External validation and newly development of a nomogram to predict overall survival of abiraterone-treated, castration-resistant patients with metastatic prostate cancer

Abiraterone acetate is approved for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer （CRPC）; however, its effects vary. An accurate prediction model to identify patient groups that will benefit from abiraterone treatment is therefore urgently required. The Chi model exhibits a good profile for risk classification, although its utility for the chemotherapy-naive group is unclear. This study aimed to externally validate the Chi model and develop a new nomogram to predict overall survival （OS）. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 110 patients. Patients were distributed among good-, intermediate-, and poor-risk groups, according to the Chi model. The good-, intermediate-, and poor-risk groups had a sample size of 59 （53.6%）, 34 （30.9%）, and 17 （15.5%） in our dataset, and a median OS of 48.4, 29.1, and 10.5 months, respectively. The C-index of external validation of Chi model was 0.726. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified low hemoglobin concentrations （〈110 g l^-1）, liver metastasis, and a short time interval from androgen deprivation therapy to abiraterone initiation （〈36 months） as predictors of OS. Accordingly, a new nomogram was developed with a C-index equal to 0.757 （95% CI, 0.678-0.836）. In conclusion, the Chi model predicted the prognosis of abiraterone-treated, chemotherapy-naive patients with mCRPC, and we developed a new nomogram to predict the overall survival of this group of patients with less parameters.

High IL-23^(+)cells infiltration correlates with worse clinical outcomes and abiraterone effectiveness in patients with prostate cancer

Individualized treatment of prostate cancer depends on an accurate stratification of patients who are sensitive to various treatments.Interleukin-23(IL-23)was reported to play a significant role in prostate cancer.Here,we aimed to explore the clinical value of IL-23-secreting(IL-23^(+))cells in prostate cancer patients.We evaluated interleukin-23A(IL-23A)expression in The Cancer Genome Atlas database and retrospectively enrolled 179 treatment-naive metastatic prostate cancer patients diagnosed in our institute between June 2012 and December 2014.IL-23^(+)cells were stained and evaluated via immunohistochemistry.Further,survival and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to explore the prognostic value of IL-23^(+)cells.We found that IL-23A expression correlated with disease progression,while IL-23^(+)cells were clearly stained within prostate cancer tissue.Patients with higher Gleason scores and multiple metastatic lesions tended to have more IL-23^(+)cell infiltration.Further analyses showed that patients with higher levels of IL-23^(+)cells had significantly worse overall survival(hazard ratio[HR]=2.996,95%confidence interval[95%CI]:1.812–4.955;P=0.001)and a higher risk of developing castration resistance(HR=2.725,95%CI:1.865–3.981;P=0.001).Moreover,subgroup analyses showed that when patients progressed to a castration-resistant status,the prognostic value of IL-23^(+)cells was observed only in patients treated with abiraterone instead of docetaxel.Therefore,we showed that high IL-23^(+)cell infiltration is an independent prognosticator in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.IL-23^(+)cell infiltration may correlate with abiraterone effectiveness in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Prognostic value of PTEN in de novo diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer

The purpose of our study is to investigate the prognostic value of phosphatase and tensin homolog on chromosome 10(PTEN)expression in patients with de novo metastatic castration naive prostate cancer(mCNPC).A total of 205 patients with mCNPC at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center(Shanghai,China)were retrospectively examined.Immunohistochemical staining of PTEN was performed on prostate biopsy samples of these patients.Associations among clinicopathological features,patient survival and PTEN protein expression were analyzed.PTEN loss occurred in 58 of 205(28.3%)patients.Loss of PTEN was significantly correlated with high metastatic volume(P=0.017).No association between PTEN expression and Gleason score was observed.Patients with PTEN loss had significantly shorter progression-free survival(PFS,P<0.001)and overall survival(OS,P<0.001)compared with patients with intact PTEN expression.Multivariate analysis showed that elevated alkaline phosphatase,high metastatic volume and PTEN loss were independent poor prognostic factors for PFS.The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status(ECOG PS)≥2 and PTEN loss were independent poor prognostic factors for OS.The adjusted hazard ratio of PTEN loss for PFS and OS was 1.67(95%confidence interval[CI]:1.14–2.43,P=0.008)and 1.95(95%CI:1.23–3.10,P=0.005),respectively.PTEN loss was also significantly associated with shorter PFS(P=0.025)and OS(P<0.001)in patients with low-volume metastatic disease.Our data showed that PTEN loss is an independent predictor for shorter PFS and OS in patients with de novo mCNPC.

Electrochemical and structural performances of Li[Ni_(0.133)Li_(0.2)Co_(0.133)Mn_(0.533)]O_(2)material during different cycle potential windows

The effects of cycle potential window on electrochemical behaviors,structural characteristics,and surface changes in Li[Ni_(0.133)Li_(0.2)Co_(0.133)Mn_(0.533)]O_(2)(or 0.5 Li_(2)MnO_(3)·0.5 Li(Co_(0.333)Ni_(0.333)Mn_(0.333))O2)in lithium-ion battery were investigated.Two flat charge potential plateaus,~3.9 and~4.5 V,are observed in the initial charge curves of the cells.Sharp changes in specific capacity and columbic efficiency are presented at~4.5 V during the first cycle.XRD specific peaks show an obvious shift with the increase in charge cutoff potential.When the charge cutoff potential is above4.4 V,the cycle performance decreases with the increase in charge cutoff potentials.A film with the composition of C and O elements is observed on the cycled composite particle.