ObjectiveTo explore the accuracy of machine learning algorithms based on SHOX2 and RASSF1A methylation levels in predicting early-stage lung adenocarcinoma pathological types. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens from patients who underwent lung tumor resection surgery at Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January 2021 to January 2023. Based on the pathological classification of the tumors, patients were divided into three groups: a benign tumor/adenocarcinoma in situ (BT/AIS) group, a minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) group, and an invasive adenocarcinoma (IA) group. The methylation levels of SHOX2 and RASSF1A in FFPE specimens were measured using the LungMe kit through methylation-specific PCR (MS-PCR). Using the methylation levels of SHOX2 and RASSF1A as predictive variables, various machine learning algorithms (including logistic regression, XGBoost, random forest, and naive Bayes) were employed to predict different lung adenocarcinoma pathological types. ResultsA total of 272 patients were included. The average ages of patients in the BT/AIS, MIA, and IA groups were 57.97, 61.31, and 63.84 years, respectively. The proportions of female patients were 55.38%, 61.11%, and 61.36%, respectively. In the early-stage lung adenocarcinoma prediction model established based on SHOX2 and RASSF1A methylation levels, the random forest and XGBoost models performed well in predicting each pathological type. The C-statistics of the random forest model for the BT/AIS, MIA, and IA groups were 0.71, 0.72, and 0.78, respectively. The C-statistics of the XGBoost model for the BT/AIS, MIA, and IA groups were 0.70, 0.75, and 0.77, respectively. The naive Bayes model only showed robust performance in the IA group, with a C-statistic of 0.73, indicating some predictive ability. The logistic regression model performed the worst among all groups, showing no predictive ability for any group. Through decision curve analysis, the random forest model demonstrated higher net benefit in predicting BT/AIS and MIA pathological types, indicating its potential value in clinical application. ConclusionMachine learning algorithms based on SHOX2 and RASSF1A methylation levels have high accuracy in predicting early-stage lung adenocarcinoma pathological types.
Objective To select relatively specific biomarkers in serum from lung adenocarcinoma patients using surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry （SELDI-TOF-MS） Protein Chip technology, and study the follow-up results of postoperative serum proteomic patterns. Methods Serum samples from 71 lung adenocarcinoma patients. 71 healthy volunteers with matched gender, age and history of smoking were analyzed by using weak cation exchange 2（WCX2） Protein Chip to select potentially biomarkers. Seventy-one patients were followed-up till 9 months after surgery. Compare the serum proteomic patterns 3,6 and 9 months after surgery. Results Five highly expressed potential biomarkers were identified with the relative molecular weights of 4 047.79, 4 203. 99, 4 959. 81, 5 329. 30 and 7 760. 12 Da. The postoperative serum proteomic patterns changed among individuals, and correlated with patients＇ clinical stage. Conclusions SELDI-TOF-MS Protein Chip technology is a quick, easy, convenient, and high-throughout analyzing method capable of selecting relatively specific, potential biomarkers from the serum of lung adenocarcinoma patients and may have attractive clinical value.
Objective To evaluate the correlation between cyclin B1 (CCNB1) gene expression and the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods Oncomine, STRING, Human Protein Atlas, The Cancer Genome Atlas and other databases as well as Kaplan-Meier method, Cox regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Spearman correlation analysis were used to verify the effect of CCNB1 on patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Results CCNB1 was highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma, and the high expression was correlated with T stage (P=0.001), N stage (P<0.001), pathological stage (P<0.001) and gender (P=0.008). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that the expression of CCNB1, T stage, N stage, M stage and pathological stage were the factors affecting the overall survival rate of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (P<0.05); multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the expression of CCNB1 and T stage were independent risk factors for overall survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that high expression of CCNB1 was associated with shorter overall survival [hazard ratio (HR)=1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.20, 2.14), P=0.002], disease-specific survival [HR=1.68, 95%CI (1.16, 2.44), P=0.006] and progression-free interval [HR=1.42, 95%CI (1.09, 1.85), P=0.009]. The ROC curve showed that CCNB1 might be a potential diagnostic molecule for lung adenocarcinoma [area under the curve=0.980, 95%CI (0.967, 0.993)]. Spearman correlation analysis showed that CCNB1 expression was positively correlated with the infiltration of T helper cells 2 (rs=0.805, P<0.001) and T helper cells (rs=0.103, P=0.017), and negatively correlated with the infiltration of natural killer cells (rs=−0.195, P<0.001), macrophages (rs=−0.134, P=0.002), and T cells (rs=−0.092, P=0.033). Conclusion CCNB1 is highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma compared with normal tissues, which is related to poor prognosis and may provide a potential therapeutic target for patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
Objective To analyze the expression of H2A histone family, member X (H2AFX) gene in lung adenocarcinoma and its influence on prognosis. Methods We analyzed the expression level of H2AFX gene in the tumor tissues (497 cases) and normal adjacent tissues (54 cases) of lung adenocarcinoma patients via The Cancer Genome Atlas. The patients were divided into high expression group and low expression group according to the expression level of H2AFX gene in lung adenocarcinoma samples. The relationship between H2AFX and clinicopathological features of patients was analyzed through logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to study the correlation between H2AFX expression and the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients. Univariate and multiple Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the prognostic significance of H2AFX expression in lung adenocarcinoma patients. The research also covered H2AFX-related pathways of genes in the development of lung adenocarcinoma with gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Results The H2AFX expression was higher in lung adenocarcinoma tissues than that in normal adjacent tissues (P<0.001). Besides, it was significantly correlated with age (P<0.001), T staging (P=0.007), and N staging (P=0.010), but had little to do with M staging or gender (P>0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test showed that the survival rate of patients with high H2AFX expression was vastly lower than that of patients with low H2AFX expression (P<0.001). Multiple Cox regression analysis demonstrated that H2AFX could be an independent prognostic factor for lung adenocarcinoma [hazard ratio=1.41, 95% confidence interval (1.11, 1.78), P=0.004]. The results of GSEA displayed that H2AFX was involved in cell cycle, homologous recombination, DNA replication, base excision and repair, spliceosome, mismatch repair, p53 signaling pathway, nucleotide excision and repair, RNA degradation, RNA polymerase, and other pathways. Conclusions The expression of H2AFX gene is high in lung adenocarcinoma, and closely connected to the prognosis, occurrence, and evolution of lung adenocarcinoma. This gene can be one of the new molecular markers and therapeutic targets for lung adenocarcinoma.
Lung ground glass opacity (GGO), which is associated with the pathology of the lung adenocarcinoma, is drawing more and more attention with the increased detection rate. However, it is still in the research stage for the imaging interpretation of GGO lesions. In this paper, we reviewed and analyzed the new classification of lung adenocarcinoma corresponding to the interpretation of GGO imaging feature, which emphasizes on how to determine the GGO lesions comprehensively and quantitative determination of the invasive extent of GGO.
Objective To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics, prognosis and treatment strategies of adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA). Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 489 patients with AIS and MIA in our hospital from January 2007 to August 2015. There were 122 males and 367 females with an average age of 26–78 (51±9) years. According to the pathological types, they were divided into the AIS group (246 patients) and the MIA group (243 patients). In the AIS group, there were 60 males and 186 females with an average age of 50±7 years. In the MIA group, there were 62 males and 181 females with an average age of 54±5 years. The clinicopathological features, surgical methods and prognosis of the two groups were compared. Results There were significant differences in age, value of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), nodule shape and nodule size between the AIS and MIA groups (P<0.05). AIS patients were mostly under the age of 60 years with the value of CEA in the normal range which often appeared as pure ground-glass opacity lung nodules <1 cm in diameter on the CT scan. MIA often appeared as mixed ground-glass nodules <1.5 cm in diameter, accompanied by bronchiectasis and pleural indentation. The 5-year disease-free survival rate of the AIS and MIA groups reached 100%, and there was no statistical difference in the prognosis between the two groups after subtotal lobectomy (pulmonary resection and wedge resection) and lobectomy, systematic lymph node dissection and mediastinal lymph node sampling. Conclusion The analysis of preoperative clinical and imaging features can predict the AIS and MIA and provide individualized surgery and postoperative treatment program.
ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between histological subtypes of invasive lung adenocarcinoma and epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation, and to provide a reference for clinical prediction of EGFR gene mutation status.MethodsFrom October 2017 to May 2019, 102 patients with invasive lung adenocarcinoma were collected, including 58 males and 44 females aged 62 (31-84) years. Invasive lung adenocarcinoma was classified into different histological subtypes. Scorpion probe amplification block mutation system (ARMS) real-time PCR was used to detect the mutation of EGFR gene in adenocarcinoma specimens, and the relationship between invasive lung adenocarcinoma subtypes and EGFR mutation status was analyzed.ResultsIn 102 patients with invasive lung adenocarcinoma, EGFR gene mutations were detected in 68 patients, and the mutation rate was 66.7% (68/102). The mutation sites were mainly concentrated in the exons 19 and 21; the mutation rate was higher in female patients (34/44, 77.3%) and non-smokers (34/58, 58.6%). EGFR mutation was mostly caused by acinar-like invasive lung adenocarcinoma, and was rare in solid-type lung adenocarcinoma. The EGFR gene mutation rates in different subtypes of adenocarcinoma were statistically different (P<0.05).ConclusionThe EGFR mutation status is related to gender, smoking status and histological subtype of invasive lung adenocarcinoma. EGFR mutation rates are higher in female, non-smoking and acinar-like invasive lung adenocarcinoma patients, and are lower in patients with solid type lung adenocarcinoma.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness of Ovol2 gene for epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to offer some theory evidences for the targeted therapy in lung adenocarcinoma. MethodsA549 cells were treated with control and Ovol2 overexpressioned by lentivirus infection. Real-time PCR were performed to test the mRNA level of genes correlated to EMT. Western Blot was performed for protein level of the following makers:E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, ect. Moreover, we tested the migration and invasion ability of A549 cells by transwell and wound healing experiment. ResultsAfter treated with Ovol2 overexpressed, the expression level of E-cadherin raised, while the expression level of N-cadherin, vimentin and Twist1 declined in both mRNA and protein expression level. The results of wound healing and transwell experiment indicated that the migration and invasion ability of A549 cells weakened. ConclusionOverexpression of Ovol2 gene can suppress the distant metastasis ability and invasion ability of A549 cells by inhibiting the EMT.
ObjectiveTo investigate the CT signs and clinicopathological features of peripheral cavitary lung adenocarcinoma with the largest diameter less than or equal to 3 cm.Methods From January 2015 to December 2017, the CT signs and clinicopathological fertures of 51 patients with ≤3 cm peripheral cavitary lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed by chest CT and surgical pathology were retrospectively analyzed. Furthermore, CT signs and clinicopathological features of thick-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma and thin-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma were compared. There were 29 males and 22 females at age of 62 (56, 67) years.ResultsThere were 27 thick-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma and 24 thin-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma. Thick-walled cavitary adenocarcinoma had greater SUVmax [6.5 (3.7, 9.7) vs. 2.2 (1.4, 3.8), P=0.019], larger cavity wall thickness (11.8±4.6 mm vs. 7.6±3.7 mm, P=0.001), larger tumor tissue size [2.1 (1.7, 2.8) cm vs. 1.6 (1.2, 2.0) cm, P=0.006], and more solid nodules (17 patients vs. 8 patients, P=0.035). Thin-walled cavitary adenocarcinoma had more smoking history (12 patients vs. 6 patients, P=0.038), larger cavity size [12.3 (9.2, 16.6) mm vs. 4.4 (2.8, 7.1) mm, P=0.000], and larger proportion of cavities [0.30 (0.19, 0.37) vs. 0.03 (0.01, 0.09), P=0.000]. On CT signs, there were more features of irregular inner wall (19 patients vs. 6 patients, P=0.000), intra-cystic separation (16 patients vs. 6 patients, P=0.001) and vessels through the cystic cavity (10 patients vs. 1 patient, P=0.001) in thin-walled caviraty lung adenocarcinoma.ConclusionPeripheral cavitary lung adenocarcinoma of ≤3 cm on chest CT has characteristic manifestations in clinical, imaging and pathology, and there is a statistical difference between thick-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma and thin-walled cavitary lung adenocarcinoma.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of different lymph node dissection methods on the prognosis of patients with stage ⅠA spread through air space (STAS)-positive lung adenocarcinoma≤ 2 cm. MethodsClinical data of 3148 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgery at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from 2016 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with stage ⅠA STAS-positive lung adenocarcinoma≤ 2 cm were included and divided into two groups based on lymph node dissection methods: systematic lymph node dissection group and limited lymph node dissection group. Compare the clinical and pathological data of two groups of patients and use Cox proportional hazards regression model for multivariate survival analysis. ResultsA total of 209 STAS-positive patients were enrolled in the study, including 98 males and 111 females, aged 28-83 (60.42±10.15) years. Univariate analysis showed that the mode of lymph node dissection, past history, micropapillary histological subtype, and papillary histological subtype were risk factors for patient prognosis. Multifactorial analysis showed that lymph node dissection method, age, and micropapillary histological subtype were risk factors for patient prognosis. Meanwhile, among STAS-positive patients, systematic lymph node dissection had a better prognosis than limited lymph node dissection patients. ConclusionSTAS plays an important role in patient prognosis as an independent risk factor for prognosis of stage ⅠA ≤2 cm lung adenocarcinoma. When STAS is positive, the choice of systematic lymph node dissection may be more favourable to patients' long-term prognosis.