Impact of treatment interval between neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and surgery in lung squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The optimal timing for surgery following neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy for lung squamous cell carcinoma appears to be a topic of limited data. Many clinical studies lack stringent guidelines regarding this timing. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of the interval between neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and surgery on survival outcomes in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

This study conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma who underwent neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy between January 2019 and October 2022 at The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Patients were divided into two groups based on the treatment interval: ≤33 days and > 33 days. The primary observational endpoints of the study were Disease-Free Survival (DFS) and Overall Survival (OS). Secondary observational endpoints included Objective response rate (ORR), Major Pathological Response (MPR), and Pathological Complete Remission (pCR).

RESULTS

Using the Kaplan-Meier methods, the ≤ 33d group demonstrated a superior DFS curve compared to the > 33d group (p = 0.0015). The median DFS for the two groups was 952 days and 590 days, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the OS curves between the groups (p = 0.66), and the median OS was not reached for either group. The treatment interval did not influence the pathologic response of the tumor or lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

The study observed that shorter treatment intervals were associated with improved DFS, without influencing OS, pathologic response, or surgical safety. Patients should avoid having a prolonged treatment interval between neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and surgery.

Defining distal splenopancreatectomy by the mesopancreas

BACKGROUND

The implementation of the pathologic CRM (circumferential resection margin) staging system for pancreatic head ductal adenocarcinomas (hPDAC) resulted in a dramatic increase of R1 resections at the dorsal resection margin, presumably because of the high rate of mesopancreatic fat (MP) infiltration. Therefore, mesopancreatic excision (MPE) during pancreatoduodenectomy has recently been promoted and has demonstrated better local disease control, fueling the discussion of neoadjuvant downsizing regimes in MP + patients. However, it is unknown to what extent the MP is infiltrated in patients with distal pancreatic (tail/body) carcinomas (dPDAC). It is also unknown if the MP infiltration status affects surgical margin control in distal pancreatectomy (DP). The aim of our study was to histopathologically analyze MP infiltration and elucidate the influence of resection margin clearance on recurrence and survival in patients with dPDAC. Furthermore, the results were compared to a collective receiving MPE for hPDAC.

METHOD

Clinicopathological and survival parameters of 295 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for PDAC (n = 63 dPDAC and n = 232 hPDAC) were evaluated. The CRM evaluation was performed in a standardized fashion and the specimens were examined according to the Leeds pathology protocol (LEEPP). The MP area was histopathologically evaluated for cancerous infiltration.

RESULTS

In 75.4% of dPDAC patients the MP fat was infiltrated by vital tumor cells. The rates of MP infiltration and R0CRM- resections were similar between dPDAC and hPDAC patients (p = 0.497 and 0.453 respectively). MP- infiltration status did not correlate with CRM implemented resection status in dPDAC patients (p = 0.348). In overall survival analysis, resection status and MP status remained prognostic factors for survival. In follow up analysis. surgical margin clearance in dPDAC patients was associated with a significant improvement in local recurrence rates (5.2% in R0CRM- resected vs. 33.3 in R1/R0CRM + resected, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

While resection margin status was not affected by the MP status in dPDAC patients, the high MP infiltration rate, as well as improved survival in MP- dPDAC patients after R0CRM- resection, justify mesopancreatic excision during splenopancreatectomy. Larger scale studies are urgently needed to validate our results and to study the effect on neoadjuvant treatment in dPDAC patients.

Impact of physician-staffed ground emergency medical services-administered pre-hospital trauma care on in-hospital survival outcomes in Japan

PURPOSE

In Japan, the vehicle used in pre-hospital trauma care systems with physician-staffed ground emergency medical services (GEMS) is referred to as a "doctor car". Doctor cars are highly mobile physician-staffed GEMS that can provide complex pre-hospital trauma management using various treatment strategies. The number of doctor car operations for patients with severe trauma has increased. Considering facility factors, the association between doctor cars and patient outcomes remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between doctor cars for patients with severe trauma and survival outcomes in Japan.

METHODS

A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted to compare the impact of the doctor car group with the non-physician-staffed GEMS group on in-hospital survival in adult patients with severe trauma. The data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

This study included 372,365 patients registered in the Japan Trauma Data Bank between April 2009 and March 2019. Of the 49,144 eligible patients, 2361 and 46,783 were classified into the doctor car and non-physician staffed GEMS groups, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for survival was significantly higher in the doctor car group than in the non-physician staffed GEMS group (adjusted OR = 1.228 [95% confidence interval 1.065-1.415]).

CONCLUSION

Using nationwide data, this novel study suggests that doctor cars improve the in-hospital survival rate of patients with severe trauma in Japan. Therefore, doctor cars could be an option for trauma strategies.

Transformation risk and associated survival outcome of marginal zone lymphoma: A nationwide study

Histological transformation into an aggressive B-cell lymphoma indicates a poor survival outcome for patients with indolent marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), which has been less studied. Large-scale data with long-term follow-up to investigate MZL transformation is limited. Here, by reporting a US-Nationwide cohort of 30,619 MZL patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2019, we found that transformation occurred in 2.08% (N = 624) of MZL cases, with the transformation incidence of 3.1 per 1,000 person-years. Advanced Ann Arbor stage, nodal MZL (NMZL) and splenic MZL (SMZL) were associated with an elevated risk of transformation. Certain subtype-specific characteristics, such as non-gastric extra-nodal MZL (vs. gastric, HR, 1.51, 95%CI 1.13-2.04; p = 0.006), and receiving splenectomy for SMZL (HR, 2.04, 95%CI 1.28-3.26; p = 0.003), also indicated a higher risk of transformation. Besides, transformation independently increased the overall mortality risk (HR, 1.38, 95%CI 1.24-1.53, p < 0.001), especially the higher lymphoma-caused mortality risk (HR, 3.21, 95%CI 2.81-3.67, p < 0.001). Transformation was also associated with a higher percentage of lymphoma-caused deaths. The post-transformation prognostic analyses demonstrated that female gender and age ≥ 65 years independently affected patients' mortalities. These findings, based on the largest cohort to date, contribute to a better understanding of transformed MZL, and provide valuable reference points for guidelines and patient counseling.

Prognosis after radical prostatectomy in men older than 75 years: long-term results from a single tertiary center

Background

Despite longer lifespans, guidelines for prostate cancer treatment recommend surgery for those with over 10 years of life expectancy, potentially leaving older patients undertreated. This study examines the outcomes of radical prostatectomy (RP) in a large cohort of men older than 75 years.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analyzed 636 patients from a pool of 4,500 RP cases at a single tertiary institution from 2004 to 2022. Patients younger than 75 years or with incomplete records were excluded. Baseline clinical variables, including PSA and biopsy grade group (GG), as well as postoperative pathology and oncological outcomes, were assessed. Achievement of continence based on no pads and ≤1 pad at last follow-up were evaluated.

Results

Mean age and PSA were 76.4 years and 15.3 ng/ml, respectively. At biopsy, GG1 and 2 were found in 18.1% and 31.5%, respectively, with 28.5% harboring GG4-5 tumors. After RP, 41.5% had GG upgrade compared to biopsy results, with 46.5% with ≥pT3 tumors. In a mean follow-up of 41.5 months, 82.3% were able to attain total continence of 0 pads, and 89.5% used ≤1 pads at the last follow-up. Overall and cancer-specific mortality was observed in 4.3% and 0.9%, respectively, and biochemical recurrence (BCR) occurred in 20.3% after a median of 154 months. At multivariate analysis, age was not a significant factor for BCR, whereas preoperative PSA, biopsy GG, margin positivity, and lymph node invasion were significant.

Conclusion

RP is feasible in men older than 75 years with decent oncological outcome, with absolute age insignificant within this age group. Risk of undertreatment should be acknowledged, and definite treatment must be considered.

Effectiveness of Biologic Agents Among Hispanic Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Randomized clinical trials have defined the survival advantage with the addition of biologic drugs to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Under representation of Hispanics contributes to poorly defined outcomes in this group. We aim to determine whether the real-world benefit of biologics extends to Hispanics using a comparative effectiveness research approach.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included all treatment centers contributing to SEER registry with available claims in the SEER-Medicare linked database (2001-2011) and 2 hospitals (2004-2016) catering to minorities. Metastatic CRC patients were classified as receiving chemotherapy or biochemotherapy (CT plus biologics; if initiated within 3 months of chemotherapy). The primary outcome was overall survival (OS) among the Hispanic patients calculated from time of administration of first dose of chemotherapy to death or last follow-up. A weighted Cox regression model was used to assess differences in survival.

RESULTS

We identified 182 Hispanic patients with mCRC from the Patient Entitlement and Diagnosis Summary (PEDSF) file (n = 101) and hospital database (n = 81). Overall, 52% were women and 72% received biologics. The median OS was 11.3 and 17.0 months in chemotherapy and biochemotherapy group, respectively. Biochemotherapy offered a survival benefit compared with chemotherapy alone, with an average hazard rate reduction of 39% (95% CI 6%-60%, p = .0236) using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) based analysis.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort of Hispanic patients with mCRC, biochemotherapy was associated with longer survival. Clinicians may offer biochemotherapy therapy to all patients regardless of race/ethnicity to maximize clinical benefit.

Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis in post-COVID-19 patients in Vietnam

BACKGROUND

Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFR) is a potentially lethal infection commonly found in immunocompromised patients. It is considered the most aggressive subtype of fungal sinusitis and can lead to severe morbidity and mortality. There was a significant increase in the incidence of AIFR in post-COVID-19 patients compared to AIFR cases before the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to describe the clinical presentation of AIFR associated with COVID-19 illness.

METHODS

A retrospective study included 22 patients diagnosed with AIFR with a recent COVID-19 infection.

RESULTS

The most frequent disease associated with AIFR was diabetes mellitus (95.5%). The mycological analysis identified infection caused by Aspergillus species in 72.7% of patients. Along with stabilizing hemodynamic parameters and controlling any comorbidities, all patients in the present study underwent combined surgical debridement followed by antifungal medications. The overall survival rate was 72.7%. The chance of developing a fatal outcome was significantly higher if meningitis presented initially (odds ratio 35.63, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The presence of meningitis upon initial diagnosis is related to a significantly higher chance of developing a fatal outcome and should be considered, especially in AIFR patients previously treated for COVID-19 infections. Early diagnosis, early use of antifungal agents, aggressive surgical debridement, and control of comorbid conditions remain crucial in managing AIFR.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

Optimal sequence of LT for symptomatic BM in EGFR-mutant NSCLC: a comparative study of first-line EGFR-TKIs with/without upfront LT

BACKGROUND

The third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) can penetrate blood-brain barrier and are effective for brain metastases (BMs). There is no consensus on the optimal sequence of local therapy (LT) and EGFR-TKIs for symptomatic BM patients because patients suffering neurological symptoms were not enrolled in most clinical trials.

METHODS

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutation (EGFRm) and symptomatic BM receiving first-line osimertinib and aumolertinib from two medical centers were collected. All participants were allocated into the third-generation EGFR-TKIs (TKIs) group and the upfront LT (uLT) plus third-generation EGFR-TKIs (TKIs + uLT) group. Demographic data, survival outcomes, treatment failure patterns, and adverse events were evaluated between the two groups. We also conducted subgroup analyses to explore the impact of BM number on survival outcomes.

RESULTS

86 patients were enrolled, 44 in the TKIs group and 42 in the TKIs + uLT group. There were no significant differences in the short-term response between the groups. TKIs + uLT was associated with significantly longer overall survival (OS) (43 vs. 28 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.77; p = .011). No differences in progression-free survival (PFS), intracranial PFS (iPFS), failure patterns, or safety were observed. In subgroup analyses of oligo-BM patients, TKIs + uLT could prolong OS (43 vs. 31 months; HR 0.22; 95% CI 0.05-0.92; p = .015).

CONCLUSIONS

EGFRm NSCLC patients with symptomatic BM might benefit from uLT, particularly oligo-BM patients. However, larger prospective cohort studies should be carried out to confirm the responses of the TKIs + uLT scheme.

Survival outcome of chemotherapy-naïve castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with new-generation androgen receptor axis-targeted agents in real-world analysis

PURPOSE

The androgen receptor axis-targeted (ARAT) agents abiraterone and enzalutamide have been introduced against castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, determining which of these agents should be used first is a clinical challenge. Therefore, in this study, we compared the efficacy of first-line abiraterone and enzalutamide treatments in chemotherapy-naïve patients with CRPC.

METHODS

A total of 242 chemotherapy-naïve CRPC cases treated with first-line ARAT were analyzed. Outcome measures were PSA response, PSA progression-free survival (PSA-PFS), time to treatment failure (TTF), cancer specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Abiraterone (A) and enzalutamide (E) were administered to 61 and 181 patients, respectively. The median PSA response rate (- 65.4% [A] and - 78.8% [E], p = 0.0341), PSA decline ≥ 30% (55.7% [A] and 72.9% [E], p = 0.0183), PSA-PFS (median 4 months [A] and 8 months [E], p = 0.0126), TTF (median 6 months [A] and 14 months [E], p < 0.0001), CSS (median 45 months [A] and not reached [E], p < 0.0001), and OS (median 28 months [A] and 80 months [E], p < 0.001) were significantly better in the enzalutamide group. In the multivariate analyses for CSS and OS, ALP (p = 0.00376) and ARAT (p < 0.001) (CSS), evidence of metastasis (p = 0.0467), Hb (p = 0.00205), and ARAT (p = 0.00514) (OS) were significant factors, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that PSA response, PSA-PFS, TTF, CSS, and OS were better with first-line enzalutamide administration. Direct inhibition of androgen receptor signaling by enzalutamide is associated with better clinical outcomes.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for organ preservation in sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in the treatment of locoregionally advanced sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC).

METHODS

130 patients who accepted IC between 2010 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. After IC, all the patients underwent chemoradiotherapy (CRT)/ radiotherapy (RT) or CRT/RT followed by surgery. We investigated the objective response to IC, the optimal treatment strategy, organ preservation, and long-term survival.

RESULTS

 Eighty-seven patients (66.9%) achieved a partial response after IC. 86% (27/43) of the patients who did not respond to the IC still presented a sensitive response to radiotherapy (χ2 = 9.26, p = 0.005). Patients who respond to IC could benefit from CRT/RT followed by surgery over other treatment modalities. The 3-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), locoregional-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates of 61.2%, 51.3%, 52.1%, 58.1% for the IC response group were significantly superior to those of 37.3% (HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.34-1.01, p = 0.030), 33.5% (HR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.30-0.82, p = 0.002), 35.9% (HR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.91, p = 0.009), 36.1% (HR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.35-1.03, p = 0.040) for the IC non-response group. Patients who responded to IC had a high rate of organ preservation compared with patients who did not respond to IC (90.8% vs. 74.4%, χ2 = 6.19, p = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrated a response rate to IC in patients with advanced SNSCC; furthermore, the response to IC indicated better survival. Patients who responded to IC had a high rate of organ preservation.

Adjuvant medial versus entire supraclavicular lymph node irradiation in high-risk early breast cancer (SUCLANODE): a protocol for a multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

Supraclavicular nodal (SCL) irradiation is commonly used for patients with high-risk breast cancer after breast surgery. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) breast contouring atlases delineate the medial part of the SCL region, while excluding the posterolateral part. However, recent studies have found that a substantial proportion of SCL failures are located in the posterolateral SCL region, outside of the RTOG/ESTRO-defined SCL target volumes. Consequently, many radiation oncologists advocate for enlarging the SCL irradiation target volume to include both the medial and posterolateral SCL regions. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether adding the posterolateral SCL irradiation improves survival outcomes for high-risk breast cancer patients.

METHODS

The SUCLANODE trial is an open-label, multicenter, randomized, phase 3 trial comparing the efficacy and adverse events of medial SCL irradiation (M-SCLI group) and medial plus posterolateral SCL irradiation (entire SCL irradiation, E-SCLI group) in high-risk breast cancer patients who underwent breast conserving-surgery or mastectomy. Patients with pathological N2-3b disease following initial surgery, or clinical stage III or pathological N1-3b if receiving neoadjuvant systemic therapy, are eligible and randomly assigned (1:1) to M-SCLI group and E-SCLI group. Stratification is by chemotherapy sequence (neoadjuvant vs. adjuvant), T stage (T3-4 vs. T1-2), N stage (N1-2 vs. N3), and ER status (positive vs. negative). Other radiation volumes are identical in the two arms, including breast/chest wall, undissected axillary lymph node, and internal mammary node. Advanced intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), or tomotherapy techniques are recommended. Both hypofractionated and conventional fractionation schedules are permitted. The primary end point is invasive disease-free survival, and secondary end points included overall survival, SCL recurrence, local-regional recurrence, distance recurrence, safety outcome, and patient-reported outcomes. The target sample size is 1650 participants.

DISCUSSION

The results of the SUCLANODE trial will provide high-level evidence regarding whether adding posterolateral SCL irradiation to medial SCL target volume provides survival benefit in patients with high-risk breast cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05059379. Registered 28 September 2021, https://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov/ct2/show/NCT05059379 .

Chromosome-1 abnormalities in Childhood B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia - An analysis with reference to clinical variables and survival outcome

Background

Chromosome-1 abnormalities (C1As) are common genetic aberrations in hematological malignancies. We sought to evaluate significance of these abnormalities with reference to clinical characteristics and survival outcome in a pediatric B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia (B-ALL) cohort.

Methods

This is a retrospective study conducted in cytogenetic section of Indus Hospital and Health Network. Data was retrieved from October 2020 to July 2022 for childhood B-ALL cases exhibiting C1As. Chromosome analysis was performed on Cytovision MB8 using G-banded metaphases derived from unstimulated bone marrow culture. Results were recorded according to the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomenclature (ISCN-2020). Data analyzed using SPSS, version 24.0.

Results

C1As were observed in 60/450 (13.3%) cases of B-ALL. Among C1As, 29 (48%) cases had t(1;19). There were 13 (45%) balanced and 16 (55%) unbalanced translocations. The aberrations without t(1;19) were seen in 31 (52%) cases including 1q duplication with hyperdiploidy in 14 (45%) cases. The median age for C1As with and without t(1;19) was eight years and six years while the median leukocyte count was 32 x 109/L vs. 17 x 109/L. Event-free survival (EFS) for cases with and without t(1;19) was 69% and 74.2% respectively.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that the t(1;19) positive group had a higher median age, a higher white cell count and more CNS positives, the difference in EFS is statistically insignificant when compared to the t(1;19) negative cases. Furthermore, we found a survival difference between balanced and unbalanced t(1;19) groups, which is statistically insignificant but warrants large-scale prospective studies for further understanding.

Long-term late effects in older gastric cancer survivors: Survival analysis using Cox hazard regression model by retrospective electronic health records

PURPOSE

Because the population of older gastric cancer survivors (GCSs) is growing, understanding the long-term late effects experienced by these GCSs and their impact on survival outcomes is crucial for optimizing survivorship care. This study aims to identify and characterize these effects and investigate their association with survival outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of electronic health records was conducted on 9,539 GCSs diagnosed between 2011 and 2017. The GCSs were divided into two age groups (< 65 and ≥ 65 years) and the long-term late effects were categorized by age using Cox proportional hazard models. The impact of clinical factors and age-specific late effects on survival was evaluated in the older GCSs.

RESULTS

Among the total GCSs, 37.6% were over and 62.4% were under 65 years of age. Significant differences between the age groups were observed in the cumulative hazard ratios (HRs) for iron and vitamin B12 levels and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) scores. In older GCSs, abnormal iron levels (HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.16-3.41, p = .013) and poor PNI scores (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.03-2.47, p = .038) were associated with poorer survival outcomes. Additionally, being female was identified as a risk factor for lower survival rates (if male, HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.18-0.98, p = .045).

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the typical long-term late effects experienced by older GCSs. By tailoring survivorship care to address nutritional-, age-, and gender-related factors, the overall survival and quality of life of older GCSs can be improved.

When chronic obstructive pulmonary disease meets small cell lung cancer: an unusual case report of rapid progression

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disease and a risk factor for lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is a neuroendocrine tumor with a high degree of malignancy and an overall five-year survival rate of less than 7%.

CASES PRESENTATION

Herein, we report the case of an 68-year-old male presented to the respiratory department with cough, sputum, and dyspnea. He was diagnosed as community acquired pneumonia and treated with intravenous anti-infection. Previous pulmonary function was definitively diagnosed as COPD. About 7 months after discharge, the patient returned to the hospital for cough and dyspnea. After diagnosis of the tumor, cisplatin, etoposide and durvalumab were administered. Finally the patient died of respiratory failure approximately 9 months after his diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

For COPD patients with immunocompromised manifestations, it is necessary to be alert to complications and shorten the follow-up interval of chest CT. COPD may accelerate the formation and progression of SCLC.

Risk factors for surgical compliance and impact on the survival of patients with glioma: a population-based propensity score-matched study

PURPOSE

To comprehensively analyze the impact of surgical compliance on the survival of patients with glioma and to explore the factors that influence surgical compliance.

METHODS

Clinical data of patients with glioma between 2004 and 2018 were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression were used to analyze the effect of surgical compliance on overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Multivariate Cox regression was used to select the prediction variables and construct the nomograms. The predictive power of these models was assessed using Harell's consistency index (C-index), decision curve analysis (DCA), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and calibration curves. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze the related variables of surgical compliance, and 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to evaluate the validity of the results of patients with favorable and poor surgical compliance.

RESULTS

Among the 47,573 eligible glioma patients recommended for surgery, 46,380 (97.5%) were in the surgical compliance group, while 1193 (2.5%) were in the noncompliance group. Surgical compliance was an independent prognostic factor for glioma patients, as indicated by multivariate Cox regression analysis that patients with surgical compliance had worse OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.924; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.800-2.056, p < 0.001) and DSS (HR 1.718; 95% CI 1.592-1.853, p < 0.001) in comparison to those without surgical compliance. A nomogram was developed and internally validated to be able to predict glioma prognosis. The nomogram can well predict patients' OS (C-index: 0.745) and DSS (C-index: 0.744). ROC curve, DCA curve, and calibration curve were applied to further assess the accuracy of the nomogram. Poor surgical compliance was found to be related to older age, female gender, tumor diameter, grade II or higher, poor grading, tumor location in the cerebellum and brainstem, and low household income.

CONCLUSION

Surgical compliance is an independent prognostic factor for predicting the OS and DSS of patients with glioma, and good surgical compliance was significantly related to good survival.

Bayesian parametric models for survival prediction in medical applications

BACKGROUND

Evidence-based treatment decisions in medicine are made founded on population-level evidence obtained during randomized clinical trials. In an era of personalized medicine, these decisions should be based on the predicted benefit of a treatment on a patient-level. Survival prediction models play a central role as they incorporate the time-to-event and censoring. In medical applications uncertainty is critical especially when treatments differ in their side effect profiles or costs. Additionally, models must be adapted to local populations without diminishing performance and often without the original training data available due to privacy concern. Both points are supported by Bayesian models-yet they are rarely used. The aim of this work is to evaluate Bayesian parametric survival models on public datasets including cardiology, infectious diseases, and oncology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bayesian parametric survival models based on the Exponential and Weibull distribution were implemented as a Python package. A linear combination and a neural network were used for predicting the parameters of the distributions. A superiority design was used to assess whether Bayesian models are better than commonly used models such as Cox Proportional Hazards, Random Survival Forest, and Neural Network-based Cox Proportional Hazards. In a secondary analysis, overfitting was compared between these models. An equivalence design was used to assess whether the prediction performance of Bayesian models after model updating using Bayes rule is equivalent to retraining on the full dataset.

RESULTS

In this study, we found that Bayesian parametric survival models perform as good as state-of-the art models while requiring less hyperparameters to be tuned and providing a measure of the uncertainty of the predictions. In addition, these models were less prone to overfitting. Furthermore, we show that updating these models using Bayes rule yields equivalent performance compared to models trained on combined original and new datasets.

CONCLUSIONS

Bayesian parametric survival models are non-inferior to conventional survival models while requiring less hyperparameter tuning, being less prone to overfitting, and allowing model updating using Bayes rule. Further, the Bayesian models provide a measure of the uncertainty on the statistical inference, and, in particular, on the prediction.

Multiply robust estimator for the difference in survival functions using pseudo-observations

BACKGROUND

When estimating the causal effect on survival outcomes in observational studies, it is necessary to adjust confounding factors due to unbalanced covariates between treatment and control groups. There is no study on multiple robust method for estimating the difference in survival functions. In this study, we propose a multiply robust (MR) estimator, allowing multiple propensity score models and outcome regression models, to provide multiple protection.

METHOD

Based on the previous MR estimator (Han 2014) and pseudo-observation approach, we proposed a new MR estimator for estimating the difference in survival functions. The proposed MR estimator based on the pseudo-observation approach has several advantages. First, the proposed estimator has a small bias when any PS and OR models were correctly specified. Second, the proposed estimator considers the advantage pf the pseudo-observation approach, which avoids proportional hazards assumption. A Monte Carlo simulation study was performed to evaluate the performance of the proposed estimator. And the proposed estimator was used to estimate the effect of chemotherapy on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in real data.

RESULTS

The simulation studies showed that the bias of the proposed estimator was small, and the coverage rate was close to 95% when any model for propensity score or outcome regression is correctly specified regardless of whether the proportional hazard assumption holds, finite sample size and censoring rate. And the simulation results also showed that even though the propensity score models are misspecified, the bias of the proposed estimator was still small when there is a correct model in candidate outcome regression models. And we applied the proposed estimator in real data, finding that chemotherapy could improve the prognosis of TNBC.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed estimator, allowing multiple propensity score and outcome regression models, provides multiple protection for estimating the difference in survival functions. The proposed estimator provided a new choice when researchers have a "difficult time" choosing only one model for their studies.

Predicting survival and prognosis in early-onset locally advanced colon cancer: a retrospective observational study

OBJECTIVE

To predict cancer-specific survival, a refined nomogram model and brand-new risk-stratifying system were established to classify the risk levels of patients with early-onset locally advanced colon cancer (LACC).

METHODS

The clinical factors and survival outcomes of LACC cases from the SEER database from 2010 to 2019 were retrieved retrospectively. Early-onset and late-onset colon cancer were grouped according to the age (50 years old) at diagnosis. Differences between groups were compared to identify mutual significant variables. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was further performed and then constructed a nomogram. We compared it with the AJCC-TNM system. The external validation was performed for evaluation. Finally, a risk-stratifying system of patients with early-onset LACC was established.

RESULTS

A total of 32,855 LACC patients were enrolled in, 4548 (13.84%) patients were included in the early-onset LACC group, and 28,307 (86.16%) patients were included in the late-onset LACC group. The external validation set included 228 early-onset LACC patients. Early-onset colon cancers had poorer prognosis (T4, N2, TNM stage III, CEA, tumor deposit, and nerve invasion), and a higher proportion received radiotherapy and systemic therapy (P<0.001). In the survival analysis, cancer-specific survival (CSS) was better in patients with early-onset LACC than in those with late-onset LACC (P <0.001). This nomogram constructed based on the results of COX analysis showed better accuracy in CSS prediction of early-onset LACC patients than AJCC-TNM system in the training set and external validation set (0.783 vs 0.728; 0.852 vs 0.773).

CONCLUSION

We developed a novel nomogram model to predict CSS in patients with early-onset LACC it provided a reference in prognosis prediction and selection of individualized treatment, helping clinicians in decision-making.

Efficacy of Frontline Chemotherapy for Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

Background

Treatment with non-anthracycline (ANT)-based chemotherapy has increased survival in patients with extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL). However, the relative efficacy of various drug combinations has been contentious. We aimed to identify the most effective chemotherapy regimens for newly diagnosed ENKTCL.

Methods

A network meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the differences in survival and treatment responses across various regimens. The primary objective was overall survival (OS), while secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and complete response (CR). We utilized a Bayesian framework to perform the network meta-analysis. Rank probabilities were assessed by the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Node-splitting method was used to assess the inconsistency.

Results

A total of 1,113 patients were enrolled across 10 studies. Chemotherapy regimens were grouped into five modalities, for which six types of direct comparisons were available. We identified the asparaginase (ASP)/gemcitabine (GEM)-based regimens superiority over ANT-based, non-ASP/ANT-based and ASP/methotrexate (MTX)-based regimens on OS. Although no significant differences were observed compared with ASP/not otherwise specified-based, ASP/GEM-based regimens were still the best option chemotherapy for OS. Moreover, the ASP/GEM-based regimens demonstrated advantages in PFS, ORR and CR.

Conclusions

According to our network meta-analysis, it appears that ASP/GEM-based regimens could potentially serve as the most effective frontline chemotherapy option for ENKTCL.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of Merkel cell carcinoma: a single-center retrospective study in Korea

BACKGROUND

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor of the skin with high mortality. However, its clinical characteristics in Asian patients remain uncertain owing to its low incidence.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the clinicopathological features of MCC and identify factors associated with its prognosis.

METHODS

The medical records of 62 patients with MCC were retrospectively reviewed. Data on clinical features, survival outcomes, prognostic factors, histopathology and immunohistochemical profile of the patients were collected and analyzed. Merkel cell polyomavirus status was evaluated using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The incidence of MCC significantly increased over time. The mean duration of follow-up was 51.2 months, with an overall 5-year survival of 80.6%. More female patients with MCC were identified than male patients (1.3:1). Approximately half of the patients had stage I disease at the time of initial presentation. The primary tumor was frequently located in the lower extremities (40.3%), followed by the head and neck (32.3%), upper extremities (22.6%), and the trunk (4.8%). Male sex was associated with poorer overall survival (p = 0.003). Post-resection adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved the overall survival (p = 0.023). Sentinel lymph node biopsy during surgery ameliorated the progression-free survival (p = 0.036) in patients with stage I or II cancer. Lymphovascular and perineural invasion were associated with a poor prognosis. Old age, immunohistochemical profiles, and Merkel cell polyomavirus-positivity were not associated with prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Post-surgical adjuvant radiotherapy and sentinel lymph node biopsy significantly improve the course of MCC.

Exposure-response relationship between COVID-19 incidence rate and incidence and survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA)

Aim

We aimed to report the epidemiology of OHCA, bystander CPR pattern and other Utstein factors in a region in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, we studied the relationship between COVID-19 incidence, OHCA incidence and survival outcome.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study that used data from our registry to compare features of OHCA during pre-pandemic (Jan 2018 to Dec 2019), low-incidence pandemic (Jan 2020 to Dec 2021) and high-incidence pandemic (Jan to Mar 2022). We used multivariable logistic regression to identify survival predictors.

Results

Incidence of OHCA increased dramatically with surging COVID-19 incidence (65.9 vs 74.2 vs 159.2 per 100,000 population per year, p < 0.001). During the pandemic, there were more indoor OHCA (89.3% vs 92.6% vs 97.4%, p < 0.001), fewer witnessed arrest (38.5% vs 38.3% vs 29.6%, p = 0.001), and longer median time to basic life support upon receiving call (9 min vs 10 min vs 14 min, p < 0.001). There was a higher proportion of OHCA cases with bystander-CPR (26.1% vs 31.3% vs 35.3%, p < 0.001). The proportion of cases with survival to admission (STA) (30.8% vs 22.2% vs 15.4%, p < 0.001) and survival to discharge (STD) (2.2% vs 1.0% vs 0.2%, p = 0.001) were lowered. After controlling for confounders, the odds of STA was reduced by 33% and 55% during the low-incidence and high-incidence pandemic respectively.

Conclusion

The increase in COVID-19 incidence had an exposure-response relationship with an increased incidence of OHCA and worsened survival outcomes.

A multiomics approach-based prediction of radiation pneumonia in lung cancer patients: impact on survival outcome

PURPOSE

To predict the risk of radiation pneumonitis (RP), a multiomics model was built to stratify lung cancer patients. Our study also investigated the impact of RP on survival.

METHODS

This study retrospectively collected 100 RP and 99 matched non-RP lung cancer patients treated with radiotherapy from two independent centres. They were divided into training (n = 175) and validation cohorts (n = 24). The radiomics, dosiomics and clinical features were extracted from planning CT and electronic medical records and were analysed by LASSO Cox regression. A multiomics prediction model was developed by the optimal algorithm. Overall survival (OS) between the RP, non-RP, mild RP, and severe RP groups was analysed by the Kaplan‒Meier method.

RESULTS

Sixteen radiomics features, two dosiomics features, and one clinical feature were selected to build the best multiomics model. The optimal performance for predicting RP was the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the testing set (0.94) and validation set (0.92). The RP patients were divided into mild (≤ 2 grade) and severe (> 2 grade) RP groups. The median OS was 31 months for the non-RP group compared with 49 months for the RP group (HR = 0.53, p = 0.0022). Among the RP subgroup, the median OS was 57 months for the mild RP group and 25 months for the severe RP group (HR = 3.72, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The multiomics model contributed to improving the accuracy of RP prediction. Compared with the non-RP patients, the RP patients displayed longer OS, especially the mild RP patients.

Comparison of survival outcomes between axillary conservation and axillary lymph node dissections in N1 early breast cancer: a propensity-matched SEER analysis

BACKGROUND

Sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) is an alternative to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for breast cancer surgery. But the criteria of SLND only for patients with limited disease in the sentinel node is disputed.

METHODS

From the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, 2000-2015, we identified 97,296 early breast cancer females with 1-3 axillary lymph nodes macro-metastasis. Of them, 1-5 (axillary conservation group), 6-9, and ≥ 10 (ALND group) axillary lymph nodes were dissected in 28,639, 16,838, and 51,819 patients, respectively. According to the criteria of the ACOSOG Z0011 trial, two historical cohort studies of patients who underwent lumpectomy or mastectomy were conducted and the survival outcomes between ALND and axillary conservation were compared.

RESULTS

Overall, dissection of 6-9 regional lymph nodes resulted in the worst prognosis. After propensity-matched analysis, it was found that patients in the axillary conservation group had worse survival than the ALND group in overall survival. No significant difference in prognosis between the group undergoing lumpectomy was found both in OS and BCSS. Subgroup analysis revealed that Grade 3, T2, two lymph nodes positive, or Her2 positive were the main causes of worse survival in the axillary conservation group.

CONCLUSION

Not all patients with N1 early breast cancer suit axillary conservation. Axillary conservation was sufficient in patients who were treated with lumpectomy. ALND cannot be omitted in patients who were ineligible for the Z0011 and undergoing mastectomy with the following characteristics: T2, Grade 3, two positive lymph nodes, and Her2 positive, which may be better complemented to the Z0011 trial. Hence, under different surgical methods, the clinical precision treatment of ALND or axillary preservation is essential.

Are second primary head and neck cancers with previous hematological malignancy more aggressive than de novo head and neck cancers?

OBJECTIVES

Secondary solid tumors can occur after the treatment of hematological malignancies and are associated with a poor prognosis. We evaluated the survival outcomes of patients with second primary head and neck cancers according to the site of cancer origin, type of hematological malignancy, and age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We enrolled all patients who underwent surgery for second primary head and neck cancer and were previously treated for hematological malignancy between 1997 and 2020. We analyzed the survival outcomes of patients with second primary head and neck cancer, and compared them with 3126 de novo head and neck cancer patients diagnosed during the same period at our hospital.

RESULTS

The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was significantly worse for second primary head and neck cancer patients than de novo cancer patients (52.0 % and 77.9 %, respectively; p = 0.04) and those results were similarly observed in second primary oral cavity cancer (33.3 % and 75.7 %, respectively; p < 0.01). Patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia showed significantly worse 5-year OS rate than those with other types of hematological malignancies (p = 0.036). Multivariate analysis showed that bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was a risk factor for the recurrence of head and neck cancers (odds ratio = 6.635, p = 0.042).

CONCLUSION

Patients with second primary head and neck cancer, particularly of the oral cavity, had a worse prognosis than patients with de novo head and neck cancer. BMT predicts recurrence in second primary head and neck cancer patients.

Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Leptomeningeal Metastasis in the Modern Target Therapy Era

BACKGROUND

Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a severe complication in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the optimal treatment strategy remains a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the treatment strategies and clinical outcomes in these patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 44 patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated NSCLC with LM between 2014 and 2020 at our institute. The patient characteristics, treatment approaches, LM progression-free survival (LM_PFS) and overall survival (OS) after the diagnosis of LM (OS_LM) were analyzed.

RESULTS

The median OS_LM was 16.0 months and the 3-year OS rate was 22.5%. The PFS_LM in EGFR T790M-positive NSCLC patients with leptomeingeal disease was significantly improved by initiation of third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) compared with that of patients who were T790M negative (14.0 vs. 7.0 months; P = 0.030). A significantly higher LM disease control rate was shown in patients who received third-generation TKIs compared with previous generations of TKIs (90.1% vs. 60.0%; P = 0.024). Better Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, EGFR exon 19del, and clinical improvement of LM after therapy were independently associated with better OS.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival of patients with NSCLC with LM has improved in the target therapy era. Our study provided real-world clinical evidence that patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who developed LM from previous TKIs can be benefit from third-generation EGFR-TKIs, especially for patients with EGFR T790M-positive.

Survival outcome among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess the survival outcomes among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) who received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in China.

METHODS

Relevant studies, published between January 1, 2010 and September 5, 2022, were retrieved from databases, including EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, the China Biology Medicine disk, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang databases. We included clinical studies in which all patients were diagnosed with CA and underwent out-of-hospital CPR, and the outcome variables were at least one of the following: return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to admission, survival to hospital discharge, 1-month survival, achieved good neurological outcomes, and 1-year survival. Two investigators independently extracted the study data and assessed its quality using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale tool. The data were pooled using random-effects models.

RESULTS

Of the 3620 identified studies, 49 (63,378 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled ROSC rate was 9.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.5-10.5%, I² = 97%), the pooled survival to admission rate was 5.0% (95% CI 2.7-8.0%, I² = 98%), and the pooled survival to discharge rate was 1.8% (95% CI 1.2-2.5%, I² = 95%). Additionally, the ROSC rate of patients with bystander CPR was significantly higher than that of those without bystander CPR, and the pooled odds ratio (OR) was 7.92 (95% CI 4.32-14.53, I² = 85%). The ROSC rate of participants who started CPR within 5 min was significantly higher than that of those who started CPR after 5 min, and the pooled OR was 5.92 (95% CI 1.92-18.26, I² = 85%). The ROSC rate of participants with defibrillation was significantly higher than that of those without defibrillation, and the pooled OR was 8.52 (95% CI 3.72-19.52, I² = 77%).

CONCLUSION

The survival outcomes of out-of-hospital CPR in China are far below the world average. Therefore, the policy of providing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places and strengthening CPR training for healthcare providers and public personnel should be encouraged and disseminated nationwide. Trial registration This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022326165) on 29 April 2022.

Impact of postoperative intra-abdominal infectious complications on survival outcomes in patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic surgery

BACKGROUND

Postoperative intra-abdominal infection is known to adversely affect survival outcomes in patients with gastric cancer; however, previous reports have investigated this complication only in open surgery. This adverse effect is expected to be weakened by less invasive surgery, such as a laparoscopic approach, by way of maintaining immune function.

METHODS

This study included 1223 patients with gastric cancer who underwent open (n = 439) or laparoscopic (n = 784) curative surgery between 2010 and 2015. For each approach, patients were divided into two groups based on presence or absence of postoperative intra-abdominal infection of Clavien-Dindo grade II or higher (C-group and NC-group, respectively). Survival outcomes were compared in propensity-matched cohorts to evaluate the impact of the complication.

RESULTS

The incidences of Clavien-Dindo ≥ grade II postoperative intra-abdominal infectious complications were 9.7% (43/439) in open surgery and 9.8% (70/714) in laparoscopic surgery. After propensity score matching, 86 patients in open surgery and 138 in laparoscopic surgery were extracted for analysis. The 5-year overall survival rate in the open C-group (n = 43) was worse than that in the open NC-group (n = 43) but with no significant difference (70.9% vs. 82.8%, log-rank P = 0.18). The 5-year overall survival rates were equivalent between the laparoscopic C-group (n = 69) and the laparoscopic NC-group (n = 69) (90.5% vs. 90.4%, log-rank P = 0.99).

CONCLUSION

In general, postoperative intra-abdominal infection adversely affects survival outcomes; however, its impact may be weakened by less invasive surgery. Further evaluation using larger datasets is necessary before reaching definitive conclusions.

Long-term survival outcomes and recurrence patterns of olfactory neuroblastoma: A 13-year experience at a single institution

OBJECTIVES

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), also known as esthesioneuroblastoma, is a rare malignant neoplasm of the nasal vault and anterior skull base. The results of treatment for ONB are relatively good; however, regional and distant metastases can develop several years after definitive treatment. This study aimed to validate the treatment modality of ONB for oncological outcomes, especially for regional recurrence.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 22 patients diagnosed with ONB at Kyoto University Hospital between 2009 and 2020. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and Kaplan-Meier curves were used.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 58.2 months. One (4.5%) patient was clinically node positive, (cN+) and the remaining 21 (95.5%) were clinically node negative (cN0) at presentation. Eighteen patients underwent an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for primary resection, and the remaining four patients underwent a combined EEA and transcranial approach. Elective neck dissection was not performed for 21 patients with cN0 ONB, whereas unilateral neck dissection with removal of ipsilateral lateral retropharyngeal node was performed for one patient with cN+ ONB. Postoperative radiotherapy without concurrent chemotherapy was performed only at the primary tumor bed for 21 patients with cN0 ONB, and at the primary tumor bed and bilateral neck for one patient with cN+ ONB. The 5-year overall, disease-specific, and disease-free survival rates were 94.1%, 100%, and 69.6%, respectively. No patients developed local recurrence, but 6 (27.2%) patients experienced recurrence with a median time to recurrence of 36.4 months, including four and two patients who initially developed regional recurrences and bone metastases, respectively. Five (22.7%) patients had delayed neck recurrence. The salvage rate was only 60.0% in the five patients who had delayed neck recurrence. Regarding the level of delayed neck recurrence, 4 (18.2%) patients had lateral retropharyngeal lymph node metastases.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ONB have excellent survival outcomes after endoscopic surgical resection of the primary lesion with postoperative radiotherapy only to the primary tumor bed. Despite excellent survival, delayed neck recurrence, including the lateral retropharyngeal lymph node, remains high. Because salvage surgery for lateral retropharyngeal lymph node recurrence is sometimes technically difficult, it may be better to extend the field of postoperative radiotherapy from the primary tumor bed only to include bilateral lateral retropharyngeal lymph node regions in patients with clinically N0 ONB. Further prospective studies with a large number of patients are needed to determine the extent of postoperative radiotherapy.

Non-invasive intravoxel incoherent motion MRI in prediction of histopathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and survival outcome in osteosarcoma at the time of diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Early prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is important to aid personalized treatment in osteosarcoma. Diffusion-weighted Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) MRI was used to evaluate the predictive value for response to NACT and survival outcome in osteosarcoma.

METHODS

Total fifty-five patients with biopsy-proven osteosarcoma were recruited prospectively, among them 35 patients were further analysed. Patients underwent 3 cycles of NACT (Cisplatin + Doxorubicin) followed by surgery and response adapted adjuvant chemotherapy. Treatment outcomes were histopathological response to NACT (good-response ≥ 50% necrosis and poor-response < 50% necrosis) and survival outcome (event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS)). IVIM MRI was acquired at 1.5T at baseline (t0), after 1-cycle (t1) and after 3-cycles (t2) of NACT. Quantitative IVIM parameters (D, D*, f & D*.f) were estimated using advanced state-of-the-art spatial penalty based IVIM analysis method bi-exponential model with total-variation penalty function (BETV) at 3 time-points and histogram analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Good-responders: Poor-responders ratio was 13 (37%):22 (63%). EFS and OS were 31% and 69% with 16.27 and 25.9 months of median duration respectively. For predicting poor-response to NACT, IVIM parameters showed AUC = 0.87, Sensitivity = 86%, Specificity = 77% at t0, and AUC = 0.96, Sensitivity = 86%, Specificity = 100% at t1. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed smaller tumour volume (HR = 1.002, p = 0.001) higher ADC-25^th-percentile (HR = 0.047, p = 0.005) & D-Mean (HR = 0.1, p = 0.023) and lower D*-Mean (HR = 1.052, p = 0.039) were independent predictors of longer EFS (log-rank p-values: 0.054, 0.0034, 0.0017, 0.0019 respectively) and non-metastatic disease (HR = 4.33, p < 10^-3), smaller tumour-volume (HR = 1.001, p = 0.042), lower D*-Mean (HR = 1.045, p = 0.056) and higher D*.f-skewness (HR = 0.544, p = 0.048) were independent predictors of longer OS (log-rank p-values: < 10^-3, 0.07, < 10^-3, 0.019 respectively).

CONCLUSION

IVIM parameters obtained with a 1.5T scanner along with novel BETV method and their histogram analysis indicating tumour heterogeneity were informative in characterizing NACT response and survival outcome in osteosarcoma.

Survival benefit from axillary surgery in patients aged 70 years or older with clinically node-negative breast cancer: A population-based propensity-score matched analysis

BACKGROUND

Older patients with breast cancer have good prognosis and most die from diseases other than breast cancer. Previous studies suggested that the surgical extent in older patients could be reduced. We aimed to compare survival outcomes in patients aged ≥70 years with clinically node-negative breast cancer, based on whether axillary surgery was performed.

METHODS

A total of 2,995 patients with breast cancer aged ≥70 years who underwent breast surgery were included in the Korean Breast Cancer Registry. Patients were classified into two groups according to the performance of axillary surgery. We used propensity score matching for demographic and treatment factors to minimize selection bias. We compared the 5-year overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS).

RESULTS

Among 708 patients after 3:1 propensity score matching, 531 underwent breast surgery with axillary surgery and 177 underwent breast surgery alone. Of all patients, 51.7% had T1 stage, and 73.2% underwent mastectomy. Approximately 31.2% of patients received chemotherapy. Among patients who did not undergo axillary surgery, the 5-year OS and BCSS rates were 85.2% and 96.7%, respectively. The hazard ratio of axillary surgery for OS was 0.943 (95% confidence interval 0.652-1.365, p = 0.757), indicating no significant difference between two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that axillary surgery in a matched cohort of older patients with breast cancer and clinically negative nodes does not provide a survival benefit compared to patients undergoing breast surgery alone. These findings suggest that axillary surgery may be safely omitted in a select group of patients aged ≥70 years with clinically node-negative cancer. Further studies are needed to identify potential candidates for omitting axillary surgery.

Longitudinal mediation analysis of time-to-event endpoints in the presence of competing risks

This proposal is motivated by an analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), which aims to investigate the role of loneliness in explaining the negative impact of hearing loss on dementia. The methodological challenges that complicate this mediation analysis include the use of a time-to-event endpoint subject to competing risks, as well as the presence of feedback relationships between the mediator and confounders that are both repeatedly measured over time. To account for these challenges, we introduce path-specific effect proportional (cause-specific) hazard models. These extend marginal structural proportional (cause-specific) hazard models to enable effect decomposition on either the cause-specific hazard ratio scale or the cumulative incidence function scale. We show that under certain ignorability assumptions, the path-specific direct and indirect effects indexing this model are identifiable from the observed data. We next propose an inverse probability weighting approach to estimate these effects. On the ELSA data, this approach reveals little evidence that the total effect of hearing loss on dementia is mediated through the feeling of loneliness, with a non-statistically significant indirect effect equal to 1.01 (hazard ratio (HR) scale; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99 to 1.05).

Impact of Insurance on Overall Survival in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A SEER Database Study

INTRODUCTION

Insurance status at diagnosis remains an important barrier to health care access and adherence to treatment. Here, we aim to assess the impact of insurance status, and age on overall survival (OS) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified all patients younger than 65 years of age diagnosed with ALL from 2010 to 2016. OS was estimated for each group using the Kaplan Meier curves and compared based on insurance type using a log-rank test. Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to assess the effect of insurance status on OS.

RESULTS

A total of 9057 patients were included in the analysis. Medicaid beneficiaries had worse 5-year OS than insured patients (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08-1.63, P = .006) in 0-18 years age group. Despite chemotherapy, patients older than 18 years showed poor OS in all insurance categories. Patients on Medicaid showed inferior OS compared to insured in 19-40 years (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.21-1.76, P < .001) and 41-65 years age group (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09-1.49, P = .003). Interestingly, no significant difference was observed in the OS between the Medicaid and uninsured groups in each age category.

CONCLUSION

Our large database study demonstrates that insured status is associated with better OS in ALL across all age groups. Further studies to develop effective strategies to bridge health care disparities areessential.

Clinical characteristics and survival outcome of patients with estrogen receptor low positive breast cancer

Background

The benefit of endocrine therapy for patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-low (1%–10%) positive breast cancer is a matter for debate. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and survival outcome of ER-low patients with ER-high (＞10%) positive patients and ER-negative patients.

Methods

From the breast cancer database of our institution, we identified 5466 patients with known ER status who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer between January 2008 and December 2016. Variables associated with initiation of endocrine therapy were identified using multivariate logistic regression model. According to ER status, all patients were classified into ER-low (1%–10%), ER-high (>10%) and ER-negative subgroups. Fine and Gray competing risks regression was performed to compare the survival outcome of three subgroups.

Results

Age at diagnosis, ER status and progesterone receptor (PR) status were identified as correlates of initiation of endocrine therapy. ER-low patients were more likely to have advanced, PR-negative, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive or grade Ⅲ disease compared to ER-high patients. Similar to ER-negative patients, ER-low patients presented increased rate of locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant recurrence (DR) and breast cancer mortality (BCM) than ER-high patients. Endocrine therapy showed nonsignificant trends toward lower LRR, DR and BCM in ER-low patients.

Conclusion

Similar to ER-negative patients, ER-low patients had more aggressive clinical characteristics and worse survival outcome than ER-high patients. ER-low patients appeared to benefit less from endocrine therapy. Randomized studies are needed to further explore the endocrine responsiveness of ER-low patients.

•

Age at diagnosis, ER status and PR status were associated with initiation of endocrine therapy.

•

ER-low patients had more aggressive clinical characteristics and worse survival outcome than ER-high patients.

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ER-low patients appeared to benefit less from endocrine therapy than ER-high patients.

Musculoskeletal involvement in childhood leukemia: Characteristics and survival outcomes

BACKGROUND : Childhood leukemia with musculoskeletal (MSK) involvement mimics various conditions, which consequently leads to diagnostic delays. The clinical implication of MSK involvement in this disease on survival outcomes is inconclusive. This study aimed to compare characteristics and survival outcomes between MSK and non-MSK involvement in childhood leukemia.

METHODS

The medical records of children newly diagnosed with acute leukemia of an age under 15 years were retrospectively reviewed. Two-to-one nearest-neighbor propensity score-matching was performed to obtain matched groups with and without MSK involvement. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were then used to assess the effect of MSK involvement on survival outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 1042 childhood leukemia cases, 81 (7.8%) children had MSK involvement at initial presentation. MSK involvement was more likely in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia than acute myeloid leukemia (p < 0.05). Hematologic abnormalities were less frequent in the MSK involvement group (p < 0.05). The absence of peripheral blast cells was significantly higher in the MSK involvement group (17.3% vs 9.6%, p = 0.04). Normal complete blood counts with absence of peripheral blast cells were found 2.5% of the children with MSK involvement. By propensity score-matching for comparable risk groups of children with and without MSK involvement, the 5-year overall survival was not significantly different (48.2% vs 57.4%, respectively, p = 0.22), nor was event-free survival (43.3% vs 51.8%, respectively, p = 0.31).

CONCLUSION

Childhood leukemia with MSK involvement had the characteristics of minimal or absent hematologic abnormalities and peripheral blast counts.

Outcome of Near-infrared Fluorescence-navigated Pulmonary Metastasectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Pulmonary metastasectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is suitable in highly selected patients. However, complete resection is challenging in HCC patients with multiple lung metastases. We aimed to describe the clinical utility and survival outcome of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence-navigated resection of HCC lung metastases.

METHODS

From October 2015 to March 2021, 15 HCC patients with pulmonary metastasis underwent NIR fluorescence imaging thoracoscopic surgery. ICG was administered through peripheral veins preoperatively. All suspected lesions detected by palpation, white-light thoracoscopy or near-infrared (NIR) imaging were resected. After metastasectomy, all patients were followed up at regular intervals of 6-12 months.

RESULTS

A total of 90 metastatic HCC nodules were resected in 15 patients. All patients received sublobar resections, during which 89 lesions were removed by wedge resection and 1 lesion was managed via segmentectomy. Under NIR fluorescence imaging, 81 nodules successfully demonstrated fluorescence during the surgery, while 9 metastatic nodules were undetected. The median signal-to-background ratio (SBR) of the nodules was 3.34. Five patients died and 7 patients relapsed by the end of observation. The median overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 47.1 months and 17.3 months, respectively. The 1-year OS and DFS rates were 71.1% and 57.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

ICG fluorescence imaging technology is useful for visualization of the peripheral tumours to assist in pulmonary metastasectomy for HCC. In addition, this technology has the potential to detect the small tumour that are missed in preoperative examinations, which might be beneficial for HCC patients with multiple lung metastases.

Lymphocyte dynamics during and after chemo-radiation correlate to dose and outcome in stage III NSCLC patients undergoing maintenance immunotherapy

PURPOSE

We investigated the dynamics of lymphocyte depletion and recovery during and after definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), dose to which structures is correlated to them, and how they affect the prognosis of stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing maintenance immunotherapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

In this retrospective study, absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) of 66 patients were obtained before, during, and after CCRT. Persistent lymphopenia was defined as ALC < 500/μL at 3 months after CCRT. The impact of regional dose on lymphocyte depletion and recovery was investigated using voxel-based analysis (VBA).

RESULTS

Most patients (n = 65) experienced lymphopenia during CCRT: 39 patients (59.0%) had grade (G) 3+ lymphopenia. Fifty-nine patients (89.3%) recovered from treatment-related lymphopenia at 3 months after CCRT, whereas 7 (10.6%) showed persistent lymphopenia. Patient characteristics associated with persistent lymphopenia were older age and ALC before and during treatment. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, recovery from lymphopenia was identified as a significant prognostic factor for Progression Free Survival (HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13-0.93, p = 0.034) and Overall Survival (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08-0.68, p = 0.007). Voxel-based analysis showed strong correlation of dose to the upper mediastinum with lymphopenia at the end of CCRT, but not at 3 months after CCRT.

CONCLUSION

Recovery from lymphopenia is strongly correlated to improved survival of patients undergoing CCRT and adjuvant immunotherapy, and is correlated to lymphocyte counts pre- and post-CCRT. VBA reveals high correlation of dose to large vessels to lymphopenia at the end of CCRT. Therefore, efforts should be made not only for preventing lymphocyte depletion during CCRT but also for helping lymphocyte recovery after CCRT.

Incidence and prognostic significance of extranodal extension in isolated nodal recurrence of oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Extranodal extension (ENE) is a crucial prognostic factor of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the role of ENE in regional recurrence (rENE) remains unclear. The purpose of our study is to assess the salvage outcome according to the presence of rENE in oral cancer patients with isolated nodal recurrence.

METHODS

Oral cancer patients diagnosed with isolated nodal recurrence at the National Taiwan University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2015 were reviewed. All patients were classified into two groups: with and without rENE. The treatment included salvage neck dissection (ND) ± metronomic chemotherapy, salvage ND and radiation (RT)/concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT), Salvage RT/CCRT alone, metronomic chemotherapy, or supportive care.

RESULTS

We analyzed 198 patients, 156 with rENE and 42 without rENE. rENE presented more frequently in patients with initial ENE+ (OR = 3.17, p = 0.04), prior RT+ (OR = 2.96, p = 0.02), initial N2/N3 (OR = 2.76, p = 0.01), and recurrent LN size >1.5 cm (OR = 2.33, p = 0.03). The extent of rENE were also significantly different in these patients. The 2-year disease-free survival for patients with and without rENE were 15.7% and 31.7%, respectively (p = 0.002). The 2-year overall survival for patients with and without rENE were 19.6% and 43.9%, respectively (p = 0.004). For patients without rENE, those received salvage ND had better survival outcome (p < 0.001). By contrast, for patients with rENE, those received salvage RT/CCRT had better survival outcome (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The rENE is frequently present (78.79%) in OSCC patients with isolated nodal recurrence. Individualized treatment modalities based on the presence of rENE should be recommended to achieve better salvage outcomes.

Distribution pattern and pathologic analysis of metastatic sentinel and non-sentinel lymph nodes in lymphatic basin dissection for clinical T2/T3 oral cancer with clinical N0 status

OBJECTIVE

The localization pattern of metastatic sentinel lymph node (SN) and non-SNs and pathologic analysis of metastatic lymph nodes in SN lymphatic basin dissection (SLBD) were investigated in patients with cT2/T3cN0 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODS

This prospective multicenter trial involved 10 institutions nationwide in Japan. A total of 57 patients were enrolled. The lateral neck was divided into 5 lymphatic basins. The lymphatic basin containing SNs was defined as the SN lymphatic basin. All patients underwent SLBD with backup selective neck dissection (I-III) combined with primary tumor removal. When SNs were found outside of levels I-III, including in the contralateral neck, SLBD was performed by removing the compartments containing SNs separately. SN metastasis was classified as isolated tumor cells (ITCs), micrometastasis, or macrometastasis. ITCs are defined as a lesion no larger than 0.2 mm in largest dimension and are classified as pN0.

RESULTS

SN metastasis was observed in 22 cases. All metastatic lymph nodes, including false-negative cases, were detected in the SN lymphatic basin. Isolated tumor cells in the SNs did not affect prognosis, whereas micrometastasis tended to have poor prognosis. After adjusting for other risk factors, a positive SN remained a significant predictor of poor 5-year overall survival in pT2-4 OSCC.

CONCLUSION

SLBD for intraoperative SN biopsy is a sufficient therapeutic procedure and is valuable for determining pathologic nodal stage in OSCC. SN positivity was demonstrated to be an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with pT2-4 disease undergoing SLBD with backup selective neck dissection (I-III).

An Outcome Analysis of Childhood Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Treated with Atra and Arsenic Trioxide, and Limited Dose Anthracycline

The overall survival of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL), reported in recent studies, is approaching to 90% wherein, arsenic trioxide (ATO) and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) are used as the mainstay of treatment with either limited or no use of anthracycline and cytarabine. This study is aimed to ascertain the outcome of children with APL using similar approach. A total of 30 patients with APL, registered from January 2015 to December 2018, were reviewed. Diagnosis was established on bone marrow aspirate and confirmed by the presence of PML-RARA translocation. Treatment protocol was based on Australian APML 4 study performed by Australian Leukemia Lymphoma Group (ALLG). Lumbar puncture was not performed as it was not part of the protocol due to the risk of bleeding. The mean age in current cohort was 9 years with 53% males. Seven (23.3%) patients died and three (10%) abandoned treatment during induction. Twenty patients completed the intensive phase of chemotherapy and all (100%) of them attained molecular remission (MR). One patient dropped out after MR whereas, 19 remain on follow up with no evidence of disease, reflecting disease free survival (DFS) of 95%. With a median follow up of 2.5 years (range 2.1-4.8 years) the 5 years Kaplan-Meier estimate of OS was 63% and 73%, with and without abandonment, respectively. Analysis of outcome according to risk groups revealed inferior outcome of high risk (HR) group (38% and 50% with and without abandonment, respectively) in contrast to standard risk (SR) group which showed better outcome (82% and 88% with and without abandonment, respectively). The attainment of 100% molecular remission and absence of relapse supports the effectiveness of this regimen. Moreover, it is found to be less toxic and therefore, can be conveniently managed in day-care settings.

Efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in subgroups of stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma: an analysis based on 10-year follow-up

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in subgroups of stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the context of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

METHODS

A total of 272 patients with stage III NPC who underwent IMRT with or without concurrent chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathological features were evaluated by a Cox regression model to identify independent prognostic factors. Survival outcomes were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 108 months. The 10-year locoregional-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were 87.8%, 80.7%, 68.8%, and 74.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that the N classification was significantly associated with DMFS (hazard ratio [HR] 3.616, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.387-9.428, P = 0.009), DFS (HR 2.417, 95% CI 1.291-4.423, P = 0.006), and OS (HR 3.024, 95% CI 1.385-6.602, P = 0.005). In patients with T1-3N2 disease, CCRT was associated with improved 10-year LRFS (89.6% vs. 65.4%, P = 0.005), DFS (71.9% vs. 39.4% P = 0.001) and OS (80.0% vs. 50.5%, P = 0.004) compared with IMRT alone. However, in patients with T3N0-1 disease, no significant survival differences were observed between patients treated with IMRT alone and CCRT (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

CCRT is an effective therapy in stage III NPC, especially for patients with N2 disease, but IMRT alone may be adequate for N0-1 disease. Individualized treatment strategies are essential for patients with varying disease risks.

POstmastectomy radioThErapy in Node-posiTive breast cancer with or without Internal mAmmary nodaL irradiation (POTENTIAL): a study protocol for a multicenter prospective phase III randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Various randomized trials have demonstrated that postmastectomy radiotherapy (RT) to the chest wall and comprehensive regional nodal areas improves survival in patients with axillary node-positive breast cancer. Controversy exists as to whether the internal mammary node (IMN) region is an essential component of regional nodal irradiation. Available data on the survival benefit of IMN irradiation (IMNI) are conflicting. The patient populations enrolled in previous studies were heterogeneous and most studies were conducted before modern systemic treatment and three-dimensional (3D) radiotherapy (RT) techniques were introduced. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of IMNI in the context of modern systemic treatment and computed tomography (CT)-based RT planning techniques.

METHODS

POTENTIAL is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, parallel, phase III, randomized controlled trial investigating whether IMNI improves disease-free survival (DFS) in high-risk breast cancer with positive axillary nodes (pN+) after mastectomy. A total of 1800 patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive IMNI or not. All patients are required to receive ≥ six cycles of anthracycline and/or taxane-based chemotherapy. Randomization will be stratified by institution, tumor location (medial/central vs. other quadrants), the number of positive axillary nodes (1-3 vs. 4-9 vs. ≥10), and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (yes vs. no). Treatment will be delivered with CT-based 3D RT techniques, including 3D conformal RT, intensity-modulated RT, or volumetric modulated arc therapy. The prescribed dose is 50 Gy in 25 fractions or 43.5 Gy in 15 fractions. Tiered RT quality assurance is required. After RT, patients will be followed up at regular intervals. Oncological and toxilogical outcomes, especially cardiac toxicities, will be assessed.

DISCUSSION

This trial design is intended to overcome the limitations of previous prospective studies by recruiting patients with pN+ breast cancer, using DFS as the primary endpoint, and prospectively assessing cardiac toxicities and requiring RT quality assurance. The results of this study will provide high-level evidence for elective IMNI in patients with breast cancer after mastectomy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrails.gov , NCT04320979 . Registered 25 Match 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04320979.

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma: In the era of extended lymphadenectomy, is the value of neoadjuvant therapy being attenuated?

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and oesophagectomy is the standard of care for resectable oesophageal adenocarcinomas. Survival outcomes following resection have been improving over time while NACT remain largely unchanged. Indeed, a recent meta-analysis of randomized control trials did not demonstrate a survival benefit in adding NACT, raising the possibility that improved surgical techniques may be reducing the perceived effectiveness of NACT.

AIM

To compare the effect of addition of NACT to a standardized surgery and lymphadenectomy on overall and disease-free survival in patients undergoing curative oesophagectomy for oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Patient data were analysed from a prospectively maintained surgical survival database. Demographic, surgical, and survival outcomes were compared between groups according to treatment and nodal count.

RESULTS

The data of 243 consecutive patients were identified. 79 patients were given NACT and 162 had surgery only. The NACT group were younger, and there was less frequent stage I adenocarcinoma. Overall survival was similar between NACT and surgery only groups (5YS: 48.7% vs 42.5%; P = 0.113), as was disease-free survival (5YS: 40.6% vs 39.9%; P = 0.635). There were ≥ 30 nodes removed in 46 patients, and < 30 in 197 patients, but were otherwise similar. There was improved survival in patients with ≥ 30 nodes removed than those with < 30 nodes (5YS: 64.4% vs 40.7%; P = 0.015), and a better disease-free survival that neared significance (5YS: 54.9% vs 36.6%; P = 0.078).

CONCLUSION

NACT did not appear to affect overall or disease-free survival. However, an overall survival benefit was observed in patients with ≥ 30 lymph nodes removed, and a benefit in disease-free survival which was not significant.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of fluorescent-guided resection and therapy-based photodynamics on the survival of patients with glioma

Glioma is the most common primary central nervous system tumor; many methods are currently being used to research and treat glioma. In recent years, fluorescent-guided resection (FGR) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have become hot spots in the treatment of glioma. Based on the existing literatures regarding the FGR enhancing resection rate and regarding efficacy of PDT for the treatment of glioma, this paper made a systematic review of FGR for gross total resection of patients and the PDT for the survival of patients with glioma. Meta-analysis of eligible studies was performed to derive precise estimation of PDT on the prognosis of patients with glioma by searching all related literatures in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases, and further to evaluate (GTR) under FGR and the efficacy of PDT therapy, including 1-year and 2-year survival rates, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 1294 patients with glioma were included in the final analysis of 31 articles, among which a 73.00% (95% CI, 68.00 ~ 79.00%, P < 0.01) rate of GTR in 27 groups included in 23 articles was reported for those receiving FGR. The OS was 17.78 months (95% CI, 8.89 ~ 26.67, P < 0.01) in 5 articles on PDT-treated patients with glioma, and the mean difference of OS was 6.18 (95% CI, 3.3 ~ 9.06, P < 0.01) between PDT treatment and conventional glioma surgery, showing a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). The PFS was 10.82 months (95% CI, 7.04 ~ 14.61, P < 0.01) in 5 articles on PDT-treated patients with glioma. A 1-year survival rate of 59.00% (95% CI, 38.00 ~ 77.00%, P < 0.01) in 10 groups included in 8 articles and 2-year survival rate of 25.00% (95% CI, 15.00 ~ 36.00%, P < 0.01) in 7 groups included in 6 articles were reported for those with PDT. FGR and PDT are feasible for treatment of patients with glioma, because FGR can effectively increase the resection rate, at the same time, PDT can prolong the survival time. However, due to the limitation of small sample size in the existing studies, larger samples and randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to analyze the resection under FGR and efficacy of PDT in patients with glioma.

Low CCL19 expression is associated with adverse clinical outcomes for follicular lymphoma patients treated with chemoimmunotherapy

Background

This study aimed to recognize the hub genes associated with prognosis in follicular lymphoma (FL) treated with first-line rituximab combined with chemotherapy.

Method

RNA sequencing data of dataset GSE65135 (n = 24) were included in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied for exploring the coexpression network and identifying hub genes. Validation of hub genes expression and prognosis were applied in dataset GSE119214 (n = 137) and independent patient cohort from Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (n = 32), respectively, by analyzing RNAseq expression data and serum protein concentration quantified by ELISA. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichments analysis were performed. CIBERSORT was applied for tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) subset analysis.

Results

A total of 3260 DEGs were obtained, with 1861 genes upregulated and 1399 genes downregulated. Using WGCNA, eight hub genes, PLA2G2D, MMP9, PTGDS, CCL19, NFIB, YAP1, RGL1, and TIMP3 were identified. Kaplan–Meier analysis and multivariate COX regression analysis indicated that CCL19 independently associated with overall survival (OS) for FL patients treated with rituximab and chemotherapy (HR = 0.47, 95% CI [0.25–0.86], p = 0.014). Higher serum CCL19 concentration was associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS, p = 0.014) and OS (p = 0.039). TIICs subset analysis showed that CCL19 expression had a positive correlation with monocytes and macrophages M1, and a negative correlation with naïve B cells and plasma cells.

Conclusion

CCL19 expression was associated with survival outcomes and might be a potential prognostic biomarker for FL treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-021-03078-9.

Prognostic value of modified Lauren classification in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

It remains controversial as to which pathological classification is most valuable in predicting the overall survival (OS) of patients with gastric cancer (GC).

AIM

To assess the prognostic performances of three pathological classifications in GC and develop a novel prognostic nomogram for individually predicting OS.

METHODS

Patients were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the independent prognostic factors. Model discrimination and model fitting were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curves and Akaike information criteria. Decision curve analysis was performed to assess clinical usefulness. The independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate analysis were further applied to develop a novel prognostic nomogram.

RESULTS

A total of 2718 eligible GC patients were identified. The modified Lauren classification was identified as one of the independent prognostic factors for OS. It showed superior model discriminative ability and model-fitting performance over the other pathological classifications, and similar results were obtained in various patient settings. In addition, it showed superior net benefits over the Lauren classification and tumor differentiation grade in predicting 3- and 5-year OS. A novel prognostic nomogram incorporating the modified Lauren classification showed superior model discriminative ability, model-fitting performance, and net benefits over the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8^th edition tumor-node-metastasis classification.

CONCLUSION

The modified Lauren classification shows superior net benefits over the Lauren classification and tumor differentiation grade in predicting OS. A novel prognostic nomogram incorporating the modified Lauren classification shows good model discriminative ability, model-fitting performance, and net benefits.

Development and validation of a novel classification scheme for combining pathological T stage and log odds of positive lymph nodes for colon cancer

AIM

Log Odds of Positive Lymph Nodes (LODDS) have a better predictive ability than N stage for colon cancer. However, the prognostic value of developing a novel prognostic classification by combining T stage and LODDS (TLODDS) for colon cancer remains unknown. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to develop a TLODDS classification for colon cancer, and assess whether or not the novel TLODDS classification could improve survival stratification by comparing its discrimination, model-fitting, and net benefits, with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Tumor/Node/Metastasis (TNM) classification.

METHODS

45,558 Western colon cancers were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database as a training set. A novel LODDS stage was established and patients with similar survival rates were grouped by combining T and LODDS stages to develop a novel TLODDS classification. The TLODDS classification was further assessed in a Chinese validation set of 3,515 colon cancers and an application set of 3,053 rectal cancers.

RESULTS

We developed a novel TLODDS classification that incorporated 7 stages: stage I (T1LODDS1), IIA (T2LODDS1, T1LODDS2, T1LODDS3), IIB (T2LODDS2-3, T3LODDS1, T1LODDS4), IIC (T3LODDS2, T2LODDS4, T4aLODDS1), IIIA (T3LODDS3, T1-2LODDS5, T4bLODDS1, T4aLODDS2), IIIB (T3LODDS4-5, T4aLODDS3-4, T4bLODDS2) and IIIC (T4bLODDS3-5, T4aLODDS5). In the training set, it showed significantly better discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, 0.691 vs. 0.664, P < 0.001), better model-fitting (Akaike information criteria, 265,644 vs. 267,410), and superior net benefits, than the latest AJCC TNM classification. The predictive performance of the TLODDS classification was further validated in colon cancers and was successfully applied in rectal cancers with regards to both overall and disease-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The TLODDS classification has better discriminatory ability, model-fitting, and net benefits than the existing TNM classification, and represents an alternative to the current TNM classifications for colon and rectal cancers.

Impact of skin invasion on long-term survival outcomes in gingivobuccal complex carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Gingivo-buccal complex cancers (GBCC) have an aggressive clinical course in the presence of skin and bone involvement.

OBJECTIVE

This study intends to analyze the clinico-pathological factors affecting local control and survival outcomes in GBCC.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study conducted on 125 GBCC cases from January 2011 to April 2016.

RESULT

Univariate analysis revealed lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and skin involvement as predictors of poor overall survival (OS) and disease- free survival (DFS). Multivariate analysis showed skin involvement and LVI to be independent prognostic factors towards poor OS. Corresponding results in case of DFS showed skin involvement to be the single most important prognostic factor. With a median follow up of 24 months, the median survival of patients with skin involvement, skin and mandible invasion and isolated mandible invasion, respectively, were 18 months, 12 months and 22 months.

CONCLUSION

GBCC with skin involvement portends poor outcome in terms of survival. In the presence of skin invasion, treatment entails liberal soft tissue and bone margin followed by adjuvant treatment.

Combination of computed tomography imaging-based radiomics and clinicopathological characteristics for predicting the clinical benefits of immune checkpoint inhibitors in lung cancer

BACKGROUND

In this study, we tested whether a combination of radiomic features extracted from baseline pre-immunotherapy computed tomography (CT) images and clinicopathological characteristics could be used as novel noninvasive biomarkers for predicting the clinical benefits of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

METHODS

The data from 92 consecutive patients with lung cancer who had been treated with ICIs were retrospectively analyzed. In total, 88 radiomic features were selected from the pretreatment CT images for the construction of a random forest model. Radiomics model 1 was constructed based on the Rad-score. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the Rad-score and significant predictors were integrated into a single predictive model (radiomics nomogram model 1) to predict the durable clinical benefit (DCB) of ICIs. Radiomics model 2 was developed based on the same Rad-score as radiomics model 1.Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, the Rad-score, and independent risk factors, radiomics nomogram model 2 was constructed to predict the progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

The models successfully predicted the patients who would benefit from ICIs. For radiomics model 1, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for the training and validation cohorts were 0.848 and 0.795, respectively, whereas for radiomics nomogram model 1, the values were 0.902 and 0.877, respectively. For the PFS prediction, the Harrell's concordance indexes for the training and validation cohorts were 0.717 and 0.760, respectively, using radiomics model 2, whereas they were 0.749 and 0.791, respectively, using radiomics nomogram model 2.

CONCLUSIONS

CT-based radiomic features and clinicopathological factors can be used prior to the initiation of immunotherapy for identifying NSCLC patients who are the most likely to benefit from the therapy. This could guide the individualized treatment strategy for advanced NSCLC.

Comparing outcomes in patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: single versus bilateral lung transplants

OBJECTIVES

Debate continues on whether a bilateral (BLT) or a single lung transplantation (SLT) is preferred for patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this study is to examine the interplay between patient age and transplant type on survival outcomes.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of lung transplants for COPD at our centre from February 2012 to March 2020 (n = 186). Demographics and clinical parameters were compared between patients based on their age (≤65 vs >65 years old) and type of transplant (single vs bilateral). Cox proportional hazards regression was also performed. P-values <0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

Of the 186 patients with COPD who received lung transplants, 71 (38.2%) received BLTs and 115 (61.8%) received SLTs. There was no significant difference in survival outcomes when looking at patients with single versus BLTs (P = 0.870). There was also no difference in survival between the 2 age groups ≤65 versus > 65 years (P = 0.723). The Cox model itself also did not show a statistically significant improvement in survival outcomes (P = 0.126).

CONCLUSIONS

Lung transplant outcomes in patients with end-stage COPD demonstrated non-inferior results in patients with an SLT compared to patients with a BLT. When we compared the age groups, neither transplant type showed superior survival benefits, suggesting there may be some utility in an SLT in younger recipients.