Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignant neoplasm and the leading cause of cancer-related death, with an incidence surpassing 1.6 million cases (approximately 13% of cancer diagnosed) and a mortality rate of approximately 1.4 million (reflecting 18% of cancer-related deaths) annually.¹ A recent analysis of the Oncology Services Comprehensive Electronic Records database, which encompasses 569 000 patients from 52 cancer centers in the United States, revealed that lung cancer is only second to prostate cancer in the 10-year cumulative incidences of bone metastasis at a rate of 12.9% (95% CI, 12.6%-13.2%).² Most patients who develop bone metastases will eventually receive radiotherapy for various reasons such as palliation for severe bone pain, spinal cord compression, prevention of pathological fracture or neurological deficit, or even long-term tumor control.^3,4 Thus, patients receiving radiotherapy for bone metastases arising from lung cancer compose a large proportion of palliative service recipients in radiation oncology departments.

We aimed to determine whether body composition assessment before treatment can predict outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). All 881 patients with locoregional head and neck cancer treated with curative intent radiotherapy (RT) between 2005 and 2012 were retrospectively investigated. Body composition was analyzed via pre‐RT planning computed tomography (CT) images. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and skeletal muscle (SM) indices were measured cross‐sectionally at the level of the third thoracic vertebra. Overall survival (OS), locoregional control (LRC), and distant metastasis‐free survival (MFS) were analyzed by body composition index and body mass index (BMI). Survivors were followed up for a median of 4.68 years. The SAT indices in female patients were significantly higher than those in males (P < 0.001). The median SAT and muscle indices were 18.6 and 34.3 cm²/m² for women and 6.19 and 51.74 cm²/m² for men, respectively. The 5‐ and 10‐year MFS, LRC, and OS rates were 83% and 82.1%, 73.4% and 71.4%, and 66.4 and 57.6%, respectively. Higher pretreatment SAT index was associated with MFS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.65; P = 0.015), LRC (HR: 0.758; P = 0.047), and OS (HR: 0.604; P < 0.001). Higher pretreatment BMI was associated with MFS (HR: 0.642; P = 0.031) and OS (HR: 0.615; P < 0.001). The pretreatment SM index had no significant effect on MFS, LRC, and OS. Multivariate analysis revealed that T‐stage, N‐stage, lesion sites, age, and RT treatment days are independent factors associated with OS; T‐stage, N‐stage, and lesion sites are independent factors associated with MFS; and N‐stage, smoking history, and betel quid chewing history are independent factors associated with LRC. A higher CT‐assessed SAT index predicts superior MSF, LCR, and OS in patients with curative HNC, whereas SM does not predict survival or locoregional control.

Tumor spheroids formed via the liquid overlay technique were quantitatively monitored by impedance measurement across the interdigitated electrodes.

This study aimed at investigating the ability of a preoperative Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) to predict postoperative complications and survival outcomes in patients with stage III gastric cancer undergoing D2 gastrectomy. We retrospectively reviewed data from 272 such patients, treated between 2010 and 2016, at a Taiwanese medical center. The patients were categorized according to their GPS. In total, 36.8%, 48.5%, and 14.7% of the patients were assigned to groups with a GPS of 0, 1, and 2, respectively. Overall surgical complication rates in these groups were 30%, 45.5%, and 52.5% (p = 0.016); postoperative intensive care unit admission rates were 10%, 14.4%, and 22.5% (p = 0.15); postoperative 30-day re-admission rates were 6%, 15.2%, and 20% (p = 0.034); and the in-hospital mortality rates were 1.0%, 1.5%, and 10.0%, respectively (p = 0.006). The median survival times of the patients were 42.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 29.1–56.6), 22.6 months (95% CI, 19.3–25.8), and 16.6 months (95% CI, 7.8–25.4), respectively (p< 0.001). A significant correlation was observed between the preoperative GPS, short-term postoperative complications, and long-term survival outcomes in patients with gastric cancer undergoing D2 gastrectomy. These findings recommend the usage of the GPS as a predictive and prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer considering surgical resection.

The prognostic value of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is controversial, with previous studies showing conflicting results. Most NPCs in endemic areas are Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical significance of PD-L1 expression in EBV-positive NPC. We retrospectively analyzed PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (TCs) and immune cells (ICs) by immunohistochemistry in 208 EBV-positive NPC patients who underwent radiotherapy (203 with concurrent chemotherapy). The percentages of TCs and ICs expressing PD-L1 were evaluated respectively. There was a strong correlation between local recurrence and low PD-L1 expression on ICs (p = 0.0012), TCs (p = 0.013) or both (p = 0.000044), whereas all clinical parameters had no influence on local recurrence. Using multivariate analysis, low PD-L1 expression on ICs was an independent adverse prognostic factor (p = 0.0080; HR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.18–3.00) for disease-free survival. High PD-L1 expression on both ICs and TCs was an independent favorable prognostic factor (p = 0.022; HR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.24–0.89) for overall survival. We show for the first time that low PD-L1 expression on ICs and TCs strongly correlates with local recurrence in EBV-positive NPC patients after radiation-based therapy. A simple immunohistochemical study for PD-L1 can identify patients prone to local recurrence, and such patients might benefit from more aggressive treatment in future clinical trials.