Decline of serum CA724 as a probable predictive factor for tumor response during chemotherapy of advanced gastric carcinoma

Objective： To evaluate the predictive value of decline in the serum level of carbohydrate antigen 724 （CA724） on tumor response during the chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma （GC）. Methods= The serum CA724 level was determined by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, while the objective response rate （eRR） was assessed according to response evaluation criteria in solid tumors （RECIST）. The association of the changes of serum concentration of CA724 with eRR was analyzed. Results： The eRR in CA724 （pretreatment serum level） high and low groups was 32.3% （20/62） and 52.8% （19/36）, respectively （P=0.045）. The relationship between the reduction of CA724 and the eRR was statistically significant （P=0.044）. Receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve established the best cutoff value of the decrease ratio of CA724 as 20.5%. Conclusions： CA724 decline seems to indicate chemotherapy efficacy in patients with advanced GC, and an average drop of 20.5% in serum CA724 appears to predict the sensitivity to chemotherapy.

Toripalimab combined with targeted therapy and chemotherapy achieves pathologic complete response in gastric carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant or perioperative chemotherapy combined with surgery can reduce postoperative recurrence and improve the long-term survival rate of patients with locally advanced resectable gastric carcinoma.Nivolumab combined with chemotherapy has been recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines as a first-line therapy for advanced gastric carcinoma/adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction and serves as the basis for immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy to become a neoadjuvant therapy.Herein,we report a case in which pathologic complete response was achieved by neoadjuvant administration of toripalimab,Herceptin,and docetaxel,oxaliplatin,calcium folinate,and fluorouracil(FLOT)chemotherapy followed by surgery for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-and programmed deathligand 1(PD-L1)-positive locally advanced gastric carcinoma.We hope that this case will shed some light on neoadjuvant therapy for gastric carcinoma.CASE SUMMARY The patient was diagnosed with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the cardia.Immunohistochemistry of the baseline tissues suggested that the tissues were HER2-(fluorescent in situ hybridization)and PD-L1-positive(combined positive score=1).The patient underwent surgery following a four-cycle neoadjuvant therapy comprising Herceptin,toripalimab,and FLOT chemotherapy.The postoperative pathological findings showed mild atypical hyperplasia of the local glands with chronic mucosal inflammation(proximal stomach),no clear residual tumor(tumor regression grade 0),no regional lymph node metastasis,and negative upper and lower cut ends.The levels of tumor markers were reduced to normal levels after re-examination.With good postoperative recovery,the four-cycle preoperative chemotherapy was continued at the same dosage as that previously administered.After the treatment,the patient was monitored every 3 mo with a follow-up of 12 mo(4 times).As of February 27,2022,he was in a good condition without disease progression.The clinical trial registration number is E2019401.CONCLUSION There are many ongoing studies on neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy;however,most of these studies are phase II studies with small cohorts.According to the results of some current studies,these combined regimens have shown promising results in terms of efficacy and safety.However,the clinical efficacy and safety of the neoadjuvant therapies used in these combined regimens need to be confirmed by additional prospective phase III clinical trials,and further exploration of molecular markers for effective populations is required.

High intensity focused ultrasound in combination with chemotherapy by the regime of PFC: a clinical study for advanced gastric carcinoma

Objective： To evaluate the recent curative efficacy and security of High intensity focused ultrasound （HIFU） in combination with chemotherapy（PFC） in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma. Method： Sixty patients with measurable advanced gastric carcinoma, proved pathologically, were divided into Group A and Group B. Group A： Patients were treated by HIFU（FEP-BY01） in combination with chemotherapy（PFC, paclitaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil）. Group B： Patients were treated with the single regime of PFC. Results： All cases could be evaluated, ha group A, 5 patients achieved complete response, 17 patients achieved partial response,and a response rate was 73.3%. The stable disease（SD） and the inefficiency all were 13.3% （4/30） respectively, and msurvival time（MST） was 13.9 months. In group B, 2 patients achieved complete response, 14 patients achieved partial response, and a response rate was 53.3%. The stable disease（SD） was 23.3%（7/30）. The inefficiency all were 23.3%（7/30） respectively, and median survival time was 9.6 months. There was significant difference between two groups MST（ P 〈 0.05）. Major toxicities included bone marrow depression, nausea, vomiting and alopecia, without significant differences between two groups（ P 〉 0.05）. Conclusion： This study shows that HIFU in combination with chemotherapy（PFC） was a new efficent and secure therapy for the patients with advanced gastric carcinoma. It was observed that the MST was prolonged. Prospective trials should be warranted to determine the result.

Nuclear factor kappa B: A marker of chemotherapy for human stage Ⅳ gastric carcinoma

AIM： To detect the nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） condition in human stage IV gastric carcinoma patients and to explore the correlation between NF-κB activation and survival of these patients after chemotherapy. METHODS： Expression of NF-κB-p65 was determined by immunohistochemical analysis. Activity of NF-κB DNA-binding in carcinoma tissue was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to show the relation between NF-κB and progression-free survival （PFS） or overall survival （OS） of the patients. RESULTS： The positive expression rate of NF-κB-p65 in 60 gastric cancer tissue samples was 76.7% （46160）. The expression of NF-κB-p65 was reduced in adjacent carcinoma and normal tissue samples. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay （EMSA） analysis showed a strong activation of NF-κB in cancer tissue samples. A survival difference was found in NF-κB-p65 positive and negative patients. NF-κB-p65 expression was negative in cancer tissue samples （n = 14）. PFS was 191.40 ± 59.88 d and 152.93 ±16.99 d, respectively, in patients with positive NF-κB-p65 expression （n = 46） （P = 0.4028）. The survival time of patients with negative and positive NF-κB-p65 expression was 425.16 ±61.61 d and 418.85 ±42.98 d, respectively （P = 0.7303）. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference in PFS or OS. The 46 patient tissue which positive NF-κB-p65 expression was found in the tissue samples from the 46 patients whose PFS and OS were 564.89 ± 75.94 d and s 352.37 ±41.32 d, respectively （P = 0.0165）. CONCLUSION： NF-κB is activated in gastric carcinoma tissue, which is related to the OS after chemotherapy.

Side Effects during Treatment of Advanced Gastric Carcinoma by Chemotherapy Combined with CIK-cell Transfusion in Elderly People

OBJECTIVE To study the side effects and therapeutic results of autologous cytokine-induced killer （CIK） cell treatment in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer. METHODS CIK cells were induced and cultured using biotechnics in vitro, and then the cells were infused back into the patients. Sixty elderly gastric cancer patients treated by chemotherapy （FOLFOX4 protocol） were followed-up. Among them, 29 patients were treated with CIK cells during application of chemotherapy. Short-term curative effects and adverse events from the CIK transfusion and chemotherapy were observed. RESULTS Eight cases developed partial remission （PR）, 9 cases moderate remission （MR）, 7 cases stable disease （SD） and 5 cases progressive disease （PD）. Out of a total of 29 patients who received chemotherapy combined with autologous CIK therapy, the total remission rate （PR ＋ MR） was 58.6%. The total remission rate following chemotherapy alone was 45.2%, including 5 PR cases, 9 MR cases, 7 SD cases, and 10 PD cases. There was a relatively lower rate of severe chemotherapic toxicities in the CIK-cell transfusion group. Side effects of autologous CIK transfusion included chills （13 cases）, fever （9 cases）, nausea and vomiting （1 case） and general malaise （3 cases）. Side effects were treated with conventional therapy resulting in their amelioration. No patients developed shock, blood capillary leakage syndrome, or abnormalities in routine blood, urine, liver and renal function tests.CONCLUSION Adoptive immunotherapy with autologous CIK cells may decrease the clinical signs and symptoms of elderly patients who suffer from advanced gastric cancer. Adverse reactions of patients can be alleviated by conventional therapy. Autologous CIK-cell transfusion may improve endurance to chemotherapy.

Normal carcinoembryonic antigen indicates benefit from perioperative chemotherapy to gastric carcinoma patients

AIM:To evaluate pretreatment serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) as a predictor of survival for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer receiving perioperative chemotherapy.METHODS:We retrospectively studied a cohort of 228 gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 gastrectomy combined with chemotherapy at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2005 and December 2009.Among them,168 patients received 6-12 cycles of oxaliplatin-based adjuvant(post-operative) chemotherapy,while 60 received perioperative chemotherapy(2 cycles of FOLFOX6 or XELOX before surgery and 4-10 cycles after surgery).Serum CEA was measured using an enzyme immunoassay.The followup lasted until December 2010.RESULTS:In the group that had elevated serum CEA,the difference in survival time between patients receiving perioperative chemotherapy and those receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had no statistical significance(P > 0.05).However,in the group that had normal serum CEA,patients receiving perioperative chemotherapy had a longer survival time.In multivariate analysis,T staging and lymph node metastatic rate were independent prognostic factors for the patients.Perioperative chemotherapy improved the overall survival of patients who had a normal pretreatment CEA level(P = 0.070).CONCLUSION:Normal pretreatment serum CEA is a predictor of survival for patients receiving perioperative chemotherapy.

Adjuvant postoperative radiochemotherapy for patients with gastric carcinoma:a single institution experience

Objective： The suboptimal outcome after surgery alone for gastric cancer indicated the necessity of adjuvant treatment for potentially resectable carcinoma of the stomach. In 2001, postoperative adjuvant radiochemotherapy started to be implemented in the NCI, Cairo, Egypt. However, the fear of the acute complication hindered its use as a standard treatment with some staff didn＇t follow the SWAG＇s adjuvant protocol. The aim of this report is to verify this issue. Methods： In the period from 1999 to 2009, 320 out of 581 patients with gastric carcinoma, underdid potentially curative surgery. Adjuvant postoperative radiochemotherapy for stage ≥ IIA started since 2001. Radiation （45 Gy, 1.8 Gy/f） was targeted to the tumor bed, anastomosis site, duodenal stump, remnant stomach and regional lymph node together with 4-5 cycles chemotherapy （SWOG protocol）. Survival analysis was performed and comparison between survival curves was done to analysis different prognostic factors. Results： The patients＇ age ranged from 17 to 86 years [mean （54 ± 12.5） years]. About 1/3 of the patients had a diffuse lesion. Adenocarcinoma was the most common pathology （60.4%）. High grade pathology constituted 59.1% of the cases. About one fifth of the patients had metastatic disease at presentation. Only 351 （75%） of the patients had potentially curative gastrectomy. The median number of lymph node （LN） dissected was 12 （ranged from 0-45） with a median number of the positive LN of 3.5 （ranged from 0-40）. Postoperative mortality was 12%. The median follow up period was 21.9 months （ranged from 3-129.4 months）. For the 257 patients who had curative surgery, 164 （62.8%） patients were alive at the end of follow up. During follow up period, 30 patients had Ioco-regional relapse, and 26 patients had metastasis, and 39 patients had both pattern of failure. The overall survival （OS）, Ioco-regionar control （LRC）, and metastasis free survival （MFS） rates, at median follow up period of 22 months, were 61.2%, 66.7% and 71%, respectively. At 3 and 5 years the corresponding values were： OS （42% and 28%）, LRC （64% and 50.4%） and MFS （56.3% and 49%）, respectively. Only stage and degree of nodal involvement had an adverse effect on all survival rates. Proximal lesion had poor OS rates. As regard LR control rate, mucinous cell type, and high grade had a bad effect. Although patients with less than D1 dissection had low OS and LRC rate, it didn＇t reach significant level. There was a significant improved 5-year OS rate for concurrent chemoradiotherapy （CCRTh, 55%） versus no or single adjuvant modality （27%）, P = 0.035. A subgroup analysis according to CTH regimen showed a trend for all survival rates with ECF compared to bolus 5FU/LV. However, none was statistically significant. Conclusion： In operable gastric carcinoma, postoperative concomitant radiochemotherapy with 5FU and LV is feasible with acceptable toxicity with a significant increase of Iocoregional control. A well designed phase III clinical trial - with ECF regimen and conformal radiotherapy - is worth to start to increase local control and decrease toxicity.

Correlation between postoperative chemotherapy regimen and survival in patients with resectable gastric adenocarcinoma accompanied with vascular cancer thrombus

BACKGROUND Patients with resectable gastric adenocarcinoma accompanied by vascular cancer thrombus(RGAVCT)have a poor prognosis,with a 5-year survival rate ranging from 18.42%-53.57%.These patients need a reasonable postoperative treatment plan to improve their prognosis.AIM To determine the most effective postoperative chemotherapy regimen for patients with RGAVCT.METHODS We retrospectively collected the clinicopathological data of 530 patients who un-derwent radical resection for gastric cancer between January 2017 and January 2022 and who were pathologically diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma with a choroidal cancer embolus.Fur-thermore,we identified the high-risk variables that can influence the prognosis of patients with RGAVCT by asse-ssing the clinical and pathological features of the patients who met the inclusion criteria.We also assessed the significance of survival outcomes using Mantel-Cox univariate and multivariate analyses.The subgroups of pa-tients with stages Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ disease who received single-,dual-,or triple-drug regimens following surgery were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and the ggplot2 package in R 4.3.0.RESULTS In all,530 eligible individuals with RGAVCT were enrolled in this study.The median overall survival(OS)of patients with RGAVCT was 24 months,and the survival rates were 80.2%,62.5%,and 42.3%at 12,24,and 59 months,respectively.Preoperative complications,tumor size,T stage,and postoperative chemotherapy were identified as independent factors that influenced OS in patients with RGAVCT according to the Cox multivariate analysis model.A Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that chemotherapy had no effect on OS of patients with stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ RGAVCT;however,chemotherapy did have an effect on OS of stage Ⅲ patients.Stage Ⅲ patients who were treated with chemotherapy consisting of dual-or triple-agent regimens had better survival than those treated with single-agent regimens,and no significant difference was observed in the survival of patients treated with chemo-therapy consisting of dual-or triple-agent regimens.CONCLUSION For patients with stage Ⅲ RGAVCT,a dual-agent regimen of postoperative chemotherapy should be recom-mended rather than a triple-agent treatment,as the latter is associated with increased frequency of adverse events.

Perioperative chemotherapy improves survival of patients with locally advanced diffuse gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Whether patients with diffuse gastric cancer,which is insensitive to chemo-therapy,can benefit from neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy has long been controversial.AIM To investigate whether perioperative chemotherapy can improve survival of patients with locally advanced diffuse gastric cancer.METHODS A total of 2684 patients with locally advanced diffuse gastric cancer from 18 population-based cancer registries in the United States were analyzed.RESULTS Compared with surgery alone,perioperative chemotherapy improved the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.Before stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting(IPTW),the median overall survival(OS)times were 40.0 months and 13.0 months(P<0.001),respectively.After IPTW,the median OS times were 33.0 months and 17.0 months(P<0.001),respectively.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not improve the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer compared with adjuvant chemotherapy after IPTW.After IPTW,the median OS times were 38.0 months in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group and 42.0 months in the adjuvant chemotherapy group(P=0.472).CONCLUSION Patients with diffuse gastric cancer can benefit from perioperative chemotherapy.There was no significant difference in survival between patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and those who received adjuvant chemotherapy.

Evaluating the effect and mechanism of Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction combined with FLOT regimen neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the patients with locally advanced gastric cancer:protocol for a prospective,double-arm,randomized controlled clinical trial

Background:Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plays a vital role in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer(GC),however,optimizing its effectiveness remains an important research focus.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),a promising adjunctive therapy,has shown enhanced clinical outcomes when combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.Therefore,this study is designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy FLOT in the treatment of advanced GC.Methods:This study is a prospective,double-arm,randomized controlled trial.It involves a total of 260 patients diagnosed with advanced GC,who will be randomly assigned to two groups-a TCM treatment group and a control group,each comprising 130 patients.All patients will receive standard FLOT chemotherapy,and patients in the TCM treatment group will additionally receive TCM treatment with Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction.After four cycles of chemotherapy,GC D2 radical surgery will be performed.The primary objective is to evaluate the postoperative pathological response rate of the tumor.The secondary objectives include evaluating the perioperative nutritional status,the efficacy of TCM syndrome,and adverse events associated with both chemotherapy and surgery.Discussion:Currently,no trials have investigated the impact of TCM in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the preoperative treatment in patients with advanced GC.Accordingly,it is imperative to conduct this prospective study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of this regimen,meanwhile providing high-level clinical evidence for TCM combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and introducing an innovative regimen for preoperative comprehensive treatment of GC.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with anti-angiogenesis agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)has been proven to be an ideal choice for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(uHCC).HAIC-based treatment showed great potential for treating uHCC.However,large-scale studies on HAIC-based treatments and meta-analyses of first-line treatments for uHCC are lacking.AIM To investigate better first-line treatment options for uHCC and to assess the safety and efficacy of HAIC combined with angiogenesis inhibitors,programmed cell death of protein 1(PD-1)and its ligand(PD-L1)blockers(triple therapy)under real-world conditions.METHODS Several electronic databases were searched to identify eligible randomized controlled trials for this meta-analysis.Study-level pooled analyses of hazard ratios(HRs)and odds ratios(ORs)were performed.This was a retrospective single-center study involving 442 patients with uHCC who received triple therapy or angiogenesis inhibitors plus PD-1/PD-L1 blockades(AIPB)at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2018 to April 2023.Propensity score matching(PSM)was performed to balance the bias between the groups.The Kaplan-Meier method and cox regression were used to analyse the survival data,and the log-rank test was used to compare the suvival time between the groups.RESULTS A total of 13 randomized controlled trials were included.HAIC alone and in combination with sorafenib were found to be effective treatments(P values for ORs:HAIC,0.95;for HRs:HAIC+sorafenib,0.04).After PSM,176 HCC patients were included in the analysis.The triple therapy group(n=88)had a longer median overall survival than the AIPB group(n=88)(31.6 months vs 14.6 months,P<0.001)and a greater incidence of adverse events(94.3%vs 75.4%,P<0.001).CONCLUSION This meta-analysis suggests that HAIC-based treatments are likely to be the best choice for uHCC.Our findings confirm that triple therapy is more effective for uHCC patients than AIPB.

Efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and its combination strategies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma:A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND With the rapid progress of systematic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),therapeutic strategies combining hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)with systematic therapy arised increasing concentrations.However,there have been no systematic review comparing HAIC and its combination strategies in the first-line treatment for advanced HCC.AIM To investigate the efficacy and safety of HAIC and its combination therapies for advanced HCC.METHODS A network meta-analysis was performed by including 9 randomized controlled trails and 35 cohort studies to carry out our study.The outcomes of interest comprised overall survival(OS),progression-free survival(PFS),tumor response and adverse events.Hazard ratios(HR)and odds ratios(OR)with a 95% confidence interval(CI)were calculated and agents were ranked based on their ranking probability.RESULTS HAIC outperformed Sorafenib(HR=0.55,95%CI:0.42-0.72;HR=0.51,95%CI:0.33-0.78;OR=2.86,95%CI:1.37-5.98;OR=5.45,95%CI:3.57-8.30;OR=7.15,95%CI:4.06-12.58;OR=2.89,95%CI:1.99-4.19;OR=0.48,95%CI:0.25-0.92,respectively)and transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)(HR=0.50,95%CI:0.33-0.75;HR=0.62,95%CI:0.39-0.98;OR=3.08,95%CI:1.36-6.98;OR=2.07,95%CI:1.54-2.80;OR=3.16,95%CI:1.71-5.85;OR=2.67,95%CI:1.59-4.50;OR=0.16,95%CI:0.05-0.54,respectively)in terms of efficacy and safety.HAIC+lenvatinib+ablation,HAIC+ablation,HAIC+anti-programmed cell death 1(PD-1),and HAIC+radiotherapy had the higher likelihood of providing better OS and PFS outcomes compared to HAIC alone.HAIC+TACE+S-1,HAIC+lenvatinib,HAIC+PD-1,HAIC+TACE,and HAIC+sorafenib had the higher likelihood of providing better partial response and objective response rate outcomes compared to HAIC.HAIC+PD-1,HAIC+TACE+S-1 and HAIC+TACE had the higher likelihood of providing better complete response and disease control rate outcomes compared to HAIC alone.CONCLUSION HAIC proved more effective and safer than sorafenib and TACE.Furthermore,combined with other interventions,HAIC showed improved efficacy over HAIC monotherapy according to the treatment ranking analysis.

Adjuvant chemotherapy,p53,carcinoembryonic antigen expression and prognosis after D2 gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma

AIM: To investigate adjuvant chemotherapy, p53 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expression and prognosis after D2 gastrectomy for stage II/III gastric adenocarcinoma.

Unnecessity of lymph node regression evaluation for predicting gastric adenocarcinoma outcome after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been applied worldwide to improve the survival of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma(GAC). The evaluation of histological regression in primary tumors is valuable for predicting prognosis. However, the prognostic effect of regression change in lymph nodes(LNs) remains unclear.AIM To confirm whether the evaluation of regression change in LNs could predict the prognosis of GAC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery.METHODS In this study, we evaluated the histological regression of resected LNs from 192 GAC patients(including those with esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma)treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We classified regression change and residual tumor in LNs into four groups:(A) true negative LNs with no evidence of a preoperative therapy effect,(B) no residual metastasis but the presence of regression change in LNs,(C) residual metastasis with regression change in LNs,and(D) metastasis with minimal or no regression change in LNs. Correlations between regression change and residual tumor groups in LNs and regression change in the primary tumor, as well as correlations between regression change in LNs and clinicopathological characteristics, were analyzed. The prognostic effect of regression change and residual tumor groups in LNs was also analyzed.RESULTS We found that regression change and residual tumor groups in LNs were significantly correlated with regression change in the primary tumor, tumor differentiation, ypT stage, ypN stage, ypTNM stage, lymph-vascular invasion,perineural invasion and R0 resection status. Regression change and residual tumor groups in LNs were statistically significant using univariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, but were not independent predictors. For patients who had no residual tumor in LNs, the 5-year overall survival(OS) rates were 67.5% in Group A and 67.4% in Group B. For the patients who had residual tumors in LNs, the 5-year OS rates were 28.2% in Group C and 39.5% in Group D.The patients in Groups A+B had a significantly better outcome than the patients in Groups C+D(P < 0.01). No significant differences in survival were found between Groups A and B, or between Groups C and D.CONCLUSION The existence of residual tumor in LNs, rather than regression change in LNs, is useful for predicting the prognosis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in GAC patients. In practice, it may not be necessary to report regression change in LNs.

Treatment of gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma with pembrolizumab and bevacizumab combination chemotherapy:A case report

BACKGROUND Gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma(GHA)is a rare and aggressive cancer that is characterized by foci with features of both hepatocellular differentiation and adenomatous differentiation.However,there is currently no standard treatment for this disease,which has a poor prognosis.CASE SUMMARY A 72-year-old male with a body mass index of 20.9 was diagnosed with GHA with perigastric lymph node and liver metastasis.He underwent first-line chemotherapy but that failed.Pembrolizumab and bevacizumab with chemotherapy were used in the second-line treatment.The progression-free survival and overall survival were 14 mo and 16 mo,respectively,after treatment.In addition,the main adverse reaction was tolerable.The patient did not die of tumor progression.CONCLUSION The combination of pembrolizumab and bevacizumab with chemotherapy is an effective and safe regimen for GHA and may be recommended as a new choice for GHA treatment.Further studies should evaluate this treatment in a larger cohort or a randomized controlled trial.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in gastric cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND In recent studies,accumulating evidence has revealed a strong association between the inflammatory response and the prognosis of many tumors.There is a certain correlation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)with the prognosis in gastric cancer(GC)patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC).However,the existing research results have remained controversial.AIM To explore the relationship between NLR ratio and prognosis of GC patients receiving NAC.METHODS A thorough systematic search was performed in databases such as PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,and Cochrane Library,the search is available until February 29,2024,and studies exploring the interaction of NLR with clinical outcomes were collected.Relevant studies meeting pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria were carefully chosen.The outcomes included progression-free survival(PFS),relapse-free survival,disease-free survival(DFS),and overall survival(OS).The hazard ratio(HR)and its corresponding 95%confidence interval(CI)were utilized for estimation.RESULTS Our analysis encompassed 852 patients and incorporated data from 12 cohort studies.The comprehensive analysis revealed a significant association of high NLR with reduced OS(HR=1.76;95%CI:1.22-2.54,P=0.003),relapsefree survival(HR=3.73;95%CI:1.74-7.96,P=0.0007),and PFS(HR=2.32;95%CI:1.42-3.81,P=0.0008)in patients.However,this correlation in disease-free survival was not significant.NLR demonstrated its crucial role in effectively predicting the OS of GC patients undergoing NAC at different detection times,ages,regions,and NLR thresholds.CONCLUSION In GC patients receiving NAC,an elevated NLR is strongly associated with reduced OS and PFS.NLR has become an effective biomarker for patient prognosis evaluation,providing valuable insights for the treatment strategies of NAC in GC patients.

Efficacy and safety of targeted therapy plus immunotherapy combined with hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (FOLFOX) for unresectable hepatocarcinoma

BACKGROUND The advent of cutting-edge systemic therapies has driven advances in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),and therapeutic strategies with multiple modes of delivery have been shown to be more efficacious than mono-therapy.However,the mechanisms underlying this innovative treatment modality have not been elucidated.AIM To evaluate the clinical efficacy of targeted therapy plus immunotherapy combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)of FOLFOX in patients with unresectable HCC.METHODS We enrolled 53 patients with unresectable HCC who received a combination of targeted therapy,immunotherapy,and HAIC of FOLFOX between December 2020 and June 2021 and assessed the efficacy and safety of the treatment regimen.RESULTS The objective response rate was 60.4%(32/53),complete response was 24.5%(13/53),partial response was 35.9%(19/53),and stable disease was 39.6%(21/53).The median duration of response and median progression-free survival were 9.1 and 13.9 months,respectively.The surgical conversion rate was 34.0%(18/53),and 1-year overall survival was 83.0%without critical complicating diseases or adverse events(AEs).CONCLUSION The regimen of HAIC of FOLFOX,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy was curative for patients with unresectable HCC,with no serious AEs and a high rate of surgical conversion.

Current efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma

Newer systemic therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)have led to growing interest in combining hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)with systemic treatments.To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of HAIC and combination therapies in treating advanced HCC,a network meta-analysis was conducted by Zhou et al.The study included data from 44 articles.HAIC was superior in overall survival(OS),progression-free survival(PFS),and response rates compared to transarterial chemoembolization and sorafenib.Moreover,combinations of HAIC with other treatments and single agents(e.g.,lenvatinib,ablation,anti-programmed cell death 1 therapy,radiotherapy)provided better OS and PFS outcomes than HAIC alone.In this editorial,we will discuss the study findings,the strengths and weaknesses of the metanalysis,and future advances in the field of HAIC for advanced HCC.

Predicting the prognosis of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)has good clinical efficacy in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC);however,its efficacy varies.This review summarized the ability of various markers to predict the efficacy of HAIC and provided a reference for clinical applications.As of October 25,2023,51 articles have been retrieved based on keyword predictions and HAIC.Sixteen eligible articles were selected for inclusion in this study.Comprehensive literature analysis found that methods used to predict the efficacy of HAIC include serological testing,gene testing,and imaging testing.The above indicators and their combined forms showed excellent predictive effects in retrospective studies.This review summarized the strategies currently used to predict the efficacy of HAIC in middle and advanced HCC,analyzed each marker's ability to predict HAIC efficacy,and provided a reference for the clinical application of the prediction system.

Cetuximab combined with chemotherapy for simultaneous esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Multiple primary carcinomas(MPCs)are defined as two or more independent primary cancers that occur simultaneously or sequentially in the same individual.Synchronous MPCs are rarer than solitary cancers or metachronous MPCs.Accurate diagnoses of synchronous MPCs and the choice of treatment are critical for successful outcomes in these cases.CASE SUMMARY A 64-year-old patient presented with dysphagia,without obvious cause.A diagnosis of synchronous esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma with liver metastasis was confirmed based on examination and laboratory results.After multi-disciplinary consultations,combination chemotherapy(a 3-wk cycle with oxaliplatin 212 mg administered on day 1 and capecitabine 1.5 g twice daily on days 1-14)and esophageal cancer radiotherapy were initiated.Based on the results of genetic testing,we switched to a regimen of leucovorin+fluorouracil+oxaliplatin and cetuximab regimen for 8 cycles.Subsequently,capecitabine and bevacizumab were administered until the most recent follow-up,at which the tumor remained stable.CONCLUSION Successful cetuximab chemotherapy treatment provides a reference for the nonoperative and homogeneous treatment of different pathological types of synchronous MCPs.