Molecular markers to assess short-term disease local recurrence in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Chunhua Wang
Sumei Wang
Tao Xu
Donghui Wang
Weihong Wei
Yunbao Pan
François X Claret
Huiling Yang
Bojin Su
Hecheng Huang
Journal: Oncology Reports (2015)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; tumor recurrence; predictors; adjuvant therapy; phosphor-Stat3
Affiliations: Department of Pathophysiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong, Guangzhou 510600, P.R. China., Department of Radiation Oncology, First People's Hospital of Foshan, Guangdong, Foshan 528000, P.R. China., Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Abstract:  An important challenge in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) research is to develop effective predictors of tumor recurrence following treatment to determine whether immediate adjuvant therapy is necessary. We retrospectively analyzed archived specimens collected from 45 patients with paired samples of primary NPC (pNPC) and recurrent NPC (rNPC). Clinical samples were collected from the Cancer Center Databases of the First People's Hospital of Foshan and Shantou Central Hospital (affiliates of Sun Yat-Sen University) between 2001 and 2012. Expression levels of phosphor-Stat3 (p-Stat3), signalosome complex subunit 5 (Jab1/Csn5), Akt1, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), Ki-67, and apoptosis were determined by immunohistochemistry in pNPC and rNPC samples from the same patients. Differences in these markers between the short-term interval to recurrence (ITR) group (ITR &lt;18 months) and long-term ITR group (ITR ≥18 months) were further analyzed. In Cox's regression analysis, the ITR was significantly associated as an independent‑negative prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.211; 95% confidence interval, 0.053-0.841; P=0.027). p-Stat3 was increased in the short-term ITR group (ITR &lt;18 months) and tended to be lower in the long-term ITR group (ITR ≥18 months). In the short-term ITR group, nuclear Akt expression was significantly increased in paired rNPC (P=0.028). In the long-term ITR group, the expression of nuclear Jab1/Csn5 (P=0.047) and assessment of apoptosis measured with TdT-mediated dUTP nick end‑labeling (TUNEL) (P=0.003) was significantly increased in paired rNPC. The results suggest that differences between short- and long-term ITR may predict outcome in rNPC. Furthermore, the overexpression of Jab1/Csn5 and Akt may contribute to the carcinogenesis of rNPC, and Akt seems to promote the progression of short-term ITR. Intra-individual changes of Jab1/Csn5, Akt, and TUNEL may help to identify short-term ITR. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 image duplication ![file] Disclaimer: These potential image duplications have been detected automatically using ImageTwin http: dx.doi.org 10.1145 3019612.3019875 Although results have been curated, the automatic algorithm may have generated false positive results and cannot take into account all scientific explanations for apparent duplications like stripped and reprobed blots, time series, serial sections and reused controls. , 
 The two highlighted figures do look highly similar, albeit with a degree of rotation. The program seems to have missed the fact that ALL the control  No plaque and ALL the  1000 TCID50 DENV2 seem to be the same images (respectively). , 
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 I think I have my own little bit to add here. ![file] , 
 And if I am not mistaken too badly, also this: ![file] , 
 The software also seems to have missed that : 1) YK 38 and YK 51 (last column) seems to be inverted images; 2) YK 73x and YK 101 (third column) seem to be the same image. , 
 Possible conclusion: ImageTwin is not a very effective image tool? ,