Notes

Automated age group associated with context-specific gene regulatory networks with a weighted strategy inside Drosophila melanogaster.
Background TTFields are a loco-regional, anti-mitotic treatment comprising low-intensity alternating electric fields. In the EF-14 study of newly diagnosed glioblastoma (ndGBM), TTFields in combination with temozolomide (TMZ) significantly improved survival vs. TMZ alone. In preclinical studies TTFields had a radiosensitizing effect and increased the efficacy of radiation therapy (RT). This study prospectively evaluated the feasibility and safety of TTFields administered concurrently with RT and TMZ in ndGBM patients. Methods Patients with histologically confirmed ndGBM were treated with TTFields/RT/TMZ followed by adjuvant TMZ/TTFields. Selleckchem Carboplatin TTFields (200 kHz) were delivered for ≥18 hours/day with transducer arrays removed during RT delivery. RT was administered to the tumor bed in 30 fractions (total dose 60 Gy) combined with daily TMZ (75 mg/m2). In the adjuvant phase, patients received monthly TMZ (150-200 mg/m2 for 5 days) plus TTFields. Patients were followed for 24 months or until second disease progressions Eighty percent of patients experienced grade 1-2 TTFields-related skin toxicity. No other TTFields-related toxicities were observed without an increase in RT- or TMZ-related toxicities as a result of combining TTFields with these therapies. Preliminary efficacy results are promising and warrant further investigation of concurrent TTFields/RT/TMZ treatment in ndGBM patients. Copyright © 2020 Bokstein, Blumenthal, Limon, Harosh, Ram and Grossman.Purpose This study aims to investigate the prognostic value and dosimetric impact of paranasal sinus invasion (PSI) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and further to explore the feasibility of an integrative prognostic model based on anatomic, volumetric, and dosimetric features. Methods Two hundred six patients with T3 NPC receiving intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) were retrospectively analyzed. Dosimetric parameters were calculated from dose-volume histograms. Primary gross tumor volume (GTV-P) and dosimetric parameters were categorized using optimal cutpoints determined by R. Local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. Independent risk factors for LRFS were identified through univariable and multivariable analyses by Cox proportional hazards models. Results The incidence of PSI was 10.7% (22/206). Patients with PSI had significantly inferior 5-year LRFS (77.3 vs. 93.8%, P = 0.006). IMRT plans for patients with PSI had larger dose heterogeneity, higher frequency of underdosing, and higher maximum dose to optic structures. When categorized by optimal cutpoints, GTV-P > 38.67 cm3 (5-year LRFS, 84.8 vs. 97.4%, P = 0.008), and V66.88 38.67 cm3, and V66.88 less then 89.87% were independent risk factors for local relapse, either in patients with or without concurrent chemotherapy. An integrative prognostic model was then established upon the cumulative score of risk factors. Subgroups with score of 0, 1-2, and 3 had distinctive local outcomes; the 5-year LRFS was 96.6, 84.7, and 58.3%, respectively (P less then 0.001). Conclusions Paranasal sinus invasion jeopardized local control in T3 NPC patients due to large tumor burden and inadequate radiation dose in GTV-P. The presence of PSI, GTV-P, and radiation underdosing combined are critical for the risk stratification of local failure. Copyright © 2020 Zhou, He, Xue, Ou and Hu.Purpose This study aimed to determine whether detecting elastic fibers in tumor stroma (EFTS) could be used as a new method for predicting the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients. Materials and Methods EFTS expression was determined by histochemistry in 160 GC patients who underwent gastrectomy. Based on the staining results, the patients were divided into three groups according to their EFTS expression level low (n = 57), moderate (n = 50), and high (n = 53). The clinicopathological data and 6-year survival data were analyzed among different EFTS groups. Results The expression of EFTS was closely related to lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.010), blood transfusion in operation (P less then 0.001), recurrence rate (P less then 0.001), and motility (P less then 0.001). High expression of EFTS was also correlated with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in GC patients by Kaplan-Meier curve (P less then 0.001 for RFS and P less then 0.001 for OS). Conclusions Multivariate analysis showed that EFTS was an independent prognostic factor for RFS and OS. In conclusion, detecting EFTS to predict the prognosis of GC patients is effective and highly feasible. Copyright © 2020 Xue, Li, Zhang, Wang, Li, Wei and Zhou.Background Although the supine position remains the dominant position for external-beam partial breast irradiation (EB-PBI), the advantages of administering EB-PBI in the prone position have been recognized. The interobserver variability between target volumes delineated in the different positions for EB-PBI after breast-conserving surgery needs to be investigated. Methods Twenty-seven patients suitable for EB-PBI were enrolled from July 2016 to April 2017. Supine and prone simulation CT images were sequentially acquired for all enrolled patients during free breathing. Five experienced radiotherapists delineated the target volumes for all patients on supine and prone simulation CT images. The selected parameters, including target volumes, the coefficient of variation (COV), the matching degree (MD), and so on, were calculated to analyze the interobserver variability. Results Regardless of the patient position, the interobserver variability between tumor bed (TB) and clinical target volume (CTV) measurements in supine and prone positions were statistically significant (F = 31.34, 19.467; 44.000, 41.985; P = 0.000, 0.001; 0.000, 0.001). The interobserver variability of COVCTV was significantly greater in the supine position than in the prone position (T = 2.64, P = 0.014). Furthermore, the interobserver variabilities of MDTB and MDCTV were statistically lower in the supine position than in the prone position (Z = -3.460, -3.195, P = 0.000, 0.001). Conclusion When delineating the target volume for EB-PBI, the interobserver variability in the prone position was lower than that in the supine position. Hence, the administration of EB-PBI in the prone position during free breathing is a reasonable option. Copyright © 2020 Yu, Li, Wang, Li, Wang, Xu, Zhang, Li and Yu.
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