Smoking prevalence and seizure control in Chinese males with epilepsy

Smoking has a negative effect on most diseases, yet it is under-investigated in people with epilepsy; thus its role is not clear in the general population with epilepsy. We performed a retrospective pilot study on males with epilepsy to determine the smoking rate and its relationship with seizure control using univariate analysis to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and also used a multi-variate logistic regression model. The smoking rate in our sample of 278 individuals was 25.5%, which is lower than the general Chinese population smoking rate among males of 52.1%. We used two classifications: the first classified epilepsy as generalized, or by presumed topographic origin (temporal, frontal, parietal and occipital). The second classified the dominant seizure type of an individual as generalized tonic clonic seizure (GTCS), myoclonic seizure (MS), complex partial seizure (CPS), simple partial seizure (SPS), and secondary GTCS (sGTCS). The univariable analysis of satisfactory seizure control profile and smoking rate in both classifications showed a trend towards a beneficial effect of smoking although most were not statistically significant. Considering medication is an important confounding factor that would largely influence seizure control, we also conducted multi-variable analysis for both classifications with drug numbers and dosage. The result of our model also suggested that smoking is a protective factor. Our findings seem to suggest that smoking could have a potential role in seizure control although confounders need exploration particularly in view of the potential long term health effects. Replication in a much larger sample is needed as well as case control studies to elucidate this issue.     

Outcomes After Sphincter-Sparing Local Therapy for Anorectal Melanoma: 1989 to 2020

PurposeThe treatment paradigm for patients with anorectal melanoma eligible for sphincter-sparing excision has evolved over time. This study examines outcomes across a 30-year era in this rare disease with poor prognosis.Methods and MaterialsThis retrospective cohort study included all patients with pelvis-confined anorectal melanoma undergoing sphincter-sparing local excision and adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) at our institution between 1989 and 2020. Patterns of care and predictors of outcome were evaluated.ResultsOf the 108 patients included, 92 (85%) presented with clinically uninvolved nodes. For clinically node-negative patients, the sentinel lymph node biopsy rate increased from 18/43 (42%) before 2008 to 38/49 (78%) subsequently and the use of inguinal nodal RT decreased from 33/35 (94%) before 2003 to 1/57 (2%) subsequently. All clinically node-positive patients treated before 2003 received inguinal nodal RT, whereas no node-positive patient treated subsequently received this treatment. Patients treated before 2016 mostly received biochemotherapy, and those treated since 2017 mostly received immune checkpoint inhibitors. With median follow-up of 32 months, 77 patients (71%) recurred. Three-year actuarial outcomes were 84% local control, 64% nodal control, 38% distant metastasis-free survival, 30% disease-free survival, and 51% melanoma-specific survival. Ostomy-free survival at last follow-up was 95%. Factors contributing to outcome were identified. Outcomes for patients treated in the contemporary era (2017+) were not significantly better than those treated earlier.ConclusionsSphincter-sparing surgery followed by adjuvant RT results in excellent local control and ostomy-free survival for locally resectable anorectal melanoma. Overall oncologic outcomes continue to be poor, reinforcing the need to identify more effective therapies.     

当前肿瘤代谢调节治疗面临的问题及思考

随着肿瘤代谢研究的进展,人们发现单一Warburg效应的糖代谢重编程可能不能代表全局定义的肿瘤代谢重编程。线粒体在肿瘤代谢重编程中起着重要的作用。根据前人的研究,我们总结出线粒体功能障碍可通过三种模式调控肿瘤代谢重编程：包括线粒体功能障碍诱导型、核基因突变诱导型、混合型。肿瘤细胞的代谢重编程又因基因型、肿瘤亚型、分化程度、微环境的差异而表现为灵活的代谢可塑性。肿瘤细胞可窃取肿瘤相关细胞的“代谢废物”,与肿瘤相关细胞相互依存、相互影响,表现出代谢共生的特征。除此之外,肿瘤细胞还可表现出稳定的杂合代谢表型,进而影响肿瘤的生物学行为。本文从当前肿瘤糖代谢调节治疗的研究现状出发,涉及当前代谢调节研究面临的问题,总结了线粒体功能障碍对代谢重编程的影响,并重点从肿瘤细胞的代谢可塑性、肿瘤细胞与肿瘤相关细胞之间的代谢耦联以及肿瘤细胞存在的杂合代谢表型等方面出发,讨论了糖代谢中糖酵解和线粒体氧化对于肿瘤代谢复杂性的影响,并针对复杂肿瘤糖代谢提出相应的对策。     

Préparer la curiethérapie de demain

For more than a century, brachytherapy has been a treatment of choice for delivering a high dose in a small volume. However, over the past 15 years, this irradiation technique has stalled. Even so, brachytherapy allows the delivery of the right dose at the right place by dispensing with target volume motion and repositioning. The evolution of brachytherapy can be based on a road-map including at least the following three points: the acquisition of clinical evidence, teaching and valuation of the procedures. The evolution of brachytherapy will be also impacted by technological considerations (end of the production of low dose rate 192 iridium wires). Regarding the evolution toward a personalized treatment, brachytherapy of the future should take its place as a partner of other modern external beam radiation techniques, be performed by experimented actors (physicians, physicists, technicians, etc.) who received adequate training, and be valued in proportion to the delivered medical service.     

Variability of Target Volumes and Organs at Risk Delineation in Breast Cancer Radiation Therapy: Quality Assurance Results of the Pretrial Benchmark Case for the POTENTIAL Trial

PurposeTo estimate the variations in clinical target volumes (CTVs) and organs at risk delineation within the quality assurance (QA) program of the POTENTIAL trial, which is a multicenter, randomized phase 3 trial evaluating postmastectomy radiation therapy (RT), with or without internal mammary nodal irradiation, for patients with high-risk breast cancer.Methods and MaterialsThe simulating computed tomography scan data set of a benchmark case was sent to the participating centers, and the delineation of CTVs and organs at risk was required to be completed by the investigators following protocol guidelines. All submitted contours were reviewed and compared with the reference contours created by the QA team, using quantitative geometric analysis regarding volume and the Jaccard Index (JCI), Dice similarity coefficient, Geographic Miss Index, Discordance Index, and mean distance to agreement. In addition to the whole-volume analysis of all structures, the combination contour of the supraclavicular fossa and level III and II axilla (CTVsc + axIII + axII) was further analyzed on a slice-by-slice basis.ResultsThe contours from 26 centers were reviewed and variations were observed between submission and reference. The variations of the CTV of the chest wall, contralateral breast, and heart were small, for which the mean JCI values were 0.62, 0.68, and 0.87, respectively. However, the mean JCI values of the CTV of the internal mammary nodal region, ipsilateral brachial plexus, left anterior descending coronary artery, and right coronary artery were 0.38, 0.21, 0.29, and 0.18, respectively, suggesting marked variations. In addition, marked under- and overoutlining variations were identified on 4 slices of CTVsc + axIII + axII on slice-by-slice analysis.ConclusionsThere were residual contouring variations despite a detailed protocol being provided, confirming the importance of pretrial QA in RT and highlighting the need for education and consideration of a real-time central review of the target delineation before the trial participants begin RT.     

内皮素-1活化ROCK/SLUG诱导人卵巢癌细胞发生上皮向间充质转分化

目的研究ROCK/SLUG信号通路在内皮素-1(endo-thelin-1,ET-1)促进人卵巢癌细胞上皮向间充质转分化(epi-thelial to mesenchymal transition,EMT)中的作用。方法 ET-1处理人卵巢癌细胞株SK-OV-3和CaOV3,或共用ROCK的活化突变体转染细胞或加入ROCK的抑制剂Y27632,并转染含SLUG启动子的pGL3质粒与Renilla质粒。实验末用Boyden小室体外侵袭实验检测细胞侵袭能力,细胞免疫荧光染色观察细胞形态,报告基因检测试剂盒检测SLUG启动子活性,用实时定量PCR和Western bot方法检测EMT相关基因的表达。结果 ET-1诱导SK-OV-3和CaOV3发生与EMT相一致的形态和基因变化,促进其细胞侵袭力;ET-1与内皮素A受体(endothelin A receptor,ETAR)结合,促进转录因子SLUG的转录;ET-1促进ROCK及fibronectin的表达,同时转染ROCK的活化突变体,促进ET-1诱导的fibronectin表达以及细胞侵袭力的增加。相反,ROCK抑制剂Y27632抑制ET-1对fibronectin表达以及细胞侵袭力的促进作用;转染ROCK的活化突变体,上调SLUG基因转录启动子活性促进其转录,抑制E-cadherin的转录。相反,ROCK的抑制剂Y27632抑制SLUG基因启动子的活性。结论 ET-1通过活化ROCK/SLUG通路促进人卵巢癌细胞发生EMT。