Advances in novel drugs, therapies, and genetic techniques have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of cancers, substantially improving cancer patients' prognosis. Although rare tumors account for a non-negligible number, the practice of precision medicine and development of novel therapies are largely hampered by many obstacles. Their low incidence and drastic regional disparities result in the difficulty of informative evidence-based diagnosis and subtyping. Sample exhaustion due to difficulty in diagnosis also leads to a lack of recommended therapeutic strategies in clinical guidelines, insufficient biomarkers for prognosis/efficacy, and inability to identify potential novel therapies in clinical trials. Herein, by reviewing the epidemiological data of Chinese solid tumors and publications defining rare tumors in other areas, we proposed a definition of rare tumor in China, including 515 tumor types with incidences of less than 2.5/100 000 per year. We also summarized the current diagnosis process, treatment recommendations, and global developmental progress of targeted drugs and immunotherapy agents on the status quo. Lastly, we pinpointed the current recommendation chance for patients with rare tumors to be involved in a clinical trial by NCCN. With this informative report, we aimed to raise awareness on the importance of rare tumor investigations and guarantee a bright future for rare tumor patients.
Humans ; Neoplasms/pathology* ; Biomarkers ; Prognosis ; Oceans and Seas ; China/epidemiology*

Objectives: It is unclear whether G protein-coupled receptor 61 (GPR61) affecting body weight, plays a role in the association between birth weight and weather. This study aimed to assess the effects of prenatal weather and GPR61 on birth weight. Methods: A total of 567 mother-newborn pairs were recruited in Houzhai Center Hospital during 2011-2012. We detected the maternal and neonatal GPR61 promoter methylation levels, and obtained meteorological and air pollution data. Results: A positive association was observed between maternal and neonatal GPR61 methylation levels, and both of them were affected by precipitation, relative humidity (RH) and daily temperature range (DTR). Birth weight was associated negatively with RH and positively with DTR ( P < 0.05). A significant association was observed between birth weight and neonatal GPR61 methylation. We observed that maternal GPR61 methylation seemed to modify associations between weather and birth weight ( P _interaction < 0.10), while neonatal GPR61 methylation mediated the effects of RH and DTR on birth weight ( P < 0.05). Conclusions Our findings revealed the significant associations among prenatal weather, GPR61 methylation and birth weight. Maternal GPR61 methylation may modify the susceptibility of birth weight to prenatal weather conditions, while neonatal GPR61 methylation may be a bridge of the effects of prenatal RH and DTR on birth weight.
Air Pollution/analysis* ; Birth Weight ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; Pregnancy ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism* ; Temperature ; Weather

Epigenetic changes are potentially important for the ontogeny and progression of tumors but are not usually studied because of the complexity of analyzing transcript regulation resulting from epigenetic alterations. Prostate cancer (PCa) is characterized by variable clinical manifestations and frequently unpredictable outcomes. We performed an expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis to identify the genomic regions that regulate gene expression in PCa and identified a relationship between DNA methylation and clinical information. Using multi-level information published in The Cancer Genome Atlas, we performed eQTL-based analyses on DNA methylation and gene expression. To better interpret these data, we correlated loci and clinical indexes to identify the important loci for both PCa development and progression. Our data demonstrated that although only a small proportion of genes are regulated via DNA methylation in PCa, these genes are enriched in important cancer-related groups. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphism analysis identified the locations of CpG sites and genes within at-risk loci, including the 19q13.2-q13.43 and 16q22.2-q23.1 loci. Further, an epigenetic association study of clinical indexes detected risk loci and pyrosequencing for site validation. Although DNA methylation-regulated genes across PCa samples are a small proportion, the associated genes play important roles in PCa carcinogenesis.

Objective:To understand the iodine content of edible salt in residents of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (referred to as Corps), and provide scientific evidence for prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency disorders.Methods:According to the requirements of the "National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Surveillance Program" form 2015 to 2019, in accordance with the principle of random sampling, one regiment from each of the five directions of east, west, south, north and center in the Corps was selected, and four companies were selected from each regiment. Edible salt samples from the homes of 15 residents in each company were collected, and salt iodine content was quantitatively tested and the test results were analyzed.Results:From 2015 to 2019, 21 028 household salt samples were collected, qualified iodized salt were 20 204, non-qualified iodized salt were 712, non-iodized salt were 112, iodized salt coverage rate was 99.47% (20 916/21 028), iodized salt qualified rate was 96.60% (20 204/20 916), qualified iodized salt consumption rate was 96.08% (20 204/21 028). The average salt iodine content was (27.72 ± 4.81) mg/kg. From 2015 to 2019, the iodized salt coverage rates in the whole Corps were all > 95%, and the iodized salt qualified rates and the qualified iodized salt consumption rate were all > 90%. Among the 14 divisions of the Corps, iodized salt coverage rates were all > 95%, except for the 12th and 14th divisions, where the iodized salt qualified rates and qualified iodized salt consumption rates were < 90%, all other divisions were > 90%.Conclusions:Iodized salt coverage rate, iodized salt qualified rate and qualified iodized salt consumption rate have all reached the national standard for eliminating iodine deficiency disorders from 2015 to 2019, however, non-iodized salt exists in some areas, and the qualified iodized salt consumption rate is low. We should strengthen monitoring of iodized salt in key areas and promote health education, consolidate and maintain achievements in eliminating iodine deficiency disorders.

Objective::To observe the effect of Ganoderma polysaccharides (GP) on endogenous substance metabolism in radiation-injured mice by metabolomics, so as to find potential biomarkers and analyze their metabolic pathways, and to explore its mechanism of action. Method::Thirty mice were randomly divided into normal group (normal saline), model group (normal saline) and GP group (dose of 96 mg·kg^-1) for 14 days of continuous intragastric administration, 10 mice in each group, 2 h after the intragastric administration on the 7^th day, mice in the model group and GP group were subjected to whole body irradiation by X-rays, except the normal group. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to detect endogenous small molecule metabolites in thymus tissue of mice. Principal component analysis (PCA)and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to compare the changes of endogenous small molecule metabolites in thees three groups, these differential metabolites among the three groups were analyzed by Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathway method. Result::A total of 34 potential biomarkers were identified, compared with the model group, it was found that the GP group had a significant reversal trend on L-glutamic acid, taurine, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), etc. They were involved in taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism. Conclusion::GP can play a role in radiation protection by improving the expression of related potential biomarkers and related metabolic pathways in thymus of radiation-injured mice.