New method of local adjuvant therapy with bicarbonate Ringer’s solution for tumoral calcinosis: A case report

BACKGROUND Tumoral calcinosis is a condition characterized by deposits of calcium phosphate crystals in extra-articular soft tissues,occurring in hemodialysis patients.Calcium phosphate crystals are mainly composed of hydroxyapatite,which is highly infilt-rative to tissues,thus making complete resection difficult.An adjuvant method to remove or resolve the residual crystals during the operation is necessary.CASE SUMMARY A bicarbonate Ringer’s solution with bicarbonate ions(28 mEq/L)was used as the adjuvant.After resecting calcium phosphate deposits of tumoral calcinosis as much as possible,while filling with the solution,residual calcium phosphate deposits at the pseudocyst wall can be gently scraped by fingers or gauze in the operative field.A 49-year-old female undergoing hemodialysis for 15 years had swelling with calcium deposition for 2 years in the shoulders,bilateral hip joints,and the right foot.A shoulder lesion was resected,but the calcification remained and early re-deposition was observed.Considering the difficulty of a complete rection,we devised a bicarbonate dissolution method and excised the foot lesion.After resection of the calcified material,the residual calcified material was washed away with bicarbonate Ringer’s solution.CONCLUSION The bicarbonate dissolution method is a new,simple,and effective treatment for tumoral calcinosis in hemodialysis patients.

Review of tumoral calcinosis: A rare clinico-pathological entity

Tumoral calcinosis(TC) has long been a controversial clinico-pathological entity. Its pathogenesis and genetic background have been gradually unravelled since its first description in 1943. According to the presence or absence of an underlying calcifying disease process, TC has been divided into primary and secondary varieties. Two subtypes of the primary variety exist; a hyperphosphatemic type with familial basis represented by mutations in Gal NAc transferase 3 gene(GALNT3), KLOTHO or Fibroblast growth factor 23(FGF23) genes, and a normo-phosphatemic type with growing evidence of underlying familial base represented by mutation in SAMD9 gene. The secondary variety is mainly associated with chronic renal failure and the resulting secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Diagnosis of TC relies on typical radiographic features(on plain radiographs and computed tomography) and the biochemical profile. Magnetic resonance imaging can be done in difficult cases, and scintigraphy reflects the disease activity. Treatment is mainly surgical for the primary variety; however, a stage-oriented conservative approach using phosphate binders, phosphate restricted dietsand acetazolamide should be considered before the surgical approach is pursued due to the high rate of recurrences and complications after surgical intervention. Medical treatment is the mainstay for treatment of the secondary variety, with failure warranting subtotal or total parathyroidectomy. Surgical intervention in these patients should be kept as a last resort.

Recuperation of severe tumoral calcinosis in a dialysis patient: A case report

BACKGROUND One of the common late sequela in patients with end-stage renal disease(ESRD)is the calcium phosphate disorder leading to chronic hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia causing the precipitation of calcium salt in soft tissues.Tumoral calcinosis is an extremely rare clinical manifestation of cyst-like soft tissue deposits in different periarticular regions in patients with ESRD and is characterized by extensive calcium salt containing space-consuming painful lesions.The treatment of ESRD patients with tumoral calcinosis manifestation involves an increase in or switching of renal replacement therapy regimes and the adjustment of oral medication with the goal of improved hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia.CASE SUMMARY We describe a 40-year-old woman with ESRD secondary to IgA-nephritis and severe bilateral manifestation of tumoral calcinosis associated with hypercalcemia,hyperphosphatemia and tertiary hyperparathyroidism.The patient was on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and treatment with vitamin D analogues.After switching her to a daily hemodialysis schedule and adjusting the medical treatment,the patient experienced a significant dissolution of her soft tissue calcifications within a couple of weeks.Complete remission was achieved 11 mo after the initial diagnosis.CONCLUSION Reduced patient compliance and subsequent insufficiency of dialysis regime quality contribute to the aggravation of calcium phosphate disorder in a patient with ESRD leading to the manifestation of tumoral calcinosis.However,the improvement of the treatment strategy and reinforcement of patient compliance enabled complete remission of this rare disease entity.

Locoregional therapies and their effects on the tumoral microenvironment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC) is expected to become the second leading cause of death from cancer by 2030. Despite intensive research in the field of therapeutics, the 5-year overall survival is approximately 8%, with only 20% of patients eligible for surgery at the time of diagnosis. The tumoral microenvironment(TME) of the PDAC is one of the main causes for resistance to antitumoral treatments due to the presence of tumor vasculature, stroma, and a modified immune response. The TME of PDAC is characterized by high stiffness due to fibrosis, with hypo microvascular perfusion, along with an immunosuppressive environment that constitutes a barrier to effective antitumoral treatment. While systemic therapies often produce severe side effects that can alter patients’ quality of life, locoregional therapies have gained attention since their action is localized to the pancreas and can thus alleviate some of the barriers to effective antitumoral treatment due to their physical effects. Local hyperthermia using radiofrequency ablation and radiation therapy-most commonly using a local high single dose-are the two main modalities holding promise for clinical efficacy. Recently, irreversible electroporation and focused ultrasound-derived cavitation have gained increasing attention. To date, most of the data are limited to preclinical studies, but ongoing clinical trials may help better define the role of these locoregional therapies in the management of PDAC patients.

Pseudotumoral acute cerebellitis associated with mumps infection in a child

Pseudotumoral cerebellitis in childhood is an uncommon presentation of cerebellitis mimicking a brain tumor. It often follows an inflammatory or infectious event, particularly due to varicella virus. Patients could have a wide clinical spectrum on presentation. Some patients may be asymptomatic or present at most with mild cerebellar signs, whereas others may suffer severe forms with brainstem involvement and severe intracranial hypertension mimicking tumor warranting surgical intervention. Imaging techniques especially multimodal magnetic resonance imaging represent an interesting tool to differentiate between posterior fossa tumors and acute cerebellitis. We describe a case of pseudotumoral cerebellitis in a 6-year-old girl consequent to mumps infection and review the literature on this rare association.

In vivo assessment of intratumoral aspirin injection to treat hepatic tumors

AIM: To study the antineoplastic efficacy of 10% aspirin intralesional injection on VX2 hepatic tumors in a rabbit model. METHODS: Thirty-two male rabbits (age: 6-9 wk; body weight: 1700-2500 g) were inoculated with VX2 hepatic tumor cells (104 cells/rabbit) via supraumbilical median laparotomy. On day 4 post-implantation, when the tumors were about 1 cm in diameter, the rabbits were randomly divided into the following groups (n = 8 each group) to assess early (24 h) and late (7 d) antineoplastic effects of intratumoral injection of 10% bicarbonate aspirin solution (experimental groups) in comparison to intratumoral injection of physiological saline solution (control groups): group 1, 24 h control; group 2, 24 h experimental; group 3, 7 d control; group 4, 7 d experimental. The serum biochemistry profile (measurements of glycemia, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartateaminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase) and body weight measurements were obtained for all animals at the following time points: D0, before tumor implant; D4, day of treatment; D5, day of sacrifice for groups 1 and 2; D11, day of sacrifice for groups 3 and 4. Gross assessments of the abdominal and thoracic cavities were carried out upon sacrifice. The resected liver tissues, including hepatic tumors, were qualitatively (general morphology, signs of necrosis) and quantitatively (tumor area) assessed by histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Gross examination showed no alterations, besides the left hepatic lobe tumors, had occurred in the thoracic and abdominal cavities of any animal at any time point evaluated. However, the features of the tumor foci were distinctive between the groups. Compared to the control groups, which showed normal unabated tumor progression, the aspirin-treated groups showed imprecise but limited tumor boundaries and a general red-white coloration (indicating hemorrhaging) at 24 h post-treatment, and development of yellow-white areas of a cicatricial aspect at 7 d after treatment. At all time points evaluated, all except one biochemical parameters tested within the reference range (P > 0.05); a significant increase was detected in the alkaline phosphatase level of the control group 3 on D11 (P < 0.05). At 24 h post-treatment, the aspirintreated groups showed extensive coagulation necrosis accompanied by a remarkable absence of viable tumor foci; at 7 d after treatment, the tumors had completely disappeared in these animals and fibrous necrotic nod- ules had developed. In contrast, throughout the study course, the tumors of the control groups remained unchanged, showing tumor nodules without necrosis at the time point corresponding to 24 h post-treatment and increased amounts of tumor nodules at the time point corresponding to 7 d post-treatment. Quantitative analysis of the remaining tumor area revealed that the aspirin-treated groups had significantly smaller tumor foci at 24 h post-treatment (8.5% ± 0.7%) andat 7 d after treatment (11.0% ± 4.2%), compared to those in the control groups (24 h: 98.5% ± 1.5% and 7 d: 94.0% ± 2.7%; both,P < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Intralesional injection of a 10% aspirin solution causes destruction of VX2 hepatic tumors in rabbits without evidence of relapse at 7 d after treat- ment administration.

Effects of psoralens as anti-tumoral agents in breast cancer cells

This review examines the biological properties of coumarins, widely distributed at the highest levels in the fruit, followed by the roots, stems and leaves, by considering their beneficial effects in the prevention of some diseases and as anti-cancer agents. These compounds are well known photosensitizing drugs which have been used as pharmaceuticals for a broad number of therapeutic applications requiring cell division inhibitors. Despite this, even in the absence of ultraviolet rays they are active. The current paper mainly focuses on the effects of psoralens on human breast cancer as they are able to influence many aspects of cell behavior, such as cell growth, survival and apoptosis. In addition, analytical and pharmacological data have demonstrated that psoralens antagonize some metabolizing enzymes, affect estrogen receptor stability and counteract cell invasiveness as well as cancer drug resistance. The scientific findings summarized highlight the pleiotropic functions of phytochemical drugs, given that recently their target signals and how these are modified in thecells have been identified. The encouraging results in this field suggest that multiple modulating strategies based on coumarin drugs in combination with canonical chemotherapeutic agents or radiotherapy could be a useful approach to address the treatment of many types of cancer.

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma with intratumoral calcification: A case report

This report describes a rare case of hilar cholangiocarcinoma with intratumoral calcification that mimicked hepatolithiasis. A 73-year-old man presented to a local hospital with a calcified lesion in the hepatic hilum. At first,hepatolithiasis was diagnosed,and he underwent endoscopic stone extraction via the transpapillary route. This treatment strategy failed due to biliary stricture. He was referred to our hospital,and further examination suggested the existence of cholangiocarcinoma. He underwent left hepatectomy with caudate lobectomy and extrahepatic bile duct resection. Pathological examination revealed hilar cholangiocarcinoma with intratumoral calcification,while no stones were found. To the best of our knowledge,only one case of calcified hilar cholangiocarcinoma has been previously reported in the literature. Here,we report a rare case of calcified hilar cholangiocarcinoma and reveal its clinicopathologic features.

Pseudotumoral Chronic Subdural Hematomas on Two Cases

Introduction: Calcified forms with pseudo-tumor symptomatology of chronic subdural hematomas are rare. They are the result of slow bleeding over several years. The main etiology is related to the complications of the ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VP). The purpose of this study was to recall the peculiarities and physiopathology of its pseudotumoral hematomas through 2 observations. Observation: Case 1: 8-year-old patient with a history of ventriculoperitoneal shunt at 3 months of age for congenital hydrocephalus, was admitted for functional impotence of the left-side of the body of insidious onset spreading over 9 months in a chronic headache, blurred vision and generalized seizure. CT scan showed a heterogeneous subdural hematoma of the right frontoparietal with calcifications. The patient underwent an excision by morcellation of a yellowish, friable partly calcific mass. The postoperative history was marked by a total recovery of the neurological deficit. There was no recurrence at 6 months postoperatively. Case 2: 11-year-old adolescent, treated with VP shunt at 6 months of age for post-meningitic hydrocephalus, was admitted for helmet headache, dizziness, lightheadedness and apathy progressing for 3 years. CT scan showed hypodensity of right peri-hemisphere with calcified linings, exerting a mass effect on the medial structures. The patient was given a block excision of a calcific mass with blood content. The evolution was marked by the complete resolution of seizures and hemiparesis. There was no recurrence at 6 months postoperatively. Conclusion: Calcified subdural hematomas are rare and consecutive to the complications of VPS. The clinical signs are those of a benign brain tumor. Treatment is dominated by the difficulties of cerebral reexpression.

Intratumoral heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma: From singlecell to population-based studies

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is characterized by high heterogeneity in both intratumoral and interpatient manners.While interpatient heterogeneity is related to personalized therapy,intratumoral heterogeneity(ITH)largely influences the efficacy of therapies in individuals.ITH contributes to tumor growth,metastasis,recurrence,and drug resistance and consequently limits the prognosis of patients with HCC.There is an urgent need to understand the causes,characteristics,and consequences of tumor heterogeneity in HCC for the purposes of guiding clinical practice and improving survival.Here,we summarize the studies and technologies that describe ITH in HCC to gain insight into the origin and evolutionary process of heterogeneity.In parallel,evidence is collected to delineate the dynamic relationship between ITH and the tumor ecosystem.We suggest that conducting comprehensive studies of ITH using single-cell approaches in temporal and spatial dimensions,combined with population-based clinical trials,will help to clarify the clinical implications of ITH,develop novel intervention strategies,and improve patient prognosis.

Mismatch repair protein expression and intratumoral budding in rectal cancer are associated with an increased pathological complete response to preoperative chemoradiotherapy: A case-control study

AIM To determine whether the association of rectal adenocarcinoma with a defective-mismatch repair system(dMMR) was associated with a pathological complete response(pCR) to preoperative chemoradiotherapy.METHODS A case-control study was designed with the aim of determining if patients with rectal adenocarcinoma with dM MR had an associated high pCR rate in response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT).RESULTS Seventy-two cases with pCR were compared against 144 controls without pCR. Across 216 cases, the mean age was 56.8 years, 140(64.8%) were men, and 63(29.2%) demonstrated the dMMR system. The pCR was associated with G1 tumors, dMMR, the absence of vascular invasion, and low tumor budding in the pretreatment biopsy. In a multivariant analysis, the factors associated with pCR were dMMR(OR: 2.61; 95%CI: 1.355-5.040, P = 0.004) and a low degree of tumor budding(OR: 2.52; 95%CI: 1.366-4.894, P = 0.025).CONCLUSION We found an independent association between dMMR and a low rate of tumor budding, with a higher rate of pCR, in the basal biopsies of patients with rectal carcinoma subjected to nCRT.

Experimental Research on Intratumoral Injection of Sal Ammoniac Extract in the Treatment of Mouse Liver Cancer

Objective:To study the effect of sal ammoniac extract on the treatment of liver cancer and analyze its possibility of replacing absolute ethanol.Methods:Sixty Kunming mice(5-6 weeks old,18-22g in weight,male and female in half)were selected and inoculated with 0.1 ml of 1:4 ascitic diluent from mouse liver cancer H22 under the axilla of the right limb.After tumor formation,they were randomly divided into 3 groups with 20 mice in each group.Normal saline(NS),sal ammoniac extract(N),and absolute ethanol(E)were injected into the tumor once a day for four times.The death,tumor weight,tumor inhibition rate,lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),and succinate dehydrogenase(SDH)expression of the mice in each group were analyzed.Results:In the course of treatment,3 mice died in the normal saline group,2 mice died in the sal ammoniac treatment group,and 7 mice died in the absolute ethanol group.The tumor weight of the normal saline group,sal ammoniac treatment group,and absolute ethanol group were 1.880.26,1.41±0.49,and 1.51±0.46,respectively.The tumor inhibition rates were 0%,31.0%,and 21.6%,respectively.Comparing the sal ammoniac treatment group and the normal saline group,t=3.5133,p=0.0013;comparing the absolute ethanol group and the normal saline group,t=2.7926,p=0.0093.The expression of LDH was 81±10,51±11,and 32±9 in the normal saline group,sal ammoniac treatment group,and absolute ethanol group,respectively,while the expression of SDH was 80±10,5110,and 51±12 in the normal saline group,sal ammoniac treatment group,and absolute ethanol group,respectively.Comparing the LDH of the sal ammoniac treatment group with that of the saline group,t=8.4264,ρ=0.0000;comparing the absolute ethanol group and normal saline group,t=13.8763,p=0.0000.Comparing the SDH of the sal ammoniac treatment group with that of the normal saline group,t=8.1455,ρ=0.0000;comparing the absolute ethanol group with the normal saline group,t=7.2197,ρ=0.0000.Conclusion:The traditional Chinese antitumor medicine,sal ammoniac and its main effective components have good antitumor effect,which can be further popularized and applied in clinical practice.

Preoperatively predicting vessels encapsulating tumor clusters in hepatocellular carcinoma:Machine learning model based on contrast-enhanced computed tomography

BACKGROUND Recently,vessels encapsulating tumor clusters(VETC)was considered as a distinct pattern of tumor vascularization which can primarily facilitate the entry of the whole tumor cluster into the bloodstream in an invasion independent manner,and was regarded as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).AIM To develop and validate a preoperative nomogram using contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CECT)to predict the presence of VETC+in HCC.METHODS We retrospectively evaluated 190 patients with pathologically confirmed HCC who underwent CECT scanning and immunochemical staining for cluster of differentiation 34 at two medical centers.Radiomics analysis was conducted on intratumoral and peritumoral regions in the portal vein phase.Radiomics features,essential for identifying VETC+HCC,were extracted and utilized to develop a radiomics model using machine learning algorithms in the training set.The model’s performance was validated on two separate test sets.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis was employed to compare the identified performance of three models in predicting the VETC status of HCC on both training and test sets.The most predictive model was then used to constructed a radiomics nomogram that integrated the independent clinical-radiological features.ROC and decision curve analysis were used to assess the performance characteristics of the clinical-radiological features,the radiomics features and the radiomics nomogram.RESULTS The study included 190 individuals from two independent centers,with the majority being male(81%)and a median age of 57 years(interquartile range:51-66).The area under the curve(AUC)for the combined radiomics features selected from the intratumoral and peritumoral areas were 0.825,0.788,and 0.680 in the training set and the two test sets.A total of 13 features were selected to construct the Rad-score.The nomogram,combining clinicalradiological and combined radiomics features could accurately predict VETC+in all three sets,with AUC values of 0.859,0.848 and 0.757.Decision curve analysis revealed that the radiomics nomogram was more clinically useful than both the clinical-radiological feature and the combined radiomics models.CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the potential utility of a CECT-based radiomics nomogram,incorporating clinicalradiological features and combined radiomics features,in the identification of VETC+HCC.

Wilm′s tumor gene1肽疫苗Galinpepimut-S在肿瘤免疫治疗中的应用

目的为Wilm′s tumor gene1(WT1)肽疫苗Galinpepimut-S(GPS)用于肿瘤免疫治疗的后续研究提供参考。方法采用计算机检索中国知网、PubMed等数据库自建库起至2022年12月的肿瘤免疫治疗相关文献,总结GPS在肿瘤免疫治疗中的应用现状。结果GPS能激发自身免疫系统,对WT1抗原产生强烈免疫反应而发挥抗肿瘤作用,在卵巢癌、恶性胸膜间皮瘤、急性髓系白血病、多发性骨髓瘤的治疗中均显示出较好的疗效。结论以GPS为代表的肿瘤疫苗是未来肿瘤治疗的重要方向,需进一步进行临床研究,以获取更多数据。

侵及眶内的复发性鼻腔鼻窦巨大孤立性纤维性肿瘤1例

1临床资料患者,男,75岁,因左侧鼻面部不适伴面颊隆起1个月,于2022-04-13就诊亳州市人民医院。患者1个月前发现左侧鼻面部不适伴眼突、视力下降,伴感觉减退,无鼻塞流涕,无头晕头痛,无涕中带血,8年前曾于我院行鼻内镜下左侧鼻腔鼻窦肿物切除,术后病理为孤立性纤维性肿瘤。入院前患者曾就诊于眼科,结合病史资料排除眼部疾病后就诊耳鼻咽喉头颈外科。上颌骨CT提示左侧鼻腔、筛窦、上颌窦及眼眶内见团块状软组织密度影(图1A)。

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of neuroendocrine liver metastasis: Appraisal of the current evidence

Background:Liver transplantation(LT)for neuroendocrine liver metastases(NELM)is still in debate.Studies comparing LT with liver resection(LR)for NELM are scarce,as patient selection is heterogeneous and experience is limited.The goal of this review was to provide a critical analysis of the evidence on LT versus LR in the treatment of NELM.Data sources:A scoping literature search on LT and LR for NELM was performed with PubMed,including English articles up to March 2023.Results:International guidelines recommend LR for NELM in resectable,well-differentiated tumors in the absence of extrahepatic metastatic disease with superior results of LR compared to systemic or liver-directed therapies.Advanced liver surgery has extended resectability criteria whilst entailing increased perioperative risk and short disease-free survival.In highly selected patients(based on the Milan criteria)with unresectable NELM,oncologic results of LT are promising.Prognostic factors include tumor biology(G1/G2)and burden,waiting time for LT,patient age and extrahepatic spread.Based on low-level evi-dence,LT for low-grade NELM within the Milan criteria resulted in improved disease-free survival and overall survival compared to LR.The benefits of LT were lost in patients beyond the Milan NELM-criteria.Conclusions:With adherence to strict selection criteria especially tumor biology,LT for NELM is becoming a valuable option providing oncologic benefits compared to LR.Recent evidence suggests even stricter selection criteria with regard to tumor biology.

A review of the literature on the use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene therapy to treat hepatocellular carcinoma

Noncoding RNAs instruct the Cas9 nuclease to site speifillyl cleave DNA in the CRISPR/Cas9 system.Despite the high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),the patient's outcome is poor.As a result of the emergence of therapeutic resistance in HCC patients,dlinicians have faced difficulties in treating such tumor.In addition,CRISPR/Cas9 screens were used to identify genes that improve the dlinical response of HCC patients.It is the objective of this article to summarize the current understanding of the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system for the treatment of cancer,with a particular emphasis on HCC as part of the current state of knowledge.Thus,in order to locate recent developments in oncology research,we examined both the Scopus database and the PubMed database.The ability to selectively interfere with gene expression in combinatorial CRISPR/Cas9 screening can lead to the discovery of new effective HCC treatment regimens by combining clinically approved drugs.Drug resistance can be overcome with the help of the CRISPR/Cas9 system.HCC signature genes and resistance to treatment have been uncovered by genome-scale CRISPR activation screening although this method is not without limitations.It has been extensively examined whether CRISPR can be used as a tool for disease research and gene therapy.CRISPR and its applications to tumor research,particularly in HCC,are examined in this study through a review of the literature.

Laser spectroscopy imaging technique coupled withnanomaterials for cancer diagnosis: A review

Laser spectroscopic imaging techniques have received tremendous attention in the-eld of cancer diagnosis due to their high sensitivity,high temporal resolution,and short acquisition time.However,the limited tissue penetration of the laser is still a challenge for the in vivo diagnosis of deep-seated lesions.Nanomaterials have been universally integrated with spectroscopic imaging techniques for deeper cancer diagnosis in vivo.The components,morphology,and sizes of nanomaterials are delicately designed,which could realize cancer diagnosis in vivo or in situ.Considering the enhanced signal emitting from the nanomaterials,we emphasized their combination with spectroscopic imaging techniques for cancer diagnosis,like the surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS),photoacoustic,fluorescence,and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS).Applications ofthe above spectroscopic techniques offer new prospectsfor cancer diagnosis.

Tumor microenvironment reprogramming by nanomedicine to enhance the effect of tumor immunotherapy

With the rapid development of the fields of tumor biology and immunology, tumor immunotherapy has been used in clinical practice and has demonstrated significant therapeutic potential, particularly for treating tumors that do not respond to standard treatment options. Despite its advances, immunotherapy still has limitations, such as poor clinical response rates and differences in individual patient responses, largely because tumor tissues have strong immunosuppressive microenvironments. Many tumors have a tumor microenvironment (TME) that is characterized by hypoxia, low pH, and substantial numbers of immunosuppressive cells, and these are the main factors limiting the efficacy of antitumor immunotherapy. The TME is crucial to the occurrence, growth, and metastasis of tumors. Therefore, numerous studies have been devoted to improving the effects of immunotherapy by remodeling the TME. Effective regulation of the TME and reversal of immunosuppressive conditions are effective strategies for improving tumor immunotherapy. The use of multidrug combinations to improve the TME is an efficient way to enhance antitumor immune efficacy. However, the inability to effectively target drugs decreases therapeutic effects and causes toxic side effects. Nanodrug delivery carriers have the advantageous ability to enhance drug bioavailability and improve drug targeting. Importantly, they can also regulate the TME and deliver large or small therapeutic molecules to decrease the inhibitory effect of the TME on immune cells. Therefore, nanomedicine has great potential for reprogramming immunosuppressive microenvironments and represents a new immunotherapeutic strategy. Therefore, this article reviews strategies for improving the TME and summarizes research on synergistic nanomedicine approaches that enhance the efficacy of tumor immunotherapy.

Correlation of tumor-associated macrophage density and proportion of M2 subtypes with the pathological stage of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)is a prevalent global malignancy with complex prognostic factors.Tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)have shown paradoxical associations with CRC survival,particularly concerning the M2 subset.AIM We aimed to establish a simplified protocol for quantifying M2-like TAMs and explore their correlation with clinicopathological factors.METHODS A cross-sectional study included histopathological assessment of paraffinembedded tissue blocks obtained from 43 CRC patients.Using CD68 and CD163 immunohistochemistry,we quantified TAMs in tumor stroma and front,focusing on M2 proportion.Demographic,histopathological,and clinical parameters were collected.RESULTS TAM density was significantly higher at the tumor front,with the M2 proportion three times greater in both zones.The tumor front had a higher M2 proportion,which correlated significantly with advanced tumor stage(P=0.04),pathological nodal involvement(P=0.04),and lymphovascular invasion(LVI,P=0.01).However,no significant association was found between the M2 proportion in the tumor stroma and clinicopathological factors.CONCLUSION Our study introduces a simplified protocol for quantifying M2-like TAMs in CRC tissue samples.We demonstrated a significant correlation between an increased M2 proportion at the tumor front and advanced tumor stage,nodal involvement,and LVI.This suggests that M2-like TAMs might serve as potential indicators of disease progression in CRC,warranting further investigation and potential clinical application.