Effect of Aberrant Long Noncoding RNA on the Prognosis of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a kind of lethal cancer. Although there are mature treatment methods, there is still a lack of rigorous and scientific means for cancer diagnosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a kind of noncoding RNA (ncRNA). Recent studies find that alteration of lncRNA expression is related to the occurrence of many cancers. In order to find lncRNAs which can effectively predict the prognosis of ccRCC, RNA-seq count data and clinical information were downloaded from TCGA-KIRC, and gene expression profiles from 530 patients were included. Then, K-means was used for clustering, and the number of clusters was determined to be 5. The R-package "edgeR" was used to perform differential expression analysis. Subsequently, a risk model composed of 10 lncRNA biomarkers significantly related to prognosis was identified via Cox and LASSO regression analyses. Then, patients were divided into two groups according to the model-based risk score, and then, GSEA pathway enrichment was performed. The results showed that metabolism- and mTOR-related pathways were activated while immune-related pathways were inhibited in the high-risk patients. Combined with previous studies, it is believed that these 10 lncRNAs are potential targets for the treatment of ccRCC. In addition, Cox regression analysis was used to verify the independence of the risk model, and as results revealed, the risk model can be used to independently predict the prognosis of patients. In conclusion, our study found 10 lncRNAs related to the prognosis of ccRCC and provided new ideas for clinical diagnosis and drug development.

Renal clear cell carcinoma: diffusion tensor imaging diagnostic accuracy and correlations with clinical and histopathological factors

AIM

To investigate whether diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can be used to assess renal clinical histopathology, including the nuclear grade (NG), cell density (CD), and the presence of ki-67.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty patients were enrolled in the study and were confirmed at surgical histopathology to have clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). For DTI, a coronal echo-planar imaging sequence was performed (1400 ms repetition time, 76 ms echo time, diffusion direction=6, number of excitations=4; b=0 and 800 s/mm², 6 mm section thickness with no intersection gap). CD and the presence of ki-67 were compared between the different NGs. Correlations between apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs), E1, fractional anisotropy (FA), CD, and ki-67 were evaluated.

RESULTS

ADC, E1, and FA values are important tools used to identify NG. The cut-off values were 1.003×10^-3 mm²/s, 1.277×10^-3 mm²/s, and 0.218 mm²/s, respectively. The difference between high- and low-grade CD was significant (t=-4.50, p<0.05). Similarly, a significant difference between high and low grade was also found in ki-67 (t=-4.03, p<0.05). ADC, E1, and FA values were decreased with increased CD; a significant negative correlation was found (r=-0.796, -0.865, and -0.996, respectively). Significant negative correlations between ADC, E1, and FA values, and ki-67 were found (r=-0.739, -0.826, and -0.876, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

DTI can be used to non-invasively assess CCRCC.

Trends in net survival from kidney cancer in six European Latin countries: results from the SUDCAN population-based study

Kidney cancer is a frequent malignant disease. To date, there is no evidence on the effectiveness of early detection and, in most cases, surgery represents the only standard treatment. So far, there is no standardized therapy for localized and locally advanced renal tumors; however, the recent introduction of target therapy has significantly improved the prognosis of metastatic disease. Therefore, survival differences in Europe are deemed to involve differences in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The aim of the SUDCAN collaborative study was to compare the net survival from kidney cancer between six European Latin countries (Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland) and provide trends in net survival and dynamics of excess mortality rates up to 5 years after diagnosis. The data were extracted from the EUROCARE-5 database. First, net survival was studied over the 2000-2004 period using the Pohar-Perme estimator. For trend analysis, the study period was specific to each country. The results are reported from 1992 to 2004 in France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, and from 2000 to 2004 in Belgium and Portugal. These analyses were carried out using a flexible excess rate modeling strategy. In 2000-2004, the 5-year net survival ranged between 59% (Spain) and 67% (France and Italy) in men and between 60% (Spain) and 73% (Portugal) in women. There was an increase in the age-standardized net survival between 1992 and 2004 at 1 year, as well as at 5 years, in all age groups and countries. Irrespective of the year of diagnosis, the excess mortality rate decreased with time elapsed since diagnosis. There are some differences in survival from kidney cancer between European Latin countries, but a considerable improvement was observed in most countries.