CDC34 suppresses macrophage phagocytic activity and predicts poor response to immune checkpoint inhibitor in cancers.

The Cell Division Cycle 34 (CDC34) is an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that is required for proteasomal degradation of substrate proteins, and is able to stabilize proteins including the epidermal growth factor receptor to promote lung carcinogenesis. Here, we conducted a pan-cancer analysis of CDC34 in The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets, and found its high expression in breast cancer and negative association with patient outcomes. Analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data revealed a negative role of CDC34 in macrophage phagocytotic activity for cancer cells.

The prognostic value of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, programmed cell death protein-1 and programmed cell death ligand-1 in Stage I-III triple-negative breast cancer.

Background: Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) represent a robust biological prognostic biomarker in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, the contribution of different subsets of immune cells is unclear. We investigated the prognostic value of immune markers, including stromal TILs (sTILs), CD8T and FOPX3T cells, PD-1 and PD-L1 in non-metastatic TNBC.

Methods: In total, 259 patients with Stage I-III TNBC were reviewed.

Case Report: An Internal Mammary Rhabdomyosarcoma After Mastectomy and Systemic and Radiation Therapy in a Patient With Breast Cancer.

Post-radiation soft tissue sarcomas (PRSTSs) are rare secondary malignancies. In this report, we describe the clinical presentation of a 52-year-old woman who underwent postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) for left-sided breast cancer 2.7 years ago and presented with a left internal mammary mass and left interpectoral nodule on computed tomography.

CD56+ lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung: A case report and literature review.

Background: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a non-keratinizing carcinoma with rich lymphocytic infiltration, which primarily originates from the nasopharynx. Primary lung LELC is a type of lung cancer with a relatively low incidence. Herein, we report a rare case of lung LELC with expression of CD56.

Precise Detection of Gene Mutations in Fine-Needle Aspiration Specimens of the Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma Using Next-Generation Sequencing.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect mutations in BRAF, RAS, TERT promoter, and TP53 genes in ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy samples of the papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).

Methods: A total of 135 FNA samples out of 135 patients with suspected PTMC were submitted for mutation testing using NGS. NGS was successfully performed in 114 specimens, while the remaining 21 samples were excluded due to insufficient amount/poor quality of DNA and sequencing failure.

Prevalence of recurrent oncogenic fusion in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal carcinoma with hypermethylated MLH1 and wild-type BRAF and KRAS.

Oncogenic fusions are rare in colorectal carcinomas, but may be important for prognosis and therapy. An effective strategy for screening targetable oncogenic fusions in colorectal carcinomas is needed. Here, we investigate molecular genetic alterations in colorectal carcinomas based on their DNA mismatch repair status, and to effectively screen for targetable oncogenic fusions in colorectal carcinomas.

Application of Ventana immunocytochemical analysis on ThinPrep cytology slides for detection of ALK rearrangement in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Ventana ALK (D5F3) screening of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement in tissue specimens has been approved by US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to select treatment for non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, tumor tissues are often not readily obtainable, and cytology specimens and may be the only tumor material available for diagnosis and molecular marker analysis. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of ALK immunocytochemistry (ICC) on ThinPrep slides and determined a suitable scoring system for interpretation of the results.

Clinicopathological parameters predicting recurrence of pT1N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Aim: To identify the clinicopathological characteristics of pT1N0 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) that are associated with tumor recurrence.

Methods: We reviewed 216 pT1N0 thoracic ESCC cases who underwent esophagectomy and thoracoabdominal two-field lymphadenectomy without preoperative chemoradiotherapy. After excluding those cases with clinical follow-up recorded fewer than 3 mo and those who died within 3 mo of surgery, we included 199 cases in the current analysis.

The gene mutational discrepancies between primary and paired metastatic colorectal carcinoma detected by next-generation sequencing.

Purpose: To better understand the gene mutational status and heterogeneity between primary and metastatic CRC (mCRC) using a sensitive sequencing method.

Methods: The mutational status of EGFR, KRAS, NRAS, PIK3CA, ERBB2, BRAF, KIT, and PDGFRA was analyzed in 65 patients, with 147 samples of primary and paired live or lung metastatic CRC, using next-generation sequencing (NGS), quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR), and Sanger sequencing.

Results: Fifteen cases (15/22, 68.

Correlation between the clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL).

Methods: One hundred and four patients diagnosed with ENKTCL at the Department of Pathology, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China from November 1991 to September 2011 were included in the study. The clinicopathological features and their correlations with disease prognosis were evaluated in these patients.

Comparison of 627 patients with right- and left-sided colon cancer in China: Differences in clinicopathology, recurrence, and survival.

Objective: Recent studies have reported increased mortality for right-sided colon cancers; however, the results are conflicting for different stage tumors. We examined the differences in clinicopathology between right- and left-sided colon cancers and the relationships between colon cancer location (right- and left-side) and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

Methods: We identified patients from 2005 to 2008 with stage II/III colon cancer who underwent surgery for curative intent.

EGFR T790M ctDNA testing platforms and their role as companion diagnostics: Correlation with clinical outcomes to EGFR-TKIs.

Somatic mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) predict clinical response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is a promising target for personalised medicine. EGFR mutations have prognostic value. Initially patients respond well to tyrosine kinase inhibitors but finally they would develop resistance and about 50% of this resistance can be attributed to the emergence of EGFR resistant mutation, T790M.

Association between BRAF mutation and the clinicopathological features of solitary papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

The B-Raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) mutation is an important oncogene in the development of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and has been identified as a risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with PTC. However, whether the BRAF mutation is a prognostic marker in patients with solitary papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (sPTMC) has not yet been established. The present study aimed to identify the association between BRAF mutation and the clinicopathological features of patients with sPTMC.

Prognostic Value of Lymph Node Ratio in Patients Receiving Combined Surgical Resection for Gastric Cancer Liver Metastasis: Results from Two National Centers in China.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of lymph node ratio (LNR) in patients with gastric cancer liver metastasis (GCLM) who received combined surgical resection. A retrospective analysis of 46 patients from two hospitals was conducted. Patients were dichotomized into two groups (high LNR and low LNR) by the median value of LNR.

Hypermethylation of the 16q23.1 tumor suppressor gene ADAMTS18 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

To identify tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) silenced by hypermethylation and discover new epigenetic biomarkers for early cancer detection. ADAMTS18, located at 16q23.1, has been reported to be a critical TSG in multiple primary tumors; however, this has not yet been verified in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

[Immunophenotypes and gene mutations in colorectal precancerous lesions and adenocarcinoma].

Objective: To analyze immunophenotypes and gene mutations of colorectal precancerous lesions and adenocarcinoma, and to compare the difference of carcinogenetic mechanisms between the two precancerous lesions.

Methods: Fifty-three cases of colorectal serrated lesions including 30 hyperplastic polyps, 20 sessile serrated adenomas (SSA) and 3 mixed polyps were collected from January 2006 to June 2012.Forty-five cases of traditional adenomas and 50 cases of colorectal adenocarcinomas were also recruited.

[Comparison of real-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method and Sanger sequencing for detection of KRAS mutations in colorectal and lung carcinomas].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of real-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method for detection of KRAS mutations in lung and colorectal carcinomas, as compared with Sanger sequencing method.

Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from formalin fixed paraffin embedded samples of 221 lung carcinomas and 131 colorectal carcinomas after tumor cell content assessment and macrodissection. Real-time PCR-optimized oligonucleotide probe method and Sanger sequencing were performed to detect KRAS gene mutations.

[Detection of KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and EGFR gene mutations in colorectal carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the mutation frequencies of KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and EGFR genes that were effective on the targeted therapies in colorectal carcinoma.

Methods: The tissue specimens from 331 colorectal cancer patients were collected and subject to KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA and EGFR mutation analysis. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples were obtained and macrodissection was performed to enrich the tumor cells for DNA extraction when necessary.

Ultrasound findings of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: a review of 113 consecutive cases with histopathologic correlation.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) is a malignant thyroid tumor of less than 1 cm in size. Ultrasound (US) is the preferred imaging modality for PTMC. This study retrospectively evaluated the US results from 113 consecutive cases of PTMC with 127 nodules and correlated the results with the histopathologic findings.

[Analysis of HER2 status in breast carcinoma using fully automated HER2 staining and fluorescence in-situ hybridization technology].

Objective: To determine human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status in breast carcinoma by the techniques of a fully automated immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), to compare the concordance of protein expression with gene amplification and to explore the optimization in process quality control.

Methods: A prospective study of invasive breast cancer specimens excised between May 2009 and April 2011 at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences was conducted by automated IHC staining with the new 4B5 rabbit monoclonal antibody and FISH. An evaluation was performed according to the ASCO/CAP guidelines (2007) and Chinese guidelines (2009).

Promoter methylation of tumor suppressor genes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent and fatal cancer in China and other Asian countries. Epigenetic silencing of key tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) is critical to ESCC initiation and progression. Recently, many novel TSGs silenced by promoter methylation have been identified in ESCC, and these genes further serve as potential tumor markers for high-risk group stratification, early detection, and prognosis prediction.

[Automated silver-enhanced in situ hybridization detection assay for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene status determination in breast cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the concordance of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene amplification in invasive breast cancer by the techniques of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and silver-enhanced in situ hybridization (SISH).

Methods: A prospective study of 63 invasive breast cancer specimens excised between May 2009 and November 2009 was conducted by automated immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and bright field automated SISH. HER2 gene status was also examined by FISH in 43 cases.