While extended cholecystectomy is recommended for T2 gallbladder cancer (GBC), the role of hepatic resection for T2 GBC is unclear. This study aimed to identify the necessity of hepatic resection in patients with T2 GBC. Data of 81 patients with histopathologically proven T2 GBC who underwent surgical resection between January 1999 and December 2017 were enrolled from a retrospective database. Of these, 36 patients had peritoneal-side (T2a) tumors and 45 had hepatic-side (T2b) tumors. To identify the optimal surgical management method, T2 GBC patients were classified into the hepatic resection group (n = 44, T2a/T2b = 20/24) and non-hepatic resection group (n = 37, T2a/T2b = 16/21). The recurrence pattern and role of hepatic resection for T2 GBC were then investigated. Mean age of the patients was 69 (range 36–88) years, and the male-to-female ratio was 42:39 (male, 51.9%; female, 48.1%). Hepatic-side GBC had a higher rate of recurrence than peritoneal-side GBC (44.4% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.006). The most common type of recurrence in T2a GBC was para-aortic lymph node recurrence (n = 2, 5.6%); the most common types of recurrence in T2b GBC were para-aortic lymph node recurrence (n = 7, 15.6%) and intrahepatic metastasis (n = 6, 13.3%). Hepatic-side GBC patients had worse survival outcomes than peritoneal-side GBC patients (76.0% vs. 96.6%, p = 0.041). Hepatic resection had no significant treatment effect in T2 GBC patients (p = 0.272). Multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis was the only significant prognostic factor (p = 0.002). Hepatic resection is not essential for curative treatment in T2 GBC, and more systemic treatments are needed for GBC patients, particularly for those with T2b GBC.

Breast malignancy remains one of the most common causes of cancer‑associated mortalities among women. MicroRNA (miR)‑221 and miR‑222 are homologous miRs and have a substantial impact on cancer progression. In the present study, the regulatory mechanisms of miR‑221/222 and its target annexin A3 (ANXA3) in breast cancer cells were investigated. Breast tissue samples were collected to evaluate the expression patterns of miR‑221/222 levels in breast cancer cell lines and cancer tissues according to clinical characteristics. The levels of miR‑221/222 were increased or decreased in cancer cell lines compared with normal breast cell lines according to cell line subtype. Subsequently, the changes in the progression and invasion of breast cancer cells were investigated using cell proliferation, invasion assay, gap closure and colony formation assays. Western blotting of cell cycle proteins and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the possible pathway of miR‑221/222 and ANXA3 axis. Chemosensitivity tests were performed to explore the suitability of the miR‑221/222 and ANXA3 axis as a therapeutic target in breast cancer. The expression levels of miR‑221/222 were associated with aggressive characteristics of breast cancer subtypes. Cell transfection assay demonstrated the regulation of breast cancer proliferation and invasiveness by miR‑221/222. MiR‑221/222 directly targeted the 3'‑untranslated region of ANXA3 and suppressed the expression of ANXA3 at the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, miR‑221/222 negatively regulated cell proliferation and the cell cycle pathway in breast cancer cells by targeting ANXA3. In combination with adriamycin, downregulation of ANXA3 may sensitize adriamycin‑induced cell death to induction of persistent G₂/M and G₀/G₁ arrest. Decreased expression of ANXA3 through increased expression of miR‑221/222 reduced breast cancer progression and increased the effectiveness of the chemotherapy drug. The present results indicated the miR‑221/222 and ANXA3 axis to be a possible novel therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer.

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the associations between clinicopathologic factors of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), especially tumor size, and subclinical central lymph node metastasis (LNM) are dependent on patient age. The medical records of 428 patients who underwent thyroid surgery for PTC measuring ≤1 cm were reviewed. All patients were clinically lymph node negative and underwent thyroidectomy with unilateral or bilateral central lymph node dissection. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify clinicopathologic factors associated with central LNM. Central LNM was identified in 96 of 428 (22.4%) patients. Mean tumor size was significantly greater in patients with than without central LNM (0.74 ± 0.22 cm vs. 0.64 ± 0.23 cm, P = 0.001). Tumor size > 0.5 cm was significantly predictive of central LNM. Subgroup analysis according to age groups showed that tumor size was an independent predictor of subclinical central LNM only in patients aged ≥45 years. Factors predictive of central LNM in patients with PTMC differed by age. PTMC size was an independent predictor of subclinical central LNM only in patients aged ≥45 years.

Choi BH, et al. Korean J Radiol. 2020 Sep;21(9):1036-1044. https://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2019.0568