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Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) for the treatment of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer. Methods: We performed a systemic review and meta-analysis of the relevant published clinical studies. A computerized search was performed for controlled clinical trials of T-DM1 in targeted treatment. Overall survival, progression-free survival, objective response rate, symptom progression free, and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated. Results: Eight eligible trials with a total of 2,016 patients with breast cancer were included in the present meta-analysis. The treatment of patients with breast cancer with T-DM1 was associated with significantly increased overall and progression-free survival when compared with controls (P<0.0001). An analysis of the objective response rate and symptom progression free also demonstrated favorable results for T-DM1 treatment (P≤0.0001). There was no significant difference between the T-DM1 and control groups with respect to nonhematologic or hematologic AEs (P=0.99 and P=0.30, respectively). Conclusion: Overall, T-DM1 is efficacious in the treatment of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer and low rates of AEs compared with controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the patterns of expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The clinicopathological and prognostic value of these markers was also evaluated. Methods: We detected the expression status of three EMT-related proteins, ie, E-cadherin, vimentin, and N-cadherin, by immunohistochemistry in consecutive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma specimens from 96 patients. Results: The frequency of loss of the epithelial marker E-cadherin, and acquisition of mesenchymal markers, vimentin and N-cadherin, in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was 43.8%, 37.5% and 57.3%, respectively. Altered expression of EMT markers was associated with aggressive tumor behavior, including lymph node metastasis, undifferentiated-type histology, advanced tumor stage, venous invasion, and shorter overall survival. Moreover, loss of E-cadherin was retained as an independent prognostic factor for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the EMT process is associated with tumor progression and a poor outcome in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and inhibition of EMT might offer novel promising molecular targets for the treatment of affected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]