Do circulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) (LincRNA-p21, GAS 5, HOTAIR) predict the treatment response in patients with head and neck cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy?

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be aberrantly expressed in head and neck cancer (HNC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate plasma levels of three lncRNA molecules (lincRNA-p21, GAS5, and HOTAIR) in the treatment response in HNC patients treated with radical chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Forty-one patients with HNC were enrolled in the study. Most of the patients had nasopharyngeal carcinoma (n = 27, 65.9 %) and locally advanced disease. Blood was drawn at baseline and treatment evaluation 4.5 months after therapy. lncRNAs in plasma were measured by semiquantitative PCR. Treatment response was evaluated according to clinical examination, RECIST and PERCIST criteria based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET/CT) findings. Complete response (CR) rates were 73.2, 36.6, and 50 % for clinical investigation, PET/CT-, or MRI-based response evaluation, respectively. Predictive value of lncRNAs was investigated in patients with CR vs. those with partial response (PR)/progressive disease (PD). We found that post-treatment GAS5 levels in patients with PR/PD were significantly higher compared with patients with CR based on clinical investigation (p = 0.01). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that at a cutoff value of 0.3 of GAS5, sensitivity and specificity for clinical tumor response were 82 and 77 %, respectively. Interestingly, pretreatment GAS5 levels were significantly increased in patients with PR/PD compared to those with CR upon MRI-based response evaluation (p = 0.042). In contrast to GAS5, pretreatment or post-treatment lincRNA-p21 and HOTAIR levels were not informative for treatment response. Our results suggest that circulating GAS5 could be a biomarker in predicting treatment response in HNC patients.

A new Salen-type azo-azomethine ligand and its Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes: Synthesis, spectral characterization, crystal structure and photoluminescence studies.

A novel Salen-type azo-azomethine ligand H2agen, 2,2'-{ethane-1,2-diylbis[nitrilomethylylidene]}bis{4-[ethylphenyldiazenyl]phenol}, formed by the 1:2M condensation of ethane-1,2-diamine with 5-[(4-ethylphenyl)diazenyl]-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and its nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by the spectroscopic and analytical methods. The UV-vis spectra of the ligand were investigated in three organic solvents (DMSO, DMF and CHCl3). The ligand shows two absorption bands assigned to π-π(∗) and n-π(∗) transitions in the solvents used. Cu(II), and Ni(II) are tetra-coordinate binding to two phenolic oxygens and two imine nitrogens in approximate square planar geometry. Zn(II) also coordinates using the same sites like other metals but gave tetragonal configuration. Molecular structure of the Cu(II) complex [Cu(agen)] was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction study. The X-ray data revealed that crystallographic imposed symmetry was absent for the complex molecule. In the structure, the Cu(II) ion is coordinated to two phenolate oxygen atoms and two imine nitrogen atoms of the azo-azomethine ligand with approximate square planar geometry. The ligand H2agen and its metal complexes exhibit strong blue emissions with irradiation. Fluorescence quantum yields and excited-state lifetimes for the ligand and its complexes were obtained. The H2agen ligand had a 35% quantum yield and a 3.27 ns excited-state lifetime. Complexation with metal ions caused reductions in intensities and quantum yields.

Initial outcome after selective intraarterial radionuclide therapy with yttrium-90 microspheres as salvage therapy for unresectable metastatic liver disease.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the potential benefit on survival outcomes of selective intraarterial radionuclide therapy (SIRT) with Yttrium-90 microspheres as a salvage therapy in liver metastasis of different tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-one patients who had unresectable liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma (n=23), neuroendocrine tumor (NET; n=12), cholangiocarcinoma (n=9), and others (n=17) received yttrium-90 microspheres. All patients were treated in a salvage setting with an 11-month mean follow-up. Early metabolic treatment response was evaluated by 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET-CT) in the sixth week after treatment. RESULTS: Of the 61 patients, 32 were alive at the end of the study; median overall survival (OS) was 17.0 ± 2.5 months (95% confidence interval: 11.9-22.0). A subset analysis of colorectal and noncolorectal groups demonstrated median OS rates of 14.0 ± 5.8 and 17.0 ± 4.8 months, respectively (p=0.543). The mean OS for patients with NET and cholangiocarcinoma was 29.0 ± 3.1 months and 17.7 ± 3.2 months, respectively (p=0.010). According to the early metabolic treatment response, the mean OS of responder and nonresponder groups was 32.0 ± 5.6 months and 11.4 ± 2.1 months, respectively (p=0.054). Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status <1 (p=0.018) and chemotherapy-naive patients (p=0.008) showed significant correlation with survival. CONCLUSION: SIRT is an effective treatment option for patients with metastatic liver disease in a salvage setting with acceptable toxicity.

Metastasis of malignant melanoma to common biliary duct demonstrated with F-18 FDG PET/CT.

Malignant melanoma is well known for its propensity to spread to unpredictable sites. F-18 FDG PET can highlight metastases at unusual sites that may be missed with conventional imaging modalities. In this study, we present the case of a 57-year-old male patient who was referred to our department for PET/CT imaging because of metabolic characterization of the lesion located in distal common biliary duct and biopsied as malignant melanoma. His PET/CT images revealed a hypermetabolic lesion at the mentioned site. Interestingly, his images also showed mild FDG accumulation on right frontoparietal skin, and the biopsy of this lesion was also reported as malignant melanoma.