of four MKIs (Cabozantinib, Lenvatinib, Sorafenib, and Vandetanib) in adult patients with cancer. We focused on drugs approved for thyroid malignancies, since a worse metabolic control may potentially impact life expectancy, due to their better overall survival rate. RESULTS As for glucose metabolism, the majority of the studies reported elevation of glucose levels (prevalence: 1-17%) with different grades of severity, including death. As for cholesterol, 12 studies reported worsening or new-onset hypercholesterolemia (prevalence: 4-40%). Finally, 19 studies reported different grades of hypertriglyceridemia (prevalence: 1-86%), sometimes leading to life-threatening events. CONCLUSIONS Despite some inherent limitations, our analysis may cast light upon some of the MKIs metabolic disorders that can impact on patients' health, especially when long-term survival is expected. Future clinical trials should consider routine assessment of glucose and lipid levels, because underdetection and underreporting of alterations can lead to the overlooking of important adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Acitelli
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Maiorca
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Grani
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Marianna Maranghi
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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12
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Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Review of New Advances with Focus on Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy. LIVERS 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/livers3010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
With an expected incidence of more than 1 million cases by 2025, liver cancer remains a problem for world health. With over 90% of cases, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent kind of liver cancer. In this review, we presented the range of experimental therapeutics for patients with advanced HCC, the successes and failures of new treatments, areas for future development, the evaluation of dose-limiting toxicity in different drugs, and the safety profile in patients with liver dysfunction related to the underlying chronic liver disease. In addition to the unmet demand for biomarkers to guide treatment decisions and the burgeoning fields of immunotherapy and systemic therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma, the development of old and new drugs, including their failures and current advancements, has been reviewed. This review aims to evaluate the updated optimal clinical treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinomas in clinical practice, mainly through targeted therapy. Although surgical treatment can significantly enhance the survival probability of early and intermediate-stage patients, it is unsuitable for most HCC patients due to a lack of donors. Due to their severe toxicity, the few first-line anti-HCC drugs, such as sorafenib, are often reserved for advanced HCC patients for whom other therapies have failed. The second-line drugs are usually alternatives for patients with intolerance or resistance. Consequently, the ongoing growth of possible preclinical drugs and studies on miRNAs, lncRNAs, and numerous other signaling pathway targets for developing novel drugs may introduce additional treatment prospects for HCC.
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13
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Wang M, Yao X, Bo Z, Zheng J, Yu H, Xie X, Lin Z, Wang Y, Chen G, Wu L. Synergistic Effect of Lenvatinib and Chemotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Preclinical Models. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2023; 10:483-495. [PMID: 37007211 PMCID: PMC10065123 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s395474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The current study aimed to evaluate the synergistic efficacy of lenvatinib and FOLFOX (infusional fluorouracil (FU), folinic acid, and oxaliplatin) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and PDX-derived organotypic spheroid (XDOTS) models in vivo and in vitro. Methods PDX and matched XDOTS models originating from three patients with HCC were established. All models were divided into four groups and treated with drugs alone or in combination. Tumor growth in the PDX models was measured and recorded, and angiogenesis and phosphorylation of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR2), rearranged during transfection (RET), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blot assays. The proliferative ability of XDOTS was evaluated through active staining and immunofluorescence staining, and the effect of the combined medication was evaluated using the Celltiter-Glo luminescent cell viability assay. Results Three PDX models with genetic characteristics similar to those of the original tumors were successfully established. Combining lenvatinib with FOLFOX led to a higher tumor growth inhibition rate than individual therapies (P < 0.01). Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the combined treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation and angiogenesis of PDX tissues (P < 0.05), and Western blot analysis showed that the combined treatment significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of VEGFR2, RET, and ERK compared with single-agent treatment. Additionally, all three matched XDOTS models were successfully cultured with satisfactory activity and proliferation, and the combined therapies led to better suppression of XDOTS growth compared with individual therapy (P < 0.05). Conclusion Lenvatinib combined with FOLFOX had a synergistic antitumor effect in HCC PDX and XDOTS models by inhibiting the phosphorylation of VEGFR, RET, and ERK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxun Wang
- Department of Ultrasonography, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinfei Yao
- The First Clinical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyuan Bo
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiuyi Zheng
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haitao Yu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaozai Xie
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zixia Lin
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lijun Wu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Lijun Wu; Gang Chen, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Fuxue Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 577 55579-453, Fax +86 577 55579-555, Email ;
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14
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Ren Y, Song Z, Rieser J, Ackermann J, Koch I, Lv X, Ji T, Cai X. USP15 Represses Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression by Regulation of Pathways of Cell Proliferation and Cell Migration: A System Biology Analysis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15051371. [PMID: 36900163 PMCID: PMC10000201 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15051371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) leads to 600,000 people's deaths every year. The protein ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 15 (USP15) is a ubiquitin-specific protease. The role of USP15 in HCC is still unclear. METHOD We studied the function of USP15 in HCC from the viewpoint of systems biology and investigated possible implications using experimental methods, such as real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blotting, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and next-generation sequencing (NGS). We investigated tissues samples of 102 patients who underwent liver resection between January 2006 and December 2010 at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (SRRSH). Tissue samples were immunochemically stained; a trained pathologist then scored the tissue by visual inspection, and we compared the survival data of two groups of patients by means of Kaplan-Meier curves. We applied assays for cell migration, cell growth, and wound healing. We studied tumor formation in a mouse model. RESULTS HCC patients (n = 26) with high expression of USP15 had a higher survival rate than patients (n = 76) with low expression. We confirmed a suppressive role of USP15 in HCC using in vitro and in vivo tests. Based on publicly available data, we constructed a PPI network in which 143 genes were related to USP15 (HCC genes). We combined the 143 HCC genes with results of an experimental investigation to identify 225 pathways that may be related simultaneously to USP15 and HCC (tumor pathways). We found the 225 pathways enriched in the functional groups of cell proliferation and cell migration. The 225 pathways determined six clusters of pathways in which terms such as signal transduction, cell cycle, gene expression, and DNA repair related the expression of USP15 to tumorigenesis. CONCLUSION USP15 may suppress tumorigenesis of HCC by regulating pathway clusters of signal transduction for gene expression, cell cycle, and DNA repair. For the first time, the tumorigenesis of HCC is studied from the viewpoint of the pathway cluster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyue Ren
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine and Innovation Center for Minimally Invasive Technique and Device, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Zhen Song
- Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Correspondence: (Z.S.); (T.J.); (X.C.)
| | - Jens Rieser
- Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörg Ackermann
- Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ina Koch
- Molecular Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Xingyu Lv
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine and Innovation Center for Minimally Invasive Technique and Device, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
| | - Tong Ji
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine and Innovation Center for Minimally Invasive Technique and Device, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
- Correspondence: (Z.S.); (T.J.); (X.C.)
| | - Xiujun Cai
- Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine and Innovation Center for Minimally Invasive Technique and Device, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China
- Correspondence: (Z.S.); (T.J.); (X.C.)
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15
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Wang J, Wu R, Sun JY, Lei F, Tan H, Lu X. An overview: Management of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Biosci Trends 2022; 16:405-425. [PMID: 36476621 DOI: 10.5582/bst.2022.01109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has constituted a significant health burden worldwide, and patients with advanced HCC, which is stage C as defined by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, have a poor overall survival of 6-8 months. Studies have indicated the significant survival benefit of treatment based on sorafenib, lenvatinib, or atezolizumab-bevacizumab with reliable safety. In addition, the combination of two or more molecularly targeted therapies (first- plus second-line) has become a hot topic recently and is now being extensively investigated in patients with advanced HCC. In addition, a few biomarkers have been investigated and found to predict drug susceptibility and prognosis, which provides an opportunity to evaluate the clinical benefits of current therapies. In addition, many therapies other than tyrosine kinase inhibitors that might have additional survival benefits when combined with other therapeutic modalities, including immunotherapy, transarterial chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation, hepatectomy, and chemotherapy, have also been examined. This review provides an overview on the current understanding of disease management and summarizes current challenges with and future perspectives on advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincheng Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rui Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin-Yu Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feifei Lei
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Huabing Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Liver Disease Laboratory, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaojie Lu
- Department of General Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Jiang L, Wang X, Ma F, Wang X, Shi M, Yan Q, Liu M, Chen J, Shi C, Guan XY. PITX2C increases the stemness features of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by up-regulating key developmental factors in liver progenitor. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:211. [PMID: 35765089 PMCID: PMC9238105 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02424-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Tumor cells exhibited phenotypic and molecular characteristics similar to their lineage progenitor cells. Liver developmental signaling pathways are showed to be associated with HCC development and oncogenesis. The similarities of expression profiling between liver progenitors (LPs) and HCC suggest that understanding the molecular mechanism during liver development could provide insights into HCC.
Methods
To profile the dynamic gene expression during liver development, cells from an in vitro liver differentiation model and two paired hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples were analyzed using deep RNA sequencing. The expression levels of selected genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Moreover, the role of a key transcription factor, pituitary homeobox 2 (PITX2), was characterized via in vitro and vivo functional assays. Furthermore, molecular mechanism studies were performed to unveil how PITX2C regulate the key developmental factors in LPs, thereby increasing the stemness of HCC.
Results
PITX2 was found to exhibit a similar expression pattern to specific markers of LPs. PITX2 consists of three isoforms (PITX2A/B/C). The expression of PITX2 is associated with tumor size and overall survival rate, whereas only PITX2C expression is associated with AFP and differentiation in clinical patients. PITX2A/B/C has distinct functions in HCC tumorigenicity. PITX2C promotes HCC metastasis, self-renewal and chemoresistance. Molecular mechanism studies showed that PITX2C could up-regulate RALYL which could enhance HCC stemness via the TGF-β pathway. Furthermore, ChIP assays confirmed the role of PITX2C in regulating key developmental factors in LP.
Conclusion
PITX2C is a newly discovered transcription factor involved in hepatic differentiation and could increase HCC stemness by upregulating key transcriptional factors related to liver development.
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Damaskos C, Garmpis N, Dimitroulis D, Garmpi A, Psilopatis I, Sarantis P, Koustas E, Kanavidis P, Prevezanos D, Kouraklis G, Karamouzis MV, Marinos G, Kontzoglou K, Antoniou EA. Targeted Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment: A New Era Ahead-A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214117. [PMID: 36430594 PMCID: PMC9698799 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most common malignancies and the third cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with surgery being the best prognostic tool. Among the well-known causative factors of HCC are chronic liver virus infections, chronic virus hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis virus C (HCV), aflatoxins, tobacco consumption, and non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD). There is a need for the development of efficient molecular markers and alternative therapeutic targets of great significance. In this review, we describe the general characteristics of HCC and present a variety of targeted therapies that resulted in progress in HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Damaskos
- Renal Transplantation Unit, Laiko General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-694-846-7790
| | - Nikolaos Garmpis
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Dimitroulis
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Anna Garmpi
- First Department of Propedeutic Internal Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Iason Psilopatis
- Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt—Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Panagiotis Sarantis
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Koustas
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Prodromos Kanavidis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Gregory Kouraklis
- Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Michail V. Karamouzis
- Molecular Oncology Unit, Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Marinos
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Kontzoglou
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Efstathios A. Antoniou
- Nikolaos Christeas Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Second Department of Propedeutic Surgery, Laiko General Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
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MiR-371a-5p Positively Associates with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Malignancy but Sensitizes Cancer Cells to Oxaliplatin by Suppressing BECN1-Dependent Autophagy. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12101651. [DOI: 10.3390/life12101651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxaliplatin (OXA)-based chemotherapy demonstrates active efficacy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while resistance development limits its clinical efficacy. Thus, identifying resistance-related molecules and underlying mechanisms contributes to improving the therapeutic efficacy of HCC patients. MicroRNA-371a-5p (MiR-371a-5p) fulfills an important function in tumor progression. However, little is known about the effect of miR-371a-5p on chemotherapy response. In this study, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to determine the expression levels of miR-371a-5p, BECN1 and autophagy-related proteins in HCC cells, tissues and serum. The luciferase reporter assay was used to assess the directly suppressive effect of miR-371a-5p on BECN1 mRNA translation. Moreover, gain- and loss-of-function assays and rescue assays were used to evaluate the mediated effect of BECN1-dependent autophagy on the role of miR-371a-5p in the response of HCC cells to OXA. We found that miR-371a-5p was significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues and serum from patients, whereas BECN1 protein was down-regulated in HCC tissues compared to the corresponding controls. We also found that there was a negative correlation between the two molecules in HCC tissues. In addition, we found that miR-371a-5p expression was positively associated with malignant characteristics of HCC and BECN1 protein expression is negatively associated. Contrary to this, we found that miR-371a-5p enhances and BECN1 attenuates the response of HCC cells to OXA. Importantly, the enhanced effect of miR-371a-5p on the response of HCC cells to OXA could be reduced by re-expression of non-targetable BECN1, and then the reduced effect was restored following bafilomycin A treatment. Taken together, we identified a dual role of miR-371a-5p in HCC malignant characteristics and the response of HCC cells to oxaliplatin. Importantly, we reveal that miR-371a-5p enhances oxaliplatin response by target suppression of BECN1-dependent autophagy.
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Li L, Wang X, Xu H, Liu X, Xu K. Perspectives and mechanisms for targeting ferroptosis in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:947208. [PMID: 36052168 PMCID: PMC9424770 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.947208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a novel process of regulated cell death discovered in recent years, mainly caused by intracellular lipid peroxidation. It is morphologically manifested as shrinking of mitochondria, swelling of cytoplasm and organelles, rupture of plasma membrane, and formation of double-membrane vesicles. Work done in the past 5 years indicates that induction of ferroptosis is a promising strategy in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). System xc-/GSH/GPX4, iron metabolism, p53 and lipid peroxidation pathways are the main focus areas in ferroptosis research. In this paper, we analyze the ferroptosis-inducing drugs and experimental agents that have been used in the last 5 years in the treatment of HCC. We summarize four different key molecular mechanisms that induce ferroptosis, i.e., system xc-/GSH/GPX4, iron metabolism, p53 and lipid peroxidation. Finally, we outline the prognostic analysis associated with ferroptosis in HCC. The findings summarized suggest that ferroptosis induction can serve as a promising new therapeutic approach for HCC and can provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and prevention of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanqing Li
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoqiang Wang, ; Kang Xu,
| | - Haiying Xu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Xianqiong Liu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | - Kang Xu
- Hubei Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Materia Medica Processing, College of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoqiang Wang, ; Kang Xu,
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20
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Brown ZJ, Hewitt DB, Pawlik TM. Experimental drug treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma: Clinical trial failures 2015 to 2021. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:693-706. [PMID: 35580650 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2079491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide with limited systemic therapy options. Since the approval of sorafenib in 2008, no systemic therapy has provided a sustained/robust/survival benefit for patients with advanced HCC until recently. Many initially promising therapies have been trialed, but survival outcomes remained stagnant. As such, knowledge concerning previous treatment failures may help guide further areas of study, as well inform future therapeutic approaches. AREA COVERED This article reviews recent advances in the treatment of HCC. Despite some recent success, many systemic and locoregional therapies have failed to produce significant improvements in outcome. These treatment failures are examined and insight into pathways for future success are discussed. EXPERT OPINION Combination atezolizumab and bevacizumab has changed the landscape of systemic treatment for patients with HCC when it became the first therapy after demonstrating improve outcomes over sorafenib. Clinical trials in patients with advanced HCC have inherent difficulty with challenges to determine if a patient's declining liver function is secondary to disease progression, worsening cirrhosis, or drug toxicity, which may skew results. As we gain more knowledge of underlying genetic alterations behind the pathophysiology of the development of HCC, molecular markers may be identified to assist in predicting which patients would respond to a specific therapy.
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21
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Tsvetkova D, Ivanova S. Application of Approved Cisplatin Derivatives in Combination Therapy against Different Cancer Diseases. Molecules 2022; 27:2466. [PMID: 35458666 PMCID: PMC9031877 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27082466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The problems with anticancer therapy are resistance and toxicity. From 3000 Cisplatin derivatives tested as antitumor agents, most of them have been rejected, due to toxicity. The aim of current study is the comparison of therapeutic combinations of the currently applied in clinical practice: Cisplatin, Carboplatin, Oxaliplatin, Nedaplatin, Lobaplatin, Heptaplatin, and Satraplatin. The literature data show that the strategies for the development of platinum anticancer agents and bypassing of resistance to Cisplatin derivatives and their toxicity are: combination therapy, Pt IV prodrugs, the targeted nanocarriers. The very important strategy for the improvement of the antitumor effect against different cancers is synergistic combination of Cisplatin derivatives with: (1) anticancer agents-Fluorouracil, Gemcitabine, Cytarabine, Fludarabine, Pemetrexed, Ifosfamide, Irinotecan, Topotecan, Etoposide, Amrubicin, Doxorubicin, Epirubicin, Vinorelbine, Docetaxel, Paclitaxel, Nab-Paclitaxel; (2) modulators of resistant mechanisms; (3) signaling protein inhibitors-Erlotinib; Bortezomib; Everolimus; (4) and immunotherapeutic drugs-Atezolizumab, Avelumab, Bevacizumab, Cemiplimab, Cetuximab, Durvalumab, Erlotinib, Imatinib, Necitumumab, Nimotuzumab, Nivolumab, Onartuzumab, Panitumumab, Pembrolizumab, Rilotumumab, Trastuzumab, Tremelimumab, and Sintilimab. An important approach for overcoming the drug resistance and reduction of toxicity of Cisplatin derivatives is the application of nanocarriers (polymers and liposomes), which provide improved targeted delivery, increased intracellular penetration, selective accumulation in tumor tissue, and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. The advantages of combination therapy are maximum removal of tumor cells in different phases; prevention of resistance; inhibition of the adaptation of tumor cells and their mutations; and reduction of toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dobrina Tsvetkova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Sofia, Dunav Str. 2, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Stefka Ivanova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University-Pleven, Kliment Ohridski Str. 1, 5800 Pleven, Bulgaria;
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22
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Song S, Bai M, Li X, Gong S, Yang W, Lei C, Tian H, Si M, Hao X, Guo T. Early Predictive Value of Circulating Biomarkers for Sorafenib in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2022; 22:361-378. [PMID: 35234564 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2022.2049248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sorafenib is currently the first-line therapeutic regimen for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, many patients did not experience any benefit and suffered extreme adverse events and heavy economic burden. Thus, the early identification of patients who are most likely to benefit from sorafenib is needed. AREAS COVERED This review focused on the clinical application of circulating biomarkers (including conventional biomarkers, immune biomarkers, genetic biomarkers, and some novel biomarkers) in advanced HCC patients treated with sorafenib. An online search on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library was conducted from the inception to Aug 15, 2021. Studies investigating the predictive or prognostic value of these biomarkers were included. EXPERT OPINION The distinction of patients who may benefit from sorafenib treatment is of utmost importance. The predictive roles of circulating biomarkers could solve this problem. Many biomarkers can be obtained by liquid biopsy, which is a less or non-invasive approach. The short half-life of sorafenib could reflect the dynamic changes of tumor progression and monitor the treatment response. Circulating biomarkers obtained from liquid biopsy resulted as a promising assessment method in HCC, allowing for better treatment decisions in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoming Song
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of General Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mingzhen Bai
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Li
- Department of General Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shiyi Gong
- Department of General Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenwen Yang
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Caining Lei
- Department of General Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Hongwei Tian
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Department of General Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, and Precision Medicine of Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Moubo Si
- Department of General Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, and Precision Medicine of Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiangyong Hao
- Department of General Surgery, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, and Precision Medicine of Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tiankang Guo
- The First Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, and Precision Medicine of Surgical Oncology in Gansu Province, Lanzhou, China
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23
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Fan Y, Xue H, Zheng H. Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Updates and Outlook. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2022; 9:233-263. [PMID: 35388357 PMCID: PMC8977221 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s358082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has emerged the culprit of cancer-related mortality worldwide with its dismal prognosis climbing. In recent years, ground-breaking progress has been made in systemic therapy for HCC. Targeted therapy based on specific signaling molecules, including sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab, has been widely used for advanced HCC (aHCC). Immunotherapies such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab greatly improve the survival of aHCC patients. More recently, synergistic combination therapy has boosted first-line (atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab) and second-line (ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab) therapeutic modalities for aHCC. This review aims to summarize recent updates of systemic therapy relying on the biological mechanisms of HCC, particularly highlighting the approved agents for aHCC. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy, as well as a combination with locoregional therapies (LRTs), are also discussed. Additionally, we describe the promising effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as systemic therapy on HCC. In this setting, the challenges and future directions of systemic therapy for HCC are also explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinjie Fan
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110847, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hang Xue
- Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huachuan Zheng
- Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Huachuan Zheng, Department of Oncology and Experimental Center, the Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-0314-2279458, Fax +86-0314-2279458, Email
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24
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Mei J, Lin W, Li S, Tang Y, Ye Z, Lu L, Wen Y, Kan A, Zou J, Yu C, Wei W, Guo R. Long noncoding RNA TINCR facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma progression and dampens chemosensitivity to oxaliplatin by regulating the miR-195-3p/ST6GAL1/NF-κB pathway. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:5. [PMID: 34980201 PMCID: PMC8722212 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02197-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) have an essential role in progression and chemoresistance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In-depth study of specific regulatory mechanisms is of great value in providing potential therapeutic targets. The present study aimed to explore the regulatory functions and mechanisms of lncRNA TINCR in HCC progression and oxaliplatin response. Methods The expression of TINCR in HCC tissues and cell lines was detected by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and chemosensitivity were evaluated by cell counting kit 8 (CCK8), colony formation, transwell, and apoptosis assays. Luciferase reporter assays and RNA pulldown were used to identify the interaction between TINCR and ST6 beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase 1 (ST6GAL1) via miR-195-3p. The corresponding functions were verified in the complementation test and in vivo animal experiment. Results TINCR was upregulated in HCC and associated with poor patient prognosis. Silencing TINCR inhibited HCC proliferation, migration, invasion, and oxaliplatin resistance while overexpressing TINCR showed opposite above-mentioned functions. Mechanistically, TINCR acted as a competing endogenous (ceRNA) to sponge miR-195-3p, relieving its repression on ST6GAL1, and activated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. The mouse xenograft experiment further verified that knockdown TINCR attenuated tumor progression and oxaliplatin resistance in vivo. Conclusions Our finding indicated that there existed a TINCR/miR-195-3p/ST6GAL1/NF-κB signaling regulatory axis that regulated tumor progression and oxaliplatin resistance, which might be exploited for anticancer therapy in HCC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-02197-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Mei
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenping Lin
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Li
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhao Tang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zhiwei Ye
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lianghe Lu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhua Wen
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Anna Kan
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jingwen Zou
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengyou Yu
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Rongping Guo
- Department of Liver Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
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25
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Hao X, Sun G, Zhang Y, Kong X, Rong D, Song J, Tang W, Wang X. Targeting Immune Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment of HCC: New Opportunities and Challenges. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:775462. [PMID: 34869376 PMCID: PMC8633569 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.775462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune associated cells in the microenvironment have a significant impact on the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and have received more and more attention. Different types of immune-associated cells play different roles, including promoting/inhibiting HCC and several different types that are controversial. It is well known that immune escape of HCC has become a difficult problem in tumor therapy. Therefore, in recent years, a large number of studies have focused on the immune microenvironment of HCC, explored many mechanisms worth identifying tumor immunosuppression, and developed a variety of immunotherapy methods as targets, laying the foundation for the final victory in the fight against HCC. This paper reviews recent studies on the immune microenvironment of HCC that are more reliable and important, and provides a more comprehensive view of the investigation of the immune microenvironment of HCC and the development of more immunotherapeutic approaches based on the relevant summaries of different immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopei Hao
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guangshun Sun
- Department of General Surgery, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangyi Kong
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dawei Rong
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinhua Song
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiwei Tang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuehao Wang
- Hepatobiliary Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Key Laboratory of Liver Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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26
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Fu S, Lai H, Huang M, Li Q, Liu Y, Zhang J, Huang J, Chen X, Duan C, Li X, Wang T, He X, Yan J, Lu L. Multi-task deep learning network to predict future macrovascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma. EClinicalMedicine 2021; 42:101201. [PMID: 34917908 PMCID: PMC8668827 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Models predicting future macrovascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma are constructed to assist timely interventions. METHODS A total of 366 HCC cases were retrospectively collected from five Chinese hospitals between April 2007 and November 2016: the training dataset comprised 281 patients from four hospitals; the external validation dataset comprised 85 patients from another hospital. Multi-task deep learning network-based models were constructed to predict future macrovascular invasion. The discrimination, calibration, and decision curves were compared to identify the best model. We compared the time to macrovascular invasion and overall survival using the best model and related image heterogeneity scores (H-score). Then, we determined the need for a segmentation subnet or the replacement deep learning algorithm by logistic regression in screening clinical/radiological factors. Finally, an applet was constructed for future application. FINDINGS The best model combined clinical/radiological factors and radiomic features. It achieved best discrimination (areas under the curve: 0·877 in the training dataset and 0·836 in the validation dataset), calibration, and decision curve. Its performance was not affected by the treatments and disease stages. The subgroups had statistical significance for time to macrovascular invasion (training: hazard ratio [HR] = 0·073, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0·032-0·167, p < 0·001 and validation: HR = 0·090, 95%CI: 0·022-0·366, p < 0·001) and overall survival (training: HR = 0·344, 95%CI: 0·246-0·547, p < 0·001 and validation: HR = 0·489, 95%CI: 0·279 - 0·859, p = 0·003). Similar results were achieved when the patients were subdivided by the H-score. The subnet for segmentation and end-to-end deep learning algorithms improved the performance of the model. INTERPRETATION Our multi-task deep learning network-based model successfully predicted future macrovascular invasion. In high-risk populations, besides the current first-line treatments, more therapies may be explored for macrovascular invasion.
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Key Words
- AUC, AUC areas under curve
- BCLC, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer
- CI, confidence interval
- CT, computed tomography
- Clinical factors
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HR, hazard ratio
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- IDI, integrated discrimination improvement
- MTnet, multi-task deep learning neural network
- Macrovascular invasion
- Multi-task deep learning
- NRI, net reclassification improvement
- OS, overall survival
- PD, disease progression
- ROC, receiver operating characteristic
- Radiological characteristics
- TACE, transarterial chemoembolization
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirui Fu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai hospital affiliated to Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Haoran Lai
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Meiyan Huang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Image Processing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Province Engineering Laboratory for Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Technology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Corresponding author: Prof. Meiyan Huang, School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, No. 1023-1063 Shatai Road, 510515 Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, Tel.: +86-020-62789343
| | - Qiyang Li
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yao Liu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai hospital affiliated to Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Jiawei Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianwen Huang
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai hospital affiliated to Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
| | - Xiumei Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chongyang Duan
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqun Li
- Department of Interventional Treatment, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofeng He
- Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment Department, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianfeng Yan
- Department of Radiology, Yangjiang People's hospital, Yangjiang, China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai hospital affiliated to Jinan University), Zhuhai, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Co-corresponding author: Prof. Ligong Lu, Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai hospital affiliated with Jinan University), No. 79 Kangning Road, 519000 Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China; Tel.: +86-0756-2158211
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27
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Sun F, Liu Y, Gong T, Pan Q, Xiang T, Zhao J, Tang Y, Chen H, Han Y, Song M, Huang Y, Li H, Chen Y, Yang C, Yang J, Wang Q, Li Y, He J, Weng D, Peng R, Xia J. Inhibition of DTYMK significantly restrains the growth of HCC and increases sensitivity to oxaliplatin. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:1093. [PMID: 34795209 PMCID: PMC8602592 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04375-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are in the middle or advanced stage at the time of diagnosis, and the therapeutic effect is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to verify whether deoxythymidylate kinase (DTYMK) increased in HCC and was an effective therapeutic target in HCC. The findings revealed that the DTYMK level significantly increased and correlated with poor prognosis in HCC. However, nothing else is known, except that DTYMK could catalyze the phosphorylation of deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP) to form deoxythymidine diphosphate (dTDP). A number of experiments were performed to study the function of DTYMK in vitro and in vivo to resolve this knowledge gap. The knockdown of DTYMK was found to significantly inhibit the growth of HCC and increase the sensitivity to oxaliplatin, which is commonly used in HCC treatment. Moreover, DTYMK was found to competitively combine with miR-378a-3p to maintain the expression of MAPK activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2) and thus activate the phospho-heat shock protein 27 (phospho-HSP27)/nuclear factor NF-kappaB (NF-κB) axis, which mediated the drug resistance, proliferation of tumor cells, and infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages by inducing the expression of C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5). Thus, this study demonstrated a new mechanism and provided a new insight into the role of mRNA in not only encoding proteins to regulate the process of life but also regulating the expression of other genes and tumor microenvironment through the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengze Sun
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tingting Gong
- Department of Ultrasound, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiuzhong Pan
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tong Xiang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Tang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yulong Han
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mengjia Song
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yue Huang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Han Li
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chaopin Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jieying Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qijing Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongqiang Li
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jia He
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Desheng Weng
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruiqing Peng
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jianchuan Xia
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Hsu SJ, Xu X, Chen MP, Zhao ZY, Wang Y, Yin X, Zhang L, Ge NL, Chen Y, Wang YH, Luo JF, Ren ZG, Chen RX. Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy with Modified FOLFOX as an Alternative Treatment Option in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Failed or Unsuitability for Transarterial Chemoembolization. Acad Radiol 2021; 28 Suppl 1:S157-S166. [PMID: 33653656 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2021.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with modified FOLFOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) as an alternative treatment option in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with failed or unsuitability for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2018 to January 2020, 87 advanced HCC patients who progressed on TACE or were not eligible for TACE received HAIC treatment with modified FOLFOX. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) and secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), tumor response assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1, and adverse events graded according to CTCAE 5.0. Based on prognostic factors determined by multivariate analysis, a nomogram was developed to predict patient survival. RESULTS The median OS and PFS were 9.0 months (95%CI 7.6-10.4) and 3.7 months (95%CI 3.1-4.3), respectively. The objective response rate was 13.8%, with a disease control rate of 48.3%. Grade 3 adverse events were observed, such as infection (9.2%), thrombocytopenia (5.7%), hyperbilirubinemia (3.4%), abdominal pain (2.3%) and alanine aminotransferase increase (2.3%). Albumin, AST, and extrahepatic metastasis were incorporated to construct a new nomogram that could stratify patients into three prognostic subgroups, including low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, with significant differences in 9-month OS rates (71%, 42% and 6%, respectively; p< 0.001). The nomogram was better than the Okuda, AJCC, and CLIP staging systems for OS prediction. CONCLUSION These findings support the feasibility of HAIC with modified FOLFOX as an alternative treatment strategy for advanced HCC when TACE is ineffective or unsuitable.
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Moldogazieva NT, Zavadskiy SP, Sologova SS, Mokhosoev IM, Terentiev AA. Predictive biomarkers for systemic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2021; 21:1147-1164. [PMID: 34582293 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2021.1987217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and the third cancer-related cause of death worldwide. In recent years, several systemic therapy drugs including sorafenib, lenvatinib, regorafenib, cabozantinib, ramucicurab, nivilumab, and pembrolizumab have been approved by FDA for advanced HCC. However, their insufficient efficacy, toxicity, and drug resistance require clinically applicable and validated predictive biomarkers.Areas covered: Our review covers the recent advancements in the identification of proteomic/genomic/epigenomic/transcriptomic biomarkers for predicting HCC treatment efficacy with the use of multi-kinase inhibitors (MKIs), CDK4/6 inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Alpha-fetoprotein, des-carboxyprothrombin, vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin-2, and dysregulated MTOR, VEGFR2, c-KIT, RAF1, PDGFRβ have the potential of proteomic/genomic biomarkers for sorafenib treatment. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and albumin-bilirubin grade can predict the efficacy of other MKIs. Rb, p16, and Ki-67, and genes involved in cell cycle regulation, CDK1-4, CCND1, CDKN1A, and CDKN2A have been proposed for CD4/6 inhibitors, while dysregulated TERT, CTNNB1, TP53 FGF19, and TP53 are found to be predictors for ICI efficacy.Expert opinion: There are still limited clinically applicable and validated predictive biomarkers to identify HCC patients who benefit from systemic therapy. Further prospective biomarker validation studies for HCC personalized systemic therapy are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurbubu T Moldogazieva
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Institute of Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University);, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey P Zavadskiy
- Department of Pharmacology, Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russia, Russia
| | - Susanna S Sologova
- Department of Pharmacology, Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.m. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Russia, Russia
| | - Innokenty M Mokhosoev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, N.i. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander A Terentiev
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, N.i. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
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30
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Fu S, Pan M, Zhang J, Zhang H, Tang Z, Li Y, Mu W, Huang J, Dong D, Duan C, Li X, Wang S, Chen X, He X, Yan J, Lu L, Tian J. Deep Learning-Based Prediction of Future Extrahepatic Metastasis and Macrovascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Hepatocell Carcinoma 2021; 8:1065-1076. [PMID: 34513748 PMCID: PMC8427842 DOI: 10.2147/jhc.s319639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose For timely treatment of extrahepatic metastasis and macrovascular invasion (aggressive progressive disease [PD]) in hepatocellular carcinoma, models aimed at stratifying the risks of subsequent aggressive PD should be constructed. Patients and Methods After dividing 332 patients from five hospitals into training (n = 236) and validation (n = 96) datasets, non-invasive models, including clinical/semantic factors (ModelCS), deep learning radiomics (ModelD), and both (ModelCSD), were constructed to stratify patients according to the risk of aggressive PD. We examined the discrimination and calibration; similarly, we plotted a decision curve and devised a nomogram. Furthermore, we performed analyses of subgroups who received different treatments or those in different disease stages and compared time to aggressive PD and overall survival in the high- and low-risk subgroups. Results Among the constructed models, ModelCSD, combining clinical/semantic factors and deep learning radiomics, outperformed ModelCS and ModelD (areas under the curve [AUCs] for the training dataset: 0.741, 0.815, and 0.856; validation dataset: 0.780, 0.836, and 0.862), with statistical difference per the net reclassification improvement, the integrated discrimination improvement, and/or the DeLong test in both datasets. Besides, ModelCSD had the best calibration and decision curves. The performance of ModelCSD was not affected by treatment types (AUC: resection = 0.839; transarterial chemoembolization = 0.895; p = 0.183) or disease stages (AUC: BCLC [Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer] stage 0 and A = 0.827; BCLC stage AB &B = 0.861; p = 0.537). Moreover, the high-risk group had a significantly shorter median time to aggressive PD than the low-risk group (training dataset hazard ratio [HR] = 0.108, p < 0.001; validation dataset HR = 0.058, p < 0.001) and poorer overall survival (training dataset HR = 0.357, p < 0.001; validation dataset HR = 0.204, p < 0.001). Conclusion Our deep learning-based model successfully stratified the risks of aggressive PD. In the high-risk population, current guideline indicates that first-line treatments are insufficient to prevent extrahepatic metastasis and macrovascular invasion and ensure survival benefits, so more therapies may be explored for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirui Fu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, People's Republic of China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Meiqing Pan
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Big Data-Based Precision Medicine (Beihang University), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenchao Tang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Big Data-Based Precision Medicine (Beihang University), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Li
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Mu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Big Data-Based Precision Medicine (Beihang University), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianwen Huang
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, People's Republic of China
| | - Di Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chongyang Duan
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqun Li
- Department of Interventional Treatment, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xudong Chen
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofeng He
- Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment Department, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianfeng Yan
- Department of Radiology, Yangjiang People's Hospital, Yangjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ligong Lu
- Zhuhai Interventional Medical Centre, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Hospital Affiliated with Jinan University), Zhuhai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Tian
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, The State Key Laboratory of Management and Control for Complex Systems, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Big Data-Based Precision Medicine (Beihang University), Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Efficacy of Sorafenib Combined with Interventional Therapy on Primary Liver Cancer Patients and Its Effect on Serum AFP, VEGF, and GGT. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2021; 2021:9120265. [PMID: 34434234 PMCID: PMC8382533 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9120265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective To explore the efficacy of sorafenib combined with interventional therapy on primary liver cancer (PLC) patients and its effect on serum AFP, VEGF, and GGT. Methods 120 PLC patients admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to January 2020 were selected as the research object and divided into group A and group B according to the admission order, with 60 cases each. Interventional therapy was performed to both groups, and sorafenib was given to group A additionally to compare their treatment effect, survival, adverse reaction rate (ARR), and serum AFP, VEGF, and GGT levels. Results After treatment, group A obtained significantly higher objective remission rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) (p < 0.05), higher one-year survival rate and two-year survival rate (p < 0.05), lower ARR of skin reactions, gastrointestinal reactions, hepatorenal reactions, and hyperbilirubinemia (p < 0.05), and lower serum AFP, VEGF, and GGT levels (p < 0.001). Conclusion The combination of sorafenib and interventional therapy can inhibit the growth and migration of PLC, improve the immune function, prolong the survival period of patients, and lower ARR, so it should be promoted in practice.
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Hu Y, Zhao Z, Li S, Xu X, Xie Y, Yan D, Zou Y, Liu H. Investigation of the Physical Properties and Clinical Application of Embosphere Microspheres. Chemotherapy 2021; 66:139-155. [PMID: 34344008 DOI: 10.1159/000517680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to understand physical characteristics of Embosphere microspheres for the clinical use of microsphere chemotherapy embolization of liver cancer. METHODS The morphology of Embosphere microspheres in different states, including static, oscillating, and in a magnetic field was observed with the naked eye. Ninety-five patients diagnosed with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were separated into 3 groups based on the types of embolic material as follows: 32 cases of sole microspheres, 34 cases of iodinated oil (17 cases with additional application of gelatin sponge particle), and 29 cases of iodinated oil + Embosphere microspheres. RESULTS The diameter of the microspheres ranged from 100 to 300 μm, with a sedimentation rate υ = 0.0375 cm/s in physiological saline. The diameter of microspheres ranged from 300 to 500 μm, with a sedimentation rate υ = 0.1875 cm/s. The swelling rate of microspheres was 90%. Microspheres showed nondirectional movement in a 1.5- or 3.0-T magnetic field during magnetic resonance imaging. A volumetric ratio of 1:1.4-1:1.5 between microspheres and contrast agent resulted in optimal suspension properties. Microspheres appeared circular with a smooth surface upon water adsorption. Microsphere embolism was observable in blood vessels of pathological sections. The surface of microspheres can adsorb 5-fluorouracil and arsenic trioxide. There are statistically significant differences in local-regional tumor control conditions among patients treated with sole microspheres, iodinated oil, and iodinated oil + microspheres during transarterial chemoembolization. CONCLUSIONS Embosphere microspheres can be used to embolize patients with rupture and hemorrhage of HCC. Embosphere microsphere embolization is superior to iodinated oil and iodinated oil + microsphere for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinbao Hu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Panzhihua Central Hospital, Panzhihua, China
| | - Zhangping Zhao
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Panzhihua Central Hospital, Panzhihua, China
| | - Songwei Li
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Xingming Xu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Panzhihua Central Hospital, Panzhihua, China
| | - Ying Xie
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Panzhihua Central Hospital, Panzhihua, China
| | - Dong Yan
- Department of Interventional Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China
| | - Youjian Zou
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Panzhihua Central Hospital, Panzhihua, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Panzhihua Central Hospital, Panzhihua, China
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Palmieri LJ, Dermine S, Coriat R. Potential Areas of Interest in a Trial of Sorafenib Plus Hepatic Arterial Infusion of Oxaliplatin, Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin for Hepatocellular Carcinoma. JAMA Oncol 2021; 5:1805-1806. [PMID: 31600364 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.4052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lola-Jade Palmieri
- Department of Gastroenterology, Cochin Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Solène Dermine
- Department of Gastroenterology, Cochin Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Romain Coriat
- Department of Gastroenterology, Cochin Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
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Chen S, Du Y, Xu B, Li Q, Yang L, Jiang Z, Zeng Z, Chen L. Vaccinia-related kinase 2 blunts sorafenib's efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma by disturbing the apoptosis-autophagy balance. Oncogene 2021; 40:3378-3393. [PMID: 33875785 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01780-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy with limited treatment options. Sorafenib is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved first-line targeted drug for the treatment of advanced HCC. However, its effect on patient survival is limited. Recently, studies have demonstrated that the imbalance between apoptosis and autophagy plays a critical role in chemoresistance, and it is hypothesised that restoring the balance between these processes is a potential treatment strategy for improving chemoresistance in cancer. However, there is currently no evidence supporting this hypothesis. We aimed to investigate if vaccinia-related kinase 2 (VRK2), a serine/threonine protein kinase, confers sorafenib resistance in HCC cells. Here, we found that VRK2 was enriched in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and patient-derived xenografts. Both in vivo and in vitro evidences showed that VRK2 blunts the efficacy of sorafenib against hepatocellular carcinoma by disturbing the balance between apoptosis and autophagy. Mechanistically, VRK2 promotes the phosphorylation of Bcl-2 by activating JNK1/MAPK8, thereby enhancing the dissociation of Bcl-2 from Beclin-1 and promoting the formation of the Beclin-1-Atg14-Vps34 complex, which facilitates autophagy. Furthermore, VRK2-induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 promotes the interaction of Bcl-2 with BAX, thereby inhibiting apoptosis. In conclusion, targeting VRK2 for modulation of the balance between autophagy and apoptosis may be a novel strategy for overcoming sorafenib resistance in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sisi Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yunyan Du
- Department of Medical, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Department of Burns, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Le Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zi Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhaoxia Zeng
- Department of Radiology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Leifeng Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
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Huang G, Li L, Liang C, Yu F, Teng C, Pang Y, Wei T, Song J, Wang H, Liao X, Li Y, Yang J. Upregulated UCA1 contributes to oxaliplatin resistance of hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibition of miR-138-5p and activation of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2021; 9:e00720. [PMID: 33565716 PMCID: PMC7874507 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) inevitably developed oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance after long-term treatment, but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we found that LncRNA UCA1 was upregulated in most of OXA-resistant HCC tissues and cells (HepG2/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA). Follow-up analysis and online Kaplan-Meier Plotter revealed that HCC patients with high UCA1 level had a shorter survival compared with those with low expression. Overexpression of UCA1 increased OXA IC50 in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells, whereas knockdown of UCA1 decreased OXA IC50 in resistant counterparts. Moreover, dual luciferase reporter assay showed that co-transfection of UCA1-WT plasmid with miR-138-5p mimics enhanced fluorescence signals, whereas co-transfection of UCA1-Mut plasmid and miR-138-5p mimics did not induce any changes. Consistently, UCA1 levels in HepG2/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA cells were downregulated after transfected with miR-138-5p mimics. UCA1 silencing or transfection of miR-138-5p mmics inhibited the activation of AKT and mTOR in HepG2/OXA and SMMC-7721/OXA cells, whereas UCA1 overexpression increased the phosphorylated AKT and mTOR levels in parental counterparts. Rapamycin or miR-138-5p mimics similarly suppressed the activation of AKT and mTOR, whereas UCA1 overexpression exert opposite roles. Interestingly, administration of rapamycin or miR-138-5p mimics apparently antagonized the effects of UCA1 on AKT and mTOR activation. Besides, depletion of UCA1 triggered more dramatic regression of HepG2 xenografts than that of HepG2/OXA xenografts with OXA treatment and impaired the p-AKT and p-mTOR levels in vivo. In conclusion, our findings provide the evidence that UCA1 may contribute to OXA resistance via miR-138-5p-mediated AK /mTOR activation, suggesting that UCA1 is a potential therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guolin Huang
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Li Li
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Chaoyong Liang
- Department of ChemotherapyAffiliated Cancer HospitalGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Cuifang Teng
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Yingxing Pang
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Tongtong Wei
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Jinjing Song
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Hanlin Wang
- Department of Internal MedicineFirst Affiliated HospitalGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoli Liao
- Department of ChemotherapyAffiliated Cancer HospitalGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Yongqiang Li
- Department of ChemotherapyAffiliated Cancer HospitalGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of PharmacologySchool of PharmacyGuangxi Medical UniversityNanningGuangxiPeople’s Republic of China
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Yang J, Eresen A, Scotti A, Cai K, Zhang Z. Combination of NK-based immunotherapy and sorafenib against hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:337-349. [PMID: 33575075 PMCID: PMC7868752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent malignancy of the liver, which is considered the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Liver transplant and surgical resection are curative treatments for HCC, but only 10-15% of HCC patients are eligible candidates. The FDA-approved sorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor systemic therapy for advanced HCC that extends the overall survival by over 3 months when compared with placebo. Adoptive transfer of Natural Killer (NK) cells holds great promise for clinical cancer treatment. However, only limited clinical benefit has been achieved in cancer patients. Therefore, there is currently considerable interest in development of the combination of sorafenib and NK cells for the treatment of HCC patients. However, the mechanism of how sorafenib affects the function of NK cells remains to be comprehensively clarified. In this paper, we will discuss NK cell-based immunotherapies that are currently under preclinical and clinical investigation and its potential combination with sorafenib for improving the survival of HCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Yang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Aydin Eresen
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Alessandro Scotti
- Department of Radiology, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Kejia Cai
- Department of Radiology, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at ChicagoChicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Zhuoli Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern UniversityChicago, IL, 60611, USA
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Jilek JL, Tu MJ, Zhang C, Yu AM. Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Factors Contribute to Synergism between Let-7c-5p and 5-Fluorouracil in Inhibiting Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Viability. Drug Metab Dispos 2020; 48:1257-1263. [PMID: 33051247 PMCID: PMC7684025 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.120.000207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological interventions for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are hindered by complex factors, and rational combination therapy may be developed to improve therapeutic outcomes. Very recently, we have identified a bioengineered microRNA let-7c-5p (or let-7c) agent as an effective inhibitor against HCC in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we sought to identify small-molecule drugs that may synergistically act with let-7c against HCC. Interestingly, we found that let-7c exhibited a strong synergism with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the inhibition of HCC cell viability as manifested by average combination indices of 0.3 and 0.5 in Hep3B and Huh7 cells, respectively. By contrast, coadministration of let-7c with doxorubicin or sorafenib inhibited HCC cell viability with, rather surprisingly, no or minimal synergy. Further studies showed that protein levels of multidrug resistance–associated protein (MRP) ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 5 (MRP5/ABCC5), a 5-FU efflux transporter, were reduced around 50% by let-7c in HCC cells. This led to a greater degree of intracellular accumulation of 5-FU in Huh7 cells as well as the second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate, an endogenous substrate of MRP5. Since 5-FU is an irreversible inhibitor of thymidylate synthetase (TS), we investigated the interactions of let-7c with 5-FU at pharmacodynamic level. Interestingly, our data revealed that let-7c significantly reduced TS protein levels in Huh7 cells, which was associated with the suppression of upstream transcriptional factors as well as other regulatory factors. Collectively, these results indicate that let-7c interacts with 5-FU at both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic levels, and these findings shall offer insight into molecular mechanisms of synergistic drug combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Jilek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Mei-Juan Tu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Chao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
| | - Ai-Ming Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California
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Chen T, Dai X, Dai J, Ding C, Zhang Z, Lin Z, Hu J, Lu M, Wang Z, Qi Y, Zhang L, Pan R, Zhao Z, Lu L, Liao W, Lu X. AFP promotes HCC progression by suppressing the HuR-mediated Fas/FADD apoptotic pathway. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:822. [PMID: 33009373 PMCID: PMC7532541 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03030-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is reactivated in a majority of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and associated with poor patient outcomes. Although increasing evidence has shown that AFP can regulate HCC cell growth, the precise functions of AFP in hepatocarcinogenesis and the associated underlying mechanism remain incompletely understood. In this study, we demostrated that depleting AFP significantly suppressed diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver tumor progression in an AFP gene-deficient mouse model. Similarly, knocking down AFP expression inhibited human HCC cell proliferation and tumor growth by inducing apoptosis. AFP expression level was inversely associated with the apoptotic rate in mouse and human HCC specimens. Investigation of potential cross-talk between AFP and apoptotic signaling revealed that AFP exerted its growth-promoting effect by suppressing the Fas/FADD-mediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Mechanistically, AFP bound to the RNA-binding protein HuR, increasing the accumulation of HuR in the cytoplasm and subsequent inhibition of Fas mRNA translation. In addition, we found that inhibiting AFP enhanced the cytotoxicity of therapeutics to AFP-positive HCC cells by activating HuR-mediated Fas/FADD apoptotic signaling. Conclusion: Our study defined the pro-oncogenic role of AFP in HCC progression and uncovered a novel antiapoptotic mechanism connecting AFP to HuR-mediated Fas translation. Our findings suggest that AFP is involved in the pathogenesis and chemosensitivity of HCC and that blockade of AFP may be a promising strategy to treat advanced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianke Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaowei Dai
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Juji Dai
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chaodong Ding
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ziqi Lin
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jin Hu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Mei Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhanyu Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yalei Qi
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Rulu Pan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhu Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Liting Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wanqin Liao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xincheng Lu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, 325035, Wenzhou, China.
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Yan H, Wang G, Zhu W, Feng K, Zhu W, Wu X, Qiu Z, Chen G, Jiang W, Zhang F, Gao F. Feasibility and clinical value of TIPS combined with subsequent antitumor treatment in HCC patients with refractory ascites. Transl Oncol 2020; 13:100864. [PMID: 32950928 PMCID: PMC7509227 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2020.100864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Currently, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with refractory ascites (RA) have a very poor prognosis, and there are no effective treatments recommended by the guidelines. A treatment strategy that utilizes a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) combined with subsequent antitumor treatment is explored in this study for its feasibility and clinical value. Methods One month after TIPS, the ascites grade and Child-Pugh scores and stages were reassessed to compare changes in the preoperative indicators. Results A total of 68 patients from 3 centers were enrolled. After TIPS, the following results were obtained: a complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or absent RA response (AR) of 38 [55.9%], 21 [30.9%], and 9 [13.2%], respectively. The control of RA was 86.8%. The median Child–Pugh scores prior to TIPS and one month after TIPS were 8 (IQR 7–9) and 7 (IQR 6–8), respectively. The down, unchanged, and elevated Child–Pugh stages were 26 [38.2%], 36 [53.0%], and 6 [8.8%], respectively. The postoperative Child–Pugh scores were significantly lower than the preoperative (p < 0.001). 92.6% (63/61) of the patients received subsequent anti-tumor treatment opportunities. The median overall survival (OS) was 8.7 (range, 0.4–49.6) months. The lower postoperative Child-Pugh stage(p = 0.001), downward change of the Child-Pugh stage(p = 0.027), and downward change of the Child-Pugh score (p = 0.002) were independent protected prognostic factors for OS. Conclusion As a minimally invasive method, TIPS can effectively control ascites and improve Child–Pugh scores and stages. TIPS combined with subsequent anti-tumor therapy is a feasible and effective management for HCC patients with RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huzheng Yan
- Department of Minimally Invasive & Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Guobao Wang
- Department of Endoscopy, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China..
| | - Wenliang Zhu
- Department of Minimally Invasive & Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Kai Feng
- Department of Radiology, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenke Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuan Wu
- Vascular&Tumor Intervention Department, Dongguan Kanghua Hospital, Dongguan, China
| | - Zhenkang Qiu
- Department of Minimally Invasive & Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Guanyu Chen
- Department of Minimally Invasive & Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Weiwei Jiang
- Department of Minimally Invasive & Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Fujun Zhang
- Department of Minimally Invasive & Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Minimally Invasive & Interventional Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road, East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
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40
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Chen Z, Xie H, Hu M, Huang T, Hu Y, Sang N, Zhao Y. Recent progress in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:2993-3036. [PMID: 33042631 PMCID: PMC7539784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In the past decade, there have been improvements in non-drug therapies and drug therapies for HCC treatment. Non-drug therapies include hepatic resection, liver transplantation, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and ablation. The former two surgical treatments are beneficial for patients with early and mid-stage HCC. As the first choice for non-surgical treatment, different TACE methods has been developed and widely used in combination therapy. Ablation has become an important alternative therapy for the treatment of small HCC or cases of unresectable surgery. Meanwhile, the drugs including small molecule targeted drugs like sorafenib and lenvatinib, monoclonal antibodies such as nivolumab are mainly used for the systematic treatment of advanced HCC. Besides strategies described above are recommended as first-line therapies due to their significant increase in mean overall survival, there are also potential drugs in clinical trials or under preclinical development. In addition, a number of potential preclinical surgical or adjuvant therapies are being studied, such as oncolytic virus, mesenchymal stem cells, biological clock, gut microbiome composition and peptide vaccine, all of which have shown different degrees of inhibition on HCC. With some potential anti-HCC drugs being reported, many promising therapeutic targets in related taxonomic signaling pathways including cell cycle, epigenetics, tyrosine kinase and so on that affect the progression of HCC have also been found. Together, the rational application of existing therapies and drugs as well as the new strategies will bring a bright future for the global cure of HCC in the coming decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqian Chen
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
| | - Hao Xie
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
| | - Mingming Hu
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
| | - Tianyi Huang
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
| | - Yanan Hu
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
| | - Na Sang
- Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
| | - Yinglan Zhao
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
- Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan UniversityChengdu 610041, China
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41
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Chiorean EG, Perkins SM, Strother RM, Younger A, Funke JM, Shahda SG, Hahn NM, Sandrasegaran K, Jones DR, Skaar TC, Schneider BP, Sweeney CJ, Matei DE. Phase I, Pharmacogenomic, Drug Interaction Study of Sorafenib and Bevacizumab in Combination with Paclitaxel in Patients with Advanced Refractory Solid Tumors. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 19:2155-2162. [PMID: 32847973 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
VEGF blockade does not uniformly result in clinical benefit. We evaluated safety, dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), recommended phase II dose (RP2D), antitumor efficacy, and exploratory biomarkers including pharmacogenomics and pharmacokinetics with sorafenib, bevacizumab, and paclitaxel in patients with refractory cancers. The study had a "3 + 3" design, using paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 every week for 3 weeks, in every 4 week cycles, bevacizumab 5 mg/kg every 2 weeks, and sorafenib 200 or 400 mg twice a day, 5 or 7 days/week (5/7, 7/7). The MTD cohort was expanded. Twenty-seven patients enrolled in 3 cohorts: sorafenib 200 mg twice a day 5/7, 200 mg twice a day 7/7, and 400 mg twice a day 5/7. DLTs were grade 3 neutropenia >7 days (cohort 1, 1), grade 3 hypertension (cohort 2, 1), grade 3 hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR; cohort 3, 2). MTD was sorafenib 200 mg twice a day 7/7. Six DLTs occurred in cohort 2 expansion: grade 3 HFSR (2), grade 2 HFSR with sorafenib delay >7 days (2), grade 4 cerebrovascular accident (1), grade 3 neutropenia >7 days (1). RP2D was sorafenib 200 mg twice a day 5/7. Most patients (62%) dose reduced sorafenib to 200 mg daily 5/7 after a median 3 (range, 2-17) cycles. Response rates were 48% overall (27) and 64% for ovarian cancers (14). VEGF-A-1154AA and -7TT recessive homozygous genotypes conferred worse overall survival versus alternative genotypes (7 vs. 22 months). Intermittent, low-dose sorafenib (200 mg twice a day 5/7) combined with bevacizumab and paclitaxel was tolerable and had high antitumor efficacy in patients with refractory cancer (NCT00572078).
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Affiliation(s)
- E Gabriela Chiorean
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Susan M Perkins
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | - Anne Younger
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Jennifer M Funke
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Safi G Shahda
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Noah M Hahn
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - David R Jones
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Todd C Skaar
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Bryan P Schneider
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
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CCL22 signaling contributes to sorafenib resistance in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. Pharmacol Res 2020; 157:104800. [PMID: 32278046 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The HBV-initiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) frequently develops from or accompanies long-term chronic hepatitis, inflammation, and cirrhosis, and has a poor prognosis. Sorafenib, an orally active multi-kinase inhibitor, currently the most common approved drug for first-line systemic treatment of advanced HCC, only improves overall survival of three months, suggesting the need for new therapeutic strategies. In this study, we identified that sorafenib selectively resisted in immune competent C57BL/6 mice but not nude mice. The chemokines CCL22 and CCL17 were upregulated by sorafenib, which elevated dramatically higher in HBV-associated HCC. Mechanically, sorafenib accelerates CCL22 expression via TNF-α-RIP1-NF-κB signaling pathway. Blocking CCL22 signaling with antagonist C-021 and sorafenib treated in combination can inhibit tumor growth and enhance the antitumor response, whereas no significant differences in tumor burden were observed in nude mice upon addition of C-021. These findings strongly suggest that CCL22 signaling pathway strongly contributes to sorafenib resistance in HBV-associated HCC, indicating a potential therapeutic strategy for immunological chemotherapy complementing first-line agents against HBV-associated HCC.
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Wu Y, Sun T, Tang J, Liu Y, Li F. Ultrasound-Targeted Microbubble Destruction Enhances the Antitumor Efficacy of Doxorubicin in a Mouse Hepatocellular Carcinoma Model. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2020; 46:679-689. [PMID: 31882167 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 09/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the study described here was to investigate whether ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction (UTMD) of targeted microbubbles conjugated with an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (anti-VEGFR2) antibody can enhance the therapeutic effect of doxorubicin (DOX) on a mouse hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model bearing HEP-G2-RFP tumors. The growth of liver tumors in mice was inhibited by using Visistar VEGFR2 plus ultrasound irradiation and by DOX alone. DOX plus UTMD had an inhibitory effect on tumor growth beginning on the seventh day of treatment, while Visistar VEGFR2 alone and DOX alone had inhibitory effects beginning on the 11th day. DOX + UTMD significantly decreased tumor volume and tumor weight compared with DOX alone (p < 0.05) and Visistar VEGFR2 alone (p < 0.05). Compared with DOX alone and Visistar VEGFR2 alone, DOX + UTMD had the highest inhibitory effect on tumor angiogenesis and the highest apoptosis index. UTMD-targeted microbubbles can significantly enhance the antitumor effect of DOX on a mouse HCC model, inhibit angiogenesis and induce apoptosis in tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wu
- Department of Ultrasound, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Sun
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jinhua Tang
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fenghua Li
- Department of Ultrasound, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
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Wang L, Zhan Y, Wu Z, Lin M, Jin X, Jiang L, Qiu Y. A novel multitarget kinase inhibitor BZG with potent anticancer activity in vitro and vivo enhances efficacy of sorafenib through PI3K pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 125:110033. [PMID: 32187962 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES BZG as a novel multitarget kinase inhibitor, has been proved to inhibit the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) previously. In this study, we aimed at investigating the underlying mechanisms of BZG with and without sorafenib and evaluating their anti-tumor effects as well as whether BZG could inhibit the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling which is associated with acquired resistance to sorafenib. METHODS We evaluated the proliferation of HCC cells by CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis was assessed by Hoechst 33342 staining assay and flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the critical enzymes in the PI3K pathways and the expression of p-ERK after BZG alone and combined with sorafenib treatments. Huh-7 hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft model was used to evaluate the anti-carcinoma effects of BZG alone and in combination in vivo. HE staining and TUNEL assay tested the necrosis of tumor tissue and apoptosis of tumor cells. RESULTS BZG could inhibit the proliferation of HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of BZG and sorafenib produced synergistic effects. PI3K and p-ERK pathway were involved in the anti-tumor functions of BZG alone and when combined with sorafenib. In addition, the combination treatment was seen to be more effective in inhibiting the expression of p-AKT, p-ERK and p-mTOR. Furthermore, Tumor necrosis and cell apoptosis were also observed in Huh-7 hepatocellular carcinoma xenograft models. CONCLUSIONS BZG is an attractive agent for treating HCC. The effects of BZG and sorafenib's co-treatment on HCC are more effective than BZG or sorafenib alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Clinical Research and Evaluation, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, PR China
| | - Yaqiong Zhan
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Clinical Research and Evaluation, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, PR China
| | - Zhe Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Clinical Research and Evaluation, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, PR China
| | - Mengjia Lin
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Clinical Research and Evaluation, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, PR China
| | - Xuehang Jin
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Clinical Research and Evaluation, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, PR China
| | - Lushun Jiang
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Clinical Research and Evaluation, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, PR China
| | - Yunqing Qiu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Drug Clinical Research and Evaluation, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 79 QingChun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, PR China.
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45
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Goyal L, Qadan M, Zhu AX. Another Treatment Option for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Portal Vein Thrombosis in China. JAMA Oncol 2020; 5:938-939. [PMID: 31070694 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.0249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lipika Goyal
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Motaz Qadan
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Andrew X Zhu
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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46
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Efficacy and Safety of Liver-Directed Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy and Sequential Sorafenib for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Prospective Phase 2 Trial. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2020; 107:106-115. [PMID: 32084526 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although sorafenib as a standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prolongs overall survival (OS), its efficacy is limited owing to its unsatisfactory objective response and marginal survival benefit. To counter these limitations, we designed a single-arm, phase II trial with liver-directed concurrent chemoradiotherapy (LD-CCRT) and sequential sorafenib treatment in patients with advanced HCC. METHODS AND MATERIALS We enrolled advanced HCC patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2017 who were ineligible for curative treatment. During the first and last 5 days of 5-week radiation therapy, concurrent hepatic arterial infusion with 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/d) and leucovorin (50 mg/d) through an implanted port was administered 4 weeks after initiation of LD-CCRT and sequential sorafenib treatment (400 mg, twice daily). The primary endpoint was OS. This trial has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov. RESULTS Among the enrolled patients (n = 47), objective response rates 4 weeks after LD-CCRT and during/up to sorafenib maintenance were 44.7% and 53.2%, respectively. Overall, 9 patients (19.1%) underwent curative resection or transplantation after down staging. The median radiation dose was 60 Gy. The median OS was 24.6 months for the entire cohort and 13.0 months for the subgroup with tumor invasion into the main portal trunk or its first branch, whereas the median progression-free survival for the cohort and subgroup was 6.8 and 5.6 months, respectively. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were diarrhea (36.2%) and hand-foot skin reaction (34%), which were manageable with conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS LD-CCRT and sequential sorafenib treatment provided favorable OS and progression-free survival with good tolerability. Tumor reduction using an initial LD-CCRT enabled down staging, subsequent curative treatment, and long-term survival in about 20% of the patients with advanced HCC. However, further randomized trials are required to confirm these results.
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47
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Liu L, Gong Y, Zhang Q, Cai P, Feng L. Prognostic Roles of Blood Inflammatory Markers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Taking Sorafenib. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Oncol 2020; 9:1557. [PMID: 32064238 PMCID: PMC7000550 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis is to investigate the effectiveness of the prognostic roles of blood inflammatory markers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving sorafenib. Methods: We carried out a comprehensive literature search in four databases. Study endpoints, hazard ratios (HRs) and the associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) for clinical outcomes, which were to assess therapeutic efficacy, were extracted. This meta-analysis was conducted by Review Manager 5.3. Results: We summarized the available evidence from 18 studies with a total of 2,745 cases. The pooled results showed that the synthesized HR favored patients with low pretreatment NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), which also indicated that HCC patients with a lower baseline NLR may have a better response to sorafenib than those with higher NLR (HR = 1.76, 95% CI [1.44, 2.15], P < 0.00001, I2 = 68%). Significance was also observed for the prognostic function of the PLR (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio) of HCC patients treated with sorafenib (HR = 1.49, 95% CI [1.16, 1.93], P = 0.002, I2 = 0%, P = 0.65). The subgroup analysis revealed that different gene backgrounds play a prominent role in the source of heterogeneity. Interestingly, the predictive effect on OS (overall survival) was more pronounced as the NLR cutoff value increased. Notably, a significant predictive effect of NLR on the clinical outcome was detected in HCC patients treated with sorafenib compared to those treated with tivantinib. Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study reported promising predictive biomarkers for HCC patients and notably indicated that HCC patients with a lower baseline NLR and PLR may have a better response to sorafenib than those with higher ones. Further large-scale prospective studies are required to determine the optimal NLR and PLR cutoff values, which are important for identifying the dominant populations for sorafenib treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixing Liu
- Department of Chinese Medicine, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Gong
- The General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Shenyang, China
| | - Qinglin Zhang
- Department of Chinese Medicine, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Panpan Cai
- Department of Chinese Medicine, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Li Feng
- Department of Chinese Medicine, National Cancer Center, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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48
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Zhang CH, Li M, Lin YP, Gao Q. Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Advances and Hopes. Curr Gene Ther 2020; 20:84-99. [PMID: 32600231 DOI: 10.2174/1566523220666200628014530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The majority of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are diagnosed at an advanced stage that can only benefit from systemic treatments. Although HCC is highly treatmentresistant, significant achievements have been made in the molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy of HCC. In addition to regorafenib, cabozantinib and ramucirumab were approved for the second- line targeted treatment by the FDA after disease progression on sorafenib. Nivolumab failed to demonstrate remarkable benefit in overall survival (OS) as first-line therapy, while pembrolizumab did not achieve pre-specified statistical significance in both OS and progression-free survival (PFS) as second-line treatment. Combinations of targeted agents, immune checkpoint inhibitors and other interventions showed favorable results. In this review, we summarized the progress of systemic therapy in HCC and discussed the future directions of the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Hao Zhang
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - You-Pei Lin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Gao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
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49
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Cheng S, Chen M, Cai J, Sun J, Guo R, Bi X, Lau WY, Wu M. Chinese Expert Consensus on Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus (2018 Edition). Liver Cancer 2020; 9:28-40. [PMID: 32071907 PMCID: PMC7024893 DOI: 10.1159/000503685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) is very common, and it plays a major role in the prognosis and clinical staging of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We have published the first version of the Consensus in 2016. Over the past several years, many new evidences for the treatment of PVTT become available especially for the advent of new targeted drugs which have further improved the prognosis of PVTT. So, the Chinese Association of Liver Cancer revised the 2016 version of consensus to adapt to the development of PVTT treatment. Future treatment strategies for HCC with PVTT in China would depend on new evidences from more future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqun Cheng
- aDepartment of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China,*Prof. Cheng Shuqun, Department of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Changhai Road 168, Yangpu District, Shanghai 200433 (China), E-Mail , Prof. Chen Minshan, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060 (China), E-Mail , Prof. Cai Jianqiang, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Panjiayuan, Chaoyang District, in the South, 17th, Beijing 100021 (China), E-Mail
| | - Minshan Chen
- bDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianqiang Cai
- cDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juxian Sun
- aDepartment of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongping Guo
- bDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Bi
- cDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wan Yee Lau
- aDepartment of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China,dFaculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mengchao Wu
- aDepartment of Hepatic Surgery VI, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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50
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Zhang Y, Xie C, Li A, Liu X, Xing Y, Shen J, Huo Z, Zhou S, Liu X, Xie Y, Cao W, Ma Y, Xu R, Cai S, Tang X, Ma D. PKI-587 enhances chemosensitivity of oxaliplatin in hepatocellular carcinoma through suppressing DNA damage repair pathway (NHEJ and HR) and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Am J Transl Res 2019; 11:5134-5149. [PMID: 31497229 PMCID: PMC6731445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Oxaliplatin resistance limits its effectiveness in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Abnormal activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway has been associated with decreased survival of HCC patients, anti-apoptosis after chemotherapeutic drug-induced DNA damage, and chemoresistance. In this research, we evaluated the effect of the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, PKI-587, on the sensitivity of oxaliplatin in HCC. Two HCC cell lines (HepG2 and SK-Hep1) were used to analyze PKI-587 for DNA damage response, cell proliferation, clonogenic survival, cell cycle and apoptosis after oxaliplatin treatment. A HepG2 tumor-bearing model was used to assess the in vivo effects of the combination of the two compounds. In HCC cells, oxaliplatin stably activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, including up-regulation of p-Akt (Ser473), p-mTOR (Ser2448), p-mTOR (Ser2481), p-elF4EBP1, and p-S6K1, and activated the DNA damage repair pathways (non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR)), up-regulation of p-DNAPKcs (Ser2056), p-ATM (Ser1981), and p-ATR (Ser428), which were attenuated by PKI-587. Compared with oxaliplatin alone, the combination of PKI-587 and oxaliplatin increased the number of γ-H2AX/cells, decreased proliferation of cells, and an increased the percentage of G0/G1 phase cells and apoptotic cells. In vivo, the combination of oxaliplatin with PKI-587 inhibited tumor growth. Anti-tumor effects were associated with induction of mitochondrial apoptosis and inhibition of phosphorylation of mTOR, Akt and γ-H2AX. We conclude that PKI-587 enhances chemosensitivity of oxaliplatin in HCC through suppressing the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway and inhibiting the DNA damage repair pathway. The combination of PKI-587 and oxaliplatin appears to be a promising regimen for the treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinci Zhang
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Chunmei Xie
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Guangzhou 8th People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510100, China
| | - Amin Li
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Xueke Liu
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Yingru Xing
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Jing Shen
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Zhen Huo
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Shuping Zhou
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Xinkuang Liu
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Yinghai Xie
- First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Weiya Cao
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Yongfang Ma
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Ruyue Xu
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Shiyu Cai
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Xiaolong Tang
- Medcial School, Anhui University of Science & TechnologyHuainan 232001, China
| | - Dong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan UniversityGuangzhou 510632, China
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