1.Clinical characteristics and prognostic analysis of patients with locally advanced or metastatic pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors
Zhang YI ; Fang JIAN ; Ma XU ; Mi LAN ; Han SEN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2025;52(5):234-239
Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with locally advanced or metastatic pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors(NETs).Methods:The clinical records of patients with locally advanced or metastatic pulmonary NETs in Peking Uni-versity Cancer Hospital&Institute were selected from January 2014 to June 2024.The clinical characteristics,treatment,and survival pro-gnosis were then analyzed.Results:There were 32 patients,of which 18 were male and 14 female.The median age was 56 years.Nine pa-tients had typical carcinoid and 23 had atypical carcinoid,with six in stage Ⅲ and 26 in stage Ⅳ.The common metastatic sites included the bones(18 cases),lungs(8 cases),pleura(7 cases),and liver(7 cases).The median length of the measurable primary tumor was 5.2 cm,which was mostly located centrally(22 cases).Five among the 16 patients who underwent somatostatin receptor(SSTR)imaging had high SSTR ex-pression.The initial symptoms mainly included respiratory symptoms,and none of them were combined with carcinoid syndrome.For the first-line treatment,19 patients were treated with chemotherapy,seven were treated with targeted therapy,four were treated with soma-tostatin analogs(SSAs),and two were treated with surgery.The best efficacy was evaluated as a partial response in one case(3.1%),stable disease in 23 cases(71.9%),and non-evaluable or unknown in eight cases(25%)in the first-line treatment.The median progression-free sur-vival(mPFS)of patients who received first-line treatment was 5.2 months(95%CI:0.0-13.9).The PFS of targeted therapy was the longest(11.0 months,95%CI:0.0-29.6),but there was no significant difference compared with the PFS of chemotherapy and SSA groups(P>0.05).The longest PFS(24.5 months,95%CI:0.0-58.7)was found in patients treated with chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy,but there was no significant difference compared to the PFS of the combined immunotherapy and combined anti-angiogenesis groups(P>0.05).The survival rates at 1,3,and 5 years were 79.1%,65.5%,and 58.9%,respectively.Cox regression analysis did not identify independent risk factors for prognosis.Conclusions:The initial symptoms of patients with locally advanced or metastatic NETs were mainly respiratory symp-toms but without specific manifestations.Some of them were accompanied by high SSTR expression,and there was generally no carcinoid syndrome.The first-line systemic therapy mainly included chemotherapy and target therapy,with relatively low objective response and high disease control rates.Targeted therapy and combined radiotherapy have longer PFS than that of chemotherapy.The overall survival of pa-tients with pulmonary NETs was good.
2.Clinical analysis of thyroid lobe as a transfer flap for repairing early pharyngeal fistu-las after total laryngectomy
Du YUSHAN ; Li RUTING ; Wen XIANXUE ; Xiao XUPING ; Liu BIN ; Ma LIJUAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2025;52(5):240-243
Objective:We summarize the clinical characteristics of surgeries in which the thyroid lobe is used as a transfer flap to treat early pharyngeal fistula following total laryngectomy.We also provide useful data for improving the diagnosis and management of this condition.Methods:Retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 8 patients with pharyngocutaneous fistulas after total laryngectomy for laryn-geal and pharyngeal cancer patients admitted to Hunan Provincial People's Hospital(The First Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University)between October 2016 and October 2023.The surgeons performed a double-layer repair technique that included local inversion and a purse-string suture of the fistula using the thyroid lobe as a transfer flap.Clinical data were collected to analyze postoperative outcomes.Results:All eight patients experienced successful pharyngeal fistula repair.Postoperatively,these patients were managed with nasogastric tube feed-ing,liquid diet,and prophylactic antibiotics to prevent infection.After 10 days,their diet was changed to oral liquids,and their nasogastric tubes were removed.All patients were discharged after complete recovery.Conclusions:Use of the thyroid lobe as a transfer flap in a double-layer repair technique involving local inversion of the fistula is an effective method for repairing early pharyngeal fistula after total laryngectomy.This approach offers several advantages,including ease of flap harvesting,shortened operation time,reduced patient discom-fort,high transfer flap survival rate,and rapid postoperative recovery.The clinical efficacy of this technique is well-supported,making it a re-liable option for the management of early pharyngeal leaks.
3.Controversy and consensus on the role of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer
Zhang WENJING ; Zhou YI ; Ji LIANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2025;52(5):244-247
The incidence of breast cancer(BC)is on the rise.The effective and precise management of BC continues to be topical.Tumor in-filtrating lymphocytes(TILs),significant biomarkers indicative of the biological behavior of BC,have not been well recognized in clinical prac-tice.There are some impediments,including the lack of a standard protocol for the quantification of TILs,an optimized threshold for TILs,and a repeatable noninvasive method for the assessment of TILs.These issues are the major controversies preventing the use of TILs as bio-markers in the clinical management of BC.Nevertheless,the value of TILs as biomarkers in the assessment of the prognosis and prediction of the response to treatment cannot be neglected,as they show promise in promoting precise and individualized management of BC.We aimed to offer a comprehensive outline of the current controversies and consensus regarding TILs as biomarkers in the management of BC,with the aim of providing a basis for the rational application of TILs as biomarkers.
4.A retrospective study of BRAF inhibitors and EGFR inhibitors combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with microsatellite stable, BRAF V600E mutated metastatic colorectal cancer
Zhi JI ; Jinguo MA ; Xia WANG ; Jiaqi XIN ; Lijun MA ; Yixuan WANG ; Nan ZHANG ; Chunyan ZENG ; Rui LIU
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(9):922-928
Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) inhibitor and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor in microsatellite stable (MSS) BRAF V600E metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients.Methods:The data and outcomes of mCRC patients with MSS BRAF V600E who received BRAF inhibitor, EGFR inhibitor combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from May 2022 to April 2024 were retrospectively collected.Results:A total of 12 mCRC patients were included in this study, the objective response rate was 50.0%, the disease control rate was 66.7%, and the median disease control time of patients who achieved objective response was 8.0 months. The median progression-free survival was 6.8 months and the median overall survival was 8.4 months. Overall adverse reactions were controllable, the most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue (8 cases), fever (5 cases), and rash (4 cases). There were no grade 4 adverse event, serious adverse event, and treatment-related death.Conclusion:BRAF inhibitor and EGFR inhibitor combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor show good efficacy and controllable safety in BRAF V600E mCRC patients.
5.Interpretation of the Chinese Medical Association guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer (2025 edition)
Bo ZHANG ; Runbo ZHONG ; Hua ZHONG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(10):981-986
The "Chinese Medical Association guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer (2025 edition)" was collaboratively completed under the leadership of Professor Han Baohui from the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Shanghai Chest Hospital and Professor Wang Jie from the Department of Medical Oncology at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College. The guideline involved the cooperation of more than 50 lung cancer diagnosis and treatment institutions and over 100 experts across China. Since the completion of the first edition in 2018, the guideline is typically revised annually to promptly incorporate the latest advancements in the field of lung cancer. The most distinctive feature of these guidelines is that they exclusively reference the indications approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China. At the same time, particular emphasis is placed on integrating clinical research data from Chinese scholars based on Chinese patients, thereby enhancing the guidelines' authority, applicability, and drug accessibility. The "Chinese Medical Association guideline for clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer (2025 edition)" was officially published in September 2025. To better introduce the key points of the guidelines to peers, this interpretation has been prepared.
6.The role of principles of surgical oncology in the development of minimally invasive surgery for head and neck cancers
Shuxin WEN ; Kaixue WEN ; Yuhao ZHANG ; Rui WANG ; Chen WANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(10):987-990
The classic principles of oncological surgery were accepted based the procedures from radical surgery for breast cancer described by Halsted in 1894, which can be summarized as tumor en bolc resection, clean surgical margin, regional lymph nodes dissection, and tumor-free technique. The classic principles of oncological surgery are the cornerstone of cancer surgical treatment and have significantly promoted the development of oncological surgery. The minimally invasive surgery is the trend of contemporary oncological surgery for the characteristics of minimal invasion, better tissue identification, precise manipulation, and fast postoperative recovery. Head and neck cancers are usually related to the upper aerodigestive tract, as well as important nerves and blood vessels in head and neck. The anatomical structures of the relative organs are intricate and delicate, and their functions are crucial. Therefore, there is an urgent need for minimally invasive surgical techniques. However, the head and neck cancers which are larger or located in some special sites such as the skull base have to be removed by piecemeal resection in minimally invasive surgery. The piecemeal resection of tumor increases the risks of tumor positive surgical margins and tumor implantation metastasis. The goal of radical surgery for cancers is to completely remove the tumor and obtain a really clean surgical margin. If head and neck cancer is indication for radical surgery, appropriate operative manipulation (en bloc or piecemeal resection) is able to achieve the goal of radical surgery. Giving attention to both the advantages of the principles of oncological surgery and minimally invasive surgical techniques benefits more patients with head and neck cancers from better survival rate and minor invasive morbidities.
7.Design principles and statistical considerations in oncological non-inferiority clinical trials
Yamei LIU ; Tao CHEN ; Yang WANG ; Chao LI
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(10):991-1000
Non-inferiority clinical trials are a research paradigm that employs randomized controlled methods to evaluate whether the treatment effect of the experimental group is not inferior to that of the active control group within a predefined acceptable margin. This article systematically summarizes the applicable conditions, key design elements, and statistical analysis methods for non-inferiority trials. By integrating representative case studies in the field of oncology, it elucidates the unique value of non-inferiority designs in balancing benefits and risks and in optimizing therapeutic decisions. Through reviewing theoretical frameworks and addressing common misconceptions in methodological practices, this study aims to provide clear guidance for the standardized design and scientific interpretation of non-inferiority trials, thereby promoting their high-quality application in clinical research.
8.A comparative study of radial ultrasound combined with cryobiopsy and forceps biopsy under thin-layer CT navigation in the diagnosis of malignant peripheral lung lesions
Ting GAO ; Xiaopeng HE ; Peiwen ZHAO ; Juanzhi LI ; Shuli YUAN ; Lei ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(10):1001-1008
Objective:Comparative study on the application value of bronchial ultrasound combined with different biopsy methods under thin-layer CT navigation in the diagnosis of malignant peripheral lung lesions.Methods:A retrospective analysis of patients with suspected malignant peripheral lung lesions identified by chest CT from January 2019 to September 2024 at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, and Xianyang Central Hospital, who underwent routine bronchoscopy with negative results (209 cases). These patients were diagnosed using bronchial ultrasound under thin-layer CT navigation. The cases were divided into a cryobiopsy group (127 cases) and a conventional forceps biopsy group based on the biopsy method (82 cases). The diagnostic rates of the two groups were statistically analyzed, along with factors influencing the diagnostic rates. The tissue size obtained from both groups was compared, and the occurrence of complications was summarized.Results:This study included 209 cases with 216 peripheral lung lesions. A total of 209 cases with 210 lesions were successfully located through thin-slice CT guidance, resulting in a guiding success rate of 97.2% (210/216). Among the 130 lesions in the cryobiopsy group, 78 lesions were diagnosed as lung malignancies, with a diagnostic rate of 82.1% (64/78) for cryobiopsy in lung malignant lesions. In the forceps biopsy group, 46 of the 86 lesions were diagnosed as lung malignancies, with a diagnostic rate of 87.0% (40/46) for forceps biopsy in lung malignant lesions. There was no statistically significant difference between the two diagnostic rates ( P=0.473). The average longest diameter of tissue obtained by cryobiopsy was (6.11±0.23) mm, while the average longest diameter of tissue obtained by forceps biopsy was (1.58±0.43) mm. There was a statistically significant difference in tissue longest diameter between the two groups ( P<0.001). When the distance from the bronchoscopic tip to the lesion was ≥3 cm and the most distal bronchus visible under bronchoscopy was ≤5th generation, the diagnostic rate of forceps biopsy was higher [83.3%(25/30) and 94.1%(32/34)] than that of cryobiopsy [79.3%(23/29) and 78.0%(46/59)], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Regarding complications, one case (1.3%, 1/78) of clinically significant complications occurred in the cryobiopsy group, while no complications occurred in the forceps biopsy group. Conclusions:Under thin-layer CT navigation, bronchial ultrasound combined with different biopsy methods demonstrates a high diagnostic rate for malignant peripheral lung lesions and is safe to operate. Cryobiopsy allows for the collection of larger tissue specimens.
9.Clinical analysis of 33 cases of primary pulmonary NUT carcinoma
Lili JIANG ; Yue CHEN ; San'en LI ; Lingchuan GUO
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(10):1009-1017
Objectives:Cases from our hospital and a systematic review were performed in this paper to get a better understanding on the diagnosis and therapies for primary pulmonary NUT carcinoma (PPNC) patients.Methods:The clinical features, pathological diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of PPNC patients from 2020—2025, including four cases from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, were collected delicately. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression model were used to calculate cumulative survival and prognostic factors.Results:The male-to-female ratio of PPNC was 18∶15, the left to right ratio was 14∶19, the median age was 36 years old and the median tumor diameter was 6.1 cm. Most patients were already at an advanced stage with the clinical features-cough (16/33) and chest or back pain (13/33) when they first came to the hospital. The tumor cells were arranged in nest pattern with small-medium size, round to oval shape, and nuclei were deeply stained. The high positive staining of NUT (32/32) and CK-pan (16/19) was observed, NUTM1 gene translocation in 24 cases was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and different gene rearrangements were located by NGS- NUTM1- BRD4 (8/12), NUTM1- BRD3 (2/12), NUTM1- BRD2 (1/12) and NUTM1- ZNF532 (1/12). Most patients accepted different chemotherapy regimens (25/29), including paclitaxel albumin and platinum (13/25), etoposide and platinum (8/25). Meanwhile, 12 cases were treated with PD-1/PD-L1 antibody during the therapy. The median follow-up time was 7 months in 28 cases tracked from 2-90 months. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that metastasis of this disease affected patient prognosis ( HR=2.55, 95% CI: 0.974-6.677, P=0.057) and the cumulative survival rate was lower in the older ones. Conclusions:PPNC, more often found in middle-aged patients, no difference in sex, can be diagnosed by pathmorphology and immunophenotype, while NUTM1 molecular test is highly suggested for the accurate therapy. Metastasis can be recognized as the prognostic risk factor. Early detection of the cancer improves the chances of successful treatment, especially in patients with older age.
10.Analysis of factors affecting long-term survival in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and the efficacy of immunotherapy
Jian BU ; Kang NING ; Yongchao YU ; Zan JIAO ; Tong WU ; Zhongyuan YANG ; Weichao CHEN ; Ankui YANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(8):756-762
Objective:To explore the long-term survival outcomes of patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) and analyze key factors influencing the prognosis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and follow-up data of 77 ATC patients treated at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from March 2000 to July 2022, with tumor-specific survival as the primary endpoint. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot the survival curves, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify the prognostic factors.Results:Among the 77 patients, 64 underwent surgical treatment, with 33 receiving surgery alone, 8 undergoing surgery combined with chemotherapy, 13 undergoing surgery with radiotherapy, 1 undergoing surgery with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 2 receiving surgery combined with chemotherapy and targeted therapy, 3 receiving surgery with targeted therapy, and 4 receiving surgery with immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Among the 13 patients who did not undergo surgery, 2 received chemotherapy alone, 3 received targeted therapy alone, 1 received immunotherapy alone, 1 received chemoradiotherapy, 5 received chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, and 1 received immunotherapy combined with targeted therapy. The median follow-up time was 8.4 months, with 58 patients (75.3%) died, and the median survival time was 6.63 months. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that C-reactive protein, monocyte count, lymphocyte count, abnormal albumin levels, the maximum diameter of the primary tumor, BMI, and whether immunotherapy was administered were significantly associated with survival in ATC patients (all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that immunotherapy was an independent factor for survival in ATC patients ( HR=0.18, 95% CI: 0.05-0.62, P=0.007). Among the 40 patients admitted after 2015, the 11 patients who received immunotherapy had a median survival time of 17.2 months, which was superior to the 29 patients who did not receive this treatment (median survival time 6.2 months, P=0.03). Conclusions:ATC patients receiving immunotherapy had a better prognosis and longer survival. Additionally, elevated C-reactive protein, abnormal albumin, monocyte count, lymphocyte count, and BMI might be associated with poorer prognosis in ATC. Tailoring treatment based on the individual characteristics of ATC patients may be beneficial for their long-term survival.

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