Citations

Abstract Approximately two-thirds of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) are diagnosed in advanced stage, with the worst prognosis among head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Identifying biomarkers for high-risk patients who need aggressive treatment is crucial. We present mutational, transcriptomic and proteomic studies of 103 Chinese HPSCC patients, observing a higher prevalence and poorer prognosis in males comparing to females. Genes in estrogen response pathways are up-regulated and proteins phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC) and Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are aberrantly regulated. We identify aberrant copy number regions including SOX2 (3q26.33), FGFR (8p11.23), CCND1 (11q13.3), CDKN2A/2B (9p21.3), and MYC (8q24.21). HPV status combined with highly mutated genes as predictive markers was assessed, including SYNE1 in HPV(-), MUC4 in HPV(+) patients. We confirm the presence of four known gene expression (GE) subtypes of HNSCC in our HPSCC cohort and present the genomic alterations, patient characteristics and survival status of each subtype. A predictive model involving clinical factors and transcriptomic expression of six genes was established and cross-site validated. The findings open new opportunities for stratifying high-risk patients and molecular targets for novel therapeutic strategies. Citation Format: Yanxin Ren, Wei Xiong, Chun Feng, Dan Yu, Xiaoyan Wang, Qing Yang, Siting Yu, Hongjiang Zhang, Bangyun Huo, Honglu Jiang, Zuli Li, Junlin Wang, Yu-Xiong Su, Ping Yang, Yong Liao, Qi Zhong, Junwen Wang. Multi-omics insights into the molecular signature and prognosis of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 4999.

ImportanceThe safety and effectiveness of combining surgical peripheral iridectomy (SPI) with goniosynechialysis (GSL) and goniotomy (GT) vs trabeculectomy for intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction remains unknown.ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and effectiveness at 1 year of SPI + GSL + GT vs trabeculectomy in advanced primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) without cataract.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis noninferiority randomized clinical trial was conducted at 8 tertiary eye centers in China. A total of 88 Chinese patients (88 eyes) with advanced PACG without cataract were enrolled from January 2022 to July 2023. Data were analyzed from August 2024 to September 2024. Mean (SD) patient age was 60.3 (7.3) years, and 52 patients (59.1%) were female. Forty-three patients were randomized to SPI + GSL + GT and 45 were randomized to trabeculectomy; 86 patients (97.7%) completed the 12-month follow-up.InterventionsParticipants were randomized 1:1 to receive SPI + GSL + GT or trabeculectomy.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was IOP at 12 months (noninferior margin: 4 mm Hg). Secondary outcomes included surgical success (IOP: 5-18 mm Hg, ≥20% reduction from baseline, with or without antiglaucoma medications); postoperative complications and interventions, including bleb massage, suture lysis, or releasable sutures; and number of antiglaucomatous medications prescribed.ResultsAt 12 months, the SPI + GSL + GT group had a mean (SD) IOP of 15.6 (4.0) mm Hg vs 14.9 (4.2) mm Hg in the trabeculectomy group (difference, 0.5 mm Hg; 95% CI, −1.2 to 2.2; P = .55), which was within the 4-mm Hg noninferiority margin. Qualified success rates were 38 of 43 participants (88.4%) for SPI + GSL + GT and 42 of 45 participants (93.3%) for trabeculectomy (difference, −5.0%; 95% CI, −19.6% to 8.5%; P = .48). However, complete success rates were lower in the SPI + GSL + GT group (26 participants [60.5%]) vs the trabeculectomy group (37 participants [82.2%]; difference, −21.8%; 95% CI, −40.2% to −2.4%; P = .03). Postoperative complications were present for 8 participants (18.6%) in the SPI + GSL + GT group vs 9 participants (20.0%) in the trabeculectomy group (difference, −1.4%; 95% CI, −17.9% to 15.1%; P = .71). Postoperative interventions were lower in the SPI + GSL + GT group (3 participants [7.0%] vs 25 participants [55.6%]; difference, 48.6%; 95% CI, 32.2%-65.0%; P < .001). Median (IQR) numbers of medications used decreased from 2 (0-3) to 0 (0-1) in the SPI + GSL + GT group and from 2 (2-3) to 0 (0-0) in the trabeculectomy group (difference, −0.81; 95% CI, −1.36 to −0.26; P = .004).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this randomized clinical trial among patients with advanced PACG without cataract, SPI + GSL + GT demonstrated noninferiority (4-mm Hg margin) to trabeculectomy for IOP at 12 months, with fewer interventions (including bleb massage, suture lysis, or releasable sutures) but no difference in postoperative medication use. This suggests SPI + GSL + GT as a potential alternative to trabeculectomy for similar cases, pending validation in larger sample sizes with smaller noninferiority margins.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05163951

ImportanceIntraocular pressure (IOP) reduction with phacogoniotomy (phacoemulsification plus goniosynechialysis plus goniotomy) was not less than that of phacotrabeculectomy for advanced primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) with cataract at 1-year follow-up, but longer-term outcomes are needed.ObjectiveTo investigate if phacogoniotomy is noninferior to phacotrabeculectomy for advanced PACG with cataract at 2 years.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis multicenter, noninferiority, randomized clinical trial took place in 7 ophthalmology centers in China. The trial started May 31, 2021, and 2-year follow-up ended May 31, 2024. Included in this analysis were patients with advanced PACG and cataract. Study data were analyzed from September 2024 to January 2025.InterventionsRandom assignment (1:1) to phacogoniotomy or phacotrabeculectomy.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome measure was reduction in IOP from baseline to the 2-year visit with a noninferiority margin of 4 mm Hg.ResultsA total of 124 participants (124 eyes) were randomized (mean [SD] age, 66.4 [8.6] years; 67 female [54.0%]), 65 (52.4%) to the phacogoniotomy group and 59 (47.6%) to the phacotrabeculectomy group. A total of 59 patients (90.7%) in the phacogoniotomy group and 52 patients (88.1%) in the phacotrabeculectomy group completed 2-year visits. All participants were Chinese. Mean (SD) IOP reduction was −25.6 (10.2) mm Hg and −24.7 (9.4) mm Hg in the phacogoniotomy and phacotrabeculectomy groups, respectively, and the upper boundary of the CI for difference in change between groups was lower than the 4-mm Hg noninferiority margin (mean difference, −0.5 mm Hg; 97.5% CI, −1.7 mm Hg to 0.8 mm Hg; P = .42). The mean difference for complete success for phacogoniotomy vs phacotrabeculectomy was −6.7% (95% CI, −21.4% to 8.8%; P = .47) and for qualified success was 1.4% (95% CI, −11.0% to 14.3%, P = .30). Median (IQR) number of antiglaucomatous medication was 0 (0) vs 0 (0; Hodges-Lehmann estimate of location shift, 0; 95% CI, 0; P =.12) with phacogoniotomy vs phacotrabeculectomy, respectively (mean difference, 0.13; 95% CI, −0.36 to 0.63; P = .60).Conclusions and RelevanceMean IOP reduction with phacogoniotomy was noninferior to phacotrabeculectomy for advanced PACG and cataract at 2-year follow-up with no differences detected in complete or qualified success or mean number of antiglaucomatous medications. These findings support phacogoniotomy as an alternative to phacotrabeculectomy for patients with advanced PACG and cataract.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04878458

Background Neoadjuvant treatment has become standard for patients with high-risk operable stage III melanoma, but the optimal regimen is unknown. Targeted therapy approaches yield high pathological response rates, while immunotherapy regimens show favorable recurrence-free survival (RFS). NeoACTIVATE was designed to address whether a neoadjuvant combination of both targeted therapy and immunotherapy might leverage the benefits of each. Methods We tested neoadjuvant treatment with 12 weeks of vemurafenib, cobimetinib, and atezolizumab for patients with BRAF-mutated (BRAFm) melanoma (cohort A) and cobimetinib and atezolizumab for patients with BRAF-wild-type (BRAFwt) melanoma (cohort B), regimens which we have shown generate a substantial major pathological response. After therapeutic lymph node dissection, patients received 24 weeks of adjuvant atezolizumab. Here, we report survival outcomes and their association with biomarkers assayed among the gut microbiome and peripheral blood immune subsets. Results With 49 months median follow-up, the median RFS was not reached for cohort A and was 40.8 months for cohort B. At 24 months after operation, 2 of 14 cohort A patients and 4 of 13 cohort B patients had experienced distant relapse. Key findings from correlative analyses included diversity, taxonomic and functional metagenomic gut microbiome signals associated with distant metastasis-free survival at 2 years. Notably, we observed a strong correlation between low microbial arginine biosynthesis (required for T-cell activation and effector function) and early distant recurrence (p=0.0005), which correlated with taxonomic differential abundance findings. Peripheral blood immune monitoring revealed increased double-positive (CD4+CD8+) T cells in patients with early recurrence. Conclusions Neoadjuvant treatment with cobimetinib and atezolizumab±vemurafenib was associated with a low rate of distant metastasis in patients with high-risk stage III melanoma. Freedom from early distant metastasis was highly associated with taxonomic differences in gut microbiome structure and with functional pathway alterations known to modulate T cell immunity. Identification of predictive biomarkers will permit optimization of neoadjuvant therapy regimens for individual patients. Trial registration number NCT03554083.

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the highest mortality rate among gynecologic malignant tumors and is clinically difficult to cure. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown unique advantages in the treatment of OC. However, there is currently a lack of normative guidance documents for the treatment of OC with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine. The guidelines are the first comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating OC by integrating TCM with western medicine. Adhering to evidence-based principles, the guidelines draw on the most recent advancements in OC treatment from both domestic and international researches. The guidelines formulate a variety of therapeutic methods, including oral Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, and external treatments, providing a treatment strategy for the combined use of TCM and western medicine in OC. Furthermore, the guidelines establish a diagnostic and treatment pathway for the holistic management of OC with TCM throughout the disease’s progression. The guidelines were officially published in the China Association of Chinese Medicine in January 2023, which provided a scientific basis for the formulation of clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies and promoted integration with international academic standards. This paper interpreted the features of the guidelines and the 7 PICO issues (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) in the whole TCM management of OC, aiming to help TCM and western medicine practitioners better understand and apply the guidelines, and provide better medical services for patients with OC.