Spread into regional lymph node is the major route of metastasis in cervical cancer. Although lymph node status is not involved in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system of uterine ce...Spread into regional lymph node is the major route of metastasis in cervical cancer. Although lymph node status is not involved in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system of uterine cervical cancer, the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis provides important information for prognosis and treatment. In this review, we have attempted to focus on the incidence and patterns of lymph node metastasis, and the issues surrounding surgical assessment of lymph nodes. In addition, the preoperative prediction of lymph node status, as well as the intraoperative assessment by sentinel nodes will be reviewed. Finally, lymph node micrometastasis also will be discussed.展开更多
The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and lymph node metastasis(LNM) in papillary thyroid cancer(PTC). VEGF-relat...The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and lymph node metastasis(LNM) in papillary thyroid cancer(PTC). VEGF-related articles that had been published until August 2016 were searched from the Pub Med, EMBASE, and MEDLINE to identify the risk factors of LNM in PTC. Rev Man 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis. Finally, 9 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in our meta-analysis. LNM was found to be present in 176 of 318 patients(57.8%) with high VEGF expression and in 71 of 159 patients(47.0%) with low VEGF expression. The overall OR was 2.81(95% confidence interval, 1.49–5.29). LNM occurred more frequently in patients with high VEGF expression than in those with low VEGF expression(P=0.001). Heterogeneity was markedly decreased in the subgroup analyses of LNM in terms of the patients' country of origin and the detection methods. Our meta-analysis concluded that the VEGF protein expression is associated with LNM in PTC.展开更多
The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in clinical and sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) between cervical lymph node metastatic(CLNM) and nonmetastatic groups.Clinical data ...The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in clinical and sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) between cervical lymph node metastatic(CLNM) and nonmetastatic groups.Clinical data of PTC patients(414 patients with 624 malignant nodules) who underwent a preoperative ultrasonography and surgery between June 2010 and March 2015 at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were retrospectively analyzed.Clinical factors,preoperative ultrasound features and the final pathological findings were obtained.The differences in the sonographic features of PTC between the CLNM group and the non-CLNM group were analyzed.There were 187 CLNM and 227 non-CLNM patients.The median age at the diagnosis of this cohort was 45.4 years old(ranging from 18 to 77 years).Ultrasonographic parameters that were significantly associated with CLNM [OR=2.569(1.502,4.393),P〈0.001)] were as follows:the mulifocality of the nodules,size over 2 cm,the presence of microcalcifications,the distance ratio(DR) pattern showing the contact of the nodules with the thyroid capsule,and the extracapsular spread of the nodules.No significant differences in age,gender,thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) levels and other ultrasonography parameters were found between the CLNM and the non-CLNM groups.Therefore,our results suggest that a larger size,microcalcifications,mulifocality,and the DR pattern showing the contact of the nodules with the thyroid capsule and extracapsular spread are significantly more indicative of CLNM in PTC.展开更多
Objective: To predict the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer by using large sample clinical data, and to construct and verify the nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis. Methods: A total o...Objective: To predict the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer by using large sample clinical data, and to construct and verify the nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis. Methods: A total of 5940 patients with cervical cancer from 2004 to 2015 in the National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database were retrospectively screened and randomly assigned to training group (n = 4172) and validation group (n = 1768). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used, and the optimal model was selected according to AIC or BIC and likelihood ratio test, and a nomogram was drawn. The accuracy and robustness of the prediction model were evaluated in three aspects: discrimination, calibration and clinical net benefit. Results: The prediction model based on race, tumor tissue differentiation degree, tumor histopathological type, distant metastasis of tumor, tumor diameter and other risk factors was successfully established and a nomogram was constructed. The AUCs of training group and validation group were: 0.736 and 0.714, respectively. And the p-values of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were 0.28 and 0.11, respectively. The calibration curve was in good agreement with the ideal curve. It had high accuracy and applicability after internal verification. Conclusion: A prediction model is constructed based on the risk factors of lymph node metastasis of cervical cancer. The nomogram has a good effective prediction and can provide a theoretical basis for clinicians to assess the disease quickly before surgery.展开更多
BACKGROUND Cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) affects the treatment and prognosis of patients. Ultrasound is a common imaging method for detecting cervical lymph nodes in PTC patients; ...BACKGROUND Cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) affects the treatment and prognosis of patients. Ultrasound is a common imaging method for detecting cervical lymph nodes in PTC patients; however, it is not accurate in determining lymph node metastasis.AIM To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in evaluating cervical lymph node metastasis in PTC.METHODS A total of 94 patients with PTC were recruited. According to pathological results,lymph nodes were divided into two groups: metastatic group(n = 50) and reactive group(n = 63). The routine ultrasound findings, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography data were recorded and compared. Logistic regression was used to generate predictive probability distributions for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis with different indicators. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to test the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography based on routine ultrasound in evaluating PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.RESULTS The ratio of long diameter/short diameter(L/S) ≤ 2, irregular marginal morphology, missing lymphatic portal, peripheral or mixed blood flow distribution, peak intensity(PI), non-uniform contrast distribution and elasticity score in the metastatic group were significantly higher than those in the reactive group(P < 0.05). L/S ratio, missing lymphatic portal, PI and elasticity score had a significant influence on the occurrence of PTC cervical lymph node metastasis(P< 0.05). Furthermore, the area under the curve(AUC) for lymph node metastasis diagnosed using the combination of PI ratio, elasticity score, missing lymphatic portal and LS was 0.936, which was significantly higher than the AUC for PI ratio alone. The difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05). The fitting equation for the combined diagnosis was logit(P) =-12.341 + 1.482 × L/S ratio + 3.529 ×missing lymphatic portal + 0.392 × PI + 3.288 × elasticity score.CONCLUSION Based on the gray-scale ultrasound, the combination of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography can accurately assess PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of separate lateral parametrial lymph node dissection(LPLND) in improving parametrial lymph node(PLN) and its metastasis detection rate during radical hysterectomy f...Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of separate lateral parametrial lymph node dissection(LPLND) in improving parametrial lymph node(PLN) and its metastasis detection rate during radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer.Methods: From July 2007 to August 2017, 2,695 patients with cervical cancer in stage IB1-IIA2 underwent radical hysterectomy were included. Of these patients, 368 underwent separate dissection of PLNs using the LPLND method, and 2,327 patients underwent conventional radical hysterectomy(CRH). We compared the surgical parameters, PLN detection rate and PLN metastasis rate between the two groups.Results: Compared with CRH group, the rate of laparoscopic surgery was higher(60.3% vs. 15.9%, P<0.001),and the blood transfusion rate was lower(19.0% vs. 29.0%, P<0.001) in the LPLND group. PLNs were detected in 356 cases(96.7%) in the LPLND group, and 270 cases(11.6%) in the CRH group(P<0.001), respectively. The number of PLNs detected in the LPLND group was higher than that in the CRH group(median 3 vs. 1, P<0.001).The PLN metastases were detected in 25 cases(6.8%) in the LPLND group, and 18 cases(0.8%) in the CRH group(P<0.001), respectively. In multivariable analysis, LPLND is an independent factor not only for PLN detection [odds ratio(OR)=228.999, 95% confidence interval(95% CI): 124.661-420.664;P<0.001], but also for PLN metastasis identification(OR=10.867, 95% CI: 5.381-21.946;P<0.001).Conclusions: LPLND is feasible and safe. The surgical method significantly improves the detection rate of PLN and avoids omission of PLN metastasis during radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer.展开更多
Objective To compare survival outcomes between primary radical surgery and primary radiation in early cervical cancer.Methods Patient information was extracted from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and Results database.P...Objective To compare survival outcomes between primary radical surgery and primary radiation in early cervical cancer.Methods Patient information was extracted from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and Results database.Patients diagnosed with early cervical cancer of stage T1a,T1b,and T2a(American Joint Committee on Cancer,7th edition)from 1998 to 2015 were included in this study after propensity score matching.Overall survival(OS)was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results Among the 4964 patients included in the study,1080 patients were identified as having positive lymph nodes(N1),and 3884 patients were identified as having negative lymph nodes(N0).Patients with primary surgery had significantly longer 5-year OS than those with primary radiotherapy in both the N1 group(P<0.001)and N0 group(P<0.001).In the subgroup analysis,similar results were found in patients with positive lymph nodes of stage T1a(100.0%vs.61.1%),T1b(84.1%vs.64.3%),and T2a(74.4%vs.63.8%).In patients with T1b1 and T2a1,primary surgery resulted in longer OS than primary radiation,but not in patients with T1b2 and T2a2.In multivariate analysis,the primary treatment was identified as an independent prognostic factor in both N1 and N0 patients(HR_(N1)=2.522,95%CI=1.919–3.054,PN1<0.001;HR_(N0)=1.895,95%CI=1.689–2.126,PN0<0.001).Conclusion In early cervical cancer stage T1a,T1b1,and T2a1,primary surgery may result in longer OS than primary radiation for patients with and without lymph node metastasis.展开更多
Objective:The assessment of lateral lymph node metastasis(LLNM)in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)holds great significance.This study aims to develop and evaluate a deep learning-based automatic pipeline...Objective:The assessment of lateral lymph node metastasis(LLNM)in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)holds great significance.This study aims to develop and evaluate a deep learning-based automatic pipeline system(DLAPS)for diagnosing LLNM in PTC using computed tomography(CT).Methods:A total of 1,266 lateral lymph nodes(LLNs)from 519 PTC patients who underwent CT examinations from January 2019 to November 2022 were included and divided into training and validation set,internal test set,pooled external test set,and prospective test set.The DLAPS consists of an auto-segmentation network based on RefineNet model and a classification network based on ensemble model(ResNet,Xception,and DenseNet).The performance of the DLAPS was compared with that of manually segmented DL models,the clinical model,and Node Reporting and Data System(Node-RADS).The improvement of radiologists’diagnostic performance under the DLAPS-assisted strategy was explored.In addition,bulk RNA-sequencing was conducted based on 12 LLNs to reveal the underlying biological basis of the DLAPS.Results:The DLAPS yielded good performance with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of 0.872,0.910,and 0.822 in the internal,pooled external,and prospective test sets,respectively.The DLAPS significantly outperformed clinical models(AUC 0.731,P<0.001)and Node-RADS(AUC 0.602,P<0.001)in the internal test set.Moreover,the performance of the DLAPS was comparable to that of the manually segmented deep learning(DL)model with AUCs ranging 0.814−0.901 in three test sets.Furthermore,the DLAPSassisted strategy improved the performance of radiologists and enhanced inter-observer consistency.In clinical situations,the rate of unnecessary LLN dissection decreased from 33.33%to 7.32%.Furthermore,the DLAPS was associated with the cell-cell conjunction in the microenvironment.Conclusions:Using CT images from PTC patients,the DLAPS could effectively segment and classify LLNs non-invasively,and this system had a good generalization ability and clinical applicability.展开更多
Objective This study aimed to compare and analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of late-course and simultaneous integrated dose-increasing intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) for cervical cancer complicated...Objective This study aimed to compare and analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of late-course and simultaneous integrated dose-increasing intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) for cervical cancer complicated with pelvic lymph node metastasis. Methods Sixty patients with cervical cancer complicated with pelvic lymph node metastasis who were admitted to our hospital from January 2013 to January 2015 were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group and the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group, with 30 cases included in each group, respectively. All patients were concurrently treated with cisplatin. After treatment, the clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. Results The remission rate of symptoms in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group was significantly higher than that in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group(P < 0.05). The follow-up results showed that the overall survival time, progression-free survival time, and distant metastasis time of patients in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group were significantly longer than those in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group(P < 0.05). The recurrent rate of lymph nodes in the radiation field in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group was significantly lower(P < 0.05) than in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of cervical and vaginal recurrence and distant metastasis between the two groups(P > 0.05). The radiation doses of Dmax in the small intestine, D1 cc(the minimum dose to the 1 cc receiving the highest dose) in the bladder, and Dmax in the rectum in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group were significantly lower(P < 0.05) than in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group. There was no significant difference in intestinal D2 cc(the minimum dose to the 2 cc receiving the highest dose) between the two groups(P > 0.05). The incidence of bone marrow suppression in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group was significantly lower(P < 0.05) than in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group.Conclusion The application of simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT in the treatment of cervical cancer patients complicated with pelvic lymph node metastasis can significantly control tumor progression, improve the long-term survival time, and postpone distant metastasis time with high safety.展开更多
Objective: This study evaluated the risk factors for pelvic lymph node metastasis in patients with early stage cervical cancer. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in the Division of Gynaecol...Objective: This study evaluated the risk factors for pelvic lymph node metastasis in patients with early stage cervical cancer. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in the Division of Gynaecologic Oncology at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (B中央人民政府) between July 2014 and July 2015 to evaluate demographic factors and histopathological findings of women with cervical cancer stage IB-IIA who underwent primary radical hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. Results: Fifty women aged 30 years or above were included in the study. Lymph node metastases were identified in 20% of patients. By univariate analysis, preoperative anemia, a history of smoking, tumor size greater than 4 cm and lack of cervical inflammatory reaction by histopathology were significant variables associated with lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis showed that the lack of inflammatory reaction in the uterine cervix was the most important predictor for pelvic lymph node metastasis when adjusting for other variables. Moderate to severe inflammatory reaction in the uterine cervix was 18 times less likely to have pelvic lymph node metastasis than those who had mild inflammation. Conclusion: An association was found between the presence of pelvic lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer and certain variables: the lack of contraceptive use, smoking, preoperative anemia, bulky tumors, invasion of deep two-third of the uterine cervix, mild inflammatory reaction in the cervix, and keratinizing carcinoma. After adjusting for other factors, presence or absence of inflammatory reaction in the cervix was found to be the most important predictor for pelvic lymph node metastasis.展开更多
Castleman's disease(CD) is an uncommon benign lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. A rare case of cervical CD diagnosed at lymph node dissection for esophageal carcinoma is reported. An esophageal tum...Castleman's disease(CD) is an uncommon benign lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. A rare case of cervical CD diagnosed at lymph node dissection for esophageal carcinoma is reported. An esophageal tumor was identified in a 67-year-old man during a follow-up examination after surgery for oral carcinoma. Esophagoscopy revealed a type 1 tumor in the cervical esophagus. Histology of esophagoscopic biopsies indicated squamous cell carcinoma. Contrastenhanced computed tomography revealed swollen lymph nodes of the right cervical region. No distant metastasis was detected. Esophageal carcinoma, T2N2M0, Stage ⅢA was diagnosed. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was recommended, but the patient rejected the chemotherapy. The patient underwent laparoscopic-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy. The histopathological diagnosis was moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with pT1bN0M0, Stage ⅠA. On histology, the swollen lymph nodes of the right cervical region revealed CD. The patient's postoperative course was relatively good.展开更多
The metastatic pattern of colon cancer is typically well characterized,with initial dissemination occurring through regional lymphatics,followed by hematogenous spread.The most frequent sites of metastasis in colorect...The metastatic pattern of colon cancer is typically well characterized,with initial dissemination occurring through regional lymphatics,followed by hematogenous spread.The most frequent sites of metastasis in colorectal cancer(CRC)include regional lymph nodes(50%–70%),liver(35%–50%),lungs(21%),peritoneum(15%),and ovaries(13%).1 Isolated distant lymph node metastasis,particularly in the absence of concurrent systemic disease,is exceedingly rare in CRC.To date,only six cases of isolated axillary lymph node metastasis(ALNM)from colorectal primaries have been documented in the literature.1–6 Even more uncommon is the incidental discovery of malignant cells in anastomotic doughnuts following stoma reversal procedures.Herein,we report a rare case involving both the incidental histopathological detection of tumor cells within doughnuts during stoma closure and the subsequent development of isolated ALNM after curative resection of sigmoid colon carcinoma.展开更多
Objective:To evaluate the value of18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography(18F-FDG PET/CT)in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis of oral carcinoma.Methods:China national know...Objective:To evaluate the value of18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography(18F-FDG PET/CT)in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis of oral carcinoma.Methods:China national knowledge infrastructure,Wanfang,Chinese sci-tech journal database,PubMed,EMbase,the Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched for18F-FDG PET/CT in cervical lymph node metastasis oral cancer.Literature screening,data extraction and literature quality evaluation were carried out independently by two researchers according to the unified classification criteria.Stata13.0 software and Meta-Disc1.4 software were used for meta-analysis.Results:A total of 14 studies with 849 cases of patients with cervical metastasis of oral cancer were included,among which 9 studies were conducted on patients,with a total of 299 patients,and 5 studies were conducted on lymph nodes,with 1965 patients with cervical lymph node proved pathologically.The results of meta analysis showed that18F-FDG PET/CT had good sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis of oral cancer.The results showed that sensitivity=0.81(95%CI:0.73-0.87),specificity=0.90(95%CI:0.83-0.94),combined likelihood ratio=7.9(95%CI:4.9-12.7),negative likelihood ratio=0.21(95%CI:0.15-0.30),diagnostic odds ratio=37(95%CI:20-67),and receiver operating characteristic curve=0.91(95%CI:0.89-0.94).Conclusions:18F-FDG PET/CT has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis,and can be used as an important preoperative evaluation method for oral cancer.展开更多
BACKGROUND The accurate prediction of lymph node metastasis(LNM)is crucial for managing locally advanced(T3/T4)colorectal cancer(CRC).However,both traditional histopathology and standard slide-level deep learning ofte...BACKGROUND The accurate prediction of lymph node metastasis(LNM)is crucial for managing locally advanced(T3/T4)colorectal cancer(CRC).However,both traditional histopathology and standard slide-level deep learning often fail to capture the sparse and diagnostically critical features of metastatic potential.AIM To develop and validate a case-level multiple-instance learning(MIL)framework mimicking a pathologist's comprehensive review and improve T3/T4 CRC LNM prediction.METHODS The whole-slide images of 130 patients with T3/T4 CRC were retrospectively collected.A case-level MIL framework utilising the CONCH v1.5 and UNI2-h deep learning models was trained on features from all haematoxylin and eosinstained primary tumour slides for each patient.These pathological features were subsequently integrated with clinical data,and model performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC).RESULTS The case-level framework demonstrated superior LNM prediction over slide-level training,with the CONCH v1.5 model achieving a mean AUC(±SD)of 0.899±0.033 vs 0.814±0.083,respectively.Integrating pathology features with clinical data further enhanced performance,yielding a top model with a mean AUC of 0.904±0.047,in sharp contrast to a clinical-only model(mean AUC 0.584±0.084).Crucially,a pathologist’s review confirmed that the model-identified high-attention regions correspond to known high-risk histopathological features.CONCLUSION A case-level MIL framework provides a superior approach for predicting LNM in advanced CRC.This method shows promise for risk stratification and therapy decisions,requiring further validation.展开更多
BACKGROUND Early screening,preoperative staging,and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis are crucial for improving the prognosis of gastric cancer(GC).AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of combined multidetector compu...BACKGROUND Early screening,preoperative staging,and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis are crucial for improving the prognosis of gastric cancer(GC).AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of combined multidetector computed tomography(MDCT)and gastrointestinal endoscopy for GC screening,preoperative staging,and lymph node metastasis detection,thereby providing a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.METHODS In this retrospective study clinical and imaging data of 134 patients with suspected GC who were admitted between January 2023 and October 2024 were initially reviewed.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,102 patients were finally enrolled in the analysis.All enrolled patients had undergone both MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy examinations prior to surgical intervention.Preoperative clinical staging and lymph node metastasis findings were compared with pathological results.RESULTS The combined use of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.53%,specificity of 97.06%,accuracy of 98.04%,positive predictive value of 98.53%,and negative predictive value of 97.06%for diagnosing GC.These factors were all significantly higher than those of MDCT or endoscopy alone(P<0.05).The accuracy rates of the combined approach for detecting clinical T and N stages were 97.06%and 92.65%,respectively,outperforming MDCT alone(86.76% and 79.41%)and endoscopy alone(85.29% and 70.59%)(P<0.05).Among 68 patients with confirmed GC,50(73.53%)were pathologically diagnosed with lymph node metastasis.The accuracy for detecting lymph node metastasis was 66.00%with endoscopy,76.00%with MDCT,and 92.00% with the combined approach,all with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The combined application of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy enhanced diagnostic accuracy for GC,provided greater consistency in preoperative staging,and improved the detection of lymph node metastasis,thereby demonstrating significant clinical utility.展开更多
To the Editor:Cervical cancer(CC)is the second leading cause of cancer death in women,representing a major global health challenge.[1]Cervical squamous cell carcinoma(CSCC)accounts for 70%of CC cases,and pelvic lymph ...To the Editor:Cervical cancer(CC)is the second leading cause of cancer death in women,representing a major global health challenge.[1]Cervical squamous cell carcinoma(CSCC)accounts for 70%of CC cases,and pelvic lymph node metastasis is a critical cause of CC-related death.[2]Thus,understanding the underlying mechanisms of the tumor spread through lymphatic vessels becomes imperative.[3]RNA helicases are involved in almost all aspects of RNA metabolism.[4]DEAD-box helicase 24(DDX24),one of the least explored DEAD-box RNA helicases,was upregulated in several cancer types.[5]However,the role of DDX24 in CSCC progression and metastasis remains elusive.Here,we investigated the essential role of DDX24 in mediating cancer cell EMT and lymphangiogenesis in the context of CSCC.Our study provides a potential therapeutic target for CSCC lymphatic metastasis.展开更多
BACKGROUND One of the main characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is that it metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes frequently with a high degree of local invasiveness.A primary feature of malignant tumors...BACKGROUND One of the main characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is that it metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes frequently with a high degree of local invasiveness.A primary feature of malignant tumors is their penetration of neighboring tissues,such as lymphatic and blood arteries,due to the tumor cells'capacity to break down the extracellular matrix(ECM).Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)constitute a family of proteolytic enzymes that facilitate tissue remodeling and the degradation of the ECM.MMP-9 and MMP-13 belong to the group of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes and their expression has been studied in OSCC because of their specific functions.MMP-13,a collagenase family member,is thought to play an essential role in the MMP activation cascade by breaking down the fibrillar collagens,whereas MMP-9 is thought to accelerate the growth of tumors.Elevated MMP-13 expression has been associated with tumor behavior and patient prognosis in a number of malignant cases.AIM To assess the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13 in OSCC.METHODS A total of 40 cases with histologically confirmed OSCC by incisional biopsy were included in this cross-sectional retrospective study.The protocols for both MMP-9 and MMP-13 immunohistochemical staining were performed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations along with the normal gingival epithelium as a positive control.All the observations were recorded and Pearson’sχ²test with Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis.RESULTS Our study showed no significant correlation between MMP-9 and MMP-13 staining intensity and tumor size.The majority of the patients were in advanced TNM stages(III and IV),and showed intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13.CONCLUSION The present study suggests that both MMP-9 and MMP-13 play an important and independent role in OSCC progression and invasiveness.Intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13,irrespective of histological grade of OSCC,correlates well with TNM stage.Consequently,it is evident that MMP-9 and MMP-13 are important for the invasiveness and progression of tumors.The findings may facilitate the development of new approaches for evaluating lymph node metastases and interventional therapy techniques,hence enhancing the prognosis of patients diagnosed with OSCC.展开更多
BACKGROUND Tissue hardness is closely related to disease pathophysiology.Shear-wave ela-stography(SWE)is a simple and noninvasive ultrasound technique that has been used to evaluate the presence of lymph node metastas...BACKGROUND Tissue hardness is closely related to disease pathophysiology.Shear-wave ela-stography(SWE)is a simple and noninvasive ultrasound technique that has been used to evaluate the presence of lymph node metastases and differentiate between benign and malignant tumors.AIM To investigate SWE usefulness in measuring lymph node hardness to predict metastasis presence or absence in surgically removed lymph nodes.METHODS This observational study obtained data from patients who underwent surgery for esophageal or gastric cancer at Nippon Medical School Hospital.The hardness of the surgically removed lymph nodes was measured using SWE.The lymph nodes with hardness values≥2.2 m/s were considered clinically positive for metastasis,whereas those with lower hardness values were considered clinically negative.The lymph nodes subsequently underwent pathological examination to determine the presence of metastasis,and the SWE results and pathological assessments were compared.RESULTS A total of 1077 lymph nodes were evaluated;18 and 15 cases of esophageal and gastric cancer were identified,respectively.The optimal cutoff value for lymph node size was calculated to be 5.1 mm,and the area under the curve value was 0.74(95%confidence interval:0.69-0.84).When limited to a lymph node larger than the cut off value,the SWE sensitivity and specificity for metastasis identification were 0.76 and 0.82,respectively.CONCLUSION SWE was useful in detecting lymph node metastases in the upper gastrointestinal tract.展开更多
Objective:The neglect of occult lymph nodes metastasis(OLNM)is one of the pivotal causes of early non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)recurrence after local treatments such as stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)or surge...Objective:The neglect of occult lymph nodes metastasis(OLNM)is one of the pivotal causes of early non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)recurrence after local treatments such as stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)or surgery.This study aimed to develop and validate a computed tomography(CT)-based radiomics and deep learning(DL)fusion model for predicting non-invasive OLNM.Methods:Patients with radiologically node-negative lung adenocarcinoma from two centers were retrospectively analyzed.We developed clinical,radiomics,and radiomics-clinical models using logistic regression.A DL model was established using a three-dimensional squeeze-and-excitation residual network-34(3D SE-ResNet34)and a fusion model was created by integrating seleted clinical,radiomics features and DL features.Model performance was assessed using the area under the curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curves,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Five predictive models were compared;SHapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP)and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping(Grad-CAM)were employed for visualization and interpretation.Results:Overall,358 patients were included:186 in the training cohort,48 in the internal validation cohort,and 124 in the external testing cohort.The DL fusion model incorporating 3D SE-Resnet34 achieved the highest AUC of 0.947 in the training dataset,with strong performance in internal and external cohorts(AUCs of 0.903 and 0.907,respectively),outperforming single-modal DL models,clinical models,radiomics models,and radiomicsclinical combined models(DeLong test:P<0.05).DCA confirmed its clinical utility,and calibration curves demonstrated excellent agreement between predicted and observed OLNM probabilities.Features interpretation highlighted the importance of textural characteristics and the surrounding tumor regions in stratifying OLNM risk.Conclusions:The DL fusion model reliably and accurately predicts OLNM in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma,offering a non-invasive tool to refine staging and guide personalized treatment decisions.These results may aid clinicians in optimizing surgical and radiotherapy strategies.展开更多
Gastric cancer(GC)remains a leading cause of cancer mortality.While the extent of nodal involvement is a well-known prognostic factor,the specific entity of swollen lymph node metastasis(SLNM),bulky nodal tumor deposi...Gastric cancer(GC)remains a leading cause of cancer mortality.While the extent of nodal involvement is a well-known prognostic factor,the specific entity of swollen lymph node metastasis(SLNM),bulky nodal tumor deposits detectable radiologically or pathologically,has received little attention in staging.Recent data from a study by Cui et al demonstrated that SLNM is an independent predictor of very poor survival in GC.Through robust data and rigorous propensitymatched analyses,SLNM emerged not merely as an anatomical finding but as an independent predictor of poor prognosis,even among patients undergoing curative resection.As precision oncology advances,the findings by Cui et al urge a fundamental rethinking of how SLNM is incorporated into clinical decisionmaking for GC management.In this editorial,we critically examine the prognostic significance of SLNM,challenge its omission from traditional staging frameworks,and advocate for its formal integration into preoperative risk stratification and treatment planning.Recognizing SLNM at diagnosis could unlock intensified neoadjuvant therapy strategies and optimize outcomes for a historically high-risk patient subgroup.展开更多
基金This work is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Provice (No. 2015CKB739).
文摘Spread into regional lymph node is the major route of metastasis in cervical cancer. Although lymph node status is not involved in the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging system of uterine cervical cancer, the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis provides important information for prognosis and treatment. In this review, we have attempted to focus on the incidence and patterns of lymph node metastasis, and the issues surrounding surgical assessment of lymph nodes. In addition, the preoperative prediction of lymph node status, as well as the intraoperative assessment by sentinel nodes will be reviewed. Finally, lymph node micrometastasis also will be discussed.
文摘The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and lymph node metastasis(LNM) in papillary thyroid cancer(PTC). VEGF-related articles that had been published until August 2016 were searched from the Pub Med, EMBASE, and MEDLINE to identify the risk factors of LNM in PTC. Rev Man 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis. Finally, 9 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in our meta-analysis. LNM was found to be present in 176 of 318 patients(57.8%) with high VEGF expression and in 71 of 159 patients(47.0%) with low VEGF expression. The overall OR was 2.81(95% confidence interval, 1.49–5.29). LNM occurred more frequently in patients with high VEGF expression than in those with low VEGF expression(P=0.001). Heterogeneity was markedly decreased in the subgroup analyses of LNM in terms of the patients' country of origin and the detection methods. Our meta-analysis concluded that the VEGF protein expression is associated with LNM in PTC.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81471781,No.81502665 and No.81302314/H1622)the Fundamental Research Funds of Health and Family Planning Commission of Hubei Province(No.JS-20110118)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China(No.2042014kf0189)
文摘The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in clinical and sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) between cervical lymph node metastatic(CLNM) and nonmetastatic groups.Clinical data of PTC patients(414 patients with 624 malignant nodules) who underwent a preoperative ultrasonography and surgery between June 2010 and March 2015 at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were retrospectively analyzed.Clinical factors,preoperative ultrasound features and the final pathological findings were obtained.The differences in the sonographic features of PTC between the CLNM group and the non-CLNM group were analyzed.There were 187 CLNM and 227 non-CLNM patients.The median age at the diagnosis of this cohort was 45.4 years old(ranging from 18 to 77 years).Ultrasonographic parameters that were significantly associated with CLNM [OR=2.569(1.502,4.393),P〈0.001)] were as follows:the mulifocality of the nodules,size over 2 cm,the presence of microcalcifications,the distance ratio(DR) pattern showing the contact of the nodules with the thyroid capsule,and the extracapsular spread of the nodules.No significant differences in age,gender,thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) levels and other ultrasonography parameters were found between the CLNM and the non-CLNM groups.Therefore,our results suggest that a larger size,microcalcifications,mulifocality,and the DR pattern showing the contact of the nodules with the thyroid capsule and extracapsular spread are significantly more indicative of CLNM in PTC.
文摘Objective: To predict the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer by using large sample clinical data, and to construct and verify the nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis. Methods: A total of 5940 patients with cervical cancer from 2004 to 2015 in the National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database were retrospectively screened and randomly assigned to training group (n = 4172) and validation group (n = 1768). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used, and the optimal model was selected according to AIC or BIC and likelihood ratio test, and a nomogram was drawn. The accuracy and robustness of the prediction model were evaluated in three aspects: discrimination, calibration and clinical net benefit. Results: The prediction model based on race, tumor tissue differentiation degree, tumor histopathological type, distant metastasis of tumor, tumor diameter and other risk factors was successfully established and a nomogram was constructed. The AUCs of training group and validation group were: 0.736 and 0.714, respectively. And the p-values of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test were 0.28 and 0.11, respectively. The calibration curve was in good agreement with the ideal curve. It had high accuracy and applicability after internal verification. Conclusion: A prediction model is constructed based on the risk factors of lymph node metastasis of cervical cancer. The nomogram has a good effective prediction and can provide a theoretical basis for clinicians to assess the disease quickly before surgery.
基金Supported by Shenzhen Science and Technology Plan Funding Project,No.201102125
文摘BACKGROUND Cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) affects the treatment and prognosis of patients. Ultrasound is a common imaging method for detecting cervical lymph nodes in PTC patients; however, it is not accurate in determining lymph node metastasis.AIM To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography in evaluating cervical lymph node metastasis in PTC.METHODS A total of 94 patients with PTC were recruited. According to pathological results,lymph nodes were divided into two groups: metastatic group(n = 50) and reactive group(n = 63). The routine ultrasound findings, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography data were recorded and compared. Logistic regression was used to generate predictive probability distributions for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis with different indicators. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to test the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound combined with elastography based on routine ultrasound in evaluating PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.RESULTS The ratio of long diameter/short diameter(L/S) ≤ 2, irregular marginal morphology, missing lymphatic portal, peripheral or mixed blood flow distribution, peak intensity(PI), non-uniform contrast distribution and elasticity score in the metastatic group were significantly higher than those in the reactive group(P < 0.05). L/S ratio, missing lymphatic portal, PI and elasticity score had a significant influence on the occurrence of PTC cervical lymph node metastasis(P< 0.05). Furthermore, the area under the curve(AUC) for lymph node metastasis diagnosed using the combination of PI ratio, elasticity score, missing lymphatic portal and LS was 0.936, which was significantly higher than the AUC for PI ratio alone. The difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05). The fitting equation for the combined diagnosis was logit(P) =-12.341 + 1.482 × L/S ratio + 3.529 ×missing lymphatic portal + 0.392 × PI + 3.288 × elasticity score.CONCLUSION Based on the gray-scale ultrasound, the combination of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography can accurately assess PTC cervical lymph node metastasis.
基金special fund for “Capital City Clinical Specific Application Study”(No.Z171100001017115)。
文摘Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of separate lateral parametrial lymph node dissection(LPLND) in improving parametrial lymph node(PLN) and its metastasis detection rate during radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer.Methods: From July 2007 to August 2017, 2,695 patients with cervical cancer in stage IB1-IIA2 underwent radical hysterectomy were included. Of these patients, 368 underwent separate dissection of PLNs using the LPLND method, and 2,327 patients underwent conventional radical hysterectomy(CRH). We compared the surgical parameters, PLN detection rate and PLN metastasis rate between the two groups.Results: Compared with CRH group, the rate of laparoscopic surgery was higher(60.3% vs. 15.9%, P<0.001),and the blood transfusion rate was lower(19.0% vs. 29.0%, P<0.001) in the LPLND group. PLNs were detected in 356 cases(96.7%) in the LPLND group, and 270 cases(11.6%) in the CRH group(P<0.001), respectively. The number of PLNs detected in the LPLND group was higher than that in the CRH group(median 3 vs. 1, P<0.001).The PLN metastases were detected in 25 cases(6.8%) in the LPLND group, and 18 cases(0.8%) in the CRH group(P<0.001), respectively. In multivariable analysis, LPLND is an independent factor not only for PLN detection [odds ratio(OR)=228.999, 95% confidence interval(95% CI): 124.661-420.664;P<0.001], but also for PLN metastasis identification(OR=10.867, 95% CI: 5.381-21.946;P<0.001).Conclusions: LPLND is feasible and safe. The surgical method significantly improves the detection rate of PLN and avoids omission of PLN metastasis during radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer.
基金This study was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81602629).
文摘Objective To compare survival outcomes between primary radical surgery and primary radiation in early cervical cancer.Methods Patient information was extracted from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and Results database.Patients diagnosed with early cervical cancer of stage T1a,T1b,and T2a(American Joint Committee on Cancer,7th edition)from 1998 to 2015 were included in this study after propensity score matching.Overall survival(OS)was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results Among the 4964 patients included in the study,1080 patients were identified as having positive lymph nodes(N1),and 3884 patients were identified as having negative lymph nodes(N0).Patients with primary surgery had significantly longer 5-year OS than those with primary radiotherapy in both the N1 group(P<0.001)and N0 group(P<0.001).In the subgroup analysis,similar results were found in patients with positive lymph nodes of stage T1a(100.0%vs.61.1%),T1b(84.1%vs.64.3%),and T2a(74.4%vs.63.8%).In patients with T1b1 and T2a1,primary surgery resulted in longer OS than primary radiation,but not in patients with T1b2 and T2a2.In multivariate analysis,the primary treatment was identified as an independent prognostic factor in both N1 and N0 patients(HR_(N1)=2.522,95%CI=1.919–3.054,PN1<0.001;HR_(N0)=1.895,95%CI=1.689–2.126,PN0<0.001).Conclusion In early cervical cancer stage T1a,T1b1,and T2a1,primary surgery may result in longer OS than primary radiation for patients with and without lymph node metastasis.
基金supported by the Taishan Scholar Project(No.ts20190991,No.tsqn202211378)the Key R&D Project of Shandong Province(No.2022CXPT023)+1 种基金the General Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82371933)the Medical and Health Technology Project of Shandong Province(No.202307010677)。
文摘Objective:The assessment of lateral lymph node metastasis(LLNM)in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC)holds great significance.This study aims to develop and evaluate a deep learning-based automatic pipeline system(DLAPS)for diagnosing LLNM in PTC using computed tomography(CT).Methods:A total of 1,266 lateral lymph nodes(LLNs)from 519 PTC patients who underwent CT examinations from January 2019 to November 2022 were included and divided into training and validation set,internal test set,pooled external test set,and prospective test set.The DLAPS consists of an auto-segmentation network based on RefineNet model and a classification network based on ensemble model(ResNet,Xception,and DenseNet).The performance of the DLAPS was compared with that of manually segmented DL models,the clinical model,and Node Reporting and Data System(Node-RADS).The improvement of radiologists’diagnostic performance under the DLAPS-assisted strategy was explored.In addition,bulk RNA-sequencing was conducted based on 12 LLNs to reveal the underlying biological basis of the DLAPS.Results:The DLAPS yielded good performance with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of 0.872,0.910,and 0.822 in the internal,pooled external,and prospective test sets,respectively.The DLAPS significantly outperformed clinical models(AUC 0.731,P<0.001)and Node-RADS(AUC 0.602,P<0.001)in the internal test set.Moreover,the performance of the DLAPS was comparable to that of the manually segmented deep learning(DL)model with AUCs ranging 0.814−0.901 in three test sets.Furthermore,the DLAPSassisted strategy improved the performance of radiologists and enhanced inter-observer consistency.In clinical situations,the rate of unnecessary LLN dissection decreased from 33.33%to 7.32%.Furthermore,the DLAPS was associated with the cell-cell conjunction in the microenvironment.Conclusions:Using CT images from PTC patients,the DLAPS could effectively segment and classify LLNs non-invasively,and this system had a good generalization ability and clinical applicability.
文摘Objective This study aimed to compare and analyze the clinical efficacy and safety of late-course and simultaneous integrated dose-increasing intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) for cervical cancer complicated with pelvic lymph node metastasis. Methods Sixty patients with cervical cancer complicated with pelvic lymph node metastasis who were admitted to our hospital from January 2013 to January 2015 were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group and the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group, with 30 cases included in each group, respectively. All patients were concurrently treated with cisplatin. After treatment, the clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared. Results The remission rate of symptoms in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group was significantly higher than that in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group(P < 0.05). The follow-up results showed that the overall survival time, progression-free survival time, and distant metastasis time of patients in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group were significantly longer than those in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group(P < 0.05). The recurrent rate of lymph nodes in the radiation field in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group was significantly lower(P < 0.05) than in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of cervical and vaginal recurrence and distant metastasis between the two groups(P > 0.05). The radiation doses of Dmax in the small intestine, D1 cc(the minimum dose to the 1 cc receiving the highest dose) in the bladder, and Dmax in the rectum in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group were significantly lower(P < 0.05) than in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group. There was no significant difference in intestinal D2 cc(the minimum dose to the 2 cc receiving the highest dose) between the two groups(P > 0.05). The incidence of bone marrow suppression in the simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT group was significantly lower(P < 0.05) than in the late-course dose-increasing IMRT group.Conclusion The application of simultaneous integrated dose-increasing IMRT in the treatment of cervical cancer patients complicated with pelvic lymph node metastasis can significantly control tumor progression, improve the long-term survival time, and postpone distant metastasis time with high safety.
文摘Objective: This study evaluated the risk factors for pelvic lymph node metastasis in patients with early stage cervical cancer. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in the Division of Gynaecologic Oncology at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (B中央人民政府) between July 2014 and July 2015 to evaluate demographic factors and histopathological findings of women with cervical cancer stage IB-IIA who underwent primary radical hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. Results: Fifty women aged 30 years or above were included in the study. Lymph node metastases were identified in 20% of patients. By univariate analysis, preoperative anemia, a history of smoking, tumor size greater than 4 cm and lack of cervical inflammatory reaction by histopathology were significant variables associated with lymph node metastasis. Multivariate analysis showed that the lack of inflammatory reaction in the uterine cervix was the most important predictor for pelvic lymph node metastasis when adjusting for other variables. Moderate to severe inflammatory reaction in the uterine cervix was 18 times less likely to have pelvic lymph node metastasis than those who had mild inflammation. Conclusion: An association was found between the presence of pelvic lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer and certain variables: the lack of contraceptive use, smoking, preoperative anemia, bulky tumors, invasion of deep two-third of the uterine cervix, mild inflammatory reaction in the cervix, and keratinizing carcinoma. After adjusting for other factors, presence or absence of inflammatory reaction in the cervix was found to be the most important predictor for pelvic lymph node metastasis.
文摘Castleman's disease(CD) is an uncommon benign lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. A rare case of cervical CD diagnosed at lymph node dissection for esophageal carcinoma is reported. An esophageal tumor was identified in a 67-year-old man during a follow-up examination after surgery for oral carcinoma. Esophagoscopy revealed a type 1 tumor in the cervical esophagus. Histology of esophagoscopic biopsies indicated squamous cell carcinoma. Contrastenhanced computed tomography revealed swollen lymph nodes of the right cervical region. No distant metastasis was detected. Esophageal carcinoma, T2N2M0, Stage ⅢA was diagnosed. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was recommended, but the patient rejected the chemotherapy. The patient underwent laparoscopic-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy. The histopathological diagnosis was moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with pT1bN0M0, Stage ⅠA. On histology, the swollen lymph nodes of the right cervical region revealed CD. The patient's postoperative course was relatively good.
文摘The metastatic pattern of colon cancer is typically well characterized,with initial dissemination occurring through regional lymphatics,followed by hematogenous spread.The most frequent sites of metastasis in colorectal cancer(CRC)include regional lymph nodes(50%–70%),liver(35%–50%),lungs(21%),peritoneum(15%),and ovaries(13%).1 Isolated distant lymph node metastasis,particularly in the absence of concurrent systemic disease,is exceedingly rare in CRC.To date,only six cases of isolated axillary lymph node metastasis(ALNM)from colorectal primaries have been documented in the literature.1–6 Even more uncommon is the incidental discovery of malignant cells in anastomotic doughnuts following stoma reversal procedures.Herein,we report a rare case involving both the incidental histopathological detection of tumor cells within doughnuts during stoma closure and the subsequent development of isolated ALNM after curative resection of sigmoid colon carcinoma.
文摘Objective:To evaluate the value of18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography(18F-FDG PET/CT)in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis of oral carcinoma.Methods:China national knowledge infrastructure,Wanfang,Chinese sci-tech journal database,PubMed,EMbase,the Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched for18F-FDG PET/CT in cervical lymph node metastasis oral cancer.Literature screening,data extraction and literature quality evaluation were carried out independently by two researchers according to the unified classification criteria.Stata13.0 software and Meta-Disc1.4 software were used for meta-analysis.Results:A total of 14 studies with 849 cases of patients with cervical metastasis of oral cancer were included,among which 9 studies were conducted on patients,with a total of 299 patients,and 5 studies were conducted on lymph nodes,with 1965 patients with cervical lymph node proved pathologically.The results of meta analysis showed that18F-FDG PET/CT had good sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis of oral cancer.The results showed that sensitivity=0.81(95%CI:0.73-0.87),specificity=0.90(95%CI:0.83-0.94),combined likelihood ratio=7.9(95%CI:4.9-12.7),negative likelihood ratio=0.21(95%CI:0.15-0.30),diagnostic odds ratio=37(95%CI:20-67),and receiver operating characteristic curve=0.91(95%CI:0.89-0.94).Conclusions:18F-FDG PET/CT has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis,and can be used as an important preoperative evaluation method for oral cancer.
基金Supported by Chongqing Medical Scientific Research Project(Joint Project of Chongqing Health Commission and Science and Technology Bureau),No.2023MSXM060.
文摘BACKGROUND The accurate prediction of lymph node metastasis(LNM)is crucial for managing locally advanced(T3/T4)colorectal cancer(CRC).However,both traditional histopathology and standard slide-level deep learning often fail to capture the sparse and diagnostically critical features of metastatic potential.AIM To develop and validate a case-level multiple-instance learning(MIL)framework mimicking a pathologist's comprehensive review and improve T3/T4 CRC LNM prediction.METHODS The whole-slide images of 130 patients with T3/T4 CRC were retrospectively collected.A case-level MIL framework utilising the CONCH v1.5 and UNI2-h deep learning models was trained on features from all haematoxylin and eosinstained primary tumour slides for each patient.These pathological features were subsequently integrated with clinical data,and model performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC).RESULTS The case-level framework demonstrated superior LNM prediction over slide-level training,with the CONCH v1.5 model achieving a mean AUC(±SD)of 0.899±0.033 vs 0.814±0.083,respectively.Integrating pathology features with clinical data further enhanced performance,yielding a top model with a mean AUC of 0.904±0.047,in sharp contrast to a clinical-only model(mean AUC 0.584±0.084).Crucially,a pathologist’s review confirmed that the model-identified high-attention regions correspond to known high-risk histopathological features.CONCLUSION A case-level MIL framework provides a superior approach for predicting LNM in advanced CRC.This method shows promise for risk stratification and therapy decisions,requiring further validation.
文摘BACKGROUND Early screening,preoperative staging,and diagnosis of lymph node metastasis are crucial for improving the prognosis of gastric cancer(GC).AIM To evaluate the diagnostic value of combined multidetector computed tomography(MDCT)and gastrointestinal endoscopy for GC screening,preoperative staging,and lymph node metastasis detection,thereby providing a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.METHODS In this retrospective study clinical and imaging data of 134 patients with suspected GC who were admitted between January 2023 and October 2024 were initially reviewed.According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,102 patients were finally enrolled in the analysis.All enrolled patients had undergone both MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy examinations prior to surgical intervention.Preoperative clinical staging and lymph node metastasis findings were compared with pathological results.RESULTS The combined use of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.53%,specificity of 97.06%,accuracy of 98.04%,positive predictive value of 98.53%,and negative predictive value of 97.06%for diagnosing GC.These factors were all significantly higher than those of MDCT or endoscopy alone(P<0.05).The accuracy rates of the combined approach for detecting clinical T and N stages were 97.06%and 92.65%,respectively,outperforming MDCT alone(86.76% and 79.41%)and endoscopy alone(85.29% and 70.59%)(P<0.05).Among 68 patients with confirmed GC,50(73.53%)were pathologically diagnosed with lymph node metastasis.The accuracy for detecting lymph node metastasis was 66.00%with endoscopy,76.00%with MDCT,and 92.00% with the combined approach,all with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The combined application of MDCT and gastrointestinal endoscopy enhanced diagnostic accuracy for GC,provided greater consistency in preoperative staging,and improved the detection of lymph node metastasis,thereby demonstrating significant clinical utility.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.92159105 and 81872113)Guangdong Province(No.2020A0505100028)
文摘To the Editor:Cervical cancer(CC)is the second leading cause of cancer death in women,representing a major global health challenge.[1]Cervical squamous cell carcinoma(CSCC)accounts for 70%of CC cases,and pelvic lymph node metastasis is a critical cause of CC-related death.[2]Thus,understanding the underlying mechanisms of the tumor spread through lymphatic vessels becomes imperative.[3]RNA helicases are involved in almost all aspects of RNA metabolism.[4]DEAD-box helicase 24(DDX24),one of the least explored DEAD-box RNA helicases,was upregulated in several cancer types.[5]However,the role of DDX24 in CSCC progression and metastasis remains elusive.Here,we investigated the essential role of DDX24 in mediating cancer cell EMT and lymphangiogenesis in the context of CSCC.Our study provides a potential therapeutic target for CSCC lymphatic metastasis.
文摘BACKGROUND One of the main characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is that it metastasizes to cervical lymph nodes frequently with a high degree of local invasiveness.A primary feature of malignant tumors is their penetration of neighboring tissues,such as lymphatic and blood arteries,due to the tumor cells'capacity to break down the extracellular matrix(ECM).Matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs)constitute a family of proteolytic enzymes that facilitate tissue remodeling and the degradation of the ECM.MMP-9 and MMP-13 belong to the group of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes and their expression has been studied in OSCC because of their specific functions.MMP-13,a collagenase family member,is thought to play an essential role in the MMP activation cascade by breaking down the fibrillar collagens,whereas MMP-9 is thought to accelerate the growth of tumors.Elevated MMP-13 expression has been associated with tumor behavior and patient prognosis in a number of malignant cases.AIM To assess the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13 in OSCC.METHODS A total of 40 cases with histologically confirmed OSCC by incisional biopsy were included in this cross-sectional retrospective study.The protocols for both MMP-9 and MMP-13 immunohistochemical staining were performed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations along with the normal gingival epithelium as a positive control.All the observations were recorded and Pearson’sχ²test with Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis.RESULTS Our study showed no significant correlation between MMP-9 and MMP-13 staining intensity and tumor size.The majority of the patients were in advanced TNM stages(III and IV),and showed intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13.CONCLUSION The present study suggests that both MMP-9 and MMP-13 play an important and independent role in OSCC progression and invasiveness.Intense expression of MMP-9 and MMP-13,irrespective of histological grade of OSCC,correlates well with TNM stage.Consequently,it is evident that MMP-9 and MMP-13 are important for the invasiveness and progression of tumors.The findings may facilitate the development of new approaches for evaluating lymph node metastases and interventional therapy techniques,hence enhancing the prognosis of patients diagnosed with OSCC.
基金This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Nippon Medical School Hospital(No.B-2022-582).
文摘BACKGROUND Tissue hardness is closely related to disease pathophysiology.Shear-wave ela-stography(SWE)is a simple and noninvasive ultrasound technique that has been used to evaluate the presence of lymph node metastases and differentiate between benign and malignant tumors.AIM To investigate SWE usefulness in measuring lymph node hardness to predict metastasis presence or absence in surgically removed lymph nodes.METHODS This observational study obtained data from patients who underwent surgery for esophageal or gastric cancer at Nippon Medical School Hospital.The hardness of the surgically removed lymph nodes was measured using SWE.The lymph nodes with hardness values≥2.2 m/s were considered clinically positive for metastasis,whereas those with lower hardness values were considered clinically negative.The lymph nodes subsequently underwent pathological examination to determine the presence of metastasis,and the SWE results and pathological assessments were compared.RESULTS A total of 1077 lymph nodes were evaluated;18 and 15 cases of esophageal and gastric cancer were identified,respectively.The optimal cutoff value for lymph node size was calculated to be 5.1 mm,and the area under the curve value was 0.74(95%confidence interval:0.69-0.84).When limited to a lymph node larger than the cut off value,the SWE sensitivity and specificity for metastasis identification were 0.76 and 0.82,respectively.CONCLUSION SWE was useful in detecting lymph node metastases in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82272845)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong(No.ZR2023ZD26).
文摘Objective:The neglect of occult lymph nodes metastasis(OLNM)is one of the pivotal causes of early non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)recurrence after local treatments such as stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)or surgery.This study aimed to develop and validate a computed tomography(CT)-based radiomics and deep learning(DL)fusion model for predicting non-invasive OLNM.Methods:Patients with radiologically node-negative lung adenocarcinoma from two centers were retrospectively analyzed.We developed clinical,radiomics,and radiomics-clinical models using logistic regression.A DL model was established using a three-dimensional squeeze-and-excitation residual network-34(3D SE-ResNet34)and a fusion model was created by integrating seleted clinical,radiomics features and DL features.Model performance was assessed using the area under the curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curves,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Five predictive models were compared;SHapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP)and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping(Grad-CAM)were employed for visualization and interpretation.Results:Overall,358 patients were included:186 in the training cohort,48 in the internal validation cohort,and 124 in the external testing cohort.The DL fusion model incorporating 3D SE-Resnet34 achieved the highest AUC of 0.947 in the training dataset,with strong performance in internal and external cohorts(AUCs of 0.903 and 0.907,respectively),outperforming single-modal DL models,clinical models,radiomics models,and radiomicsclinical combined models(DeLong test:P<0.05).DCA confirmed its clinical utility,and calibration curves demonstrated excellent agreement between predicted and observed OLNM probabilities.Features interpretation highlighted the importance of textural characteristics and the surrounding tumor regions in stratifying OLNM risk.Conclusions:The DL fusion model reliably and accurately predicts OLNM in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma,offering a non-invasive tool to refine staging and guide personalized treatment decisions.These results may aid clinicians in optimizing surgical and radiotherapy strategies.
文摘Gastric cancer(GC)remains a leading cause of cancer mortality.While the extent of nodal involvement is a well-known prognostic factor,the specific entity of swollen lymph node metastasis(SLNM),bulky nodal tumor deposits detectable radiologically or pathologically,has received little attention in staging.Recent data from a study by Cui et al demonstrated that SLNM is an independent predictor of very poor survival in GC.Through robust data and rigorous propensitymatched analyses,SLNM emerged not merely as an anatomical finding but as an independent predictor of poor prognosis,even among patients undergoing curative resection.As precision oncology advances,the findings by Cui et al urge a fundamental rethinking of how SLNM is incorporated into clinical decisionmaking for GC management.In this editorial,we critically examine the prognostic significance of SLNM,challenge its omission from traditional staging frameworks,and advocate for its formal integration into preoperative risk stratification and treatment planning.Recognizing SLNM at diagnosis could unlock intensified neoadjuvant therapy strategies and optimize outcomes for a historically high-risk patient subgroup.