Polyneuropathy organomegaly endocrinopathy M-protein and skin changes syndrome with ascites as an early-stage manifestation:A case report

BACKGROUND Polyneuropathy organomegaly endocrinopathy M-protein and skin changes(POEMS)syndrome is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome caused by a potential plasma cell tumor.The clinical manifestations of POEMS syndrome are diverse.Due to the insidious onset and lack of specific early-stage manifestations,POEMS syndrome is easily misdiagnosed or never diagnosed,leading to delayed treatment.Neurological symptoms are usually the first clinical manifestation,while ascites is a rare symptom in patients with POEMS syndrome.CASE SUMMARY A female patient presented with unexplained ascites as an initial symptom,which is a rare early-stage manifestation of the condition.After 1 year,the patient gradually developed progressive renal impairment,anemia,polyserosal effusion,edema,swollen lymph nodes on the neck,armpits,and groin,and decreased muscle strength of the lower extremities.The patient was eventually diagnosed with POEMS syndrome after multidisciplinary team discussion.Treatment comprised bortezomib+dexamethasone,continuous renal replacement therapy,chest and abdominal closed drainage,transfusions of erythrocytes and platelets,and other symptomatic and supportive treatments.The patient’s condition initially improved after treatment.However,then her symptoms worsened,and she succumbed to the illness and died.CONCLUSION Ascites is a potential early manifestation of POEMS syndrome,and this diagnosis should be considered for patients with unexplained ascites.Furthermore,multidisciplinary team discussion is helpful in diagnosing POEMS syndrome.

Effects of Early-stage Phased Rehabilitation Training on Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome:A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

[Objectives]To systematically evaluate the effects of early-stage phased rehabilitation training on the oxygenation index,ICU length of stay,duration of mechanical ventilation,and occurrence of complications(ventilator-associated pneumonia,pressure ulcers,delirium)in ARDS patients,thus contributing evidence for the clinical application of early-stage phased rehabilitation training.[Methods]The China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang,and other databases were searched.Literature screening,data extraction,and systematic analysis of the included studies were performed using Revman software.[Results]Thirteen randomized controlled trials involving a total of 860 patients were included in this review.The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared to the traditional rehabilitation training group,the early-stage phased rehabilitation training group demonstrated a significant increase in the oxygenation index of ARDS patients[SMD=1.18,95%CI(1.01,1.35),P<0.01],with statistically significant differences.Furthermore,there were significant reductions in ICU length of stay[SMD=-0.70,95%CI(-0.90,-0.50),P<0.01],duration of mechanical ventilation[SMD=-1.15,95%CI(-1.36,-0.94),P<0.01],and occurrence of complications[OR=0.16,95%CI(0.10,0.26),P<0.01],all of which were statistically significant.[Conclusions]Early-stage phased pulmonary rehabilitation training for ARDS patients effectively improves the oxygenation index,shortens ICU length of stay and duration of mechanical ventilation,and reduces complications.These findings support the clinical application and promotion of early-stage phased rehabilitation training.

Provision of Fertility Preservation for Young Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, constituting 25% of all cancer diagnoses. Even though it is only affecting 4% - 6% of women under the age of 40, it remains the most common malignancy among younger patients. Advancement in the treatment and earlier detection gives excellent 5 years of survival. However, the standard treatment that comprises surgical-chemo radiation therapy or hormonal treatment often results in an increased incidence of treatment-induced infertility. Therefore, adding fertility preservation to primary cancer treatment may offer the best opportunity for future fertility. However, despite advancements in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), the uptake of fertility services in this group remains low. In this review, we highlighted the effect of all breast cancer treatments on women’s fertility, the effectiveness and safety of ART in breast cancer patients as well as the safety of pregnancy in breast cancer survivors. Our aim is to improve awareness of fertility preservation for breast cancer to ensure all women diagnosed with breast cancer have multidisciplinary approaches with early referral to fertility specialists to discuss regarding potential risks and benefits of fertility preservation to improve the uptake of fertility preservation among this group of patients.

Prediction of lymph node metastasis and sentinel node navigation surgery for patients with early-stage gastric cancer

Accurate prediction of lymph node(LN) status is crucially important for appropriate treatment planning in patients with early gastric cancer(EGC). However,consensus on patient and tumor characteristics associated with LN metastasis are yet to be reached. Through systematic search,we identified several independent variables associated with LN metastasis in EGC,which should be included in future research to assess which of these variables remain as significant predictors of LN metastasis. On the other hand,even if we use these promising parameters,we should realize the limitation and the difficulty of predicting LN metastasis accurately. The sentinel LN(SLN) is defined as first possible site to receive cancer cells along the route of lymphatic drainage from the primary tumor. The absence of metastasis in SLN is believed to correlate with the absence of metastasis in downstream LNs. In this review,we have attempted to focus on several independent parameters which have close relationship between tumor and LN metastasis in EGC. In addition,we evaluated the history of sentinel node navigation surgery and the usefulness for EGC.

Differential gene expression profiling of gastric intraepithelial neoplasia and early-stage adenocarcinoma

AIM: To investigate the differentiated whole genome expression profiling of gastric high- and low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia and early-stage adenocarcinoma.

Treatment patterns for adjuvant docetaxel-based chemotherapy in early-stage breast cancer in China：A pooled retrospective analysis of four observational studies

Objective：Adjuvant docetaxel-based chemotherapy is frequently used for operable early breast cancer（EBC）.This study investigated patterns of use of docetaxel（T）in real-life clinical practice in China.Methods：This was a retrospective pooled analysis of the Asia-Pacific Breast Initiatives（APBI）Ⅰ（2006–2008）and Ⅱ（2009–2011）registries,and two Chinese observational studies;BC STATE（2011–2014）and BC Local Registry（2007–2010）.Female Chinese adults（≥18 years）with operable breast cancer treated with docetaxel-based adjuvant chemotherapy were included in the analysis.Patients with metastatic disease were excluded.The primary endpoint was assessment of treatment patterns and patient profiles.A logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with choice of adjuvant chemotherapy regimen.Results：Data from 3,020 patients were included.The most frequently used adjuvant regimen was docetaxel/anthracycline combination[n=1,421（47.1%）;of whom 52.0%received T/epirubicin（E）/cyclophosphamide（C）],followed by docetaxel/other[n=705（23.3%）;of whom 72.8%received TC],docetaxel/anthracycline sequential[n=447（14.8%）;of whom 40.9%and 39.6%received 5-Fu/EC-T and EC-T,respectively],and＂other＂[n=447（14.8%）;of whom 91.5%received T].A significant association was found between adjuvant therapy with docetaxel/anthracycline combination and patient weight,menopausal status and estrogen receptor status.Conclusions：Real-world data revealed that docetaxel/anthracycline combination is the most commonly used category of docetaxel-based adjuvant therapy for patients with operable breast cancer in China;of which TEC is the most frequently used regimen.

Prediction of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma using Onco Scan chromosomal copy number aberration data

AIM To identify chromosomal copy number aberrations(CNAs) in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and analyze whether they are correlated with patient prognosis.METHODS One hundred and twenty patients with early-stage HCC were enrolled in our study, with the collection of formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded(FFPE) specimens and clinicopathological data. Tumor areas were marked by certified pathologists on a hematoxylin and eosinstained slide, and cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues underwent extraction of DNA, which was analyzed with the Affymetrix Onco Scan platform to assess CNAs and loss of heterozygosity(LOH). Ten individuals with nonmalignant disease were used as the control group. Another cohort consisting of 40 patients with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ HCC were enrolled to analyze gene expression and to correlate findings with the Onco Scan data.RESULTS Copy number amplifications occurred at chromosomes 1 q21.1-q44 and 8 q12.3-24.3 and deletions were found at 4 q13.1-q35.2, 8 p 23.2-21.1, 16 q23.3-24.3, and 17 p13.3-12, while LOH commonly occurred at 1 p32.3, 3 p21.31, 8 p23.2-21.1, 16 q22.1-24.3, and 17 p 13.3-11 in early-stage HCC. Using Cox regression analysis, we also found that a higher percentage of genome change(≥ 60%) was an independent factor for worse prognosis in early-stage HCC(P = 0.031). Among the 875 genes in the Onco Scan Gene Chip, six were independent predictors of worse disease-free survival, of which three were amplified(MYC, ELAC2, and SYK) and three were deleted(GAK, MECOM, and WRN). Further, patients with HCC who exhibited ≥ 3 CNAs involving these six genes have worse outcomes compared to those who had < 3 CNAs(P < 0.001). Similarly, Asian patients with stage I HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas harboring CNAs with these genes were also predicted to have poorer outcomes.CONCLUSION Patients with early-stage HCC and increased genome change or CNAs involving MYC, ELAC2, SYK, GAK, MECOM, or WRN are at risk for poorer outcome after resection.

Clinicopathological analysis of early-stage breast cancer patients that meet indications for BRCA 1/2 genetic testing

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors of early-stage breast cancer patients with indications for breast cancer susceptibility genes 1/2(BRCA1/2)genetic testing in China.Methods:Based on the indication criteria for BRCA genetic testing specified in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network(NCCN)clinical practice guidelines in oncology,genetic/familial high-risk assessment:Breast and ovarian(Version 2.2019),a retrospective analysis was performed on patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer treated at Breast Disease Center,Peking University First Hospital between January 2008 and December 2016.Clinicopathological characteristics of all patients were analyzed,and prognoses were calculated using the KaplanMeier method and a Cox proportionate hazards model.Results:A total of 906 early-stage breast cancer patients who had indications for BRCA genetic testing and had complete clinicopathological data and follow-up information were included in the study group,accounting for34.7%of all breast cancer patients treated in Breast Disease Center,Peking University First Hospital during the study period.Compared with breast cancer patients without indications for BRCA genetic testing,the overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS)of patients with indications were not significantly different.In the study group,patients with premenopausal status,high T stage,lymph node positive,estrogen receptor(ER)negative,Ki-67>20%and presence of a vascular tumor thrombus had worse prognosis.There were more family histories of gastrointestinal cancer in patients with related indications than in patients without such indications.Conclusions:Single-center data showed that more than 30%of patients with early-stage breast cancer had indications for BRCA genetic testing.There was no prognostic difference in patients with or without indications for BRCA genetic testing.Premenopausal status,high T stage,lymph node positive,ER negative,Ki-67>20%,and presence of a vascular tumor thrombus were associated with poor prognosis.

Prediction of fibril formation by early-stage amyloid peptide aggregation

Amyloid fibrils are found in systemic amyloidosis diseases such as Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,and type II diabetes.Currently,these diseases are diagnosed by observation of fibrils or plaques,which is an ineffective method for early diagnosis and treatment of disease.The goal of this study was to develop a simple and quick method to predict the possibility and speed of fibril formation before its occurrence.Oligomers generated from seven representative peptide segments were first isolated and detected by ion-mobility mass spectrometry(IM-MS).Then,their assemblies were disrupted using formic acid(FA).Interestingly,oligomers that showed small ion intensity changes upon FA addition had rapid fibril formation.By contrast,oligomers that had large ion intensity changes generated fibrils slowly.Two control peptides(aggregation/no fibrils and no aggregation/no fibrils)did not show changes in their ion intensities,which confirmed the ability of this method to predict amyloid formation.In summary,the developed method correlated MS intensity ratio changes of peptide oligomers on FA addition with their amyloid propensities.This method will be useful for monitoring peptide/protein aggregation behavior and essential for their mechanism studies.

Comparison of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Delivery Techniques for Early-Stage Lung Cancer Using Lung Toxicity Modeling

Purpose: Lung toxicity is a primary side effect in stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to use a set of radiobiological models to evaluate and compare modern IMRT delivery techniques with three-dimensional conformal techniques for SBRT treatment of NSCLC in terms of lung toxicity, and aimed to compare the results from different radiobiologcal models. Methods: Ten early-stage NSCLC patients treated with SBRT were retrospectively selected. Five treatment plans were generated to deliver 50 Gy in five fractions to the planning target volume for each case: a helical tomotherapy (HT) plan, two three-dimensional cofnromal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) plans using 6-MV and 10-MV photon beams respectively, and two volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans using one and two arc fields respectively. The lung RDV was calculated with three parallel functional sub-unit (FSU) models and two normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models. Results: Both the HT and VMAT plans showed significantly higher contralateral mean lung dose and lower ipsilateral mean lung dose compared to the 3D-CRT plans. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of lung toxicities between the IMRT and 3D-CRT techniques using either the FSU models or the NTCP models. Based on both the FSU and the NTCP models, there was strong correlation between lung toxicity and the mean lung dose in SBRT treatment plans. Conclusions: Based on both the NTCP and parallel FSU models, both IMRT and traditional 3D-CRT delivery techniques could achieve comparable lung sparing inn SBRT treatment of early-stage lung cancer. However, the validity of the radiobiological model results should be checked by clinical data.

Detection of the <i>PIK3CA</i>Mutation in Circulating Tumor DNA as a Possible Predictive Indicator for Poor Prognosis of Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Objectives: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is shown to provide the real-time genomic information of metastatic breast cancer. This study elucidates the clinico-pathological significance of ctDNA in early-stage breast cancer using the PIK3CA mutation as an indicator. Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven primary breast cancers without metastasis were surgically resected and pathologically diagnosed at the University of Tokyo Hospital, Japan. Genomic DNA of primary tumor was extracted from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens. ctDNA was extracted from fresh-frozen plasma from patients. The PIK3CA mutations at E542K, E545K and H1047R were examined by Sanger sequencing or droplet digital PCR in 27 tumors and pre- and post-surgery plasma. Results: The PIK3CA mutations were detected in 13 (48%) of 27 primary tumors. These mutations did not significantly correlate with specific clinico-pathological characteristics of tumors. When ctDNA was examined, 4 (33%) of 12 cases carrying the mutated PIK3CA showed the identical mutation in pre-surgery plasma and 2 (50%) of them showed the identical mutations in post-surgery plasma. Interestingly, in these 2 cases in pathological stages IIIA and IA, fractional abundance of the mutated PIK3CA alleles to the total alleles in pre-surgery ctDNA was around 1% or more and was higher than that of the other two cases without PIK3CA mutations in post-surgery ctDNA. Conclusions: The PIK3CA mutation in ctDNA is detectable even in a subset of early-stage breast cancer. Furthermore, fractional abundance of the mutated PIK3CA in pre-surgery ctDNA could provide a possible predictive indicator for tumor burden and for choosing the appropriate adjuvant treatment of breast cancer.

Postoperative UFT-/Tegafur-based Chemotherapy Versus Postoperative Radiotherapy for Early-stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer:A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

Background:Both of UFT-/Tegafur-based postoperative chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy have made large progress in treatment of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.While it is unclear that,whether UFT-/Tegafur-based postoperative chemotherapy is superior to postoperative radiotherapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer with no direct evidence.Methods:Electronic databases(Pubmed,embase,cochrane library and clinicaltrials.gov)were searched to obtain relevant studies.This systematic review and meta-analysis is reported in accordance with the Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis(PRISMA)Statement and was registered at International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews(number CRD42018095979).Sensitive analysis was conducted by excluding overweight studies.Funnel plot and egger’s test were performed to conduct publication bias.Results:Twenty-one randomized control trials were included.Our results suggested UFT-/Tegafur-based postoperative chemotherapy could improve overall survival over postoperative radiotherapy[HR=0.69(0.59-0.80),p=0.000].But subgroup analysis about stage showed there was no significant difference between them,no matter of stage I,II and III.As to chemotherapy regime,both UFT-/Tegafur+platinum+vinca alkaloid[HR=0.68(0.56-0.82),p=0.000]and UFT-/Tegafur only[HR=0.66(0.54-0.79),p=0.000]were superior to radiotherapy.Subgroup analysis about radiotherapy delivery method and dose showed,significant improvement of chemotherapy over radiotherapy for Cobalt-60 only[HR=0.54(0.39-0.75),p=0.000],Cobalt-60 and linac[HR=0.69(0.59-0.81),p=0.000]and≥45 Gy[HR=0.64(0.54-0.75),p=0.000],but not for linac only[HR=0.78(0.60-1.03),p=0.081]and≥45 Gy[HR=0.86(0.67-1.11),p=0.241].Conclusion:UFT-/Tegafur-based postoperative chemotherapy was superior to postoperative radiotherapy for improving overall survival of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer,but it is not always so under certain circumstance,such as RT delivery method and radiation dose.Of course,it is imperative to further explore differences in specific stage,such as I A and I B.

Radical Vaginal Hysterectomy and Trachelectomy in Early-Stage Cervical Cancer

Objective: To communicate a minimally invasive technique for surgical handling of early-stage cervical cancer and its results. Methods: 110 patients with cervical cancer in stages IA2 and IB1, all of them operated in a period of 5 years in both hospitals, are presented. Laparoscopic systemic pelvic lymphadenectomy with radical vaginal hysterectomy or radical vaginal trachelectomy was performed to patients, with the exception of those patients who had compromised nodes detected in contemporary biopsy. Results: Between April 2008 and May 2013, 110 patients were submitted to this technique. 15 patients had their surgery aborted: 13 presented positive nodes for carcinoma in contemporary biopsy and 2 had extensive cervical compromise when performing radical vaginal hysterectomy or trachelectomy. Analysis of the remaining 95 cases shows an average age of 43.9 years (26 - 61), all of them had given birth before, 23 (21%) of them through C-section. BMI averaged 30.5 and 31 (28.2%) had cone surgery performed previously. Average duration of surgery was of 220 minutes. Postoperative hospitalization averaged 3.1 days. Bleeding volume was estimated at 125 cc and one patient required blood transfusion. En 25 patients’ uterine annexes were kept and all of them were suspended by means of laparoscopy. On average, 25.4 pelvic nodes were obtained. Complications 13.6% with eight patients suffered bladder injury, two had rectovaginal fistula, 3 patients requires surgical repair of ureteral obstruction, two patients present thromboembolic disease. The disease-free and overall survivals are consistent with reports in the literature. Conclusion: We believe that handling patients with this technique is possible and has the advantages of vaginal and laparoscopic surgery with minimal complications.

Experimental observation of rat's early-stage fracture healing with different kinds of nerve injuries

To investigate the impact of different kinds of nerve injuries of early-stage fracture healing.Methods Three groups of rats were included in the experiment among which group 1 was inflicted with femoral fracture and T10 spinal cord transsection (SCI),group 2 was inflicted with femoral and peripheral nerve resection (PNR),and group 3 with simple femoral fracture as control group.Two weeks after operation the femoral bones were collected for X-ray checking and 2 more weeks later X-ray checking was performed again followed by pathomorphologic exams.Results X-ray result showed no massive calluses in the bones in the 2nd week postoperatively,while in the 4th week,callus appeared with larger size in group 3 than that of group 1 and with smaller size than that of group 2.It was the same with the result of pathomorphologic examining.Cortical bone bridges between fracture point and osteiod were also found in group 2 and there were less normal blood vessels and worse bone remodeling than that of group 3.There were relatively immature calluses with more fibroblast-like cells and disordered bone structure in group 2.Group 3 showed normal healing process and callus structure.Conclusion Early-stage bone fracture healing can be influenced significantly by different kinds of nerve injuries.6 refs,6 figs.

Olfactory dysfunction and its related molecular mechanisms in Parkinson’s disease

Changes in olfactory function are considered to be early biomarkers of Parkinson’s disease.Olfactory dysfunction is one of the earliest non-motor features of Parkinson’s disease,appearing in about 90%of patients with early-stage Parkinson’s disease,and can often predate the diagnosis by years.Therefore,olfactory dysfunction should be considered a reliable marker of the disease.However,the mechanisms responsible for olfactory dysfunction are currently unknown.In this article,we clearly explain the pathology and medical definition of olfactory function as a biomarker for early-stage Parkinson’s disease.On the basis of the findings of clinical olfactory function tests and animal model experiments as well as neurotransmitter expression levels,we further characterize the relationship between olfactory dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying olfactory dysfunction in the pathology of early-stage Parkinson’s disease.The findings highlighted in this review suggest that olfactory dysfunction is an important biomarker for preclinical-stage Parkinson’s disease.Therefore,therapeutic drugs targeting non-motor symptoms such as olfactory dysfunction in the early stage of Parkinson’s disease may prevent or delay dopaminergic neurodegeneration and reduce motor symptoms,highlighting the potential of identifying effective targets for treating Parkinson’s disease by inhibiting the deterioration of olfactory dysfunction.

Efficacy and safety of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia for ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in female reproductive system in the world,and the choice of its treatment is very important for the survival rate and prognosis of patients.Traditional open surgery is the main treatment for ovarian cancer,but it has the disadvantages of big trauma and slow recovery.With the continuous development of minimally invasive technology,minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia has been gradually applied to the treatment of ovarian cancer because of its advantages of less trauma and quick recovery.However,the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia in the treatment of ovarian cancer are still controversial.AIM To explore the efficacy and safety of general anesthesia minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of ovarian cancer.METHODS The clinical data of 90 patients with early ovarian cancer in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively.According to the different surgical treatment methods,patients were divided into study group and control group(45 cases in each group).The study group received minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia for ovarian cancer,while the control group received traditional open surgery for ovarian cancer.The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire(EORTC QLQ-C30),clinical efficacy and safety of the two groups were compared.RESULTS The intraoperative blood loss,length of hospital stay,postoperative gas evacuation time,and postoperative EORTC QLQ-C30 score of the study group were significantly better than those of the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of postoperative complications in the study group was significantly lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The two groups had no significant differences in the preoperative adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),androstenedione(AD),cortisol(Cor),cluster of differentiation 3 positive(CD3+),and cluster of differentiation 4 positive(CD4+)indexes(P>0.05).In contrast,postoperatively,the study group's ACTH,AD,and Cor indexes were lower,and the CD3+and CD4+indexes were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia in patients with early ovarian cancer can significantly improve the efficacy and safety,improve the short-term prognosis and quality of life of patients,and is worth popularizing.

Development of preoperative prognostic models including radiological features for survival of singular nodular HCC patients

Background:Early singular nodular hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an ideal surgical indication in clinical practice.However,almost half of the patients have tumor recurrence,and there is no reliable prognostic prediction tool.Besides,it is unclear whether preoperative neoadjuvant therapy is necessary for patients with early singular nodular HCC and which patient needs it.It is critical to identify the patients with high risk of recurrence and to treat these patients preoperatively with neoadjuvant therapy and thus,to improve the outcomes of these patients.The present study aimed to develop two prognostic models to preoperatively predict the recurrence-free survival(RFS)and overall survival(OS)in patients with singular nodular HCC by integrating the clinical data and radiological features.Methods:We retrospective recruited 211 patients with singular nodular HCC from December 2009 to January 2019 at Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital(EHBH).They all met the surgical indications and underwent radical resection.We randomly divided the patients into the training cohort(n=132)and the validation cohort(n=79).We established and validated multivariate Cox proportional hazard models by the preoperative clinicopathologic factors and radiological features for association with RFS and OS.By analyzing the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,the discrimination accuracy of the models was compared with that of the traditional predictive models.Results:Our RFS model was based on HBV-DNA score,cirrhosis,tumor diameter and tumor capsule in imaging.RFS nomogram had fine calibration and discrimination capabilities,with a C-index of 0.74(95%CI:0.68-0.80).The OS nomogram,based on cirrhosis,tumor diameter and tumor capsule in imaging,had fine calibration and discrimination capabilities,with a C-index of 0.81(95%CI:0.74-0.87).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of our model was larger than that of traditional liver cancer staging system,Korea model and Nomograms in Hepatectomy Patients with Hepatitis B VirusRelated Hepatocellular Carcinoma,indicating better discrimination capability.According to the models,we fitted the linear prediction equations.These results were validated in the validation cohort.Conclusions:Compared with previous radiography model,the new-developed predictive model was concise and applicable to predict the postoperative survival of patients with singular nodular HCC.Our models may preoperatively identify patients with high risk of recurrence.These patients may benefit from neoadjuvant therapy which may improve the patients’outcomes.

Association between high body mass index and prognosis of patients with early-stage breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:A high body mass index(BMI)can indicate overweight or obesity and is a crucial risk factor for breast cancer survivors.However,the association between high BMI and prognosis in early-stage breast cancer(EBC)remains unclear.We aimed to assess the effects of high BMI on the prognosis of patients with EBC.Methods:The PubMed,Embase,and Cochrane Library databases and proceedings of major oncological conferences related to the effects of BMI on the prognosis of breast cancer were searched up to November 2021.Fixedand random-effects models were used for meta-analyses.Pooled hazard ratios(HRs)and 95%confidence intervals(CIs)for disease-free survival(DFS)and overall survival(OS)were extracted from the included literature.Results:Twenty retrospective cohort studies with 33,836 patients with EBC were included.Overweight patients had worse DFS(HR:1.16,95%CI:1.05-1.27,P=0.002)and OS(HR:1.20;95%CI:1.09-1.33,P<0.001).Obesity also had adverse effects on DFS(HR:1.17,95%CI:1.07-1.29,P=0.001)and OS(HR:1.30,95%CI:1.17-1.45,P<0.001).Likewise,patients with high BMI had worse DFS(HR:1.16,95%CI:1.08-1.26,P<0.001)and OS(HR:1.25,95%CI:1.14-1.39,P<0.001).In subgroup analyses,overweight had adverse effects on DFS(HR:1.11,95%CI:1.04-1.18,P=0.001)and OS(HR:1.18,95%CI:1.11-1.26,P<0.001)in multivariate analyses,whereas the relationship that overweight had negative effects on DFS(HR:1.21,95%CI:0.99-1.48,P=0.058)and OS(HR:1.39,95%CI:0.92-2.10,P=0.123)was not statistically significant in univariate analysis.By contrast,obesity had adverse effects on DFS(HR:1.21,95%CI:1.06-1.38,P=0.004 and HR:1.14,95%CI:1.08-1.22,P<0.001)and OS(HR:1.33,95%CI:1.15-1.54,P<0.001 and HR:1.23,95%CI:1.15-1.31,P<0.001)in univariate and multivariate analyses,respectively.Conclusions:Compared with normal weight,increased body weight(overweight,obesity,and high BMI)led to worse DFS and OS in patients with EBC.Once validated,these results should be considered in the development of prevention programs.

Role of endoscopic ultrasound for pre-intervention evaluation in early esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND Endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)stands as an accurate imaging modality for esophageal cancer staging,however utilization of EUS in early-stage cancer management remains controversial.Identification of non-applicability of endoscopic interventions with deep muscular invasion with EUS in pre-intervention evaluation of early-stage esophageal cancer is compared to endoscopic and histologic indicators.AIM To display the role of EUS in pre-intervention early esophageal cancer staging and how the index endoscopic features of invasive esophageal malignancy compare for prediction of depth of invasion and cancer management.METHODS This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent pre-resection EUS after a diagnosis of esophageal cancer at a tertiary medical center from 2012 to 2022.Patient clinical data,initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy/biopsy,EUS,and final resection pathology reports were abstracted,and statistical analysis was conducted to assess the role of EUS in management decisions.RESULTS Forty nine patients were identified for this study.EUS T stage was concordant with histological T stage in 75.5%of patients.In determining submucosal involvement(T1a vs T1b),EUS had a specificity of 85.0%,sensitivity of 53.9%,and accuracy of 72.7%.Endoscopic features of tumor size>2 cm and the presence of esophageal ulceration were significantly associated with deep invasion of cancer on histology.EUS affected management from endoscopic mucosal resection/submucosal dissection to esophagectomy in 23.5%of patients without esophageal ulceration and 6.9%of patients with tumor size<2 cm.In patients without both endoscopic findings,EUS identified deeper cancer and changed management in 4.8%(1/20)of cases.CONCLUSION EUS was reasonably specific in ruling out submucosal invasion but had relatively poor sensitivity.Data validated endoscopic indicators suggested superficial cancers in the group with a tumor size<2 cm and the lack of esophageal ulceration.In patients with these findings,EUS rarely identified a deep cancer that warranted a change in management.

分化型甲状腺微小癌21例诊治分析

目的:探讨分化型甲状腺微小癌(TMC)的诊断和治疗方法。方法:对我院2000年1月至2005年1月间手术治疗的21例甲状腺微小癌病例的临床病理资料和生存资料进行回顾性分析。结果:21例均行手术治疗,其中3例(14.29%)行患侧甲状腺叶切除、峡部切除术,14例(66.67%)行患侧甲状腺叶切除、峡部切除及中央区淋巴结清除术,3(14.29%)例行患侧甲状腺叶切除加峡部切除加同侧功能性颈淋巴结清扫术,1(4.76%)例行患侧甲状腺叶大部切除术。术前B超确诊8例,诊断符合率38.10%(8/21);术中冷冻切片确诊20例,诊断符合率95.24%(20/21)。全部患者随访5-10年,对侧甲状腺及淋巴结癌复发1例,单纯淋巴结转移1例,无甲状腺癌相关死亡。结论:甲状腺微小癌行术前B超及术中冷冻病理检查能有效提高早期诊断率,手术治疗可以取得良好的效果。