Objective: To explore the correlation between the expression of C-terminal tensin-like protein (CTEN) and the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Using immunohistochemistry, we detected CTEN protein level in samples of primary lesion and adjacent non-tumor lesion collected from 240 patients with HCC. The relationship between CTEN expression and clinicopathology, 5 year recurrent-free survival, or overall survival was evaluated by Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier, or Cox regression analysis. Results: High CTEN expression was detected in 55% of hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and 20%of adjacent carcinoma tissues (P<0.001). CTEN expression was positively correlated with tumor diameter (P=0.022), venous invasion (P=0.007) or TNM stages (P=0.022). Five-year recurrence-free survival time (P<0.001) and overall survival time (P<0.001) in patients with high CTEN expression were signiifcantly less than those in patients with low CTEN expression. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the CTEN expression was an independent prognostic marker for HCC (all P<0.05). Conclusion: CTEN protein may play a role in the genesis and development of HCC, and it can function as a prognostic marker.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of RA SAL2 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to investigate the association of RASAL2 expression with pathological characteristics and prognosis. METHODS: Immunohistochemical SP method was used to detect the expression of RA SAL2 in 164 samples of HCC tissue and the adjacent tissue. Th e association of RA SAL2 expression with clinical features and prognosis was analyzed. RESULTS: The expression of RASAL2 in adjacent tissue was significantly increased compared to that in HCC tissue (P<0.001). The expression level of RASAL2 was associated with the degree of differentiation, tumor TNM stage and vascular invasion (P<0.001), but not associated with the level of AFP, tumor size, or the number of nodules (P>0.05). The 5 years recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with low expression of RASLA2 was significantly reduced compared with that in patients with high expression of RASLA2 (P<0.001). Cox analysis showed that low expression of RASLA2 was the independent factor for recurrence and death in HCC patients after surgery (P<0.001). CONCLUSION Low expression of RRASAL2 is significantly associated with the poor prognosis of HCC, which is an independent factor for HCC prognosis.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carrier Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Prognosis

Objective: To evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) with high risk factors. Methods: Data of 101 patients who were diagnosed with stage II-III rectal cancer with high risk factors and received TNT between March 2015 and January 2018 at West China Hospital of Sichuan University were analyzed retrospectively. Inclusion criteria: (1) patients were diagnosed with stage II-III rectal cancer by high-resolution MRI combined with CT and endorectal ultrasound; (2) at least one high risk factor: cT4a, cT4b, cN2, EMVI+, CRM+ and lateral lymph node+; (3) distance from tumor to anal verge was within 15 cm; (4) Eastern Collaborative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score was 0-1; bone marrow function, liver function and kidney function were suitable for chemoradiotherapy; (5) patients were treated with TNT strategy; (6) the follow-up data and postoperative pathological data were complete. Patients with previous rectal cancer surgery (except prophylactic colostomy), pelvic radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy, those with distant metastases, those without neoadjuvant radiotherapy, those receiving less than 4 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were excluded. The regimen of TNT: 3 cycles of induction CAPOX (oxaliplatin plus capecitabine) were followed by pelvic radiotherapy and concurrent CAPOX, then 3 cycles of consolidation CAPOX were delivered after radiotherapy. Total mesorectal resection (TME) or watch-and-wait strategy was selected according to the therapeutic effect and patients' wishes. Short-term efficacy, including tumor regression grade (TRG), pathological complete response (pCR), clinical complete response (cCR), postoperative complications within 30 days of surgery, and adverse events (AE) to radiotherapy and chemotherapy (measured using CTCAE 4.0) was analyzed. Results: The 101 patients included 68 males (67.3%) and 33 females (32.7%) with a median age of 54 years. The proportion of patients with cT4a, cT4b, cN2 and enlarged lateral lymph node was 13.9%, 29.7%, 56.4% and 43.6%, respectively. The mean cycle of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 6.0±1.3. Seventy-five patients (74.3%) received at least 6 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 100 (99.0%) completed radiotherapy. The mean cycle of induction and consolidation chemotherapy was 2.0±0.9 and 2.8±1.0 respectively. Most common grade 3 AE was leucopenia (n=13, 12.9%) and thrombocytopenia (n=7, 6.9%). Grade 3 diarrhea and radiation dermatitis were observed in 5 cases (5.0%) respectively. Grade 3 anemia and rectal pain were observed in 4 cases (4.0%) respectively. And rectal mucositis was observed in 2 cases (2.0%). Most of the AE was observed during concurrent chemoradiotherapy. No grade 4 or higher AE was observed. After TNT, 32 patients (31.7%) achieved pCR or cCR, and 62 patients (60.4%) achieved partial response (PR). Only 2 patients (2.0%) developed distant metastasis after chemoradiotherapy, while the other patients did not show disease progression. Seven patients (6.9%) with cCR refused surgery and selected watch-and-wait, while 7 patients without cCR still refused surgery. The other 87 patients (86.1%) underwent TME successfully. The mean interval from the completion of chemoradiotherapy to surgery was (20.1±8.5) weeks. The R0 resection rate was 97.7% (85/87).The morbidity of surgical complication was 16.1% (14/87), including pelvic infection or abscess in 6 cases (6.9%), anastomotic leakage in 3 (3.4%), hemorrhage in 2 (2.3%), and gastrointestinal dysfunction in 3 (3.4%). Pathological findings revealed that 24 cases (27.6%) had TRG 0, 20 (23.0%) had TRG 1, 30 (34.5%) TRG 2, and 13 (14.9%) TRG 3. Conclusion TNT is safe and has good short-term efficacy for locally advanced rectal cancer patients with high risk factors.