Haitao Tao

Statin use and risk of lung cancer: a meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials.

Clinical studies have shown that statin use may alter the risk of lung cancer. However, these studies yielded different results. To quantify the association between statin use and risk of lung cancer, we performed a detailed meta-analysis. A literature search was carried out using MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE database between January 1966 and November 2012. Before meta-analysis, between-study heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using adequate statistical tests. Fixed-effect and random-effect models were used to calculate the pooled relative risks (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses, sensitivity analysis and cumulative meta-analysis were also performed. A total of 20 (five randomized controlled trials, eight cohorts, and seven case–control) studies contributed to the analysis. Pooled results indicated a non-significant decrease of total lung cancer risk among all statin users (RR = 0.89, 95% CI [0.78, 1.02]). Further, long-term statin use did not significantly decrease the risk of total lung cancer (RR = 0.80, 95% CI [0.39 , 1.64]). In our subgroup analyses, the results were not substantially affected by study design, participant ethnicity, or confounder adjustment. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability of results. The findings of this meta-analysis suggested that there was no significant association between statin use and risk of lung cancer. More studies, especially randomized controlled trials and high quality cohort studies are warranted to confirm this association.

Application of Human Papillomavirus in Screening for Cervical Cancer and Precancerous Lesions

Cervical cancer is a commonly-encountered malignant tumor in women. Cervical screening is particularly important due to early symptoms being deficient in specificity. The main purpose of the study is to assess the application value of cervical thinprep cytologic test (TCT) and human papillomavirus (HPV) detection in screening for cervical cancer and precancerous lesions. In the study, cervical TCT and HPV detection were simultaneously performed on 12,500 patients selected in a gynecological clinic. Three hundred patients with positive results demonstrated by cervical TCT and/or HPV detection underwent cervical tissue biopsy under colposcopy, and pathological results were considered as the gold standard. The results revealed that 200 out of 12,500 patients were abnormal by TCT, in which 30 cases pertained to equivocal atypical squamous cells (ASCUS), 80 cases to low squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), 70 cases to high squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 20 cases to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). With increasing pathological grade of cervical biopsy, however, TCT positive rates did not rise. Two hundred and eighty out of 12,500 patients were detected as positive for HPV infection, in which 50 cases were chronic cervicitis and squamous metaplasia, 70 cases cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, 60 cases CIN II, 70 cases CIN III and 30 cases invasive cervical carcinoma. Two hundred and thirty patients with high-risk HPV infection were detected. With increase in pathological grade, the positive rate of high-risk HPV also rose. The detection rates of HPV detection to CIN III and invasive cervical carcinoma as well as the total detection rate of lesions were significantly higher than that of TCT. Hence, HPV detection is a better method for screening of cervical cancer at present.

Extraskeletal Ewing Sarcomas in Late Adolescence and Adults: A Study of 37 Patients

BACKGROUND Extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma (EES)/primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNET) are rare soft tissue sarcomas. Prognostic factors and optimal therapy are still unconfirmed. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis on patients to explore the clinic characteristics and prognostic factors of this rare disease. A total of 37 patients older than 15 years referred to our institute from Jan., 2002 to Jan., 2012 were reviewed. The characteristics, treatment and outcome were collected and analyzed. RESULTS The median age was 28 years (range 15-65); the median size of primary tumours was 8.2 cm (range 2-19). Sixteen patients (43%) had metastatic disease at the initial presentation. Wide surgical margins were achieved in 14 cases (38%). Anthracycline or platinum-based chemotherapy was performed on 29 patients (74%). Radiotherapy was delivered in 13 (35%). At a median follow-up visit of 24 months (range 2-81), the media event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 15.8 and 30.2 months, respectively. The 3-year EFS and OS rates were 24% and 43%, respectively. Metastases at presentation and wide surgical margins were significantly associated with OS and EFS. Tumour size was significantly associated with OS but not EFS. There were no significant differences between anthracycline and platinum based chemotherapy regarding EFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS EES/PNET is a malignant tumour with high recurrence and frequent distant metastasis. Multimodality therapy featuring wide surgical margins, aggressive chemotherapy and adjuvant local radiotherapy is necessary for this rare disease. Platinum-based chemotherapy can be used as an adjuvant therapy.

Expression and Significance of TSGF, CEA and AFP in Patients Before and after Radical Surgery for Colon Cancer

OBJECTIVE To explore the expression and significance of tumor specific growth factor (TSGF), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) in cancer tissue and serum of patients with colon cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Radical surgery for colon cancer was performed on 43 patients with laparoscope under conditions of general anesthesia. The Elisa method was used to detect the levels of serum TSGF, CEA and AFP before and after radical operation, and cancer tissue underwent TSGF, CEA and AFP immunohistochemistry staining after laparoscopic surgery. The decreased conditions of serum TSGF, CEA and AFP in patients with colon cancer at different levels of differentiation and clinical stagings were analyzed, and the relationships of expression rates between histological types, colon cancer morphology, lymph node metastasis and TSGF, CEA as well as AFP in cancer tissue were assessed. RESULTS Compared with before radical surgery, the levels of serum TSGF, CEA and AFP decreased notably in patients after operations (p<0.01). The decreased degree of TSGF and CEA was the largest in patients with poorly differentiated cancer tissue (p<0.01), while that of AFP was noted in patients with moderately differentiated cancer tissue (p<0.01). The decreased degree of TSGF and AFP was the largest in patients at phase Dukes A (p<0.01), while that of CEA in patients at phase Dukes C (p<0.01). There were no significant differences among the positive expression rates of TSGF, CEA and AFP with different histological types and colon cancer morphologies (p>0.05). The positive expression rates of TSGF and CEA in patients with lymph node metastasis were significantly higher than those without lymph node metastasis (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS TSGF, CEA and AFP can be used to evaluate the effect of radical operation for colon cancer, and the changed levels of different markers are associated with tumor differentiation, clinical stating and presence or absence of lymph node metastasis.

Prognostic value of plasma D-dimer levels in patients with small-cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE Little data exists with respect to the relationship between the level of plasma D-dimer and prognosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC).The aim of this study was to investigate whether the levels of plasma D-dimer could be served as a prognostic factor in patients with SCLC. METHODS A total of 393 patients with SCLC were addressed in the present retrospective study. Plasma D-dimer levels were measured by immunoturbidimetric assay. The correlation between plasma D-dimer levels and other clinical features, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was analyzed statistically. RESULTS The plasma D-dimer levels were significantly correlated with karnofsky performance status (KPS), tumor stage, number of metastatic sites, and treatment response. The PFS and OS of patients with elevated D-dimer levels before chemotherapy were significantly shorter than that of patients with normal D-dimer levels (PFS: 6.2 months versus 9.6 months, P<0.001; OS: 15.7 months versus 24.4 months, P<0.001). The patients with D-dimer levels converting from high to normal had better PFS and OS than those with D-dimer levels remaining high after two cycles of chemotherapy. According to multivariate analysis, elevated D-dimer level was confirmed to be an independent prognostic factor for worse survival. CONCLUSIONS Elevated plasma D-dimer level could be served as an independent determinant of poor prognosis in patients with SCLC.

Analysis on the Characteristics and Prognosis of Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Tumors

OBJECTIVE To retrospectively review the clinical characteristics and analyze the prognostic factors of Chinese patients with pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS The clinical data of 176 patients with pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors in Chinese PLA General Hospital from Mar., 2000 to Oct., 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The parameters were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis, including the gender, age, smoking history, family history, TNM staging, localization (central or peripheral), tumor size, nodal status, histological subtype and treatment (operation or non-operation). RESULTS There were 23 patients with typical carcinoids (TC) (13.1%), 41 with atypical carcinoids (AC) (23.3%), 10 with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) (5.7%) and 102 with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) (57.9%). The median follow-up time was 64.5 months for AC, 38 months for LCNEC and 27 months for SCLC. The typical carcinoid censored data was 18 (more than 50% of the patients), so the median follow-up time was not obtained, and actuarial 5-year survivals for TC, AC, LCNEC and SCLC were 75.1%, 51.7%, 26.7% and 38.8%, respectively. COX univariate analysis revealed that the age (P=0.001), histological subtype (P=0.005), nodal status (P=0.000), treatment (P=0.000) and TNM staging (P=0.000) were the prognostic factors of the patients with pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors, whereas its multivariate analysis showed that only the age(P=0.001), TNM staging (P=0.002) and treatment (P=0.000) were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS Radical surgery remains the treatment of choice, and is the only curative option. The age, TNM staging and treatment are confirmed to be the independent prognostic factors in multivariable models for pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors.

Bevacizumab concomitant with chemotherapy is effective in treating Chinese patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES To retrospectively review the safety and clinical efficacy of bevacizumab concomitant with chemotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSNSCLC). METHODS Clinical data for 79 patients with NSNSCLC who received bevacizumab concomitant with chemotherapy in Chinese PLA General Hospital from April 28th 2009 to May 5th 2013 were retrospectively reviewed to analyze the clinical efficacy including disease control rate (DCR), overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score and the safety. RESULTS The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score was 0-2. By the final cutoff date (June 9, 2013), 54 (68.4%) patients had disease progression and 37 (46.8%) died. The ORR was 32.9% and the DCR was 83.5%. The ORR of the first-, second-, and third- or later-line treatments were 51.4%, 25.0% and 12.5%, while the DCR were 94.3%, 80.0% and 70.8%, respectively. The median OS (mOS) and PFS (mPFS) were 13.5 and 5.83 months, respectively. The mOS of patients with the first-, second-, and third- or later-line treatments were 16.2, 10.9 and 8.30 months, while the mPFS were 7.27, 5.90 and 5.17 months, respectively. Chemotherapy-related adverse events included myelosuppression, vomiting, hepatic dysfunction and renal dysfunction, while the common serious bevacizumab-related adverse events were thromboembolic problems, gastrointestinal perforation and reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome, which could be well managed. CONCLUSIONS Bevacizumab concomitant with chemotherapy is effective and the related toxicity can be well tolerated in Chinese patients with NSNSCLC.

Analysis on Survival and Prognostic Factors for Cancer Patients with Malignancy-associated Hypercalcemia

OBJECTIVE To explore the incidence, clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment strategies, prognosis of patients with malignancy-associated hypercalcemia (MAH). METHODS The data of 115 patients with MAH who were treated at the Medical Oncology Department of Chinese PLA General Hospital from Jan., 2001 to Dec., 2010 was retrospectively reviewed. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard model with statistic software SPSS 18.0. RESULTS The patients had blood calcium levels ranging from 2.77 to 4.87 mmol/L. Except for 9 cases who died or were discharged within 5 days after admission, all other patients recovered to normal blood calcium level after treatment with bisphosphonates or intravenous hydration and diuretics; their survival after occurrence of MAH was from 1 day to 4,051 days, and the median survival time was only 50 days. In the log-rank test, the male, renal metastasis, central nervous system symptoms and hypercalcemia occurring over 140 days after cancer diagnosis were predictors of poor survival (P=0.002, P=0.046, P=0.000, P=0.009). In the COX analysis, being male, central nervous system symptoms and hypercalcemia lasting over 140 days after cancer diagnosis were independent prognostic factors for survival time (RR=2.131, P=0.027; RR=3.054, P=0.002; RR=2.403, P=0.001). According to these factors, a score system was established to predict the patient prognosis and adjust the treatment. CONCLUSION Cancer patients with MAH have an extremely poor median survival. Some independent factors indicate poor prognosis, including male gender, central nervous system symptoms and hypercalcemia lasting over 140 days after cancer diagnosis. The prognostic score can serve as a reference for MAH prognosis and treatment, worthy of further investigation.

Management of treatment-naïve limited-stage small cell esophagus carcinoma.

Objectives: To identify the problems and principles of treatment decisions in treatment-naïve limited-stage small cell esophagus carcinoma (LD-SCEC). Methods: Clinical data from 39 patients with LD-SCEC treated in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China between 2000 and 2013 were retrospectively collected with regard to pathologic characteristics, overall survival (OS), and relevant prognostic factors. Results: The median OS was 21.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.4-29.7 months). The one-year OS was 76%, 3-year was 25%, and the 5-year OS was 8%. Depth of invasion, lymph metastasis status, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors. Of the 39 cases, only 38.4% (15 cases) were diagnosed as SCEC by the biopsy specimen. Eight of the 15 patients (group A) received chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, while the remaining 7 patients (group B) and the other 24 patients (group C) received surgery as initial treatment. The one-year survival of group A was 87%, of group B was 69%, and of group C was 74% (p=0.037). The accuracy of the biopsy diagnosis influenced the treatment decisions and prognosis. Conclusion: Small cell esophagus carcinoma is a systemic disease, with depth of invasion, lymph metastasis status, and chemotherapy as independent prognostic factors. Systemic therapy based on chemotherapy is recommended. The top priority is to improve the accuracy of diagnosis before deciding on the initial treatment option.

Increased risk of high-grade hemorrhage in cancer patients treated with gemcitabine: a meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials.

Purpose Gemcitabine, a third-generation anticancer agent, has been shown to be active in several solid tumors. High-grade hemorrhage (grade≥3) has been reported with this drug, although the overall risk remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating the incidence and risk of high-grade hemorrhage associated with gemcitabine. Methods Pubmed was searched for articles published from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2012. Eligible studies included prospective randomized controlled phase II and III trials evaluating gemcitabine-based vs non-gemcitabine-based therapy in patients with solid tumors. Data on high-grade hemorrhage were extracted. Overall incidence rates, relative risk (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated employing fixed- or random-effects models depending on the heterogeneity of included trials. Results A total of 6433 patients from 20 trials were included. Among patients treated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, the overall incidence of high-grade hemorrhage was 1.7% (95%CI: 0.9–3.1%), and the RR of high-grade hemorrhage was 2.727 (95%CI: 1.581–4.702, p<0.001). Exploratory subgroup analysis revealed the highest RR of hemorrhage in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (RR: 3.234; 95%CI, 1.678–6.233; p<0.001), phase II trials (RR 7.053, 95%CI: 1.591–31.27; p = 0.01), trials reported during 2006–2012 (RR: 3.750; 95%CI: 1.735–8.108, p<0.001) and gemcitabine used as single agent (RR 7.48; 95%CI: 0.78–71.92, p = 0.081). Conclusion Gemcitabine is associated with a significant increase risk of high-grade hemorrhage in patients with solid tumors when compared with non-gemcitabine-based therapy.