Omics-imaging signature-based nomogram to predict the progression-free survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

BACKGROUND Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)is widely used in the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),but it can not effectively reflect the heterogeneity within the tumor and evaluate the effect after treatment.Preoperative imaging analysis of voxel changes can effectively reflect the internal heterogeneity of the tumor and evaluate the progression-free survival(PFS).AIM To predict the PFS of patients with HCC before operation by building a model with enhanced MRI images.METHODS Delineate the regions of interest(ROI)in arterial phase,portal venous phase and delayed phase of enhanced MRI.After extracting the combinatorial features of ROI,the features are fused to obtain deep learning radiomics(DLR)_Sig.DeLong's test was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of different typological features.K-M analysis was applied to assess PFS in different risk groups,and the discriminative ability of the model was evaluated using the Cindex.RESULTS Tumor diameter and diolame were independent factors influencing the prognosis of PFS.Delong's test revealed multi-phase combined radiomic features had significantly greater area under the curve values than did those of the individual phases(P<0.05).In deep transfer learning(DTL)and DLR,significant differences were observed between the multi-phase and individual phases feature sets(P<0.05).K-M survival analysis revealed a median survival time of high risk group and low risk group was 12.8 and 14.2 months,respectively,and the predicted probabilities of 6 months,1 year and 2 years were 92%,60%,40%and 98%,90%,73%,respectively.The C-index was 0.764,indicating relatively good consistency between the predicted and observed results.DTL and DLR have higher predictive value for 2-year PFS in nomogram.CONCLUSION Based on the multi-temporal characteristics of enhanced MRI and the constructed Nomograph,it provides a new strategy for predicting the PFS of transarterial chemoembolization treatment of HCC.

A radiomics prognostic scoring system for predicting progression-free survival in patients with stageⅣnon-small cell lung cancer treated with platinum-based chemotherapy

Objective:To develop and validate a radiomics prognostic scoring system(RPSS)for prediction of progressionfree survival(PFS)in patients with stageⅣnon-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.Methods:In this retrospective study,four independent cohorts of stageⅣNSCLC patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were included for model construction and validation(Discovery:n=159;Internal validation:n=156;External validation:n=81,Mutation validation:n=64).First,a total of 1,182 three-dimensional radiomics features were extracted from pre-treatment computed tomography(CT)images of each patient.Then,a radiomics signature was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator method(LASSO)penalized Cox regression analysis.Finally,an individualized prognostic scoring system incorporating radiomics signature and clinicopathologic risk factors was proposed for PFS prediction.Results:The established radiomics signature consisting of 16 features showed good discrimination for classifying patients with high-risk and low-risk progression to chemotherapy in all cohorts(All P<0.05).On the multivariable analysis,independent factors for PFS were radiomics signature,performance status(PS),and N stage,which were all selected into construction of RPSS.The RPSS showed significant prognostic performance for predicting PFS in discovery[C-index:0.772,95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.765-0.779],internal validation(C-index:0.738,95%CI:0.730-0.746),external validation(C-index:0.750,95%CI:0.734-0.765),and mutation validation(Cindex:0.739,95%CI:0.720-0.758).Decision curve analysis revealed that RPSS significantly outperformed the clinicopathologic-based model in terms of clinical usefulness(All P<0.05).Conclusions:This study established a radiomics prognostic scoring system as RPSS that can be conveniently used to achieve individualized prediction of PFS probability for stageⅣNSCLC patients treated with platinumbased chemotherapy,which holds promise for guiding personalized pre-therapy of stageⅣNSCLC.

Somatic copy number alterations are predictive of progression-free survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma undergoing radiotherapy

Objective:Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.Somatic copy number alterations(SCNAs)have been used to predict responses to therapies in many cancers,including lung cancer.However,little is known about whether they are predictive of radiotherapy outcomes.We aimed to understand the prognostic value and biological functions of SCNAs.Methods:We analyzed the correlation between SCNAs and clinical outcomes in The Cancer Genome Atlas data for 486 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who received radiotherapy.Gene set enrichment analyses were performed to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the roles of SCNAs in the radiotherapy response.Our results were validated in 20 patients with lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)receiving radiotherapy.Results:SCNAs were a better predictor of progression-free survival(PFS)in LUAD(P=0.024)than in lung squamous carcinoma(P=0.18)in patients treated with radiotherapy.Univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed the superiority of SCNAs in predicting PFS in patients with LUAD.Patients with stage I cancer and low SCNA levels had longer PFS than those with high SCNA levels(P=0.022).Our prognostic nomogram also showed that combining SCNAs and tumor/node/metastasis provided a better model for predicting long-term PFS.Additionally,high SCNA may activate the cell cycle pathway and induce tumorigenesis.Conclusions:SCNAs may be used to predict PFS in patients with early-stage LUAD with radiotherapy,in combination with TNM,with the aim of predicting long-term PFS.Therefore,SCNAs are a novel predictive biomarker for radiotherapy in patients with LUAD.

Oral fruquintinib combined with tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium for advanced colorectal cancer to obtain longer progression-free survival:A case report

BACKGROUND After the failure of second-line standard therapy,effective treatment options for metastatic colorectal cancer are limited,and the duration of remission cannot meet clinical needs.In addition,associated drug toxicity may lead to treatment interruption that may affect patient outcomes.Therefore,more safe,effective and convenient treatments are urgently needed.CASE SUMMARY Here,we describe a patient with advanced colorectal cancer with multiple metastases in both lungs.Oxaliplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil or capecitabine was given as the first-line treatment,and bevacizumab combined with irinotecan was given as the second-line treatment after disease progression.However,treatment was interrupted due to recurrent grade 2 nausea and grade 1 diarrhea.He received targeted therapy with fruquintinib starting on August 26,2020 and responded well for 12 mo.After slow progression of the lung metastases,progression-free survival was again achieved over 13.5 mo by continued treatment of fruquintinib in combination with tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium chemotherapy.Overall treatment duration was more than 25.5 mo.The treatments delayed tumor progression,reduced drug side effects,maintained a good quality of life,and further extended overall survival.CONCLUSION This case report detailed preliminary evidence showing that the combination of fruquintinib with tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium chemotherapy double oral therapy may result in longer progression-free survival in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

Progression-free survival as surrogate endpoint in advanced pancreatic cancer: meta-analysis of 30 randomized first-line trials

BACKGROUND：Progression-free survival（PFS）has not been extensively investigated as a surrogate for survival in the firstline treatments of pancreatic cancer.The aim of this review was to evaluate PFS as a potential surrogate endpoint for overall survival（OS）in advanced pancreatic cancer in trials comparing poly-chemotherapy to gemcitabine alone.DATA SOURCES： A systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted. The key words included randomized trial, first-line chemotherapy, pancreatic cancer, gemcitabine and poly-chemotherapy. Adjusted weighted linear regression was used to calculate Rs （Spearman＇s rank-order correlation coefficient） between PFS and post-progression survival （PPS） with OS （Rs） and between treatment effects on PFS and OS （RHR）. RESUEFS： A total of 30 trials including 8467 patients met the inclusion criteria. Correlation between the treatment effects on PFS and OS （RHR=0.78） and between the endpoint PFS and OS was high across all studies （Rs=0.75）. The slope of the re- gression line was 0.76±0.26, indicating that an agent produc- ing a 10% risk reduction for PFS will provide a 7.6%±2.6% risk reduction for OS. Correlation between PPS and OS was very strong （Rs=0.71） and accounted for more than 50% of the whole OS variability （R2=0.57）. CONCLUSION： Because of the robust correlation with OS and the potential influence of PPS caused by the second line therapies, it may be justified to consider PFS as a surrogate endpoint in trials evaluating new cytotoxic agents when gemcitabine is the control arm.

Impact of Real-Time Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation on Progression-Free Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma:a Retrospective Case-Control Study

Objective To compare the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)and conventional ultrasound(US)during radiofrequency ablation(RFA)for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)≥3.0 cm in diameter.Methods A total of 149 HCC patients treated with RFA guided by either CEUS or conventional US between January 2012 and June 2013 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into different groups based on the type of ultrasound guidance(CEUS or conventional US)and tumor volume(diameter<3.0 or≥3.0 cm).The progressionfree survival(PFS)and complete ablation rates were compared between groups,and risk factors for the PFS were investigated.Results Seventy four patients received CEUS-guided RFA,and conventional US was performed in 75 patients.Among patients with a tumor<3.0 cm,the PFS and complete ablation rates were similar.However,for patients with a tumor≥3.0 cm,those treated with CEUS had a significantly longer PFS(17.3 vs.3.1 months,HR=2.73;95%CI,1.28~5.81;P=0.007)and higher complete ablation rates at 6-and 12-month post-treatment(87.5%vs.57.7%,P=0.042;75.0%vs.38.5%,P=0.009,respectively)than those treated with conventional US-guided RFA.The type of treatment(P=0.024)and maximum tumour size(P=0.011)were both found to be independent factors associated with the PFS.Conclusion Compared with conventional US,CEUS is more effective for guiding RFA in patients with HCC≥3.0 cm.CEUS-guided RFA could target HCC more accurately,and its ability to immediately detect any residual tumor during RFA might contribute to an increase in complete ablation rates and reduced progression.

Initial Progression-Free Survival after Non-First Line TKIs Therapy Potentially Guides Immediate Treatment after Its Failure in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective The standard therapy alter failure of the initial non-first line epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor （EGFR-TK1） treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） has not yet been established. The aim of the current study was to identify whether the 2nd TKI treatment or chemotherapy （paclitaxel-containing or non-paclitaxel regimen） is the appropriate treatment for patients with NSCLC based on the efficacy of the initial TKls. Methods Seventy-two advanced NSCLC patients who had accepted 2nd TKIs or chemotherapy immediately alter failure of the initial TKIs in non-first line setting from May 1, 2004 to January 31, 2010 at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were enrolled. The primary endpoint [2nd progression-free survival （PFS）] and the second endpoint loverall survival （OS）] were compared among the 2＇＇d TKI and chemotherapy groups as well as their subgroups. Results （1） Twenty-one patients were treated with 2 TKIs, and 51 patients were administered chemotherapy after failure of the initial non-first line TKI treatment. There was nonsignificant difference in the responses （P=0.900） [2nd PFS （P=0.833） and OS （P=0.369）] between the 2nd TKI and chemotherapy groups. （2） In tile 2nd TKI group, 9 patients exhibited PFS_〉7 months. The initial TKI treatment group exhibited a longer 2＂d PFS than the other 12 patients with an initial PFS〈7 months （7 months vs. 2 months, P=0.019）. However, these groups had nonsignificantly different OS （P=0.369）. （3） In the chemotherapy group, patients with PFS〈5 months exhibited longer 2＇1~ PFS than those with PFS 〉 5 months in the initial TKI treatment （3 months vs. 2 months, P=0.039）. （4） In the chemotherapy group, nd patients treated with paclitaxel-containing regimen showed longer 2 PFS than those treated with non-paclitaxel regimen （, months t,s. 2.3 months, P=0.043）. Conclusions Patients with PFS_〉7 months or 〈5 months under the initial TKI treatment potentially benefit from the 2nd TK1 treatment or chemotherapy immediately after failure of the non-first line TKIs. The paclitaxel-containing regimen may improve the 2na PFS. However, more patient samples are urgently needed to validate these findings.

Bortezomib improves progression-free survival in multiple myeloma patients overexpressing preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma

Background Significant efforts have been made to identify factors that differentiate patients treated with novel therapies,such as bortezomib in multiple myeloma （MM）.The exact expression pattern and prognostic value of the cancer/testis antigen preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma （PRAME） in MM are unknown and were explored in this study.Methods The transcript level of PRAME was detected in bone marrow specimens from 100 newly diagnosed MM patients using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,and the prognostic value of PRAME was determined through retrospective survival analysis.PRAME expression higher than the upper limit of normal bone marrow was defined as PRAME overexpression or PRAME （＋）.Results Sixty-two patients （62.0％） overexpressed PRAME.PRAME overexpression showed no prognostic significance to either overall survival （n=100） or progression-free survival （PFS,n=96,all P ＞0.05） of patients.The patients were also categorized according to regimens with or without bortezomib.PRAME overexpression tended to be associated with a lower two-year PFS rate in patients treated with non-bortezomib-containing regimens （53.5％ vs.76.9％,P=0.071）.By contrast,it was not associated with the two-year PFS rate in patients with bortezomib-containing regimens （77.5％ vs.63.9％,P ＞0.05）.When the patients were categorized into PRAME （＋） and PRAME （-） groups,treatment with bortezomib-containing regimens predicted a higher two-year PFS rate in PRAME （＋） patients （77.5％ vs.53.5％,P=0.027） but showed no significant effect on two-year PFS rate in PRAME （-） patients （63.9％ vs.76.9％,P ＞0.05）.Conclusion PRAME overexpression might be an adverse prognostic factor of PFS in MM patients treated with non-bortezomib-containing regimens.Bortezomib improves PFS in patients overexpressing PRAME.

Effect of Feitai Capsule(肺泰胶囊) on Quality of Life and Progression-Free Survival of Patients with Unresectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective： To examine the effect of a Chinese medicinal herbal formula （Feitai Capsule, 肺泰胶囊） on the quality of life （QOL） and progression-free survival （PFS） of patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods： Sixty-two patients were randomly divided into the treatment group （31 cases） and the control group （31 cases）. For the treatment group, 4 capsules （1.2 g/capsule） of Feitai Capsule were administered 3 times a day after meals for 3 weeks; then no drug was administered for 1 week. This schedule was continued for at least 3 more cycles （12 weeks totally）. If there were no obvious toxic reactions, the treatment was extended. The patients were evaluated at least once every 8 weeks until progressive dJsease （PD）. For the control group, the regular follow-up and evaluation were performed at least once every 8 weeks until PD. Clinical symptoms, objective response, physical constitution and energy, QOL, and PFS were evaluated regularly. Analysis of variance （ANOVA）, a non-parametric test, and analysis of covariance were used to compare clinical features, amelioration of clinical symptoms, physical constitution and energy, and QOL. Kaplan- Meier analysis was used to compare the two-group PFS. Results： Sixty patients finished the final evaluation, with 30 patients in each group. Baseline characters between groups were not significantly different （P〉0.05）. The control group had a 36.7% improvement in clinical symptoms, while the treatment group had a 73.3% improvement. This difference was statistically significant （Z=-2.632, P=0.008）. The control group had a 26.7% improvement in the Karnofsky performance status （KPS）, while the treatment group had a 53.4% improvement. This was also significantly different （Z=-2.182, P=0.029）. A comparative analysis indicated a positive correlation （r=0.917, P〈0.001）. Compared with the control group, QOL in the treatment group was significantly improved, except in the social/family condition and doctor-patient relationship indicators. The PFS of the treatment group and control group were 6.23 months and 4.67 months, respectively （P=0.048）. Conclusion： Feitai Capsule, a Chinese medicinal herbal treatment could improve the QOL and extend the PFS of the unresectable NSCLC patients.

The impact of alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),child-turcotte-pugh(CTP)score and disease staging on the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients:a retrospective cohort from single oncology center

Background:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the most common cause of cancer-related death in Saudi Arabia.Our study aimed to investigate the patterns of HCC and the effect of TNM staging,Alfa-fetoprotein(AFP),and Child-Turcotte Pugh(CTP)on patients’overall survival(OS).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 43 HCC patients at a single oncology center in Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2020.All patients had to fulfill one of the following criteria:(a)a liver lesion reported as definitive HCC on dynamic imaging and/or(b)a biopsy-confirmed diagnosis.Results:The mean patient age of all HCC cases was 66.8 with a male-to-female ratio of 3.3:1.All patients were stratified into two groups:viral HCC(n=22,51%)and non-viral HCC(n=21,49%).Among viral-HCC patients,55%were due to HBV and 45%due to HCV.Cirrhosis was diagnosed in 79%of cases.Age and sex did not significantly statistically differ in OS among viral and non-viral HCC patients(p-value>0.05).About 65%of patients had tumor size>5 cm during the diagnosis,with a significant statistical difference in OS(p-value=0.027).AFP was>400 ng/ml in 45%of the patients.There was a statistically significant difference in the OS in terms of AFP levels(p-value=0.021).A statistically significant difference was also observed between the CTP score and OS(p-value=0.02).CTP class B had the longest survival.BSC was the most common treatment provided to HCC patients followed by sorafenib therapy.There was a significant statistical difference in OS among viral and non-viral HCC patients(p-value=0.008).Conclusions:The most common predictors for OS were the underlying cause of HCC,AFP,and tumor size.Being having non-viral etiology,a tumor size>5 cm,an AFP>400 ng/mL,and a CTP score class C were all negatively associated with OS.

Development of a nomogram for overall survival in patients with esophageal carcinoma:A prospective cohort study in China

BACKGROUND Esophageal carcinoma(EC)presents a significant public health issue in China,with its prognosis impacted by myriad factors.The creation of a reliable prog-nostic model for the overall survival(OS)of EC patients promises to greatly advance the customization of treatment approaches.AIM To create a more systematic and practical model that incorporates clinically significant indicators to support decision-making in clinical settings.METHODS This study utilized data from a prospective longitudinal cohort of 3127 EC patients treated at Chongqing University Cancer Hospital between January 1,2018,and December 12,2020.Utilizing the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression alongside multivariate Cox regression analyses helped pinpoint pertinent variables for constructing the model.Its efficacy was assessed by concordance index(C-index),area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),calibration curves,and decision curve analysis(DCA).RESULTS Nine variables were determined to be significant predictors of OS in EC patients:Body mass index(BMI),Karnofsky performance status,TNM stage,surgery,radiotherapy,chemotherapy,immunotherapy,platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio,and albumin-to-globulin ratio(ALB/GLB).The model demonstrated a C-index of 0.715(95%CI:0.701-0.729)in the training cohort and 0.711(95%CI:0.689-0.732)in the validation cohort.In the training cohort,AUCs for 1-year,3-year,and 5-year OS predictions were 0.773,0.787,and 0.750,respectively;in the validation cohort,they were 0.772,0.768,and 0.723,respectively,illustrating the model's precision.Calibration curves and DCA verified the model's predictive accuracy and net benefit.CONCLUSION A novel prognostic model for determining the OS of EC patients was successfully developed and validated to help clinicians in devising individualized treatment schemes for EC patients.

A systematic review of progenitor survival and maturation in Parkinsonian models

Stem cell-based brain repair is a promising emergent therapy for Parkinson's disease based on years of foundational research using human fetal donors as a cell source.Unlike current therapeutic options for patients,this approach has the potential to provide longterm stem cell–derived reconstruction and restoration of the dopaminergic input to denervated regions of the brain allowing for restoration of certain functions to patients.The ultimate clinical success of stem cell–derived brain repair will depend on both the safety and efficacy of the approach and the latter is dependent on the ability of the transplanted cells to survive and differentiate into functional dopaminergic neurons in the Parkinsonian brain.Because the pre-clinical literature suggests that there is considerable variability in survival and differentiation between studies,the aim of this systematic review was to assess these parameters in human stem cell-derived dopaminergic progenitor transplant studies in animal models of Parkinson's disease.A defined systematic search of the PubMed database was completed to identify relevant studies published up to March 2024.After screening,76 articles were included in the analysis from which 178 separate transplant studies were identified.From these,graft survival could be assessed in 52 studies and differentiation in 129 studies.Overall,we found that graft survival ranged from<1% to 500% of cells transplanted,with a median of 51%of transplanted cells surviving in the brain;while dopaminergic differentiation of the cells ranged from 0% to 46% of cells transplanted with a median of 3%.This systematic review suggests that there is considerable scope for improvement in the differentiation of stem cell-derived dopaminergic progenitors to maximize the therapeutic potential of this approach for patients.

Nomogram for overall survival in ampullary adenocarcinoma using the surveillance,epidemiology,and end results database and external validation

BACKGROUND Ampullary adenocarcinoma is a rare malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract.Currently,only a few cases have been reported,resulting in limited information on survival.AIM To develop a dynamic nomogram using internal and external validation to predict survival in patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma.METHODS Data were sourced from the surveillance,epidemiology,and end results stat database.The patients in the database were randomized in a 7:3 ratio into training and validation groups.Using Cox regression univariate and multivariate analyses in the training group,we identified independent risk factors for overall survival and cancer-specific survival to develop the nomogram.The nomogram was validated with a cohort of patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of the Army Medical University.RESULTS For overall and cancer-specific survival,12(sex,age,race,lymph node ratio,tumor size,chemotherapy,surgical modality,T stage,tumor differentiation,brain metastasis,lung metastasis,and extension)and 6(age;surveillance,epidemiology,and end results stage;lymph node ratio;chemotherapy;surgical modality;and tumor differentiation)independent risk factors,respectively,were incorporated into the nomogram.The area under the curve values at 1,3,and 5 years,respectively,were 0.807,0.842,and 0.826 for overall survival and 0.816,0.835,and 0.841 for cancer-specific survival.The internal and external validation cohorts indicated good consistency of the nomogram.CONCLUSION The dynamic nomogram offers robust predictive efficacy for the overall and cancer-specific survival of ampullary adenocarcinoma.

Long-term survival outcomes of duodenal adenocarcinoma:A cohort study with 15-year single-center experience

BACKGROUND Duodenal adenocarcinoma(DA),a rare gastrointestinal malignancy,lacks clear natural history and management strategies.This study aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients with DA,focusing on long-term survival and the impact of tumor characteristics,surgery,and adjuvant therapy.AIM To bridge this knowledge gap,we conducted a hospital-based cohort study in our 15-year experience with DA aimed at investigating the long-term outcomes of the patients with DA,along with analyzing the impact of the tumor characteristics,operations and adjuvant therapy on survival outcomes.METHODS A retrospective analysis of 208 patients diagnosed with non-ampullary DA at a single institution between 2009 and 2023 was performed.This study used SPSS 26.0 software to make a comprehensive statistical analysis of demographic characteristics,clinical presentation,treatment modalities,and survival outcomes.The effectiveness of surgical resection and adjuvant therapy in 5-year oval survival(OS)and disease-free survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves,the Cox proportional hazards model,and statistical comparisons of survival distributions.RESULTS The median OS time for the cohort was 39 months,with 3-and 5-year OS rates of 51.2%and 43.6%,respectively.Radical resection was performed in 82.6%of cases,and was significantly associated with an improved 5-year OS,with a rate of 57.8%.Adjuvant therapy showed a survival benefit in the specific patient subsets,particularly in tumor stage Ⅱ or Ⅲ tumors,with an improved OS.Adjuvant therapy(hazard ratio=2.71,95%confidence interval:1.30-5.62,P=0.008),pancreatic invasion and advanced tumor stage were identified as significant predictors of OS in multivariate analyses.CONCLUSION Radical operation for DA is associated with a remarkable improvement in the 5-year OS.Importantly,postoperative adjuvant therapy can significantly prolong the OS time in patients with radical operation,especially in patients with stage III.It highlights the necessity for early diagnosis,tailored surgical approaches,and a nuanced understanding of the role of adjuvant therapy.

Clinicopathological and radiological characteristics and prediction of survival in colon cancer

There are various histological characteristics which have been proposed to predict the survival rate in colon cancer.However,there is no definitive model to accurately predict the survival.Therefore,it is important to find out one model for the prediction of survival in colon cancer which may also include the preoperative,and operative factors in addition to histopathology.

Development and validation of a nomogram model for predicting overall survival in patients with gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND The prevalence and mortality rates of gastric carcinoma are disproportionately elevated in China,with the disease's intricate and varied characteristics further amplifying its health impact.Precise forecasting of overall survival(OS)is of paramount importance for the clinical management of individuals afflicted with this malignancy.AIM To develop and validate a nomogram model that provides precise gastric cancer prevention and treatment guidance and more accurate survival outcome prediction for patients with gastric carcinoma.METHODS Data analysis was conducted on samples collected from hospitalized gastric cancer patients between 2018 and 2020.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator,univariate,and multivariate Cox regression analyses were employed to identify independent prognostic factors.A nomogram model was developed to predict gastric cancer patient outcomes.The model's predictability and discriminative ability were evaluated via receiver operating characteristic curves.To evaluate the clinical utility of the model,Kaplan-Meier and decision curve analyses were performed.RESULTS A total of ten independent prognostic factors were identified,including body mass index,tumor-node-metastasis(TNM)stage,radiation,chemotherapy,surgery,albumin,globulin,neutrophil count,lactate dehydrogenase,and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.The area under the curve(AUC)values for the 1-,3-,and 5-year survival prediction in the training set were 0.843,0.850,and 0.821,respectively.The AUC values were 0.864,0.820,and 0.786 for the 1-,3-,and 5-year survival prediction in the validation set,respectively.The model exhibited strong discriminative ability,with both the time AUC and time C-index exceeding 0.75.Compared with TNM staging,the model demonstrated superior clinical utility.Ultimately,a nomogram was developed via a web-based interface.CONCLUSION This study established and validated a novel nomogram model for predicting the OS of gastric cancer patients,which demonstrated strong predictive ability.Based on these findings,this model can aid clinicians in implementing personalized interventions for patients with gastric cancer.

Development and validation of a nomogram prediction model for overall survival in patients with rectal cancer

BACKGROUND Rectal cancer is prevalent and associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.AIM To develop a nomogram prediction model for overall survival(OS)in patients with rectal cancer by leveraging a comprehensive analysis of demographic,clinicopathological,haematological,and follow-up data to identify independent prognostic factors.METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study in China involving rectal cancer patients and applied Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to assess the significance of various variables as independent prognostic factors for OS.The identified factors were integrated into a nomogram model,which was evaluated for predictive accuracy via the C-index,area under the curve(AUC),calibration curve,and decision curve analysis(DCA).RESULTS Multivariate analysis revealed independent predictors of OS,including the Karnofsky performance status,age,sex,TNM stage,chemotherapy,surgery,targeted therapy,β2-microglobulin,lactate dehydrogenase,and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.The nomogram demonstrated a C-index of 0.80 for the training and validation cohorts,with AUC values indicating high predictive accuracy for 1-year,3-year,and 5-year OS.The calibration curves confirmed the model's excellent agreement with the observed survival rates,and DCA revealed the superior clinical utility of the nomogram over the TNM staging system.CONCLUSION In this study,a novel prognostic model that accurately predicts the OS of rectal cancer patients was developed.The model exhibited excellent discriminatory and calibration capabilities,thus offering a reliable tool for health care professionals to estimate patient survival.

Modeling post-operative survival in patients with gallbladder cancer resections:The road to improved patient care?

In this letter,we discuss the article by Li et al published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.Gallbladder cancer is a rare but fatal cancer that is often detected unexpectedly and at an advanced stage following routine cholecystectomy.Although the prognosis is poor,curative resections often combined with postoperative chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy can improve survival.However,targeted patient selection for the appropriate therapeutic approach is critical to minimize unnecessary morbidity.Using advanced statistical techniques,the authors developed a nomogram with the potential to predict survival after gallbladder cancer resection,identifying factors associated with long-and shortterm survival.This tool could improve patient selection for surgery and postoperative treatment.In this letter,we provide background on survival nomograms including an in-depth discussion of statistical methods employed in this study,the use of nomograms in other forms of cancer,limitations to the model,and directions for future research.

Prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival are associated with diabetes mellitus but inversely associated with levels of blood glucose in patients with lung cancer

Background:Previous studies have provided conflicting evidence about the increased overall survival(OS)in lung cancer patients with diabetes mellitus(DM)compared with those without DM.This study assessed progression-free survival(PFS)/OS in lung cancer patients with or without DM and tentatively analyzed the impact of blood glucose levels on PFS/OS in lung cancer patients.Methods:Data were collected from lung cancer patients based upon admission records from January 2010 to January 2012 and follow-up records from January 2010 to January 2015 in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine,Zhongshan Hospital,Fudan University,Shanghai.The data included patient sex,age,body mass index(BMI),smoking status,history of DM,level of blood glucose,pathological type,clinical stage of cancer,chemotherapy regimen,and history of anti-DM drugs.The Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier method were used for the analysis of hazard factors and PFS/OS.For comparison of PFS/OS in lung cancer with or without DM,patients were divided into three groups:lung cancer with DM,lung cancer without DM but with elevated level of blood glucose,lung cancer without DM or elevated level of blood glucose.Results:In total,the data from 200 lung cancer patients(138 males/62 females,aged 29.0 to 78.0 years,mean 60.0±8.6 years)were collected.For the comparison of PFS/OS in lung cancer patients with or without DM,patients were divided into three groups:lung cancer with DM(n=31);lung cancer without DM but with elevated levels of blood glucose(n=40);and lung cancer without both DM and elevated levels of blood glucose(n=128),whereas 1 patient dropped out of the study.All the patients underwent complete chemotherapy and were followed up for 36.0 to 60.0 months.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that lung cancer patients with DM had increased PFS and OS compared with those without DM(log-rank,P<0.05,P<0.01);the median PFS in lung cancer with DM was 12.0 months(95%confidence interval[CI],4.0-16.0)vs.6.0 months in those without DM(95%CI,5.8-6.3);and the median OS in lung cancer patients with DM was 37.0 months(95%CI,29.0-46.6)vs.12.0 months in those without DM(95%CI,10.9-13.1).For the other two groups of patients without DM,there was a trend toward a shorter PFS and OS in patients with elevated blood glucose compared with those without elevated blood glucose.Cox regression showed that PFS in lung cancer patients was favorably associated with the usage of anti-DM drugs,BMI,clinical stage of cancer,and chemotherapy regimen(all P<0.05)but was inversely associated with the level of blood glucose(P<0.05).Conclusions:Lung cancer patients with DM have prolonged PFS and OS compared with those without DM,and the level of blood glucose was inversely associated with PFS.The current results indicate that PFS may be a meaningful intermediate endpoint for OS and that the levels of blood glucose hopefully represent a prognostic factor in lung cancer patients.

Overall survival with frontline vs subsequent anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapies in unresectable,RAS/BRAF wild-type,leftsided metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND The combination of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)therapy and chemotherapy is currently a preferred first-line treatment for patients with unre-sectable,RAS and BRAF wild-type,left-sided metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC).Several studies have also demonstrated the benefit of anti-EGFR therapy in sub-sequent line settings for this patient population.However,direct evidence com-paring the effectiveness of frontline vs subsequent anti-EGFR therapy remains limited,leaving a crucial gap in guiding optimal treatment strategies.AIM To compare overall survival(OS)between frontline and subsequent anti-EGFR treatment in patients with unresectable,RAS and BRAF wild-type,left-sided mCRC.METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of mCRC patients treated at The King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and Songklanagarind Hospital,Thailand,between January 2013 and April 2023.Patients were classified into two groups based on the sequence of their anti-EGFR treatment.The primary endpoint was OS.RESULTS Among 222 patients with a median follow-up of 29 months,no significant difference in OS was observed between the frontline and subsequent-line groups(HR 1.03,95%CI:0.73-1.46,P=0.878).The median OS was 35.53 months(95%CI:26.59-44.47)for the frontline group and 31.60 months(95%CI:27.83-35.37)for the subsequent-line group.In the subsequent-line group,71 patients(32.4%)who ultimately never received anti-EGFR therapy had a significantly worse median OS of 19.70 months(95%CI:12.87-26.53).CONCLUSION Frontline and subsequent-line anti-EGFR treatments provide comparable OS in unresectable,RAS/BRAF wild-type,left-sided mCRC patients,but early exposure is vital for those unlikely to receive subsequent therapy.