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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the anticancer effect of punicalagin, an abundant bioactive tannin compound isolated from Punica granatum L., on three colon cancer cell lines, namely, HCT 116, HT-29, and LoVo. Research Design: Normal and colon cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of punicalagin for different periods. Data Collection and Analysis: Cell viability was measured with a CCK-8 assay. Programmed cell death and invasion were analyzed using an annexin V and cell death kit and a cell invasion analysis kit. The expression of active caspase-3, MMP-2, MMP-9, Snail, and Slug were measured by Western blot. Results: The results of the cell viability analysis showed that punicalagin was cytotoxic to colon cancer cells, but it was not to normal cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Additionally, punicalagin induced apoptosis in colon cancer cells (shown by the cumulative percentage of colorectal cancer cells in early and late apoptosis). It was found that caspase-3 activity increased following punicalagin treatment. Western blot results also showed that punicalagin increased the expression of activated caspase-3. In contrast, punicalagin inhibited the invasion of colon cancer cells. Further, treatment of colon cancer cells with punicalagin suppressed the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, Snail, and Slug. Conclusions: These results showed that the activation of caspase-3 and the inhibition of MMP-2, MMP-9, Snail and Slug were involved in the effects of punicalagin on colon cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroblastoma, the most common childhood tumor, are highly malignant and fatal because neuroblastoma cells extremely defend against apoptotic targeting. Traditional treatments for neuroblastomas are usually ineffective and lead to serious side effects and poor prognoses. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of resveratrol-induced insults to neuroblastoma cells and survival extension of nude mice with neuroblastomas, especially in the endoplasmic reticular (ER) stress-intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) axis-mediated signals. Resveratrol specifically killed neuroblastoma cells mainly via apoptosis and autophagy rather than necrosis. As to the mechanisms, resveratrol time-dependently triggered productions of Grp78 protein and iROS in neuroblastoma cells. Attenuating the ER stress-iROS signaling axis significantly suppressed resveratrol-induced autophagy, DNA damage, and cell apoptosis. Successively, resveratrol decreased phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein and induced cell cycle arrest at the S phase, translocation of Bak protein to mitochondria, a reduction in the mitochondrial membrane potential, cascade activation of caspases-9, -3, and -6, and DNA fragmentation. Moreover, weakening the ER stress-iROS axis concomitantly overcome resveratrol-induced decreases in translocation of Rho protein to membranes and succeeding cell migration. Interestingly, administration of resveratrol did not cause significant side effects but could protect the neuroblastoma-bearing nude mice from body weight loss and consequently extended the animal survival. In parallel, resveratrol elevated levels of Grp78 and then induced cell apoptosis in neuroblastoma tissues. This study has shown that resveratrol could kill neuroblastoma cells and extend survival of animals with neuroblastomas by triggering the ER stress-iROS-involved intrinsic apoptosis and suppression of Rho-dependent cell migration. Our results imply the potential of resveratrol as a drug candidate for chemotherapy of neuroblastoma patients. • Resveratrol induced ER stress/iROS-mediated apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells via an intrinsic Bak-caspase activation pathway. • Resveratrol suppressed the Rho-dependent migration of neuroblastoma cells. • Resveratrol induced ER stress and apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells and prolonged animal survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the types of cancers with a high incidence and is ranked the 3rd among men and 2nd among women worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between non-SMC condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG) and the prognosis of CRC and its function in CRC cells. The expression of NCAPG in colorectal tissues and cells was detected by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to analyze the correlation between NCAPG and CRC prognosis. RNAi technology was used to investigate how NCAPG inhibition affected the proliferation and migration of CRC cells. Overexpression of NCAPG was positively correlated with several clinicopathologic characteristics, including T stage (P = 0.0198), M stage (P = 0.0005), and TNM stage (P < 0.0001). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the overexpression of NCAPG was also negatively correlated with disease-free survival and overall survival. In the culture of CRC cells, the knockdown of NCAPG inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of the cells. Meanwhile, it was also found that NCAPG knockdown could interfere with G2/M-G1 transition in the cell cycle, resulting in the inhibition of cell proliferation. The overexpression of NCAPG may serve as a candidate biomarker for CRC prognosis. NCAPG is also a potential therapeutic target for CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) is the second most common malignant neoplasm of the liver. In spite of the increasing incidence worldwide, it is relatively rare in Western countries. IHCC is relatively common in Eastern and Southeastern Asia. Patients with IHCC are usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, therefore, the clinical outcome is dismal. Dysregulation of urea cycle metabolic enzyme expression is found in different types of cancers. Nevertheless, a comprehensive evaluation of genes related to the urea cycle (i.e., GO:0000050) has not been conducted in IHCC. By performing a comparative analysis of gene expression profiles, we specifically examined genes associated with the urea cycle (GO:0000050) in a publicly accessible transcriptomic dataset (GSE26566). Interestingly, CPS1 was identified as the second most prominently down-regulated gene in this context. Tumor tissues of 182 IHCC patients who underwent curative-intent hepatectomy were enrolled. The expression level of CPS1 protein in our IHCC cohort was assessed by immunohistochemical study. Subsequent to that, statistical analyses were carried out to examine the expression of CPS1 in relation to various clinicopathological factors, as well as to assess its impact on survival outcomes. We noticed that lower immunoreactivity of CPS1 in IHCC was associated with tumor progression (pT status) with statistical significance (p = 0.003). CPS1 underexpression was not only negatively correlated to overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and metastasis-free survival (MeFS) in univariate analysis but also an independent prognosticator to forecast poorer clinical outcome for all prognostic indices (OS, DFS, LRFS and MeFs) in patients with IHCC (all p ≤ 0.001). These results support that CPS1 may play a crucial role in IHCC oncogenesis and tumor progression and serve as a novel prognostic factor and a potential diagnostic and theranostic biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] IL-19 mRNA was upregulated in wounded mouse skin. [•] IL-19 induced KGF expression in fibroblasts. [•] The wound healing in IL-19-treated mice was faster than in control mice. [•] Topical IL-19 treatment may have therapeutic potential for patients with major skin injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common form of brain tumor and is very aggressive. Rapid migration and invasion of glioblastoma cells are two typical features driving malignance of GBM. Bradykinin functionally prompts calcium influx via activation of bradykinin receptor B1/B2 (BDKRB1/2). In this study, we evaluated the roles of bradykinin in migration and invasion of glioblastoma cells and the possible mechanisms. Expressions of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) mRNA and protein were upregulated in human glioblastomas. Furthermore, exposure of human U87 MG glioblastoma cells to bradykinin specifically increased levels of BDKRB1. Successively, bradykinin stimulated influx of calcium, phosphorylation of MEK1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, translocation and transactivation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), and expressions of AQP4 mRNA and protein. Concomitantly, migration and invasion of human glioblastoma cells were elevated by bradykinin. Knocking-down BDKRB1 concurrently decreased AQP4 mRNA expression and cell migration and invasion. The bradykinin-induced effects were further confirmed in murine GL261 glioblastoma cells. Therefore, bradykinin can induce AQP4 expression and subsequent migration and invasion through BDKRB1-mediated calcium influx and subsequent activation of a MEK1-ERK1/2-NF-κB pathway. The bradykinin-BDKRB1 axis and AQP4 could be precise targets for treating GBM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) interacts with various extracellular matrix proteins in tissues. Elevated COMP levels recently linked to worse overall survival in multiple cancer types. COMP's significance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remains uncertain. Here we report a retrospective study to explore COMP's impact on iCCA outcomes. We collected 182 patients' iCCA tumor tissues. COMP overexpression was associated with adverse factors like R1 resection (p = 0.008), advanced T stage (p < 0.001), large duct type (p = 0.004), and poorly differentiated histology (p = 0.002). COMP overexpression correlates with poorer DFS (HR, 3.651; p = 0.001), OS (HR, 1.827; p = 0.023), LRFS (HR, 4.077; p < 0.001), and MFS (HR, 3.718; p < 0.001). High COMP expression ties to worse overall survival (p = 0.0001), DSS (p < 0.0001), LRFS (p < 0.0001), and MFS (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, COMP overexpression links to poor prognosis and pathological features in iCCA, indicating its potential as a biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Dealing with the empty space after organ removal for transplantation has not been investigated. Methods From January 28, 2005, to November 21, 2017, 111 organ donors were enrolled in this study. They were divided into 3 groups: no replacement, replaced with paper printed with organ graphics, or replaced with 3-dimensional (3D) printed simulated organs. The organs were removed at different periods. The donor's age, gender, etiology of admission, characteristics, clinical pictures, time interval between admission and date of donation, and time interval between donor coordinator consultations were evaluated. Results A total of 82 men and 29 women with mean age of 43 ± 15.1 years were enrolled. Overall, 329 organs and 126 corneas were transplanted. The major causes of brain death were traumatic brain injury (44.1%) and cerebrovascular disease (32.4%). Twelve donors initially presented with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Ten patients with solid cancers and 3 with septic shock donated both of their corneas. The mean time interval between donor coordinator and social worker consultation to organ donation was 3 (2–5 days) (median [interquartile range]). Periods I and II averaged 7–8 donors per year. Fourteen donors and 41 organs were replaced with 3D-printed simulated organs at the families' request in 1 year. Conclusions This is the first study to provide a replacement method dealing with the empty space after organ removal. We used 3D-printed simulated organs in addition to providing grief assistance and spiritual support. It also has the potential effect of increasing the organ donation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) interacts with various extracellular matrix proteins in tissues. Elevated COMP levels recently linked to worse overall survival in multiple cancer types. COMP's significance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remains uncertain. Here we report a retrospective study to explore COMP's impact on iCCA outcomes. We collected 182 patients' iCCA tumor tissues. COMP overexpression was associated with adverse factors like R1 resection (p = 0.008), advanced T stage (p < 0.001), large duct type (p = 0.004), and poorly differentiated histology (p = 0.002). COMP overexpression correlates with poorer DFS (HR, 3.651; p = 0.001), OS (HR, 1.827; p = 0.023), LRFS (HR, 4.077; p < 0.001), and MFS (HR, 3.718; p < 0.001). High COMP expression ties to worse overall survival (p = 0.0001), DSS (p < 0.0001), LRFS (p < 0.0001), and MFS (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, COMP overexpression links to poor prognosis and pathological features in iCCA, indicating its potential as a biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In patients who had undergone resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), scores for most quality-of-life (QOL) subscales were significantly improved by 6 months after resection; QOL scores then remained stable for the rest of the 5-year period of this study. The QOL improvements after laparoscopic surgery or robotic surgery were much larger than improvements after open surgery. Between the 2nd and 5th year postsurgery, however, QOL improvements were larger in robotic surgery patients compared to laparoscopic surgery patients. This prospective longitudinal cohort study analyzed long-term changes in individual subscales of quality-of-life (QOL) measures and explored whether these changes were related to effective QOL predictors after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surgery. All 520 HCC patients in this study had completed QOL surveys before surgery and at 6 months, 2 years, and 5 years after surgery. Generalized estimating equation models were used to compare the 5-year QOL among the three HCC surgical procedures. The QOL was significantly (p < 0.05) improved at 6 months after HCC surgery but plateaued at 2–5 years after surgery. In postoperative surveys, the effect size was largest in the nausea and vomiting subscales in patients who had received robotic surgery, and the effect size was smallest in the dyspnea subscale in patients who had received open surgery. It revealed the following explanatory variables for postoperative QOL: surgical procedure type, gender, age, hepatitis C, smoking, tumor stage, postoperative recurrence, and preoperative QOL. The comparisons revealed that, when evaluating QOL after HCC surgery, several factors other than the surgery itself should be considered. The analysis results also implied that postoperative quality of life might depend not only on the success of the surgical procedure, but also on preoperative quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portal vein cannulation is a very rare complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In most reported cases, the event was managed safely with immediate catheter, guidewire withdrawn and procedure termination. Here, we report an unusual case of portobiliary fistula created during ERCP. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such case managed with immediate surgical biliary exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the study, we used Con A affinity chromatography, 1-D gel electrophoresis, and nano-LC–MS/MS to screen biomarker candidates in plasma samples obtained from 30 patients with gastric cancer and 30 healthy volunteers. First, we pooled plasma samples matched by age and sex. We identified 17 differentially expressed Con A-bound glycoproteins, including 10 upregulated proteins and 7 downregulated proteins; these differences were significant (Student's t-test, p-value<0.05). Furthermore, 2 of the upregulated proteins displayed expression levels that were increased by 2-fold or more in gastric cancer samples when compared with normal control samples. These proteins included leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein (LRG1) and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H3 (ITIH3), and the expression levels were validated by Western blot analysis. Pathway and network analysis of the differentially expressed proteins by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed vital canonical pathways involving acute phase response signaling, the complement system, LXR/RXR activation, hematopoiesis from pluripotent stem cells, and primary immunodeficiency signaling. Our results suggest that Con A-bound LRG1 and ITIH3 may not be practically applicable as a robust biomarker for the early detection of gastric cancer. Additionally, three novel PTMs in ITIH3 were identified and include hexose-N-acetyl-hexosamine at asparagine-41, trimethylation at aspartic acid-290, and flavin adenine dinucleotide at histidine-335. Biological significance: Our study was to describe a combinatorial approach of Con A affinity chromatography, 1-D SDS-PAGE, and nano-LC/MS/MS that provides a label-free, comparative glycoproteomic quantification strategy for the investigation of glycoprotein profiles in plasma from gastric cancer patients versus healthy volunteers and to identify glycoprotein biomarkers for the early clinical detection of gastric cancer. Three novel PTMs, HexHexNAc, trimethylation and FAD, in Con A-bound ITIH3 were identified and built in molecular modeling. The aspartic acid-290 trimethylation site was located in a metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS motif; 290- D XSXS…T…D-313) that may influence important function for binding protein ligands. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

B Introduction: b Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the liver is a rare mesenchyme tumor. B Conclusion: b Immunohistochemistry(IHC) has the important role in the diagnosis for Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT). SFT has recently been associated with a NAB2-STAT6 gene fusion product that has proven to be highly specific and sensitive for SFT. [Extracted from the article]

Cholangiocarcinoma is a common malignancy with increasing incidence worldwide. Most patients are diagnosed at the advanced stage with poor survival rate. Laminin subunit γ2 (LAMC2) is a heparin binding-associated gene involved in tumorigenesis and has been implicated in the prognosis of various types of cancers. However, it is unclear whether expression of LAMC2 is associated with the clinical outcome of patients with cholangiocarcinoma. In the present study, the role and prognostic value of LAMC2 expression in patients with cholangiocarcinoma was investigated. Clinical information and pathological characteristics were analyzed and the association between LAMC2 expression and clinical characteristics, pathological findings and patient outcomes, including metastasis-free and disease-specific survival, were investigated. Data from 182 patients with cholangiocarcinoma were evaluated. High LAMC2 expression was associated with higher tumor stage (P<0.001), large duct type (P=0.024) and poor histological grade (P=0.002). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed high LAMC2 expression was associated with lower overall (P=0.003), disease-specific (P=0.0025), local recurrence-free (P<0.0001) and metastasis-free survival (P<0.0001). Moreover, multivariate analysis demonstrated that increased LAMC2 expression was a significant predictive risk factor for overall [hazard ratio (HR) 1.713; P=0.034], disease-specific (HR 2.011; P=0.039), local recurrence-free (HR 2.721; P<0.001) and metastasis-free survival (HR 3.117; P<0.001). Gene enrichment analysis using Gene Ontology showed that terms associated with LAMC2 upregulation were 'regulation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor-βsignaling pathway' and 'platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β signaling pathway'. The present study indicated that LAMC2 was upregulated in cholangiocarcinoma tumor tissue and had an inverse association with overall, disease-specific, local recurrence-free and metastasis-free survival in patients with cholangiocarcinoma. These results suggested that LAMC2 may serve as a potential biomarker for cholangiocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the healthcare service utilisation and expenditure of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and major depressive disorder (MDD) and identified associated factors. Healthcare service utilisation and expenditure of patients with T2DM with and without MDD during 2002–2013 were examined using Taiwan's population-based National Health Insurance claims database. Healthcare service utilisation included outpatient visits and inpatient admissions, and health expenditure included outpatient, inpatient, and total medical expenditure. Moreover, non-psychiatric health service utilisation and expenditure were distinguished from total health service utilisation and medical expenditure. Average healthcare service utilisation was significantly higher in those with comorbid MDD (both total and non-psychiatric utilisation). The higher overall costs of the patients with comorbid MDD largely driven by psychiatric costs and non-psychiatric costs between the groups were not significantly different. Gender, age, income, comorbidities and complications, and diabetes complications severity index were significant factors in outpatient visits, medical expenditure, and hospitalisation in those with comorbid MDD. Type 2 diabetes patients with comorbid MDD were found to have higher costs, and that they appeared to be driven by more visits in the first 6 years and by psychiatric-related costs rather than general medical costs. • the average healthcare service utilisation was significantly higher for the case group than the control group • the average total expenditure were significantly higher for the case group than the control group. • the average total non-psychiatric expenditure were not significantly higher for the case group than the control group. • the higher overall costs of the patients with MDD being largely driven by psychiatric costs rather than non-psych costs. • patients with MDD were found to have higher costs and more visits in the first 6 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The impact of anxiety and depression symptoms (ADS) is often estimated in terms of clinical endpoints such as the risk of complications and probabilities of readmission and survival. The purpose of this study was to provide a benchmark for capturing the negative effects of ADS on quality of life after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surgery and to provide an evidence base for future research and clinical interventions aimed at understanding and remediating these effects.Methods: This prospective study analyzed 410 HCC patients at three tertiary academic hospitals. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy- Hepatobiliary (FACT-H) were administered before HCC surgery and at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after HCC surgery. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate differences-in-differences models for examining the effects of ADS.Results: At baseline, 9.0% of the participants had anxiety symptom (BAI > 10), 17.1% had depression symptom (BDI > 13), and 7.1% had ADS. Throughout the study period, anxiety and depression (differences-in-differences value) had significant (P < 0.001) negative net effects on mean scores for all FACT-H dimensions, and the differences gradually increased over time. From baseline through all follow-up years, the two groups significantly (P < 0.001) differed in scores for all FACT-H dimensions, and the differences increased over time.Conclusions: For healthcare providers, this study highlights the need for continued monitoring for ADS in patients who have undergone hepatic resection and the need for timely and appropriate psychological care for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The essential issue of internal validity has not been adequately addressed in prediction models such as artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), Gaussian process regression (GPR), and multiple linear regression (MLR) models.Methods: This prospective study compared the accuracy of these four models in predicting quality of life (QOL) after hepatic resection received by 332 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during 2012-2015. An estimation subset was used to train the models, and a validation subset was used to evaluate their performance. Sensitivity score approach was also used to assess the relative significance of input parameters in the system models.Results: The ANN model had significantly higher performance indicators compared to the SVM, GPR, and MLR models (P < 0.05). Additionally, the ANN prediction of QOL at 6 months after hepatic resection significantly correlated with age, gender, marital status, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hospital volume, surgeon volume, and preoperational functional status (P < 0.05). Preoperational functional status was the most influential (sensitive) variable affecting sixth-month QOL followed by surgeon volume, hospital volume, age, and CCI score.Conclusions: The comparisons showed that, in preoperative and postoperative healthcare consultations with HCC surgery candidates, QOL at 6 months post-surgery should be estimated with an ANN model rather than with SVM, GPR, or MLR models. The best QOL predictors identified in this study can also be used to educate candidates for HCC surgery in the expected course of recovery and other surgical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cyclin‐dependent kinase‐like 2 (CDKL2), a new member of the cyclin‐dependent kinase family, may be involved in gastric cancer (GC) progression. Thus, we conducted this study to explore the clinical effect of CDKL2 in GC. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure CDKL2 levels in gastric tissues. The association of a high CDKL2 level with clinical and pathological characteristics, and the correlation between the CDKL2 level and disease‐free and overall survival were analyzed. Transfection was employed to overexpress CDKL2 in GC cells and to investigate the effect of CDKL2 overexpression on cell proliferation and invasion. Loss of CDKL2 was positively correlated with several clinical and pathological characteristics, and patients with a low CDKL2 level had significantly poorer disease‐free and overall survival than those with a high level (P = .005 and .001, respectively). Univariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model indicated that a low CDKL2 level was a prognosticator for inferior disease‐free survival (P = .007). Based on immmunoblotting data, AGS and HGC‐27 GC cells were chosen for CDKL2 overexpression. Cellular studies revealed that CDKL2 overexpression impaired cell proliferation and invasion. Loss of CDKL2 may serve as a biomarker for predicting GC patient outcomes and a potential therapeutic target for GC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data mining on public domain identified that CDC28 protein kinase regulatory subunit 1B ( CKS1B) transcript was highly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma ( NPC). The expression of CKS1B protein and its clinicopathological associations in patients with NPC were further evaluated. Immunoexpression of CKS1B was retrospectively assessed in biopsies of 124 consecutive NPC patients without initial distant metastasis and treated with consistent guidelines. The correlations between CKS1B immunoexpression levels and clinicopathological features, as well as patient survivals, were analyzed. High CKS1B expression (49.2%) was correlated with the 7th American Joint Committee on Cancer ( AJCC) stage (p = 0.014). In multivariate analyses, high CKS1B expression emerged as an independent prognostic factor for worse disease-specific survival (p < 0.001), metastasis-free survival (p < 0.001), and local recurrence-free survival (p = 0.001). High expression of CKS1B is common and associated with adverse prognostic factors and might confer tumor aggressiveness through dysregulation of the cyclin-dependent protein kinase (intrinsic regulatory activity) during cell cycle progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To validate the use of artificial neural network (ANN) models for predicting 5-year mortality in HCC and to compare their predictive capability with that of logistic regression (LR) models. Methods: This study retrospectively compared LR and ANN models based on initial clinical data for 22,926 HCC surgery patients from 1998 to 2009. A global sensitivity analysis was also performed to assess the relative significance of input parameters in the system model and to rank the importance of variables. Results: Compared to the LR models, the ANN models had a better accuracy rate in 96.57 % of cases, a better Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic in 0.34 of cases, and a better receiver operating characteristic curves in 88.51 % of cases. Surgeon volume was the most influential (sensitive) parameter affecting 5-year mortality followed by hospital volume and Charlson co-morbidity index. Conclusions: In comparison with the conventional LR model, the ANN model in this study was more accurate in predicting 5-year mortality. Further studies of this model may consider the effect of a more detailed database that includes complications and clinical examination findings as well as more detailed outcome data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world, yet little is known about the molecular process of its development and progression. In this study, we investigated the involvement of a nuclear laminal protein thymopoietin-α (TMPO-α) in tumor progression, and in the prognosis of human GC. Methods The patient cohort in this study consisted of 145 GC cases from 1998 to 2011, documenting pathologic and clinical factors, as well as clinical outcomes. Immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting were employed to examine the TMPO-α expression in 145 pairs of normal and GC tissues and 7 gastric cells. Based on the expression of TMPO-α, one GC cell with high TMPO-α level was chosen for knockdown of TMPO-α expression. The effect of TMPO-α knockdown on the growth, migration and invasion of TMPO-α-manipulated GC cells was examined. Results TMPO-α protein overexpression was observed in 81 patients and was significantly correlated with Lauren classification, nodal status, distant metastasis, staging, degree of differentiation, and poor disease-free and overall survival. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that TMPO-α overexpression is a prognostic marker for GC. Furthermore, TMPO-α expression was elevated in several GC cells. In vitro experiments indicated that TMPO-α knockdown inhibited GC cell growth, migration and invasion. Conclusion This study suggests that overexpression of TMPO-α can be a useful marker for predicting the outcome of GC patients and that TMPO-α targeting can represent a potential modality for treating GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world, yet little is known about the molecular process of its development and progression. In this study, we investigated the involvement of a nuclear laminal protein thymopoietin-α (TMPO-α) in tumor progression, and in the prognosis of human GC. The patient cohort in this study consisted of 145 GC cases from 1998 to 2011, documenting pathologic and clinical factors, as well as clinical outcomes. Immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting were employed to examine the TMPO-α expression in 145 pairs of normal and GC tissues and 7 gastric cells. Based on the expression of TMPO-α, one GC cell with high TMPO-α level was chosen for knockdown of TMPO-α expression. The effect of TMPO-α knockdown on the growth, migration and invasion of TMPO-α-manipulated GC cells was examined. TMPO-α protein overexpression was observed in 81 patients and was significantly correlated with Lauren classification, nodal status, distant metastasis, staging, degree of differentiation, and poor disease-free and overall survival. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that TMPO-α overexpression is a prognostic marker for GC. Furthermore, TMPO-α expression was elevated in several GC cells. In vitro experiments indicated that TMPO-α knockdown inhibited GC cell growth, migration and invasion. This study suggests that overexpression of TMPO-α can be a useful marker for predicting the outcome of GC patients and that TMPO-α targeting can represent a potential modality for treating GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing use of minimal clinically important difference (MCID) as a cancer outcome measure, no study has reported clinically significant outcomes in cancer patients. We defined MCID and evaluated the use of preoperative HRQoL for predicting MCID and survival after surgical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In total, 369 patients completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) and the SF-36 at baseline and at two years post-operative at three tertiary academic hospitals. The corresponding MCID values were 3.6 (SF-36 physical component summary), 4.2 (SF-36 mental component summary), 5.4 (FACT-General total score), and 6.7 (FACT-Hep total score). The predictors of achieving postoperative MCID were significantly higher in patients who had low preoperative HRQoL score, advanced age, high education level, and high BMI (p < 0.05). However, patients with a high preoperative HRQoL score, high education level, high BMI, and low Charlson comorbidity index score were significantly associated with survival (p < 0.05). Preoperative HRQoL scores were predictive of MCID and overall survival after surgical resection of HCC. The findings of this study may be useful for managing the preoperative expectations of candidates for HCC resection and for developing shared decision-making procedures for patients undergoing surgical resection of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]