Background: The optimal treatment volume for Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is still a subject of debate worldwide. The current study was aimed to determine the distances between recurring tumors and the edge of primary lesions, and thereby provide evidence for accurate target area delineation. Methods: Between October 2007 and March 2019, 68 recurrent patients with GBM were included in our study. We measured the distance from the initial tumor to the recurrent lesion of GBM patients by expanding the initial gross tumor volume (GTV) to overlap the center of recurrent lesion, with the help of the Pinnacle Treatment Planning System. Results: Recurrences were local in 47(69.1%) patients, distant in 12(17.7%) patients, and both in 9(13.2%) patients. Factors significantly influencing local recurrence were age (P = 0.049), sex (P = 0.049), and the size of peritumoral edema (P = 0.00). A total number of 91 recurrent tumors were analyzed. All local recurrences occurred within 2 cm and 94.8% (55/58) occurred within 1 cm of the original GTV based on T1 enhanced imaging. All local recurrences occurred within 1.5 cm and 98.3%(57/58) occurred within 0.5 cm of the original GTV based on T2-FLAIR imaging. 90.9% (30/33) and 81.8% (27/33) distant recurrences occurred >3 cm of T1 enhanced and T2-Flair primary tumor margins, respectively. Conclusions: The 1 cm margin from T1 enhanced lesions and 0.5 cm margin from T2-Flair abnormal lesions could cover 94.8 and 98.3% local recurrences respectively, which deserves further prospective study as a limited but effective target area.

Background: Radioresistance-induced local failure, which can result in residual or recurrent tumors, remains one of the major causes of treatment failure in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Lipocalin 2 (LCN2) is known to play important roles in cancer initiation, progression, and treatment responses. However, its role in the radioresistance of NPC remains unclear.Methods: Microarray data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) was screened for candidate biomarkers relating to the radioresistance of NPC. The expression of LCN2 in NPC cell lines was verified by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. The effects of knockdown or overexpression of LCN2 on NPC radiosensitivity were examined using a soft agar colony formation assay and a γH2AX assay. LCN2 expression in NPC specimens was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Survival outcomes were analyzed. A possible correlation between LCN2 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1A) was examined by western blotting and a tissue microarray.Results: LCN2 was highly expressed in the radioresistant NPC cell line CNE2R. Knocking down LCN2 enhanced the radiosensitivity of NPC cells by impairing their ability to repair DNA damage or proliferate, while ectopic expression of LCN2 conferred additional radioresistance to NPC cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of 100 NPC specimens revealed that LCN2 expression was significantly upregulated in radioresistant NPC tissues and was associated with NPC recurrence. Furthermore, a significant correlation between the expression of LCN2 and HIF-1A was detected.Conclusion: LCN2 is associated with radioresistance and recurrence in NPC and may facilitate the development of a radioresistant phenotype through interacting with HIF-1A. Our data indicate that LCN2 is a promising target for predicting and overcoming radioresistance in NPC.

Background: Despite zinc finger and BTB domain-containing 7A (ZBTB7A) documented importance in multiple tumors, the function and clinical value in Colorectal cancer (CRC) remain elusive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional roles and the clinical value of ZBTB7A in CRC progression.Methods: The level of ZBTB7A was detected in a large cohort of CRC patients (n = 189) by immunohistochemistry (IHC), and we analyzed the diagnostic and prognostic value of the protein. In addition, the functional roles of ZBTB7A on CRC were explored in vitro and in vivo.Results: Survival analyses indicated that patients with high ZBTB7A expression made the prognosis worse (P = 0.024). Functionally, knockdown of ZBTB7A could markedly inhibit tumor proliferation in vitro and in vivo, whereas ZBTB7A overexpression displayed the opposite results.Conclusions: ZBTB7A was associated with poor survival outcomes and functioned as an oncogene in CRC patients, indicating that it is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for CRC patients.

Corrigendum: LCN2 Is a Potential Biomarker for Radioresistance and Recurrence in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma