Alimujiang Wushou

Twist-1 Up-Regulation in Carcinoma Correlates to Poor Survival

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) facilitates tumor metastasis. Twist is a basic helix-loop-helix protein that modulates many target genes through E-box-responsive elements. There are two twist-like proteins, Twist-1 and Twist-2, sharing high structural homology in mammals. Twist-1 was found to be a key factor in the promotion of metastasis of cancer cells, and is known to induce EMT. Twist-1 participation in carcinoma progression and metastasis has been reported in a variety of tumors. However, controversy exists concerning the correlation between Twist-1 and prognostic value with respect to carcinoma. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine whether the expression of Twist-1 was associated with the prognosis of carcinoma patients. This analysis included 17 studies: four studies evaluated lung cancer, three evaluated head and neck cancer, two evaluated breast cancer, two evaluated esophageal cancer, two evaluated liver cancer and one each evaluated osteosarcoma, bladder, cervical and ovarian cancer. A total of 2006 patients were enrolled in these studies, and the median trial sample size was 118 patients. Twist-1 expression was associated with worse overall survival (OS) at both 3 years (hazard ratio “HR” for death = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.86 to 2.45, p < 0.001) and 5 years (HR for death = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.76 to 2.29, p < 0.001). Expression of Twist-1 is associated with worse survival in carcinoma.

Marsupialization is the optimal treatment approach for keratocystic odontogenic tumour

Previous published studies fail to present any consensus on a uniform treatment protocol for keratocystic odontogenic tumour (KCOT). Optimal management for KCOT was investigated by comparing the treatment outcome of marsupialization to the enucleation and radical resection. An online electronic databases search was carried out through the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science. The statistical analysis was performed by RevMan version 5.2. Fourteen eligible studies were identified for analysis. Fourteen studies evaluated included 938 patients, of which 853 underwent enucleation alone or plus adjunctive therapy, 110 underwent marsupialization with or without secondary adjunctive therapy, and 86 underwent radical resection alone. The marsupialization was significantly associated with lower recurrence compared to enucleation and resection in KCOT treatment (RR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.4-0.78, P = 0.0006 and RR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.15-0.69, P = 0.004, respectively). The results suggest that the marsupialization reduce the recurrence of KCOT better than enucleation and surgical resection and it may be the optimal approach for KCOT treatment.

The demographic features, clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment outcome and disease-specific prognostic factors of solitary fibrous tumor: a population-based analysis.

Background Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) demographic features, clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment outcome and disease-specific prognostic factors were unexplored comprehensively. Methods SEER program was used to identify patients diagnosed with SFT from 1973 to 2012. Overall collected data were analyzed by using the SPSS 18.0. Results In total, 804 cases were found including 613 cases with SFT-specific mortality and 801 patients were analyzed for overall survival (OS). The 3-year disease specific survival (DSS), 5-year DSS and 10-year DSS were 73.3%, 65.7% and 53.3%. The 3-year OS, 5-year OS and 10-year OS were 71.9%, 63.3% and 47.3%. In the multivariate survival analysis, the age > 51 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.851 for DSS, P = 0.024 and HR = 1.652 for OS, P = 0.033; Reference [Ref] ≤ 51 years for DSS and ≤ 53 years for OS), SEER stage metastasized tumor (HR = 4.269 for DSS, P = 0.000 and HR = 2.905 for OS, P = 0.028, Ref - localized + regional tumor), pathologic grade III + IV (HR = 2.734 for DSS, P = 0.001 and HR = 2.585 for OS, P = 0.000, Ref - grade I + II) were adversely associated with DSS and OS. In addition, surgery was favorably associated with DSS (HR = 0.217, P = 0.045, Ref - surgery + radiotherapy). Conclusions The surgery was an independent prognostic factor for DSS. The patients age, SEER stage and pathologic grade were SFT-specific independent prognostic indicators for DSS and OS.

Tumor size predicts prognosis of head and neck synovial cell sarcoma.

Head and neck synoviosarcoma (HNSS) is uncommon. To the best of our knowledge, the specific clinicopathological characteristics, treatment outcome and prognostic factors of HNSS were uninvestigated at the time of writing, so a meta-analysis was performed. An online data collection was carried out using PubMed and Google Scholar. Studies that reported primary HNSS and the treatment, follow-up time and outcome were chosen for the present study. In total, 93 cases from 26 studies were included for analysis. The study sample consisted of 55 males and 38 females and the median age was 32.1 years (range, 4–76 years). The median follow-up period was 62.1 months (range, 1–373 months). The tumor size was correlated with local recurrence and metastasis of HNSS, as well as with mortality (P=0.001, P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively). The three-year, five-year and 10-year survival rates were 82.1, 80.4 and 78.2% for treatment with surgery alone, and 88.5, 85.5 and 82% for treatment with surgery plus radiotherapy, respectively. A significant tumor size-dependent difference was found between the overall survival (OS) rates (P<0.0001), as tumors that were >5.0 cm in diameter were associated with a worse OS rate (hazard ratio, 6.460; 95% confidence interval, 206–18.917; P=0.001). The tumor size was found to be an independent adverse prognostic factor for the OS of HNSS patients. In conclusion, surgical excision is a mainstream treatment of HNSS and post-operative adjuvant radiotherapy improves the OS rate of HNSS patients.

Treatment outcome and prognostic factors of head and neck hemangiopericytoma: Meta-analysis

Head and neck hemangiopericytoma (HNHPC) is rare. Treatment outcome and specific prognostic factors were unexplored.

The management and site-specific prognostic factors of primary oral mucosal malignant melanoma.

AbstractPrimary oral mucosal malignant melanoma (POMM) is uncommon. Its biological behavior is more aggressive than that of cutaneous malignant melanoma. Its site-specific prognostic factors and optimal management have not been determined yet. Retrospective POMM case analysis from peer-reviewed publications in the PubMed and Embase electronic database from January 1984 to December 2013, in which therapy and outcome data were available, was performed. A total of 151 primary cases were extracted from 39 peer-reviewed English literatures. The study population includes 63 males and 88 females with a medium age of 61 years. The treatment protocols include surgery alone (18%), radiotherapy alone (14%), surgery plus radiotherapy (14%), surgery plus chemotherapy (31%), as well as surgery plus chemoradiotherapy (15%) and chemoradiotherapy (8%). The male patients have a higher risk for metastasis than the female patients do (odds ratio [OR]; 3.41, P = 0.021). The POMM originating from specialized mucosa was associated with increased risk for tumor recurrence and mortality (OR, 4.03, P = 0.001; OR, 2.03, P = 0.031, respectively). The patients who had surgery-based multiple therapy have a significantly longer survival compared with those who had surgery alone and those who had no surgical treatment (P = 0.000). The age of 60 years or younger (hazard ratio [HR], 4.69; P = 0.000), nonsurgical treatment (HR, 12.838; P = 0.000), and surgery alone (HR, 1.517; P = 0.001) were independent adverse prognostic factors for overall survival. Taken together, the study results suggest that surgery-based multiple therapy is the most effective treatment protocol. The age of 60 years, nonsurgical treatment, and surgery alone were independent adverse prognostic factors for overall survival.

An alternative approach for mandible reconstruction.

AbstractThe regeneration of bony defects of the mandible using free vascularized bone grafts has become a reliable procedure during the last few years. Various donor sites are available to provide vascularized bone grafts for mandibular reconstruction such as the fibula flap, the iliac flap, and the scapula flap; the fibula flap has become the most popular workhorse flap to reconstruct the lower jaw for extensive surgical defects. It is a challenge for head and neck reconstructive surgeons if the patient (mostly the manual worker) refuses to use fibular flap to reconstruct an extensive mandible defect or the patients have contraindication to harvest fibular flap. We have performed 7 cases using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing prefabricated titanium mesh combined with autogenous iliac cancellous bone graft plus with/without boiled nontumorous mandible bone to reconstruct such cases. Primary wound healing was achieved in all patients without complication, and reconstructive complications were not observed during the follow-up period. The patients were satisfied with the results both esthetically and functionally. This preliminary clinical study and cases demonstrate that it is a feasible alternative method to reconstruct mandibular defects, especially when vascularized bone grafting is not available.

Spindle cell carcinoma: the general demographics, basic clinico-pathologic characteristics, treatment, outcome and prognostic factors

Background Owing to the rarity, the general demographics, basic clinico-pathologic features, management, outcome and prognostic factors of spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) were unexplored. Methods A SEER analysis was performed with 2336 cases (1973-2016). Results A peak incidence occurred at 70~80 years without any gender predominance and 83.13% occurred in white people. The respiratory system was mostly affected tumor site (35%). Significant overall survival (OS) and disease specific survival (DSS) were found differentiated in gender, age, marital status, primary tumor location, AJCC stage, T stage, N stage, M stage, pathologic grade and treatment modality. In the multivariate Cox model, the age > 69 years (Hazard ratio [HR] = 1.427 for OS, P = 0.01 and HR = 1.491 for DSS, P = 0.003; Reference [Ref] age ≤ 69 years), tumor location in respiratory system (HR = 1.550 for OS, P = 0.041 and HR = 1.561 for DSS, P = 0.04; Ref: digestive system), N2 stage (HR = 1.962 for OS, P = 0.006 and HR = 1.982 for DSS, P = 0.004; Ref: N0 stage) and AJCC stage IV (HR = 4.601 for OS, P = 0.000 and HR = 5.107 for DSS, P = 0.000; Ref: stage I) were independently associated with worse OS and DSS. Conclusions SpCC mostly occurred in white people at 70~80 years old without predominance in any gender. The respiratory system was mostly affected site. The patients age, primary tumor location, AJCC stage were independent prognostic indicators for both DSS and OS of SpCC.

Haemangiopericytoma of the jaw

Haemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a vascular tumour which originates in the pericytes of vessels and therefore it may occur at any site, but it is very uncommon in the jaw. From January 2000 to December 2011, a retrospective analysis of nine consecutive patients with HPCJ was performed. There were five patients with a primary tumour and four patients with a recurrent tumour. Of the nine patients, eight were male and one female. Their ages ranged from 23 years to 51 years, with a median age of 38 years. The tumours were located in the mandible in six patients and in maxilla in three cases. The median course of disease was 7.6 months (range 2-12 months). All patients underwent surgery. Two patients had postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy, and two cases were given postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 49 months (10-101 months). One patient suffered from lumbar metastasis, while another case had metastasis at local and multiple distant sites, and eventually died. There was no local recurrence or metastasis in other seven cases. HPCJ are rare and the clinical characteristics are not specific. The first choice of treatment is radical surgery. Adjuvant radiotherapy may be effective to improve the prognosis of HPCJ.

Synovial sarcoma of the infratemporal fossa: A case report.

Synovial sarcomas (SS) are high-grade soft-tissue sarcomas, predominantly found in the deep soft tissues of the lower extremities, with only 3–5% occurring in the head and neck region. Primary SS of the infratemporal fossa (ITF) is exceptionally uncommon. The present study reports the case of a 23-year-old female with an SS arising in the ITF. To the best of our knowledge, this case is only the second patient with intracranial involvement recorded in the literature. The patient was treated primarily with surgery, followed by a total of 60 Gy adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy, consisting of cisplatin (25 mg/m2 intravenously on days one to three), epirubicin (25 mg/m2 intravenously on days one and two) and ifosfamide (1.8 g/m2 intravenously on days one to five) for three cycles. At present, two years after this multimodal therapy, the patient exhibits no signs of loco-regional recurrence or distant metastases. This study highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the diagnosis and treatment of this extremely rare entity with intracranial extension. In addition, the study reviews the English literature with regard to SS of ITF and discusses the clinicopathological features, management and outcome.