Background:Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients often exhibit neutrophilia, which has been associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, the mechanisms that lead to neutrophilia have not been fully established. CD47 is an antiphagocytic molecule that promotes neutrophil recruitment.Methods:Blood was collected from 50 treatment-naive patients with advanced NSCLC and from 25 healthy subjects. The frequency of CD66b+ cells and the expression of CD47 were determined by flow cytometry. Neutrophil apoptosis was determined by 7-amino-actinomycin D/Annexin V-APC staining. Phagocytosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Reactive oxygen species production after phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate treatment was quantified by 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein fluorescence. Pro-inflammatory plasma cytokines were quantified using a cytometric bead array assay.Results:The percentage of circulating neutrophils was significantly higher in patients than in controls (P<0.001). Patient-derived neutrophils had a higher oxidative potential than those of controls (P=0.0286). The number of neutrophils in late apoptosis/necrosis was lower in patients than in controls (P=0.0317). Caspase 3/7 activation was also lower in patients than in controls (P=0.0079). CD47 expression in whole-blood samples and in the neutrophil fraction was higher in NSCLC patients than in controls (P=0.0408 and P<0.001). Patient-derived neutrophils were phagocytosed at a lower rate than those of controls (P=0.0445). CD47 expression in neutrophils negatively correlated with their ingestion by macrophages (P=0.0039). High CD47 expression was associated with a lower overall survival.Conclusions:Increased CD47 expression on the surface of neutrophils was associated with a delay in neutrophil apoptosis and with an impairment in their phagocytic clearance by macrophages, suggesting that CD47 overexpression may be one of the underlying mechanisms leading to neutrophilia in NSCLC patients.

Background Interindividual survival and recurrence rates in cases of locoregional colon cancer following surgical resection are highly variable. The aim of the present study was to determine whether elevated pre-operative and post-operative CEA values are useful prognostic biomarkers for patients with stage I-III colon cancer who underwent surgery with curative intent. Methods We conducted a retrospective study in patients with histologically confirmed stage I-III primary colonic adenocarcinoma who underwent radical surgical resection at Mexico’s National Cancer Institute, between January 2008 and January 2020. We determined pre-operative and post-operative CEA and analyzed the association of scores with poorer survival outcomes in patients with resected colon cancer, considering overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results We included 640 patients with stage I-III colon cancer. Pre-operative CEA levels were in the normal range in 460 patients (group A) and above the reference value in the other 180. Of the latter, 134 presented normalized CEA levels after surgery, but 46 (group C) continued to show CEA levels above the reference values after surgery. Therefore, propensity score matching (PSM) was carried out to reduce the bias. Patients were adjusted at a 1:1:1 ratio with 46 in each group, to match the number in the smallest group. Median follow- up was 46.4 months (range, 4.9–147.4 months). Median DFS was significantly shorter in Group C: 55.5 months (95% CI 39.6–71.3) than in the other two groups [Group A: 77.1 months (95% CI 72.6–81.6). Group B: 75.7 months (95% CI 66.8–84.5) (p-value < 0.001)]. Overall survival was also significantly worse in group C [57.1 (95% CI 37.8–76.3) months] than in group A [82.8 (95% CI 78.6–86.9 months] and group B [87.1 (95% CI 79.6–94.5 months] (p-value = 0.002). To identify whether change in CEA levels operative and post-surgery was an independent prognostic factor for survival outcomes, a Cox proportional hazard model was applied. In multivariate analysis, change in CEA level was a statistically significant, independent prognostic factor for overall survival (p-value = 0.031). Conclusions When assessed collectively, pre-operative and post-operative CEA values are useful biomarkers for predicting survival outcomes in patients with resected colon cancer. Prognoses are worse for patients with elevated pre-operative and post-surgical CEA values, but similar in patients with normal post-surgical values, regardless of their pre-surgery values.

No abstract

A 57-year-old man with a heavy smoking and alcohol consumption history, but no comorbidities, presented with pharyngeal pain to his primary care physician’s office. He received empirical treatment with oral antibiotics and experienced partial improvement. A couple of months later, he developed a left cervical mass with progressive growth. A head and neck CT scan revealed a hypopharyngeal tumor. Results of a tumor biopsy indicated an ulcerated, moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with lymphovascular invasion. The patient was sent to our institution for treatment.

No abstract