Recent studies have showed that RNAs regulate each other with microRNA (miRNA) response elements (MREs) and this mechanism is known as "competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)" hypothesis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are supposed to play important roles in cancer. Compelling evidence suggests that lncRNAs can interact with miRNAs and regulate the expression of miRNAs as ceRNAs. Several lncRNAs such as H19, HOTAIR and MEG3 have been found to be associated with miRNAs in gastric cancer (GC), generating regulatory crosstalk across the transcriptome. These MRE sharing elements implicated in the ceRNA networks (ceRNETs) are able to regulate mRNA expression. The ceRNA regulatory networks including mRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs and circular RNAs may play critical roles in tumorigenesis, and the perturbations of ceRNETs may contribute to the pathogenesis of GC.

Previous studies on the association between interleukin-1 (IL-1) genetic polymorphisms and the risk of gastric cancer have produced conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between IL-1 genotype and gastric caner by systematically reviewing the risk of the original studies. Thirty-nine studies, which included 6,863 gastric cancer cases and 8,434 controls, met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. By pooling all the studies identified, the summary odds ratio (OR) of gastric cancer risk associated with IL-1B-511T, 231C, 13954T and IL-1RN*2 was 1.26 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.55), 1.00 (95% CI: 0.82-1.22), 1.37 (95% CI: 0.94-2.00) and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.01-1.41), respectively. A stratified analysis showed that IL-1B-511T was associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer (intestinal type) (OR 5 1.76, 95% CI: 1.12-2.57). Moreover, IL-1RN*2 was also associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer among Caucasians (OR 5 1.30, 95% CI: 1.09-1.54). In conclusion, IL-1B-511 and IL-1RN genetic polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. ' 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

This is the first reported case-control study of HCC in Henan, China. This study provides further evidence that chronic HBV infection is strongly associated with the development of HCC among this population. Our results have demonstrated that HCV and HBV infection are independent and probably additive risk factors for HCC.

Highlights d SerpinB9 protects cancer cells from their own granzyme B d SerpinB9 expression in CAFs, MDSCs, and TAMs can promote tumor growth d Deletion of serpinB9 in both the tumor and host suppresses tumor growth markedly d SerpinB9 inhibition can target cancer cells, CAFs, MDSCs, and TAMs simultaneously

Background: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. LSCC patients have seriously impaired vocal, respiratory, and swallowing functions with poor prognosis. Circular RNA (circRNA) has attracted great attention in cancer research. However, the expression patterns and roles of circRNAs in LSCC remain largely unknown. Methods: RNA sequencing was performed on 57 pairs of LSCC and matched adjacent normal mucosa tissues to construct circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles. RT-PCR, qPCR, Sanger sequencing, and FISH were undertaken to study the expression, localization, and clinical significance of circCORO1C in LSCC tissues and cells. The functions of circCORO1C in LSCC were investigated by RNAi-mediated knockdown, proliferation analysis, EdU staining, colony formation assay, Transwell assay, and apoptosis analysis. The regulatory mechanisms among circCORO1C, let-7c-5p, and PBX3 were investigated by luciferase assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry.

N6-methyladenosine (m 6 A) is the most common RNA modification and has an important role in normal development and tumorigenesis. The abnormal expression of m 6 A regulators can lead to an imbalance in m 6 A levels in cancer cells, leading to the dysregulated expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that may contribute to cancer development, patient response to chemoradiotherapy, and clinical prognosis. Recent studies demonstrate that non-coding RNAs are involved in epigenetic modification of both DNA and RNA in tumor cells, and may also affect the development and progression of cancer by targeting m 6 A regulators. In this review, we describe the functional crosstalk between m 6 A and non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and circular RNA, and illustrate their roles in tumor regulation. Finally, we discuss the significance of non-coding RNA and m 6 A modification in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cancer patients, as well as potential future research directions.

Objective Sexual function among testicular cancer survivors is a concern because affected men are of reproductive age when diagnosed. We conducted a case-control study among United States military men to examine whether testicular cancer survivors experienced impaired sexual function. Methods A total of 246 testicular cancer cases and 236 ethnicity and age matched controls were enrolled in the study in 2008-2009. The Brief Male Sexual Function Inventory (BMSFI) was used to assess sexual function. Results Compared to controls, cases scored significantly lower on sex drive (5.77 vs. 5.18), erection (9.40 vs. 8.63), ejaculation (10.83 vs. 9.90), and problem assessment (10.55 vs. 9.54). Cases were significantly more likely to have impaired erection (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.11-2.64), ejaculation (OR 2.27; 95% CI 1.32-3.91), and problem assessment (OR 2.36; 95% CI 1.43-3.90). In histology and treatment analysis, nonseminoma, chemotherapy and radiation treated cases risk of erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation, and/or problem assessment were greater when compared to controls. Conclusion This study provides evidence that testicular cancer survivors are more likely to have impaired sexual functioning compared to demographically matched controls. The observed impaired sexual functioning appeared to vary by treatment regimen and histologic subtype.

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