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Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical... Apr 2024We assessed factors that affect the utilization of sperm cryopreservation before 2021, when patients covered expenses, and the influence on quality of life.
PURPOSE
We assessed factors that affect the utilization of sperm cryopreservation before 2021, when patients covered expenses, and the influence on quality of life.
METHODS
Between 2011 and 2021, testicular cancer survivors (TCS) at our clinic completed a questionnaire, including EORTC QLQ-TC26, covering sperm cryopreservation, sociodemographic details, post-treatment births, and artificial insemination.
RESULTS
After 5.7 ± 3.0 years, 279 participants (64%) responded to the questionnaire. Among them, 33% (91/279) of testicular cancer survivors chose sperm cryopreservation prior to treatment, with 11% (10/91) using it for insemination. Conversely, 2% (3/188) without cryopreservation reported unfulfilled desire to have children. Univariate analysis showed TCS with cryopreservation were younger (30.6 ± 7.1 (35 (21-59)) vs. 42.4 ± 10.9 (48 (22-81)) years; p = 0.001), had a lower BMI (24.2 ± 3.3 vs. 26.6 ± 4.6 kg/m; p = 0.009) and a lower Charlson Score (> 3: 36% vs. 60%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed older age (≥ 37 years: OR 13.1 (5.5-31.2), p < 0.001) and lower education (middle school or less: OR 3.3 (1.6-6.9), p = 0.001) as independent factors associated with not undergoing cryopreservation. Regarding quality of life, multivariate analysis identified a lower infertility anxiety score (OR 4.3 (2.0-9.0), p < 0.001) and higher age (≥ 44 years: OR 5.4 (2.6-11.3); p < 0.001) as predictors for the absence of prior cryopreservation.
CONCLUSIONS
Age and education seem to impact the choice of undergoing paid sperm cryopreservation. Urologists should inform testicular cancer patients about costs and coverage. Importantly, the occurrence of unmet desires for parenthood is minimal among those who forego cryopreservation.
Topics: Child; Humans; Male; Adult; Testicular Neoplasms; Quality of Life; Semen; Cryopreservation; Spermatozoa; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal
PubMed: 38630148
DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05725-2 -
Environmental Health : a Global Access... Apr 2024Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with many adverse health conditions. Among the main effects is carcinogenicity in humans, which deserves to be...
All-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality in the population of a large Italian area contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (1980-2018).
BACKGROUND
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with many adverse health conditions. Among the main effects is carcinogenicity in humans, which deserves to be further clarified. An evident association has been reported for kidney cancer and testicular cancer. In 2013, a large episode of surface, ground and drinking water contamination with PFAS was uncovered in three provinces of the Veneto Region (northern Italy) involving 30 municipalities and a population of about 150,000. We report on the temporal evolution of all-cause mortality and selected cause-specific mortality by calendar period and birth cohort in the local population between 1980 and 2018.
METHODS
The Italian National Institute of Health pre-processed and made available anonymous data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics death certificate archives for residents of the provinces of Vicenza, Padua and Verona (males, n = 29,629; females, n = 29,518) who died between 1980 and 2018. Calendar period analysis was done by calculating standardised mortality ratios using the total population of the three provinces in the same calendar period as reference. The birth cohort analysis was performed using 20-84 years cumulative standardised mortality ratios. Exposure was defined as being resident in one of the 30 municipalities of the Red area, where the aqueduct supplying drinking water was fed by the contaminated groundwater.
RESULTS
During the 34 years between 1985 (assumed as beginning date of water contamination) and 2018 (last year of availability of cause-specific mortality data), in the resident population of the Red area we observed 51,621 deaths vs. 47,731 expected (age- and sex-SMR: 108; 90% CI: 107-109). We found evidence of raised mortality from cardiovascular disease (in particular, heart diseases and ischemic heart disease) and malignant neoplastic diseases, including kidney cancer and testicular cancer.
CONCLUSIONS
For the first time, an association of PFAS exposure with mortality from cardiovascular disease was formally demonstrated. The evidence regarding kidney cancer and testicular cancer is consistent with previously reported data.
Topics: Male; Female; Humans; Testicular Neoplasms; Drinking Water; Cardiovascular Diseases; Kidney Neoplasms; Italy; Fluorocarbons; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal
PubMed: 38627679
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-024-01074-2 -
Leukemia May 2024The hypomethylating agent 5-azacytidine (AZA) is the first-line treatment for AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy. The effect of AZA results in part from...
The hypomethylating agent 5-azacytidine (AZA) is the first-line treatment for AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy. The effect of AZA results in part from T-cell cytotoxic responses against MHC-I-associated peptides (MAPs) deriving from hypermethylated genomic regions such as cancer-testis antigens (CTAs), or endogenous retroelements (EREs). However, evidence supporting higher ERE MAPs presentation after AZA treatment is lacking. Therefore, using proteogenomics, we examined the impact of AZA on the repertoire of MAPs and their source transcripts. AZA-treated AML upregulated both CTA and ERE transcripts, but only CTA MAPs were presented at greater levels. Upregulated ERE transcripts triggered innate immune responses against double-stranded RNAs but were degraded by autophagy, and not processed into MAPs. Autophagy resulted from the formation of protein aggregates caused by AZA-dependent inhibition of DNMT2. Autophagy inhibition had an additive effect with AZA on AML cell proliferation and survival, increased ERE levels, increased pro-inflammatory responses, and generated immunogenic tumor-specific ERE-derived MAPs. Finally, autophagy was associated with a lower abundance of CD8 T-cell markers in AML patients expressing high levels of EREs. This work demonstrates that AZA-induced EREs are degraded by autophagy and shows that inhibiting autophagy can improve the immune recognition of AML blasts in treated patients.
Topics: Humans; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Azacitidine; Autophagy; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; DNA Methylation; Cell Proliferation; Antigens, Neoplasm
PubMed: 38627586
DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02250-6 -
Medicine Apr 2024Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most common testicular malignancies. KLRB1 is considered to influence the development and progression of a number of cancers.... (Review)
Review
Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most common testicular malignancies. KLRB1 is considered to influence the development and progression of a number of cancers. However, it is unclear how the KLRB1 gene functions in TGCT. First, it was determined the expression level of KLRB1 in TGCT using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (The Cancer Genome Atlas) dataset and GTEx (Genotype-Tissue Expression) dataset. The clinical significance and biological functions of KLRB1 were explored using the TCGA dataset, and we analyzed the correlation of the KLRB1 gene with tumor immunity and infiltrating immune cells using gene set variation analysis and the TIMER database. We found that the expression level of KLRB1 was upregulated in TGCT malignant tissues with the corresponding normal tissues as controls, and KLRB1 expression correlated with clinicopathologic features of TGCT. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that KLRB1 might be involved in immune response and inflammatory response. KLRB1 was highly positively correlated with natural killer cell activation in immune response and positively correlated with tumor-infiltrating immune cells. This study demonstrated for the first time the role of KLRB1 in TGCT, which may serve as a new biomarker associated with immune infiltration and provide a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of TGCT.
Topics: Humans; Male; Testicular Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Databases, Factual; Lymphocyte Activation; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B
PubMed: 38608099
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000037688 -
Journal of Medical Case Reports Apr 2024Paratesticular cellular angiofibroma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor. The optimal management is surgical resection due to the difficulty of preoperative accurate...
INTRODUCTION
Paratesticular cellular angiofibroma is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor. The optimal management is surgical resection due to the difficulty of preoperative accurate diagnosis.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 51-year-old Japanese male visited our hospital complaining of asymptomatic left scrotal swelling. Physical examination revealed a nontender elastic paratesticular mass (5.5 cm in diameter). Although testicular germ cell tumor was ruled out clinically, the possibility of malignant potential remained for the tumor. Since the patient consented to complete resection, a transinguinal radical orchiectomy was performed. The pathological diagnosis revealed cellular angiofibroma. The patient recovered without perioperative complications, and no apparent recurrence was observed at 5 years after surgery.
CONCLUSION
The pathological findings were compatible for cellular angiofibroma. The tumor was successfully resected, and no apparent recurrence was observed at 5 years after surgery.
Topics: Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Angiofibroma; Testicular Neoplasms; Orchiectomy; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal
PubMed: 38600580
DOI: 10.1186/s13256-024-04499-y -
Frontiers in Immunology 2024Despite significant progress in targeted therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), clinical outcomes are disappointing for elderly patients, patients with less fit... (Review)
Review
Despite significant progress in targeted therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), clinical outcomes are disappointing for elderly patients, patients with less fit disease characteristics, and patients with adverse disease risk characteristics. Over the past 10 years, adaptive T-cell immunotherapy has been recognized as a strategy for treating various malignant tumors. However, it has faced significant challenges in AML, primarily because myeloid blasts do not contain unique surface antigens. The preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME), a cancer-testis antigen, is abnormally expressed in AML and does not exist in normal hematopoietic cells. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that PRAME is a useful target for treating AML. This paper reviews the structure and function of PRAME, its effects on normal cells and AML blasts, its implications in prognosis and follow-up, and its use in antigen-specific immunotherapy for AML.
Topics: Male; Humans; Aged; Antigens, Neoplasm; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; T-Lymphocytes; Prognosis; Leukocytes
PubMed: 38596687
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1378277 -
Clinical Case Reports Apr 2024Testicular epidermoid cysts have characteristic findings. Testicular tumor markers are negative in patients with epidermoid cysts. Clear margins and sole and small...
Testicular epidermoid cysts have characteristic findings. Testicular tumor markers are negative in patients with epidermoid cysts. Clear margins and sole and small testicular tumors (20 mm or less) suggest the possibility of epidermoid cyst. Testicular-sparing surgery with intraoperative frozen section examination should be performed when suspecting epidermoid cysts. Testicular epidermoid cysts are rare tumors that account for 1% of all testicular tumors and are often clinically misdiagnosed as malignant lesions. We report three cases of epidermoid cysts. The chief manifestations were scrotal induration in two patients and pruritus scrotum in one. The median age of the patients was 23 years (18-30). All tumors were determined to be sole lesions (<20 mm in diameter). Testing for tumor markers in all patients revealed negative results. We could not rule out malignancy; hence, we performed high inguinal orchiectomy in all cases. Histologically, the inner walls of the cysts were lined with stratified squamous epithelium; their contents were keratinized. All patients were diagnosed with epidermoid cysts.
PubMed: 38562579
DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8577 -
The Journal of Veterinary Medical... May 2024A 7-year-and-8-month-old, male degu (Octodon degus) with anorexia, depression, and labored breathing was found to have a thoracic effusion and enlargement of the right...
A 7-year-and-8-month-old, male degu (Octodon degus) with anorexia, depression, and labored breathing was found to have a thoracic effusion and enlargement of the right testis on radiographic examination. Despite treatment, the animal died. At necropsy, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and multifocal nodules on the intestinal serosa and mesentery were observed. Histologically, the foci were densely cellular invasive neoplasms composed of sheets of round to polygonal cells, with occasional multinucleated giant cells. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were immunopositive for ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1, human leukocyte antigen-DR, and CD204. These findings were consistent with disseminated histiocytic sarcoma.
Topics: Animals; Histiocytic Sarcoma; Male; Octodon; Fatal Outcome
PubMed: 38556322
DOI: 10.1292/jvms.24-0081 -
Scientific Reports Mar 2024Cancer testis antigen (CTA) Melanoma Antigen Gene A3 (MAGEA3) were overexpressed in multiple tumor types, but the expression pattern of MAGEA3 in the serum of lung...
Cancer testis antigen (CTA) Melanoma Antigen Gene A3 (MAGEA3) were overexpressed in multiple tumor types, but the expression pattern of MAGEA3 in the serum of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. Clinically derived serum and serum exosome samples were used to assess the mRNA expression of MAGEA3 and MAGEA4 by qRT-PCR, and serum MAGEA3 and MAGEA4 protein expression were evaluated by ELISA in total 133 healthy volunteers' and 289 LUAD patients' serum samples. An analysis of the relationship of the mRNA and protein expression of MAGEA3 and MAGEA4 with clinicopathologic parameters was performed and the diagnostic value of MAGEA3 and MAGEA4 was plotted on an ROC curve. In addition, the correlation of MAGEA3 mRNA with infiltrating immune cells was investigated through TIMER, the CIBERSORT algorithm and the TISIDB database. Expression of serum and serum exosome MAGEA3 and MAGEA4 mRNA were significantly higher in LUAD patients than in healthy donors. MAGEA3 mRNA associated with tumor diameter, TMN stage, and NSE in LUAD serum samples, and MAGEA3 mRNA correlated with N stage in serum-derived exosomes, possessing areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.721 and 0.832, respectively. Besides, serum MAGEA3 protein levels were elevated in LUAD patients, and were closely related to stage and NSE levels, possessing AUC of 0.781. Further analysis signified that the expression of MAGEA3 mRNA was positive correlation with neutrophil, macrophages M2, dendritic cells resting, and eosinophilic, but negatively correlated with B cells, plasma cells, CD8 + T cells, CD4 + T cells, Th17 cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. Collectively, our results suggested that the MAGEA3 expression in mRNA and protein were upregulated in LUAD, and MAGEA3 could be used as a diagnostic biomarker and immunotherapy target for LUAD patients.
Topics: Male; Humans; Melanoma; Exosomes; Testis; Adenocarcinoma of Lung; Biomarkers; Lung Neoplasms; RNA, Messenger; Prognosis; Antigens, Neoplasm; Neoplasm Proteins
PubMed: 38555374
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58003-z -
Environmental Health : a Global Access... Mar 2024The largest documented episode of human contamination by PFOA in the world (approximately 150,000 actual residents on 1 January 2020) has occurred in Italy's Veneto...
The largest documented episode of human contamination by PFOA in the world (approximately 150,000 actual residents on 1 January 2020) has occurred in Italy's Veneto Region. In this large, mostly flat plain area, a cluster of testicular cancers has also been observed. Preliminary data are reported, and the most relevant and recent recommendations regarding the health surveillance of exposed individuals are emphasized.
Topics: Male; Humans; Fluorocarbons; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Italy; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Testicular Neoplasms; Alkanesulfonic Acids
PubMed: 38549149
DOI: 10.1186/s12940-024-01064-4