Objective:The study aimed to study the efficacy and safety of combined dual therapy using anti-programmed death (PD)-1 and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with combined triple therapy using anti-PD-1, TKI and locoregional intervention triple therapy in patients with postoperative refractory recurrent liver cancer.Methods:Patients with postoperative refractory recurrent liver cancer who had undergone either anti-PD-1 and TKI dual therapy or anti-PD-1, TKI and locoregional intervention triple therapy between July 2016 and March 2019 at the First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital were retrospectively studied. Tumor responses were assessed by the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors and overall survival and progression free survival were compared. Adverse events were evaluated according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events.Results:Of 63 patients who were included in this study, there were 25 patients in the dual therapy group (16 males and 9 females, aged 54.3±8.8 years) and 38 patients in the triple therapy group (31 males and 7 females, aged 55.5±8.4 years). The 1-year survival rate of the triple therapy group was significantly higher than the dual therapy group (94.5%vs 54.9%) ( P<0.01). The disease control rate was 64.0% (16/25) in the dual therapy group and 84.2% (32/38) in the triple therapy group, and the difference was not significant ( P>0.05). The incidence of treatment-related adverse events in the triple therapy group and the dual therapy group were 78.9% (30/38) and 80% (20/25), respectively. There was no treatment-related death in the 2 groups. Conclusions:Anti-PD-1 and TKI dual therapy and anti-PD-1, TKI and locoregional intervention triple therapy were effective and tolerable treatments for postoperative refractory recurrent liver cancer. The latter treatment had a significantly better clinical benefit on survival outcomes.

Laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) has the advantage of high resolution,multi-angle exploration,and is widely used in minimally invasive surgery of biliary tract.LUS has a series of auxiliary function in difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC),common bile duct exploration,surgery of intrahepatic biliary calculi,and intraoperative staging of pancreato-biliary tumor.This paper summarizes the application of LUS in laparoscopic biliary surgeries and the related technical essentials.

Objective To summarize the preliminary clinical outcomes of combination therapy with molecular targeted agents/immunological agents and to explore the potential value of multidisciplinary therapy in the treatment of postoperative refractory recurrent hepatobiliary tumor.Methods 52 cases of postoperative refractory recurrent hepatobiliary tumor during June 2016 to January 2019 from outpatient and inpatient departments at the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital were prospectively collected,including 37 males and 15 females,with a mean age of (56.2 ± 8.5) years.Referring to the results of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and other-omics,we designed individualized therapy options for each patient.Follow-ups were done regularly and tumor responses were assessed by modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST).Results Of 52 patients,median follow-up was 10 months (range 3-31 months).14 (26.9％) patients achieved a complete response (CR).8 (15.3％) patients achieved a partial response (PR).14 (26.9％) patients had stable disease (SD).16 (30.8％,including 4 deaths) had progressive disease (PD).Objective response rate and disease control rate were 42.3％ (22/52) and 69.2％ (36/52),respectively.The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7 months.6-and 12-month overall survival rates were 100％ (48/48),87.5％ (21/24),respectively.Conclusions Precision medicine has good guidance on the treatment of refractory recurrence of hepatobiliary tumors.The combination therapy of multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors may achieve better disease control and deserve further promotion in clinical application.

Objective:To study the safety and efficacy of a treatment protocol using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and antiangiogenic targeted drugs (AATDs) in converting 41 patients with initially unresectable to resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The data of 41 patients with initially unresectable HCC treated with immunotherapy combined with targeted therapy from December 2018 to April 2021 in Chinese PLA General Hospital were analysed. There were 34 males and 7 females, aged (51.8±10.7) years. The clinical characteristics, conversion to resectable HCC, adverse drug reactions, surgical data and postoperative complications were analysed. Patients were followed-up by outpatients clinics or telephone calls.Results:There were 5 patients with Chinese Liver Cancer Staging (CNLC)-Ⅰb, 4 with CNLC-Ⅱ, 28 with CNLC-Ⅲa and 4 with CNLC-Ⅲb before the treatment protocol. Among them, 28 patients had portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) and 4 had retroperitoneal lymph node metastases. All patients had a mean tumor diameter of (9.16±4.43) cm before and (6.49±4.69) cm after the treatment protocol. The latter was based on the last assessment before hepatectomy. The efficacy of the treatment protocol in converting unresectable to resectable HCC was assessed by the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors after 3-15 cycles (median dose cycles, 5) of protocal therapy: 15 patients achieved a complete response; 15 patients achieved a partial response; 6 patients had a stable disease, and 5 patients had a progressive disease. 21 patients (51.2%) experienced adverse reactions associated with drug treatment, which resolved with symptomatic treatment or brief discontinuation of the therapy. All patients underwent successful hepatectomy. Postoperative complications of grade Ⅱ or higher occurred in 9 patients (22.0%). The cumulative overall survival rates at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years from diagnosis were 100.0%, 92.6% and 64.7% respectively. The cumulative overall survival rates at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after surgery were 95.1%, 74.7% and 60.8%, and the recurrence-free survival rates at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after surgery were 87.8%, 56.7% and 48.6%, respectively.Conclusions:This study provided preliminary evidences that surgical resection after immunotherapy combined with targeted therapy in patients with initially unresectable HCC was safe and efficacious.

Objective:To assess the clinical efficacy of sequential radical surgery after immune and targeted therapy in downstaging patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:Data were prospectively collected from December 2018 to July 2022 on patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma which were downstaged to undergo sequential surgery after treatment with immune and targeted therapy at the Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital. There were 79 patients, with 69 men and 10 women, aged (53.0±10.9) years, being enrolled into this study. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate, and the log-rank test was used for survival rate comparison. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression were used to analyze factors influencing patient prognosis.Results:There were 7 patients (8.9%) with China Liver Cancer Staging (CNLC) Ⅰb, Ⅱa, Ⅱb who had insufficient residual liver volume or tumor rupture before the downstaging therapy, and 38 patients (48.1%) with CNLC Ⅲa and 34 patients (43.0%) with CNLC Ⅲb. These 79 patients underwent R 0 resection after 3-20 cycles (median 5 cycles) of immune and targeted therapy. Based on the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumor, the results of preoperative imaging assessment were: complete remission in 12 patients (15.2%), partial remission in 50 patients (63.3%), stable disease in 15 patients (19.0%), and disease progression in 2 patients (2.5%). The overall survival rates of patients at 1, 2, and 3 years after diagnosis were 96.1%, 83.5%, and 76.6%; and the recurrence-free survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery were 62.1%, 52.9%, and 34.7%, respectively. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, patients with a preoperative alpha-fetoprotein >20 μg/L ( HR=2.816, 95% CI: 1.232-6.432, P=0.014) and a high proportion of pathological residual tumors ( HR=1.015, 95% CI: 1.004-1.026, P=0.006) had a higher risk of postoperative recurrence; and patients with a high proportion of pathological residual tumors ( HR=1.028, 95% CI: 1.007-1.049, P=0.007) and preoperative alpha-fetoprotein >400 μg/L ( HR=4.099, 95% CI: 1.193-14.076, P=0.025) had a higher risk of death. Conclusion:Immunotherapy combined with targeted therapy and sequential surgery for patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma provided long-term survival benefits. Elevated preoperative alpha-fetoprotein and a high proportion of pathological residual tumor were independent risk factors for recurrence-free survival and overall survival in this group of patients.

Objective:To analyze the value of alpha-fetoprotein(AFP) in predicting survival of patients who underwent salvage surgery after tumor downstaging therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:The data of 50 patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Staging (BCLC) C hepatocellular carcinoma treated at the Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital from December 2018 to December 2021 were collected. There were 45 males and 5 females, with the age of (53.0±10.5) years. The patients were divided into two groups based on the serum AFP level after tumor downstaging therapy, AFP normal group ( n=27, AFP≤20 μg/L) and the control group ( n=23, AFP>20 μg/L). Patient survival and tumor recurrence were followed up by outpatient review or telephone follow-up. The survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The efficacy of combined immunotargeted therapy were compared between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were carried to analyse the factors influcing prognosis. Results:The median survival time was not reached in both groups. The 1-year and 2-year cumulative survival rates were 95.0% and 88.2% in the normal group and 73.4% and 54.1% in the control group, respectively. The median relapse-free survival time of the normal group was not reached, and the median relapse-free survival time of the control group was 11 months. The 1-year recurrence-free survival rate was 78.1% in the normal group and 39.5% in the control group. The cumulative survival rate and relapse-free survival rate in the normal group were significantly higher than those in the control group (χ 2=7.60, 8.83, P=0.006, 0.003). The complete response, partial response and pathological complete response of tumors in the normal group were significant better than those in the control group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that patients with serum AFP >20 μg/L ( HR=2.952, 95% CI: 1.023-8.517, P=0.045) after immunotherapy combined with targeted therapy had an increased risk of postoperative recurrence. Conclusion:The reduction of serum AFP to normal after downstaging therapy could be used as a prognostic indicator of salvage surgical in patients with BCLC C hepatocellular carcinoma, and AFP was related to the efficacy of downstaging therapy in patients.

Objectives:To evaluate the tricuspid valve(TV)geometric remodeling in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension(IPAH)by three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. Methods:Two-dimensional and three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography were performed in 30 IPAH patients and 15 healthy controls,and the geometry parameters of TV were obtained by four-dimensional auto tricuspid valve quantitative(4D Auto-TVQ)in the right ventricular-focused apical view.Pulmonary arterial hypertension was determined by right heart catheterization within 48 hours of echocardiography. Results:The 4-chamber diameter,tricuspid annular(TA)perimeter,TA area,maximal tenting height,coaptation point height and tenting volume were larger in IPAH patients than those in healthy controls(all P＜0.05),2-chamber diameter was similar between two groups.In IPAH group,maximal tenting height and coaptation point height were moderately correlated with right ventricular end-diastolic volume(r=0.710,r=0.515,both P＜0.05),while TA perimeter,4-chamber diameter and TA area were moderately correlated with right atrial end-systolic volume(r=0.712,r=0.558,r=0.545,all P＜0.05). Conclusions:IPAH patients have larger maximal tenting height,coaptation point height and tenting volume,TA enlargement is mainly visible in 4-chamber diameter.TV tenting height is associated with right ventricular volume,but TA size is associated with right atrial volume in IPAH patients.

Objective:To analyze the relationship between killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor ( KIR) genes and immune reconstitution failure in human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients after anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Methods:HIV/AIDS patients receiving ART for ≥1 year who attended the AIDS outpatient clinics of Wuming Hospital of Guangxi Medical University and People′s Hospital of Mashan from May 2007 to December 2019 were included. Patients were divided into immune reconstitution failure group and full immune reconstitution group. Polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) was used to detect KIR genotypes in all subjects, and the genotype frequency (PF) of 16 KIR genotypes was calculated. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between KIR genotypes and immune reconstitution failure.Results:There were 102 patients with HIV/AIDS, including 44 immunological non-responders and 58 immunological responders. The PF of KIR2 DL5 in immune reconstitution failure group was 59.09%(26/44), which was higher than 36.21%(21/58) in full immune reconstitution group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=5.27, P=0.022). Multivariate logistics regression analysis showed that KIR2 DL5 was associated with immune reconstitution failure when adjusted for age and baseline CD4 + T cell count. Positive expression of KIR2 DL5 may be a risk factor for immune reconstitution failure (adjusted odds ratio (a OR)=2.431, 95% confidence interval 1.012 to 5.844, P=0.047). Conclusions:Positive expression of KIR2 DL5 may be related to immune reconstitution failure in HIV/AIDS patients after ART.