Research progress of precise targeted therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 in biliary tract cancers / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are highly heterogeneous tumours. Currently, the global demand for advanced BTC treatment is far from being met, and the survival benefit from advanced chemotherapy is limited. In recent years, with the rise of precision treatment, there are more and more treatment options available for advanced BTC. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) inhibitors, including monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, antibody drug conjugates, and bispecific antibodies, have been explored in BTC. This article reviews the research progress and prospects of HER2 inhibitors in BTC in recent years, so as to provide a better clinical guidance.

Targeted therapy for biliary tract carcinomas / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Biliary tract carcinomas (BTC) is characterized by high hetergenity. Despite being classified as rare cancers worldwide, the incidence of biliary tract carcinomas is increasing in China due to significant geographic variation. The current global needs for the treatment of BTC are far from being met, with advanced chemotherapy providing only limited survival benefits. Molecular targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and drug combination therapy have begun to flourish in recent years as its genetic characteristics are gradually revealed. This review summarized the therapeutically important targets of BTC, such as fibroblast growth factor receptor, isocitrate dehydrogenase and neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase as well as the advances in the research and development of their inhibitors, and prospects for precision targeted therapy for BTC.

Detection of CDH1 gene variants in early-onset diffuse gastric cancer in Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND: The type and frequency of E-cadherin (CDH1) germline variants in China for the early-onset diffuse gastric cancer (EODGC) has not been well established. Our study tend to screen and characterize germline variants for CDH1 gene in EODGC patients and in general population in China. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 57 EODGC patients (age ≤ 40 years) who underwent resection surgery for primary gastric cancer. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes and polymerase chain reaction amplification (PCR) was performed to amplify and sequence the CDH1 gene. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 19 software. RESULTS: CDH1 genetic screening results: 2 missense in exon 5 (c.778G > C, 26.3%) and 12 (c.2012C > G, 1.8%), and 1 synonymous (c.2200T > C, 72.8%) in exon 13. According to the c.2200T > C variant, the CDH1 C frequency was 62.3% and the T frequency 37.7%, while the CC homozygote frequency was 43.9%, the TT homozygote 19.3% and the CT heterozygote 36.8%. According to the c.778G > C variant, the CDH1 C frequency was 15.8% and the G frequency 84.2%, while the GG homozygote frequency was 68.4%, the GC heterozygote 31.6%. When comes to the c.2012C > G variant, the CDH1 C frequency was 98.2% and the G frequency 1.8%, while the CC homozygote frequency was 96.5%, the GC heterozygote 3.5%. Statistical association was analyzed among the EODGC patients and BDs group tested for the three variants. Lymph node metastasis rate was found to be significantly higher in patients with c.2200T > C (P = 0.04). The difference in OS with or without c.2200T > C variant was found to be sig- nificant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: No deletions or insertions were found in the CDH1 exon boundaries. All of the variants resulted com- mon polymorphisms. CDH1 germline variants are present in EODGC patients in Chinese population, but they are mainly missense variants with unknown function which are likely associated with lymph node metastasis and OS.

Tumor antigen-pulsed dendritic cell vaccine for treatment of patients with advanced malignant tumor:a clinical observation / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

Objective: To observe the safety and clinical efficacy of tumor antigen-pulsed dendritic cell(DC) vaccine in treatment of advanced malignant tumor.Methods: Ninety-one patients with non-small cell lung cancer,colon and rectal cancer,melanoma,renal carcinoma,breast cancer and other malignant tumors were enrolled in this study.All patients met the selecting standard and signed informed consent.Human dendritic cells were obtained from peripheral blood monocytes by culturing them with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor and interleukin-4.DC vaccine was prepared from tumor antigen pulsed immature dendritic cells in vitro.Patients received the vaccine therapy once every week and one cycle was defined as once every week for 3 weeks.Results: All the patients received 96 cycles of DC vaccine treatment.Symptoms of toxicity included fever,shivering,aching pain of muscle,asthenia,itching,stifle and transient fatigue;most of the symptoms automatically recovered.Clinical efficacy of the treatment was evaluated in 76 patients.Thirty-one of the 76 patients were stable after treatment and 45 were in progressive situation,with the clinical benefiting rate being 40.8%.Eighty-five patients were followed up.The median time for progression was 2.6 months;the overall survival time was 0.9-30.6 months;and the median survival period was 4.5 months,with the one year survival rate being 9.2%.Conclusion: The results suggest that the DC vaccine therapy is well tolerated in treating patients with advanced malignant tumors and has satisfactory clinical benefit;the clinical value of DC vaccine therapy needs to be further observed.