ABSTRACT
Objective:Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignant tumor derived from bile duct epithelial cells with extremely poor prognosis. The Hippo-Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcription activator with PDZ binding motif (TAZ) signaling plays a critical role in cancer stem cell biology. Previous studies have shown that the positive expression of YAP/TAZ in CCA predicts larger tumor size and unfavorable clinical outcomes. We aim to evaluate the prognostic value of YAP/TAZ detection in CCA patients.Methods:CCA patients who underwent radical resection were retrospectively analyzed at our institution from January 2011 to June 2016. Postoperative pathological specimens were scored by YAP/TAZ immunohistochemical staining. The prognostic value of YAP/TAZ was analyzed by multivariate Cox-proportional hazards model.Results:A total of 91 CCA patients were enrolled. During a median follow-up time of 11.0 months, 69.2% patients relapsed and 45.1% died. The median OS and DFS were 10.7 months and 8.8 months respectively. The YAP/TAZ dual positive patients owned a worse TNM stage ( P=0.015), poorer tissue differentiation ( P=0.007), and a higher CA199 than those in negative patients. Multivariate Cox analysis identified that YAP/TAZ dual positivity as a significant factor predicted poorer OS ( P=0.010) and DFS ( P=0.028) in CCA patients after radical resection. In subgroup analysis, YAP/TAZ combination also significantly predicted OS ( P=0.044) and DFS ( P=0.043) in CCA patients with positive lymphatic metastasis and/or surgical margin who required adjuvant therapy. Conclusions:YAP/TAZ positivity is an independent predictive factor for survival in CCA patients after radical resectiony.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT AND AIMS: Apatinib combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has shown promising results in cases of Barcelona clinic liver cancer Stage C (BCLC C) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of TACE in combination with microwave ablation (MWA) and apatinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective, single.center study was undertaken using a one.to.one propensity score matching (PSM) analysis design and involved BCLC C HCC patients who underwent treatment with TACE.MWA.apatinib or TACE alone between January 2013 and June 2018. The patients were recommended to administer 500mg apatinib per day, combined with MWA and TACE. The adverse effects of apatinib, MWA. and TACE.related complications, progression.free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 149 patients with BCLC C HCC who underwent TACE.MWA.apatinib or TACE alone, 131 were included in our study. Among them, 21 (16.0%) received TACE.MWA.apatinib and 110 (84.0%) underwent TACE alone. After PSM, twenty pairs were enrolled into different treatment groups. Patients in the TACE.MWA.apatinib group had a significantly longer median PFS than patients in the TACE.alone group on both before (median, 8.9 vs. 1.7 months, P = 0.0002) and after PSM (median, 5.4 vs. 2.1 months, P = 0.001). They also had a significantly longer median OS than patients in the TACE.alone group on before (median, 24.4 vs. 5.8 months, P = 0.000007) and after PSM (median, 24.4 vs. 5.4 months, P = 0.00005). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of apatinib, TACE, and MWA in BCLC C HCC patients is safe and effective. Toxicity is manageable by adjusting the apatinib dosage.
