Survey on hospice care attitude of family members of advanced cancer patients at different ages

BACKGROUND Hospice care plays an important role in improving the quality of life of advanced cancer patients,but controversy remains over whether age affects the attitudes of family members toward hospice care.AIM To investigate the attitudes of family members of advanced cancer patients of different ages toward hospice care.METHODS The study participants were 175 family members of patients with advanced cancer from January 2020 and October 2022.The participants were divided into youth(<40 years,n=65),middle-aged(40–60 years,n=59),and elderly(>60 years,n=51)groups.Researchers investigated and compared the degree of awareness regarding hospice care,attitudes,and whether the family members of patients would choose hospice care.RESULTS Among the family members of 175 patients,approximately 28%(49/175)were aware of hospice care.Awareness of hospice care,the proportion of hospice care acceptance and adaptation attitudes,and the proportion of those who chose hospice care in the youth group were higher in the middle-aged and elderly groups(P<0.05).No statistically significant difference was found in these three indicators between the middle-aged and elderly groups(P>0.05).Hospice care was chosen mainly to relieve pain and reduce unnecessary treatment,whereas the reasons for not choosing hospice care were mainly distrust and ethical concerns.CONCLUSION The family members of patients with advanced cancer had relatively low awareness of hospice care,while youth had a higher awareness of hospice care,acceptance,and adaptation attitudes,and were more willing to choose hospice care.

Investigating the therapeutic efficacy of psilocybin in advanced cancer patients: A comprehensive review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Psilocybin,a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms,is known for its effects on anxiety and depression.It has recently gained increasing interest for its potential therapeutic effects,particularly in patients with advanced cancer.This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the effects of psilocybin on adult patients with advanced cancer.AIM To investigate the therapeutic effect of psilocybin in patients with advanced cancer.METHODS A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted in PubMed,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,and Google Scholar for articles published up to February 2023.The reference lists of the included studies were also searched to retrieve possible additional studies.RESULTS A total of 7 studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review,comprising 132 participants.The results revealed significant improvements in quality of life,pain control,and anxiety relief following psilocybin-assisted therapy,specifically results on anxiety relief.Pooled effect sizes indicated statistically significant reductions in symptoms of anxiety at both 4 to 4.5 months[35.15(95%CI:32.28-38.01)]and 6 to 6.5 months[33.06(95%CI:28.73-37.40)].Post-administration compared to baseline assessments(P<0.05).Additionally,patients reported sustained improvements in psychological well-being and existential distress fo-llowing psilocybin therapy.CONCLUSION The findings provided compelling evidence for the potential benefits of psilocybin-assisted therapy in improving quality of life,pain control,and anxiety relief in patients with advanced cancer.

Clinical antiangiogenic effect of recombinant adenovirus-p53 combined with hyperthermia for advanced cancer

Objective： To assess the safety and clinical antiangiogenic effect of recombinant adenovirus-p53 （rAd-p53） combined with hyperthermia plus or not plus radiotherapy in advanced cancer. Methods： Expression of Vascular epithelial growth factor （VEGF） after intratumoral injection of rAd-p53 was assayed by immunohistochemistry （IHC） imaging. Forty-four patients with advanced cancer were enrolled into this clinical study. The patients were intratumorally injected with rAd-p53 （Gendicine） at a dose of 1×1012 vp once a week, with a total of 4-54 （mean 7.7） times. Total of 4-29 （mean 8.5） times of hyperthermia was given to the patients. Among the 44 patients, 30 patients were concurrently added with radiotherapy of a total dose 30-76 Gy/15-38 f/3-8 w （mean 58 Gy）. Results： Before and after intratumoral injection of rAd-p53, the VEGF IHC positive cell scores were 2.80 and 1.50, respectively （P=0.031）. The treatment of rAd-p53 combined with hyperthermia plus or not plus radiotherapy in advanced cancer achieved CR rate of 13.60% （6/44）, and PR rate of 29.6% （13/44）, and thus the effective rate was 43.2%. In addition to 6 patients with CR, 19 patients （19/38, 50.0%） had low density area （LDA） of more than 50% area on CT image within tumor indicating tumor tissue necrosis. Conclusions： Our data indicate that rAd-p53 inhibits VEGF expression and angiogenesis, and promotes tumor necrosis and shrinkage induced by hyperthermia plus or not plus radiotherapy in advanced cancer.

Clinical application of OxyContin hydrochloride controlled release tablets in treatment of pain suffered from advanced cancer

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse reactions of OxyContin hydrochloride controlled release tablets in the treatment of moderate or severe pain in patients with terminal cancer and to observe any improvement on the cancer patients' quality of life. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with moderate or severe cancer pain were treated with OxyContin hydrochloride controlled release tablets. The initial dose was 5 mg/12h, or 1/2 that of the standard morphine regimen. During the course of treatment, the dosage was adjusted according to the patients' condition until the pain completely disappeared or nearly did so. Each patient received a treatment for at least 15 days. At the same time, adverse reactions, the quality of life and scores for the intensity of pain were observed and recorded [1]. Results: The final titrated dosage of OxyContin was as follows: the patients in 30 cases (44.1%) received a dosage of ≤ 30 mg/d, those in 16 cases (23.5%) received a dosage of 31 to 60 mg/d, those in 18 cases (26.5%) received a dosage of 61 to 120 mg/d and those in 4 cases (5.9%) received a dosage of ≥ 120 mg/d. The overall rate of relief from pain was 95.6%, among which the rates of excellent, effective and moderate relief were respectively 39.7%, 48.5% and 7.4%. OxyContin had mild adverse reactions and patients' quality of life was markedly improved. Conclusion: OxyContin is effective in treatment of moderate and severe cancer pain. The adverse reactions of OxyContin are mild, and the drug can significantly improve the quality of life of patients with cancer pain.

Feasibility and reliability of the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System(ESAS-r)in Egyptian patients with advanced cancer:A single institutional experience

Objective This study aims to test the acceptance, feasibility, and usefulness of the Arabic version of the revised Edmonton Symptom AssesSment System （ESAS-r） among Egyptian patients with advanced cancer and to compare the rates of symptoms documented by patients and physicians. Methods Between August 2014 and February 2015, a total of 140 patients at Ain Shams University Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt received the Arabic version of the ESAS-r. For each patient, the ESAS-r was completed twice, first by the treating physician （as part of the basic assessment） and a second time by the patient, with a maximum of 2 hours between the two assessments. An additional survey was included to assess patients＇ acceptance of the survey and their preferences. Results Out of 140 enrolled patients in the study, 11 patients refused to complete the questionnaire, and 10 patients were excluded due to incomplete records in their medical records. Complete data was retrieved for 119 patients who were included for further analyses. The 78 （65%） patients declared that the test was clear and easy to complete. They were able to answer the test without help. Collectively, tiredness and sense of well-being were the most commonly encountered symptoms in ratings obtained by both patients and physicians. Tiredness was the only symptom showing a significant difference between the two rating methods, patient-rated scores being higher （P = 0.032）. Cronbach＇s alpha showed that both tests com- pleted by the physician and the patients were internally consistent： the physician-rated test had a coefficient of 0.877, and the patient-rated test had a coefficient of 0.863. All ESAS scores had good internal consis- tency, with a Cmnbach＇s alpha coefficient of 0.88. The internal consistency remained high after removal of individual symptom scores, with Cronbach＇s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.823 to 0.902, indicating that no individual question had undue influence on the total ESAS score. Conclusion The ESAS-r was easily understood by and applicable to patients. There was no significant discrepancy in the rates of symptoms reported by the patients and physicians, apart from tiredness. Based on this, the test could be applied on a larger scale with in-home patients. This test can be cost-effective and can decrease the number of hospital visits among advanced cancer patients in need of supportive treat- ment rather than active cancer therapy.

Clinical Trial Protocol: Randomized Controlled Trial of Cancer Pain Monitoring System (CAPAMOS) in Patients with Advanced Cancer

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) protocol was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Cancer Pain Monitoring System (CAPAMOS), a telenursing system designed to alleviate pain in ambulatory patients with advanced cancer. Methods: The study design involved a randomized controlled trial consisting of an intervention group using CAPAMOS and a control group that received usual care. At the time of enrollment, both groups will be given a questionnaire regarding issues, such as concerns related to cancer pain and self-management of opioid medication. Patients will then receive pain relief education based on the results of the questionnaire. Subjects in the control group will receive a pain diary and pain-relief pamphlet that acts as an educational tool. They could also call the outpatient clinic if they wanted to ask for a nursing consultation. The intervention group will be able to use CAPAMOS to manage their pain and receive video consultation with a telenurse, who is an oncology nursing specialist. Educational tools will be built into CAPAMOS. The study will be conducted for one month. The primary endpoint of this study was to calculate the Japanese Brief Pain Inventory score. The secondary endpoints were to assess the opioid medication self-management, Barriers Questionnaire, Japanese EuroQol 5-dimensions 5-level, and economic evaluation. Assessment items will be evaluated at registration and 2 and 4 weeks after registration. Conclusions: A RCT based on this protocol is expected to validate the efficacy of telenursing using CAPAMOS in patients with advanced cancer and pain.

A phase Ⅰ study of Hemay022, an irreversible dual EGFR/HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor in Chinese patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer

Objective: Hemay022 is a novel small-molecule and an irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor with the target of epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2), which demonstrated anti-tumor activity in preclinical studies. This first-in-human study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics,tolerability and preliminary anti-tumor activity of Hemay022 in HER2-positive advanced breast cancer patients.Methods: Heavily pretreated patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer were assigned to eight dose cohorts in a 3+3 dose-escalation pattern at doses of 50-600 mg QD and 300 mg BID. Eligible patients were given a single dose of Hemay022 on d 1 in week 0, followed by once daily continuous doses for four weeks in 28-day cycles.Pharmacokinetic samples were obtained on d 1 and d 28. Clinical responses were assessed every eight weeks.Results: Twenty-eight patients with advanced breast cancer were treated with Hemay022. The most frequently reported drug-related adverse events were diarrhoea(85.7%), vomiting(28.6%), nausea(25.0%) and decreased appetite(17.9%). No grade 4 drug-related adverse events were reported. At 50-600 mg doses, steady state areas under the concentration-time curve and peak concentrations increased with doses. One patient achieved complete response(CR), and three achieved partial response(PR). The objective response rate(ORR) and disease control rate(DCR) were 14.3% and 46.4% in 28 patients, respectively. The median progression-free survival(PFS) was3.98 months.Conclusions: Hemay022 at the dose of 500 mg once daily was well tolerated. The pharmacokinetic properties and encouraging anti-tumor activities of Hemay022 in advanced breast cancer patients warranted further evaluation of Hemay022 for treating breast cancer patients in the current phase Ⅲ trial(No. NCT05122494).

Impact of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy on tumor markers and T lymphocyte subsets for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Advanced gastric cancer(AGC)remains a challenging malignancy with poor prognosis.The combination of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab has shown promising results in AGC treatment.This study aimed to investigate the effects of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy on serum tumor markers and T lymphocyte subsets in patients with AGC and to explore their potential as predictive biomarkers for treatment response.AIM To investigate the impact of oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy on serum markers and T cell subsets in patients with AGC.METHODS This prospective study enrolled 60 patients with AGC.All patients received oxaliplatin(130 mg/m^(2),every 3 weeks)and trastuzumab(8 mg/kg loading dose,followed by 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks)for six cycles.Serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),cancer antigen 19-9(CA19-9),and cancer antigen 72-4(CA72-4)were measured before and after treatment.T-lymphocyte subsets,including CD3+,CD4+,CD8+,and CD4+/CD8+ratios,were also evaluated.The clinical response was assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1.RESULTS After six cycles of treatment,the CEA,CA19-9,and CA72-4 serum levels significantly decreased compared to baseline levels(P<0.001).The percentages of CD3+and CD4+T lymphocytes increased significantly(P<0.05),whereas the percentage of CD8+T lymphocytes decreased(P<0.05).The CD4+/CD8+ratio also significantly increased after treatment(P<0.05).Patients with a higher decrease in serum tumor markers(≥50%reduction)and a higher increase in CD4+/CD8+ratio(≥1.5-fold)showed better clinical response rates(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Oxaliplatin and trastuzumab combination therapy effectively reduced serum tumor marker levels and modulated T lymphocyte subsets in patients with AGC.Combination therapy not only has a direct antitumor effect,but also enhances the immune response in patients with AGC.Serum tumor markers and T lymphocyte subsets may serve as potential predictive biomarkers for treatment response in patients with AGC receiving combination therapy.

Prognostic analysis of related factors of adverse reactions to immunotherapy in advanced gastric cancer and establishment of a nomogram model

BACKGROUND Immunotherapy for advanced gastric cancer has attracted widespread attention in recent years.However,the adverse reactions of immunotherapy and its relationship with patient prognosis still need further study.In order to determine the association between adverse reaction factors and prognosis,the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic prognostic analysis.By comprehensively evaluating the clinical data of patients with advanced gastric cancer treated by immunotherapy,a nomogram model will be established to predict the survival status of patients more accurately.AIM To explore the characteristics and predictors of immune-related adverse reactions(irAEs)in advanced gastric cancer patients receiving immunotherapy with programmed death protein-1(PD-1)inhibitors and to analyze the correlation between irAEs and patient prognosis.METHODS A total of 140 patients with advanced gastric cancer who were treated with PD-1 inhibitors in our hospital from June 2021 to October 2023 were selected.Patients were divided into the irAEs group and the non-irAEs group according to whether or not irAEs occurred.Clinical features,manifestations,and prognosis of irAEs in the two groups were collected and analyzed.A multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors affecting the occurrence of irAEs,and the prediction model of irAEs was established.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the ability of different indicators to predict irAEs.A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze the correlation between irAEs and prognosis.The Cox proportional risk model was used to analyze the related factors affecting the prognosis of patients.RESULTS A total of 132 patients were followed up,of whom 63(47.7%)developed irAEs.We looked at the two groups’clinical features and found that the two groups were statistically different in age≥65 years,Ki-67 index,white blood cell count,neutrophil count,and regulatory T cell(Treg)count(all P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Treg count was a protective factor affecting irAEs occurrence(P=0.030).The ROC curve indicated that Treg+Ki-67+age(≥65 years)combined could predict irAEs well(area under the curve=0.753,95%confidence interval:0.623-0.848,P=0.001).Results of the Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that progressionfree survival(PFS)was longer in the irAEs group than in the non-irAEs group(P=0.001).Cox proportional hazard regression analysis suggested that the occurrence of irAEs was an independent factor for PFS(P=0.006).CONCLUSION The number of Treg cells is a separate factor that affects irAEs in advanced gastric cancer patients receiving PD-1 inhibitor immunotherapy.irAEs can affect the patients’PFS and result in longer PFS.Treg+Ki-67+age(≥65 years old)combined can better predict the occurrence of adverse reactions.

Prediction of pathological complete response and prognosis in locally advanced rectal cancer

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer is currently the third most common malignant tumor and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT)is standard for locally advanced rectal cancer(LARC).Except for pathological examination after resection,it is not known exactly whether LARC patients have achieved pathological complete response(pCR)before surgery.To date,there are no clear clinical indicators that can predict the efficacy of nCRT and patient outcomes.AIM To investigate the indicators that can predict pCR and long-term outcomes following nCRT in patients with LARC.METHODS Clinical data of 128 LARC patients admitted to our hospital between September 2013 and November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were categorized into pCR and non-pCR groups.Univariate analysis(using the χ^(2) test or Fisher’s exact test)and logistic multivariate regression analysis were used to study clinical predictors affecting pCR.The 5-year disease-free survival(DFS)and overall survival(OS)rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis,and differences in survival curves were assessed with the log-rank test.RESULTS Univariate analysis showed that pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)level,lymphocyte-monocyte ratio(LMR),time interval between neoadjuvant therapy completion and total mesorectal excision,and tumor size were correlated with pCR.Multivariate results showed that CEA≤5 ng/mL(P=0.039),LMR>2.73(P=0.023),and time interval>10 wk(P=0.039)were independent predictors for pCR.Survival analysis demonstrated that patients in the pCR group had significantly higher 5-year DFS rates(94.7%vs 59.7%,P=0.002)and 5-year OS rates(95.8%vs 80.1%,P=0.019)compared to the non-pCR group.Tumor deposits(TDs)were significantly correlated with shorter DFS(P=0.002)and OS(P<0.001).CONCLUSION Pretreatment CEA,LMR,and time interval contribute to predicting nCRT efficacy in LARC patients.Achieving pCR demonstrates longer DFS and OS.TDs correlate with poor prognosis.

Clinical efficacy and safety of erlotinib combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Advanced pancreatic cancer is resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs,resulting in limited treatment efficacy and poor prognosis.Combined administration of the chemotherapeutic gemcitabine and erlotinib is considered a potential first-line treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer.However,their comparative benefits and potential risks remain unclear.AIM To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of erlotinib combined with other chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.METHODS Literature on the clinical efficacy and safety of erlotinib combined with chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer was retrieved through an online search.The retrieved literature was subjected to a methodological qualitative assessment and was analyzed using the RevMan 5.3 software.Ten randomized controlled trials involving 2444 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were included in the meta-analysis.RESULTS Compared with chemotherapeutic treatment,erlotinib combined with chemotherapy significantly prolonged the progression-free survival time of pancreatic cancer patients[hazard ratio(HR)=0.78,95%CI:0.66-0.92,P=0.003].Meanwhile,the overall survival(HR=0.99,95%CI:0.72-1.37,and P=0.95)and disease control rate(OR=0.93,95%CI:0.45-0.91,P=0.84)were not significantly favorable.In terms of safety,the erlotinib and chemotherapy combination was associated with a significantly higher risk of diarrhea(OR=3.59,95%CI:1.63-7.90,P<0.05)and rash(OR=3.63,95%CI:1.64-8.01,P<0.05)compared with single-agent chemotherapy.Moreover,the risk of vomiting(OR=1.27,95%CI:0.62-2.59,P=0.51),regurgitation/anorexia(OR=1.61,95%CI:0.25-10.31,P=0.62),and infection(OR=0.72,95%CI:0.28-1.87,P=0.50)were not significant in either group.CONCLUSION Compared with a single chemotherapeutic modality,erlotinib combined with gemcitabine can prolong progression-free survival in pancreatic cancer,but does not improve survival benefit or disease control rate,and can increase the risk of diarrhea and rash.

Development of a clinical nomogram for prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND The efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)in advanced gastric cancer(GC)is still a controversial issue.AIM To find factors associated with chemosensitivity to NAC treatment and to provide the optimal therapeutic strategies for GC patients receiving NAC.METHODS The clinical information was collected from 230 GC patients who received NAC treatment at the Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine Affiliated Haikou Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression analysis was used to find the possible predictors.A nomogram model was employed to predict the response to NAC.RESULTS In total 230 patients were finally included in this study,including 154 males(67.0%)and 76 females(33.0%).The mean age was(59.37±10.60)years,ranging from 24 years to 80 years.According to the tumor regression grade standard,there were 95 cases in the obvious response group(grade 0 or grade 1)and 135 cases in the poor response group(grade 2 or grade 3).The obvious response rate was 41.3%.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis showed that four risk factors significantly related to the efficacy of NAC were tumor location(P<0.001),histological differentiation(P=0.001),clinical T stage(P=0.008),and carbohydrate antigen 724(P=0.008).The C-index for the prediction nomogram was 0.806.The calibration curve revealed that the predicted value exhibited good agreement with the actual value.Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had a good value in clinical application.CONCLUSION A nomogram combining tumor location,histological differentiation,clinical T stage,and carbohydrate antigen 724 showed satisfactory predictive power to the response of NAC and can be used by gastrointestinal surgeons to determine the optimal treatment strategies for advanced GC patients.

Compare clinical efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant therapy and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND To compare the efficacy and safety of total neoadjuvant therapy(TNT)and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT)in the treatment of middle and low locally advanced rectal cancer.Our study will systematically collect and integrate studies to evaluate the ability of these two treatments to improve tumor shrinkage rates,surgical resection rates,tumor-free survival,and severe adverse events.AIM To provide clinicians and patients with more reliable treatment options to optimize treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the two treatment options.METHODS A full search of all clinical studies on the effectiveness and safety of TNT and nCRT for treating locally advanced rectal cancer identified in Chinese(CNKI,Wanfang,China Biomedical Literature Database)and English(PubMed,Embase)databases was performed.Two system assessors independently screened the studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Quality evaluation and RESULTS Finally,14 studies were included,six of which were randomized controlled studies.A total of 3797 patients were included,including 1865 in the TNT group and 1932 in the nCRT group.The two sets of baseline data were comparable.The results of the meta-analysis showed that the pCR rate[odds ratio(OR)=1.57,95%confidence interval(CI):1.30-1.90,P<0.00001],T stage degradation rate(OR=2.16,95%CI:1.63-2.57,P<0.00001),and R0 resection rate(OR=1.42,95%CI:1.09-1.85,P=0.009)were significantly greater in the nCRT group than in the nCRT group.There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3/4 acute toxicity or perioperative complications between the two groups.The 5-year OS[hazard ratio(HR)=0.84,95%CI:0.69-1.02,P=0.08]and DFS(HR=0.94,95%CI:0.03-1.39,P=0.74)of the TNT group were similar to those of the nCRT group.CONCLUSION TNT has greater clinical efficacy and safety than nCRT in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Tumor recurrence and survival prognosis in patients with advanced gastric cancer after radical resection with radiotherapy and chemotherapy

BACKGROUND Advanced gastric cancer is a common malignancy that is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and is still at risk of recurrence after radical surgical treatment.Chemoradiotherapy,as one of the important treatment methods for gastric cancer,is of great significance for improving the survival rate of patients.However,the tumor recurrence and survival prognosis of gastric cancer patients after radio-therapy and chemotherapy are still uncertain.AIM To analyze the tumor recurrence after radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer and provide more in-depth guidance for clinicians.METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on 171 patients with gastric cancer who received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy in our hospital from 2021 to 2023.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the recurrence rate and survival rate;the log-rank method was used to analyze the single-factor prognosis;and the Cox model was used to analyze the prognosis associated with multiple factors.RESULTS The median follow-up time of the whole group was 63 months,and the follow-up rate was 93.6%.Stage Ⅱ and Ⅲ patients accounted for 31.0%and 66.7%,respec-tively.The incidences of Grade 3 and above acute gastrointestinal reactions and hematological adverse reactions were 8.8%and 9.9%,respectively.A total of 166 patients completed the entire chemoradiotherapy regimen,during which no adverse reaction-related deaths occurred.In terms of the recurrence pattern,17 patients had local recurrence,29 patients had distant metastasis,and 12 patients had peritoneal implantation metastasis.The 1-year,3-year,and 5-year overall survival(OS)rates were 83.7%,66.3%,and 60.0%,respectively.The 1-year,3-year,and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 75.5%,62.7%,and 56.5%,respectively.Multivariate analysis revealed that T stage,peripheral nerve invasion,and the lymph node metastasis rate(LNR)were independent prognostic factors for OS.CONCLUSION Postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy for gastric cancer treatment is well tolerated and has acceptable adverse effects,which is beneficial for local tumor control and can improve the long-term survival of patients.The LNR was an independent prognostic factor for OS.For patients with a high risk of local recurrence,postoperative adjuvant chemoradiation should be considered.

Evaluation of oxaliplatin and tigio combination therapy in locally advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Locally advanced gastric cancer(LAGC)is a common malignant tumor.In recent years,neoadjuvant chemotherapy has gradually become popular for the treatment of LAGC.AIM To investigate the efficacy of oxaliplatin combined with a tigio neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen vs a conventional chemotherapy regimen for LAGC.METHODS Ninety patients with LAGC were selected and randomly divided into control and study groups with 45 patients in each group,according to the numerical table method.The control group was treated with conventional chemotherapy,and the study group was treated with oxaliplatin combined with tigio-neoadjuvant che-motherapy.The primary outcome measures were the clinical objective response rate(ORR)and surgical resection rate(SRR),whereas the secondary outcome measures were safety and Karnofsky Performance Status score.RESULTS The ORR in the study group was 80.00%,which was significantly higher than that of the control group(57.78%).In the study group,SRR was 75.56%,which was significantly higher than that of the control group(57.78%).There were 15.56%adverse reactions in the study group and 35.56%in the control group.These differences were statistically significant between the two groups.CONCLUSION The combination of oxaliplatin and tigio before surgery as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with LAGC can effectively improve the ORR and SRR and is safe.

Nomogram model including LATS2 expression was constructed to predict the prognosis of advanced gastric cancer after surgery

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.Prognostic assessments are typically based on the tumor-node-metastasis(TNM)staging system,which does not account for the molecular heterogeneity of this disease.LATS2,a tumor suppressor gene involved in the Hippo signaling pathway,has been identified as a potential prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer.AIM To construct and validate a nomogram model that includes LATS2 expression to predict the survival prognosis of advanced gastric cancer patients following ra-dical surgery,and compare its predictive performance with traditional TNM staging.METHODS A retrospective analysis of 245 advanced gastric cancer patients from the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University was conducted.The patients were divided into a training group(171 patients)and a validation group(74 patients)to deve-lop and test our prognostic model.The performance of the model was determined using C-indices,receiver operating characteristic curves,calibration plots,and decision curves.RESULTS The model demonstrated a high predictive accuracy with C-indices of 0.829 in the training set and 0.862 in the validation set.Area under the curve values for three-year and five-year survival prediction were significantly robust,suggesting an excellent discrimination ability.Calibration plots confirmed the high concordance between the predictions and actual survival outcomes.CONCLUSION We developed a nomogram model incorporating LATS2 expression,which significantly outperformed conven-tional TNM staging in predicting the prognosis of advanced gastric cancer patients postsurgery.This model may serve as a valuable tool for individualized patient management,allowing for more accurate stratification and im-proved clinical outcomes.Further validation in larger patient cohorts will be necessary to establish its generaliza-bility and clinical utility.

Minimally invasive pelvic exenteration for primary or recurrent locally advanced rectal cancer:A glimpse into the future

Surgeons have grappled with the treatment of recurrent and T4b locally advanced rectal cancer(LARC)for many years.Their main objectives are to increase the overall survival and quality of life of the patients and to mitigate postoperative complications.Currently,pelvic exenteration(PE)with or without neoadjuvant treatment is a curative treatment when negative resection margins are achieved.The traditional open approach has been favored by many surgeons.However,the technological advancements in minimally invasive surgery have radically changed the surgical options.Recent studies have demonstrated promising results in postoperative complications and oncological outcomes after robotic or laparoscopic PE.A recent retrospective study entitled“Feasibility and safety of minimally invasive multivisceral resection for T4b rectal cancer:A 9-year review”was published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.As we read this article with great interest,we decided to delve into the latest data regarding the benefits and risks of minimally invasive PE for LARC.Currently,the small number of suitable patients,limited surgeon experience,and steep learning curve are hindering the establishment of minimally invasive PE.

Survival benefit of concurrent chemoradiotherapy for advanced ampulla of Vater cancer

BACKGROUND Currently,there is no standard adjuvant therapy for patients with resected ampulla of Vater(AoV)cancer.AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)in patients with advanced AoV cancer who underwent curative resection.METHODS This single-centered,retrospective study included 29 patients with advanced AoV cancer who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy between 2006 and 2018.The impact of CCRT on advanced AoV cancer was analyzed.RESULTS The 1-,3-,and 5-yr recurrence-free survival(RFS)rates for patients with advanced AoV cancer were 82.8%,48.3%,and 40.8%,respectively,and the overall survival(OS)rates were 89.7%,62.1%,and 51.7%,respectively.Lymphovas-cular invasion was found to be a significant risk factor for RFS and OS in patients with advanced AoV cancer in the univariate analysis,whereas T stage and lymph node metastasis were significantly associated with OS in the multivariate analysis.Compared to the patients who did not receive adjuvant CCRT,those who received adjuvant CCRT did not show statistically significant improvements in the RFS and OS,although they had a significantly lower average age and significantly higher platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.CONCLUSION Adjuvant CCRT did not improve survival outcomes in patients with advanced AoV cancer.These findings contribute to existing knowledge on the effectiveness of CCRT in this patient population and provide important insights for clinical decision-making.

Survival prognostic analysis of laparoscopic D2 radical resection for locally advanced gastric cancer: A multicenter cohort study

BACKGROUND With the development of minimally invasive surgical techniques,the use of laparoscopic D2 radical surgery for the treatment of locally advanced gastric cancer(GC)has gradually increased.However,the effect of this procedure on survival and prognosis remains controversial.This study evaluated the survival and prognosis of patients receiving laparoscopic D2 radical resection for the treatment of locally advanced GC to provide more reliable clinical evidence,guide clinical decision-making,optimize treatment strategies,and improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients.METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed.Clinicopathological data from 652 patients with locally advanced GC in our hospitals from December 2013 to December 2023 were collected.There were 442 males and 210 females.The mean age was 57±12 years.All patients underwent a laparoscopic D2 radical operation for distal GC.The patients were followed up in the outpatient department and by telephone to determine their tumor recurrence,metastasis,and survival.The follow-up period ended in December 2023.Normally distributed data are expressed as the mean±SD,and normally distributed data are expressed as M(Q1,Q3)or M(range).Statistical data are expressed as absolute numbers or percentages;theχ^(2) test was used for comparisons between groups,and the Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test was used for comparisons of rank data.The life table method was used to calculate the survival rate,the Kaplan-Meier method was used to construct survival curves,the log rank test was used for survival analysis,and the Cox risk regression model was used for univariate and multifactor analysis.RESULTS The median overall survival(OS)time for the 652 patients was 81 months,with a 10-year OS rate of 46.1%.Patients with TNM stages II and III had 10-year OS rates of 59.6%and 37.5%,respectively,which were significantly different(P<0.05).Univariate analysis indicated that factors such as age,maximum tumor diameter,tumor diffe-rentiation grade(low to undifferentiated),pathological TNM stage,pathological T stage,pathological N stage(N2,N3),and postoperative chemotherapy significantly influenced the 10-year OS rate for patients with locally advanced GC following laparoscopic D2 radical resection for distal stomach cancer[hazard ratio(HR):1.45,1.64,1.45,1.64,1.37,2.05,1.30,1.68,3.08,and 0.56 with confidence intervals(CIs)of 1.15-1.84,1.32-2.03,1.05-1.77,1.62-2.59,1.05-1.61,1.17-2.42,2.15-4.41,and 0.44-0.70,respectively;P<0.05].Multifactor analysis revealed that a tumor diameter greater than 4 cm,low tumor differentiation,and pathological TNM stage III were independent risk factors for the 10-year OS rate in these patients(HR:1.48,1.44,1.81 with a 95%CI:1.19-1.84).Additionally,postoperative chemotherapy emerged as an independent protective factor for the 10-year OS rate(HR:0.57,95%CI:0.45-0.73;P<0.05).CONCLUSION A maximum tumor diameter exceeding 4 cm,low tumor differentiation,and pathological TNM stage III were identified as independent risk factors for the 10-year OS rate in patients with locally advanced GC following laparoscopic D2 radical resection for distal GC.Conversely,postoperative chemotherapy was found to be an independent protective factor for the 10-year OS rate in these patients.

Hsa-miR-483-5p/mRNA network that regulates chemotherapy resistance in locally advanced rectal cancer identified through plasma exosome transcriptomics

BACKGROUND Chemoresistance is the primary contributor to distant metastasis in the context of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT)for rectal cancer.However,the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.AIM To detect the differential expression profiles of plasma exosomal microRNAs(miRNAs)in poor and good responders and explore the potential mechanisms of chemoresistance.METHODS In this study,the profiles of plasma exosomal miRNAs were compared in two dimensions according to treatment responses(poor/good responders)and treatment courses(pre/post-nCRT)using RNA sequencing.RESULTS Exosome hsa-miR-483-5p was up-regulated in good responders post-nCRT.Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the target genes of hsa-miR-483-5p were mainly enriched in tumor-specific pathways,such as the MAPK signaling pathway,EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance,Toll-like receptor signaling pathway,VEGF signaling pathway,and mTOR signaling pathway.Further analysis indicated that MAPK3,RAX2,and RNF165 were associated with inferior recurrence-free survival in patients with rectal cancer,and the profiles of MAPK3,TSPYL5,and ZNF-417 were correlated with tumor stage.In addition,the expression profiles of MAPK3,RNF165,and ZNF417 were negatively correlated with inhibitory concentration 50 values.Accordingly,an hsa-miR-483-5p/MAPK3/RNF 165/ZNF417 network was constructed.CONCLUSION This study provides insights into the mechanism of chemoresistance in terms of exosomal miRNAs.However,further research is required within the framework of our established miRNA-mRNA network.