Dosimetric risk factors for radiation esophagitis in patients with breast cancer following regional nodal radiation.

BACKGROUND: Radiation esophagitis (RE) is one of the most common clinical symptoms of regi-onal lymph node radiotherapy for breast cancer. However, there are fewer studies focusing on RE caused by hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT). AIM: To analyze the clinical and dosimetric factors that contribute to the development of RE in patients with breast cancer treated with HFRT of regional lymph nodes. METHODS: Between January and December 2022, we retrospectively analysed 64 patients with breast cancer who met our inclusion criteria underwent regional nodal intensity-modulated radiotherapy at a radiotherapy dose of 43.5 Gy/15F. RESULTS: Of the 64 patients in this study, 24 (37.5%) did not develop RE, 29 (45.3%) developed grade 1 RE (G1RE), 11 (17.2%) developed grade 2 RE (G2RE), and none developed grade 3 RE or higher. Our univariable logistic regression analysis found G2RE to be significantly correlated with the maximum dose, mean dose, relative volume 20-40, and absolute volume (AV) 20-40. Our stepwise linear regression analyses found AV30 and AV35 to be significantly associated with G2RE (P < 0.001). The optimal threshold for AV30 was 2.39 mL [area under the curve (AUC): 0.996; sensitivity: 90.9%; specificity: 91.1%]. The optimal threshold for AV35 was 0.71 mL (AUC: 0.932; sensitivity: 90.9%; specificity: 83.9%). CONCLUSION: AV30 and AV35 were significantly associated with G2RE. The thresholds for AV30 and AV35 should be limited to 2.39 mL and 0.71 mL, respectively.

Clinical Efficacy and Quality of Life Assessment of Partial Cystectomy and Plasmakinetic Transurethral Resection of Tumor in Bladder Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Bladder cancer is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system, with an incidence ranking the first in the urinary system. Without timely and effective treatment, the tumor may spread to other parts of the body. Traditional partial cystectomy (PC) and plasmakinetic transurethral resection of bladder tumor (PKRBT) are common surgical methods for superficial bladder cancer (SBC). This study aims to clarify the clinical efficacy of bladder carcinoma (BC) patients treated by either PC or PKRBT and their effects on the quality of life (QOL) of patients. METHODS: A total of 142 patients with SBC treated in Wenzhou Central Hospital and Bei da huang Industry Group General Hospital from March 2018 to June 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. According to the surgical method, patients undergoing PKRBT were included in the research group (n = 74) while those treated by PC were included in the control group (n = 69). Surgical indicators (intraoperative blood loss, IBL; operating time, OT; bladder irrigation time; catheter retention time; length of hospital stay, LOS), postoperative complication rate, and one-year recurrence rate were compared between the two groups. Besides, the levels of inflammatory factors [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10], psychological and emotional scores (Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, SAS; Self-Rating Depression Scale, SDS), and living conditions (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) before and after treatment were compared. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients in the research group had 1) less IBL, less time of OT, bladder irrigation and indwelling catheter time, as well as shorter postoperative LOS; 2) lower contents of inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8, and higher IL-10; 3) lower SAS and SDS scores and higher PSQI; and 4) fewer postoperative complications and lower one-year recurrence rate. CONCLUSION: Compared with PC, PKRBT contributes to higher efficacy and better postoperative QOL in patients SBC.

Amplification and protein expression of androgen receptor gene in prostate cancer cells: Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer and the second highest cause of cancer-related mortality in adult males worldwide. PCa is highly dependent upon androgen receptor (AR) signaling for cell proliferation and survival. The AR therefore plays a vital role in the development and function of normal and malignant prostate cells or PCa recurrence. The present study aimed to examine the ubiquity of AR amplification in PCa recurrence, even in the absence of androgen. For this purpose, specimens were collected from 37 patients. The amplification of AR and the number of X chromosomes were determined by two-colored fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. The automated image analysis was used to determine the protein expression of AR. Clinical characteristics and survival in patients whose tumors showed or did not show AR amplification and in X-chromosome polysomy with PCa recurrence has also been compared. The results showed that >35% of patients (13 specimens) exhibited AR amplification. It was also observed that AR was immunostained more intensely in the tumors with amplified AR compared with those tumors with non-amplified AR. This study demonstrated an influential role of AR in tumor growth and progression even after the deprivation of androgen, as well as showing the potential contribution of AR amplification to AR activation even in the relative absence of androgen.