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Purposes Methods Results Conclusions This study investigates the clinical significance of the anterior parametrical invasion in surgically treated patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).We included patients diagnosed with cervical SCC with local lesions classified as T2b, who were treated at our department between January 2006 and December 2020. We evaluated the degree of anterior invasion using pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging and divided patients into three groups: partial, equivocal, and full invasion. The frequency of recurrence within 3 years (early recurrence) and overall prognosis were assessed.There were 12, 24, and 46 cases in the partial equivocal, and full invasion groups, respectively. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy was the mainstay of treatment across all groups (7, 17, and 27 cases, respectively). Although the frequency of early recurrence tended to be worse in the full group (partial; 2/7 cases, equivocal; 3/17 cases and full; 9/27 cases), all early local recurrence cases in the full group (four cases) responded well to the subsequent treatment. As for overall survival, the full invasion group had the best prognosis among the three groups.In surgical treatment, although full anterior invasion may increase the risk of early local recurrence, it was considered to have little prognostic impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) represents a significant global health concern among females. Identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets is pivotal for improving the prognosis of CSCC. This study investigates the prognostic relevance of CCZ1 in CSCC and elucidates its downstream pathways and targets using a combination of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Transcriptomic analysis of 239 CSCC and 3 normal cervical samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas database reveals a marked upregulation of CCZ1 mRNA levels in CSCC, and elevated CCZ1 mRNA levels were associated with poor prognosis. Immunohistochemical analysis of clinical samples also confirmed these findings. Furthermore, functional assays, including Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, Transwell, and flow cytometry, elucidated the influence of CCZ1 on CSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle progression. Remarkably, CCZ1 knockdown suppressed CSCC progression both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, CCZ1 knockdown downregulated MMP2 and MMP17 expression. Restoring MMP2 or MMP17 expression rescued phenotypic alterations induced by CCZ1 knockdown. Hence, CCZ1 promotes CSCC progression by upregulating MMP2 and MMP17 expression, emerging as a novel biomarker in CSCC and presenting potential as a therapeutic target in CSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) is a highly prevalent women’s gynecologic disease. Because the specific mechanisms associated with the illness are still mostly unclear, more investigation is needed to comprehend the triggers of CESC’s initiation and progression. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new type of RNA that control microRNAs’ (miRNAs) expressions. Although particular circRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulatory axes for CESC have been defined, little is known about this field of research. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify new circRNA–miRNA–mRNA axes in CESC. Methods: GSE102686 and GSE169057 GEO datasets were utilized to identify differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to detect differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) and mRNAs (DEmRNAs). Various in silico tools were used to identify interactions between circRNAs, miRNAs, and their potential target genes in CESC. Moreover, enrichment analysis, correlation analysis, and survival analysis were performed on potential target genes. Results: Utilizing publically available data, we found dysregulated circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs in CESC. We showed that the circRNA hsa_circ_0000711 may be involved in the CESC process by inhibiting many target genes via hsa-miR-338-3p and/or hsa-miR-361-3p. Moreover, we found that hsa_circ_0000515 circRNA can contribute to CESC by modulating the expression of some target genes via hsa-miR-296-5p. Conclusions: The findings of this work contribute to a better understanding of the circRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulation processes in CESC.

Abstract Purpose This study aims to compare treatment outcomes between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by surgery and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with stage IIB cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving patients with stage IIB CSCC treated at Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital between June 2012 and June 2019. We compared overall survival (OS), locoregional-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) between the NACT + surgery and CCRT groups. Results A total of 257 patients were enrolled: 165 underwent NACT + surgery and 92 received CCRT. Before propensity score matching, the NACT + surgery group exhibited lower 5-year OS (68.2% vs. 85.6%; hazard ratio [HR] = 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26–4.96; P = 0.009), LRFS (85.2% vs. 96.9%; HR = 5.88, 95% CI: 1.33–25.94; P = 0.019), and DMFS (81.9% vs. 97.4%; HR = 6.65, 95% CI: 1.51–29.23; P = 0.012) compared to the CCRT group. After propensity score matching, OS, LRFS, and DMFS remained worse in the NACT + surgery group compared to the CCRT group. Conclusion NACT followed by surgery is associated with decreased OS, LRFS, and DMFS compared to CCRT among patients with stage IIB CSCC.

Abstract In contrast to the decreasing trends in developed countries, the incidence and mortality rates of cervical squamous cell carcinoma in China have increased significantly. The screening and identification of reliable biomarkers and candidate drug targets for cervical squamous cell carcinoma are urgently needed to improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of MUC1 was greater in neoplastic tissues than in non-neoplastic tissues of the cervix, and cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients with high MUC1 expression had significantly worse overall survival than did those with low MUC1 expression, indicating its potential for early diagnosis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Next, we explored the regulatory mechanism of MUC1 in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. MUC1 could upregulate ITGA2 and ITGA3 expression via ERK phosphorylation, promoting the proliferation and metastasis of cervical cancer cells. Further knockdown of ITGA2 and ITGA3 significantly inhibited the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer cells. Moreover, we designed a combination drug regimen comprising MUC1-siRNA and a novel ERK inhibitor in vivo and found that the combination of these drugs achieved better results in animals with xenografts than did MUC1 alone. Overall, we discovered a novel regulatory pathway, MUC1/ERK/ITGA2/3, in cervical squamous cell carcinoma that may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in the future.

Objective To comparatively analyze the characteristics of cervical cancer screening history between patients with cervical adenocarcinoma and cervical squamous cell carcinoma， and to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of cervical cancer screening for precancerous lesions of cervical adenocarcinoma. Methods Clinical data of 117 patients with cervical adenocarcinoma and 712 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed， and the differences in cervical cancer screening history were statistically analyzed between two groups. Results The proportion of cervical adenocarcinoma patients receiving cervical cancer screening was 24.5%， significantly higher than 6.8% of those with cervical squamous cell carcinoma （P < 0.001）. The proportion of cervical adenocarcinoma patients receiving regular screening or above was 18.4%， significantly higher than 2.8% of those with cervical squamous cell carcinoma （P < 0.001）. The proportion of symptom-detected cervical squamous cell carcinoma was 91.6%， significantly higher than 79.1% of their counterparts with cervical adenocarcinoma cell carcinoma （P < 0.001）. The proportion of screening-detected stageⅠ-ⅡA cervical adenocarcinoma was 24.6%， significantly higher than 11.1% of those with screening-detected stage Ⅰ-ⅡA cervical squamous cell carcinoma （P = 0.004）. The proportion of screening-detected stageⅠ-ⅡA cervical adenocarcinoma was 24.6%， significantly higher than 4.0% of those with screening-detected stageⅡB-Ⅳ cervical adenocarcinoma （P = 0.022）. Conclusions Current cervical cancer screening regimen yields higher efficacy for precancerous lesions of cervical squamous cell carcinoma compared with cervical adenocarcinoma. However， it still contributes to the diagnosis of early cervical adenocarcinoma. Therefore， extensive attention should be paid to cervical cancer screening. Cervical cancer screening regimen remains to be further optimized.

Huimin Guo,1,&ast; Songkun Gao,2,&ast; Weimin Kong1 1Gynecology Department, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Gynecologic Oncology Department, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weimin Kong, Gynecology Department, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, 100006, People’s Republic of China, Email kwm1967@ccmu.edu.cnObjective: In current most observational studies, the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma is worse than that of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. However, most of the current studies are holistic and lack more detailed staging and grouping analysis of the prognosis of the two types of cervical tumors.Patients and Methods: Inclusion from the SEER database of stage IIB-IVA cervical squamous cell carcinoma and cervical adenocarcinoma patients who did not undergo surgery from 2000 to 2019, underwent radiotherapy/chemotherapy/radiotherapy and chemotherapy/no treatment, and then propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to eliminate confounding factors between cervical squamous cell carcinoma and cervical adenocarcinoma patients with the same stage and treatment method. After matching the original data and propensity score, logarithmic rank test and chi square test were used to evaluate the survival benefits of different stages and treatment methods for patients using Kaplan Meier curve. The prognosis of two types of cervical tumors under the same treatment method was compared, and factors that may cause poor prognosis were analyzed, excluding confounding factors.Results: A total of 10,057 patients were included in this study, and survival analysis showed a significant correlation between the treatment method used and patient prognosis (P< 0.05). However, for patients who received radiotherapy or no special treatment, OS and CSS were only related to tumor stage and not to tumor type. In patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the OS and CSS of stage IIIA and IVA patients are not related to tumor pathological characteristics, while the OS of stage IIB patients is not related to tumor properties after PSM.Conclusion: In patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the OS and CSS of stage IIIA and IVA patients were not related to histological type, while the OS of stage IIB patients was not related to histological type after PSM.Keywords: cervical squamous cell carcinoma, cervical adenocarcinoma, staging, prognosis, SEER

Background: In recent years, abnormalities in plasma omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs) have been proven to be related to the risk of cancer, but their prognostic value for cancer is unclear. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the response and prognostic significance of plasma omega-3 PUFAs in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between omega-3 PUFAs and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) levels. Methods: A total of 89 patients with CSCC who underwent CCRT were evaluated retrospectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent predictors related to complete response (CR) after CCRT. A Cox proportional hazard model and Kaplan-Meier analysis were utilized to perform survival analysis. Results: According to multivariate logistic regression analyses, a high level of plasma EPA was independently correlated with an increased incidence of CR after CCRT (odds ratio (OR), 0.980; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.962–0.999, p = 0.038). With a median follow-up of 41.3 months, the CSCC patients in the high EPA (≥46.0 nmol/mL) group exhibited longer OS and PFS. According to our multivariate analysis, pretreatment plasma EPA level was an independent prognostic factor for PFS in patients with CSCC who underwent CCRT (hazard ratio (HR), 0.263; 95% CI, 0.089–0.782, p = 0.016). However, it was not an independent prognostic factor of OS. Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed was a negative correlation between pretreatment SCC-Ag (pre SCCAg) levels and EPA levels (r = −0.305, p = 0.004), and a weak negative correlation between posttreatment SCC-Ag (post SCC-Ag) levels and EPA levels (r = −0.251, p = 0.018). Conclusion: Plasma omega-3 PUFAs are related to the response and survival outcome of patients with CSCC who underwent CCRT. Pretreatment plasma EPA levels may be a promising biomarker for predicting the response and prognosis of patients with CSCC who undergo CCRT. In addition, the pretreatment plasma EPA levels presented a negative correlation with the SCC-Ag levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been reported to be associated with N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification in cancers. However, the underlying mechanism by which m6A methylation participates in HPV‐related cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) remains largely unclear. In this study, we observed that m6A regulators methyltransferase like protein (METTL14) and insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) were upregulated in HPV‐positive CSCC tissues and cell lines, and their high expression predicted poor prognosis for HPV‐infected CSCC patients. Cellular functional experiments verified that HPV16 oncogenes E6/E7 upregulated the expression of METTL14 and IGF2BP3 to promote cell proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition of CSCC cells. Next, we found that E6/E7 stabilized fascin actin‐bundling protein 1 (FSCN1) mRNA and elevated FSCN1 expression in CSCC cells through upregulating METTL14/IGF2BP3‐mediated m6A modification, and FSCN1 expression was also validated to be positively associated with worse outcomes of HPV‐positive CSCC patients. Finally, HPV16‐positive CSCC cell lines SiHa and CaSki were transfected with knockdown vector for E6/E7 or METTL14/IGF2BP3 and overexpressing vector for FSCN1, and functional verification experiments were performed through using MTT assay, flow cytometry, wound healing assay and tumour formation assay. Results indicated that knockdown of E6/E7 or METTL14/IGF2BP3 suppressed cell proliferation, migration and tumorigenesis, and accelerated cell apoptosis of HPV‐positive CSCC cells. Their tumour‐suppressive effects were abolished through overexpressing FSCN1. Overall, HPV E6/E7 advanced CSCC development through upregulating METTL14/IGF2BP3‐mediated FSCN1 m6A modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer stem cell biomarkers SRY (sex‐determining region Y)‐box 2 (SOX2) and octamer‐binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) account for radioresistance in cervical squamous cell cancers (CSCCs). Their clinical implications are limited and contradictory. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we recruited patients with FIGO IB2‐IVA CSCC treated with primary chemoradiotherapy on regular follow‐up. Tissue biopsy specimens were evaluated for SOX2 and Oct4 expression by immunohistochemistry, quantified by a product of proportion and intensity scores. Results: A total of 59 patients were included. Most had a moderately differentiated (81%), keratinizing (59%) CSCC, and ≥FIGO stage IIB disease (95%). SOX2 expression (high:low 21:38 patients) and Oct4 expression (high:low 4:55 patients) had a significant interrelation (p = 0.005, odds ratio (95% CI) − 1.23 (1.004–1.520)). At a median follow‐up of 36 months, the 3‐year overall survival (OS) was 60% and 53% for low and high SOX2 expression (p = 0.856), and 54% and 100% for low and high Oct4 expression (p = 0.114). The 3‐year disease‐frese survival (DFS) was 65% and 50% in the low and high SOX2 expression (p = 0.259), and 59% and 75% for low and high Oct4 expression (p = 0.598). SOX2 expression was the only variable significantly associated with a lower OS and DFS on regression analysis. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a trend toward improved OS and DFS with low SOX2 and high Oct4 expression in CSCC patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic alterations and potential neoantigens for cervical cancer immunotherapy were identified in a cohort of Chinese patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Whole-exome sequencing was used to identify genomic alterations and potential neoantigens for CSCC immunotherapy. RNA Sequencing was performed to analyze neoantigen expression. Systematic bioinformatics analysis showed that C>T/G>A transitions/transversions were dominant in CSCCs. Missense mutations were the most frequent types of somatic mutation in the coding sequence regions. Mutational signature analysis detected signature 2, signature 6, and signature 7 in CSCC samples. PIK3CA , FBXW7 , and BICRA were identified as potential driver genes, with BICRA as a newly reported gene. Genomic variation profiling identified 4,960 potential neoantigens, of which 114 were listed in two neoantigen-related databases. The present findings contribute to our understanding of the genomic characteristics of CSCC and provide a foundation for the development of new biotechnology methods for individualized immunotherapy in CSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to compare treatment outcomes between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by surgery and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with stage IIB cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving patients with stage IIB CSCC treated at Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital between June 2012 and June 2019. We compared overall survival (OS), locoregional-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) between the NACT + surgery and CCRT groups. Results: A total of 257 patients were enrolled: 165 underwent NACT + surgery and 92 received CCRT. Before propensity score matching, the NACT + surgery group exhibited lower 5-year OS (68.2% vs. 85.6%; hazard ratio [HR] = 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26–4.96; P = 0.009), LRFS (85.2% vs. 96.9%; HR = 5.88, 95% CI: 1.33–25.94; P = 0.019), and DMFS (81.9% vs. 97.4%; HR = 6.65, 95% CI: 1.51–29.23; P = 0.012) compared to the CCRT group. After propensity score matching, OS, LRFS, and DMFS remained worse in the NACT + surgery group compared to the CCRT group. Conclusion: NACT followed by surgery is associated with decreased OS, LRFS, and DMFS compared to CCRT among patients with stage IIB CSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Proficient colposcopy is crucial for the adequate management of cervical cancer precursor lesions; nonetheless its limitations may impact its cost-effectiveness. The development of artificial intelligence models is experiencing an exponential growth, particularly in image-based specialties. The aim of this study is to develop and validate a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for the automatic differentiation of high-grade (HSIL) from low-grade dysplasia (LSIL) in colposcopy. Methods: A unicentric retrospective study was conducted based on 70 colposcopy exams, comprising a total of 22,693 frames. Among these, 8729 were categorized as HSIL based on histopathology. The total dataset was divided into a training (90%, n = 20,423) and a testing set (10%, n = 2270), the latter being used to evaluate the model's performance. The main outcome measures included sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and the area under the receiving operating curve (AUC-ROC). Results: The sensitivity was 99.7% and the specificity was 98.6%. The PPV and NPV were 97.8% and 99.8%, respectively. The overall accuracy was 99.0%. The AUC-ROC was 0.98. The CNN processed 112 frames per second. Conclusions: We developed a CNN capable of differentiating cervical cancer precursors in colposcopy frames. The high levels of accuracy for the differentiation of HSIL from LSIL may improve the diagnostic yield of this exam [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the expression of long noncoding ribonucleic acids(LncRNA)DCSTAMP domain 1antisense 1(DCST1AS1)and LncRNA MCM3AP antisense RNA 1(MCM3APAS1)in cervical squamous cell carcinoma(CSCC)tissue and the proliferation and invasion genes and prognosis. Methods: 124 CSCC patients admitted to The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2018 to January 2020 were selected, CSCC tissues and cancer adjacent normal tissues were taken, the mRNA expression of LncRNA DCST1AS1, LncRNA MCM3APAS1, proliferation genes(YAP1, Piwil2, EZH2, PKCε)and invasion genes(Rab1 1, TUG1, Gli1, FoxM1)were detected by realtime fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRTPCR). Patients were followed up for 3 years after discharge. The correlation between Lnc RNA DCST1AS1, Lnc RNA MCM3APAS1 expression and proliferation genes and invasion genes were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Analyzed the relationship between the expression of Lnc RNA DCST1AS1, Lnc RNA MCM3APAS1 and clinical pathological features. The prognosis was analyzed by plotted KaplanMeier curve, and the factors affecting the prognosis of CSCC patients were analyzed by multivariate COX regression analysis. Results: The expression of Lnc RNA DCST1AS1 in CSCC cancer tissues was higher than that in cancer adjacent tissues(P＜0. 05), and the expression of Lnc RNA MCM3 APAS1 was lower than that in cancer adjacent tissues(P＜0. 05). The mRNA levels of YAP1, Piwil2, EZH2, PKCε, Rab11, TUG1, Gli1 and FoxM1 were positively correlated with the expression of Lnc RNA DCST1AS1 in CSCC tissues(P＜0. 05), and negatively correlated with Lnc RNA MCM3APAS1(P＜0. 05). The expression of Lnc RNA DCST1AS1 in cancer tissues of CSCC patients with lowmoderate differentiation, FIGO stage Ⅲa and pelvic lymph node metastasis was higher than that in patients with high differentiation, FIGO stage Ⅰ～Ⅱ and no pelvic lymph node metastasis(P＜0. 05), the expression of Lnc RNA MCM3 APAS1 was lower than that in patients with high differentiation, FIGO stage Ⅰ～Ⅱ and no pelvic lymph node metastasis(P＜0. 05). The 3year overall survival rate of CSCC patients with high expression of Lnc RNA DCST1AS1 and low expression of Lnc RNA MCM3APAS1 was lower than that of low expression of Lnc RNA DCST1AS1 and high expression of Lnc RNA MCM3APAS1(P＜0. 05). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that, pelvic lymph node metastasis and high expression of Lnc RNA DCST1AS1 were risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with CSCC(P＜0. 05), and high expression of Lnc RNA MCM3APAS1 was a protective factor(P＜0. 05). Conclusion: The expression of LncRNA DCST1AS1 is upregulate and the expression of LncRNA MCM3APAS1 is downregulate in CSCC tissues, which is relate to the proliferation, invasion and poor prognosis of CSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to the decreasing trends in developed countries, the incidence and mortality rates of cervical squamous cell carcinoma in China have increased significantly. The screening and identification of reliable biomarkers and candidate drug targets for cervical squamous cell carcinoma are urgently needed to improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of MUC1 was greater in neoplastic tissues than in non-neoplastic tissues of the cervix, and cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients with high MUC1 expression had significantly worse overall survival than did those with low MUC1 expression, indicating its potential for early diagnosis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Next, we explored the regulatory mechanism of MUC1 in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. MUC1 could upregulate ITGA2 and ITGA3 expression via ERK phosphorylation, promoting the proliferation and metastasis of cervical cancer cells. Further knockdown of ITGA2 and ITGA3 significantly inhibited the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer cells. Moreover, we designed a combination drug regimen comprising MUC1-siRNA and a novel ERK inhibitor in vivo and found that the combination of these drugs achieved better results in animals with xenografts than did MUC1 alone. Overall, we discovered a novel regulatory pathway, MUC1/ERK/ITGA2/3, in cervical squamous cell carcinoma that may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in the future. Summary: MUC1 is overexpressed in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. MUC1 regulates ERK phosphorylation, and subsequently upregulates ITGA2 and ITGA3 expression to promote tumorigenesis in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. A combination drug regimen targeting MUC1 and ERK achieved better results compared than MUC1 alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among female reproductive malignancies, and lymph node metastasis (LNM) represents the major reason for its poor prognosis. In this study, we aimed to identify transcriptome differences in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) who developed LNM or not and to outline the function of GLIS1 in determining metastatic fate in CSCC. In The Cancer Genome Atlas-endocervical adenocarcinoma project, patients with LNM had shorter overall survival than those without. Transcriptome data from CSCC patients with and without LNM were analyzed to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). DEGs were enriched in metastasis-related pathways, such as extracellular matrix organization, cell-cell adhesion, and regulation of tissue remodeling. GLIS1 was overexpressed in tumor tissues of patients with LNM. COMP and ITGA11 were screened as downstream targets of GLIS1. GLIS1 promoted their transcription by binding to the promoter regions of COMP and ITGA11. GLIS1 enhanced the migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in CSCC cells, while the knockdown of COMP or ITGA11 reversed the promotion of GLIS1 on CSCC cell malignant phenotype. Together, our results demonstrate that GLIS1 might be related to the LNM of CSCC patients via COMP and ITGA11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite sustained advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC), patients with advanced or recurrent CESC are prone to a poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that autophagy-related genes (ARGs) are prominent indicators of CESC prognosis. Transcriptomic and clinical data of CESC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to calculate an autophagy-related gene prognostic index (API) based on the hub genes using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso)-Cox regression model. Its efficacy in predicting the overall survival (OS) and immunotherapeutic responses of CESC patients was assessed. Three autophagy-related genes, B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and tumor protein p73 (TP73), were independent prognostic factors of CESC and were used to obtain API. Patients with high API showed better OS, along with enhanced infiltration of (cluster of differentiation 8+) CD8+ T and Treg cells, inhibition of activated natural killer (NK) cells, and activation of dendritic cell infiltration in CESC tissues. As compared to those with low API, patients with a high API showed enhanced expressions of immune checkpoints, including programmed death-1 (PD-1), programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA4), and lower half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for common chemotherapy agents, including paclitaxel and cisplatin. Collectively, low expression of ARGs, namely BCL2 and TP73, may be the Achilles' heel for CESC. API could accurately predict the prognosis and efficacy of immunotherapy and chemotherapy for CESC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To comparatively analyze the characteristics of cervical cancer screening history between patients with cervical adenocarcinoma and cervical squamous cell carcinoma, and to preliminarily evaluate the efficacy of cervical cancer screening for precancerous lesions of cervical adenocarcinoma. Methods Clinical data of 117 patients with cervical adenocarcinoma and 712 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed, and the differences in cervical cancer screening history were statistically analyzed between two groups. Results The proportion of cervical adenocarcinoma patients receiving cervical cancer screening was 24.5%,significantly higher than 6.8%of those with cervical squamous cell carcinoma(P<0.001).The proportion of cervical adenocarcinoma patients receiving regular screening or above was 18.4%,significantly higher than 2.8%of those with cervical squamous cell carcinoma(P<0.001).The proportion of symptom-detected cervical squamous cell carcinoma was 91.6%,significantly higher than 79.1%of their counterparts with cervical adenocarcinoma cell carcinoma(P<0.001).The proportion of screening-detected stageⅠ-ⅡA cervical adenocarcinoma was 24.6%,significantly higher than 11.1%of those with screening-detected stage Ⅰ-ⅡA cervical squamous cell carcinoma(P = 0.004).The proportion of screening-detected stageⅠ-ⅡA cervical adenocarcinoma was 24.6%,significantly higher than 4.0%of those with screening-detected stageⅡB-Ⅳ cervical adenocarcinoma(P = 0.022).Conclusions Current cervical cancer screening regimen yields higher efficacy for precancerous lesions of cervical squamous cell carcinoma compared with cervical adenocarcinoma. However, it still contributes to the diagnosis of early cervical adenocarcinoma. Therefore, extensive attention should be paid to cervical cancer screening. Cervical cancer screening regimen remains to be further optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Surgery combined with radiotherapy substantially escalates the likelihood of encountering complications in early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma(ESCSCC). We aimed to investigate the feasibility of Deep-learning-based radiomics of intratumoral and peritumoral MRI images to predict the pathological features of adjuvant radiotherapy in ESCSCC and minimize the occurrence of adverse events associated with the treatment. Methods A dataset comprising MR images was obtained from 289 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection between January 2019 and April 2022. The dataset was randomly divided into two cohorts in a 4:1 ratio.The postoperative radiotherapy options were evaluated according to the Peter/Sedlis standard. We extracted clinical features, as well as intratumoral and peritumoral radiomic features, using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. We constructed the Clinical Signature (Clinic_Sig), Radiomics Signature (Rad_Sig) and the Deep Transformer Learning Signature (DTL_Sig). Additionally, we fused the Rad_Sig with the DTL_Sig to create the Deep Learning Radiomic Signature (DLR_Sig). We evaluated the prediction performance of the models using the Area Under the Curve (AUC), calibration curve, and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA). Results The DLR_Sig showed a high level of accuracy and predictive capability, as demonstrated by the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98(95% CI: 0.97–0.99) for the training cohort and 0.79(95% CI: 0.67–0.90) for the test cohort. In addition, the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, which provided p-values of 0.87 for the training cohort and 0.15 for the test cohort, respectively, indicated a good fit. DeLong test showed that the predictive effectiveness of DLR_Sig was significantly better than that of the Clinic_Sig(P

Abstract 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) can provide tumor biological metabolism and skeletal muscle composition information. The aim of this study was to evaluate overall survival (OS) and short-term efficacy of cervical squamous cell carcinoma combining tumor biological metabolism and skeletal muscle composition parameters. Eighty two patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study, who received 18F-FDG PET/CT scans before treatment. Clinical characteristics, tumor biological metabolism parameters [standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis, heterogeneity of tumors, etc.] and body composition parameters were recorded. The survival analysis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients was performed by univariate and multivariate analysis. A combined model included clinical indicators, tumor metabolism parameters and sarcopenia was constructed to evaluate OS of patients. According to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1, the relationship between sarcopenia with tumor metabolism parameters and short-term efficacy was investigated in subgroup. The results indicate that sarcopenia and high value of the sum of MTV of lesions and metastases (MTVtotal) were poor prognostic factors in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The combination of sarcopenia, MTVtotal and clinical factors provided an improved prediction of OS especially in the long term after treatment. Nutritional status of the patients and tumor metabolism may not affect the short-term efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Abstract Purpose To assess survival of treatment patterns based on concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with stage IIB cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Materials and methods Patients with stage IIB CSCC receiving CCRT were investigated from June 2012 to June 2019 in Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital. Baseline characteristics and treatment patterns were described. Survival between treatment patterns were compared using Kaplan-Meier methods. Results A total of 232 patients were included: 39.7% of patients received CCRT alone, 6.5% of patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) + CCRT, 45.6% of patients received CCRT + adjuvant chemotherapy (AC), and 8.2% of patients received NACT + CCRT + AC. CCRT + AC showed similar overall survival (OS; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41–2.17; P = 0.894) and locoregional-free survival (LRFS; HR = 2.39, 95% CI: 0.45–12.63; P = 0.303) compared with CCRT. However, CCRT + AC had a worse distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS; HR = 5.39, 95% CI: 1.14–25.57; P = 0.034). After propensity score matching, CCRT + AC had comparable OS (HR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.29–2.70; P = 0.833), LRFS (HR = 3.26, 95% CI: 0.30-35.38; P = 0.331), and DMFS (HR = 4.80, 95% CI: 0.55–42.26; P = 0.157) compared to CCRT. Conclusion AC did not improve survival in patients with stage IIB CSCC receiving CCRT.

Background: Surgery combined with radiotherapy substantially escalates the likelihood of encountering complications in early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma(ESCSCC). We aimed to investigate the feasibility of Deep-learning-based radiomics of intratumoral and peritumoral MRI images to predict the pathological features of adjuvant radiotherapy in ESCSCC and minimize the occurrence of adverse events associated with the treatment. Methods: A dataset comprising MR images was obtained from 289 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection between January 2019 and April 2022. The dataset was randomly divided into two cohorts in a 4:1 ratio.The postoperative radiotherapy options were evaluated according to the Peter/Sedlis standard. We extracted clinical features, as well as intratumoral and peritumoral radiomic features, using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. We constructed the Clinical Signature (Clinic_Sig), Radiomics Signature (Rad_Sig) and the Deep Transformer Learning Signature (DTL_Sig). Additionally, we fused the Rad_Sig with the DTL_Sig to create the Deep Learning Radiomic Signature (DLR_Sig). We evaluated the prediction performance of the models using the Area Under the Curve (AUC), calibration curve, and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA). Results: The DLR_Sig showed a high level of accuracy and predictive capability, as demonstrated by the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98(95% CI: 0.97–0.99) for the training cohort and 0.79(95% CI: 0.67–0.90) for the test cohort. In addition, the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, which provided p-values of 0.87 for the training cohort and 0.15 for the test cohort, respectively, indicated a good fit. DeLong test showed that the predictive effectiveness of DLR_Sig was significantly better than that of the Clinic_Sig(P < 0.05 both the training and test cohorts). The calibration plot of DLR_Sig indicated excellent consistency between the actual and predicted probabilities, while the DCA curve demonstrating greater clinical utility for predicting the pathological features for adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusion: DLR_Sig based on intratumoral and peritumoral MRI images has the potential to preoperatively predict the pathological features of adjuvant radiotherapy in early-stage cervical squamous cell carcinoma (ESCSCC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of gene expression quantification data is a powerful and widely used approach in cancer research. This work provides new insights into the transcriptomic changes that occur in healthy uterine tissue compared to those in cancerous tissues and explores the differences associated with uterine cancer localizations and histological subtypes. To achieve this, RNA-Seq data from the TCGA database were preprocessed and analyzed using the KnowSeq package. Firstly, a kNN model was applied to classify uterine cervix cancer, uterine corpus cancer, and healthy uterine samples. Through variable selection, a three-gene signature was identified (VWCE, CLDN15, ADCYAP1R1), achieving consistent 100% test accuracy across 20 repetitions of a 5-fold cross-validation. A supplementary similar analysis using miRNA-Seq data from the same samples identified an optimal two-gene miRNA-coding signature potentially regulating the three-gene signature previously mentioned, which attained optimal classification performance with an 82% F1-macro score. Subsequently, a kNN model was implemented for the classification of cervical cancer samples into their two main histological subtypes (adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma). A uni-gene signature (ICA1L) was identified, achieving 100% test accuracy through 20 repetitions of a 5-fold cross-validation and externally validated through the CGCI program. Finally, an examination of six cervical adenosquamous carcinoma (mixed) samples revealed a pattern where the gene expression value in the mixed class aligned closer to the histological subtype with lower expression, prompting a reconsideration of the diagnosis for these mixed samples. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of uterine cervix and corpus cancers. The newly identified gene signatures demonstrate robust predictive capabilities, guiding future research in cancer diagnosis and treatment methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) can provide tumor biological metabolism and skeletal muscle composition information. The aim of this study was to evaluate overall survival (OS) and short-term efficacy of cervical squamous cell carcinoma combining tumor biological metabolism and skeletal muscle composition parameters. Eighty two patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study, who received 18F-FDG PET/CT scans before treatment. Clinical characteristics, tumor biological metabolism parameters [standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis, heterogeneity of tumors, etc.] and body composition parameters were recorded. The survival analysis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients was performed by univariate and multivariate analysis. A combined model included clinical indicators, tumor metabolism parameters and sarcopenia was constructed to evaluate OS of patients. According to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1, the relationship between sarcopenia with tumor metabolism parameters and short-term efficacy was investigated in subgroup. The results indicate that sarcopenia and high value of the sum of MTV of lesions and metastases (MTVtotal) were poor prognostic factors in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The combination of sarcopenia, MTVtotal and clinical factors provided an improved prediction of OS especially in the long term after treatment. Nutritional status of the patients and tumor metabolism may not affect the short-term efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the value of quantitative longitudinal relaxation time (T1), transverse relaxation time (T2), and proton density (PD) maps derived from synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluating the status of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) without lymph node metastasis (LNM). Material and methods: Patients with suspected cervical cancer who visited our hospital from May 2020 to March 2023 were collected. All patients underwent preoperative MRI, including routine sequences and synthetic MRI. Patients with pathologically confirmed CSCC without lymphatic metastasis were included in this study. The subjects were divided into negative- and positive-LVSI groups based on the status of LVSI. Quantitative parameters of T1, T2, and PD values derived from synthetic MRI were compared between the two groups using independent samples t-test. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the diagnostic efficacy of the parameters. Results: 59 patients were enrolled in this study and were classified as positive (n = 32) and negative LVSI groups (n = 27). T1 and T2 values showed significant differences in differentiating negative-LVSI from positive-LVSI CSCC (1307.39 ± 122.02 vs. 1193.03 ± 107.86, P<0.0001; 88.42 ± 7.24 vs. 80.99 ± 5.50, P<0.0001, respectively). The area under the curve (AUC) for T1, T2 values and a combination of T1 and T2 values were 0.756, 0.799, 0.834 respectively, and there is no statistically significant difference in the diagnostic efficacy between individual and combined diagnosis of each parameter. Conclusions: Quantitative parameters derived from synthetic MRI can be used to evaluate the LVSI status in patients with CSCC without LNM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Programmed cell death (PCD) has been widely investigated in various human diseases. The present study aimed to identify a novel PCD‐related genetic signature in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) to provide clues for survival, immunotherapy and drug sensitization prediction. Methods: Single‐sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used to quantify the PCD score and assess the distribution of PCD in clinicopathological characteristics in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)‐CESC samples. Then, the ConsensusClusterPlus method was used to identify molecular subtypes in the TCGA‐CESC database. Genomic mutation analysis, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional enrichment, as well as tumor microenvironment (TME) infiltration analysis, were performed for each molecular subtype group. Finally, a prognostic model by Uni‐Cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator‐Cox analysis was established based on differentially expressed genes from molecular subtypes. ESTIMATE (i.e. Estimation of STromal and Immune cells in MAlignantTumours using Expression data) and ssGSEA were performed to assess the correlation between the model and TME. Drug sensitization prediction was carried out with the oncoPredict package. Results: Preliminary analysis indicated that PCD had a potential association clinical characteristics of the TCGA‐CESC cohort, and PCD‐related genes mutated in 289 (70.59%) CESC patients. Next, four groups of CESC molecular typing were clustered based on 63 significantly prognostic PCD‐related genes. Among four subtypes, C1 group displayed the worst prognosis combined with over expressed PCD genes and enriched cell cycle‐related pathways. C4 group exhibited the best prognosis accompanied with high degree of immune infiltration. Finally, a five‐gene (SERPINE1, TNF, CA9, CX3CL1 and JAK3) prognostic model was constructed. Patients in the high‐risk group displayed unfavorable survival. Immune infiltration analysis found that the low‐risk group had significantly higher levels of immune cell infiltration such as T cells, Macrophages_M1, relative to the high‐risk group, and were significantly enriched in apoptosis‐associated pathways, which predicted a higher level of immunity. Drug sensitivity correlation analysis revealed that the high‐risk group was resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs and sensitive to the Food and Drug Administration‐approved drugs BI.2536_1086 and SCH772984_1564. Conclusions: In the present study, we first found that PCD‐related gene expression patterns were correlated with clinical features of CESC patients, which predicts the feasibility of subsequent mining of prognostic features based on these genes. The five‐PCD‐associated‐gene prognostic model showed good assessment ability in predicting patient prognosis, immune response and drug‐sensitive response, and provided guidance for the elucidation of the mechanism by which PCD affects CESC, as well as for the clinical targeting of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) is an oncogene that promotes tumor progression in various malignancies, however, its role and regulatory mechanism in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is unknown. Herein, we attempted to investigate the functional role and molecular mechanism of SIRT7 underlying CSCC progression. Methods SIRT7 expression was evaluated in CSCC cells using various assays. We then used a series of function gain-and-loss experiments to determine the role of SIRT7 in CSCC progression. Furthermore, mechanism experiments were conducted to assess the interaction between SIRT7/USP39/FOXM1 in CSCC cells. Additionally, rescue assays were conducted to explore the regulatory function of USP39/FOXM1 in CSCC cellular processes. Results SIRT7 was highly expressed in CSCC patient tissues and cell lines. SIRT7 deficiency showed significant repression on the proliferation, and autophagy of CSCC cells in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo. Similarly, apoptosis and ROS production in CSCC cells were accelerated after the SIRT7 knockdown. Moreover, SIRT7 and USP39 were found colocalized in the cell nucleus. Interestingly, SIRT7 was revealed to deacetylate USP39 to promote its protein stability in CSCC cells. USP39 protein was also verified to be upregulated in CSCC tissues and cells. USP39 silencing showed suppressive effects on CSCC cell growth. Mechanistically, USP39 was revealed to upregulate SIRT7 by promoting the transcriptional activity of FOXM1. Rescue assays also indicated that SIRT7 promoted autophagy and inhibited ROS production in CSCC cells by regulating USP39/FOXM1. Conclusion The SIRT7/USP39/FOXM1 positive feedback network regulates autophagy and oxidative stress in CSCC, thus providing a new direction for CSCC-targeted therapy. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background and Purpose Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has become an essential component of the comprehensive treatment of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). However, not all patients respond to chemotherapy due to individual differences in sensitivity and tolerance to chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, accurately predicting the sensitivity of CSCC patients to NACT was vital for individual chemotherapy. This study aims to construct a machine learning radiomics model based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess its efficacy in predicting NACT susceptibility among CSCC patients. Methods This study included 234 patients with CSCC from two hospitals, who were divided into a training set (n = 180), a testing set (n = 20), and an external validation set (n = 34). Manual radiomic features were extracted from transverse section MRI images, and feature selection was performed using the recursive feature elimination (RFE) method. A prediction model was then generated using three machine learning algorithms, namely logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machines (SVM), for predicting NACT susceptibility. The model's performance was assessed based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, and sensitivity. Results The SVM approach achieves the highest scores on both the testing set and the external validation set. In the testing set and external validation set, the AUC of the model was 0.88 and 0.764, and the accuracy was 0.90 and 0.853, the sensitivity was 0.93 and 0.962, respectively. Conclusions Machine learning radiomics models based on MRI images have achieved satisfactory performance in predicting the sensitivity of NACT in CSCC patients with high accuracy and robustness, which has great significance for the treatment and personalized medicine of CSCC patients.

Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) represents a significant global health concern among females. Identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets is pivotal for improving the prognosis of CSCC. This study investigates the prognostic relevance of CCZ1 in CSCC and elucidates its downstream pathways and targets using a combination of bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Transcriptomic analysis of 239 CSCC and 3 normal cervical samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas database reveals a marked upregulation of CCZ1 mRNA levels in CSCC, and elevated CCZ1 mRNA levels were associated with poor prognosis. Immunohistochemical analysis of clinical samples also confirmed these findings. Furthermore, functional assays, including Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, Transwell, and flow cytometry, elucidated the influence of CCZ1 on CSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle progression. Remarkably, CCZ1 knockdown suppressed CSCC progression both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, CCZ1 knockdown downregulated MMP2 and MMP17 expression. Restoring MMP2 or MMP17 expression rescued phenotypic alterations induced by CCZ1 knockdown. Hence, CCZ1 promotes CSCC progression by upregulating MMP2 and MMP17 expression, emerging as a novel biomarker in CSCC and presenting potential as a therapeutic target in CSCC.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) by analyzing ferroptosis-related gene (FRG) expression data to predict prognosis. Methods: Gene expression and clinicopathological data of patients with CESC were collected from the Cancer Genome Atlas and the Genotype-Tissue Expression databases. Using Cox regression analysis, we identified 21 FRGs associated with prognosis. Cluster analysis categorized patients into subgroups based on these genes and compared their clinicopathological, biological, and immune infiltration features. FRG methylation levels were examined, and a risk model based on such FRG methylation levels was constructed using LASSO and Cox regression analyses. The model's predictive capacity was validated, and the relationships between the risk score and immune infiltration, tumor microenvironment, and drug sensitivity were explored. FRG methylation in CESC tissues was validated by immunohistochemistry. Results: We identified 21 FRGs associated with CESC prognosis. Patients were stratified into two subtypes based on these genes, they showed differences in prognosis, immune cell types, and immune checkpoint expression. A three-gene risk score (including AQP3, MGST1, and TFRC) was generated, and the low-risk group showed better overall survival. The high-risk and low-risk groups differed in terms of immune infiltration, gene mutations, and drug sensitivity. Experimental validation confirmed the upregulation of AQP3 and TFRC, whereas MGST1 expression was not significantly altered in CESC tissues compared with that in normal cervical tissues. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential role of FRG methylation in predicting CESC prognosis and provides a personalized assessment of immune responses in patients with CESC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) is an oncogene that promotes tumor progression in various malignancies, however, its role and regulatory mechanism in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is unknown. Herein, we attempted to investigate the functional role and molecular mechanism of SIRT7 underlying CSCC progression. Methods: SIRT7 expression was evaluated in CSCC cells using various assays. We then used a series of function gain-and-loss experiments to determine the role of SIRT7 in CSCC progression. Furthermore, mechanism experiments were conducted to assess the interaction between SIRT7/USP39/FOXM1 in CSCC cells. Additionally, rescue assays were conducted to explore the regulatory function of USP39/FOXM1 in CSCC cellular processes. Results: SIRT7 was highly expressed in CSCC patient tissues and cell lines. SIRT7 deficiency showed significant repression on the proliferation, and autophagy of CSCC cells in vitro and tumorigenesis in vivo. Similarly, apoptosis and ROS production in CSCC cells were accelerated after the SIRT7 knockdown. Moreover, SIRT7 and USP39 were found colocalized in the cell nucleus. Interestingly, SIRT7 was revealed to deacetylate USP39 to promote its protein stability in CSCC cells. USP39 protein was also verified to be upregulated in CSCC tissues and cells. USP39 silencing showed suppressive effects on CSCC cell growth. Mechanistically, USP39 was revealed to upregulate SIRT7 by promoting the transcriptional activity of FOXM1. Rescue assays also indicated that SIRT7 promoted autophagy and inhibited ROS production in CSCC cells by regulating USP39/FOXM1. Conclusion: The SIRT7/USP39/FOXM1 positive feedback network regulates autophagy and oxidative stress in CSCC, thus providing a new direction for CSCC-targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer being one of the primary causes of high mortality rates among women is an area of concern, especially with ineffective treatment strategies. Extensive studies are carried out to understand various aspects of cervical cancer initiation, development and progression; however, invasive cervical squamous cell carcinoma has poor outcomes. Moreover, the advanced stages of cervical cancer may involve lymphatic circulation with a high risk of tumor recurrence at distant metastatic sites. Dysregulation of the cervical microbiome by human papillomavirus (HPV) together with immune response modulation and the occurrence of novel mutations that trigger genomic instability causes malignant transformation at the cervix. In this review, we focus on the major risk factors as well as the functionally altered signaling pathways promoting the transformation of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia into invasive squamous cell carcinoma. We further elucidate genetic and epigenetic variations to highlight the complexity of causal factors of cervical cancer as well as the metastatic potential due to the changes in immune response, epigenetic regulation, DNA repair capacity, and cell cycle progression. Our bioinformatics analysis on metastatic and non-metastatic cervical cancer datasets identified various significantly and differentially expressed genes as well as the downregulation of potential tumor suppressor microRNA miR-28-5p. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the genomic landscape in invasive and metastatic cervical cancer will help in stratifying the patient groups and designing potential therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has become an essential component of the comprehensive treatment of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). However, not all patients respond to chemotherapy due to individual differences in sensitivity and tolerance to chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, accurately predicting the sensitivity of CSCC patients to NACT was vital for individual chemotherapy. This study aims to construct a machine learning radiomics model based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess its efficacy in predicting NACT susceptibility among CSCC patients. Methods: This study included 234 patients with CSCC from two hospitals, who were divided into a training set (n = 180), a testing set (n = 20), and an external validation set (n = 34). Manual radiomic features were extracted from transverse section MRI images, and feature selection was performed using the recursive feature elimination (RFE) method. A prediction model was then generated using three machine learning algorithms, namely logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machines (SVM), for predicting NACT susceptibility. The model's performance was assessed based on the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, and sensitivity. Results: The SVM approach achieves the highest scores on both the testing set and the external validation set. In the testing set and external validation set, the AUC of the model was 0.88 and 0.764, and the accuracy was 0.90 and 0.853, the sensitivity was 0.93 and 0.962, respectively. Conclusions: Machine learning radiomics models based on MRI images have achieved satisfactory performance in predicting the sensitivity of NACT in CSCC patients with high accuracy and robustness, which has great significance for the treatment and personalized medicine of CSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC) ranks among the primary contributors to global cancer-associated mortality. However, the role mediated by synaptotagmin 7 (SYT7) in CESC remains unclear. Our study employed immunohistochemistry to assess the level of SYT7 expression in the tissue microarray. Furthermore, lentiviral shRNA transduction was utilized to establish SYT7 knockdown cell line models based on HeLa and SiHa cell lines. The functional impacts of silencing SYT7 expression in vitro were evaluated. A subcutaneous xenograft model was employed to examine the tumorigenic potential of cells with or without SYT7. The content of SYT7 in CESC tissues was significantly elevated compared to adjacent normal tissues. Functionally, silencing SYT7 in HeLa and SiHa cells suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation ability, and apoptosis enhancement. Additionally, cells with suppressed SYT7 also exhibited inhibited cell migration and invasion. In vivo experiments demonstrated the loss of tumorigenic ability in SYT7 knockdown cells and suppressed tumor growth. Quantitative PCR PrimeView PathArray and apoptosis antibody array analyses revealed that upon elimination of SYT7, there was a significant upregulation observed in Caspase 8, TNF-R1 (TNF receptor superfamily member 1A), and HSPA5 (heat shock protein family A [Hsp70] member 5), while TGFBI (transforming growth factor beta-induced), RPL31 (ribosomal protein L31), LUM (lumican), HSDL2 (hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-like 2), ITGB5 (integrin subunit beta 5), and Smad2 (SMAD family member2) were downregulated. Overall, we have demonstrated the tumor-promoting functions of SYT7 in CESC.

Abstract Background Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. Genome-wide association studies have revealed multiple susceptible genes and their polymorphisms for cervical cancer risk. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CD40 gene and susceptibility to cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in a population from the northeastern Han Chinese population. Methods The three SNPs (rs1800686, rs3765459, and rs4810485) of the CD40 gene were analyzed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with next-generation sequencing methods in 421 patients with CSCC, 594 patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and 504 healthy females. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the potential relationship between CD40 gene polymorphisms and CSCC, or HSIL. Results Our research results showed the AA genotype of rs1800686 had a protective effect on CSCC in comparison to the GG genotype and AG+GG genotypes (AA vs. GG: p = 0.0389 and AA vs. AG+GG: p = 0.0280, respectively). After FDR correction, the results were still statistically significant (p = 0.0389 and p = 0.0389, respectively). Similarly, rs3765459 showed a reduced risk association for CSCC in the codominant and recessive models (AA vs. GG: p = 0.0286 and AA vs. AG+GG: p = 0.0222, respectively). Significant differences remained after FDR correction (p = 0.0286 and p = 0.0286, respectively). However, these differences were no longer significant after the Bonferroni correction. In addition, the genotypes for the rs4810485 polymorphisms were associated with parity of the patients with CSCC. The genotypes for the rs3765459 polymorphisms were significantly correlated with the D-dimer of the patients with CSCC. The 3 SNPs genotypes of the CD40 gene were closely related to the squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) of the patients with HSIL. Conclusions The CD40 gene may play a role in the occurrence and development of CSCC.

Abstract Background Endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) is an emerging adaptive process that modulates lymphatic endothelial function to drive aberrant lymphatic vascularization in the tumour microenvironment (TME); however, the molecular determinants that govern the functional role of EndoMT remain unclear. Here, we show that cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-derived PAI-1 promoted the EndoMT of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Methods Immunofluorescent staining of α-SMA, LYVE-1 and DAPI were examined in primary tumour samples obtained from 57 CSCC patients. Assessment of cytokines secreted by CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) was performed using human cytokine antibody arrays. The phenotype of EndoMT in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), gene expression levels, protein secretion and activity of signaling pathways were measured by real-time RT-PCR, ELISA or western blotting. The function of lymphatic endothelial monolayers was examined by transwell, tube formation assay, transendothelial migration assay in vitro. Lymphatic metastasis was measured using popliteal lymph node metastasis model. Furthermore, association between PAI-1 expression and EndoMT in CSCC was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases was used to assess the association of PAI-1 with survival rate in CSCC. Results CAF-derived PAI-1 promoted the EndoMT of LECs in CSCC. LECs undergoing EndoMT could initiate tumour neolymphangiogenesis that facilitated cancer cell intravasation/extravasation, which in turn promoted lymphatic metastasis in CSCC. Mechanistically, PAI-1 activated the AKT/ERK1/2 pathways by directly interacting with low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP1), thereby leading to elevated EndoMT activity in LECs. Blockade of PAI-1 or inhibition of LRP1/AKT/ERK1/2 abrogated EndoMT and consequently attenuated CAF-induced tumour neolymphangiogenesis. Furthermore, clinical data revealed that increased PAI-1 levels positively correlated with EndoMT activity and poor prognosis in CSCC patients. Conclusion Our data indicate that CAF-derived PAI-1 acts as an important neolymphangiogenesis-initiating molecular during CSCC progression through modulating the EndoMT of LECs, resulting in promotion of metastasis ability in primary site. PAI-1 could serve as an effective prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for CSCC metastasis.

Background/Objectives: Proficient colposcopy is crucial for the adequate management of cervical cancer precursor lesions; nonetheless its limitations may impact its cost-effectiveness. The development of artificial intelligence models is experiencing an exponential growth, particularly in image-based specialties. The aim of this study is to develop and validate a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for the automatic differentiation of high-grade (HSIL) from low-grade dysplasia (LSIL) in colposcopy. Methods: A unicentric retrospective study was conducted based on 70 colposcopy exams, comprising a total of 22,693 frames. Among these, 8729 were categorized as HSIL based on histopathology. The total dataset was divided into a training (90%, n = 20,423) and a testing set (10%, n = 2270), the latter being used to evaluate the model’s performance. The main outcome measures included sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and the area under the receiving operating curve (AUC-ROC). Results: The sensitivity was 99.7% and the specificity was 98.6%. The PPV and NPV were 97.8% and 99.8%, respectively. The overall accuracy was 99.0%. The AUC-ROC was 0.98. The CNN processed 112 frames per second. Conclusions: We developed a CNN capable of differentiating cervical cancer precursors in colposcopy frames. The high levels of accuracy for the differentiation of HSIL from LSIL may improve the diagnostic yield of this exam

Abstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are known to play a crucial role in a variety of malignancies. However, the precise role of circRNAs in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) remains largely unknown. Methods The expression of circ0001955 was determined by real-time quantitative PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization. To examine the effects of circ0001955 on CSCC metastasis and growth, functional experiments were conducted in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, nucleocytoplasmic separation, dual luciferase reporter assay, RNA antisense purification experiments, and rescue experiments were performed to confirm the interaction between circ0001955, miR-188-3p, and NCAPG2 in CSCC. Results Here, we demonstrated that a circRNA derived from the CSNK1G1 gene (circ0001955) is significantly upregulated in CSCC. The overexpression of circ0001955 promotes tumor proliferation and metastasis, whereas the knockdown of circ0001955 exerts the opposite effects. Mechanistically, circ0001955 competitively binds miR-188-3p and prevents miR-188-3p from reducing the levels of NCAPG2, activating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to induce epithelial mesenchymal transformation. Notably, the application of an inhibitor of mTOR significantly antagonized circ0001955-mediated CSCC tumorigenesis. Conclusion circ0001955 promotes CSCC tumorigenesis and metastasis via the miR-188-3p/NCAPG2 axis which would provide an opportunity to search new therapeutic targets for CSCC. Graphical Abstract