Hui Juan Qiu

Overexpression of SGLT1 and EGFR in colorectal cancer showing a correlation with the prognosis

Na+-dependent glucose cotransporter (SGLT1), reported overexpression in tumor tissues while its clinical significance was not established, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) with potential relation to SGLT1 were studied in order to investigate their clinical significance in colorectal cancer (CRC). Eighty-five patients of CRC who received chemotherapy in Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center from March 1st 2005 to December 31st 2008 were enrolled. SGLT1 and EGFR expression in these cancer tissues and 28 normal tissues were tested by immunohistochemistry. (1) Expression of SGLT1 (Pxa0=xa00.00) and EGFR (Pxa0=xa00.01) in cancer tissues was higher than that in normal tissues. (2) Their expression related with clinical stage (Pxa0=xa00.03 and Pxa0=xa00.02), but not with other clinical characteristics. (3) For first-line chemotherapy, expression of SGLT1 (Pxa0=xa00.06 and Pxa0=xa00.21) and EGFR (Pxa0=xa00.37 and Pxa0=xa00.31) had no influence on objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). EGFR overexpression was associated with lower disease-free survival (Pxa0=xa00.00) and overall survival (Pxa0=xa00.01), while SGLT1 did not (Pxa0=xa00.79 and Pxa0=xa00.34). Conclusions Both SGLT1 and EGFR overexpression in CRC was related to higher clinical stages. SGLT1 had a potential impact on the ORR of first-line chemotherapy in CRC. EGFR was associated with prognosis, while SGLT1 did not.

Knockdown of eIF4E suppresses cell growth and migration, enhances chemosensitivity and correlates with increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in triple-negative breast cancer cells

Elevated activity of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis and disease progression by disproportionately increasing translation of mRNAs coding proteins that play significant roles in all aspects of malignancy, providing that eIF4E as an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. In this study, we showed that inhibition of eIF4E by small interfering RNAs (siRNA) resulted in cell cycle arrest and suppression of colony formation in MDA-MB-231 triple-negative (TN) breast cancer cells. Migration transwell assay revealed that repression of eIF4E effectively inhibited motility of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. Importantly, we showed that silencing of eIF4E sensitized MDA-MB-231 cells to chemotherapeutic drugs of cisplatin, adriamycin, paclitaxel and docetaxel as assessed by MTT assay. Moreover, Western blot assay showed that eIF4E siRNA increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in MDA-MB-231 cells. Taken together, we showed that knockdown of eIF4E suppressed cell growth and migration, enhanced chemosensitivity, suggesting a potential therapeutic target in TN breast carcinoma.

Short-term outcomes of cetuximab combined with standard chemotherapy as first line setting for Chinese patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a report of 12 cases.

Cetuximab combined with chemotherapy has been used to treat Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years, however, the data from China was rare. This study was to summarize our experiences in treating NSCLC patients with cetuximab in the first line setting. From October 1st 2006 to Jun 30th 2010, twelve NSCLC patients were treated with cetuximab combined standard chemotherapy as first line setting in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center entered the study and the short-term efficacy and safety were analyzed. A total of 132xa0cycles of cetuximab treatment, with a median of nine cycles in the whole group were administered. The ORR was 41.7% (5/12), DCR was 83.3% (10/12), median TTP was 5.5xa0months (2–23), and median OS was 9xa0months (2–48) in the whole group. There were 75% (9/12) patients occurred acne-like rash within first 3xa0weeks, their ORR was 55.6% (5/9), DCR was 100% (9/9), however, ORR and DCR in patients who didn’t occurred acne-like rash within first 3xa0weeks were 0 and 33.3% (1/3), the difference ORR between two group was insignificant (Pxa0=xa00.091), however, DCR was significant different (Pxa0=xa00.007). There no treatment-associated death and no cetuximab-associated discontinuation. The incidence of acne-like rash was 83.3% (10/12) and 75% (9/12) occurred within first 3xa0weeks, there were eight patients suffered side effects associated with chemotherapy. So we can draw a conclusion that the short-term outcome of cetuximab application in first line setting for patients with NSCLC were promising since the higher ORR and DCR, especially those occurred acne-like rash within the first 3xa0weeks, and the addition of cetuximab in this population was safe.

Initial Progression-Free Survival after Non-First Line TKIs Therapy Potentially Guides Immediate Treatment after Its Failure in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective The standard therapy after failure of the initial non-first line epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not yet been established. The aim of the current study was to identify whether the 2nd TKI treatment or chemotherapy (paclitaxel-containing or non-paclitaxel regimen) is the appropriate treatment for patients with NSCLC based on the efficacy of the initial TKIs. Methods Seventy-two advanced NSCLC patients who had accepted 2nd TKIs or chemotherapy immediately after failure of the initial TKIs in non-first line setting from May 1, 2004 to January 31, 2010 at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were enrolled. The primary endpoint [2nd progression-free survival (PFS)] and the second endpoint [overall survival (OS)] were compared among the 2nd TKI and chemotherapy groups as well as their subgroups. Results (1) Twenty-one patients were treated with 2nd TKIs, and 51 patients were administered chemotherapy after failure of the initial non-first line TKI treatment. There was nonsignificant difference in the responses (P=0.900) [2nd PFS (P=0.833) and OS (P=0.369)] between the 2nd TKI and chemotherapy groups. (2) In the 2nd TKI group, 9 patients exhibited PFS≥7 months. The initial TKI treatment group exhibited a longer 2nd PFS than the other 12 patients with an initial PFS<7 months (7 months vs. 2 months, P=0.019). However, these groups had nonsignificantly different OS (P=0.369). (3) In the chemotherapy group, patients with PFS<5 months exhibited longer 2nd PFS than those with PFS ≥ 5 months in the initial TKI treatment (3 months vs. 2 months, P=0.039). (4) In the chemotherapy group, patients treated with paclitaxel-containing regimen showed longer 2nd PFS than those treated with non-paclitaxel regimen (5 months vs. 2.3 months, P=0.043). Conclusions Patients with PFS≥7 months or <5 months under the initial TKI treatment potentially benefit from the 2nd TKI treatment or chemotherapy immediately after failure of the non-first line TKIs. The paclitaxel-containing regimen may improve the 2nd PFS. However, more patient samples are urgently needed to validate these findings.