Research Status of Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Breast Cancer Patients

Fear of disease progression is one of the most common psychological problems in the treatment of cancer patients. Early recognition and intervention can effectively control the level of fear of disease progression and improve the quality of life of patients. The present situation and influencing factors of FoP in breast cancer patients were reviewed in this paper, in order to provide reference for clinical research of breast cancer patients.

Expression of Gli1 in the hedgehog signaling pathway and breast cancer recurrence

The hedgehog （Hh） signaling pathway plays an essential role in the embryonic development and homeostasis of diverse adult tissues, and its deregulation has been implicated in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of various malignancies including breast cancer. Aberrant activation of the Hh pathway includes the following mechanisms： （I） Hh ligand-independent mechanism - Loss of function mutations in the Hh receptor Patched 1 （PTCH1） or gain of function mutations in the Smoothened （SMO） lead to constitutive activation of this pathway; （II） Autocrine signaling- Ith ligand produced by tumor cells stimulates the Hh signaling in tumor cells; （III） Paracrine signaling - tumor cell produced-Hh ligand activates stromal and endothelial cells that produce growth factors in microenvironment for supporting tumor growth and survival; and （IV） Reverse paracrine signaling - Hh ligand produced by stromal cells support tumor growth and survival. Upon the pathway activation, the Gli transcription factors, effectors of the Hh signaling, activate or inhibit transcription by binding to their responsive genes and interacting with the transcriptional complex. The Gli transcription factor family includes Glil, Gli2, and Gli3 （1）. Glil is a transcriptional activator whose expression has been recognized as an activation state of the Hh signaling pathway, Gli2 is either an activator or repressor, and Gli3 is a strong repressor of transcriptional activities. To date, a ligand-dependent autocrine model of activating the Hh signaling has been described in breast cancer, and both an autocrine and paracrine mechanisms in colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer （2,3）. Notably, a ligand-independent mechanism （mutationsin PTCHI and SMO） of the signaling has been well demonstrated in basal cell carcinoma and medulloblastoma （4,5）.

Gut mucosal microbiota profiles linked to colorectal cancer recurrence

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence links gut microbiota to various human diseases including colorectal cancer(CRC)initiation and development.However,gut microbiota profiles associated with CRC recurrence and patient prognosis are not completely understood yet,especially in a Chinese cohort.AIM To investigate the relationship between gut mucosal microbiota profiles and CRC recurrence and patient prognosis.METHODS We obtained the composition and structure of gut microbiota collected from 75 patients diagnosed with CRC and 26 healthy controls.The patients were followed up by regular examination to determine whether tumors recurred.Triplet-paired samples from on-tumor,adjacent-tumor and off-tumor sites of patients diagnosed with/without CRC recurrence were analyzed to assess spatial-specific patterns of gut mucosal microbiota by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing.Next,we carried out bioinformatic analyses,Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox regression analyses to determine the relationship between gut mucosal microbiota profiles and CRC recurrence and patient prognosis.RESULTS We observed spatial-specific patterns of gut mucosal microbiota profiles linked to CRC recurrence and patient prognosis.A total of 17 bacterial genera/families were identified as potential biomarkers for CRC recurrence and patient prognosis,including Anaerotruncus,Bacteroidales,Coriobacteriaceae,Dialister,Eubacterium,Fusobacterium,Filifactor,Gemella,Haemophilus,Mogibacteriazeae,Pyramidobacter,Parvimonas,Porphyromonadaceae,Slackia,Schwartzia,TG5 and Treponema.CONCLUSION Our work suggests that intestinal microbiota can serve as biomarkers to predict the risk of CRC recurrence and patient death.

Employing a Backpropagation Neural Network for Predicting Fear of Cancer Recurrence among Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Objective:Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients often experience significant fear of recurrence.To facilitate precise identification and appropriate management of this fear,this study aimed to compare the efficacy and accuracy of a Backpropagation Neural Network(BPNN)against logistic regression in modeling fear of cancer recurrence prediction.Methods:Data from 596 NSCLC patients,collected between September 2023 and December 2023 at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,were analyzed.Nine clinically and statistically significant variables,identified via univariate logistic regression,were inputted into both BPNN and logistic regression models developed on a training set(N=427)and validated on an independent set(N=169).Model performances were assessed using Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic(ROC)Curve and Decision Curve Analysis(DCA)in both sets.Results:The BPNN model,incorporating nine selected variables,demonstrated superior performance over logistic regression in the training set(AUC=0.842 vs.0.711,p<0.001)and validation set(0.7 vs.0.675,p<0.001).Conclusion:The BPNN model outperforms logistic regression in accurately predicting fear of cancer recurrence in NSCLC patients,offering an advanced approach for fear assessment.

Radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for recurrent liver cancer

BACKGROUND The recurrence rate of liver cancer after surgery is high.Radiofrequency ablation(RFA)combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)is an effective treatment for liver cancer;however,its efficacy in recurrent liver cancer remains unclear.AIM To investigate the clinical effect of TACE combined with RFA in the treatment of recurrent liver cancer.METHODS Ninety patients with recurrent liver cancer were divided into 2 groups according to treatment plan:Control(RFA alone);and experimental[TACE combined with RFA(TACE+RFA)].The incidence of increased alanine aminotransferase levels,complications,and other indices were compared between the two groups before and after the procedures.RESULTS One month after the procedures,the short-term efficacy rate and Karnofsky Performance Status scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)and total bilirubin levels were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05);The overall response rate was 82.22%and 66.67%in the experimental and control groups,respectively;The disease control rate was 93.33%and 82.22%in the experimental and control groups,respectively,the differences are statistically significant(P<0.05).And there were no statistical differences in complications between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION TACE+RFA was effective for the treatment of recurrent liver cancer and significantly reduced AFP levels and improved various indices of liver function.

Radical radiotherapy without surgical tumor resection for rectal cancer

In this editorial,I would like to comment on the article,recently published in the World Journal of Clinical Oncology.The article focuses on non-surgical treatments for locally recurrent rectal cancer,including the watch-and-wait(WW)strategy after total neoadjuvant therapy(TNT)and particle beam therapy.As treatment options for rectal cancer continue to evolve,the high complete response rate achieved with TNT has led to the development of a new non-surgical approach:WW.Chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy,in particular,has a low rate of tumor growth and is a treatment aimed at achieving a cure without surgery.However,the risk of recurrence within two years is significant,necessitating careful follow-up.Establishing standardized follow-up methods that can be implemented by many physicians is essential.Carbon ion radiotherapy has demonstrated high local control with a low incidence of severe late toxicities,even after previous pelvic radiotherapy.While these new non-surgical curative treatments for rectal cancer require further investigation,future advancements in this field are anticipated.

Advanced cervix cancer patient with chemotherapy-induced grade IV myelosuppression achieved complete remission with cadonilimab:A case report

BACKGROUND The prognosis for patients with advanced metastatic cervix cancer(MCC)is poor,and this disease continues to pose a considerable therapeutic challenge.Despite the administration of first-line regimens consisting of cisplatin,paclitaxel,and bevacizumab,survival rates for patients with metastasis remain poor.The emergence of bispecific antibodies(BsAbs)offers a novel treatment option for patients diagnosed with MCC.CASE SUMMARY In this report,we present a patient with MCC who was treated with cadonilimab monotherapy at a dose of 6 mg/kg every two weeks after chemotherapy was proven to be intolerable.The patient exhibited a sustained complete response for a duration of 6 months,demonstrating an optimistic outlook.CONCLUSION This case illustrates the considerable efficacy of cadonilimab for treating advanced MCC.Therefore,BsAb therapy is a promising strategy for effectively treating patients with advanced MCC and should be considered as an option when patients are intolerant to standard chemotherapy.

Reconsideration of recurrence and metastasis in colorectal cancer

To discuss recurrence patterns and their significance in colorectal cancer.Preexisting medical hypotheses and the clinical phenomena of recurrence in colorectal cancer were evaluated and integrated.Colorectal cancer recurrence/metastasis consists of two types:recurrence from the activation of dormant cancer cells and recurrence from postoperative residual cancer cells.These two recurrences have their own unique mechanisms,biological behaviors,responses to therapy,and prognoses.For type 1 recurrences,surgical resection should be considered.Type 2 recurrences should be managed systematically in addition to surgical resection.The two types of colorectal cancer recurrence should be evaluated and managed separately.

Camptothecin@HMSNs/thermosensitive hydrogel composite for applications in preventing local breast cancer recurrence

Camptothecin has a strong tumor killing ability for a variety of tumor cells with its special anti-cancer mechanism including the breast cancer. However, because of its infinite hydrophobic property, its clinical application has been greatly limited. Early prevention of loco regional recurrence for the breast cancer is critical for patients who have undergone breast-conserving therapy. In the study,CPT was used for the inhibition of the recurrence after the operation. The hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles were used as the carrier to improve the hydrophilic property and increase its bioavailability with the high loading capacity. The ability of the cellular uptake and antitumor activity was increased. Hydrogel was the ideal carrier for local therapy, so the CPT@HMSNs were loaded into the PLEL thermo sensitive hydrogel to be injected into the tumor sites after the tumor was resected. The recurrence was reduced in the group of CPT-HMSNs-PLEL and the side effect of CPT was decreased. They exhibit distinguished potential as drug carrier for local delivery.

Regional anesthesia and cancer recurrence in patients with late-stage cancer:a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Whether regional anesthesia may help to prevent disease recurrence in cancer patients is still controversial.The stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis is a key factor that defines prognosis and is one of the most important sources of heterogeneity for the treatment effect.We sought to update existing systematic reviews and clarify the effect of regional anesthesia on cancer recurrence in late-stage cancer patients.Methods:Medline,Embase,and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to September 2020 to identify randomized controlled trials(RCTs)and cohort studies that assessed the effect of regional anesthesia on cancer recurrence and overall survival(OS)compared with general anesthesia.Late-stage cancer patients were primarily assessed according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer Cancer Staging Manual(eighth edition),and the combined hazard ratio(HR)from random-effects models was used to evaluate the effect of regional anesthesia.Results:A total of three RCTs and 34 cohort studies(including 64,691 patients)were identified through the literature search for inclusion in the analysis.The risk of bias was low in the RCTs and was moderate in the observational studies.The pooled HR for recurrence-free survival(RFS)or OS did not favor regional anesthesia when data from RCTs in patients with late-stage cancer were combined(RFS,HR=1.12,95%confidence interval[CI]:0.58-2.18,P=0.729,I2=76%;OS,HR=0.86,95%CI:0.63-1.18,P=0.345,I^(2)=48%).Findings from observational studies showed that regional anesthesia may help to prevent disease recurrence(HR=0.87,95%CI:0.78-0.96,P=0.008,I2=71%)and improve OS(HR=0.88,95%CI:0.79-0.98,P=0.022,I^(2)=79%).Conclusions:RCTs reveal that OS and RFS were similar between regional and general anesthesia in late-stage cancers.The selection of anesthetic methods should still be based on clinical evaluation,and changes to current practice need more support from large,well-powered,and well-designed studies.

Metastatic bone cancer as a recurrence of early gastric cancer - characteristics and possible mechanisms

The surgical outcome of most early gastric cancer （EGC） is usually satisfactory. Some cases show bone metastasis even though the depth of cancer invasion is confined to the mucosa. The most frequent site for recurrence of EGC is the liver. Cases of EGC with bone metastasis are reviewed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of EGC giving rise to bone metastasis. Possible mechanisms and risk factors underlying this rare condition are proposed. Forty-six cases of bone metastasis from EGC are reviewed from published reports and meeting proceedings in Japan. This investigation suggests that risk factors for bone metastasis from EGC include depressed-type signet-ring cell carcinoma, poorly differentiated carcinoma, and/or the likely involvement of lymph node metastasis, even though the cancer is confined to the gastric mucosa. The risk factors do not include recurrence of EGC in the liver. We speculate that the mechanism of bone metastasis from EGC is via lymphatic channels and systemic circulation. Postoperative follow-up of cases should consider the development of bone metastasis from EGC. We propose the use of elevated alkaline phosphatase levels for the detection of bone metastasis and recommend bone scintigraphy in positive cases. 2005 The WJG Press and Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Effect of Docetaxel and Cisplatin Chemotherapy Combined with Intensitymodulated Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Postoperative Recurrence of Esophageal Cancer and Its Effect on Serum Tumor Markers

Objective: To investigate the effect of docetaxel and cisplatin combined with intensity-modulated radiotherapy in thetreatment of postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer and the content of tumor markers in serum. Methods: According tosimple randomization method, 60 patients with postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer admitted from February 2018 toSeptember 2019 were divided into control group (n = 30 cases) and observation group (n = 30 cases). All patients received IMRT.Fluorouracil + cisplatin was used in the control group and docetaxel + cisplatin was used in the observation group. After 2 coursesof continuous treatment, the therapeutic effect, serum tumor marker content and adverse reactions were compared between thetwo groups. Results: After treatment, the effective rate of observation group was higher than control group, and the difference wasstatistically significant (P < 0.05).The contents of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) andcarbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in observation group were lower than those in control group, and the difference was statisticallysignificant (P < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, and thedifference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Docetaxel and cisplatin combined with intensemodulated radiotherapyfor postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer can improve the therapeutic effect, inhibit the malignant degree of tumor, andreduce the incidence of adverse reactions.

Analysis of compatibility rules and mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine for preventing and treating postoperative recurrence of bladder cancer

Backgroud:Summarize the formula rule of traditional Chinese medicine fOr preventing and treating bladder cancer recurrence after operation and explore the molecular mechanism of core medicines.Methods:Literatures collected from CNKI,Wanfang Med Online,CMJD,PUBMED and Elsiver databases were as prescription sources,and association rules and complex system entropy clustering analysis were carried out using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System(TCMISSV2.5).BATMAN-TCM online analysis tool was used to construct target-pathway-disease correlation map to reveal the potential mechanism of action.Results:A total of 122 prescriptions were eligible for data analysis.The high-frequency traditional Chinese medicines are Poria,Radix et Rhizoma Rhei,Radix Astragali,Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae and Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae.The high-frequency drug pairs are Rhizoma Atractylodis MacrocephalaeIPoria,Poria/Rhizoma Alismatis,Radix Astragali/Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalaeand and Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae/Herba Scutellariae Darbatae..There are 5 groups of drug pairs with high correlation strength.Cluster analysis shows 6 core drug combinations and 3 new prescriptions.In clinical practice,the core compatibility of traditional Chinese medicines for preventing postoperative recurrence of bladder cancer is Poria,Radix Astragali and Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae.The possible signaling pathways are the neuroactive ligand receptor interaction signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway.Conclusion:Prevention and treatment of postoperative recurrence of bladder cancer mainly use medicines with effects of eliminating dampness and diuresis for removing edema,heat-clearing and detoxifying,and qi-invigorating.The potential mechanism of the compatibility of core drugs may be realized by interfering with the signal pathway of neuroactive ligand receptor interaction and calcium signal pathway.

The clinical use of interventional chemotherapy and intravesical instillation for preventing recurrence of superficial bladder cancer

Objective To study the therapeutic efficacy of combined interventional chemotherapy and intravesical instillation of mitomycin on preventing bladder cancers from recurring after local ablation. Methods 28 patients with superficial bladder cancers were randomized into combined interventional chemotherapy and intravesical instillation of mitomycin or intravesical instillation of mitomycin alone for preventing recurrence after local ablation. The result was assessed by x2 test. Results The patients have been followed up for 12-26 months (mean 21 months). 1 case has had tumor recurrence in the combined modality therapy group and 4 in the intravesical instillation alone group, the tumor recurrence rate being 7% (1/14) and 29% (4/14) respectively (P【0.05). Conclusion Combined use of interventional chemotherapy and intravesical instillation of mitomycin is effective in preventing superficial bladder cancer from recurring after local ablation with fewer adverse effects. The ragimen is not only reliable but

The effects of intravesical therapy with elemene in preventing postoperative recurrence of bladder cancer

To investigate the effects of intravesical therapy with elemene in preventing postoperative recurrence of superficial bladder cancer and its toxic and side effects.Methods This series included 123 patients with superficial bladder cancer (T1),consisting of transitional cell carcinoma GⅠ in 37 cases,GⅡ in 73 and GⅢ in 13.They all underwent surgical treatment.Postoperatively,they were randomly assigned to 2 groups;63 patients in elemene group received instillation of elemene (400 mg,once a week) 2 weeks after operation and 60 patients in mitomycin C (MMC) group received instillation of MMC (40 mg,once a week) 2 weeks after operation.The instillations were repeated for 6 weeks and thereafter monthly for 1 year.The recurrence rates,side effects,and NK cell activity before and after treatment were evaluated.Results The recurrence rate of elemene group (mean follow-up of 19.7 months) was 7.9% (5 cases),which was significantly lower than that (25.0%,15 cases) of MMC group (mean follow-up of 19.4 months;P<0.05).The side effect in elemene group (3.2%,2 cases) was significantly milder than that in MMC group (25.0%,15 cases)(P<0.05).In elemene group,the NK cell activity after treatment (28±2)% was significantly higher than that before treatment(20±2)%(P<0.05).Conclusion Instillation of elemene after operation is effective and safe in preventing postoperative recurrence of bladder cancer.8 refs.

A clinical analysis of risk factor with lymph node metastatic recurrence in patients with N0 esophageal cancer after Ivor-Lewis Esophagectomy

Objective To investigate the risk factors with lymph node metastatic recurrence in patients with N0 esophageal cancer after Ivor-Lewis Esophagectomy. Methods The subjects were 82 patients with pN0 esophagea cancer who underwent Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy from January 2001 to January 2005. By using RT-PCR,VEGF C mRNA was detected in tumor issues,and Mucin (MUC1) mRNA was detected in lymph nodes. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival

Plasma DNA methylation of Wnt antagonists predicts recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM:To detect the effects of plasma DNA methylation of Wnt antagonists/inhibitors on recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).METHODS:We used methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction to detect hypermethylation of the promoter of four Wnt antagonists/inhibitors(SFRP-1,WIF-1,DKK-3 and RUNX3) using DNA from the plasma of ESCC patients(n = 81) and analyzed the association between promoter hypermethylation of Wnt pathway modulator genes and the two-year recurrence of ESCC.RESULTS:Hypermethylation of SFRP-1,DKK-3 and RUNX-3 was significantly associated with an increased risk of ESCC recurrence(P = 0.001,0.003 and 0.001 for SFRP-1,DKK-3 and RUNX3,respectively).Patients carrying two to three methylated genes had a significantly elevated risk of recurrence compared with those not carrying methylated genes(odds ratio = 15.69,95% confidential interval:2.97-83).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC) was 77.1 for ESCC recurrence prediction(sensitivity = 66.67 and specificity = 83.3).When combining methylated genes and the clinical stage,the AUC was 83.69,with a sensitivity of 76.19 and a specificity of 83.3.CONCLUSION:The status of promoter hypermethylation of Wnt antagonists/inhibitors in plasma may serve as a non-invasive prognostic biomarker for ESCC.

Tracing and targeting cancer stem cells:New venture for personalized molecular cancer therapy

Tumors consist of a mixture of heterogeneous cell types. Cancer stem cells(CSCs) are a minor sub-population within the bulk cancer fraction which has been foundto reconstitute and propagate the disease and to be frequently resistant to chemotherapy, irradiation, cytotoxic drugs and probably also against immune attack. CSCs are considered as the seeds of tumor recurrence, driving force of tumorigenesis and metastases. This underlines the urgent need for innovative methods to identify and target CSCs. However, the role and existence of CSCs in therapy resistance and cancer recurrence remains a topic of intense debate. The underlying biological properties of the tumor stem cells are extremely dependent on numerous signals, and the targeted inhibition of these stem cell signaling pathways is one of the promising approaches of the new antitumor therapy approaches. This perspective review article summarizes the novel methods of tracing CSCs and discusses the hallmarks of CSC identification influenced by the microenvironment or by having imperfect detection markers. In addition, explains the known molecular mechanisms of therapy resistance in CSCs as reliable and clinically predictive markers that could enable the use of new targeted antitumor therapy in the sense of personalized medicine.

Eukaryotic cell encystation and cancer cell dormancy:is a greater devil veiled in the details of a lesser evil?

Cancer cell dormancy is the main cause of cancer recurrence and failure of therapy as dormant cells evade not only the anticancer drugs but also the host immune system. These dormant cells veil themselves from detection by imaging and/or using biomarkers, which imposes an additional problem in targeting such cells. A similar form of hibernation process known as encystation is studied in detail for pathogenic unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms. By examination using microarray gene expression profiles, immunocytochemistry tools, and siRNAs during the process of encystation, understanding the covert features of cancer cell dormancy as proposed could be possible. This knowledge can be extended to dormant cancer cells to uncover the mechanisms that underlie this ghost, yet dangerous state of human cancers. We propose a strategy to induce dormancy and exit this state by application of knowledge gained from the encystation induction and retrieval processes in pathogenic eukaryotic microorganisms. Given that early detection and characterization of dormant malignant tumor cells is important as a general strategy to monitor and prevent the development of overt metastatic disease, this homology may enable the design of therapies that could either awake the dormant cell from dormancy to make it available for therapies or prolong such a phase to make cancer appear as a chronic disease

Impact of delay from transperineal biopsy to radical prostatectomy upon objective measures of cancer control

Objective:Treatment delays in prostate cancer have been characterised,although not explicitly in men undergoing transperineal prostate biopsies.We aimed to determine if delays to radical prostatectomy correlate with adverse outcomes using a contemporary population-based cohort of men diagnosed by transperineal biopsies.Methods:This study analysed men with prostate cancer of the International Society for Urological Pathology grade group≥2,diagnosed by transperineal prostate biopsies who underwent prostatectomy,using the prospectively data from 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2018 Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry-Victoria.Data were analysed according to stratified demographic and disease characteristics.Time intervals from biopsy(28,60,90,120,and 270 days)were compared using odds ratios and regression analyses for proportion of upgrading,early biochemical recurrence,pT3 disease at prostatectomy,and positive surgical margins.Results:In total,2008 men were analysed.There were 306(16.7%)men with upgrading,151(8.4%)with biochemical recurrence,1068(54.1%)with pT3 disease,and 464(23.1%)with positive surgical margins(percentages excluded patients with missing data).All adverse outcomes studied were significantly associated with higher prostate-specific antigen and grade at diagnosis.Delays of 120-270 days did not adversely alter the incidence of Gleason upgrading,pT3,or recurrence.Delays(most frequent 60-89 days,28%)were associated with positive surgical margins but not monotonically.Regression modelling demonstrated no increased likelihood of most adverse outcomes for up to 270 days.Conclusion:Men with prostate cancer of grade group≥2 diagnosed through transperineal biopsy may wait up to 270 days for a prostatectomy without a greater likelihood of upgrading,pT3 disease,positive surgical margins,or biochemical recurrence.