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Frontiers in Oncology 2022Monitoring biomarkers using machine learning (ML) may determine glioblastoma treatment response. We systematically reviewed quality and performance accuracy of recently...
OBJECTIVE
Monitoring biomarkers using machine learning (ML) may determine glioblastoma treatment response. We systematically reviewed quality and performance accuracy of recently published studies.
METHODS
Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis: Diagnostic Test Accuracy, we extracted articles from MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Register between 09/2018-01/2021. Included study participants were adults with glioblastoma having undergone standard treatment (maximal resection, radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide), and follow-up imaging to determine treatment response status (specifically, distinguishing progression/recurrence from progression/recurrence mimics, the target condition). Using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies Two/Checklist for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging, we assessed bias risk and applicability concerns. We determined test set performance accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1-score, balanced accuracy). We used a bivariate random-effect model to determine pooled sensitivity, specificity, area-under the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC-AUC). Pooled measures of balanced accuracy, positive/negative likelihood ratios (PLR/NLR) and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were calculated. PROSPERO registered (CRD42021261965).
RESULTS
Eighteen studies were included (1335/384 patients for training/testing respectively). Small patient numbers, high bias risk, applicability concerns (particularly confounding in reference standard and patient selection) and low level of evidence, allow limited conclusions from studies. Ten studies (10/18, 56%) included in meta-analysis gave 0.769 (0.649-0.858) sensitivity [pooled (95% CI)]; 0.648 (0.749-0.532) specificity; 0.706 (0.623-0.779) balanced accuracy; 2.220 (1.560-3.140) PLR; 0.366 (0.213-0.572) NLR; 6.670 (2.800-13.500) DOR; 0.765 ROC-AUC.
CONCLUSION
ML models using MRI features to distinguish between progression and mimics appear to demonstrate good diagnostic performance. However, study quality and design require improvement.
PubMed: 35174084
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.799662 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2022Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is currently part of routine clinical practice for... (Review)
Review
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy is currently part of routine clinical practice for unresectable and metastatic disease. It is important to assess the efficacy of TKI treatment at an early stage to optimize therapy strategies and eliminate futile ineffective treatment, side effects and unnecessary costs. This systematic review provides an overview of the imaging features obtained from contrast-enhanced (CE)-CT and 2-deoxy-2-[F]fluoro-D-glucose ([F]FDG) PET/CT to predict and monitor TKI treatment response in GIST patients. PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and Embase were systematically screened. Articles were considered eligible if quantitative outcome measures (area under the curve (AUC), correlations, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy) were used to evaluate the efficacy of imaging features for predicting and monitoring treatment response to various TKI treatments. The methodological quality of all articles was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies, v2 (QUADAS-2) tool and modified versions of the Radiomics Quality Score (RQS). A total of 90 articles were included, of which 66 articles used baseline [F]FDG-PET and CE-CT imaging features for response prediction. Generally, the presence of heterogeneous enhancement on baseline CE-CT imaging was considered predictive for high-risk GISTs, related to underlying neovascularization and necrosis of the tumor. The remaining articles discussed therapy monitoring. Clinically established imaging features, including changes in tumor size and density, were considered unfavorable monitoring criteria, leading to under- and overestimation of response. Furthermore, changes in glucose metabolism, as reflected by [F]FDG-PET imaging features, preceded changes in tumor size and were more strongly correlated with tumor response. Although CE-CT and [F]FDG-PET can aid in the prediction and monitoring in GIST patients, further research on cost-effectiveness is recommended.
PubMed: 36359564
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12112722 -
Urologia Internationalis 2023The relationship between cruciferous vegetables and prostate cancer (PCa) risk remains contentious. This study aimed to assess the association between consuming... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
The relationship between cruciferous vegetables and prostate cancer (PCa) risk remains contentious. This study aimed to assess the association between consuming cruciferous vegetables and PCa risk.
METHODS
We carried out a systematic search through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library until September 20, 2022. The results of the article will be analyzed using the Stata 14 software. This meta-analysis was reported as directed by the PRISMA guidance, and the study protocol was recorded in PROSPERO (CRD42022361556).
RESULTS
7 case-control studies and 9 cohort studies were eventually included, including 70,201 PCa cases and 1,264,437 members. The higher the intake of cruciferous vegetables, the lower the risk of PCa. In comparison to the lowest dose of cruciferous vegetables, the overall relative risk (RR) of cruciferous vegetables having the highest dose was 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-0.95; I2 = 59.2%). A significant linear trend (p = 0.002) was observed for the association, with a combined RR of 0.955 (95% CI: 0.928-0.982) for every 15 g of cruciferous vegetables per day.
CONCLUSIONS
The study revealed that consumption of cruciferous vegetables may be linked to reduced PCa risk.
Topics: Male; Humans; Vegetables; Diet; Brassicaceae; Prostatic Neoplasms; Risk; Risk Factors
PubMed: 37343525
DOI: 10.1159/000530435 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Feb 2022: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to progressive proximal muscle weakness and muscle atrophy. To assess the beneficial and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to progressive proximal muscle weakness and muscle atrophy. To assess the beneficial and adverse effects of nusinersen, a promising intervention for SMA, we conducted a systematic search and meta-analysis of the published randomized control trials (RCTs) of nusinersen for SMA. : Utilizing the Preferred Reporting for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), we searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and Clinicaltrials.gov from inception to 22 July 2021. : Three RCTs satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria covered 274 patients: 178 patients in the nusinersen group. Our results show a significant risk difference (RD) in the motor milestone response (RD: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.62; < 0.00001) and improvement in the HINE-2 score (RD: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.40; < 0.0003) in the nusinersen group compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant decrease in the risk ratio (RR) for severe adverse events (RR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.92; = 0.007) and any adverse event leading to treatment discontinuation (RR: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.74; = 0.004) was observed. An insignificant result was found for any adverse effects (RR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.01; = 0.14) and for serious adverse effects (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.60, 1.07; = 0.14). : This review provides evidence that nusinersen treatment was effective in treatment for infants with SMA and was associated with fewer severe adverse events; however, more RCTs are needed to establish evidence.
Topics: Humans; Infant; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal; Oligonucleotides; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35208537
DOI: 10.3390/medicina58020213 -
Cureus Apr 2023This meta-analysis has been conducted to compare ustekinumab and adalimumab as induction or maintenance therapy in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease... (Review)
Review
Comparison of Effectiveness and Safety of Ustekinumab and Adalimumab As Induction or Maintenance Therapy in Patients With Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
This meta-analysis has been conducted to compare ustekinumab and adalimumab as induction or maintenance therapy in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD). The current meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Two investigators independently searched online databases including PubMed, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Cochrane Library for relevant articles published up to April 2023. The initial search terms were "ustekinumab," "adalimumab," and "Crohn's disease". Three studies (with a total of 612 patients) were included in the present meta-analysis. We did not find any significant difference in clinical remission (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 0.68-2.52), clinical response (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 0.39-4.91), endoscopic remission (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 0.66-3.64), and steroid-free remission (OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.67-1.42) between patients who received ustekinumab and patients who received adalimumab. In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides valuable insights into the efficacy and safety of ustekinumab and adalimumab in the treatment of moderate to severe CD. Our findings indicate that both drugs have similar effectiveness in achieving clinical remission, clinical response, radiological remission and steroid-free remission.
PubMed: 37255887
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.38277 -
Annals of Oncology : Official Journal... Aug 2022'Stable disease (SD)' as per RECIST is a common but ambiguous outcome in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study aimed to characterize SD and...
BACKGROUND
'Stable disease (SD)' as per RECIST is a common but ambiguous outcome in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This study aimed to characterize SD and identify the subset of patients with SD who are benefiting from treatment. Understanding SD would facilitate drug development and improve precision in correlative research.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A systematic review was carried out to characterize SD in ICI trials. SD and objective response were compared to proliferation index using The Cancer Genome Atlas gene expression data. To identify a subgroup of SD with outcomes mirroring responders, we examined a discovery cohort of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Serial cutpoints of two variables, % best overall response and progression-free survival (PFS), were tested to define a subgroup of patients with SD with similar survival as responders. Results were then tested in external validation cohorts.
RESULTS
Among trials of ICIs (59 studies, 14 280 patients), SD ranged from 16% to 42% in different tumor types and was associated with disease-specific proliferation index (ρ = -0.75, P = 0.03), a proxy of tumor kinetics, rather than relative response to ICIs. In a discovery cohort of NSCLC [1220 patients, 313 (26%) with SD to ICIs], PFS ranged widely in SD (0.2-49 months, median 4.9 months). The subset with PFS >6 months and no tumor growth mirrored partial response (PR) minor (overall survival hazard ratio 1.0) and was proposed as the definition of SD responder. This definition was confirmed in two validation cohorts from trials of NSCLC treated with durvalumab and found to apply in tumor types treated with immunotherapy in which depth and duration of benefit were correlated.
CONCLUSIONS
RECIST-defined SD to immunotherapy is common, heterogeneous, and may largely reflect tumor growth rate rather than ICI response. In patients with NSCLC and SD to ICIs, PFS >6 months and no tumor growth may be considered 'SD responders'. This definition may improve the efficiency of and insight derivable from clinical and translational research.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Humans; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Lung Neoplasms
PubMed: 35533926
DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2022.04.450 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Jan 2023Functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS) can be used to investigate neurometabolic responses to external stimuli in-vivo, but findings are inconsistent. We... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS) can be used to investigate neurometabolic responses to external stimuli in-vivo, but findings are inconsistent. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on fMRS studies of the primary neurotransmitters Glutamate (Glu), Glx (Glutamate + Glutamine), and GABA. Data were extracted, grouped by metabolite, stimulus domain, and brain region, and analysed by determining standardized effect sizes. The quality of individual studies was rated. When results were analysed by metabolite type small to moderate effect sizes of 0.29-0.47 (p < 0.05) were observed for changes in Glu and Glx regardless of stimulus domain and brain region, but no significant effects were observed for GABA. Further analysis suggests that Glu, Glx and GABA responses differ by stimulus domain or task and vary depending on the time course of stimulation and data acquisition. Here, we establish effect sizes and directionality of GABA, Glu and Glx response in fMRS. This work highlights the importance of standardised reporting and minimal best practice for fMRS research.
Topics: Humans; Glutamic Acid; Glutamine; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Brain; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
PubMed: 36332780
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104940 -
The British Journal of Radiology Dec 2021Radiomics is the conversion of medical images into quantitative high-dimensional data. Laryngeal cancer, one of the most common head and neck cancers, has risen globally...
OBJECTIVES
Radiomics is the conversion of medical images into quantitative high-dimensional data. Laryngeal cancer, one of the most common head and neck cancers, has risen globally by 58.7%. CT, MRI and PET are acquired during the diagnostic process providing potential data for radiomic analysis and correlation with outcomes.This review aims to examine the applications of this technique to laryngeal cancer and the future considerations for translation into clinical practice.
METHODS
A comprehensive systematic review-informed search of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was undertaken. Keywords "laryngeal cancer" OR "larynx" OR "larynx cancer" OR "head and neck cancer" were combined with "radiomic" OR "signature" OR "machine learning" OR "artificial intelligence". Additional articles were obtained from bibliographies using the "snowball method".
RESULTS
The included studies ( = 15) demonstrated that radiomic features are significantly associated with various clinical outcomes (including stage, overall survival, treatment response, progression-free survival) and that predictive models incorporating radiomic features are superior to those that do not. Two studies demonstrated radiomics could improve laryngeal cancer staging whilst 12 studies affirmed its predictive capability for clinical outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Radiomics has potential for improving multiple aspects of laryngeal cancer care; however, the heterogeneous cohorts and lack of data on laryngeal cancer exclusively inhibits firm conclusions. Large prospective well-designed studies in laryngeal cancer are required to progress this field. Furthermore, to implement radiomics into clinical practice, a unified research effort is required to standardise radiomics practice.
ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE
This review has highlighted the value of radiomics in enhancing laryngeal cancer care (including staging, prognosis and predicting treatment response).
Topics: Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Laryngeal Neoplasms; Larynx; Machine Learning; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Positron-Emission Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 34586899
DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20210499 -
Annals of Medicine 2023The aim of this study was to compare and rank different targeted therapies or immunotherapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma based on efficacy. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare and rank different targeted therapies or immunotherapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma based on efficacy.
METHODS
A systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted. All systematic treatment regimens that reported comparisons with sorafenib were included in this analysis. The primary outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and other outcome measures included the objective response rate (ORR) and safety analysis according to reported treatment-related adverse events.
RESULTS
A total of 29 RCTs involving 13376 patients were included in the analysis, including 10 single-agent therapies and 17 combination therapies. Compared with sorafenib, sintilimab plus IBI305 (HR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.43-0.75), camrelizumab plus rivoceranib (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.49-0.78), and atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.52-0.83) ranked in the top three in terms of OS.
CONCLUSIONS
PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF)-targeting drugs have shown better therapeutic effects in the systematic treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, and the combination of targeted and immune therapy modes should be further developed.
Topics: Humans; Bayes Theorem; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Immunotherapy; Liver Neoplasms; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Network Meta-Analysis; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sorafenib
PubMed: 37557186
DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2242384 -
Radiotherapy and Oncology : Journal of... Jan 2024Advances in characterizing cancer biology and the growing availability of novel targeted agents and immune therapeutics have significantly changed the prognosis of many... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Advances in characterizing cancer biology and the growing availability of novel targeted agents and immune therapeutics have significantly changed the prognosis of many patients with metastatic disease. Palliative radiotherapy needs to adapt to these developments. In this study, we summarize the available evidence for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in the treatment of spinal metastases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using PRISMA methodology, including publications from January 2005 to September 2021, with the exception of the randomized phase III trial RTOG-0631 which was added in April 2023. Re-irradiation was excluded. For meta-analysis, a random-effects model was used to pool the data. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I-test, assuming substantial and considerable as I > 50 % and I > 75 %, respectively. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
A total of 69 studies assessing the outcomes of 7236 metastases in 5736 patients were analyzed. SBRT for spine metastases showed high efficacy, with a pooled overall pain response rate of 83 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 68 %-94 %), pooled complete pain response of 36 % (95 % CI: 20 %-53 %), and 1-year local control rate of 94 % (95 % CI: 86 %-99 %), although with high levels of heterogeneity among studies (I = 93 %, I = 86 %, and 86 %, respectively). Furthermore, SBRT was safe, with a pooled vertebral fracture rate of 9 % (95 % CI: 4 %-16 %), pooled radiation induced myelopathy rate of 0 % (95 % CI 0-2 %), and pooled pain flare rate of 6 % (95 % CI: 3 %-17 %), although with mixed levels of heterogeneity among the studies (I = 92 %, I = 0 %, and 95 %, respectively). Only 1.7 % of vertebral fractures required surgical stabilization.
CONCLUSION
Spine SBRT is characterized by a favorable efficacy and safety profile, providing durable results for pain control and disease control, which is particularly relevant for oligometastatic patients.
Topics: Humans; Radiosurgery; Spinal Neoplasms; Prognosis; Spine; Spinal Fractures; Pain; Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37922993
DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109969