主观疗效评价在恶性肿瘤中医药研究中的应用现状及进展

循证医学模式的引入使得恶性肿瘤中医治疗的有效性有了新的阐述途径,同时也对中医疗效评价体系提出了更高的要求。基于患者的自身感受,医师望闻问切四诊等得到的主观信息是主观疗效评价的重要组成方面,一直以来都是中医疗效评价的重要手段,其由单一的症状是否好转的评价发展至多重症状是否改善、整体生活质量是否提高等的评价方式,主观疗效评价的方式越来越丰富,也越来越规范,文章就目前主观疗效评价在中医药领域的研究现状及进展展开综述。     

PDCA循环在消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者营养全程管理中的效果观察

目的 探讨PDCA 循环在消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者营养全程管理中的效果观察。方法 运用PDCA循环对80例不同程度营养不良的消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者实施营养全程管理,比较干预前后患者的体重、BMI指数、糖化血红蛋白、血红蛋白、总蛋白、白蛋白及球蛋白水平。结果 患者血红蛋白、总蛋白、白蛋白及球蛋白水平均有提高,比较差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05)。结论 PDCA循环管理在消化道肿瘤伴糖尿病患者营养全程管理中有较大的优势, 值得推广。     

营养及化疗对肿瘤患者血清微量元素和免疫功能的影响

目的 探讨肿瘤患者化疗后血清微量元素及免疫功能的变化，以及肠内营养支持对上述测定指标的影响。方法 　 选择 2018 年 3 月至 5 月进入武汉市中心医院化疗的肿瘤患者 19 例，年龄为 18~70 岁；KPS 评分≥ 60。随机分为两组： 9 例患者化疗期间行肠内营养干预，10 例患者未进行营养干预。在化疗前后分别测定血清微量元素和外周血淋巴细胞亚 群，并进行统计学分析。结果 未经营养干预的患者化疗后血清锰含量比化疗前显著减低（P=0.004），化疗后血清铅呈 现临界水平降低（P=0.057）；行营养干预的患者血清锌含量显著降低（P=0.013），外周血中NK 细胞比例在化疗后呈 临界水平降低（P=0.059），而 CD4+/CD8+ 之比在化疗后呈临界水平升高（P=0.057）。结论 化疗及营养干预对血清微 量元素浓度有一定的作用；营养干预对外周血T 细胞的分布有一定的影响，表现为NK 细胞比例在化疗后有降低趋势， CD4+/CD8+ 比值有升高趋势。由于病例数较少以及营养干预时间较短，因此有必要增加病例数以及延长营养干预时间并 做进一步深入研究。     

重灸中脘穴对脾胃虚寒型糖尿病胃轻瘫患者胃肠激素、胃动力学的影响

目的观察重灸中脘穴对脾胃虚寒型2型糖尿病胃轻瘫患者胃肠激素、胃动力学的影响。方法选取符合纳入标准的88例脾胃虚寒型糖尿病胃轻瘫患者,按随机数字表法分为治疗组和对照组,每组44例。对照组采用常规药物治疗,治疗组采用重灸中脘穴治疗。疗程结束后记录并对比分析两组临床疗效、胃肠激素[胃泌素(GAS)、胃动素(MTL)]、胃动力学(胃收缩频率、胃排空时间、胃排空率)、主要临床症状评分等变化。结果治疗组临床疗效明显优于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组治疗后GAS、MTL均明显优于治疗前(P<0.05),且治疗组明显优于对照组(P<0.05);两组治疗后胃收缩频率、胃排空时间、胃排空率均明显优于治疗前(P<0.05),且治疗组明显优于对照组(P<0.05);两组治疗后主要临床症状评分均明显优于治疗前(P<0.05),且治疗组明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。结论在常规药物治疗基础上重灸中脘穴治疗脾胃虚寒型2型糖尿病胃轻瘫,可调节胃肠激素,改善胃肠动力,促进胃肠功能恢复。     

The Myelodepletive Phenotype in Myelofibrosis: Clinical Relevance and Therapeutic Implication

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a BCR-ABL1⁻ myeloproliferative neoplasm that arises from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells frequently harboring a somatic driver mutation in 1 of 3 genes: JAK2, CALR, or MPL. The pathologic features of this hematologic malignancy include myeloproliferation, diffuse bone marrow fibrosis, and overactivation of the JAK-STAT pathway, resulting in enhanced inflammatory cytokine release. The common clinical manifestations of MF include systemic symptoms, abnormal peripheral blood count levels, and splenomegaly. However, it has become increasingly appreciated that significant clinical heterogeneity exists among patients with MF. Two distinct MF clinical phenotypes include the myeloproliferative and myelodepletive phenotype, with peripheral blood counts being the main discerning feature. Patients with the myeloproliferative phenotype will present with elevated peripheral blood counts and often experience significant constitutional symptoms and progressive splenomegaly. In contrast, patients with the myelodepletive phenotype will have low peripheral blood counts and will frequently require transfusion support. Current frontline therapies for MF, include ruxolitinib and fedratinib, which can exacerbate cytopenias and thereby pose an impediment to effective treatment of the myelodepletive patient. The present review discusses the clinical and prognostic implications of the myelodepletive phenotype and the therapeutic options and limitations for this subset of patients, representing an unmet clinical need.     

The FABP12/PPARγ pathway promotes metastatic transformation by inducing epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and lipid‐derived energy production in prostate cancer cells

Early stage localized prostate cancer (PCa) has an excellent prognosis; however, patient survival drops dramatically when PCa metastasizes. The molecular mechanisms underlying PCa metastasis are complex and remain unclear. Here, we examine the role of a new member of the fatty acid‐binding protein (FABP) family, FABP12, in PCa progression. FABP12 is preferentially amplified and/or overexpressed in metastatic compared to primary tumors from both PCa patients and xenograft animal models. We show that FABP12 concurrently triggers metastatic phenotypes (induced epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) leading to increased cell motility and invasion) and lipid bioenergetics (increased fatty acid uptake and accumulation, increased ATP production from fatty acid β‐oxidation) in PCa cells, supporting increased reliance on fatty acids for energy production. Mechanistically, we show that FABP12 is a driver of PPARγ activation which, in turn, regulates FABP12''s role in lipid metabolism and PCa progression. Our results point to a novel role for a FABP‐PPAR pathway in promoting PCa metastasis through induction of EMT and lipid bioenergetics.

Abbreviations

AR

androgen receptor

ATP

adenosine triphosphate

CN

copy number

CPT1

carnitine palmitoyltransferase I

CS

citrate synthase

EMT

epithelial–mesenchymal transition

ET

electron transfer‐state

FABP

fatty acid‐binding protein

LD

lipid droplet

OA

oleic acid

PCa

prostate cancer

PPAR

peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor

PPRE

peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor response element

TZD

thiazolidinediones

     

Inhibiting Pathways Predicted From a Steroid Hormone Gene Signature Yields Synergistic Antitumor Effects in NSCLC

IntroductionMounting evidence supports a role for estrogen signaling in NSCLC progression. We previously reported a seven-gene signature that predicts prognosis in estrogen receptor β positive (ERβ+) NSCLC. The signature defines a network comprised of ER and human EGFR-2/3 (HER2/HER3) signaling.MethodsWe tested the efficacy of combining the pan-HER inhibitor, dacomitinib, with the estrogen antagonist, fulvestrant, in ERβ+ NSCLC models with differing genotypes. We assessed the potency of this combination on xenograft growth and survival of host mice, and the ability to reverse the gene signature associated with poor outcome.ResultsSynergy was observed between dacomitinib and fulvestrant in three human ERβ+ NSCLC models: 201T (wild-type EGFR), A549 (KRAS mutant), and HCC827 (EGFR 19 deletion) with combination indices of 0.1-0.6. The combination, but not single agents, completely reversed the gene signature associated with poor prognosis in a mechanism that is largely mediated by activator protein 1 downregulation. In vivo, the combination also induced tumor regression and reversed the gene signature. In HCC827 xenografts treated with the combination, survival of mice was prolonged after therapy discontinuation, tumors that recurred were less aggressive, and two mechanisms of HER inhibitor resistance involving c-Met activation and PTEN loss were blocked.ConclusionsThe combination of an ER blocker and a pan-HER inhibitor provides synergistic efficacy in different models of ERβ+ NSCLC. Our data support the use of this combination clinically, considering its ability to induce potent antitumor effects and produce a gene signature that predicts better clinical outcomes.     

Mutation status and burden can improve prognostic prediction of patients with lower‐risk myelodysplastic syndromes

Patients with lower‐risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR‐MDS) as defined by the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) have more favorable prognosis in general, but significant inter‐individual heterogeneity exists. In this study, we examined the molecular profile of 15 MDS‐relevant genes in 159 patients with LR‐MDS using next‐generation sequencing. In univariate COX regression, shorter overall survival (OS) was associated with mutation status of ASXL1 (P = .001), RUNX1 (P = .031), EZH2 (P = .049), TP53 (P = .016), SRSF2 (P = .046), JAK2 (P = .040), and IDH2 (P = .035). We also found significantly shorter OS in patients with an adjusted TET2 variant allele frequency (VAF) ≥18% versus those with either an adjusted TET2 VAF <18% or without TET2 mutations (median: 20.4 vs 47.8 months; P = .020; HR = 2.183, 95%CI: 1.129‐4.224). After adjustment for IPSS, shorter OS was associated with mutation status of ASXL1 (P < .001; HR = 4.306, 95% CI: 2.144‐8.650), TP53 (P = .004; HR = 4.863, 95% CI: 1.662‐14.230) and JAK2 (P = .002; HR = 5.466, 95%CI: 1.848‐16.169), as well as adjusted TET2 VAF ≥18% (P = .008; HR = 2.492, 95% CI: 1.273‐4.876). Also, OS was increasingly shorter as the number of mutational factors increased (P < .001). A novel prognostic scoring system incorporating the presence/absence of the four independent mutational factors into the IPSS further stratified LR‐MDS patients into three prognostically different groups (P < .001). The newly developed scoring system redefined 10.1% (16/159) of patients as a higher‐risk group, who could not be predicted by the currently prognostic models. In conclusion, integration of the IPSS with mutation status/burden of certain MDS‐relevant genes may improve the prognostication of patients with LR‐MDS and could help identify those with worse‐than‐expected prognosis for more aggressive treatment.     

The prognostic value of lymph node ratio in Medullary thyroid carcinoma: A multi-center study

IntroductionThe lymph node ratio (LNR), which represents the proportion of metastatic lymph nodes resected, has been found to be a prognostic variable in several cancers, but data for Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) are sparse. The aim of this study was to determine the value of the LNR in predicting outcome in patients with MTC.Materials and methodsA retrospective multicenter study design of 107 patients with MTC who underwent total thyroidectomy with neck dissection between 1984 and 2016. The association of LNR with patient and tumor characteristics and prognostic factors was evaluated.ResultsStudy population consisted of 53.3% female, mean age at diagnosis was 50.3 ± 18.4 years; 16.8% had inherited MTC. LNR was positively correlated with tumor size (p = 0.018) and inversely correlated with age at diagnosis (p = 0.024). A higher LNR was associated with extrathyroidal extension (p < 0.001), multifocality (p = 0.001), bilateral tumor (p = 0.002), distant metastases (p < 0.001), and tumor recurrence (OR = 14.7, p < 0.001). LNR was also correlated to postoperative calcitonin levels (p < 0.001) and carcinoembryonic antigen (p = 0.011). LNR >0.1 was associated with shorter disease-specific survival in patients at risk: tumor larger than 20 mm at diagnosis (p = 0.013), sporadic MTC (p = 0.01), and age above 40 years at diagnosis (p = 0.004). Cox multivariate survival analysis revealed LNR as the only significant independent factor for disease free survival (p = 0.005).ConclusionsThis study showed that LNR correlates well with patient and tumor characteristics and prognostic variables. We suggest that LNR should be considered an important parameter for predicting outcome in MTC.     

Chronic inflammation and risk of lung cancer in older adults in the health,aging and body composition cohort study

Objectives

We examined the association between three inflammatory markers (Interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α) and incident lung cancer using baseline, updated, and averaged inflammatory measures in older adults.