Liver cancer is one of the world’s most prevalent malignancies, and is also the third leading cause of cancer death in China. Hepatitis and cirrhosis background is a major feature of liver cancer patients in China, which makes specific requirements that suits the national conditions in many aspects of prevention and control like screening diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis follow-up. The Specifications for Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer (2017 Edition), which is based on China’s practice, proposes liver cancer staging in line with China’s national conditions and forms a multi-disciplinary joint diagnosis and treatment model based on surgical treatment. Liver transplantation is included in liver cancer as one of the surgical treatments option. It also emphasizes the support of evidence-based medicine. The Specifications for Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer (2017 Edition) may have laid a solid foundation for future diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer in China.
Objective To explore the safety and efficacy of lenvatinib in combination with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) antibody in the treatment of recurrent liver cancer. Method The clinical data of 22 patients with unresectable recurrent liver cancer admitted to Department of Liver Surgery and Liver Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and received the conversion therapy of lenvatinib+TACE+PD-1 antibody between January 2019 and January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Results All 22 patients experienced some degree of adverse events, with a grade 3 adverse event rate of 18.2% (4/22) and no grade 4 or higher adverse events. At 4 months of treatment, according to the modified response evaluation criteria solid tumors (mRECIST), 2 cases were in complete response (CR), 5 cases were in partial response (PR), and 6 cases were in stable disease (SD), 9 cases were in progressive disease (PD), and the objective response (CR+PR) rate (ORR) was 31.8% (7/22). At the last follow-up, there was 1 case in CR, 5 cases in PR, 1 case in SD, and 15 cases in PD, with an ORR of 27.3% (6/22). The 1-year overall survival (OS) rate was 83.8% and the 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 38.2%. In the subgroup analysis, the 1-year OS rate for patients with recurrent liver cancer with intrahepatic lesions (n=16) only was 86.2% [95%CI (77.1%, 95.3%)], the 1-year PFS rate was 46.9% [95%CI (34.0%, 59.8%)], and the ORR based on mRECIST criteria was 43.8% (7/16). Patients with intrahepatic combined with extrahepatic lesions (n=6) had a 1-year OS rate of 75.0% [95%CI (53.3%, 96.7%)] and a 1-year PFS rate of 16.7% [95%CI (15.0%, 31.9%)], and the ORR based on mRECIST criteria was 0% (0/6). There were no significant differences in OS (P=0.864) and PFS (P=0.125) between the two subgroups. The ORR of intrahepatic combined with extrahepatic lesions group was worse compared to the intrahepatic lesion group (P=0.049). Conclusion Lenvatinib in combination with TACE and PD-1 antibody is safe and effective in the treatment of unresectable recurrent liver cancer, but there are still many issues that deserve further exploration.
Objective To study the effect of splenectomy on the anti-tumor immunity in rats with induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods At the second and fourth month of the induced HCC, the NK cell activity, TNF-α level and total lymphcyte in blood were measured in the group of splenectomy and the control group. Results There were no different in the total lymphcyte and TNF-α in the blood in two groups, but there were significant difference in the NK cell activity between the group of splenectomy and the control group (Ｐ＜0.05). Conclusion There are some change in the anti-tumor immunity after splenectomy in rats, in which NK cell activity is at low level continuously. TNF-α isn′t affected after the second month after splenectomy.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of pipecolic acid oxidase (PIPOX) on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of primary liver cancer cells. MethodsImmunohistochemical staining and analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were used to examine the PIPOX expression levels in liver cancer tissues and paired adjacent normal tissues, and studied their relationship with patient prognosis. Liver cancer cell lines stably overexpressing or knocking out PIPOX were constructed to explore PIPOX’s impact on liver cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion by conducting in vitro functional experiments such as CCK-8, EdU, apoptosis detection, and Transwell assays. In vivo, nude mice subcutaneous tumor models and lung metastasis models were used to verify PIPOX’s effect on liver cancer growth and metastasis. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot were both employed to detect the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in liver cancer cells. ResultsImmunohistochemical staining and TCGA database analysis revealed that PIPOX expression was significantly lower in liver cancer tissues compared to paired adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). Prognostic analysis indicated shorter overall survival and disease-free survival in PIPOX low expression group (P<0.05). In vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments showed that PIPOX significantly inhibited liver cancer cell migration and invasion (P<0.05), while having no significant effects on their proliferation and apoptosis (P>0.05). Animal experiments also confirmed that PIPOX significantly inhibited liver cancer lung metastasis (P<0.05), but had no significant effects on tumor growth (P>0.05). Finally, RT-qPCR and western blot results revealed that PIPOX promoted the expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin (P<0.05) and inhibited the expression of mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail) (P<0.05). ConclusionsPIPOX significantly inhibits liver cancer cell migration and invasion, potentially via suppressing the EMT process. However, PIPOX does not significantly affect liver cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Objective To determine feasibility of texture analysis of non-enhanced CT scan for differential diagnosis of liver cancer and hepatic hemangioma. Methods Fifty-six patients with liver cancer or hepatic hemangioma confirmed by pathology were enrolled in this retrospective study. After exclusion of images of 4 patients with artifacts and lesion diameter less than 1.0 cm, images of 52 patients (57 lesions) were available to further analyze. Texture features derived from the gray-level histogram, co-occurrence and run-length matrix, absolute gradient, autoregressive model, and wavelet transform were calculated. Fisher, probability of classification error and average correlation (POE+ACC), and mutual information coefficients (MI) were used to extract 10 optimized texture features. The texture characteristics were analyzed by using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and nonlinear discriminant analysis (NDA) provided by B11 module in the Mazda software, the minimum error probability of differential diagnosis of liver cancer and hepatic hemangioma was calculated. Most discriminating features (MDF) of LDA was applied to K nearest neighbor classification (KNN); NDA to extract the data used in artificial neural network (ANN) for differential diagnosis. Results The NDA/ANN-POE+ACC was the best for identifying liver cancer and hepatic hemangioma, and the minimum error probability was the lowest as compared with the LDA/KNN-Fisher, LDA/KNN-POE+ACC, LDA/KNN-MI, NDA/ANN-Fisher, and NDA/ANN-MI respectively, the differences were statistically significant (χ2=4.56, 4.26, 3.14, 3.14, 3.33;P=0.020, 0.018, 0.026, 0.026, 0.022). Conclusions The minimum error probability is low for different texture feature selection methods and different analysis methods of Mazda texture analysis software in identifying liver cancer and hepatic hemangioma, and NDA/ANN-POE+ACC method is best. So it is feasible to use texture analysis of non-enhanced CT images to identify liver cancer and hepatic hemangioma.
Objective To systematically evaluate AFP as the diagnostic standard for Chinese primary liver cancer (PLC). Methods A comprehensive electronic search and additional manual tracking were performed to retrieve relevant studies on AFP in diagnosis of Chinese PLC. All studies were divided into three groups according to the cutoff value of AFP: 20 or 25 ?g/L, 200 ?g/L, 400 ?g/L (Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively). The data about the accuracy of the included studies were extracted for further heterogeneity studies; statistical pooling and SROC (summary receiver operating characteristics) were analyzed using MetaDisc 1.4 software. Results Twenty studies which were selected from 1,062 references met the inclusion criteria. Heterogeneity (except for threshold effect) was found within the three groups. A Meta-analysis was performed using the random effect model. Compared with the other two groups, the specificity of Group 3 (AFP 400 ?g/L) was the highest (0.977, 95%CI 0.967 to 0.985) and sensitivity was the lowest (0.422, 95%CI 0.403 to 0.441). The values of LR+ and dOR were lower than those of Group 2 (AFP 200?g/L) (17.691: 19.669; 32.820: 53.599, respectively). Area under curve (AUC) of SROC and Q index of Group 3 were also lower than those of Group 2 (0.6575: 0.832 3; 0.633 8: 0.782 2, respectively). Conclusion Four-hundred ?g/L of AFP as the diagnostic standard for PLC is not good enough, and we suggest that 200 ?g/L may be better than 400 ?g/L for PLC diagnosis.
ObjectiveThe present study was to investigate the value of multi-disciplinary team (MDT) model in patient with primary giant liver cancer.MethodsThe MDT model was carried out for a BCLC B stage patient who admitted in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in July 2018. The associated references were reviewed and the treatment methods were discussed about primary giant liver cancer.ResultsAn elder man who was diagnosed as primary hepatocellular carcinoma (minor cancer) in right lobe of the liver in three years ago and took Chinese medicine orally. When the patient subsequent visited this time, the liver cancer increased about 10 cm. After discussed by MDT, the treatment method was draw up to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus surgery. After received twice TACE therapies in the later 14 weeks, the tumor in right lobe had significantly shrinked and left lobe enlarged. The patient underwent laparoscopic right liver hepatectomy after the second MDT discussion in 5 months later. The patient underwent operation successfully. The operation lasted for 270 minutes, and the intraoperative blood loss was about 500 mL. The suspended red blood cells (400 mL) was infused. The patient underwent transient liver failure and recovered through hepatoprotective and symptomatic supportive treatment, and discharged on 12 days after operation. A retrospective examination of abdominal CT at 4 months postoperatively revealed a significant hyperplasia of the left lobe of the liver, and there was no sign of recurrent tumor. The patient was continue to followed up.ConclusionsThepatient with primary giant hepatocellular carcinoma who cannot underwent surgery at the first time can received TACE, and a few patients could be underwent radical operation later. MDT should be applied flexibly in the treatment of patients with huge hepatocellular carcinoma from beginning to end, so the best treatment plan should be carried out for patients.
“Chinese Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Liver Cancer （version-2022）” （China Liver Cancer Staging, Abbreviation “CNLC 2022”） was updated recently and the “Barcelona Clinical Liver Cancer Strategy for Prognosis Prediction and Treatment Recommendation: The 2022 update” （Abbreviation “BCLC 2022”） was also updated in December 2021. The similarities and differences of the two guidelines were interpreted. For the BCLC stage B and C, which are equivalent to CNLC stage Ⅱa and Ⅱb and CNLC stage Ⅲa, respectively, the recommendation of surgical treatment and radiation therapy are disparate in the CNLC 2022 and BCLC 2022. For the systematic treatment of advanced liver cancer, Atezolizumab-Bevacizumab, Renvatinib and Sorafenib were both recommended as the first-line medication in the two guidelines. However, the CNLC 2022 is more flexible than BCLC 2022, which provides more treatment options for Chinese liver cancer patients. It is worth paying attention to two important new concepts proposed in the BCLC 2022: stage migration during treatment and untreatable progression. The BCLC stage B was divided into three subgroups according to tumor burden and liver function and different clinical pathways were recommended in the BCLC 2022.
ObjectiveTo understand the latest progress of enrichment technology of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and summarize the principle, advantages and disadvantages of various enrichment technologies and their applications in primary liver cancer (PLC). MethodThe literature relevant to the enrichment methods of CTCs in the PLC was reviewed and summarized. ResultsThe clinical significances of CTCs in the early diagnosis and staging, hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, and efficacy monitoring of patients with PLC had been recognized. There were many separation and enrichment technologies for CTC, which were mainly based on the differences of physical and biochemical characteristics, as well as the combination of enrichment methods with various principles. Each enrichment method had corresponding advantages and disadvantages, and few enrichment methods for CTC was applied to PLC. ConclusionsAlthough many problems need to be solved in enrichment method of CTCs at present, it is believed that the existing problems will be solved one by one with continuous improvement of technology. And CTC detection is expected to apply in clinical, so as to provide more efficient diagnosis and treatment methods for patients with PLC.
ObjectiveTo explore the rehabilitation treatment of postoperative dysfunction in hepatocellular carcinoma based on digital therapy and its clinical significance. MethodsThe postoperative rehabilitation clinic process of a patient was retrospectively analyzed according to the relevant clinical symptoms and dysfunctions, as well as the postoperative rehabilitation measures based on digital therapy and the patient’s prognosis. ResultsCombined with medical history, physical examination and rehabilitation assessment, the patient had pain, activity intolerance, insomnia, and symptom of anxiety and depression. The physical ability, pain, fatigue condition, symptom of anxiety and depression, and insomnia improved on 1 month after digital therapy-based exercise rehabilitation. ConclusionExercise rehabilitation based on digital therapy can improve the adverse symptoms and dysfunctional condition of patients with certain advantages.
