Prognostic importance of expression of mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCMs) in patients with nasopharyngeal cancer treated with curative radiotherapy

Abstract Objective: The prognostic importance of minichromosome maintenance complex expression in nasopharyngeal cancer is still unknown. We aimed to find whether minichromosome maintenance complex 2-7 expression may potentially be used to predict the prognosis of nasopharyngeal cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy. Methods: Between April 2007 and July 2020, patients with nasopharyngeal cancer treated with radiotherapy were identified. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of cases. A single pathologist analyzed the histologic specimens of all patients. Results: Totally, 67 patients were included. The median followup was 75.3 months. Higher tumor (T) stage was correlated with minichromosome maintenance complex 2 overexpression. Minichromosome maintenance complex s expression was also associated with histopathologic subgroups. According to univariate analysis, AJCC stage, histopathological subgroups, tumor response after treatment, minichromosome maintenance complex 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 expression were the prognostic factors that predict overall survival. According to multivariate analysis minichromosome maintenance complex 7 expression was the only prognostic marker for both progression-free survival and overall survival. Conclusion: The overexpression of minichromosome maintenance complex 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 indicated bad prognosis. Minichromosome maintenance complex 7 was an independent prognostic factor for survival outcomes in nasopharyngeal cancer and may be a potential therapeutic target for treatment.

The Characteristics and Survival Outcomes in Patients Aged 70 Years and Older with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Era / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We aim to examine nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) characteristics and survival outcomes in patients aged 70 years and older in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2006 to 2013, 126 non-metastatic NPC patients aged ≥ 70 years who were treated with IMRT +/‒ chemotherapy were included. Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27 (ACE-27) was used to measure patient comorbidities. The overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS)were calculatedwith the Kaplan-Meier method, and differenceswere compared using the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to carry out multivariate analyses. RESULTS: For the entire group, only two patients (1.6%) presented stage I disease, and up to 84.1% patients had stage III-IVB disease. All patients had a comorbidity score of 0 in 24 (19.0%), 1 in 45 (35.7%), 2 in 42 (33.3%), and 3 in 15 (11.9%) patients. The main acute grade during radiotherapy was 3-4 adverse events consisting of mucositis (25.4%), bone marrow suppression (16.7%), and dermatitis (8.7%). After treatment, four patients (3.2%) developed temporal lobe injury. Five-year CSS and OS rates were 67.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58.6% to 77.4%) and 54.0% (95% CI, 45.6% to 63.9%), respectively. Five-year OS was significantly higher for ACE-27 score 0-1 than ACE-27 score 2-3 (72.9% and 39.9%, respectively; p 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest IMRT +/– chemotherapy has a manageable toxicity and provides an acceptable survival in patients aged ≥ 70 years with NPC. ACE-27 score was significantly associated with survival outcomes in this group population.

Development of Web-Based Nomograms to Predict Treatment Response and Prognosis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Discovery of models predicting the exact prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is necessary as the first step of implementation of individualized treatment. This study aimed to develop nomograms predicting treatment response and prognosis in EOC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We comprehensively reviewed medical records of 866 patients diagnosed with and treated for EOC at two tertiary institutional hospitals between 2007 and 2016. Patients’ clinico-pathologic characteristics, details of primary treatment, intra-operative surgical findings, and survival outcomes were collected. To construct predictive nomograms for platinum sensitivity, 3-year progression-free survival (PFS), and 5-year overall survival (OS), we performed stepwise variable selection by measuring the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with leave-one-out cross-validation. For model validation, 10-fold cross-validation was applied. RESULTS: The median length of observation was 42.4 months (interquartile range, 25.7 to 69.9 months), during which 441 patients (50.9%) experienced disease recurrence. The median value of PFS was 32.6 months and 3-year PFS rate was 47.8% while 5-year OS rate was 68.4%. The AUCs of the newly developed nomograms predicting platinum sensitivity, 3-year PFS, and 5-year OS were 0.758, 0.841, and 0.805, respectively. We also developed predictive nomograms confined to the patients who underwent primary debulking surgery. The AUCs for platinum sensitivity, 3-year PFS, and 5-year OS were 0.713, 0.839, and 0.803, respectively. CONCLUSION: We successfully developed nomograms predicting treatment response and prognosis of patients with EOC. These nomograms are expected to be useful in clinical practice and designing clinical trials.

Predictive factors of occult neck metastasis in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma / Fatores preditivos de metástases cervicais ocultas em pacientes com carcinoma epidermóide de boca

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: It is well established that cervical lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. The definition of parameters and classifications that could separate patients in groups of low, intermediate and high-risk is being attempted for several years. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine possible predictive factors related to the occurrence of occult cervical lymph node metastasis through the analysis of histopathological reports of surgical specimens obtained after oral squamous cell carcinoma resection and selective neck dissections of patients initially classified as N0. METHODS: This was a primary, retrospective, observational, case-control study. Histopathological reports were reviewed to determine if some findings were related to the occurrence of occult lymph node metastasis. The events analyzed were oral cavity subsites, pT-stage, muscular infiltration, desmoplasia, vascular emboli, perineural infiltration, tumor thickness and compromised margins. RESULTS: Occult cervical metastasis accounted for 19.10 percent of the cases. Desmoplasia, perineural infiltration, tumor thickness and pT4a stage are predictive factors of occult neck metastasis (p-value = 0.0488, 0.0326, 0.0395, 0.0488, respectively). CONCLUSION: The accurate definition of predictive factors of occult cervical metastasis may guide the selection of patients that should be referred to radiotherapy, avoiding the unnecessary exposure of low-risk patients to radiation and allowing a better regional control of the disease in those of moderate or high risk.

Resumo Introdução: Já é bem estabelecido que a metástase oculta em linfonodo cervical é o fator prognóstico mais importante em pacientes com Carcinoma epidermóide de boca (CEB) do trato aerodigestivo superior. Há anos pesquisadores tentam definir parâmetros e classificações que poderiam separar os pacientes em grupos de baixo, médio e alto risco. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar possíveis fatores preditivos relacionados com a ocorrência de metástase oculta em linfonodo cervical, por meio da análise de laudos histopatológicos de espécimes cirúrgicos obtidos após ressecção de CEB e dissecções seletivas do pescoço em pacientes inicialmente classificados como N0. Método: Este foi um estudo primário, retrospectivo, observacional e de caso-controle. Laudos histopatológicos foram revisados para determinar se alguns resultados estavam relacionados com a ocorrência de metástases em linfonodos oculto. Os eventos analisados foram: subsítios dentro da cavidade oral, estágio-pT, infiltração muscular, desmoplasia, embolia vascular, infiltração perineural, espessura do tumor e margens comprometidas. Resultados: Metástases cervicais ocultas foram responsáveis por 19,10% dos casos. Desmoplasia, infiltração perineural, espessura do tumor e estágio pT4a foram fatores preditivos de metástase cervical oculta (p = 0,0488, 0,0326, 0,0395, 0,0488, respectivamente). Conclusão: A definição precisa dos fatores preditivos de metástase cervical oculta pode orientar a seleção de pacientes que devem ser submetidos a radioterapia, evitando a exposição desnecessária dos pacientes de baixo risco à radiação, e melhorar o controle regional da doença em pessoas de risco moderado ou alto.

Epidemiologic characteristics of cervical cancer in Korean women / 부인종양

Cervical cancer is the most common female genital tract malignancy in Korean women. Although age-standardized cancer incidence rate of cervical cancer has decreased from 18.6 per 100,000 women in 1999 to 12.3 per 100,000 women in 2010 in Korea with widespread routine screening, several epidemiologic characteristics are still present. Incidence of cervical cancer still varies according to geographic area, and a significant portion of cases are detected at a locoregionally advanced stage, without significant improvement of five-year survival rate.2014-01-15 Cervical screening techniques such as the Pap smear should be the gold standard strategy to decrease incidence and to improve the survival outcomes of patients with cervical cancer. In addition, screening programs for cervical cancer should be designed, organized and directed within the context of a nationwide program for cancer control.

Survival outcomes in renal transplantation in Trinidad and Tobago - SORTTT study / Resultados de la supervivencia de transplante renal en Trinidad y Tobago - estudio RSTRTT

OBJECTIVE: To assess patient and graft survival outcomes of renal transplant recipients from the National Organ Transplant Unit, Trinidad and Tobago. DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive analysis of renal transplants performed within five and half years (January 2006 - June 2011) at the National Organ Transplant Unit was conducted. The age, gender, ethnicity, cause of renal failure, donor type, outcome and complications were examined. The one, two and three-year patient and graft survival rates were analysed and factors affecting them were discussed. RESULTS: A total of 73 renal transplantations were done. Seventy (95.9%) were from live donors and 3 (4.1%) from deceased donors. Thirty-eight patients (52.1%) were males and 35 (47.9%) were females. The one-year, two-year and three-year patient survival rates were 91.46% (SE 0.04), 89.51 % (SE 0.04) and 86.31% (SE 0.05), respectively. The one-year graft survival rate was 94.34% (SE 0.03). The two-year and three-year graft survival rates were the same at 92.69% (SE 0.03). The most significant complications seen in the recipients were those related to infections and cardiovascular disease: 47.9% of patients had a urinary tract infection, with the majority occurring at twelve months and 32.5% developed dyslipidaemia for the first time at six months. Seven patients developed erythrocytosis. CONCLUSION: The patient and graft survival rates in this new transplant programme are acceptable. Complications which can occur in transplant recipients are common and have a significant impact on post-transplantation quality of life and survival. Thus, continuing assessment of comorbid factors pre and post-transplantation as well as the analysis of donor and recipient factors will lead to an increase in both patient and graft survival.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar los resultados de supervivencia de pacientes y transplantes en relación con recipientes de transplante renal en la Unidad Nacional de Trasplante de Órganos de Trinidad y Tobago. DISEÑO Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un análisis descriptivo retrospectivo de trasplantes renales de cinco años y medio (enero de 2006 - junio de 2011) en la Unidad Nacional de Trasplantes de Órganos. Se examinó la edad, el género, la etnicidad, la causa de la insuficiencia renal, el tipo de donante, la evolución clínica del paciente, y las complicaciones. Se analizaron las tasas de supervivencia de pacientes y transplantes, de uno, dos y tres años, y se discutieron los factores que las afectan. RESULTADOS: Se realizaron un total de 73 trasplantes renales. Setenta (95.9%) fueron de donantes vivos, y tres (4.1%) de donantes muertos. Treinta y ocho pacientes (52.1%) eran varones y 35 (47.9%) eran hembras. Las tasas de supervivencias de uno, dos y tres años relativas a los pacientes, fueron 91.46% (SE 0.04), 89.51% (SE 0.04) y 86.31% (SE 0.05), respectivamente. La tasa de supervivencia de transplante de un año fue 94.34% (SE 0.03). Las tasas de supervivencia de transplante de dos y tres años fueron iguales, alcanzando un 92.69% (SE 0.03). Las complicaciones más significativas observadas en los recipientes fueron las relacionados con infecciones y la enfermedad cardiovascular: 47.9% de los pacientes tenían infección de las vías urinarias, teniendo lugar la mayoría de ellas a los doce meses, en tanto que el 32.5% desarrolló dislipidemia por primera vez a los seis meses. Siete pacientes desarrollaron eritrocitosis. CONCLUSIÓN: Las tasas de supervivencia de pacientes y transplantes en este nuevo programa de trasplante son aceptables. Las complicaciones que pueden ocurrir en los recipientes son comunes y tienen un impacto significativo en la calidad de vida postransplante. Por lo tanto, continua evaluación de los factores comórbidos pre- y postransplante, así como el análisis de donantes y recipientes conducirá a un aumento de la supervivencia, tanto de los pacientes como de los transplantes.