Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite therapeutic advancements over recent decades, the prognosis for patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC) remains poor. Approximately 2%-4% of mCRC cases exhibit human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification or overexpression, defining a distinct molecular subtype. This HER2-positive status is strongly associated with primary resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapies, which are the standard of care for patients with RAS wild-type tumors. Beyond its well-established role in breast and gastric cancers, HER2 has emerged as a pivotal biomarker and actionable therapeutic target in mCRC. However, selecting appropriate treatment strategies remains challenging due to patient heterogeneity and diverse molecular subtypes. This review systematically summarizes the molecular biology, diagnostic strategies, and advances in targeted therapies for HER2-positive mCRC. On the diagnostic front, we discuss the applications of immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), next-generation sequencing (NGS), and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection technologies. We highlight discrepancies in diagnostic criteria across key clinical trials—such as HERACLES, DESTINY, and MOUNTAINEER—underscoring the urgent need for standardized, CRC-specific definitions to ensure consistent patient selection and comparability of efficacy data across studies. Although NGS enables comprehensive genomic profiling, its cost-effectiveness relative to traditional methods must be carefully considered. Therapeutically, we summarize clinical trial data for HER2-directed agents, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as tucatinib and lapatinib, monoclonal antibodies like trastuzumab, bispecific antibodies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) such as trastuzumab deruxtecan. We review dual-targeting strategies and note recent FDA approvals that represent significant milestones in second-line treatment. Additionally, we explore the potential of combining immune checkpoint inhibitors with HER2-targeted therapies to enhance antitumor immunity through mechanisms including antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. ADCs enable precise delivery of cytotoxic payloads, reducing off-target toxicity while effectively inhibiting oncogenic pathways. A substantial portion of this review is dedicated to dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying primary and acquired resistance to HER2-targeted therapies—persistent challenges that limit clinical benefit. These mechanisms include reactivation of downstream signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK, concurrent mutations in genes like KRAS or BRAF, and alterations in HER2 expression that compromise treatment efficacy. For instance, specific HER2 mutations (e.g., L755S) can reduce drug binding affinity, while ctDNA monitoring facilitates early detection of emerging resistance clones during disease progression, thereby enabling timely therapeutic adjustments. Tumor heterogeneity and dynamic interactions with the microenvironment further complicate resistance patterns observed in clinical practice. HER2-targeted therapy represents a new frontier in precision oncology for mCRC, offering renewed hope for improving patient outcomes. Realizing this potential will require continued optimization of diagnostic algorithms and treatment workflows. Future efforts must focus on overcoming resistance, validating liquid biopsy approaches for dynamic monitoring, and establishing unified clinical guidelines. HER2 has become an essential biomarker for stratifying mCRC patients beyond traditional RAS and BRAF status, underscoring the shift from empiric treatment to biomarker-driven precision medicine. International, multidisciplinary collaboration will be critical to validate emerging biomarkers and refine treatment algorithms globally.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy as conversion therapy for initially unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Methods:This retrospective case series study analyzed clinical and pathological data of 32 patients with initially unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, from June 2020 to December 2024. The cohort included 27 males and 5 females, with an age ( M(IQR)) of 61(9)years (range:46 to 73 years). Five patients were diagnosed with stage Ⅲ, 27 with stage ⅣA. All patients received PD-1 inhibitor sintilimab combined with nedaplatin and albumin-bound paclitaxel. Radiological evaluations were performed every two cycles, the multidisciplinary team evaluation was conducted to determine conversion to resectable status, and patients with successful conversion underwent radical esophagectomy. Follow-up was conducted via telephone or outpatient visits every 3 to 6 months after the last treatment. The primary endpoint was R0 resection rate, secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), pathological complete response (pCR) rate, major pathological response (MPR) rate, event-free survival (EFS), disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with R0 resection, overall survival (OS) and safety. Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves and estimate median EFS, DFS, OS rates and their 95% CI. The 95% CI for ORR, pCR rate, MPR rate, and downstaging rate were calculated using the Clopper-Pearson method. Results:The median treatment cycle of 2(1) (range:2 to 8). As of June 2025, the median follow-up was 32.5(13.5)months (range:6.4 to 59.1 months). Among the 32 patients, 9 experienced progression or recurrence, including 2 with liver and lymph node metastases, 2 with lung metastases, 2 with thoracic vertebral metastases, and 3 with mediastinal lymph node metastases. After conversion therapy, 29 patients underwent surgery, achieving an R0 resection rate of 84.4% (95% CI:67.2% to 94.7%), a pCR rate of 27.6% (95% CI:12.7% to 47.2%), and an MPR rate of 55.2% (95% CI:35.7% to 73.6%). Grade 3 or higher surgical complications occurred in 6.9%(2/29) of patients, and grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events were observed in 15.6%(5/29). Among the 32 patients, the ORR was 56.3% (95% CI:37.7% to 73.6%),the 3-year EFS rate and OS rate was 59.4% (95% CI:40.8% to 86.4%) and 59.7% (95% CI:40.0% to 89.0%) respectively. Conclusion:Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy demonstrates high conversion rates and favorable safety in the conversion therapy of initially unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, representing a promising treatment strategy.

Objective:To investigate the role of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) /nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in the occurrence of lung tissue in the pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) model of rats induced by indium tin oxide nanoprticles (Nano-ITO) .Methods:In October 2019, 120 SD rats were divided into 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 84 day Nano ITO exposure groups and corresponding time point control groups, with 10 rats in each group; the exposure group was treated with 6 mg/kg·bw Nano-ITO via non exposed tracheal injection, twice a week. Time-course studies were performed to examine the pulmonary toxicity induced by Nano-ITO. At the end of the experiment, cytokines levels and oxidative stress were analyzed in the bronchoalveolar lavaged fluid (BALF). Rat lung tissues were also harvested for staining with HE, PAS, Masson, and Oil Red O. Ultrastructure of lung tissue cells was observed by transmission electron microscope. The localization and expression of NF-κB p65, IκB-α, IKK-β, Nrf2, NQO1, HO-1 were observed by immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR. The comparison between the two groups was analyzed by independent sample T test, and the comparison between the multiple groups was analyzed by one-way ANOVA.Results:Nano-ITO intratracheal instillation caused pulmonary toxicity by inducing acute inflammation, granuloma (nodule) formation, and alveolar proteinosis. ELISA analysis showed that, compared with the corresponding time points control groups, the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin (IL) -1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IL-10, total protein (TP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in BALF of rats exposed to Nano ITO were all increased ( P<0.05) ; The protein expression of Nrf2 and NF-κB p65 was upregulated in rat lung tissue, while the protein expression of KK-β was increased ( P<0.01). Nrf2 and its downstream proteins NQO1 and HO-1 were highly expressed in Nano-ITO-induced PAP rat. Conclusion:NF-κB/Nrf2 signal pathway is involved in the process of Nano-ITO induced pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in rats.

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of standard pulsed radiofrequency for treating rare-site glomus tumors.Methods A prospective self before-and-after control study was conducted and 6 pa-tients diagnosed as glomus tumors in the pain department of Yongkang Municipal First People's Hospital from June 2022 to January 2023 served as the study subjects.Among them,1 case was located in the outer beam of deltoid muscle in the upper arm,and 5 cases were located under the nail beds of the hands/feet.All subjects underwent the standard pulsed radiofrequency treatment under ultrasound guidance and were fol-lowed up for at least 12 months.The changes in the preoperative and postoperative Numerical Rating Scale(NRS)scores were observed,and the changes in the"typical triad",healing degree of the nail growth matrix and recurrence of pain were recorded.Results The postoperative follow-up results showed that all patients had significant decreases in NRS scores,indicating that the pain degree obtained the effective control.Among them,4 patients did not experience the pain recurrence after adopting the standard pulsed radiofrequency;1 pa-tient had pain recurrence in postoperative 6 months and the tumor body was ultimately removed by surgery.Apart from the patient 2 developing transient subungual congestion,no significant adverse events were observed.Conclusion The standard pulsed radiofrequency treatment is a safe and effective therapeutic method for pain caused by rare-site glomus tumors.

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1(APE 1)is a multifunctional protein that plays important roles in DNA repair and regulation of gene expression.Because APE 1 is overexpressed in various cancers,it can serve as a cancer biomarker for aiding clinical diagnosis,guiding therapy,and monitoring prognosis.On this basis,a label-free fluorescent probe was designed based on the primer exchange reaction(PER)strategy for highly sensitive detection of APE 1 activity.In the absence of APE 1,the structure of catalytic hairpin(HP)was stable and could not form G-quadruplex.Therefore,the background fluorescence of this sensing system was very low due to the dissociation of thioflavin T(ThT).In the presence of APE 1,the apurinic/apyrimidinic(AP)site of HP was cleaved by APE 1 and a short nucleic acid fragment that acted as a primer to initiate PER was generated.After PER reaction,a large number of G-quadruplex were produced,which could specifically bind with ThT and resulted in significant increase of fluorescence signal.The combination of low background design of HP and PER amplification made this biosensor had high sensitivity with a detection limit(3σ)of 0.0008 U/mL.Furthermore,the primer sequence was directly generated by the cleavage of APE 1 without additional addition,which not only increased the specificity of the reaction,but also simplified the experiment procedure.Moreover,the use of label-free fluorescence signal reduced the cost of the experiment,and realized rapid detection of APE 1.Finally,this sensor was used to detect APE 1 in human serum samples with spiked recoveries of 91%-104%,proving great potential in study of biological enzyme.

Objective:To investigate the expression and clinical significance of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues, and to analyze the regulatory effect and downstream mechanism of AP006284.1 knockdown on the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells. Methods:The expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues, and the relationship between AP006284.1 expression and tumor stage and disease-free survival of bladder cancer patients were analyzed in the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. AP006284.1 gene expression in bladder cancer cell lines, including MGH-U3, T24, UMUC-3, J82 and 5637, and bladder epithelial immortalized SV-HUC-1 cell were detected by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR) assay. J82 cells were divided into the control group and the transfection group, and transfected with control plasmid and AP006284.1 knockdown plasmid, respectively. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the proliferation of J82 cells was detected by RT-qPCR and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the migration of J82 cells was determined by the scratch healing assay. The target gene of AP006284.1 was predicted by LncRNA2Target and LncRNome databases. The target fragment of wild-type AP006284.1 ( AP006284.1-Wt) or mutant AP006284.1 ( AP006284.1-Mut) was constructed into pGL3 plasmid by dual luciferase gene reporter assay. J82 cells were co-transfected with miR-205-3p or miR-negtive control (miR-NC) to validate the targeting relationship between AP006284.1 and miR-205-3p. The correlation between miR-205-3p and AP006284.1 expression in bladder cancer tissues was further analyzed by the GEO database. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the expression of miR-205-3p gene in J82 cells was detected by RT-qPCR assay. The effect of AP006284.1 knockdown on the expression of phosphorylated Ras protein (p-Ras), phosphorylated Raf protein (p-Raf), phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (p-MEK), and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) of the ERK pathway was detected by Western blotting in J82 cells. Results:GEO database analysis showed that the relative expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues ( n=304) was significantly higher than that in normal tissues ( n=28, P<0.01). The relative expression of AP006284.1 was positively correlated with the tumor stage of the bladder cancer patients ( P<0.01). Compared with bladder cancer patients with low expression of AP006284.1, patients with high expression had a lower disease-free survival ( P<0.01). Compared with the SV-HUC-1 cell (1.02±0.34), the expression level of AP006284.1 gene was upregulated in MGH-U3 cell (5.77±0.37), T24 cell (3.02±0.40), UMUC-3 cell (3.62±0.59), J82 cell (7.19±0.24) and 5637 cell (5.59±0.30) (all P<0.01). The expression level of the AP006284.1 gene was the highest in J82 cells, therefore, the J82 cells were selected for the study. The expression level of AP006284.1 gene in the control group (7.20±0.26) was 6.92 times higher than that in the transfection group (1.04±0.28, t=16.16, P<0.01). Compared with the control group (0.74±0.11, 1.35±0.09, 1.63±0.14, 1.74±0.11), the absorbance ( A) values of J82 cells in the transfection group (0.49±0.06, 0.95±0.14, 1.09±0.08, 1.13±0.11) were reduced than those in the control group at the 24, 36, 48 and 60 h after AP006284.1 knockdown (all P<0.05). The migration distance of J82 cells in the control group was significantly longer than that in the transfection group. The migration rate of the control group [(65.03±6.20)%], which was 2.58 times higher than that of the transfection group [(25.22±3.45)%, t=5.61, P<0.01]. The target site of miR-205-3p containing AP006284.1 was predicted by LncRNA2Target and LncRNome databases. Compared with miR-NC group (1.00±0.11), the relative activity of dual luciferase of AP006284.1-Wt gene was significantly downregulated in the miR-205-3p group (0.31±0.07, t=5.47, P<0.01). Compared with the miR-NC group (0.97±0.14), the relative activity of dual luciferase of AP006284.1-Mut vector (0.98±0.07) was not significantly change ( t=0.09, P>0.05). The GEO database analysis showed that the expression of AP006284.1 in bladder cancer tissues was negatively correlated with the expression of miR-205-3p ( P<0.01). The expression level of miR-205-3p gene in the transfection group (5.42±0.24) was 5.21 times higher than that in the control group (1.04±0.40, t=9.40, P<0.01). Compared with the control group (3.22±0.17, 5.56±0.19, 4.38±0.17, 5.74±0.36), the expressions of p-Ras (2.33±0.12), p-Raf (1.61±0.20), p-MEK (1.57±0.25), and p-ERK (2.40±0.28) of the ERK pathway were decreased in the transfected J82 cells (all P<0.01). Conclusions:AP006284.1 is highly expressed in bladder cancer tissues. Knockdown of AP006284.1 can inhibit the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells by regulating the miR-205-3p and ERK pathway proteins.

Objective:To determine if preoperative 68Ga-fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI)-04 PET/MR could contribute to predicting pathological complete response (pCR) in patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Methods:In this retrospective study, 35 patients (23 males, 12 females, age (59.1±7.9) years) with gastrointestinal cancer who underwent 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR after receiving neoadjuvant immunotherapy between February 2021 and January 2024 were enrolled. Clinical data, PET imaging parameters including SUV, peak of SUV normalized by lean body mass (SUL peak), FAPI-positive tumor volume (FTV), and total FAPI-positive lesion burden (TLF), and pathological data were collected and analyzed. Patients were divided into pCR group and non-pCR group, and the independent-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compare those parameters between the 2 groups. ROC curve analysis (Delong test) was performed to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of each parameter to predict pCR. Results:The overall pCR rate of the neoadjuvant therapy was 40.0%(14/35). In the visual evaluation, 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET was limited in predicting pCR, showing false positivity in 12 patients and false negative in 1 patent. While SUV max( t=2.50, P=0.018), SUL peak( t=3.11, P=0.004), FTV( U=3.00, P=0.030) and TLF( U=2.96, P=0.042) in non-pCR group were all higher than those in pCR group. The predictive efficiency of FTV <1.925cm 3 for pCR was better than the efficiency of PET visual evaluation ( Z=3.61, P<0.001), with the prediction accuracy of 82.86%(29/35). Conclusions:68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR may provide an effective clinical tool for guiding further treatment of patients with gastrointestinal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant immunotherapy. The quantitative features derived from 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET appear promising in predicting pCR, which are expected to provide a reference for avoiding surgery.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical value of 11C-methyl- L-methionine (MET) PET/MR in the differential diagnosis between neoplastic and non-neoplastic brain lesions. Methods:From July 2017 to May 2022, a total of 34 patients (19 males, 15 females, age 8-81 years) who received 11C-MET PET/MR imaging for suspected brain tumors in Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology were retrospectively enrolled. Postoperative pathological or clinical follow-up results were used as the gold standard. Diagnostic performance of 11C-MET PET/MR and contrast-enhanced MRI was evaluated by ROC curve analysis and Delong test, as well as the diagnostic performance of PET metabolic parameters (SUV and target to background ratio (TBR)), MRI multi-sequence parameters (cerebral blood flow (CBF), relative CBF (rCBF), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), relative ADC (rADC), choline/creatine (Cho/Cr) and choline/ N-acetylaspartate (Cho/NAA)) and their combination. Results:A total of 35 lesions of 34 patients were enrolled, including 12 (34.3%) non-neoplastic lesions and 23(65.7%) neoplastic lesions. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for 11C-MET PET/MR were 91.3%(21/23), 12/12, and 94.3%(33/35), in contrast to 16/18, 2/10, and 64.3%(18/28) for contrast-enhanced MRI. Maximum TBR (TBR max) showed the highest discriminative value (AUC=0.877, 95% CI: 0.692-1.000). The combination of TBR max, minimum ADC (ADC min), rCBF, and Cho/NAA could achieve a higher diagnostic performance (AUC=0.918, 95% CI: 0.816-1.000), although the difference was not statistically significant ( Z=-0.42, P=0.676). Conclusion:Multiple quantitative parameters of 11C-MET PET/MR are beneficial to distinguish neoplastic from non-neoplastic brain lesions, and their combination may improve the diagnostic confidence.

Objective:To examine the differences in the medical quality of elderly Medicare patients in tertiary public hospitals before and after the implementation of the Diagnosis-related Group Prospective Payment System(DRG-PPS), and to explore the establishment of a long-term quality control mechanism.Methods:A total of 62, 321 inpatient first-page records was collected from Beijing Hospital, including 27, 488 cases from January to December 2019 and 34, 833 cases from January to December 2023.Firstly, the two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to six sample DRG groups to analyze the statistical differences in the intra-group indicators(average per-case cost, average length of stay)among three age groups(young and middle-aged group: 18-65 years old; early elderly group: 66-79 years old; advanced elderly group: 80-99 years old)before and after the DRG-PPS reform of the medical insurance payment system.Secondly, the two-sample Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the statistical differences in the indicators(total cost, medical cost, nursing cost, medical technology cost, pharmaceutical cost, consumable cost, administrative cost, and length of stay)among the three age groups within the same DRG group.Finally, the Conover test was employed for pairwise comparisons of inter-group indicators between the three groups.Results:Through the intra-group analysis of the total cost and average length of stay indicators of different age groups in the six sample DRG groups( n=6, 248), it was found that the differences were statistically significant.( Z-values for total cost in groups 1-3 was 12.69, 15.73, and 11.45, respectively; Z-values for average length of stay were 8.33, 6.73, and 3.69, respectively; all P<0.05), indicating that the DRG-PPS reform was effective in controlling hospitalization costs and length of stay.The inter-group analysis revealed statistically significant differences in total cost, nursing cost, pharmaceutical cost, consumable cost, administrative cost, and length of stay( H-values were 22.49, 41.86, 15.61, 200.56, 14.73 and 10.73, respectively; all P<0.05; ), suggesting that there were statistically significant differences in cost control among different age groups in the same DRG group.Furthermore, analysis of specific cases revealed that differences in medical costs among different age groups resulted from the combined effects of clinical practice standardization(reflected in the significant reduction of unnecessary examinations and medication)and policy interventions such as volume-based procurement excluding the adverse effects of cost containment on the medical quality of elderly patients in the six sample patient groups.No substantial rise was observed in the 31-day readmission rate, indicating that admission splitting was unlikely to have occurred. Conclusions:The implementation of the DRG-PPS contributed to cost efficiency in the sample hospital.By establishing a long-term quality control mechanism focused on DRG groups with significant cost reductions in elderly patients, abnormal cost-control behaviors can be effectively identified, and high-quality development of the hospital can be achieved while ensuring healthcare quality for elderly patients.

Background Although current evidence suggests a link between outdoor air pollution and depressive symptoms, the effect of solid fuel use (a significant indoor air pollutant) on depressive symptoms in China's rural middle-aged and elderly population remains poorly understood. Objective To explore the association between solid fuel use for cooking and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and elderly people in rural areas of China, and to provide a basis for the prevention and control of depressive symptoms among residents in rural areas. Methods Data were obtained from the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), depressive symptoms were assessed using 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and cooking fuel type was self-reported. Subsequently, two-level binary unconditional logistic regression models were fitted to assess the impact of solid fuel use for cooking on depressive symptoms. Results A total of 7991 participants aged 45 years and older [mean age (58.52±9.18) years] were included in the study, with a mean CES-D score of 6.07±4.48 and a mean positive depressive symptoms rate of 34% (40.54% in the solid fuel group and 30.81% in the clean fuel group, χ²=74.40, P<0.001). After controlling for potential confounding covariates, rural middle-aged and elderly residents in the solid fuel group had a higher risk of reporting depressive symptoms than those in the clean fuel group (OR=1.36, 95%CI: 1.20-1.54), an association that was unaffected by participant characteristics and was positive across age and gender groups. Conclusion There is a positive association between solid fuel use for cooking and depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly people in rural areas of China. It is recommended that rural areas promote the upgrading of stoves through the installation of ventilation equipment or the switch from solid cooking fuel to clean fuel. This approach is directed toward reducing exposure to household air pollution, alleviating the prevalence of depression among middle-aged and elderly residents in vast rural areas, and enhancing their mental health.