Clinical Significance of the Initial and Best Responses after Chemoembolization in the Treatment of Intermediate-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Preserved Liver Function

PurposeTo evaluate the clinical implications of initial and best responses during repeated transarterial chemoembolization procedures for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Materials and MethodsThis study included 726 patients who received a diagnosis of intermediate-stage HCC with Child-Pugh class A liver function between 2007 and 2016, and who were treated with transarterial chemoembolization as the first-line treatment. Evaluation of treatment response was based on the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. Overall survival (OS) was compared between response categories after implementation of landmark analysis.ResultsOf the 726 patients, an objective response (complete response [CR] or partial response [PR]) was observed as the initial response in 78.1% of patients. Regarding the best response during the transarterial chemoembolization series, 87.2% of patients were overall responders. The median OS of initial responders (n = 483) was not significantly different from that of subsequent responders at the 1-year landmark (stable disease [SD] after first transarterial chemoembolization but CR or PR after repeated transarterial chemoembolization; n = 61; 46.2 vs 40.1 months, respectively; P = .145). Likewise, the median OS of initial CR patients (n = 326) was not significantly different from that of the subsequent CR group (n = 126) at the 1-year landmark (PR or SD after first transarterial chemoembolization but CR after repeated transarterial chemoembolization; 53.4 vs 46.3 months, respectively; P = .455). Multivariate Cox analyses showed that the objective responses, the initial responses (hazard ratio [HR], 0.638; P = .001), and the best responses (HR, 0.304; P < .001) had the significant prognostic significance for OS.ConclusionsBoth the initial and best responses during repeated transarterial chemoembolization were significantly associated with OS in patients with intermediate-stage HCC and preserved liver function.     

解建国治疗癌症常用药对经验述要

解建国教授是国家级名老中医、辽宁省首届名中医,从事中医药治疗疑难顽怪病的临床及科研工作40余载。临床用药喜用药对,擅用药对。文章介绍解建国教授运用药对治疗癌症的经验。解老师临床治疗癌症,整体上以扶正缩瘤药对为基础,结合病变脏腑功能不同,以各脏腑药对为辅,同时结合病变症状表现不同,佐以对症效药药对。其所用药对之性味归经、剂量配比皆有深意,是充分考虑癌病及其病机特点,精研药物功效配伍,并通过长期临床实践所成的宝贵经验。特色鲜明,疗效确切,故加以总结整理,以飨同道。     

清肺化浊汤联合胸腺五肽治疗恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染效果及对淋巴细胞亚群水平的影响

目的探究清肺化浊汤联合胸腺五肽治疗恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染的临床效果和对淋巴细胞亚群水平影响。方法选取恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染的患者109例作为研究对象,按随机数字表法将其分为两组,对照组54例患者采用胸腺五肽进行治疗,观察组55例患者在观察组的基础上予以清肺化浊汤辅助治疗。观察比较两组治疗前后临床症状改善情况、炎症指标和T淋巴细胞亚群水平变化情况。结果观察组胸部X线好转时间、退热时间、咳痰咳嗽好转时间明显优于对照组(P<0.05);观察组炎症因子水平、CD3^+(71.08±3.86)%、CD4^+(41.17±3.21)%、CD4^+CD25^+(1.52±0.37)%和CD3^+CD+8(25.17±2.56)%水平明显优于对照组炎症因子水平、CD3^+(64.31±4.17)%、CD4^+(34.24±2.53)%、CD4^+CD25^+(2.11±0.45)%和CD3^+CD+8(27.84±2.15)%,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论清肺化浊汤联合胸腺五肽治疗恶性肿瘤合并肺部感染患者效果明显,可以有效改善患者的临床症状,降低炎症因子水平,增强患者的免疫功能,值得临床推广应用。     

胃肠道间质瘤的MSCT表现与病理危险程度分析

目的研究胃肠道间质瘤的MSCT表现与病理危险程度分级的关系。方法此项研究对象为医院2014年1月—2018年12月经过手术、病理等确诊为胃肠道间质瘤的患者,共计50例,对其MSCT表现进行回顾分析,评估肿瘤最大径、生长方式等和病理危险程度分级关系。结果50例胃肠道间质瘤患者中,胃部18例,胃肠道外5例,肠道27例;病理分级中低度危险7例,中度危险8例,重度危险35例。不同危险程度肿瘤出现的位置和强化情况差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),肿瘤生长方式、形态、转移情况等对比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论胃肠道间质瘤的MSCT表现有特性,和病理危险程度分级密不可分,对治疗、确定预后等有积极影响。     

Ad-CD40L mobilizes CD4 T cells for the treatment of brainstem tumors

BackgroundDiffuse midline glioma, formerly DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma), is the deadliest pediatric brainstem tumor with median survival of less than one year. Here, we investigated (i) whether direct delivery of adenovirus-expressing cluster of differentiation (CD)40 ligand (Ad-CD40L) to brainstem tumors would induce immune-mediated tumor clearance and (ii) if so, whether therapy would be associated with a manageable toxicity due to immune-mediated inflammation in the brainstem.MethodsSyngeneic gliomas in the brainstems of immunocompetent mice were treated with Ad-CD40L and survival, toxicity, and immune profiles determined. A clinically translatable vector, whose replication would be tightly restricted to tumor cells, rAd-Δ24-CD40L, was tested in human patient–derived diffuse midline gliomas and immunocompetent models.ResultsExpression of Ad-CD40L restricted to brainstem gliomas by pre-infection induced complete rejection, associated with immune cell infiltration, of which CD4+ T cells were critical for therapy. Direct intratumoral injection of Ad-CD40L into established brainstem tumors improved survival and induced some complete cures but with some acute toxicity. RNA-sequencing analysis showed that Ad-CD40L therapy induced neuroinflammatory immune responses associated with interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor α. Therefore, to generate a vector whose replication, and transgene expression, would be tightly restricted to tumor cells, we constructed rAd-Δ24-CD40L, the backbone of which has already entered clinical trials for diffuse midline gliomas. Direct intratumoral injection of rAd-Δ24-CD40L, with systemic blockade of IL-6 and IL-1β, generated significant numbers of cures with readily manageable toxicity.ConclusionsVirus-mediated delivery of CD40L has the potential to be effective in treating diffuse midline gliomas without obligatory neuroinflammation-associated toxicity.     

Cabozantinib for relapsed neuroblastoma: Single institution case series

Relapsed high‐risk neuroblastoma has few effective therapies currently available or in development. Cabozantinib is an Food and Drug Administration approved multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor for select adult malignancies with preclinical data suggesting efficacy against neuroblastoma. A safe and tolerable dose has been identified for children, but its efficacy remains unknown. We describe four children with relapsed metastatic neuroblastoma treated with cabozantinib. All four patients had extended disease control (two complete responsesfor >12 months, 2 stable disease >6 months) with manageable predictable toxicities requiring dose reduction in two patients. We discuss the potential for the use of cabozantinib in neuroblastoma.