Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor occurs in the mediastinum

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare disease. We report a rare case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor occurs in the mediastinum. Chest contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a heterogeneously enhanced irregular mass in the anterior mediastinum; a small pericardial effusion was also noted. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology and immunohistochemical study

Minimum absolute lymphocyte counts during radiation are associated with a worse prognosis in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Peripheral blood lymphocytes play an important role in antitumour immunity. We examined the relationship between the minimum absolute lymphocyte counts (Min ALCs) during radiotherapy (RT) and clinical outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Data from a total of 69 HCC patients who had received RT were retrospectively analysed. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were measured before RT, weekly during RT and after RT. Regression and mixed-effect models were used to assess the relationships with and potential predictors of overall survival (OS). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to define optimal cut-off points of continuous variables for outcomes. Results: The median follow up was 30 months (range, 4–68 months). The median survival time (MST), 1-year OS rate and 2-year OS rate of the whole group were 25 months, 51% and 39%, respectively. The average circulating lymphocyte counts declined during RT (1493.19 versus 503.48 cells/µl, p 450 cells/µl), respectively ( p < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that Min ALC independently predicted patients’ OS (HR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.15–0.69). Conclusions: Lower Min ALCs during RT may act as a worse prognostic factor for HCC after RT

The markers to predict the response to neoadjuvant therapy in patients with rectal cancer

Locally advanced rectal cancer is currently treated with preoperative radiochemotherapy, but the response is not uniform. Most patients benefit from preoperative CRT, however, a small proportion of a patient population is less likely to respond to the treatment. The purpose of this study was to measure neoadjuvant therapy combined with Ki-67 and VEGF expression in pretreatment biopsies and postoperative specimens，serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA19-9 level from patients with locally advanced rectal cancer receiving intensive neoadjuvant treatment and to correlate the findings with clinical outcome