IBM Watson for Oncology (WFO) has begun to be used in China. In this study, concordance was examined between the treatment recommendation proposed by WFO and clinical decisions for 362 patients in our cancer center, which could reflect the differences of cancer treatment between China and the U.S. Different cancer types showed different concordances, and only gastric cancers were significantly less likely to be concordant. Incidence and pharmaceuticals may be the major causes of discordance. To be comprehensively and rapidly applied in China, WFO needs to accelerate localization. This study may have a significant effect on application of artificial intelligence systems in China.

Purpose: The study investigated the impact of TP53 mutations on the clinical efficacy of first-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in Chinese patients with advanced or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and methods: Tissues from 163 NSCLC patients at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were analyzed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) to determine the mutational status of EGFR and concurrent genetic alterations. TP53 mutations were evaluated in relation to baseline patient characteristics and treatment outcomes (progression-free survival [PFS], overall survival [OS], objective response rate [ORR] and disease control rate [DCR]). Results: Among 163 patients with advanced NSCLC, 77 were identified as EGFR-mutant (47.2%). Six patients who did not receive TKI treatment were excluded. Among the remaining 71 patients with EGFR genetic alterations, the frequency of pathogenic TP53 mutations was 60.6% (43/71), while other concurrent mutations were rare events. Markedly shorter median PFS (mPFS) (6.5 versus 14.0 months, P =0.025) and median OS (mOS) (28.0 versus 52.0 months, P =0.023) were observed in TP53-mut patients than in TP53-wt controls. The overall DCR and ORR of TP53-mutant patients were both lower than those of the TP53-wt cases (DCR: 76.7% versus 89.3%, P =0.160; ORR: 25% versus 28%, P =0.374). Differences in prognosis were significant, especially in the subgroup of patients with TP53 non-missense mutations, non-disruptive mutations, mutations in exon 6, mutations in exon 7 and mutations in the non-DBD region among all TP53 mutations. Conclusion: TP53 mutations reduce responsiveness to TKIs and worsen the prognosis of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, especially for those with non-missense mutations and non-disruptive mutations, as well as mutations in exon 6, exon 7 and non-DBD region, thus acting as an independent predictor of poor outcome in advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-generation TKI therapy. Our study also suggests that TP53 mutation might be involved in primary resistance to EGFR-TKIs in Chinese NSCLC patients.

Genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1 and XRCC1 may be important predictive factors in platinum-treated patients with advanced NSCLC. Assessment of genetic variations of GSTP1 and XRCC1 could facilitate therapeutic decisions for individualised therapy in advanced NSCLC.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a growing health problem throughout the world. Strong evidences have supported that gut microbiota can influence tumorigenesis; however, little is known about what happens to gut microbiota following surgical resection. Here, we examined the changes of gut microbiota in CRC patients after the surgical resection. Using the PCoA analysis and dissimilarity tests, the microbial taxonomic compositions and diversities of gut microbiota in post-surgery CRC patients (A1) were significantly different from those in pre-surgery CRC patients (A0) and healthy individuals (H). Compared with A0 and H, the Shannon diversity and Simpson diversity were significantly decreased in A1 (P < 0.05). Based on the LEfSe analysis, the relative abundance of phylum Proteobacteria in A1 was significantly increased than that in A0 and H. The genus Klebsiella in A1 had higher proportions than that in A0 (P < 0.05). Individual variation was distinct; however, 90% of CRC patients in A1 had more abundances of Klebsiella than A0. The Klebsiella in A1 was significantly associated with infectious diseases (P < 0.05), revealed by the correlation analysis between differentiated genera and metabolic pathway. The Klebsiella (Proteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Enterobacteriales, Enterobacteriaceae) in A1 was significantly linked with lymphatic invasion (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the PCA of KEGG pathways indicated that gut microbiota with a more scattered distribution in A1 was noticeably different from that in A0 and H. The nodes, the links, and the kinds of phylum in each module in A1 were less than those in A0 and H, indicating that gut microbiota in A1 had a relatively looser ecologcial interaction network. To sum up, this pilot study identified the changes of gut microbiota in post-surgery CRC patients, and highlights future avenues in which the gut microbiota is likely to be of increasing importance in the care of surgical patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of the polymorphism Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) Ile105Val on oxaliplatin/5-FU-based chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer. Patients with advanced gastric cancer accepted oxaliplatin/5-FU-based chemotherapy as first-line chemotherapy were investigated. GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism was detected by TaqMan-MGB probe allelic discrimination method. Response to treatment was assessed by disease controlled rate. Time to progression, overall survival and toxicities were recorded. Final patient outcomes were as follows: the allele frequencies of GSTP1 were 105Ile/105Ile 52%, 105Ile/105Val 41% and 105Val/105Val 7%. For patients with 105Ile/105Ile and those with at least one 105Val allele, disease control rate was 39% and 71% (P=0.026), respectively; median time to progression was 4.0 and 7.0 months (P=0.002); median overall survival time was 7.0 and 9.5 months (P=0.002). Neurological toxicity was more frequently occurred in patients with two 105Ile alleles (P=0.005). In conclusion, patients with at least one 105Val allele have better prognosis and response to oxaliplatin/5-FU-based regimen as first-line treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer.

This is the first study which showed that polymorphisms of ERCC1 and XRCC1, in combination not individually, were independent predictors for DCR and OS. This may contribute to the selection of patients who would benefit from oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer.

The study aims to investigate whether the glutathione S transferase P1 (GSTP1) and excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1) polymorphism influence the response to treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy in Chinese patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Ninety-one patients with metastatic non-small lung cancer were evaluated. Blood samples were obtained from each patient before chemotherapy. They are all administered modified TP, GP, NP regimens. Curative effects in patients were evaluated after at least two cycles of treatment. TTP was calculated. The response rate of GSTP1 with G/G + G/A group and A/A group is 54.55 % (24/44) and 21.28 % (10/47) (P = 0.001), respectively. The response rate of ERCC1 with C/C group and C/T + T/T group is 51.11 % (23/45) and 23.91 % (11/46) (P = 0.007), respectively. Patients with both G/G + G/A and C/C has the response rate of 64.52 % (20/31) (P = 0.000). Logistic regression analysis shows a significant increased chance of treatment response in patients with G/G + G/A genotype versus A/A genotype (P = 0.008) and with T/T + C/T genotype versus C/C genotype (P = 0.001). The median TTP of all patients is 7.32 months. The TTP of individuals with G/G + G/A genotype is 9.56 months, and those with A/A genotype had an TTP of 5.23 months. The TTP of individuals with C/C genotype is 9.16 months, and those with T/T + C/T genotype is 5.53 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis shows that ERCC1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms are correlated with TTP. The log-rank test is was marginally significant (P < 0.01). GSTP1 and ERCC1 polymorphism are correlated with response to platinum-based chemotherapy and have prognostic value for TTP.

To examine the association between genetic polymorphisms of XRCC1 Arg399Gln(G→A) and response to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer. XRCC1 genotypes of totally 99 patients(37 stage III, 62 stage IV)with advanced colorectal cancer treated with oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy were detected by TaqMan-MGB probe allelic discrimination method. And clinical response of 62 patients in stage IVafter 2 to 3 cycles of chemotherapy were evaluated. Also time to progress (TTP) of all patients were evaluated. Of the genotype frequencies in all patients, up to 52.53 % were G/G genotype, 9.09 % were A/A genotype, and 38.38 % were G/A genotype. The response rate (CR+PR) of 62 patients in stage IV was 61.29 % (19/31). Patients with G/G genotype showed enhanced respond to chemotherapy compared to those with G/A+A/A (x(2) = 5.6, P = 0.029; OR = 3.845, 95 %CI = 1.231 ~ 12.01, P = 0.018). Individuals with the G/G genotype had a TTP of 10.0 (8.88-11.12) months, those with the G/A+A/A genotype had an TTP of 5.0(4.26-5.74) months. The log-rank test was marginally significant (x(2) = 29.20, P < 0.01). The Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for stage, performance status, and chemotherapy regimen, showed that only XRCC1 G/G genotypes increases the OR significantly (OR = 3.555; 95 % CI, 2.119 ~ 5.963; P < 0.01). The results suggest that XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphisms is associated with the response to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy and time to progression in advanced colorectal cancer in Chinese population. It is proposed that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism should be routinely detected to screen patients who are more likely benefit from oxaliplatin-based treatment.