Translational cancer research最新文献

{"title":"Prognostic significance of alterations in peripheral cellular and humoral immune biomarkers during radiochemotherapy in head and neck cancer patients.","authors":"Chunmei Zhu, Shuyuan Zhang, Qiuji Wu","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-1510","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-1510","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The impacts of radiochemotherapy on peripheral blood cell and lymphocyte cell counts, immunoglobulin (Ig) and complement levels remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the above parameters regulated by radiotherapy (RT), induction chemotherapy (ICT) and concurrent chemotherapy (CCT) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients with non-metastatic HNC treated by conventional intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) were enrolled in this study. Data of peripheral blood cells, lymphocyte subpopulations, complements and immunoglobulins were collected before, during and after IMRT. And conducted regular follow-up on patients. SPSS (IBM, version 26.0), R (MathSoft, 4.0.3) and Graphpad Prism were used to perform statistical analysis and plot figures.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 126 HNC patients undergoing RT were enrolled in this study. Among them, 44 patients received ICT, 56 patients received CCT, and 123 patients had complete survival information. Number of white blood cells (WBCs), platelets, basophils, total lymphocytes, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, B cells declined significantly during RT. Accordingly, the ratio of help T cells to suppressor T cells (Th/Ts) and the percentages of B cells, CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells also declined. There were increased levels of neutrophils and complement 4 (C4) and percentage of NK cells during RT. ICT caused significant reductions of platelets, B cells and immunoglobulin A (IgA). CCT reduced WBCs, red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, hemoglobin (HGB), granulocytes, total lymphocytes, B cells, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells, NK cells and immunoglobulin G (IgG). Generalized linear model (GLM) analysis further confirmed that RT was a risk factor for lower total lymphocytes, B cells, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells, NK cells, Th/Ts ratios, and lower percentages of B cells, CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells. ICT contributed to decreased Th/Ts ratios, and immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgA levels. As for CCT, it was an unfavorable factor for reduced total lymphocytes, B cells, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells, NK cells and IgG. Conversely, complement 3 (C3) or 4 levels were higher in patients treated with RT, ICT or CCT. Importantly, we found that HNC patients with higher lymphocytes or lymphocyte percentages like CD3<sup>+</sup>, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells before or after RT had a better prognosis. While higher NK cells and NK cell percentage before RT were associated with worse prognosis. In addition, higher levels of C3 and C4 before and after RT were associated with a favorable prognosis. However, higher levels of IgA, immunoglobulin E (IgE), IgG, and IgM before RT were associated with poorer prognosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To sum up, chemoradiotherapy resulted in significant alterations in peripheral immune biomarkers which in retur","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"685-705"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912046/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The screening of optimal primary tumor resection candidates in patients with small cell lung cancer: a population-based predictive model.","authors":"Zhidong Wang, Cheng Gong, Youpu Zhang, Yongxiang Qian, Yang Liu, Ce Chao","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-1419","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-1419","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although a strong survival benefit has been observed among small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients undergoing surgery, not all SCLC patients benefit from surgery. To help clinicians make choices and decisions regarding surgical intervention, we have developed an effective model to screen beneficial candidates based on population and tumor characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients with SCLC were acquired from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance covariates between the surgery and non-surgery groups. We assumed that patients undergoing surgery between 2014 and 2018 would benefit from the procedure if their median cancer-specific survival (CSS) time was longer than that of non-surgical patients. Univariate and multivariable logistic analyses were used to identify independent factors of surgical benefit in the surgery group. According to these preoperative factors, a nomogram was built and then internal and external validation were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 35,214 patients with complete data were included for subsequent analysis, 1,364 of whom underwent surgery. Before and after PSM, surgery was an independent factor of long-term survival, with a median CSS time of 37.00 months for the surgery group compared to 16.00 months for the non-surgery group. A multivariable logistic model identified T stage, N stage, M stage, tumor site, and age as independent factors, which were used to establish a stable predictive model.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We have built a preoperative predictive model for SCLC patients to screen for optimal surgery candidates. This model has the potential to help clinicians determine whether it is beneficial to operate on patients with SCLC.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"1024-1036"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912087/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cryoablation for breast cancer: a narrative review of advances, clinical applications, and future challenges.","authors":"Manchen Yang, Baosan Han, Ping Ye","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-1415","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-1415","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>Breast cancer remains one of the most common malignant tumors affecting women, with its incidence continuing to rise in recent years. Cryoablation, a minimally invasive technique, has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional surgical excision. Its advantages include high precision, rapid recovery, suitability for local anesthesia, and the potential to activate the immune system, making it an appealing option for patients who are either unwilling or unable to undergo conventional surgical procedures. The objective of this narrative review is to assess the progress and current status of cryoablation in the treatment of breast cancer, providing a comprehensive overview of its technological advances and clinical applications, including device development, mechanisms, surgical procedures, indications, and clinical outcomes for different tumour types. In addition, the article discusses the use of cryoablation in combination with immunotherapy and the challenges ahead.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study conducted a literature review by searching the PubMed and Web of Science databases to identify the latest research findings in the field of cryoablation technology and breast cancer treatment. Based on these findings, a narrative review was generated.</p><p><strong>Key content and findings: </strong>This article presents the mechanisms, devices, and surgical procedures of cryoablation, affirming its safety and efficacy in the clinical treatment of breast cancer. Additionally, it explores the challenges associated with combining cryoablation with immunotherapy to prevent tumor recurrence. As technological advancements continue, it is anticipated that more extensive clinical trials will be conducted to validate the broader application of cryoablation in breast cancer treatment, addressing the limitations of currently available small-scale studies. This progress will aid in selecting more effective treatment strategies for breast cancer patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cryoablation has been proven to be a unique and effective approach for treating early-stage, advanced, and inoperable breast cancer patients, demonstrating favorable therapeutic outcomes. Additionally, cryoablation can enhance anti-tumor immune responses, and its combination with immunotherapy and nanomedicine shows promise in preventing tumor recurrence. As a result, cryoablation is gradually becoming a viable alternative to traditional surgical methods for breast cancer treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"1467-1478"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912063/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The efficacy and safety of the addition of programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor to preoperative chemotherapy in locoregionally advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma.","authors":"Guan-Zhong Lu, Zhi-Cong Hong, Yi-Feng Yu, Lin-Feng Guo, Daniel T Ginat, San-Gang Wu, Li-Mei Guan","doi":"10.21037/tcr-2025-202","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-2025-202","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown promise in improving the survival rates for recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancers. However, their impact on curative outcomes in head and neck cancers remains undefined, especially for those with locoregionally advanced oropharyngeal carcinoma (LAOPC), a subtype of head-and-neck malignancy closely associated with human papillomavirus infection. This study aimed to clarify the efficacy and safety of the addition of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor into preoperative chemotherapy in LAOPC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively included patients with LAOPC who underwent preoperative immunochemotherapy between 2021 and 2024. Statistical analyses were conducted using chi-square tests. The efficacy was assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST; version 1.1). Safety was evaluated using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) 5.0.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 23 patients were identified, and 11 (47.8%) had P16-positive tumors. There were 22 patients (95.7%) who completed two cycles of preoperative treatment. Among the 23 patients, the response to primary tumors and neck metastatic lymph nodes could be assessed in 21 and 22 patients, respectively. Additionally, 13 (61.9%) patients had a major pathologic response to the primary tumor, including 12 patients (57.1%) who achieved a pathologic complete response (PCR). In addition, 11 (50.0%) patients had a PCR in the metastatic cervical lymph nodes, while 11 (50.0%) patients still had residual tumors in the lymph nodes. The combined positive score and P16 status were not significantly associated with PCR to the primary tumor or neck metastatic lymph nodes. Moreover, 19 (82.6%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse effects, with the majority being grade 1-2 toxicities, and only 2 (8.7%) patients had grade 3 or higher toxicities. No treatment-related deaths occurred.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The incorporation of a PD-1 inhibitor into preoperative chemotherapy may be an effective approach for treating LAOPC and involve acceptable toxicity.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"1401-1414"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912034/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel necroptosis-related miRNA signature for predicting the prognosis of esophageal cancer and immune infiltration analysis.","authors":"Miao Zhang, Shaoran Song, Bo Wang, Yangyang Shang, Peijun Liu, Juan Li","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-1532","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-1532","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The prognostic value of necroptosis-related microRNAs (miRNAs), which are important in tumorigenesis and development, remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to screen prognostic necroptosis-related miRNAs in esophageal cancer (EC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Nine necroptosis-related miRNA expression profiles and associated clinical data of EC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The relationships between necroptosis-related miRNAs and overall survival (OS) were determined via Cox regression model analysis. Target genes of the miRNAs were investigated in TargetScan, miRDB, and miRTarBase. The biological functions of these genes were evaluated by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. For the most significant correlation between miR-425-5p expression and the survival of EC patients, the effect of miR-425-5p on necroptosis was explored in EC cells. The relationship between targeted gene expression and immune infiltration was also analyzed and validated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Hsa-miR-425-5p, hsa-miR-500a-3p, hsa-miR-7-5p and hsa-miR-200a-5p were selected for the construction of a prognostic signature based on their correlation with the survival of EC patients. EC patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups according to the median value of the risk score. Patients in the high-risk group tended to have higher death rates than those in the low-risk group (P<0.05). The risk score was an independent prognostic indicator for the OS of EC patients [hazard ratio (HR) >1, P<0.05]. The prognostic model had good predictive efficiency. The genes targeted by necroptosis-related miRNAs were significantly enriched in apoptosis etc. The inhibition of miR-425-5p promoted necroptosis in EC cells by targeting branched chain amino acid transaminase 1 (<i>BCAT1</i>). The expression level of <i>BCAT1</i> was significantly correlated with immune infiltration.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A necroptosis-related four-miRNA model was constructed successfully to predict the potential value of the four miRNAs in the prognosis of EC, which can be conducive to promoting the therapeutic effect on EC.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"949-965"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing prognostic accuracy in invasive breast cancer by combining contrast-enhanced ultrasound and clinical data: a multicenter retrospective study.","authors":"Shiyu Li, Yueming Li, Yongqi Fang, Zhiying Jin, Sisi Huang, Wei Wang, Kefah Mokbel, Yongjie Xu, Hua Yang, Zhili Wang","doi":"10.21037/tcr-2025-96","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-2025-96","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Current predictive models for disease-free survival (DFS) in invasive breast cancer predominantly utilize clinical and pathological factors, with minimal incorporation of ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics. This study aimed to establish a multimodal map integrating US, clinical features, and US data to enhance the prediction of DFS in invasive breast cancer.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study utilized three retrospective datasets obtained from three academic medical centers, covering the period from March 2014 to December 2022. Clinical data, gray scale US, and CEUS were assessed in 942 adult patients undergoing breast cancer resection. The training and internal test sets were supplied by The First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, while the external test sets were sourced from The Fourth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital and the Specialist Medical Center of the Strategic Support Forces. The patients were followed up by phone or clinic visits. DFS was evaluated as a prognostic outcome. Cox regression analysis identified prognostic factors, leading to the construction of three nomograms. The model performance was evaluated using the C-index, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration, decision curve analysis (DCA), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and net reclassification index (NRI).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 942 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 51.91 years [interquartile range (IQR), 44.25-58.69 years]. The patients were included with the median DFS of 36 months. Cox regression analysis identified menopausal status, body mass index (BMI), color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), tumor size on CEUS, adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy, progesterone receptor (PR) status, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging as significant risk factors for invasive breast cancer. The nomogram combining US, CEUS, and clinical data demonstrated excellent predictive performance, achieving a C-index of 0.811 in the training set, 0.816 in the internal validation set, and 0.819 in the external validation set. Calibration curves confirmed that the predicted survival probabilities aligned closely with observed outcomes. Comparative analysis of ROC curves, IDI, NRI, and DCA confirmed that the integrated nomogram outperformed models based solely on US and clinical data or clinical data alone in predicting 24- and 36-month DFS.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The integration of CEUS and clinical factors for non-invasive DFS prediction improves personalized risk stratification, minimizing unnecessary interventions for low-risk patients and ensuring adequate monitoring for high-risk individuals. Additional prospective validation is required to establish its clinical applicability and incorporation into standard oncology practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"1336-1358"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912060/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of co-mutation of <i>FLG2</i> and <i>TP53</i> reveals prognostic effect and influences on the immune infiltration in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma.","authors":"Meng Li, Dongmei Han, Hao Jin","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-1596","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-1596","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies, characterized by late-stage diagnosis and high rates of recurrence. The present study aims to explore the prognostic and immunological implications of <i>FLG2</i> and <i>TP53</i>, the two genes exhibiting a high mutation frequency across various cancer types, in the context of ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study systematically analyzed and discussed the potential implications of co-mutation of <i>FLG2</i> and <i>TP53</i> on prognosis and immune response using a cohort of 585 ovarian cancer samples. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed on 300 ovarian cancer samples with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The co-mutation of <i>FLG2</i> and <i>TP53</i> was identified in the 585 ovarian cancer cohort, and the group with co-mutation exhibited improved outcomes in terms of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS). Additionally, the co-mutation (<i>FLG2</i> ⁺/<i>TP53</i> ⁺) group demonstrated higher scores in tumor mutation burden (TMB) comparing to that of the other three groups. The score of microsatellite instability (MSI) in the co-mutant group was only higher than that of the co-wild-type (<i>FLG2</i> ^-/<i>TP53</i> ^-). A total of 327 DEGs were identified in both the co-mutation and non-co-mutation (NCM) groups using limma analysis in the subgroup of 300 patients with RNA-seq data. Subsequent KEGG analysis revealed that these DEGs were implicated in various biological processes, including thermogenesis, Parkinson's disease (PD), and oxidative phosphorylation signaling pathways. Additionally, the co-mutation group exhibited elevated levels of various immune cells. Furthermore, a nomogram with high predictive accuracy was developed by integrating co-mutation status with clinical characteristics.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In the context of OV, the concurrent mutation of <i>FLG2</i> and <i>TP53</i> not only induces immune activation, but also helps identify a subset of patients with a more favorable prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"1282-1296"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912057/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Construction of a prognostic model and analysis of related mechanisms in breast cancer based on multiple datasets.","authors":"Xiaofeng Wan, Jianmin Zhan, Shuke Ye, Chuanrong Chen, Runsheng Li, Ming Shen","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-838","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-838","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Breast cancer (BC) is a common tumor among women and is a heterogeneous disease with many subtypes. Each subtype shows different clinical presentations, disease trajectories and prognoses, and different responses to neoadjuvant therapy; thus, a new and universal prognostic biomarker for BC patients is urgently needed. Our goal is to identify a novel prognostic molecular biomarker that can accurately predict the outcome of all BC subtypes and guide their clinical management.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Utilizing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we analyzed differential gene expression and patient clinical data. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), Cox univariate regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis were used to construct a prognostic model; the differential expression of the core genes in this model was validated via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and the reliability of the predictive model was validated in both an internal cohort and a BC patient dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Further studies, such as gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), were performed to investigate the enrichment of signaling pathways. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to estimate immune infiltration and tumor mutation burden (TMB), and drug sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the treatment response.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 1,643 differentially expressed genes were identified. After WGCNA and Cox regression combined with LASSO analysis, 15 genes were identified by screening and used to establish a prognostic gene signature. Further analysis revealed that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway gene signature was enriched in these genes. Each patient was assigned a risk score, and according to the median risk score, patients were classified into a high-risk group or a low-risk group. The prognosis of the low-risk group was better than that of the high-risk group (P&lt;0.01), and analyses of two independent GEO validation cohorts yielded similar results. Furthermore, a nomogram was constructed and found to perform well in predicting prognosis. GSVA revealed that the EMT pathway, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway genes were enriched in the high-risk group, and the Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway, DNA repair pathway and P53 pathway gene sets were enriched in the low-risk group. GSEA revealed genes related to TGF-β signaling and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathways were enriched in the high-risk group. CIBERSORT demonstrated that the low-risk group had greater infiltration of antitumor immune cells. The TMB and drug sensitivity results suggested that immunotherapy and chemotherapy are likely to be more effective in the low-risk group.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;We established a new EMT pathway-rel","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"930-948"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912066/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Osimertinib for uncommon EGFR mutations: herding UNICORNs in a field of horses.","authors":"Sean C Dougherty, Ryan D Gentzler","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-1936","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-1936","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"670-675"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912071/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A rare case report of colon metastasis from primary oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and immunotargeted therapy.","authors":"Zhijian Xu, Jianjian Lv, Daniel T Ginat, Yuvnik Trada, Mi Zhou","doi":"10.21037/tcr-24-1744","DOIUrl":"10.21037/tcr-24-1744","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is a type of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The incidence of distant metastasis from HNSCC is approximately 10-15%. The most frequent organs of distant metastasis include the bone, liver, and lungs, and the occurrence of metastasis to the colon is very rare. To date, the treatment recommendation for these patients, especially local treatment, is unclear. This case reports a real case of a rare metastatic location from OPSCC, thus expanding our knowledge of OPSCC. At the same time, it suggests that local treatment has potential value in patients with metastatic HNSCC, especially for those with concomitant local symptoms.</p><p><strong>Case description: </strong>The patient, a 72-year-old male, underwent radical radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for previously diagnosed with cT4N2M0 stage III HPV16 (+) (American Joint Committee on Cancer, 8th) OPSCC. The patient experienced diarrhea during the post-treatment monitoring period and subsequently underwent a re-examination. The positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) findings confirmed colonic metastasis and axillary lymph node enlargement. After the surgical removal of the colon tumor, OPSCC metastasis was confirmed. PET-CT findings of other organs and primary lesions did not suggest recurrence or metastasis. This case provides a new reference for the pattern of disease progression in patients with HNSCC who have received radical concurrent radiochemotherapy. This patient achieved long-term, high-quality survival as a result of local surgery, radiotherapy, systemic immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, and anti-vascular targeted therapy. The patient's progression-free survival (PFS) has reached 28 months, and apart from bone marrow suppression induced by chemotherapy, no adverse reactions have occurred during the combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This case not only provides an example of a rare metastatic location of OPSCC, thus expanding our knowledge of OPSCC. At the same time, it suggests that local treatment has potential value in patients with metastatic HNSCC, especially for those with concomitant local symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":23216,"journal":{"name":"Translational cancer research","volume":"14 2","pages":"1492-1499"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11912028/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}