Clinical & Translational Oncology最新文献

Objective: Considering the long waiting time during chemotherapy as an opportunity to stay active, this experiment proposes to investigate the experience of breast cancer patients performing exercise during chemotherapy infusion, focusing on mood stability and levels of enjoyment.

Methods: Adult female oncology patients (24) undergoing chemotherapy were recruited to perform 20 minutes of low-intensity pedaling on a cycle ergometer (30-40% HRR) starting 10 minutes after the beginning of the chemotherapy infusion. Physical activity levels were assessed prior to the exercise session, while mood states were measured before and after the activity. Additionally, the feeling scale and the enjoyment levels were collected after the activity.

Results: The results indicated that the exercise did not significantly alter patients' mood, maintaining stability between pre- and post-activity assessments (p>0.05). Additionally, high affectivity levels were observed on the feeling scale (4.33 ± 0.86), along with the elevated enjoyment levels (106.9 ± 16.1), regardless of patients' prior physical activity levels. These findings suggest that the exercise was well-received and provided a positive experience during chemotherapy infusion.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that low-intensity exercise during chemotherapy infusion in breast cancer patients is feasible and well-tolerated, providing a positive experience without adverse effects on mood. These results underscore the potential of light exercise as a complementary intervention to promote emotional well-being and enhance treatment adherence, offering new perspectives for improving quality of life during chemotherapy.

Oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) has been strongly implicated in the etiology of cervical cancer and its prevalence in patients with head and neck cancers, particularly oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs), is increasing at an alarming rate. In developed Western nations, HPV is responsible for approximately 90% of all OPC cases, while the proportion of HPV-related OPCs is progressively rising in developing countries. The 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) now incorporates HPV status as part of the staging system for oropharyngeal cancers. Moreover, due to distinct molecular pathways, the clinical presentation of HPV-positive tumors differs from that of HPV-negative tumors, a phenomenon supported by numerous studies. Despite these differences, the treatment regimens for HPV-associated cancers generally remain analogous to those for their HPV-negative counterparts. This review aims to elucidate the unique tumor characteristics and underlying molecular aberrations associated with HPV-induced malignancies.

Purpose: Kidney cancer stands as a threat worldwide, with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) emerging as its predominant subtype. Through the establishment of extensive databases, the somatic mutations associated with ccRCC are successfully pinpointed. The tumor suppressor gene Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is commonly mutated in ccRCC.

Objective: In this study, we aim to analyze different cBIOPortal datasets to explore VHL mutation frequencies in ccRCC.

Methods: The datasets explored were Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA, Nature 2013), Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (IRC, Nat Genet 2014), Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA, Firehose Legacy), Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA, PanCancer Atlas). Data mining from various datasets revealed that VHL is the most mutated gene, with mutation frequencies of 79.5%, 51.2%, 49.9%, and 41.3% across different datasets: Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (IRC, Nat Genet 2014), Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA, Nature 2013), Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA, Firehose Legacy), and Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (TCGA, PanCancer Atlas), respectively.

Results: The mutated VHL gene is associated with significantly reduced overall survival (OS) rates based on the analyses of these datasets. VHL mutation becomes more advanced at a late age with many distant metastases.

Conclusion: This data confirms the mutational burden of VHL in ccRCC and suggests it is a potential therapeutic target for the management of ccRCC.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the association between BMI and OS in patients with cancer by a combination of available evidence.

Methods: Articles published from January 1st 2019 to June 1st 2024 were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wan Fang Library. Cohort studies including adult patients (≥ 18 years), who were confirmed with cancer and followed for 12 months or more, and whose BMI measurements and OS were available, were included. We used both fixed and random-effects models to estimate overall hazard ratios (HRs) for OS. The primary outcome was OS. The exposure was BMI, which was further classified into four groups based on both WHO and Chinese criteria.

Results: The current meta-analysis included 36 studies, involving 123,913 cancer patients (56,951 men and 66,962 women, medium follow-up 41.3 months). Compared with cancer patients with normal weight, the estimated HRs of OS for underweight was 1.43 (95% CI: 1.30, 1.56; I² = 60; p < 0.001), while it was 0.95 (95%CI 0.90, 1.01; I² = 81; p = 0.11) for those with overweight and obesity where overweight and obesity were combined together. Cancer patients with overweight (HRs = 0.92; 95%CI 0.86, 0.99; I² = 75; p = 0.02), but not with obesity, were associated with a better OS.

Conclusion: Underweight was significantly associated with worse OS in cancer patients. If analyzed separately, only overweight but not obesity had a moderately favorable effect on cancer survival.

Purpose: To analyze the prognostic significance of temporal muscle thickness (TMT) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in the assessment of sarcopenia in patients diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in the geriatric age group.

Methods: This study included a total of 50 patients (≥65 years of age) receiving radiotherapy (RT)/radio-chemotherapy (RCT) at Kayseri City Education and Research Hospital. We calculated TMT from cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the time of diagnosis and PNI from laboratory measurements. To determine the cut-off values, we used the ROC analysis. The combined group (CG) was formed according to TMT and PNI.

Results: Median overall survival (OS) was 5 months. OS for those with TMT < 6.75 mm and ≥ 6.75 mm was 5 months and 11 months, respectively (p < 0.001). OS for those with PNI < 48.87 mm and ≥ 48.87 mm was 5 months and 11 months, respectively (p = 0.026). Survival analysis showed a dramatic difference in CG between groups 1 and 4 (16 months vs. 4 months, p < 0.001). Correlations were observed between TMT and age, excision type and OS (r = 0.406 p = 0.003, r = 0.346 p = 0.014, r = 0.345 p = 0.014). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, excision type, diagnosis type, RT history, initial tumor volume (ITV), TMT, PNI, CG, and albumin had an effect on survival (p values 0.017, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, 0.011, <0.001, 0.041, 0.001, and 0.018, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that excision type, RT history, ITV, albumin, and CG were independent factors affecting survival (p values 0.007, 0.05, 0.005, 0.029, and 0.014, respectively).

Conclusion: Although both parameters individually have a prognostic effect in geriatric GBM patients, their combined effect as a single parameter has a much stronger impact on prognosis.

Purpose: Hematological parameters obtained from a pretreatment peripheral blood lab test, as well as indices calculated from these parameters, are associated with the prognosis of the disease in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). The aim of this study is to determine which of the parameters or indices would have the best prognostic ability in HNSCC patients treated with chemo-radiotherapy or bio-radiotherapy.

Methods/patients: Retrospective study of 345 patients with HNSCC treated with chemo/bio-radiotherapy, for whom a pretreatment lab test was available.

Results: Of the parameters and indices analyzed, the one with the best prognostic capacity was the Host-index (H-index), which combines the prognostic capacity of hemoglobin and albumin levels, along with the absolute counts of neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes. This index was available for 309 patients. Based on a recursive partitioning analysis, three groups of patients were defined according to the H-index. Considering as reference the patients with an H-index lower than 1.88 (n = 80, 25.9%), patients with an H-index value between 1.88 and 3.62 (n = 115, 37.2%) had a 2.74 times higher risk of dying due to the tumor (95% CI 1.41-5.30, P = 0.003), and patients with an H-index value greater than 3.62 (n = 114, 36.9%) had a 5.62 times higher risk (95% CI 2.95-10.81, P = 0.0001).

Conclusion: The index derived from peripheral blood parameters that showed the best prognostic capacity in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with chemo/bio-radiotherapy was the H-index.

This clinical guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis, staging, and management of bladder cancer across all disease stages. In these guidelines (updated in 2025), we summarize current evidence and available therapies for the medical management of urothelial cancer.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming neuro-oncology by enhancing diagnosis, treatment planning, and prognosis prediction. AI-driven approaches-such as CNNs and deep learning-have improved the detection and classification of brain tumors through advanced imaging techniques and genomic analysis. Explainable AI methods mitigate the "black box" problem, promoting model transparency and clinical trust. Mechanistic models complement AI by integrating biological principles, enabling precise tumor growth predictions and treatment response assessments. AI applications also include the creation of digital twins for personalized therapy optimization, virtual clinical trials, and predictive modeling for estimation of tumor resection and pattern of recurrence. However, challenges such as data bias, ethical concerns, and regulatory compliance persist. The European Artificial Intelligence Act and the Health Data Space Regulation impose strict data protection and transparency requirements. This review explores AI's methodological foundations, clinical applications, and ethical challenges in neuro-oncology, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and regulatory adaptation.

Purpose: The approval of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors in the first line of treatment has transformed the therapeutic landscape of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC); real-world (rw) evidence of clinical benefit is currently limited. In this study, we investigated the rw efficacy of first-line chemoimmunotherapy and the role of potential biomarkers.

Methods/patients: We retrospectively assessed patients with SCLC receiving first-line chemoimmunotherapy at Sotiria Thoracic Diseases Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to calculate real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) and real-world overall survival (rwOS). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was utilized to identify associations between patient characteristics and outcomes.

Results: 188 patients were included. Median rwPFS was 6.5 months (95% CI 5.8-7.1 months) and median rwOS was 11.2 months (95% CI 9.1-12.0 months). rwOS was higher in the atezolizumab group compared with the durvalumab group (median, 12.0 vs 9.2 months; hazard ratio [HR], 1.51; 95% CI 1.06-2.15; p = 0.02), similar results were observed for rwPFS (median, 6.5 vs. 6.0 months, HR, 1.55; 95% CI 1.10-2.16; p = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, the difference between atezolizumab and durvalumab was not statistically significant, while lung, bone and liver metastases, ECOG PS, LDH and NLR were associated with an increased risk of death. Associations were utilized for the generation of a novel prognostic score with good discriminatory power (C-statistic: 0.73).

Conclusions: Real-world efficacy of first-line chemoimmunotherapy in patients with ES-SCLC is comparable to randomized trials. The association between prognostic scores and survival outcomes in ES-SCLC should be explored in prospective studies.Query.