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European Journal of Surgical Oncology :... Jun 2024Mutations in the BRAF gene (BRAFmut) are associated with an unfavorable prognosis in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this meta-analysis was... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Mutations in the BRAF gene (BRAFmut) are associated with an unfavorable prognosis in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with liver metastases and the potential benefits of liver resection in patients with BRAFmut CRC.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Central Controlled Trials, and Embase databases was conducted on May 31, 2023. The inclusion criteria were as follows:1) reporting of outcomes in patients with BRAFmut CRC who underwent surgery for liver metastases and/or comparison of outcomes between those who underwent and those who did not undergo resection; 2) reporting of survival information as hazard ratios (HR); and 3) publication in English.
RESULTS
34 studies were included. Median follow up was 48 months for prognostic BRAF status meta-analysis. BRAFmut status showed a significantly increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.04-3.22; P < 0.01) and relapse (HR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.44-2.71; P < 0.01). Resection of liver metastases was associated with a survival benefit (median follow up 46 months). The HR for survival was 0.44 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33-0.59; P < 0.01) in favor of surgery.
CONCLUSIONS
and Relevance: Our analysis indeed confirms that BRAF mutation is associated with poor survival outcomes after liver resection of CRC metastases. However, upon quantitatively assessing the survival benefit of surgical intervention in patients with BRAF-mutated CRC liver metastases, we identified a significant 56% reduction in the risk of death.
Topics: Humans; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; Colorectal Neoplasms; Liver Neoplasms; Mutation; Hepatectomy; Prognosis; Survival Rate
PubMed: 38603866
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2024.108306 -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Mar 2024As a critical early event in hepatocellular carcinogenesis, telomerase activation might be a promising and critical biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)...
BACKGROUND
As a critical early event in hepatocellular carcinogenesis, telomerase activation might be a promising and critical biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, and its function in the genesis and treatment of HCC has gained much attention over the past two decades.
AIM
To perform a bibliometric analysis to systematically assess the current state of research on HCC-related telomerase.
METHODS
The Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed were systematically searched to retrieve publications pertaining to HCC/telomerase limited to "articles" and "reviews" published in English. A total of 873 relevant publications related to HCC and telomerase were identified. We employed the Bibliometrix package in R to extract and analyze the fundamental information of the publications, such as the trends in the publications, citation counts, most prolific or influential writers, and most popular journals; to screen for keywords occurring at high frequency; and to draw collaboration and cluster analysis charts on the basis of coauthorship and co-occurrences. VOSviewer was utilized to compile and visualize the bibliometric data.
RESULTS
A surge of 51 publications on HCC/telomerase research occurred in 2016, the most productive year from 1996 to 2023, accompanied by the peak citation count recorded in 2016. Up to December 2023, 35226 citations were made to all publications, an average of 46.6 citations to each paper. The United States received the most citations ( = 13531), followed by China ( = 7427) and Japan ( = 5754). In terms of national cooperation, China presented the highest centrality, its strongest bonds being to the United States and Japan. Among the 20 academic institutions with the most publications, ten came from China and the rest of Asia, though the University of Paris Cité, Public Assistance-Hospitals of Paris, and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) were the most prolific. As for individual contributions, Hisatomi H, Kaneko S, and Ide T were the three most prolific authors. Kaneko S ranked first by H-index, G-index, and overall publication count, while Zucman-Rossi J ranked first in citation count. The five most popular journals were the , , , , and , while , , and had the most citations. We extracted 2293 keywords from the publications, 120 of which appeared more than ten times. The most frequent were HCC, telomerase and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Keywords such as mutational landscape, TERT promoter mutations, landscape, risk, and prognosis were among the most common issues in this field in the last three years and may be topics for research in the coming years.
CONCLUSION
Our bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of HCC/telomerase research and insights into promising upcoming research.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Liver Neoplasms; Telomerase; Oncogenes; Bibliometrics
PubMed: 38577190
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i9.1224 -
Toxicological Sciences : An Official... May 2024Formaldehyde is recognized as carcinogenic for the portal of entry sites, though conclusions are mixed regarding lymphohematopoietic (LHP) cancers. This systematic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Assessment of associations between inhaled formaldehyde and lymphohematopoietic cancer through the integration of epidemiological and toxicological evidence with biological plausibility.
Formaldehyde is recognized as carcinogenic for the portal of entry sites, though conclusions are mixed regarding lymphohematopoietic (LHP) cancers. This systematic review assesses the likelihood of a causal relationship between formaldehyde and LHP cancers by integrating components recommended by NASEM. Four experimental rodent bioassays and 16 observational studies in humans were included following the implementation of the a priori protocol. All studies were assessed for risk of bias (RoB), and meta-analyses were conducted on epidemiological studies, followed by a structured assessment of causation based on GRADE and Bradford Hill. RoB analysis identified systemic limitations precluding confidence in the epidemiological evidence due to inadequate characterization of formaldehyde exposure and a failure to adequately adjust for confounders or effect modifiers, thus suggesting that effect estimates are likely to be impacted by systemic bias. Mixed findings were reported in individual studies; meta-analyses did not identify significant associations between formaldehyde inhalation (when measured as ever/never exposure) and LHP outcomes, with meta-SMRs ranging from 0.50 to 1.51, depending on LHP subtype. No associations with LHP-related lesions were reported in reliable animal bioassays. No biologically plausible explanation linking the inhalation of FA and LHP was identified, supported primarily by the lack of systemic distribution and in vivo genotoxicity. In conclusion, the inconsistent associations reported in a subset of the evidence were not considered causal when integrated with the totality of the epidemiological evidence, toxicological data, and considerations of biological plausibility. The impact of systemic biases identified herein could be quantitatively assessed to better inform causality and use in risk assessment.
Topics: Formaldehyde; Humans; Animals; Inhalation Exposure; Hematologic Neoplasms; Risk Assessment; Carcinogens
PubMed: 38547404
DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfae039 -
Cells Mar 2024We aimed to review the molecular characteristics of metastatic melanoma and the role of surgery in metastasectomy for metastatic melanoma. We performed a systematic... (Review)
Review
We aimed to review the molecular characteristics of metastatic melanoma and the role of surgery in metastasectomy for metastatic melanoma. We performed a systematic literature search on PubMed to identify relevant studies focusing on several mutations, including NRAS, BRAF, NF1, MITF, PTEN, TP53, CDKN2A, TERT, TMB, EGFR, and c-KIT. This was performed in the context of metastatic melanoma and the role of metastasectomy in the metastatic melanoma population. A comprehensive review of these molecular characteristics is presented with a focus on their prognosis and role in surgical metastasectomy.
Topics: Humans; GTP Phosphohydrolases; Melanoma; Membrane Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf; Skin Neoplasms
PubMed: 38534309
DOI: 10.3390/cells13060465 -
Oncology Letters May 2024The novel long non-coding RNA, EGFR-AS1, is expressed in various types of solid tumour, and its oncogenic role has been fully identified. In the present study, several...
The novel long non-coding RNA, EGFR-AS1, is expressed in various types of solid tumour, and its oncogenic role has been fully identified. In the present study, several articles were screened following an electronic search of the PubMed database. In total, 8 studies were included in the present systematic review. For each analysis indicator risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) or hazard ratios (HRs) with standard errors and 95% CIs were estimated using Review Manager 5.3. The pooled RR of high EGFR-AS1 expression among patients with or without vascular invasion was 1.81 with a 95% CI of 1.22-2.69; the pooled HR of high EGFR-AS1 expression for patient overall survival rate was 1.74 with a 95% CI of 1.39-2.18. Therefore, EGFR-AS1 was identified as an oncogene and the upregulated EGFR-AS1 expression was significantly associated with advanced tumour progression and poor prognosis.
PubMed: 38516689
DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14332 -
Head and Neck Pathology Mar 2024Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a commonly occurring malignancy with complex genetic alterations contributing to its development. The H-Ras, a proto-oncogene,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a commonly occurring malignancy with complex genetic alterations contributing to its development. The H-Ras, a proto-oncogene, becomes an oncogene when mutated and has been implicated in various cancers. This systematic review aims to research to what extent H-Ras expression and mutation contribute to the development and progression of OSCC, and how does this molecular alteration impacts the clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with OSCC.
METHODS
A thorough electronic scientific literature search was carried out in PUBMED, SCOPUS, and GOOGLE SCHOLAR databases from 2007 to 2021. The search strategy yielded 120 articles. Following aggregation and filtering all results through our inclusion and exclusion criteria total 9 articles were included in our literature review. It has also been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023485202).
RESULTS
It was found that mutations in the Ras gene commonly reported in hotspots at codons 12, 13, and 61 resulting in the activation of downstream signaling pathways causing abnormal and uncontrolled cell growth. This systematic review has shown an increased prevalence of H-Ras mutation in well-differentiated OSCC and also the prevalence of H-Ras mutation in individuals engaging in multiple risk behaviors, particularly chewing tobacco, demonstrated a significant association with a higher prevalence of H-Ras positivity.
CONCLUSION
This review sheds light on the prevalence of H-Ras mutations, their association with clinical characteristics, and their potential implications for OSCC prognosis. It also enhances our comprehension of the molecular mechanisms that underlie OSCC and paves the way for further research into targeted treatments based on H-Ras alterations.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Mouth Neoplasms; Mutation; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
PubMed: 38502412
DOI: 10.1007/s12105-024-01623-8 -
Phytomedicine : International Journal... Jun 2024Mycotoxins have been reported to be present in medicinal plants. With the growing usage of medicinal plants, contamination of mycotoxins has emerged as one of the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Mycotoxins have been reported to be present in medicinal plants. With the growing usage of medicinal plants, contamination of mycotoxins has emerged as one of the biggest threats to global food hygiene and ecological environment, posing a severe threat to human health.
PURPOSE
This study aimed to determine the mycotoxin prevalence and levels in medicinal plants and conduct a risk assessment by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.
METHODS
A thorough search on Web of Science and PubMed was conducted for the last decade, resulting in 54 studies (meeting the inclusion criteria) with 2829 data items that were included in the meta-analysis.
RESULTS
The combined prevalence of mycotoxins in medicinal plants was 1.7% (95% confidence interval, CI = 1.1% - 2.4%), with a mean mycotoxin concentration in medicinal plants of 3.551 µg/kg (95% CI = 3.461 - 3.641 µg/kg). Risk assessment results indicated that aflatoxins and ochratoxin A found in several medicinal plants posed a health risk to humans; additionally, emerging enniatins exhibited possible health risks.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, the study underlines the need for establishing stringent control measures to reduce the severity of mycotoxin contamination in medicinal plants.
Topics: Plants, Medicinal; Mycotoxins; Risk Assessment; Humans; Ochratoxins; Food Contamination; Aflatoxins
PubMed: 38493720
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155367 -
Food Chemistry Jul 2024The purpose of this review was to investigate the current knowledge about aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) toxicity and the possible beneficial role of... (Review)
Review
The purpose of this review was to investigate the current knowledge about aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) toxicity and the possible beneficial role of bioactive compounds by using in vitro and in vivo models. Although AFB1 and OTA were tested in a similar percentage, the majority of studies focused on nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, immune toxicity and neurotoxicity in which oxidative stress, inflammation, structural damage and apoptosis were the main mechanisms of action reported. Conversely, several biological compounds were assayed in order to modulate mycotoxins damage mainly in the liver, brain, kidney and immune system. Among them, pumpkin, curcumin and fermented whey were the most employed. Although a clear progress has been made by using in vivo models, further research is needed to assess not only the toxicity of multiple mycotoxins contamination but also the effect of functional compounds mixture, thereby reproducing more realistic situations for human health risk assessment.
Topics: Humans; Aflatoxin B1; Ochratoxins; Mycotoxins; Liver
PubMed: 38489879
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138909 -
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental... 2024Cell death is ubiquitous during development and throughout life and is a genetically determined active and ordered process that plays a crucial role in regulating... (Review)
Review
Cell death is ubiquitous during development and throughout life and is a genetically determined active and ordered process that plays a crucial role in regulating homeostasis. Cell death includes regulated cell death and non-programmed cell death, and the common types of regulatory cell death are necrosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. Apoptosis, Necrosis and necroptosis are more common than autophagy, ferroptosis and pyroptosis among cell death. Non-coding RNAs are regulatory RNA molecules that do not encode proteins and include mainly microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs. Non-coding RNAs can act as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, with significant effects on tumor occurrence and development, and they can also regulate tumor cell autophagy, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level. This paper reviews the recent research progress on the effects of the non-coding RNAs involved in autophagy, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis on tumorigenesis, tumor development, and treatment, and looks forward to the future direction of this field, which will help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and tumor development, as well as provide a new vision for the treatment of tumors.
PubMed: 38481525
DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1284934 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is an invasive malignancy that disproportionately afflicts immunosuppressed individuals. The close associations of cSCC with... (Review)
Review
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is an invasive malignancy that disproportionately afflicts immunosuppressed individuals. The close associations of cSCC with immunosuppression and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection beget the question of how these three entities are intertwined in carcinogenesis. By exploring the role of T cell immunity in HPV-related cSCC based on the existing literature, we found that the loss of T cell immunity in the background of β-HPV infection promotes cSCC initiation following exposure to environmental carcinogens or chronic trauma. This highlights the potential of developing T-cell centred therapeutic and preventive strategies for populations with increased cSCC risk.
PubMed: 38472944
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14050473