-
Oncology Letters Jun 2024Colorectal cancer is a significant health challenge globally, with its prognosis associated with the profile of molecular biomarkers. Recently, the role of iron...
Colorectal cancer is a significant health challenge globally, with its prognosis associated with the profile of molecular biomarkers. Recently, the role of iron death-associated long non-coding (lnc)RNAs in cancer development has garnered attention; however, their expression patterns and prognostic value in colorectal cancer remain poorly elucidated. The present study aimed to assess the expression levels of iron death-related lncRNAs in colorectal cancer tissues and evaluate their relationship with patient outcomes through a comprehensive meta-analysis. Systematic searches were performed across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP databases, to identify studies relevant to the objective of the present study. Selected studies met predetermined inclusion criteria, from which data were extracted. R software version 4.3.1 was used for the meta-analysis, evaluating the association between iron death-related lncRNAs expression and colorectal cancer prognosis. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plot analysis, and Begg's and Egger's test. A total of 11 studies, including 3,984 patients with colorectal cancer, were included in the present meta-analysis. The results demonstrated a significant association between iron death-related lncRNAs and tumor stage classification [odds ratio (OR)=2.00; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.77-2.24]. Notably, a significant association was also revealed between iron death-related lncRNAs and T stage classification in colorectal cancer (OR=1.82; 95% CI, 1.50-2.20). Furthermore, a statistically significant association was demonstrated between iron death-related lncRNAs and lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer (OR=1.31; 95% CI, 1.03-1.66). The findings also highlighted a significant association between iron death-associated lncRNA and distant metastasis in colon cancer (OR=2.04; 95% CI, 1.62-2.56). Moreover, a significant association between iron death-related lncRNAs and risk score in colorectal cancer was revealed (OR=1.75; 95% CI, 1.25-2.46). In conclusion, the findings of the present meta-analysis underscore the potential of high ferroptosis-associated lncRNA expression as an indicator of adverse outcomes in colorectal cancer, suggesting their viability as biomarkers for cancer progression and prognosis. This insight opens potential new avenues for clinical application and further research into colorectal cancer management.
PubMed: 38736739
DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14417 -
Cancers Apr 2024In this systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA-compliant), we tried to investigate diagnostic and prognostic values of F-FDG PET in uveal melanoma. A systematic... (Review)
Review
In this systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA-compliant), we tried to investigate diagnostic and prognostic values of F-FDG PET in uveal melanoma. A systematic search was conducted on the main medical literature databases to include studies that evaluated F-FDG PET as the imaging modality to evaluate patients with uveal melanoma. Overall, 27 studies were included. Twelve had data about the detection rate of F-FDG PET in primary intra-ocular tumours. The pooled sensitivity was 45% (95%CI: 41-50%). Furthermore, studies showed that the larger the primary tumour, the higher its uptake. Among the included studies, 13 assessed F-FDG PET in detecting metastasis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 96% (95%CI: 81-99%) and 100% (95%CI: 94-100%), respectively. Regarding liver metastasis, they were 95% (95%CI: 79-99%) and 100% (95%CI: 91-100%), respectively. Noteworthy, the level of F-FDG uptake was a strong predictor of patient survival. Lastly, F-FDG PET could characterise lesions from the histopathology perspective, distinguishing high-risk from low-risk diseases. Overall, although not reliable in detecting primary intra-ocular tumours, F-FDG PET is highly accurate for diagnosing metastatic uveal melanomas. It can also be a highly valuable modality in terms of patient prognostication. Thus, F-FDG PET can be recommended in patients diagnosed with uveal melanoma to enhance decision-making and patient management.
PubMed: 38730664
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091712 -
International Journal of Medical... Aug 2024Radiomics is a rapidly growing field used to leverage medical radiological images by extracting quantitative features. These are supposed to characterize a patient's... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Radiomics is a rapidly growing field used to leverage medical radiological images by extracting quantitative features. These are supposed to characterize a patient's phenotype, and when combined with artificial intelligence techniques, to improve the accuracy of diagnostic models and clinical outcome prediction.
OBJECTIVES
This review aims at examining the application areas of artificial intelligence-based radiomics (AI-based radiomics) for the management of head and neck cancer (HNC). It further explores the workflow of AI-based radiomics for personalized and precision oncology in HNC. Finally, it examines the current challenges of AI-based radiomics in daily clinical oncology and offers possible solutions to these challenges.
METHODS
Comprehensive electronic databases (PubMed, Medline via Ovid, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library) were searched following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The quality of included studies and their risk of biases were evaluated using the Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis (TRIPOD)and Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST).
RESULTS
Out of the 659 search hits retrieved, 45 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Our review revealed that the application of AI-based radiomics model as an ancillary tool for improved decision-making in HNC management includes radiomics-based cancer diagnosis and radiomics-based cancer prognosis. The radiomics-based cancer diagnosis includes tumor staging, tumor grading, and classification of malignant and benign tumors. Similarly, radiomics-based cancer prognosis includes prediction for treatment response, recurrence, metastasis, and survival. In addition, the challenges in the implementation of these models for clinical evaluations include data imbalance, feature engineering (extraction and selection), model generalizability, multi-modal fusion, and model interpretability.
CONCLUSION
Considering the highly subjective and interobserver variability that is peculiar to the interpretation of medical images by expert clinicians, AI-based radiomics seeks to offer potentially useful quantitative information, which is not visible to the human eye or unintentionally often remain ignored during clinical imaging practice. By enabling the extraction of this type of information, AI-based radiomics has the potential to revolutionize HNC oncology, providing a platform for more personalized, higher quality, and cost-effective care for HNC patients.
Topics: Humans; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Artificial Intelligence; Precision Medicine; Prognosis; Radiomics
PubMed: 38728812
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2024.105464 -
Indian Journal of Urology : IJU :... 2024Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are intermediate-grade lesions that frequently recur and rarely metastasize. There are currently no guidelines on the... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are intermediate-grade lesions that frequently recur and rarely metastasize. There are currently no guidelines on the management of bladder IMTs. This systematic review aims to describe the clinical presentation and compare the management options for bladder IMTs.
METHODS
A PubMed/Medline search was conducted, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, using the following Mesh terms: ("inflammatory myofibroblastic") AND ("tumor") OR ("tumor") AND ("bladder") AND ("case report"). A total of 75 case reports were included in the analysis.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 36 years. 65% of the cases initially presented with hematuria. 68% of the tumors stained positive for anaplastic lymphoma kinase, and 20% invaded the muscularis. Patients underwent either transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) only (34%), TURBT followed by complementary partial cystectomy (16%), or TURBT followed by radical cystectomy (4%). 36% and 9% of the cases underwent partial and radical cystectomy after the initial diagnosis, respectively. Cystectomies were performed using an open (74%), laparoscopic (14%), robotic-assisted (10%), or unknown (2%) approach. At a mean follow-up of 14 months, the recurrence and metastasis rates were about 9% and 4%, respectively. In addition, we present the case of a 49-year-old woman with a bladder IMT who underwent TURBT followed by laparoscopic partial cystectomy. The patient remains tumor free postoperatively (follow-up period of 12 months).
CONCLUSION
A complete surgical excision of the bladder IMT is crucial for the optimal management of these cases. Proper differentiation of this tumor from sarcoma or leiomyosarcoma leads to the best outcomes.
PubMed: 38725889
DOI: 10.4103/iju.iju_50_24 -
Women's Health (London, England) 2024Lymph node metastasis is associated with a poorer prognosis in endometrial cancer.
BACKGROUND
Lymph node metastasis is associated with a poorer prognosis in endometrial cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to synthesize and critically appraise existing predictive models for lymph node metastasis risk stratification in endometrial cancer.
DESIGN
This study is a systematic review.
DATA SOURCES AND METHODS
We searched the Web of Science for articles reporting models predicting lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer, with a systematic review and bibliometric analysis conducted based upon which. Risk of bias was assessed by the Prediction model Risk Of BiAS assessment Tool (PROBAST).
RESULTS
A total of 64 articles were included in the systematic review, published between 2010 and 2023. The most common articles were "development only." Traditional clinicopathological parameters remained the mainstream in models, for example, serum tumor marker, myometrial invasion and tumor grade. Also, models based upon gene-signatures, radiomics and digital histopathological images exhibited an acceptable self-reported performance. The most frequently validated models were the Mayo criteria, which reached a negative predictive value of 97.1%-98.2%. Substantial variability and inconsistency were observed through PROBAST, indicating significant between-study heterogeneity. A further bibliometric analysis revealed a relatively weak link between authors and organizations on models predicting lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer.
CONCLUSION
A number of predictive models for lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer have been developed. Although some exhibited promising performance as they demonstrated adequate to good discrimination, few models can currently be recommended for clinical practice due to lack of independent validation, high risk of bias and low consistency in measured predictors. Collaborations between authors, organizations and countries were weak. Model updating, external validation and collaborative research are urgently needed.
REGISTRATION
None.
Topics: Humans; Female; Endometrial Neoplasms; Lymphatic Metastasis; Bibliometrics; Lymph Nodes; Prognosis; Predictive Value of Tests
PubMed: 38725247
DOI: 10.1177/17455057241248398 -
Molecular Diagnosis & Therapy Jul 2024HtrA1, HtrA2, HtrA3 and HtrA4 appear to be involved in the development of pathologies such as cancer. This systematic review reports the results of a literature search...
PURPOSE
HtrA1, HtrA2, HtrA3 and HtrA4 appear to be involved in the development of pathologies such as cancer. This systematic review reports the results of a literature search performed to compare the expression of HtrA family genes and proteins in cancer versus non-cancer tissues and cell lines, assess relationships between HtrA expression and cancer clinical features in cancer, and analyse the molecular mechanism, by which HtrA family affects cancer.
METHODS
The literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA statement among four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus).
RESULTS
A total of 38 articles met the inclusion criteria and involved the expression of HtrA family members and concerned the effect of HtrA expression on cancer and metastasis development or on the factor that influences it. Additionally, 31 reports were retrieved manually. Most articles highlighted that HtrA1 and HtrA3 exhibited tumour suppressor activity, while HtrA2 was associated with tumour growth and metastasis. There were too few studies to clearly define the role of the HtrA4 protease in tumours.
CONCLUSION
Although the expression of serine proteases of the HtrA family was dependent on tumour type, stage and the presence of metastases, most articles indicated that HtrA1 and HtrA3 expression in tumours was downregulated compared with healthy tissue or cell lines. The expression of HtrA2 was completely study dependent. The limited number of studies on HtrA4 expression made it impossible to draw conclusions about differences in expression between healthy and tumour tissue. The conclusions drawn from the study suggest that HtrA1 and HtrA3 act as tumour suppressors.
Topics: Humans; Neoplasms; High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 1; Serine Endopeptidases; High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 2; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Mitochondrial Proteins
PubMed: 38717523
DOI: 10.1007/s40291-024-00712-2 -
Urology Journal Jun 2024The quantitative objective of the current systematic review was to identify the potential role of urinary microbiota in bladder cancer (BC) carcinogenesis, invasiveness,...
PURPOSE
The quantitative objective of the current systematic review was to identify the potential role of urinary microbiota in bladder cancer (BC) carcinogenesis, invasiveness, progression, and metastasis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The proposed systematic review was conducted in accordance with critical review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement, and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for systematic reviews. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies up to the January 2024. A JBI appraisal checklist was used to assess possible biases.
RESULTS
This systematic review was centered on 27 studies comprising 926 BC patients. Overall, 412 control individuals were compared with BC patients. The most common sampling method was midstream urine collection. Regarding microbial alpha diversity, there was no statistically significant difference between cancerous and healthy samples (n = 8), recurrent and not recurrent (n = 1), responders versus non-responders(n = 1), tumor grades (n = 1), and collection methods (n = 1). However, five studies reported higher diversity in controls, and five other studies reported, conversely, high levels of alpha diversity in BC patients or recurrent cases. Furthermore, a responder (RE) to treatment and a non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) groups demonstrated significant difference with non-responder (NR) and muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), respectively. In terms of beta-diversity, nine studies reported significant diversity between BC patients and controls, one article demonstrated difference between recurrent and not recurrent patients, a study reported significant difference in RE and NR groups whereas another showed opposite, and others (n = 4) did not find any difference between BC, controls, MIBC and NMIBC patients, or between tumor grades. One study reported a difference between the collection method and beta-diversity in males and another reported the difference in females.
CONCLUSION
The included studies demonstrate that the composition of urinary microbiota is altered in patients with BC. However, the differentially enriched genera in the urine of these patients vary between studies, and there is too much heterogeneity across studies to make any reliable and valid conclusions. Furthermore, well-designed research is necessary to assess the role of microbiota in the carcinogenesis and progression of BC.
Topics: Urinary Bladder Neoplasms; Humans; Microbiota; Carcinogenesis; Urinary Bladder; Neoplasm Invasiveness
PubMed: 38716613
DOI: 10.22037/uj.v20i.8036 -
F1000Research 2023This study reviews the literature on gastric metastases (GM) in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. The goal of this study was to provide clinicians with a...
This study reviews the literature on gastric metastases (GM) in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. The goal of this study was to provide clinicians with a reliable and beneficial source to understand gastric metastases arising from various primary tumors and to present the growing literature in an easily accessible form. Articles published in English language from implementation of MEDLINE and Cochrane databases until May 2022 were considered for the systematic review. Articles other than English language, letters to the editor, posters, and clinical images were excluded. Hematogenous and lymphogenic metastases were included whereas direct tumoral invasion and seeding were excluded. Articles and abstracts were analyzed and last selection was done after cross-referencing and by use of defined eligibility criteria. In total 1,521 publications were identified and 170 articles were finally included totaling 186 patients with GM. The median age of patients was 62 years. Gynecologic cancer was the most common cancer type causing GM (67 patients), followed by lung cancer (33 patients), renal cancer (20 patients), and melanoma (19 patients). One of the main treatment methods performed for metastasis was resection surgery (n=62), sometimes combined with chemotherapy (ChT) or immunotherapy. ChT was the other most used treatment method (n=78). Also, immunotherapy was amongst the most preferred treatment options after surgery and ChT (n=10). As 172 case reports were screened in the systematic review from different journals, heterogeneity was inevitable. Some articles missed important information such as complete follow-up or clinical information. Moreover, since all of the included articles were case reports quality assessment could not be performed. Among 172 case reports reviewed, resection surgery was performed the most and was sometimes combined with ChT and immunotherapy. Further research about what type of treatment has the best outcomes for patients with gastric metastases is needed.
Topics: Humans; Stomach Neoplasms; Female; Immunotherapy; Male; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38706640
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.140758.1 -
European Urology Oncology May 2024Mutations in the speckle-type POZ (SPOP) gene are frequently identified in prostate cancer (PC); yet, prognostic implications for affected patients remain unclear.... (Review)
Review
CONTEXT
Mutations in the speckle-type POZ (SPOP) gene are frequently identified in prostate cancer (PC); yet, prognostic implications for affected patients remain unclear. Limited consensus exists regarding tailored treatments for SPOP-mutant (SPOPmut) PC.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the prognostic and predictive significance of SPOP mutations across distinct PC stages and treatments.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
A systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus was conducted up to January 29, 2024. The meta-analysis included studies comparing survival outcomes between SPOPmut and SPOP wild-type (SPOPwt) PC.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
From 669 records, 26 studies (including five abstracts) were analyzed. A meta-analysis of metastasis-free survival in localized (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-0.88; p < 0.01) and overall survival (OS) in metastatic PC (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.53-0.76; p < 0.01) showed a favorable prognosis for patients with SPOPmut PC. In metastatic settings, SPOP mutations correlated with improved progression-free survival (PFS) and OS in patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy ± androgen receptor signaling inhibitor (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.35-0.76, p < 0.01, and HR: 0.60, 95% CI:0.46-0.79, p < 0.01, respectively). In metastatic castration-resistant PC, only abiraterone provided improved PFS and OS to patients with SPOP mutations compared with patients with SPOPwt, but data were limited. SPOP mutations did not correlate with improved PFS (p = 0.80) or OS (p = 0.27) for docetaxel.
CONCLUSIONS
Patients with SPOPmut PC seem to exhibit superior oncological outcomes compared with patients with SPOPwt. Tailored risk stratification and treatment approaches should be explored in such patients.
PATIENT SUMMARY
Speckle-type POZ (SPOP) mutations could be a favorable prognostic factor in patients with prostate cancer (PC) and may also predict better progression-free and overall survival than treatment with hormonal agents. Therefore, less intensified treatments omitting chemotherapy for patients with SPOP-mutant PC should be explored in clinical trials.
PubMed: 38704358
DOI: 10.1016/j.euo.2024.04.011 -
Heliyon May 2024Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a severe complication of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In patients with NSCLC LM harboring epidermal growth factor receptor ()...
PURPOSE
Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a severe complication of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In patients with NSCLC LM harboring epidermal growth factor receptor () mutations, osimertinib is favored over alternative EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, the efficacy of osimertinib relative to other EGFR-TKIs is not well established for patients with LM. We aimed to compare the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs in mutated NSCLC LM.
METHODS
This systematic review and meta-analysis performed according to PRISMA guidelines included studies of adult patients with -mutated NSCLC and a diagnosis of LM who received an EGFR-TKI for the treatment of LM. We searched Medline ALL, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection. The evaluation of biases was done by using the Ottawa-Newscastle scale. The hazard ratio was used as the parameter of interest for overall survival (OS) and central nervous system-specific progression-free survival (PFS).
RESULTS
128 publications were included with 243 patients and 282 lines of EGFR-TKI for NSCLC LM that met inclusion criteria. The median PFS in patients receiving any EGFR-TKI was 9.1 months, and the median OS was 14.5 months. In univariate analyses of the entire cohort, osimertinib treatment demonstrated significantly prolonged PFS, but not OS, compared to other EGFR-TKIs. Osimertinib demonstrated significantly prolonged PFS and OS in the subset of patients who were previously treated with EGFR-TKIs, but not in EGFR-TKI naïve patients.
CONCLUSION
Osimertinib is associated with improved outcomes compared to other EGFR-TKIs, particularly in patients previously treated with EGFR-TKIs. An important limitation is that most patients were derived from retrospective reports. These results highlight the need for prospective studies for this difficult-to-treat patient population.
PubMed: 38698967
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29668