5例前列腺癌T细胞受体β链CDR3的多样性分析

T淋巴细胞受体(TCRs)在抗原识别免疫应答中作用重要,其多样性与宿主免疫反应及肿瘤预后判断密切相关。目的:采用高通量测序技术研究前列腺癌组织和癌旁组织中T细胞受体(TCR)克隆多样性及其克隆序列。方法:收集5例PC患者的癌组织和癌旁组织,提取DNA后经多重PCR技术对TCRβ链CDR3区进行扩增。用Illumina MiSeq进行测序,经过数据处理和比对分析,比较前列腺癌组织TCR CDR3组库的组成特征。结果:前列腺癌组织具有更高程度的克隆百分比和较高的高度扩增克隆比HEC(HEC:频率样本总读数的0. 5%的TCR克隆),并获得了24对在癌组织样本中差异表达的V-J基因组合、16对在癌旁组织样本中差异表达的V-J基因组合。结论:前列腺癌组织与癌旁组织均存在差异性的V-J基因组合以及高克隆表达的HEC,其中癌组织样品具有更高的HEC。PC发生发展对免疫学研究提供了新的数据,对PC免疫监视、T细胞受体变异标志等研究提供了参考,对以后继续研究打下了基础。     

加速康复外科理念在根治性子宫切除术患者中的应用研究

目的:探讨加速康复外科理念对行根治性子宫切除术的宫颈癌患者的围手术期应用价值。方法:选取2013年1月至2018年7月在我院行因宫颈癌行根治性子宫切除术的66例患者作为研究对象。将入院患者随机分为观察组及对照组,观察组接受加速康复外科理念治疗(30例),对照组为常规治疗组(36例)。比较两组患者的肠鸣音恢复时间、肛门排气时间、下床行走时间、术后住院时间以及术后并发症的发生情况。结果:观察组与对照组肠鸣音恢复时间分别为(35.9±3.4)h及(39.6±3.0)h,术后首次排气时间分别为(50.7±2.7)h及(54.8±3.2)h,下床行走时间分别为(49.9±2.6)h及(53.6±3.2)h。术后住院时间分别为(7.6±1.7)d及(9.2±1.8)d,观察组以上指标均显著短于对照组(P0.01)。观察组与对照组的术后并发症总发生率分别为10.11%及23.44%,观察组显著低于对照组(P0.05)。两组拔除尿管后尿潴留的发生情况比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:加速康复外科理念用于宫颈癌根治术患者的围手术期可有效加速患者的康复,且安全性较高。     

环氧合酶-2/5-脂氧合酶抑制剂对酒精相关性口腔癌的抑制作用

目的:分析和比较选择性环氧合酶-2 (Cox-2)抑制剂塞来昔布、5-脂氧合酶(5-Lox)抑制剂齐留通及Cox/5-Lox双酶抑制剂利克飞龙对酒精相关性口腔癌的抑制作用。方法:选择66只C57BL/6小鼠,分为阴性对照组、模型组(4NQO组)、阳性对照组、齐留通干预组、塞来昔布干预组和利克飞龙干预组。阴性对照组不做任何处理,其余各组饮用50μg/m L四硝基喹啉-1-氧化物(4NQO)溶液16周后,阳性对照组及各干预组以8%酒精溶液代替饮用水喂养8周,同时开始分别用三蒸水和同等药量的齐留通、塞来昔布、利克飞龙(100 mg·kg-1·d-1)灌胃8周;于24周处死动物,取舌行组织病理学观察、BrdU免疫组化染色、蛋白质印迹法(Western-blot)检测舌组织中5-Lox、Cox-2蛋白的表达。结果:饮用酒精后,口腔癌发生率从16.7%增加到58.3%,5-Lox、Cox-2蛋白表达显著增加癌组织中BrdU阳性率显著升高。齐留通干预后,口腔癌发生率(41.7%)显著降低,5-Lox表达显著减少,Cox-2表达显著增加,Brd U阳性率显著降低;塞来昔布干预后,口腔癌发生率(50.0%)显著降低,Cox-2表达显著减少,5-Lox表达显著增加,BrdU阳性率显著降低;利克飞龙干预后,口腔癌发生率(25%),Brd U阳性率与阳性对照组、齐留通干预组和塞来昔布干预组相比均显著降低,5-Lox、Cox-2蛋白表达比阳性对照组显著减少(P0.05)。结论:酒精促进口腔癌变的过程可能与5-Lox和Cox-2的表达上调关系密切;齐留通和塞来昔布可以分别抑制5-Lox和Cox-2活性,使口腔癌的发生率显著降低;利克飞龙对口腔癌的抑制作用优于齐留通和塞来昔布。     

Senescence‐associated tissue microenvironment promotes colon cancer formation through the secretory factor GDF15

The risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) varies between people, and the cellular mechanisms mediating the differences in risk are largely unknown. Senescence has been implicated as a causative cellular mechanism for many diseases, including cancer, and may affect the risk for CRC. Senescent fibroblasts that accumulate in tissues secondary to aging and oxidative stress have been shown to promote cancer formation via a senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP). In this study, we assessed the role of senescence and the SASP in CRC formation. Using primary human colon tissue, we found an accumulation of senescent fibroblasts in normal tissues from individuals with advanced adenomas or carcinomas in comparison with individuals with no polyps or CRC. In in vitro and ex vivo model systems, we induced senescence using oxidative stress in colon fibroblasts and demonstrated that the senescent fibroblasts secrete GDF15 as an essential SASP factor that promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in colon adenoma and CRC cell lines as well as primary colon organoids via the MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways. In addition, we observed increased mRNA expression of GDF15 in primary normal colon tissue from people at increased risk for CRC in comparison with average risk individuals. These findings implicate the importance of a senescence‐associated tissue microenvironment and the secretory factor GDF15 in promoting CRC formation.     

Late toxicity for prostate cancer patients treated with hypofractionated helical tomotherapy

AimThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the long term tolerability of hypofractionated helical tomotherapy (HT) in localized prostate cancer patients.BackgroundPrevious hypofractionated schedules with conventional RT were associated with excessive toxicity, likely due to inadequate sophistication of treatment delivery. There are few data about late toxicity after HT.Materials and methodsWe evaluated 38 patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the prostate. There were 9 (24%), 15 (39%), and 14 (37%) patients with high, intermediate, and low risk, respectively. Patients were treated with hypofractionated HT from May 2008 to February 2011. Hypofractionation regimens included: 68.04 Gy at 2.52 Gy/fraction (N = 25; 66%), 70 Gy at 2.5 Gy/fraction (N = 4; 11%) and 70.2 Gy at 2.6 Gy/fraction (N = 9; 23%). Late genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity was scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group scoring system.ResultsMedian age at diagnosis was 70 years (range 49–80) and median follow-up, 5.8 years. Late grade 1, 2 and 3 GI toxicity were 13%, 24%, and 2.6%, respectively. Late grade 1, 2, 3 GU toxicity were 29%, 21%, and 8%, respectively. Sexual toxicity was evaluated in 19 patients to be grade 1, 2 in 11% and grade 3 in 16%. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with higher values of rectum V50 associated with late GI toxicity (P = 0.025). Patients with PSA ≤8 (P = 0.048) or comorbidities (P = 0.013) at diagnosis were associated with higher late GU toxicity. Additionally, PSA ≤8 also associated with moderate (grade ≥2) late GU toxicity in the multivariate analysis (P = 0.028).ConclusionsHypofractionated HT can be delivered safely with limited rates of moderate and severe late toxicity. The proportion of the rectum that receives a moderate and high dose, having comorbidities, and PSA at diagnosis seem to associate with long term toxicity.     

A review of automatic lung tumour segmentation in the era of 4DCT

AimTo review the literature on auto-contouring methods of lung tumour volumes on four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT).BackgroundManual delineation of lung tumour on 4DCT has been the gold standard in clinical practice. However, it is resource intensive due to the high volume of data which results in longer contouring duration and uncertainties in defining target. Auto-contouring may present as an attractive alternative by decreasing manual inputs required, thus improving the contouring process. This review aims to assess the accuracy, variability and contouring duration of automatic contouring compared with manual contouring in lung cancer on 4DCT datasets.Materials and methodsA search and review of literature were conducted to identify studies regarding lung tumour contouring on 4DCT. Manual and auto-contours were assessed and compared based on accuracy, variability and contouring duration.ResultsThirteen studies were included in this review and their results were compared. Accuracy of auto-contours was found to be comparable to manual contours. Auto-contouring resulted in lesser inter-observer variation when compared to manual contouring, however there was no significant reduction in intra-observer variability. Additionally, contouring duration was reduced with auto-contouring although long computation time could present as a bottleneck.ConclusionAuto-contouring is reliable and efficient, producing accurate contours with better consistency compared to manual contours. However, manual inputs would still be required both before and after auto-propagation.     

Proteomic approaches for cancer epigenetics research

Introduction: Epigenetic dysregulation drives or supports numerous human cancers. The chromatin landscape in cancer cells is often marked by abnormal histone post-translational modification (PTM) patterns and by aberrant assembly and recruitment of protein complexes to specific genomic loci. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analyses can support the discovery and characterization of both phenomena.

Areas covered: We broadly divide this literature into two parts: ‘modification-centric’ analyses that link histone PTMs to cancer biology; and ‘complex-centric’ analyses that examine protein–protein interactions that occur de novo as a result of oncogenic mutations. We also discuss proteomic studies of oncohistones. We highlight relevant examples, discuss limitations, and speculate about forthcoming innovations regarding each application.

Expert commentary: ‘Modification-centric’ analyses have been used to further understanding of cancer’s histone code and to identify associated therapeutic vulnerabilities. ‘Complex-centric’ analyses have likewise revealed insights into mechanisms of oncogenesis and suggested potential therapeutic targets, particularly in MLL-associated leukemia. Proteomic experiments have also supported some of the pioneering studies of oncohistone-mediated tumorigenesis. Additional applications of proteomics that may benefit cancer epigenetics research include middle-down and top-down histone PTM analysis, chromatin reader profiling, and genomic locus-specific protein identification. In the coming years, proteomic approaches will remain powerful ways to interrogate the biology of cancer.     

Assessment of cartilage invasion in case of laryngeal cancer by means of longitudinal sectioning for histopathology – Clinical implications

AimThe aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of radiological diagnosis of laryngeal cartilage infiltration by histopathological examination of laryngeal specimen after total laryngectomy.BackgroundDespite the development of new medical technologies and significant clinical advances allowing early diagnosis and treatment of laryngeal cancer, mortality is still on the rise. Neoplastic infiltration of the laryngeal cartilages is the most common source of error in the assessment of cancer staging. Furthermore, cartilage invasion is listed as a contraindication to partial surgical techniques as well as radiotherapy.Materials and methodsThe study was carried out on 21 larynges following total laryngectomy. Before taking the decision to perform surgery, high-resolution CT scans were performed in all cases. An extended histopathological examination was conducted using a unique vertical cross-section of the whole larynx.ResultsPathology reported 2 cases of arytenoid cartilage invasion, 5 cases of cricoid cartilage invasion, 12 cases of thyroid cartilage penetration, 1 case of internal cortex invasion and 9 cases of extra-laryngeal spread. CT imaging identified 8 of 13 cases (61.5%) of pathologically proven invasion of thyroid cartilage and only 2 cases (2/9, 22%) of extra-laryngeal spread. According to CT results, arytenoid cartilage invasion was correctly identified in 2 cases, cricoid cartilage invasion in 4 (4/5, 80%). The positive predictive values for thyroid, cricoid and arytenoid cartilage invasion and penetration were 80%, 66.7% and 50%, respectively. In case of pre-laryngeal spread the positive predictive value was 100%.ConclusionDespite increasingly advanced methods involved in the diagnosis of laryngeal cancer, many discrepancies may be observed between the radiological and histopathological assessments. CT imaging has limitations especially in thyroid cartilage penetration and extra-laryngeal spread assessment in advanced laryngeal cancer cases. An extended histopathological examination, involving vertical cross-sections of the whole larynx is a very precise study that allows a precise determination of local cancer staging (T).