Clinicopathological characteristics of 15 patients with combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: Combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) is a rare subtype of primary liver cancer, and clinicopathological features of cHCC-CC have seldom been reported in detail. This study was undertaken to explore the diagnosis and clinicopathological characteristics of cHCC-CC in comparison with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CC), respectively. METHODS: The clinical data from 15 patients with cHCC-CC, 132 patients with HCC and 44 patients with CC who had undergone hepatic resection were analyzed retrospectively. Clinicopathological characteristics of cHCC-CC, HCC and CC such as hepatitis B viral infection, serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, cirrhosis, vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, surgical procedure and adjuvant treatment were also analyzed. Follow up was carried out in the patients, and their 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were calculated. RESULTS: Two patients with cHCC-CC were correctly diagnosed by enhanced CT before operation, the other 13 patients were diagnosed by histology and immunohistochemistry after operation. Radical (8/15) and conservative hepatectomy (7/15) for cHCC-CC was similar to that for HCC and CC (P > 0.05). Pathologically cHCC-CC showed more significantly vascular invasion and lymph node metastasis than HCC (P < 0.05), and a similarity to CC (P > 0.05). Hepatitis B viral infection, serum HCV antibody, cirrhosis, and serum AFP level of cHCC-CC patients were similar to those of HCC patients (P > 0.05) but different from CC patients (P < 0.05). The cumulative 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates in patients with cHCC-CC were poorer than in patients with HCC or CC (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cHCC-CC are seldom diagnosed before operation. The progression of cHCC-CC is more rapid than that of HCC or CC. Survival rate of patients with cHCC-CC after hepatic resection is poorer than that of patients with HCC or CC.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of 232 patients with poorly differentiated gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms

BACKGROUND Poorly differentiated gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms(PDGNENs)include gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC)and mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma,which are highly malignant and rare tumors,and their incidence has increased over the past few decades.However,the clinicopathological features and outcomes of patients with PDGNENs have not been completely elucidated.AIM To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors of patients with PDGNENs.METHODS The data from seven centers in China from March 2007 to November 2019 were analyzed retrospectively.RESULTS Among the 232 patients with PDGNENs,191(82.3%)were male,with an average age of 62.83±9.11 years.One hundred and thirteen(49.34%)of 229 patients had a stage III disease and 86(37.55%)had stage IV disease.Three(1.58%)of 190 patients had no clinical symptoms,while 187(98.42%)patients presented clinical symptoms.The tumors were mainly(89.17%)solitary and located in the upper third of the stomach(cardia and fundus of stomach:115/215,53.49%).Most lesions were ulcers(157/232,67.67%),with an average diameter of 4.66±2.77 cm.In terms of tumor invasion,the majority of tumors invaded the serosa(116/198,58.58%).The median survival time of the 232 patients was 13.50 mo(7,31 mo),and the overall 1-year,3-year,and 5-year survival rates were 49%,19%,and 5%,respectively.According to univariate analysis,tumor number,tumor diameter,gastric invasion status,American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC)stage,and distant metastasis status were prognostic factors for patients with PDGNENs.Multivariate analysis showed that tumor number,tumor diameter,AJCC stage,and distant metastasis status were independent prognostic factors for patients with PDGNENs.CONCLUSION The overall prognosis of patients with PDGNENs is poor.The outcomes of patients with a tumor diameter>5 cm,multiple tumors,and stage IV tumors are worse than those of other patients.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of 77 cases with type 3 gastric neuroendocrine tumours

BACKGROUND For the rarity of type 3 gastric neuroendocrine tumours(g-NETs),their clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis are not well illustrated.AIM To describe the clinicopathological features and outcome of type 3 g-NETs in the Chinese population.METHODS Based on the 2019 WHO pathological classification,the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with type 3 g-NETs in China were retrospectively analysed.RESULTS A total of 77 patients(55.8%of females)with type 3 g-NETs were analysed,with a median age of 48 years(range:28-79 years).The tumours were mainly located in the gastric fundus/body(83.1%)and were mostly solitary(83.1%),with a median size of 1.5 cm(0.8-3.5 cm).Of these,there were 37 G1 tumours(48.1%),31 G2(40.3%),and 9 G3(11.7%).Ten(13.0%)and 24(31.2%)patients had lymph node and distant metastasis,respectively.In addition,type 3 g-NETs were heterogeneous.Compared with G1 NETs,G2 NETs had a higher lymph node metastasis rate,and G3 NETs had a higher distant metastasis rate.G1 and G2 NETs with stage I/II disease(33/68)received endoscopic treatment,and no tumour recurrence or tumour-related death was observed within a median follow-up time of 36 mo.Grade and distant metastasis were identified to be independent risk factors for prognosis in multivariable analysis.CONCLUSION Type 3 g-NETs are obviously heterogeneous,and the updated WHO 2019 pathological classification may be used to effectively evaluate their biological behaviors and prognosis.Also,endoscopic treatment should be considered for small(<2 cm),low grade,superficial tumours.

Expression of miR-21 in Colorectal Cancer and Its Relationship with Clinicopathological Characteristics of Colorectal Cancer

Objective:To investigate the expression of miR-21 in colorectal cancer cells,and to analyze the relationship between the level of miR-21 and the clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer patients.Methods:210 patients with colorectal cancer treated in our hospital from January 2016 to June 2019 were selected.Cancer tissue specimens(study group)and adjacent normal tissue specimens(control group)were surgically collected,and the quantitative quantitative PCR was used to detect and compare the miR-21 expression of the two groups.Results:The expression of miR-21 in the study group was higher than that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).There were significant differences among patients with early and intermediate TNM,patients with low differentiation and patients with moderate to high differentiation,patients with lymph node metastasis and patients without lymph node metastasis,patients with high infiltration and patients with low infiltration,patients with high CEA levels,and patients with low CEA,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:In colorectal cancer,miR-21 is highly expressed,which is closely related to stage and differentiation,and can be used to reflect the patient’s condition.

Clinical and pathological characteristics and expression of related molecules in patients with airway disseminated lung adenocarcinoma

Objective:Lung adenocarcinoma exhibits diverse genetic and morphological backgrounds,in addition to considerable differences in clinical pathology and molecular biological characteristics.Among these,the phenomenon of spread through air space(STAS),a distinct mode of lung cancer infiltration,has rarely been reported.Therefore,this study aimed to explore the relationship between STAS tumor cells and the clinical and molecular characteristics of patients with lung adenocarcinoma,as well as their impact on prognosis.Methods:This study included 147 patients who were diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma at the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Cancer Institute between January 2014 and December 2017.Surgical resection specimens were retrospectively analyzed.Using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses,we assessed the association between STAS and the clinicopathological features and molecular characteristics of patients with lung adenocarcinoma.Furthermore,we investigated the effects on patient prognosis.In addition,we developed a column–line plot prediction model and performed internal validation.Results:Patients with positive STAS had a significantly higher proportion of tumors with a diameter≥2 cm,with infiltration around the pleura,blood vessels,and nerves,and a pathological stage>IIB than in STAS-negative patients(P<0.05).Cox multivariate survival analysis revealed that clinical stage,STAS status,tumor size,and visceral pleural invasion were independent prognostic factors influencing the 5-year progression-free survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.The predictive values and P values from the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were 0.8 and 0.2,respectively,indicating no statistical difference.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated areas under the curve of 0.884 and 0.872 for the training and validation groups,respectively.The nomogram model exhibited the best fit with a value of 192.09.Conclusions:Clinical stage,pleural invasion,vascular invasion,peripheral nerve invasion,tumor size,and necrosis are independent prognostic factors for patients with STAS-positive lung adenocarcinoma.The nomogrambased on the clinical stage,pleural invasion,vascular invasion,peripheral nerve invasion,tumor size,and necrosis showed good accuracy,differentiation,and clinical practicality.

Analysis of 100 consecutive cases of resectable pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms： clinicopathological characteristics and long-term outcomes

The incidence rate of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms （pNENs） has increased rapidly in recent years. However, the clinicopathological characteristics of pNENs are poorly understood. Medical records of patients who underwent surgery and were confirmed as pNENs by pathological examination from January 2003 to February 2015 in Qilu Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 100 patients, 36 males and 64 females, were included with a mean operation age of 46.26 ± 13.41 years. Among the 100 cases, 76 had insulinomas and 24 had non-functional pNENs. Tumor size ranged from 0.5 cm to 9 cm, and the mean size was 2.20 ± 1.40 cm. The percentages of TNM stages I, II, III, and IV tumors were 89.0%, 8.0%, 0.0%, and 3.0%, respectively. Based on the WHO classification, pNENs were classified into three grades： G1, G2, and G3. G1, G2, and G3 tumors were confirmed in 72.9%, 23.7%, and 3.4% patients, respectively. The positive rates of CgA and Syn immunohisto- chemical staining were 94.5% （69/73） and 100% （74/74）, respectively. Compared with insulinoma, non-functional pNENs have larger tumor sizes, more advanced TNM staging, a higher Ki-67 index, and a higher rate of liver metastasis （P 〈 0.05）. In conclusion, pNENs are heterogeneous tumors with varying clinical manifestations, diverse tumor biological characteristics, and different prognoses. Non-functional pNENs present a more aggressive behavioral model and have poorer prognosis than functional pNENs.

Clinicopathological Characteristics of Ten Patients with Atypical Glandular Hyperplasia Transformation of Adenomyosis

Although adenomyosis is a largely benign disease,malignant transformations do happen in rare cases,resulting in endometrioid adenocarcinoma or sarcoma in the myometrium.Recently, attention has been focused on the malignant transformation of the endometriosis.In 1988, the concept of atypical endometriosis （aEM） was first proposed by LaGrenade and Silverberg,[1] who suggested that aEM might be a precursor of malignant transformations of endometriosis.However, the majority of investigations of aEM focus on endometriosis, while adenomyosis remains understudied.In this article, we report 10 cases of atypical glandular hyperplasia transformation of adenomyosis, of whom the clinical and pathological characteristics are observed.

Predictive value of positive lymph node ratio in patients with locally advanced gastric remnant cancer

BACKGROUND Traditional lymph node stage(N stage)has limitations in advanced gastric remnant cancer(GRC)patients;therefore,establishing a new predictive stage is necessary.AIM To explore the predictive value of positive lymph node ratio(LNR)according to clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of locally advanced GRC.METHODS Seventy-four patients who underwent radical gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy for locally advanced GRC were retrospectively reviewed.The relationship between LNR and clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed.The survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression model.RESULTS Number of metastatic LNs,tumor diameter,depth of tumor invasion,Borrmann type,serum tumor biomarkers,and tumor-node-metastasis(TNM)stage were correlated with LNR stage and N stage.Univariate analysis revealed that the factors affecting survival included tumor diameter,anemia,serum tumor biomarkers,vascular or neural invasion,combined resection,LNR stage,N stage,and TNM stage(all P<0.05).The median survival time for those with LNR0,LNR1,LNR2 and LNR3 stage were 61,31,23 and 17 mo,respectively,and the differences were significant(P=0.000).Anemia,tumor biomarkers and LNR stage were independent prognostic factors for survival in multivariable analysis(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION The new LNR stage is uniquely based on number of metastatic LNs,with significant prognostic value for locally advanced GRC,and could better differentiate overall survival,compared with N stage.

Clinicopathological features and survival analysis of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: a retrospective study in a single center of China

Objective： To investigate the clinicopathological features, survival and prognostic factors for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms（GEP-NENs） in a Chinese population.Methods： We investigated 154 consecutive patients（88 males, 66 females; median age 56 years, age range 9-86 years） diagnosed with GEP-NENs between 2001 and 2013 at The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Demographic, clinical and pathological variables and survival data were retrieved.Results： The pancreas was the most common site of involvement（63/154, 40.9%）. Tumor size varied from 0.3 to 16.0 cm（median, 1.2 cm）. The patients were followed up for a median period of 22 months（range, 1-157 months）. The estimated 3- and 5-year overall survival（OS） rates for all patients were 84.0% and 81.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that larger tumor size, lymphatic metastases and distant metastases were significant predictors for poor survival outcome.Conclusions： Our data provide further information on the clinicopathological features of GEP-NENs in China. Additionally, we identified tumor size, lymphatic metastases and distant metastases as independent prognostic factors for long-term survival.

Clinicopathological characterization of ten patients with primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus and literature review

BACKGROUND Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus(PMME) is a rare malignant disease and has not been well characterized in terms of clinicopathology and survival.AIM To investigate the clinical features and survival factors in Chinese patients with PMME.METHODS The clinicopathological findings of ten cases with PMME treated at Henan Provincial People’s Hospital were summarized. Moreover, the English-and Chinese-language literature that focused on Chinese patients with PMME from 1980 to September 2021 was reviewed and analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to investigate the clinicopathologic factors that might be associated with survival.RESULTS A total of 290 Chinese patients with PMME, including ten from our hospital and 280 from the literature were enrolled in the present study. Only about half of the patients(55.8%) were accurately diagnosed before surgery. Additionally, 91.1% of the patients received esophagectomy, and 88 patients(36.5%) received adjuvant therapy after surgery. The frequency of lymph node metastasis(LNM) was 51.2%(107/209), and LNM had a positive rate of 45.3% even when the tumor was confined to the submucosal layer. The risk of LNM increased significantly with the p T stage [P < 0.001, odds ratio(OR): 2.47, 95% confidence interval(CI): 1.72-3.56] and larger tumor size(P = 0.006, OR: 1.21, 95%CI: 1.05-1.38). The median overall survival(OS) was 11.0 mo(range: 1-204 mo). The multivariate Cox analysis showed both the p T stage [P = 0.005, hazard ratio(HR): 1.70, 95%CI: 1.17-2.47] and LNM(P = 0.009, HR: 1.78, 95%CI: 1.15-2.74) were independent prognostic factors for OS. The median disease-free survival(DFS) was 5.3 mo(range: 0.8-114.1 mo). The multivariate analysis indicated that only the advanced p T stage(P = 0.02, HR: 1.93, 95%CI: 1.09-3.42) was a significant independent indicator of poor RFS in patients with PMME.CONCLUSION The correct diagnosis of PMME before surgery is low, and physicians should pay more attention to avoid a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. Extended lymph node dissection should be emphasized in surgery for PMME even though the tumor is confined to the submucosal layer. Both the LNM and p T stage are independent prognosis factors for OS, and the p T stage is the prognosis factor for DFS in patients with PMME.

Clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of claudin10 expression in primary malignant tumors of digestive system:A metaanalysis

Objective:To investigate the correlation between claudin10 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of primary malignant tumors of digestive system.Methods:We searched the PubMed,Web of Science,Ovid MEDLINE,CNKI,CQVIP,and WanFang Data databases.The data between claudin10 expression and clinical characteristics as well as survival outcome were extracted.RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.1 software were employed for metaanalysis.Results:A total of 6 studies containing 512 patients with primary malignant tumors of digestive system were analyzed.The analysis showed that high expression of claudin10 was more common in cancer tissue than in normal tissue[OR=3.22,95%CI(2.26,4.60),P<0.01],and was associated with increasing tumor size[OR=6.21,95%CI(2.44,15.83),P<0.01],high differentiation[OR=0.56,95%CI(0.32,0.99),P=0.05],positive lymph node metastasis[OR=3.41,95%CI(1.09,10.65),P=0.03].The expression of claudin10 was not associated with sex[OR=1.62,95%CI(0.91,2.90),P=0.10],age[OR=1.72,95%CI(0.97,3.07),P=0.06],distant metastasis[OR=4.51,95%CI(0.55,36.70),P=0.16],or prognosis[HR=1.99,95%CI(0.93,4.23),P=0.08].Conclusion:The expression of claudin10 is correlated with the clinicopathological features of primary malignant tumors of digestive system and is a potential tumor marker.

Clinicopathological and Prognostic Significance of Circulating Tumor Cells in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between clinicopathological and prognostic significance and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with head and neck cancer. Methods: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, BioMed, and EMbase databases for studies that assessed the association between clinicopathological and prognostic significance and CTCs in patients with head and neck cancer. Studies obtained from search strategy were screened using pre-specified criteria, and necessary data were retrieved for meta-analysis. Results: Seventeen studies with 816 patients were eligible for combined analysis. Presence of CTCs in peripheral blood was significantly associated with N stage (OR 0.50, 95%CI [0.30, 0.81], n = 10, P = 0.005). Patients in the high-CTC group were significantly associated with poorer disease-free survival (DFS;HR = 1.73, 95%CI [1.01 - 2.96], P = 0.050) and poorer overall survival (OS;HR = 2.53, 95%CI [1.37 - 4.69] P = 0.003). Further analyses indicated strong prognostic powers of CTCs in non-RT-PCR group and pre-treatment group. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis indicates that presence of CTCs is associated with higher N stage and poorer prognosis in patients with head and neck cancer. The potential for further clinical application may be needed for further investigation.Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between clinicopathological and prognostic significance and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with head and neck cancer. Methods: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, BioMed, and EMbase databases for studies that assessed the association between clinicopathological and prognostic significance and CTCs in patients with head and neck cancer. Studies obtained from search strategy were screened using pre-specified criteria, and necessary data were retrieved for meta-analysis. Results: Seventeen studies with 816 patients were eligible for combined analysis. Presence of CTCs in peripheral blood was significantly associated with N stage (OR 0.50, 95%CI [0.30, 0.81], n = 10, P = 0.005). Patients in the high-CTC group were significantly associated with poorer disease-free survival (DFS;HR = 1.73, 95%CI [1.01 - 2.96], P = 0.050) and poorer overall survival (OS;HR = 2.53, 95%CI [1.37 - 4.69] P = 0.003). Further analyses indicated strong prognostic powers of CTCs in non-RT-PCR group and pre-treatment group. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis indicates that presence of CTCs is associated with higher N stage and poorer prognosis in patients with head and neck cancer. The potential for further clinical application may be needed for further investigation.

Relationship between Preoperative Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Gastric Cancer

Objective： To investigate the features of the preoperative clinicopathologic characteristics in correlation with lymph node metastasis. Methods： The preoperative clinicopathologic characteristics and lymph node metastasis of 265 patients with early gastric carcinoma were analyzed retrospectively. Results： The three clinicopathologic characteristics, maximum cancer diameter 〉2cm under endoscope, poor differentiation and excavated type were significant high risk independent preoperative clinicopathologic characteristics （P〈0.05） . The patients who had none of the three preoperative clinicopathologic characteristics had no lymph node metastasis, while 27.27% of the patients who had all the three preoperative clinicopathologic characteristics had N2 lymph node metastasis. Conclusion： The three preoperative clinicopathologic charaeteristics, maximum cancer diameter under endoscope, cell differentiation and gross type were very useful to evaluate the extent of lymph node metastasis.

Prognostic value of claudin 18.2 expression in gastric adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Claudin 18.2(CLDN18.2)is a cell surface protein expressed by gastric cancer cells.The monoclonal antibody zolbetuximab binds CLDN18.2-positive cancer cells and causes cancer cell death.A few studies researched the prognostic effect of CLDN18.2 expression in metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.AIM To identify the prognostic value of CLDN18.2 expression in patients with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.METHODS This study was conducted with 65 patients over the age of 18 who were diagnosed with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.We investigated the effect of CLDN18.2 expression on clinicopathological characteristics(age,sex,histological grade,Lauren classification,family history,metastatic site,HER2 expression)and prognosis for patients with metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.RESULTS CLDN18.2 expression was positive in 73.8%(48)of the patients.During the median 17.7-mo follow-up period,89.2%(58)of the patients died.Median progression-free survival and overall survival(OS)were 6 mo(95%confidence interval:1.6-10.4)and 12 mo(95%confidence interval:7.5-16.5).There was no statistically significant correlation between CLDN18.2 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of the patients.In univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis,there was no correlation between clinicopathological characteristics of patients and progression-free survival or OS.CONCLUSION CLDN18.2 expression was quite high in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma,identifying the proportion of the patients in whom zolbetuximab would be efficacious.There is no statistically significant correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and OS.CLDN18.2 is not a prognostic marker in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma,although it is predictive.

Thymic lipofibroadenomas:Three case reports

BACKGROUND Thymic lipofibroadenomas are extremely rare.In this study,we investigated the clinicopathological characteristics of thymic lipofibroadenomas.CASE SUMMARY This study included three patients with thymic lipofibroadenomas.We retrospectively analyzed the patient data to determine the clinicopathological characteristics of thymic lipofibroadenomas.The study included one man and two women[mean age,43(33–59)years].All patients were non-smokers and presented with well-defined anterior mediastinal tumors.The cut surfaces of the tumors were solid,with a mixture of yellow and white areas.Microscopic evaluation of resected specimens showed scattered cord-like structures of epithelial cells embedded within abundant fibrotic and hyaline stroma admixed with variable quantities of adipose tissue.One patient showed hyperplastic thymic tissue in a part of the tumor.CONCLUSION Thymic lipofibroadenomas are an extremely rare type of benign thymic tumor.Surgical removal of lipofibroadenomas is usually curative.

Diagnostic value of serum human epididymis protein 4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have demonstrated that human epididymis protein 4(HE4)is overexpressed in various malignant tissues including ovarian,endometrial,lung,breast,pancreatic,and gastric cancers.However,no study has examined the diagnostic impact of HE4 in patient with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)until now.AIM To analyze the value of four serum tumor markers for the diagnosis of ESCC,and examine the associations of serum levels of HE4 with ESCC patients’clinicopathological characteristics.METHODS The case group consisted of 80 ESCC patients,which were compared to a control group of 56 patients with benign esophageal disease.Serum levels of HE4,carcinoma embryonic antigen(CEA),alpha fetal protein,and carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9)were detected by ELISA.The associations of serum HE4 levels with ESCC patients’clinicopathological characteristics such as gender,tumor location,and pathological stage were also examined after operation.RESULTS The result of ELISA showed that serum HE4 level was significantly higher in the patients with ESCC than in the controls,and the staining intensity was inversely correlated with the pathological T and N stages.Serum HE4 levels had a sensitivity of 66.2%and specificity of 78.6%when the cutoff value was set at 3.9 ng/mL.Moreover,the combined HE4 and CA19-9 increased the sensitivity to 83.33%,and interestingly,the combination of HE4 with CEA led to the most powerful sensitivity of 87.5%.Furthermore,A positive correlation was observed between HE4 serum levels and pathological T and N stages(P=0.0002 and 0.0017,respectively),but there was no correlation between HE4 serum levels and ESCC patient gender(P=0.4395)or tumor location(P=0.6777).CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that detection of serum HE4 levels may be useful in auxiliary diagnosis and evaluation of the progression of ESCC.

Prognostic and Clinical Value of Sirt1 Expression in Gastric Cancer:A Systematic Meta-Analysis

Many studies have reported that the expression of silent information regulator 1（Sirt1） is associated with the clinical features and prognosis of patients with gastric cancer, but the exact function remains controversial. We conducted this study to illustrate the clinical and prognostic value of Sirt1 in gastric cancer. The related publications before December 2015 were searched in the databases including Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Embase and China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI）. The studies were included and excluded according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. The 3- and 5-year overall survival（OS） and clinical features such as age, T stage, N stage and differentiation were analyzed by software Rev Man 5.3. A total of 1650 patients in 7 studies were included according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. The high expression of Sirt1 was found in 58.4% cases by immunohistochemistry. High expression of Sirt1 was closely linked with the 3-year OS（OR=0.25, 95% CI： 0.16–0.39, P0.00001, fixed）, patient＇s age（≥60 years old vs. 〈60 years old; OR=1.43, 95% CI： 1.06–1.93, P=0.02, fixed）, T stage（T3＋T4 vs. T1＋T2; OR=1.45, 95% CI： 1.08–1.94, P=0.01, fixed）, N stage（N1＋N2＋N3 vs. N0; OR=3.47, 95% CI： 2.39–5.05, P〈0.00001, fixed） and tumor differentiation（G1＋G2 vs. G3; OR=0.50, 95% CI： 0.35–0.69, P〈0.0001, fixed）. Nevertheless, it seemed that high expression of Sirt1 was not associated with 5-year OS（OR=0.44, 95% CI： 0.15–1.28, P=0.13, random）. It was suggested that the high expression of Sirt1 implies a poor prognosis of gastric cancer patients in a relatively short period（3 years）, but not in a long time（≥5 years）. The expression of Sirt1 is also linked with patients＇ age, T stage, N stage and tumor differentiation.

Lymph Node Metastasis in Early Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma:Endoscopic Mucosal Resection

Objective： To identify clinicopathological factors predictive of lymph node metastases （LNM） in early signet ring cell carcinoma （SRC）, and further to expand the possibility of using endoscopic mucosal resection （EMR） for the treatment of early SRC. Methods： Data from 27 surgically treated patients with early SRC were collected, and the association between the clinicopathological factors and the presence of LNM was retrospectively analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results： In the univariate analysis, a tumor larger than 3.0 cm, submucosal invasion, and the presence of lymphatic vessel involvement （LVI） were significantly associated with a higher rate of LNM （all P〈0.05）. In the multivariate model, the presence of LVI was found of to be an independent pathological risk factor for LNM. There was no LNM in 14 patients without the three clinicopathological risk factors （a tumor larger than 3.0 cm, submucosal invasion, and the presence of LVI）. Conclusion： EMR alone may be sufficient treatment for intramucosal early SRC if the tumor is less than or equal to 3.0 cm in size, and when LVI is absent upon postoperative histological examination. When specimens show LVI, an additional radical gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy should be recommended.

Go-Ichi-Ni-San 2:A potential biomarker and therapeutic target in human cancers

Cancer incidence and mortality are increasing globally,leading to its rising status as a leading cause of death.The Go-Ichi-Ni-San(GINS)complex plays a crucial role in DNA replication and the cell cycle.The GINS complex consists of four subunits encoded by the GINS1,GINS2,GINS3,and GINS4 genes.Recent findings have shown that GINS2 expression is upregulated in many diseases,particularly tumors.For example,increased GINS2 expression has been found in cervical cancer,gastric adenocarcinoma,glioma,non-small cell lung cancer,and pancreatic cancer.It correlates with the clinicopathological characteristics of the tumors.In addition,high GINS2 expression plays a pro-carcinogenic role in tumor development by promoting tumor cell proliferation and migration,inhibiting tumor cell apoptosis,and blocking the cell cycle.This review describes the upregulation of GINS2 expression in most human tumors and the pathway of GINS2 in tumor development.GINS2 may serve as a new marker for tumor diagnosis and a new biological target for therapy.

Clinical significance of signet ring cells in surgical esophageal and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND The clinical significance of signet ring cells(SRCs)in surgical esophageal and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma(EEGJA)remains unclear now.AIM To explore the association between the presence of SRCs and the clinicopathological and prognostic characteristics in surgical EEGJA patients by combining and analyzing relevant studies.METHODS The PubMed,Web of Science,and EMBASE electronic databases were searched for the relevant literature up to March 28,2021.The relative risk(RR)with 95%confidence interval(CI)was calculated to assess the relationship between SRCs and clinicopathological parameters of surgical EEGJA patients,and the hazard ratio(HR)with 95%CI was calculated to explore the impact of SRC on the prognosis.All statistical analyses were conducted with STATA 12.0 software.RESULTS A total of ten articles were included,involving 30322 EEGJA patients.The pooled results indicated that the presence of SRCs was significantly associated with tumor location(RR:0.76,95%CI:0.61-0.96,P=0.022;I2=49.4%,P=0.160)and tumor-node-metastasis stage(RR:1.30,95%CI:1.02-1.65,P=0.031;I2=73.1%,P=0.002).Meanwhile,the presence of SRCs in surgical EEGJA patients predicted a poor overall survival(HR:1.36,95%CI:1.12-1.65,P=0.002;I2=85.7%,P<0.001)and disease-specific survival(HR:1.86,95%CI:1.55-2.25,P<0.001;I2=63.1%,P=0.043).CONCLUSION The presence of SRCs is related with advanced tumor stage and poor prognosis and could serve as a reliable and effective parameter for the prediction of postoperative survival and formulation of therapy strategy in EEGJA patients.However,more high-quality studies are still needed to verify the above findings.