The impact of additional margin coagulation with radiofrequency in liver resections with subcentimetric margin: can we improve the oncological results? A propensity score matching study

BackgroundWhereas the usefulness of radiofrequency (RF) energy as haemostatic method in liver surgery has become well established in the last decades, its intentional application on resection margins with the aim of reducing local recurrence is still debatable. Our goal was to compare the impact of an additional application of RF energy on the top of the resection surface, namely additional margin coagulation (AMC), on local recurrence (LR) when subjected to a subcentimeter margin.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 185 patients out of a whole cohort of 283 patients who underwent radical hepatic resection with subcentimetric margin. After propensity score adjustment, patients were classified into two balanced groups according to whether RF was applied or not.ResultsNo significant differences were observed within groups in baseline characteristics after PSM adjustment. The LR rate was significantly higher in the Control than AMC Group: 12 patients (14.5%) vs. 4 patients (4.8%) (p = 0.039). The estimated 1, 3, and 5-year LR-free survival rates of patients in the Control and AMC Group were: 93.5%, 86.0%, 81.0% and 98.8%, 97.2%, 91.9%, respectively (p = 0.049). Univariate Cox analyses indicated that the use of the RF applicator was significantly associated with lower LR (HR = 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.093–0.906, p = 0.033). The Control Group showed smaller coagulation widths than the AMC group (p < 0.001).ConclusionsAn additional application of RF on the top of the resection surface is associated with less local hepatic recurrence than the use of conventional techniques.     

Retrospective study on the predictive factors in chronic trismus

Trismus is one of the most debilitating and treatment-resistant complications resulting from head and neck oncological treatments. The objective of this study was to assess how primary tumour variables could assist in predicting chronic trismus. From a (retrospective) oncological database (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven), tumour-related, surgical, and oral functional variables were reviewed. Contributing factors for chronic trismus, defined as a mouth opening of less than 35 mm, at least one year after treatment for oral squamous cell cancer, were assessed via logistic regression. A mediational analysis was conducted on the significant predictive variables. Thirteen out of 52 patients were observed to have chronic trismus. A significantly higher prevalence of trismus was found for increasing clinical T classification (p < 0.01), tumours based in the maxilla or the retromolar trigone (p = 0.04), after adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.04), and/or with masticatory muscle tumour invasion (p ≤ 0.02). Furthermore, radiotherapy significantly impacted T classification in chronic trismus, while T classification was significantly related to masticatory muscle invasion. Although radiotherapy and clinical T classification are well-established risk factors for postoperative trismus, masticatory muscle invasion should be considered as one of the main predictive factors.     

头颈部恶性肿瘤嗜神经侵袭临床诊治现状

嗜神经侵袭是肿瘤通过神经扩散与转移的一种独特的生物学行为,与复发、转移、预后密切相关。随着研究的不断深入,人们普遍认识到嗜神经侵袭的临床意义。但由于头颈部肿瘤发病率相对较低,不同解剖部位、不同病理类型嗜神经发生率各不相同,故缺乏高级别的循证医学证据。目前嗜神经侵袭的病理学机制尚未完全阐明,也无针对神经侵犯的特异性治疗手段,因此头颈部肿瘤嗜神经侵袭的治疗对于临床医师是一个巨大的挑战。本文就头颈部恶性肿瘤中嗜神经侵袭的临床诊治现状做一综述。     

circRNA_001569通过miR-145/HBXIP轴影响乳腺癌细胞的恶性生物学行为

目的：探讨 circRNA_001569 通过 miR-145/HBXIP 轴在乳腺癌细胞增殖、侵袭、迁移中发挥的作用。方法:收集2016年1月至2019年1月期间衡水市人民医院收治的30例乳腺癌患者的癌组织和癌旁组织。qPCR检测circRNA_001569在乳腺癌组织、癌旁组织以及细胞系中的表达。生物信息学工具预测miR-145的靶基因，RNA免疫沉淀（RNA immunoprecipitation，RIP）和双荧光素酶报告基因实验检测 miR-145 或靶基因之间的相互作用 ；向乳 腺 癌 MDA-MB-231 和 MCF-7细胞中转染si-circRNA_001569、miR-145 mimics或miR-145 inhibitor，建立基因过表达或沉默的细胞模型，qPCR和Western blotting分别检测转染对相关基因和蛋白表达的影响，CCK-8法、Transwell实验检测转染对细胞增殖、侵袭和迁移的影响。结果:在乳腺癌组织和乳腺癌细胞中，circRNA_001569 和 HBXIP 均呈高表达、miR-145 呈低表达。RIP 分析和双荧光素酶实验证实了 miR-145 与circRNA_001569和HBXIP之间的靶向关系；circRNA_001569或HBXIP过表达促进MDA-MB-231和MCF-7细胞的增殖、侵袭和迁移（均 P<0.01），而 miR-145 过表达起相反的作用（均 P<0.01）。结论:circRNA_001569 可能通过下调 miR-145 的表达、上调HBXIP的表达从而促进乳腺癌细胞的增殖、侵袭和迁移。     

miR-17-5p 通过下调BRMS1L表达调控鼻咽癌CNE2 细胞增殖、侵袭、迁移和凋亡

目的：探讨miR-17-5p 通过调控乳腺癌转移抑制基因1 相似基因（breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 like，BRMS1-like 或BRMS1L）表达调控鼻咽癌细胞增殖和侵袭的分子机制。方法：收集2014 年1 月至2017 年12 月间平煤神马医疗集团总医院收治的40 例鼻咽癌患者切除的鼻咽癌组织及其相应的癌旁组织标本，以及鼻咽癌细胞系CNE 2、HONE 1、C666-1 和鼻咽部永生化上皮细胞株NP69，采用qPCR 检测miR-17-5p 在癌组织和癌细胞系中的表达水平。通过StarBase 数据库预测BRMS1L 与miR-17-5p 的靶向关系，采用双荧光素酶报告基因实验进行验证。WB检测转染miR-17-5p 模拟物和抑制物对CNE2 细胞中BRMS1L表达的影响；CCK-8、Transwell 和流式细胞术检测miR-17-5p/BRMS1L分子轴对CNE2 细胞增殖、侵袭、迁移和凋亡的影响。结果：miR-17-5p 在鼻咽癌组织和鼻咽癌细胞系中呈高表达（P<0.05 或P<0.01），下调miR-17-5p 显著抑制CNE2 细胞增殖、侵袭、迁移但促进细胞凋亡（P<0.05 或P<0.01）。miR-17-5p 靶向作用于BRMS1L并下调其表达水平。过表达BRMS1L可显著抑制CNE2 细胞增殖、侵袭、迁移而促进细胞凋亡（均P<0.01）；而同时过表达miR-17-5p 和BRMS1L 可逆转上述作用（均P<0.01）。结论：miR-17-5p通过靶向下调BRMS1L的表达，进而促进CNE2 细胞增殖、侵袭和迁移而抑制细胞凋亡。     

miR-147对胶质瘤U87细胞增殖、凋亡和侵袭的影响

目的:比较胶质瘤患者胶质瘤组织和瘤旁组织中miR-147表达水平的差异性，进一步分析miR-147与胶质瘤细胞生物学活性的相关性。方法:通过实时荧光定量PCR检测65例胶质瘤患者瘤组织和瘤旁组织中miR-147的表达水平；采用Lipofectamine 2000转染法转染胶质瘤细胞，分为miR-147 mimics组和NC组，检测两组转染效率；进一步通过CCK-8实验、流式细胞实验和Transwell实验比较两组细胞生物活性。结果:胶质瘤组织中miR-147表达水平显著低于瘤旁组织；与NC组比较，miR-147 mimics组细胞不论是增殖能力还是侵袭能力都明显降低，但是，miR-147 mimics组的细胞凋亡率升高。结论:胶质瘤组织中存在miR-147低表达的现象。miR-147在胶质瘤细胞中表达升高能够抑制细胞的增殖能力、降低其侵袭能力，并促使更多的细胞发生晚期凋亡。miR-147可能在胶质瘤中扮演着抑癌基因的重要角色。     

Intracellular claudin‐1 at the invasive front of tongue squamous cell carcinoma is associated with lymph node metastasis

Claudins are the major component of tight junctions, which form a primary barrier to paracellular diffusion and maintain cell polarity in normal epithelia and endothelia. In cancer cells, claudins play additional roles besides serving as components of the tight junctions, and participate in anoikis or invasion. Among the claudin family proteins, claudin‐1 has the most promising potential, both diagnostically and prognostically, in many types of cancers, including oral, gastric, liver, and colon cancers. However, conflicting results have been reported in relation to the degree of claudin‐1 expression and the prognosis, suggesting that the expression level of claudin‐1 alone is not sufficient to analyze the relationship between claudin‐1 and cancer progression. As endocytic trafficking of claudin‐1 has been reported in several epithelial cell types in vitro, we aimed to determine whether intracellular localization of claudin‐1 is the missing aspect between claudin‐1 and cancer. We investigated the expression of claudin‐1 in 83 tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) pathological specimens. Although the expression level of claudin‐1 based on immunohistochemistry was not associated with TSCC progression, within the high claudin‐1 expression group, the incidence of intracellular localization of claudin‐1 was correlated with cervical lymph node metastasis. In an in vitro experiment, claudin‐1 was constitutively internalized in TSCC‐derived cells. Motility of TSCC‐derived cells was increased by deficiency of claudin‐1, suggesting that the decrease in cell‐surface claudin‐1 promoted the cell migration. Therefore, intracellular localization of claudin‐1 at the invasion front may represent a promising diagnostic marker of TSCC.