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This study evaluated whether the addition of a monoclonal antibody against the tumor-associated disialoganglioside GD2, in combination with GM-CSF and interleukin-2, to standard therapy consisting of isotretinoin alone improved outcomes in children with high-risk neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma, a cancer of the sympathetic nervous system responsible for 12% of deaths associated with cancer in children under 15 years of age, 1 is a heterogeneous disease, with nearly 50% of patients having a high-risk phenotype characterized by widespread dissemination of the cancer and poor long-term survival, even if intensive multimodal treatments are used. 2 The initial results of the last randomized, controlled trial showing a significant improvement in outcomes were published over a decade ago 3 , 4 and established the standard therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma: myeloablative therapy with stem-cell rescue, followed by the treatment of minimal residual disease with isotretinoin. However, . . .

Background To identify the prognosis of Japanese patients with collecting duct carcinoma (CDC). Methods We used a hospital-based cancer registry data in Japan to extract CDC cases that were diagnosed in 2013, histologically confirmed, and determined the first course of treatment. We further investigated treatment modalities and estimated overall survival (OS) by the Kaplan–Meier method. Results A total of 61 CDC patients were identified. The 5-year OS rate for all CDC patients who were diagnosed in Japan during 2013 was 23.6% (95% CI: 15.0–37.4), with a median OS of 14 months (95% CI: 12–24). The 5-year OS rate for CDC patients at stages I, III, and IV were 53.0% (95% CI: 29.9–94.0), 35.7% (95% CI: 19.8–64.4), and 3.4% (95% CI: 0.5–23.7), respectively. Noteworthy, the 1-year OS for stage IV patients was 27.6% (95% CI: 0.5–23.7) and the median OS was only 5 months (95% CI: 4–12). We further examined the OS for advanced disease according to treatment modalities. The median OS of patients who undertook chemotherapy alone was significantly shorter than patients who undertook surgery alone for advanced disease (4 months [95% CI: 4-NA] vs. 15 months [95% CI: 13–68]; p  < 0.001) and surgery-only patients had a similar median OS as surgery-plus-chemotherapy patients (19 months [95% CI: 13-NA]; p  < 0.001). Moreover, a multivariable analysis for the OS in advanced disease revealed that surgery-plus-chemotherapy patients had significantly more favorable prognoses (HR 0.21, 95% CI: 0.07–0.57). Conclusions Japanese CDC patients face poor prognoses similar to Western countries, especially in advanced cases that receive only chemotherapy. Surgery appears necessary for advanced disease.

The evaluation of new prognostic factors that can be targeted in ovarian cancer diagnosis and therapy is of the utmost importance. Galectins are a family of carbohydrate binding proteins with various implications in cancer biology. In this study, the presence of galectin (Gal)-8 and -9 was investigated in 156 ovarian cancer samples using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Staining was evaluated using semi-quantitative immunoreactivity (IR) scores and correlated to clinical and pathological data. Different types of galectin expression were compared with respect to disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Gal-8 served as a new positive prognostic factor for the OS and DFS of ovarian cancer patients. Gal-9 expression determined the DFS and OS of ovarian cancer patients in two opposing ways—moderate Gal-9 expression was correlated with a reduced outcome as compared to Gal-9 negative cases, while patients with high Gal-9 expression showed the best outcome.

This study evaluated the value of PNI to predicting relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with resectable gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (AGE). Between 2016 and 2020, there were 236 resectable AGE patients underwent a retrospective review via propensity score matched (PSM) analysis. The PNI values were computed for each patient prior to surgery [PNI= 10×albumin (gr/dL) + 0.005×total lymphocyte count (mm3)]. By using disease progression and mortality as the end points, a receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve was plotted to identify the PNI cut-off value. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models were used for survival analysis. The ROC curve indicated that the ideal cutoff value was 45.60. After propensity score matching, there were 143 patients in our retrospective study, which included 58 patients in the low-PNI group and 85 patients in the high-PNI group. When compared to the low PNI group, the high PNI group substantially increased RFS and OS (p<0.001, p=0.003, respectively) according to the Kaplan-Meier analysis and Log rank test. Advanced pathological N stage (p=0.011) and poor PNI (p=0.004) were also significant risk factors for a shorter OS, according to a univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that the N0 plus N1 group had an endpoint mortality risk that was 0.39 times lower than the N2 plus N3 group's (p=0.008). In comparison to the high PNI group, the hazard of endpoint mortality was 2.442 times greater in the low PNI group (p = 0.003). PNI is a simplistic and practical predictive predictor of the RFS and OS time in patients with resectable AGE.

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status and Gleason score are commonly investigated factors for overall survival (OS) in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, there is a lack of consistency regarding their prognostic or predictive value for OS. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to assess the associations of ECOG performance status and Gleason score with OS in CRPC patients and compare the two markers in patients under different treatment regimens or with different chemotherapy histories. A systematic literature review of monotherapy studies in CRPC patients was conducted in the PubMed database until May 2019. The data from 8247 patients in 34 studies, including clinical trials and real-world data, were included in our meta-analysis. Of these, twenty studies reported multivariate results and were included in our main analysis. CRPC patients with higher ECOG performance statuses (≥ 2) had a significantly increased mortality risk than those with lower ECOG performance statuses (<2), hazard ratio (HR): 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.68-2.62, and P < 0.001. The synthesized HR of OS stratified by Gleason score was 1.01, with a 95% CI of 0.62-1.67 (Gleason score ≥ 8 vs <8). Subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference in pooled HRs for patients administered taxane chemotherapy (docetaxel and cabazitaxel) and androgen-targeting therapy (abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide) or for patients with different chemotherapy histories. ECOG performance status was identified as a significant prognostic factor in CRPC patients, while Gleason score showed a weak prognostic value for OS based on the available data in our meta-analysis.

Background Computational intelligence methods, including non-linear classification algorithms, can be used in medical research and practice as a decision making tool. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of artificial intelligence models for 5–year overall survival prediction in patients with cervical cancer treated by radical hysterectomy. Methods The data set was collected from 102 patients with cervical cancer FIGO stage IA2-IIB, that underwent primary surgical treatment. Twenty-three demographic, tumor-related parameters and selected perioperative data of each patient were collected. The simulations involved six computational intelligence methods: the probabilistic neural network (PNN), multilayer perceptron network, gene expression programming classifier, support vector machines algorithm, radial basis function neural network and k-Means algorithm. The prediction ability of the models was determined based on the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, as well as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The results of the computational intelligence methods were compared with the results of linear regression analysis as a reference model. Results The best results were obtained by the PNN model. This neural network provided very high prediction ability with an accuracy of 0.892 and sensitivity of 0.975. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of PNN was also high, 0.818. The outcomes obtained by other classifiers were markedly worse. Conclusions The PNN model is an effective tool for predicting 5–year overall survival in cervical cancer patients treated with radical hysterectomy.

Background and objectives The aim of this study was to assess the overall survival (OS) after R0/R1 resections in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) of the pancreatic head after implementation of a standardized histopathologic protocol (Leeds Pathology Protocol, LEEPP). Methods One hundred and twenty-five patients underwent surgical resection because of PDAC of the pancreatic head. Patients were histopathologically examined according to a standardized protocol. Their oncologic outcome and clinicopathologic data were compared with those of a patient group before implementation of the LEEPP ( n  = 116). Results The R1 rate increased significantly from 13 to 52 %. There was no significant difference in OS between R0 and R1 resections. The median OS in patients with a tumor clearance of less than 2 mm from the resection margin was 15.1 months (12.1–18.1 months) versus 22.2 months (7.8–36.7 months) ( P  = 0.046). Multivariate analysis revealed a margin clearance or 2 mm and more as an independent prognosticator for OS. Conclusions With applying the LEEPP, there was still no significant correlation between the R-status and OS in patients with PDAC. However, since a margin clearance of 2 mm or more is a predictive factor for OS, the R1 definition might have to be adapted in PDAC.

Osteogenic sarcoma is the central malignant bone neoplasm affecting the bones of arms and legs and rarely the soft tissues outside the bones. Historically, amputation was the chief surgical technique; currently, the popular standard is limb salvage surgery (LSS), although both procedures' effect on 5‐year‐event survival, 5‐year disease‐free survival rates (DFS) and the local recurrence is uncertain. Therefore, this meta‐study aimed to establish the relationship between the effect of LSS and amputation in subjects with osteogenic carcinoma. A systematic survey till January 2021 to know the effect of LLS vs amputation with subjects treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy was conducted. Clinical studies were identified with 9760 subjects with osteosarcoma of the extremities at the beginning of the trial; 7095 of them were managed with limb salvage surgery and 2611 with amputation. This study tried to compare the effects of LSS vs amputation in subjects with osteogenic sarcoma in the extremities. The dichotomous method in statistical analysis was used as a tool for establishing odds ratio (OR) at a confidence interval of 95% (CI) to assess the efficiency of LSS and amputees with osteosarcoma of the extremities with a fixed or random‐effect model. Although patients with osteosarcoma of the extremities managed with LSS were significantly related to a higher local recurrence rate than those treated with amputation, they were also associated with higher 5‐year overall survival (OS) than amputation. Patients showed no significant difference in a 5‐year DFS rate between LSS vs amputation. The subjects who have undergone LSS for osteosarcoma of the extremities may have a higher risk of local recurrence than amputees. However, LSS may increase 5‐year OS compared to amputees. These results depict that local recurrence of osteosarcoma does not influence survival rate. However, more studies are needed to validate this finding.

Background The aim of the present study was to identify a panel of microRNAs (miRNAs) that can predict overall survival (OS) in non micro-dissected cancer tissues from patients operated for pancreatic cancer (PC). Methods MiRNAs were purified from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) cancer tissue from 225 patients operated for PC. Only a few of those patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. Expressions of miRNAs were determined with the TaqMan MicroRNA Array v2.0. Two statistical methods, univariate selection and the Lasso (Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator) method, were applied in conjunction with the Cox proportional hazard model to relate miRNAs to OS. Results High expression of miR-212 and miR-675 and low expression of miR-148a*, miR-187, and let-7g* predicted short OS independent of age, gender, calendar year of operation, KRAS mutation status, tumor stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, localization (not miR-148a*), and differentiation of tumor. A prognostic index (PI) based on these five miRNAs was calculated for each patient. The median survival was 1.09 years (Confidence Interval [CI] 0.98–1.43) for PI > median PI compared to 2.23 years (CI 1.84–4.36) for PI < median. MiR-212, miR-675, miR-187, miR-205, miR-944, miR-431, miR-194*, miR-148a*, and miR-769-5p showed the strongest prediction ability by the Lasso method. Thus miR-212, miR-675, miR-187, and miR-148a* were predictors for OS in both statistical methods. Conclusions The combination of five miRNAs expression in non micro-dissected FFPE PC tissue can identify patients with short OS after radical surgery. The results are independent of chemotherapy treatment. Patients with a prognostic index > median had a very short median OS of only 1 year.

We investigated the clinical efficacy of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in patients with oligometastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The inclusion criteria were patients receiving definitive treatment for HCC with 1–5 metastatic lesions, <3 metastases in a single organ and receiving radiotherapy with fraction doses ≥6 Gy. A total of 100 patients with 121 metastatic lesions were reviewed. The most common site of metastasis was the bones (40%), followed by the lungs (38%). Systemic therapy was administered to 71% of patients. With a median follow-up of 13 months, the median overall survival (OS) was 16 months. The 2-year OS rate was 40%. The prognostic factors in univariate analysis were performance status, Child–Pugh class, primary HCC status, and time interval of metastasis. Performance status and Child–Pugh class remained in multivariate analysis. OS differed significantly depending on the number of prognostic factors: 46 months in patients with both factors (Group 1), 13 months with one factor (Group 2), and 6 months with no risk factor (Group 3) (p < 0.001). Nine patients experienced grade 1 radiation pneumonitis. Given its efficacy and safety, SABR deserves active consideration in the treatment of oligometastatic HCC.