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Background. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a frequently lethal malignancy, and the mortality is considerably high. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has been identified as a critical participation in cancer development, treatment, and prognosis. However, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks grouping with immune/stromal scores of HNSCC patients need to be further illustrated. Therefore, our study aimed to provide clues for searching promising prognostic markers of TME in HNSCC. Materials and Methods. ESTIMATE algorithm was used to calculate immune scores and stromal scores of the enrolled HNSCC patients. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), lncRNAs (DELs), and miRNAs (DEMs) were identified by comparing the expression difference between high and low immune/stromal scores. Then, a ceRNA network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed for selecting hub regulators. In addition, survival analysis was performed to access the association between immune scores, stromal scores, and differentially expressed RNAs in the ceRNA network and the overall survival (OS) of HNSCC patients. Then, the GSE65858 datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used for verification. At last, the difference between the clinical characteristics and immune cell infiltration in different expression groups of IL10RA, PRF1, and IL2RA was analyzed. Results. Survival analysis showed a better OS in the high immune score group, and then we constructed a ceRNA network composed of 97 DEGs, 79 DELs and 22 DEMs. Within the ceRNA network, FOXP3, IL10RA, STAT5A, PRF1, IL2RA, miR-148a-3p, miR-3065-3p, and lncRNAs, including CXCR2P1, HNRNPA1P21, CTA-384D8.36, and IGHV1OR15-2, were closely correlated with the OS of HNSCC patients. Especially, using the data from GSE65858, we successfully verified that IL10RA, PRF1, and IL2RA were not only significantly upregulated in patients high immune scores, but also their high expressions were associated with longer survival time. In addition, stratified analysis showed that PRF1 and IL2RA might be involved in the mechanism of tumor progress. Conclusion. In conclusion, we constructed a ceRNA network related to the TME of HNSCC, which provides candidates for therapeutic intervention and prognosis evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the prognostic significance of time to recurrence (TTR) for overall survival (OS) and survival after recurrence (SAR) in patients with localized or regionally advanced cutaneous melanoma. A total of 731 cutaneous melanoma patients with an initial diagnosis of 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) clinical stage I‐III were included in this study. The prognostic factors associated with OS and SAR were estimated through Kaplan‐Meier and Cox regression analysis. Of the total cohort, 329 patients (45%) died, and 418 patients (57%) experienced recurrence. The median follow‐up and TTR were 55.6 months and 9.6 months, respectively. A total of 141 patients (19%) experienced recurrence in <6 months, and 277 patients (38%) experienced recurrence in ≥6 months. Patients with stage III and positive lymph node dissection (LND) were more common in the early TTR group than in the late TTR group. Both the OS and SAR rates at 5 years and 10 years in the early TTR group were significantly poorer than those in the late TTR group (P <.001 and P =.008, respectively). Furthermore, early TTR, along with truncal tumor, higher TNM stage and therapeutic variables (extended resection, LND and adjuvant therapy), were significant independent predictors of worse OS and SAR in multivariate analysis (all P <.05). Early TTR predicts worse survival and could be considered an independent prognostic factor for patients with localized or regionally advanced cutaneous melanoma. TTR should be evaluated in all patients with recurrence to guide post‐recurrence risk stratification and follow‐up schedules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Gliosarcoma is a histopathological variant of glioblastoma, which is characterized by a biphasic growth pattern consisting of glial and sarcoma components. Owing to its scarcity, data regarding the impact of available treatments on the clinical outcomes of gliosarcoma are inadequate. The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to analyze the prognostic factors of gliosarcoma. Methods. By screening the clinical database of neurosurgical cases at a single center, patients with gliosarcoma diagnosed histologically from 2013 to 2021 were identified. Clinical, pathological, and molecular data were gathered founded on medical records and follow-up interviews. Prognostic factors were derived using the Cox proportional hazards model with backward stepwise regression analysis. Results. Forty-five GSM patients were included. Median overall survival was 25.6 months (95% CI 8.0–43.1), and median relapse-free survival was 15.2 months (95% CI 9.7–20.8). In multivariable analysis, total resection (p = 0.023 , HR = 0.192 , 95% CI 0.046–0.797) indicated an improved prognosis. And low expression of Ki-67 (p = 0.059 , HR = 2.803 , 95% CI 0.963–8.162) would be likely to show statistical significance. However, there might be no statistically significant survival benefit from radiotherapy with concurrent temozolomide (n = 33 , 73.3%, log-rank p = 0.99) or adjuvant temozolomide (n = 32 , 71.1%, log-rank p = 0.74). Conclusion. This single-center retrospective study with a limited cohort size has demonstrated the treatment of gross total resection and low expression of Ki-67 which are beneficial for patients with GSM, while radiotherapy or temozolomide is not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]