No abstract

Background Serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) may predict the risk of positive positron emission tomography/computed tomography with radiolabelled prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA‐PET/CT) in patients with biochemical recurrent prostate cancer (BRPCa). However, to date, there are no clear data regarding the correlation between PSA kinetics and PSMA‐PET findings. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to provide evidence‐based data in this setting. Methods A comprehensive literature search of studies published through October 2018 in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases was performed. A meta‐analysis to establish the detection rate (DR) of PSMA‐PET using different cut‐off values of PSA doubling time (PSAdt) and a pooled analysis to establish whether shorter PSAdt may predict positive PSMA‐PET results was performed in patients with BRPCa. Results Twelve articles were included in the systematic review, and eight articles (including about 1400 patients) were selected for the meta‐analysis. The pooled DR including 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of PSMA‐PET in restaging prostate cancer (PCa) patients was 72% (95%CI:60%‐82%), increasing to 83% (95%CI:75%‐90%) when PSAdt was ≤6 months and decreasing to 60% (95%CI:37%‐80%) when PSAdt was >6 months, without a statistical significant difference. PSAdt ≤6 months may predict the positive result of PSMA‐PET (pooled odds ratio: 3.22; 95%CI:1.17‐8.88). Statistical heterogeneity among the included studies was found. Conclusions PSA kinetics, and in particular shorter PSAdt, may be predictor of PSMA‐PET positivity in patients with BRPCa. Further larger studies in this setting are warranted.

Background: Molecular imaging methods are currently used in the management of patients with lung cancer. Compared to non-small cell lung cancer, less data are available about the impact of molecular imaging using fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18 F-FDG PET/CT) in staging patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Performing a systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to provide quantitative data about the impact of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in staging SCLC. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of studies on the use of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in patients with SCLC was performed. Three different databases were screened (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases) until June 2019. Only articles describing the impact of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in staging patients with SCLC were selected. A pooled analysis evaluating the change of binary SCLC staging (limited-stage vs. extensive-stage disease) using 18 F-FDG PET/CT was carried out. Results: Nine articles including 721 patients with SCLC were included in the systematic review. Compared to conventional staging, a superior diagnostic accuracy of 18 F-FDG PET/CT was found. A change of binary SCLC staging using 18 F-FDG PET/CT was demonstrated in 15% (95% confidence interval, 9-21%) of patients with SCLC. Currently, it is not clearly demonstrated that the use of 18 F-FDG PET/CT for staging may improve the survival outcome of patients with SCLC. Conclusions: 18 F-FDG PET/CT is a useful molecular imaging method for staging patients with SCLC because it can change the management in a significant number of patients. More large prospective studies and cost-effectiveness analyses on the impact of 18 F-FDG PET/CT in staging patients with SCLC are needed.

The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in prostate carcinogenesis is highly controversial: some studies suggest a positive association between HPV infection and an increased risk of prostate cancer (PCa), whereas others do not reveal any correlation. In this study, we investigated the prognostic impact of HPV infection on survival in 150 primary PCa patients. One hundred twelve (74.67%) patients had positive expression of HPV E7 protein, which was evaluated in tumour tissue by immunohistochemistry. DNA analysis on a subset of cases confirmed HPV infection and revealed the presence of genotype 16. In Kaplan-Meier analysis, HPV-positive cancer patients showed worse overall survival (OS) (median 4.59 years) compared to HPV-negative (median 8.24 years, P = 0.0381). In multivariate analysis age (P < 0.001), Gleason score (P < 0.001), nuclear grading (P = 0.002), and HPV status (P = 0.034) were independent prognostic factors for OS. In our cohort, we observed high prevalence of HPV nuclear E7 oncoprotein and an association between HPV infection and PCa survival. In the debate about the oncogenic activity of HPV in PCa, our results further confirm the need for additional studies to clarify the possible role of HPV in prostate carcinogenesis.

BackgroundNeuroendocrine markers, which could indicate for aggressive variants of prostate cancer and Ki67 (a well-known marker in oncology for defining tumor proliferation), have already been associated with clinical outcome in prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of those markers in primary prostate cancer patients.Patients and methodsNSE (neuron specific enolase), ChrA (chromogranin A), Syp (Synaptophysin) and Ki67 staining were performed by immunohistochemistry. Then, the prognostic impact of their expression on overall survival was investigated in 166 primary prostate cancer patients by univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsNSE, ChrA, Syp and Ki67 were positive in 50, 45, 54 and 146 out of 166 patients, respectively. In Kaplan-Meier analysis only diffuse NSE staining (negative vs diffuse, p = 0.004) and Ki67 (≤ 10% vs > 10%, p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with overall survival. Ki67 expression, but not NSE, resulted as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in multivariate analysis.ConclusionsA prognostic model incorporating Ki67 expression with clinical-pathological covariates could provide additional prognostic information. Ki67 may thus improve prediction of prostate cancer outcome based on standard clinical-pathological parameters improving prognosis and management of prostate cancer patients.