A significant number of PTMCs grow during active surveillance, and tumor volume change is a more sensitive means of evaluating tumor growth. Active surveillance can be carefully applied for selected patients. Although it is not contraindicated, it should be applied more cautiously for younger patients.

Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers, with a global increase in incidence rate for both genders. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is the current gold standard to diagnose thyroid cancers, but the results are inaccurate, leading to repeated biopsies and unnecessary surgeries. To reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies, we explored the use of multiparametric photoacoustic (PA) analysis in combination with the American Thyroid Association (ATA) Guideline (ATAP). In this study, we performed in vivo multispectral PA imaging on thyroid nodules from 52 patients, comprising 23 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and 29 benign cases. From the multispectral PA data, we calculated hemoglobin oxygen saturation level in the nodule area, then classified the PTC and benign nodules with multiparametric analysis. Statistical analyses showed that this multiparametric analysis of multispectral PA responses could classify PTC nodules. Combining the photoacoustically indicated probability of PTC and the ATAP led to a new scoring method that achieved a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 93%. This study is the first multiparametric analysis of multispectral PA data of thyroid nodules with statistical significance. As a proof of concept, the results show that the proposed new ATAP scoring can help physicians examine thyroid nodules for fine-needle aspiration biopsy, thus reducing unnecessary biopsies. Significance: This report highlights a novel photoacoustic scoring method for risk stratification of thyroid nodules, where malignancy of the nodules can be diagnosed with 83% sensitivity and 93% specificity.

BackgroundObesity is a major risk factor for the development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Although clinical and epidemiological studies have shown that OSA and obesity are strongly associated, few Asian studies have examined the associations between anthropometric obesity indices and OSA, especially in the Korean population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of anthropometric obesity indices on OSA in a Korean population.MethodsAnthropometric indices, including neck circumference, waist circumference, and body mass index, were assessed in 383 consecutive subjects with suspected OSA.ResultsOf the 383 subjects assessed, 316 (82.5%) were diagnosed with OSA. Neck circumference (r = 0.518), waist circumference (r = 0.570), and body mass index (r = 0.512) were correlated with the apnea-hypopnea index (p<0.001, for all). After adjusting for age, sex, alcohol consumption, and smoking, a logistic regression model showed that neck circumference [odds ratio (OR), 1.414; p<0.001)], waist circumference (OR, 1.114; p<0.001), and body mass index (OR, 1.364; p<0.001) were associated with OSA. The linear regression model showed that neck circumference (β = 3.748, p<0.001), waist circumference (β = 1.272, p<0.001), and body mass index (β = 3.082, p<0.001) were associated with apnea-hypopnea index. The cut-off values for predicting OSA were determined as 34.5 cm for neck circumference, 76.5 cm for waist circumference, and 23.05 kg/m2 for body mass index for females, and 38.75 cm for neck circumference, 88.5 cm for waist circumference, and 24.95 kg/m2 for body mass index for males.ConclusionIncreased anthropometric indices were significantly associated with the presence and severity of OSA in a Korean population. In addition, this study demonstrated the cut-off values for body mass index, waist circumference, and neck circumference for increased OSA risk.

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The focus of sepsis has shifted from inflammation to organ dysfunction on the basis of a recent definition based on the sequential organ failure score (SOFA). A diagnostic and prognostic marker is necessary under this definition but is currently unknown. We enrolled 80 sepsis patients consecutively admitted to an intensive care unit through the emergency department and 80 healthy control patients who received routine health check-ups from August 2018 to January 2019. SEPSIS-3 criteria were used for the diagnosis of patients based on SOFA score≥2 from the baseline along with evidence of infection. Concentrations of 28 cytokines, eight chemokines, and nine growth factors were measured on the day of diagnosis. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed for molecules. The majority of infections were pneumonia (45% of patients) and urinary tract infections (40% of patients). Most of the measured molecules were increased in patients with sepsis. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) values were found to be as follows: hepatic growth factor (HGF), 0.899; interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), 0.893; C-C motif ligand 5 (CCL5) 5, 0.887; C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10), 0.851; CCL2, 0.840; and IL-6, 0.830. IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, and CCL11 concentrations correlated with SOFA score with statistical significance. Prognosis multivariate analysis revealed an odds ratio of 0.968 for epidermal growth factor (EGF). Three clusters were formed, of which Clusters 2 and 3 were associated with nonsurvivors. Diagnosis of sepsis was performed using cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. HGF revealed the highest diagnostic capability, and EGF predicted favorable prognosis among the tested molecules.

Although carboplatin is one of the standard chemotherapeutic agents for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it has limited therapeutic efficacy due to activation of a survival signaling pathway and the induction of multidrug resistance. Curcumin, a natural compound isolated from the plant Curcuma longa, is known to sensitize tumors to different chemotherapeutic agents. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether curcumin can chemosensitize lung cancer cells to carboplatin and to analyze the signaling pathway underlying this synergism. We investigated the synergistic effect of both agents on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and expression of related signaling proteins using the human NSCLC cell line, A549. A549 cell was treated with different concentrations of curcumin and carboplatin alone and in combination. Combined treatment with curcumin and carboplatin inhibited tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion compared with either drug alone. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were more efficiently downregulated by co-treatment than by each treatment alone. mRNA and protein expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and proapoptotic genes was increased in cells treated with a combination of curcumin and carboplatin, whereas expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 gene was suppressed. Co-treatment of both agents substantially suppressed NF-kB activation and increased expression of p53. Phosphorylation of Akt, a protein upstream of NF-kB, was reduced, resulting in inhibition of the degradation of inhibitor of kB(IkBa), whereas the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) was enhanced. Our study demonstrated that the synergistic antitumor activity of curcumin combined with carboplatin is mediated by multiple mechanisms involving suppression of NF-kB via inhibition of the Akt/IKKa pathway and enhanced ERK1/2 activity. Based on this mechanism, curcumin has potential as a chemosensitizer for carboplatin in the treatment of patients with NSCLC.

Hypoxia is a critical characteristic of solid tumors with respect to cancer cell survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Hyperoxic treatment has been attempted to reverse hypoxia by enhancing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the plasma. In this study, we evaluated the effects of normobaric hyperoxia on the progression of lung cancer to determine whether oxygen toxicity can be used in cancer therapy. Following a tail vein injection of the Lewis lung carcinoma cells, C57BL/6J mice were exposed to a 24-h normobaric hyperoxia/normoxia cycle for two weeks. In addition, A549 lung cancer cells were incubated in a normobaric hyperoxia chamber for a 24-h period. As a result, the size and number of tumors in the lung decreased significantly with exposure to normobaric hyperoxia in the mouse model. Cell viability, colony-forming ability, migration, and invasion all decreased significantly in A549 cells exposed to normobaric hyperoxia and the normal control group exposed to normobaric hyperoxia showed no significant damage. Oxidative stress was more prominent with exposure to normobaric hyperoxia in cancer cells. A549 cells exposed to normobaric hyperoxia showed a significantly higher cell apoptosis ratio compared with A549 cells without normobaric hyperoxia exposure and normal human lung cells (BEAS-2B cells). The Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression ratio also increased significantly. Changes in the key regulators of apoptosis were similar between in vivo and in vitro conditions. The p-ERK level decreased, while the p-JNK level increased, after normobaric hyperoxia exposure in A549 cells. This study demonstrated the role of normobaric hyperoxia in inhibiting lung cancer. Normal tissue and cells showed no significant hyperoxic damage in our experimental setting. The anti-tumor effect of normobaric hyperoxia may due to the increased reactive oxygen species activity and apoptosis, which is related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Impact statement Normobaric hyperoxia (NBO) is a feasible therapy for cancer with a low complication rate. Although NBO may be beneficial in cancer treatment, very few studies have been conducted; thus, the evidence is thin. This is the first study to clearly demonstrate morphological changes in lung cancer with NBO exposure and to investigate the underlying mechanisms both in vivo and in vitro. This study will arouse interest in NBO treatment and promote further research.