Over the past years,the non-surgical treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer was chemotherapy,whereas the role of radiotherapy was controversial.With the development of precise radiotherapy techniques,radiotherapy has become one of the main treatments.In addition,brachytherapy radioactive seed implantation provides a new treatment method for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.However,there are no criteria about the optimum technology,dose and concurrently chemotherapy drugs,which need further clinical research.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) serum level and the promoter 5A/6A polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction (ACI) in a Chinese Han population.

METHODSTwo hundred and fifteen patients with acute ACI from the Department of Neurology of Taizhou Hospital and 226 healthy controls were included in the study. Serum MMP-3 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for the common 5A/6A functional promoter polymorphism of the MMP-3 gene.

RESULTSThe genotype distribution of the MMP-3 promoter 5A/6A polymorphism between the ACI patients group and the control group was significantly different (chi (2)= 9.389, P= 0.002). The frequencies of the 5A allele were 14.2% and 7.7% in the ACI patients group and the control group respectively (chi (2)= 9.430, P= 0.002). Serum level of MMP-3 in the ACI patients group was significantly higher than that in the control group (t= 24.867, P= 0.000). Among the ACI patients group, serum MMP-3 levels also had significant difference between the 5A/6A+ 5A/5A and the 6A/6A genotype (t= 2.057, P= 0.041).

CONCLUSIONThe present findings suggest that serum level of MMP-3 obviously increased within 48 hours of ischemic stroke and the genetic polymorphism of 5A/6A in the MMP-3 promoter is associated with ACI and MMP-3 expression in the Chinese Han population.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; blood ; complications ; genetics ; Ethnic Groups ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis ; blood ; complications ; genetics ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 ; blood ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; genetics

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of different types of neoadjuvant therapy for esophageal cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 542 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who received neoadjuvant therapy in Anyang Tumor Hospital of Science and Technology from January 2015 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients, consisting of 198 females and 344 males, with 289 cases aging ≤ 65 and 253 cases aging >65, were divided into a neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) group (137 cases), a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) group (241 cases), and a neoadjuvant immunotherapy plus chemotherapy (NICT) group (164 cases). In this study, primary endpoints included major pathological response (MPR) and pathologic complete response (pCR) rates, and secondary endpoints comprised overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and safety. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and inter-group comparisons were made using the Log-rank test. Furthermore, prognostic factors were analyzed based on the Cox proportional hazards regression model.Results:The NCRT, NCT, and NICT groups exhibited MPR and pCR rates of 66.4% (91/137) and 35.3% (85/241), 63.4% (104/164) and 35.8% (49/137), and 6.6% (16/241) and 31.1% (51/164), respectively ( χ2=1.67, P < 0.001). These groups displayed 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates of 89.8%, 85.9%, and 91.9%; 82.3%, 71.4%, and 81.5%; and 72.3%, 61.4%, and 77.8%, respectively, with significant differences ( χ2=9.20, P < 0.01). Furthermore, they exhibited 1-, 2-, and 3-year PFS rates of 81.5%, 75.9%, and 80.1%; 67.9%, 61.0%, and 65.5%; and 66.6%, 53.5%, and 65.3%, respectively, with significant differences ( χ2=4.62, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that therapeutic modality, T stage, and N stage were independent prognostic factors for OS ( P < 0.05). Additionally, there was no difference in adverse reactions and postoperative complications among the three groups. Conclusions:Compared to NCT, NICT and NCRT feature higher pCR and MPR rates, along with more survival benefits. Therefore, neoadjuvant immunotherapy has the potential to serve as a preoperative therapeutic modality for esophageal cancer, yet large-scale randomized controlled trials are still required for confirmation.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy with or without radiotherapy in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (R/M ESCC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 75 patients with R/M ESCC treated with sintilimab at Anyang Tumor Hospital from January 2020 to October 2021. The patients were divided into the radiotherapy (RT) group ( n=37) and non-radiotherapy (NRT) group ( n=38) based on whether they received radiotherapy. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse effects were compared between two groups. Count data were expressed as composition ratios and analyzed using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Results:There was no statistically significant difference in ORR and DCR between the RT and NRT groups (70% vs. 61%, P=0.375; 95% vs. 89%, P=0.414). However, the complete response (CR) rate in the RT group was higher compared to that in the NRT group (19% vs. 3%, P=0.022). The median follow-up duration was 25.4 months. There was no statistically significant difference in the median PFS and OS between the RT and NRT groups (13.8 months vs. 9.9 months, P=0.221; 20.2 months vs. 18.9 months, P=0.214). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that among patients with recurrence or metastasis confined to local and / or ≤3 distant lymph nodes, there was no statistically significant difference in the median PFS between the RT and NRT groups (15.1 months vs. 8.4 months, P=0.115), but the median OS in the RT group was better than that in the NRT group (not reached vs. 12.3 months, P=0.036). Compared to the NRT group, besides an increase in grade 1-2 pneumonitis (41% vs. 18%, P=0.035), no significant increase in treatment-related toxicity was observed in the RT group. Conclusion:Immunotherapy combined with radiotherapy is safe in patients with R/M ESCC, and shows survival benefit in patients with recurrence or metastasis confined to local and / or ≤3 distant lymph nodes.

Objective:To explore the biomarkers of radiochemotherapy sensitivity and potential mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and validate the screened biomarkers at human tissue, animal and cellular levels.Methods:Based on bioinformatics system, clinical and transcriptome data of ESCC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GEO databases. HUB genes related to chemoradiotherapy sensitivity were identified by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and cytoscape software and survival differences were analyzed. CellMiner database was used to predict and screen drugs with strong correlation with HUB genes. The expression levels of HUB genes in clinical tissues was detected by real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Then, oe-AKR1C1 mouse model, cisplatin-resistant cells and radiation-resistant cells were constructed, and the effects of HUB genes on tumor size and mass, and cell proliferation ability were analyzed.Results:A total of 5 HUB genes were identified, among which NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1), AKR1C1 and NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit S2 (NDUFS2) were significantly correlated with ESCC survival (all P<0.05). Dacarbazine, alectinib and obatoclax were the anti-tumor drugs predicted to have a strong correlation with HUB genes in this study. Human tissue test results showed that the expression levels of NQO1, AKR1C1 and NDUFS2 were up-regulated in patients with chemoradiotherapy resistance, and AKR1C1 and NDUFS2 had statistical significance (both P<0.05). The results of mouse tumor bearing experiment showed that the tumor volume and mass of oe-AKR1C1 mice after radiotherapy and chemotherapy were significantly higher than those in the control group (both P<0.05). The cell experiment results showed that the expression levels of AKR1C1 and NDUFS2 in radiation-resistant cells and cisplatin-resistant cells were significantly higher than those in control cells ( P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in the relative expression level of NQO1. Conclusion:NQO1, AKR1C1 and NDUFS2 are HUB genes significantly related to the survival of ESCC, which can be used as important therapeutic tumor targets for ESCC.