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Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 2024The primary objective was to evaluate Liver-Related Events (LREs), including hepatic decompensation (ascites, hemorrhagic varices and encephalopathy) and Hepatocellular...
OBJECTIVES
The primary objective was to evaluate Liver-Related Events (LREs), including hepatic decompensation (ascites, hemorrhagic varices and encephalopathy) and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), as well as changes in liver stiffness during the follow-up period among patients who achieved a Sustained Virological Response (SVR) after treatment for chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection.
METHODS
A total of 218 patients with HCV were treated, and those who achieved an SVR were followed up for 3-years. Transient Elastography (TE) using FibroScan® was performed at various time points: before treatment, at the end of treatment, at 6-months post-treatment, at 1-year post-treatment, at 2-years post-treatment, and at 3-years post-treatment.
RESULTS
At 6-months post-treatment, a Liver Stiffness Measurement (LSM) cutoff of > 19 KPa was identified, leading to a 14.5-fold increase in the hazard of negative outcomes, including decompensation and/or HCC. The analysis of relative changes in liver stiffness between pre-treatment and 6-months posttreatment revealed that a reduction in LSM of -10 % was associated with a -12 % decrease in the hazard of decompensation and/or HCC, with this trend continuing as the LSM reduction reached -40 %, resulting in a -41 % hazard of decompensation and/or HCC. Conversely, an increase in the relative change during this period, such as an LSM increase of +10 %, led to a + 14 % increase in the hazard of decompensation. In cases where this relative change in LSM was +50 %, the hazard of decompensation increased to +92.
CONCLUSION
Transient elastography using FibroScan® can be a good tool for monitoring HCV patients with SVR after treatment to predict LREs in the long term.
Topics: Humans; Elasticity Imaging Techniques; Male; Liver Cirrhosis; Female; Middle Aged; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Antiviral Agents; Sustained Virologic Response; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Follow-Up Studies; Time Factors; Liver Neoplasms; Treatment Outcome; Adult; Aged; Predictive Value of Tests
PubMed: 38733689
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinsp.2024.100381 -
International Journal of Molecular... Apr 2024Cardiac disorders in cancer patients pose significant challenges to disease prognosis. While it has been established that these disorders are linked to cancer cells, the...
Cardiac disorders in cancer patients pose significant challenges to disease prognosis. While it has been established that these disorders are linked to cancer cells, the precise underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the impact of cancerous ascites from the rat colonic carcinoma cell line RCN9 on H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells. We found that the ascites reduced mitochondrial volume, increased oxidative stress, and decreased membrane potential in the cardiomyoblast cells, leading to apoptosis and autophagy. Although the ascites fluid contained a substantial amount of high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1), we observed that neutralizing HMGB1 with a specific antibody mitigated the damage inflicted on myocardial cells. Our mechanistic investigations revealed that HMGB1 activated both nuclear factor κB and phosphoinositide 3-kinases-AKT signals through HMGB1 receptors, namely the receptor for advanced glycation end products and toll-like receptor-4, thereby promoting apoptosis and autophagy. In contrast, treatment with berberine (BBR) induced the expression of miR-181c-5p and miR-340-5p while suppressing HMGB1 expression in RCN9 cells. Furthermore, BBR reduced HMGB1 receptor expression in cardiomyocytes, consequently mitigating HMGB1-induced damage. We validated the myocardial protective effects of BBR in a cachectic rat model. These findings underscore the strong association between HMGB1 and cancer cachexia, highlighting BBR as a promising therapeutic agent for myocardial protection through HMGB1 suppression and modulation of the signaling system.
Topics: Animals; HMGB1 Protein; Berberine; Rats; Cachexia; Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Autophagy; Myocytes, Cardiac; Male; Disease Models, Animal; Signal Transduction; Oxidative Stress; Toll-Like Receptor 4; MicroRNAs; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Neoplasms; NF-kappa B; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
PubMed: 38731953
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094735 -
Journal of Infection in Developing... Apr 2024Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global epidemic that can lead to several liver diseases, seriously affecting people's health. This study aimed to investigate the...
INTRODUCTION
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global epidemic that can lead to several liver diseases, seriously affecting people's health. This study aimed to investigate the clinical potential of serum β-klotho (KLB) as a promising biomarker in HBV-related liver diseases.
METHODOLOGY
This study enrolled 30 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 35 with HBV-related cirrhosis, 66 with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 48 healthy individuals. ELISA measured the levels of serum KLB in the four groups. We then compared the differences in serum KLB levels among the groups and analyzed the relationship between serum KLB and routine clinical parameters.
RESULTS
The concentrations of serum KLB levels were increased sequentially among the healthy subjects, the HBV-related CHB group, the HBV-related cirrhosis group, and the HBV-related HCC group (p < 0.05). Expression of KLB was positively correlated with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl-transferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acid, serum markers for liver fibrosis, ascites, cirrhosis, splenomegaly, and model for end-stage liver disease sodium, while negatively correlated with platelet count, albumin, and prothrombin activity (p < 0.05). In addition, serum KLB has better sensitivity in diagnosing HCC than AFP, and serum KLB combined with AFP has higher sensitivity and specificity than AFP alone in diagnosing HCC.
CONCLUSIONS
Serum KLB level is associated with the severity of HBV-related liver diseases and has important diagnostic value for HCC. Therefore, it could be a predictive biomarker for monitoring disease progression.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Biomarkers; Middle Aged; Adult; Hepatitis B, Chronic; Klotho Proteins; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Glucuronidase; Liver Neoplasms; Liver Cirrhosis; Disease Progression; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Aged
PubMed: 38728647
DOI: 10.3855/jidc.17870 -
Cureus Apr 2024Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare intra-abdominal malignancy characterized by diffuse dissemination of mucinous tumor cells, leading to mucinous ascites. Accurate...
Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare intra-abdominal malignancy characterized by diffuse dissemination of mucinous tumor cells, leading to mucinous ascites. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate management. This report presents a case of a 55-year-old Lebanese male farmer initially misdiagnosed with liver cirrhosis who presented with progressive abdominal distension refractory to diuretics and dietary modifications. Paracentesis revealed a mucinous exudate, with subsequent clinical and histopathological examination confirming PMP. The patient was referred for further evaluation at a specialized center equipped for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of PMP due to its non-specific presentation, emphasizing the importance of prompt and accurate diagnosis to facilitate optimal therapeutic intervention.
PubMed: 38721212
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.57857 -
Frontiers in Surgery 2024Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is an extremely rare tumor with nonspecific clinical manifestations, making diagnosis challenging.
INTRODUCTION
Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is an extremely rare tumor with nonspecific clinical manifestations, making diagnosis challenging.
CASE PRESENTATION
Herein, we report a case of MPM with occult onset presenting with bilateral hydronephrosis and renal insufficiency. A 30-year-old man was admitted to the Urology Department because of recurrent bilateral lower back pain. The etiology was unclear after a series of laboratory tests, imaging examinations, bone marrow aspiration, renal puncture biopsy, ascites examination, ureteroscopy, and so on. Finally, MPM was diagnosed by laparoscopic exploration and biopsy. Moreover, during the course of the disease, the patient's bilateral ureters were compressed, and the obstruction could not be relieved after the placement of ordinary ureteral stents. Percutaneous nephrostomy or metal ureteral stenosis was appropriate in managing malignant ureteral obstruction as it could improve renal function.
CONCLUSIONS
The onset of this case was insidious, and the diagnosis was difficult, with a poor prognosis. To date, only a handful of cases have been reported. We hope this case can provide some enlightenment for our clinical work.
PubMed: 38721020
DOI: 10.3389/fsurg.2024.1342657 -
Laboratory Investigation; a Journal of... May 2024The glycans form a unique complex on the surface of cancer cells and play a pivotal role in tumor progression, impacting proliferation, invasion, and metastasis....
The glycans form a unique complex on the surface of cancer cells and play a pivotal role in tumor progression, impacting proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. TRA-1-60 is a glycan that was identified as a critical marker for the establishment of fully reprogrammed inducible pluripotent stem cells. Its expression has been detected in multiple cancer tissues, including embryonal carcinoma, prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer, but the biological and pathological characterization of TRA-1-60-expressing tumor cells remains unclear within various types of malignancies. Here, we report the biological characteristics of TRA-1-60-expressing gastric cancer cells, especially those with its cell surface expression, and the therapeutic significance of targeting TRA-1-60. The cells with cell membrane expression of TRA-1-60 were mainly observed in the invasive area of patient gastric cancer tissues and correlated with advanced stages of the disease based on histopathological and clinicopathological analyses. In vitro analysis using a scirrhous gastric adenocarcinoma line, HSC-58, which highly expresses TRA-1-60 on its plasma membrane, revealed increased stress-resistant mechanisms, supported by the upregulation of glutathione synthetase and NCF-1 (p47phox) via lipid-ROS regulatory pathways, as detected by RNA-seq analysis followed by oxidative stress gene profiling. Our in vivo therapeutic study using the TRA-1-60-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, namely, Bstrongomab-conjugated monomethyl auristatin E, showed robust efficacy in a mouse model of peritoneal carcinomatosis induced by intraperitoneal xenograft of HSC-58, by markedly reducing massive tumor ascites. Thus, targeting the specific cell surface glycan, TRA-1-60, shows a significant therapeutic impact in advanced-stage gastric cancers.
PubMed: 38718982
DOI: 10.1016/j.labinv.2024.102073 -
Medicine May 2024Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors globally and often develops on the foundation of chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. Cirrhosis... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors globally and often develops on the foundation of chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a clinically prevalent chronic progressive liver disease characterized by diffuse liver damage resulting from long-term or repeated actions of 1 or more etiological factors. However, the impact of CENPF and nuclear division cycle 80 (NDC80) genes on rehabilitation nursing of HCC and cirrhosis remains unclear. HCC and cirrhosis datasets GSE63898 and GSE89377 profile files were downloaded from the gene expression omnibus database generated on platforms GPL13667 and GPL6947, respectively. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) screening, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), construction and analysis of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, functional enrichment analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), survival analysis, immune infiltration analysis, and comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD) analysis were conducted. Gene expression heatmaps were plotted. miRNAs regulating central DEGs were selected through TargetScan. A total of 626 DEGs were identified. According to gene ontology (GO) analysis, they were primarily enriched in small molecule metabolic processes, drug metabolic processes, binding of identical proteins, and lipid metabolic processes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) analysis results indicated that the target genes were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways, phagosomes, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. The construction and analysis of the PPI network revealed 3 core genes (NDC80, CENPF, RRM2). Gene expression heatmaps showed that core genes (CENPF, NDC80) were highly expressed in HCC and cirrhosis samples. CTD analysis found that 2 genes (CENPF and NDC80) were associated with liver, jaundice, ascites, fever, dyspepsia, and hepatic encephalopathy. CENPF and NDC80 are highly expressed in HCC and cirrhosis, and CENPF and NDC80 might be the biomarkers of rehabilitation nursing of HCC and cirrhosis.
Topics: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Liver Cirrhosis; Nuclear Proteins; Protein Interaction Maps; Gene Expression Profiling; Cytoskeletal Proteins
PubMed: 38701255
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000037984 -
Renal Failure Dec 2024End-stage renal disease (ESRD) coexisted with cirrhosis, ascites, and primary liver cancer represents an extraordinarily rare clinical condition that typically occurs in...
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) coexisted with cirrhosis, ascites, and primary liver cancer represents an extraordinarily rare clinical condition that typically occurs in very late-stage decompensated cirrhosis and is associated with an extremely poor prognosis. We present a case of a 68-year-old male patient with ESRD who experienced various decompensated complications of liver cirrhosis, particularly massive ascites and hepatic space-occupying lesions. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatment were successfully performed. During meticulous follow-up, the patient survived for one year but ultimately succumbed to complications related to liver cancer. PD can serve as an efficacious therapeutic approach for such late-stage patients afflicted together with severe cirrhosis, massive ascites and primary liver cancer.
Topics: Humans; Male; Aged; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Ascites; Liver Neoplasms; Liver Cirrhosis; Fatal Outcome; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory; Peritoneal Dialysis
PubMed: 38700058
DOI: 10.1080/0886022X.2024.2347461 -
Cureus Apr 2024Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in women. Invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) is the second most common histologic subtype after invasive ductal...
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in women. Invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC) is the second most common histologic subtype after invasive ductal carcinoma. Metastatic occult primary breast cancer, although rare, is a well-known clinical entity that usually presents with axillary lymphadenopathy without a detectable breast tumour. A perimenopausal woman in her 50s presented with abdominal pain, fatigue, and weight loss. Imaging showed peritoneal carcinomatosis with ascites, ovarian masses, and a lesion in the ascending colon. Gastric and colon biopsies showed infiltration from lobular breast cancer. Diagnostic workup, including mammography, breast ultrasound, and breast MRI, showed no evidence of breast pathology or axillary lymphadenopathy. First-line treatment with goserelin, letrozole, and palbociclib commenced with clinical improvement and radiological response. This case illustrates the challenges faced by clinicians in the diagnosis and treatment of lobular breast cancer without an identifiable primary lesion or axillary lymphadenopathy.
PubMed: 38689671
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58586 -
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical... Apr 2024The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of the CT-based peritoneal cancer index (PCI) to predict the overall survival of patients with peritoneal...
PURPOSE
The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of the CT-based peritoneal cancer index (PCI) to predict the overall survival of patients with peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer (GCPM) after two cycles of chemotherapy.
METHODS
This retrospective study registered 112 individuals with peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer in our hospital. Abdominal and pelvic enhanced CT before and after chemotherapy was independently analyzed by two radiologists. The PCI of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer was evaluated according to the Sugarbaker classification, considering the size and distribution of the lesions using CT. Then we evaluated the prognostic performance of PCI based on CT, clinical characteristics, and imaging findings for survival analysis using multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression.
RESULTS
The PCI change ratio based on CT after treatment (ΔPCI), therapy lines, and change in grade of ascites were independent factors that were associated with overall survival (OS). The area under the curve (AUC) value of ΔPCI for predicting OS with 0.773 was higher than that of RECIST 1.1 with 0.661 (P < 0.05). Patients with ΔPCI less than -15% had significantly longer OS.
CONCLUSION
CT analysis after chemotherapy could predict OS in patients with GCPM. The CT-PCI change ratio could contribute to the determination of an appropriate strategy for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis.
Topics: Humans; Stomach Neoplasms; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Aged; Prognosis; Adult; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
PubMed: 38687350
DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05707-4