Liver metastasis is the primary cause of colorectal cancer (CRC)-associated death. Aryl-hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP), a putative positive intermediary in aryl-hydrocarbon receptor-mediated signalling, is overexpressed in highly metastatic human KM12SM CRC cells and other highly metastatic CRC cells.

BACKGROUND Mouse double minute 4 (MDM4) has been extensively investigated as a negative regulator of P53, its negative feedback loop, and the effect of its genetic polymorphisms on cancers. However, many studies showed varying and even conflicting results. Therefore, we employed meta-analysis to further assess the intensity of the connection between MDM4 polymorphisms and malignancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS We searched eligible articles in 5 databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Wan Fang Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) up to August 2021. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized to probe the correlation of 5 MDM4 polymorphisms (rs4245739, rs1563828, rs11801299, rs10900598, and rs1380576) with carcinomas. We employed meta-regression and subgroup analysis to probe for sources of heterogeneity; Funnel plots, Begg's test, and Egger's test were used to evaluate publication bias. Sensitivity analysis was applied to assess the stability of the study. RESULTS Twenty-two studies, comprising 77 reports with 29 853 cases and 72 045 controls, were included in our meta-analysis. We found that rs4245739 polymorphism was a factor in reducing overall cancer susceptibility (dominant model, OR=0.85, 95% CI=0.76-0.95; heterozygous model, OR=0.86, 95% CI=0.78-0.96; additive model, OR=0.87, 95% CI=0.79-0.95), especially in Asian populations, and it also reduces the risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The remaining 4 SNPs were not associated with cancers. CONCLUSIONS The rs4245739 polymorphism might reduce the risk of malignancies, especially in Asian populations, and it is a risk-reducing factor for ESCC incidence. However, rs1563828, rs11801299, rs10900598, and rs1380576 are not relevant to cancer susceptibility.

Epigenetic clocks have been associated with cancer risk in several observational studies. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether they play a causal role in cancer risk or if they act as a non-causal biomarker.

Postoperative adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy had been the standard care in patients with completely resected high-risk stage IB to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for decades. However, the survival benefits were far from satisfactory in clinical practice. Thus, this meta-analysis was performed to compare the efficacy and safety of adjuvant epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in patients with resected NSCLC based on updated literature and research.

The relationship between PROX1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer (GC) remain controversial. The aim of this study is to determine the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of PROX1 expression in patients with GC.

Estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) XbaI polymorphisms may affect breast cancer susceptibility; however, the results of previously published studies are inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the relationship between ESR1 XbaI polymorphism and breast cancer risk.  Methods: Articles from the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, WoS, Scopus, Wanfang Data, CNKI, CBM and CQVIP databases were systematically searched to determine the association between ESR1 XbaI polymorphism and breast cancer risk. The pooled results were assessed using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), followed by subgroup analysis.  Results: Twenty-two studies involving 12,821 cases and 14,739 control subjects were analyzed. The pooled results indicated that ESR1 XbaI polymorphism may decrease risk of breast cancer in AG vs. AA (co-dominant model: OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.79-0.97, P = 0.015) and AG + GG vs. AA models (dominant model: OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80-0.98, P = 0.022). Subgroup analysis indicated significant associations between the ESR1 XbaI polymorphism and breast cancer risk were observed in Asian subjects, non-Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium study, post-menopausal status and hospital-based subgroups under the AG vs. AA and AG + GG vs. AA models (all P < 0.05).  Conclusions: Our analysis of pooled data indicated that AG genotype in ESR1 XbaI may be a protective factor for breast cancer patients in some subgroups.

Aim: To compare pembrolizumab with competing interventions for previously untreated, unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer. Method: Trials were identified via a systematic literature review and synthesized using a Bayesian network meta-analysis with time-varying hazard ratios (HRs). Results: Using intention-to-treat data, HRs for overall survival were generally in favor of pembrolizumab but not statistically significant; however, statistical significance was reached versus all comparators by month 16 when accounting for crossover. Estimated HRs for progression-free survival significantly favored pembrolizumab versus all comparators by month 12. Pembrolizumab was also superior to all comparators in terms of grade ≥3 adverse events. Conclusion: These analyses suggest that pembrolizumab is a highly efficacious and safe treatment in this population.

Immunotherapy for colorectal cancer has developed rapidly in the past decade. Many high-quality clinical trials examining the application of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) have been conducted in recent years. However, the clinical benefits, including the efficacy and safety of these treatments against mCRC, remain controversial. Hence, we conducted this meta-analysis on the clinical benefits of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with mCRC.

Oral carcinoma represents one of the main carcinomas of the head and neck region, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 50%. Smoking and tobacco use are recognized risk factors. Prognostic survival biomarkers can be a valid tool for assessing a patient's life expectancy and directing therapy towards specific targets. Among the biomarkers, the alteration of miR-21 expression in tumor tissues is increasingly reported as a valid prognostic biomarker of survival for oral cancer. The purpose of this meta-analysis was, therefore, to investigate and summarize the results in the literature concerning the potential prognostic expression of tissue miR-21 in patients with OSCC.

Despite survival improvements for other cancers, the prognosis of resected mass-forming cholangiocellular carcinoma (MFCCC) remains dismal. As a possible background of that, biologic factors could play some role. KRAS mutation has been investigated in the present systematic review and meta-analysis.

We assessed the relationship between AGT gene M235T polymorphism and the susceptibility to cancer by performing an updated meta-analysis. This study retrospectively searched related articles in the electronic databases. Afterwards, we determined combined odds ratios (ORs) and related 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by the fixed- or random-effects model. The present meta-analysis enrolled altogether 9 articles. On the whole, the relationship between AGT M235T polymorphism and the cancer risk was not significant among the entire population (TT vs. MM: OR = 1.28, 95%CI = 0.80 - 2.04; TM vs. MM: OR = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.53 - 1.52; recessive model: OR = 1.13, 95%CI = 0.83 - 1.52; dominant model: OR = 0.93, 95%CI = 0.55 - 1.57). Subgroup analysis by ethnicity, cancer type, and study quality for the relationship between the AGT M235T polymorphism and cancer risk showed no significant association. According to findings in the present meta-analysis, AGT M235T polymorphism may not be related to cancer susceptibility.

Increased epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in survivors of childhood cancer is associated with specific treatment exposures, unfavorable health behaviors, and presence of certain chronic health conditions. To better understand inter-individual variability, we investigated the genetic basis underlying EAA.

The prognostic role of TET2 and/or ASXL1 mutations which are common gene mutations in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic efficacy of ASXL1 and TET2 mutations in CMML population.

Observational studies analyzing the risk of prostate cancer in schizophrenia patients have generated mixed results. We performed a meta-analysis and a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to evaluate the relationship and causality between schizophrenia and the risk of prostate cancer.

After risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant (PV) carriers have a residual risk to develop peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). The etiology of PC is not yet clarified, but may be related to serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC), the postulated origin for high-grade serous cancer. In this systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis, we investigate the risk of PC in women with and without STIC at RRSO.

To identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that can predict acute radiation dermatitis (RD) in breast cancer patients (BC), and the association between SNPs and RD severity.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent complication in cancer patients and is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and burden on the health care system [1]. Previous studies have suggested an association between genetic mutations in solid tumors and VTE risk.

KMT2A-rearranged infant ALL is an aggressive childhood leukemia with poor prognosis. Here, we investigated the developmental state of KMT2A-rearranged infant B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) using bulk messenger RNA (mRNA) meta-analysis and examination of single lymphoblast transcriptomes against a developing bone marrow reference. KMT2A-rearranged infant B-ALL was uniquely dominated by an early lymphocyte precursor (ELP) state, whereas less adverse NUTM1-rearranged infant ALL demonstrated signals of later developing B cells, in line with most other childhood B-ALLs. We compared infant lymphoblasts with ELP cells and revealed that the cancer harbored hybrid myeloid-lymphoid features, including nonphysiological antigen combinations potentially targetable to achieve cancer specificity. We validated surface coexpression of exemplar combinations by flow cytometry. Through analysis of shared mutations in separate leukemias from a child with infant KMT2A-rearranged B-ALL relapsing as AML, we established that KMT2A rearrangement occurred in very early development, before hematopoietic specification, emphasizing that cell of origin cannot be inferred from the transcriptional state.

The aim of the present systematic review was to critically analyse the relationship between tumour suppressor genes (TSGs) promoter methylation, a potent mechanism of gene silencing, and the development of salivary gland tumours, as well as the possible effect on clinical/histological characteristics. Review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (registration ID CRD42020218511). A comprehensive search of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed utilizing relevant key terms, supplemented by a search of grey literature. Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOQAS) was used for the quality assessment of included studies. Sixteen cross-sectional and 12 case-control studies were included in the review, predominantly dealing with methylation in TSGs related to DNA repair, cell cycle, and cell growth regulation and differentiation. Quantitative synthesis could be performed on P16 (inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 4a), RASSF1A (Ras association domain family 1 isoform A) and MGMT (O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase) genes only. It showed that P16 and RASSF1A genes were more frequently methylated in salivary gland tumours compared to controls (P = .0002 and P < .0001, respectively), while no significant difference was observed for MGMT. Additionally, P16 did not appear to be related to malignant transformation of pleomorphic adenomas (P = .330). In conclusion, TSG methylation is involved in salivary gland tumour pathogenesis and several genes might play a considerable role. Further studies are needed for a better understanding of complex epigenetic deregulation during salivary gland tumour development and progression.

This systematic review was aimed to comprehensively evaluate the clinicopathological and prognostic value of dysregulated expression of circRNAs in OSCC. The research was carried out by searching mainstream electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS, and Cochrane Library to collect relevant studies on prognostic role of circRNAs in OSCC. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the association between circRNAs expression, overall survival (OS), disease/recurrence/progression survival (DFS/RFS/PFS), and clinical parameters. This research included 1813 patients from 26 selected articles. The pooled HR values (95% CIs) in OS were 2.38 (1.92-2.93) for oncogenic circRNAs and 0.43 (0.28-0.66) for tumor-suppressor circRNAs, respectively, in DFS/RFS/PFS were 2.34 (1.73-3.17). The meta-analysis on clinicopathology features showed higher level of oncogenic circRNAs is related to advanced TNM stage, tumor stage, worse histological differentiation, positive lymph node and distant metastasis, while enforced expression of tumor-suppressor circRNAs is related to inferior TNM stage, tumor stage and lymphatic metastasis. In conclusion, our meta-analysis implies that circRNAs may be candidate biomarkers for the prognosis and clinicopathology of OSCC.