Translational Health Reports

Abstract Backgrounds: Early-stage laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), which includes stage I and II disease, has a high cure rate. The main treatment approaches are definitive radiotherapy (RT) and transoral surgery (TOS), which includes transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) and transoral robotic surgery (TORS). Selecting the optimal treatment involves balancing oncologic effectiveness with functional results and quality of life.
Objective: To review and compare current evidence on overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), laryngeal preservation (LP), and functional outcomes in early-stage LSCC treated with primary RT or TOS.
Methods: A narrative literature review was performed, identifying relevant studies from PubMed and Scopus. The focus was on peer-reviewed articles from the last two decades, including retrospective cohort studies, prospective trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that directly compared RT and TOS.
Results: Recent large-scale analyses and meta-analyses show similar overall and disease-specific survival rates for T1 and T2 tumors treated with modern TOS or RT. The main differences are seen in patterns of oncologic control. TOS is linked to lower local recurrence but a higher incidence of second primary tumors, whereas RT shows higher local recurrence but a lower need for salvage laryngectomy, resulting in comparable long-term laryngeal preservation rates. Functionally, TOS offers advantages in treatment duration, voice outcomes for select T1a lesions, and cost-effectiveness, but may lead to poorer swallowing outcomes for larger resections. RT may provide better voice quality for more extensive T1 and T2 lesions but carries risks of long-term dry mouth and tissue scarring.
Conclusion: Both RT and TOS are effective treatments for early-stage LSCC, with similar long-term survival outcomes. Treatment selection should be individualized, based on tumor characteristics, patient health, institutional experience, and patient preferences regarding functional trade-offs and treatment burden.

Abstract Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with increasing global prevalence, especially esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Late-stage detection significantly contributes to its unfavorable outcomes, highlighting an urgent demand for non-invasive early diagnostic approaches. Metabolomics, the comprehensive study of small-molecule metabolites, provides a valuable strategy for discovering biomarker patterns that mirror the pathophysiological condition of cancer.
Objective: This review seeks to consolidate and critically assess existing research on the utility of plasma metabolites as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in EC.
Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed for literature published between January 2000 and March 2024. Keywords such as "esophageal cancer," "metabolomics," "plasma," "serum," "biomarkers," "mass spectrometry," and "NMR" were employed. Studies were chosen based on their focus on plasma or serum metabolomic analysis in human EC patients.
Results: EC patients exhibit consistent changes in plasma metabolomic profiles compared to healthy individuals. Major disrupted pathways involve amino acid metabolism (e.g., increased branched-chain amino acids, reduced glutamine), energy metabolism (including the Warburg effect and disturbances in the TCA cycle), and lipid metabolism (alterations in phospholipid and sphingolipid concentrations). Panels comprising multiple metabolites show strong diagnostic performance, often with area under the curve (AUC) values above 0.90. Additionally, certain metabolic patterns may be useful for predicting patient outcomes and evaluating responses to neoadjuvant treatments.
Conclusion: Plasma metabolomics offers considerable potential to transform the clinical approach to EC through non-invasive methods for early diagnosis, risk assessment, and therapy evaluation. Validation through extensive, multi-center prospective studies is needed to implement these advances in clinical settings.

Abstract Background: The established first-line treatment for newly diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) involves maximal surgical removal of the tumor, followed by a regimen of radiotherapy (RT) together with concurrent and maintenance temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy. Patient response to this combined approach varies widely and is closely associated with the tumor's molecular characteristics.
Objective: This analysis compiles current research on how the RT/TMZ combination modifies crucial GBM biomarkers over time, focusing on therapy-induced alterations rather than their initial prognostic significance.
Methods: A systematic review of literature from January 2000 to July 2024 was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Search keywords included "glioblastoma," "radiotherapy," "temozolomide," "MGMT," "IDH," "biomarker," and related terms. Emphasis was placed on clinical trials and key preclinical studies.
Results: The RT/TMZ protocol imposes significant selective pressure, dynamically influencing GBM biomarkers. MGMT promoter methylation is the primary predictor of TMZ efficacy, but treatment often leads to the expansion of MGMT-active, resistant tumor clones at recurrence. IDH1/2 mutations are strong prognostic indicators, and their associated metabolic changes may increase tumor sensitivity to DNA-damaging therapies. Treatment substantially reshapes the tumor immune microenvironment; RT can stimulate anti-tumor immune responses but also increase PD-L1 expression, while TMZ often causes severe lymphocyte depletion. Additionally, therapy promotes the selection of cells with enhanced DNA damage repair mechanisms and activates survival pathways such as EGFR, fostering treatment resistance.
Conclusion: RT and TMZ induce continuous, adaptive changes in GBM biomarkers. Recognizing this dynamic process is essential for personalizing treatment, assessing response, and developing new combination therapies to combat resistance.