ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The positive predictive value (PPV) of high risk factor questionnaire (HRFQ) plus fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as preliminary screening strategy for colorectal-related neoplasia is relatively low. We aim to explore independent factors associated with PPVs of HRFQ combined FIT for selecting high risk individuals for colonoscopy. METHODS: A total of 6971 residents were enrolled in a community-based screening program. Participants who had positive results of HRFQ and/or FIT and subsequently received colonoscopy were involved. The associations of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle behaviors, and high risk factors of colorectal cancer with PPVs of HRFQ, FIT, and their combination were evaluated by multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among 572 involved cases, 249 (43.5%) colorectal neoplasms were detected by colonoscopy, including 71 advanced adenoma (12.4%) and 9 colorectal cancer (CRC) (1.6%). The PPVs of preliminary screening were 43.5% for total colorectal neoplasms, 14.0% for advanced neoplasm, and 1.6% for CRC. Adding positive HRFQ to FIT could improve the PPV from 3.5 to 8.0% for detecting CRC. Preliminarily screened positive individuals who were males [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.95, 95% CI 1.31, 2.90; p < 0.001], elders (> 60 years) (AOR: 1.70, 95% CI 1.17, 2.46; p = 0.005), or ex-/current smokers (AOR: 3.04, 95% CI 1.31, 7.09; p = 0.10) had higher odds of PPVs of detecting colorectal neoplasms. CONCLUSIONS: Combining HRFQ and FIT could largely improve PPVs for screening advanced neoplasm and CRC. Gender and age-specific FIT cut-off values as well as initiating ages for CRC screening might be recommended to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of current screening algorithm.
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BACKGROUND: The necessity for adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients who achieve pathological complete response (pCR) after pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is still not identified. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic value of ACT in these patients. METHODS: Clinical data were retrospectively collected from 105 consecutive LARC patients who achieved pCR after pre-operative CRT and underwent radical tumor resection between December 2008 and April 2014 in a comprehensive cancer center. Perioperative chemotherapy (CT) was administered by combining oxaliplatin with capecitabine (XELOX regimen). Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of patients with or without ACT were compared. RESULTS: Eighty-three (79.0%) patients received ACT and 22 (21.0%) did not. With a median follow-up of 49 months, the ACT group had a significantly higher 3-year DFS rate (92.8 vs 86.4%, p = 0.029) and 3-year OS rate (95.1 vs 86.1%, p = 0.026) than the non-ACT group. In multivariable analyses, the presence of ACT was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.271; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.080-0.916; p = 0.036) but not for OS. This benefit was more obvious in patients younger than 60 years via subgroup analysis (adjusted HR: 0.106; 95% CI: 0.019-0.606; p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Oxaliplatin-containing ACT may confer survival benefits to patients with pCR, particularly younger patients. However, the routine use of ACT in patients with pCR needs further validation.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Increased expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) on tumor cells can be found in various malignancies; however, very limited information is known about its role in anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC). This study explored PD-L1 expression in ASCC patients and its association with patients' clinicopathological features, CD8+ T cell infiltration, and prognosis. METHODS: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 26 patients with ASCC were retrieved. The levels of PD-L1 expression on the membrane of both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMCs) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. CD8+ T cell densities, both within tumors and at the tumor-stromal interface, were also analyzed. Baseline clinicopathological characteristics, human papilloma virus (HPV) status, and outcome data correlated with PD-L1-positive staining. RESULTS: PD-L1 expression on tumor cells and TIMCs was observed in 46% and 50% of patients, respectively. Nineteen patients (73%) were HPV positive, with 7 showing PD-L1-positive staining on tumor cells and 9 showing PD-L1-positive staining on TIMCs. Increasing CD8+ density within tumors, but not immune stroma, was significantly associated with decreased PD-L1 expression by both tumor cells and TIMCs (P=0.0043 and P=0.0007). Patients with negative PD-L1 expression had significantly better progression-free survival (P=0.038 and P=0.0443) and a non-statistically significant trend toward longer overall survival (P=0.0882 and P=0.1222) compared with patients with positive PD-L1 expression. CONCLUSION: PD-L1 is widely expressed on the membrane of tumor cells and TIMCs in ASCCs. Its negative impact on prognosis may be due to the diminished CD8+ T cell infiltration within tumors.
ABSTRACT
Research indicates that cancer-triggered inflammation plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis. Here, we aimed to evaluate the correlation of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with clinical outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). We retrospectively enrolled 317 consecutive patients with LARC between 2004 and 2013. The optimal cutoff values of LMR were determined using receiver operating curve analysis. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival related to the LMR were analyzed using the log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression methods. We found that a low LMR (≤4.91) was prominently correlated with worse prognostic features and a shorter 3-year survival rate of LARC. Moreover, multivariate Cox analysis revealed that elevated LMR was an independent factor for better OS (hazard ratio 0.538, 95% confidence interval 0.292-0.991, P=0.047). In addition, univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the LMR was not associated with tumor pathologic regression. In conclusion, LMR is identified as a valuable prognostic marker for predicting the OS of LARC patients receiving CRT.
