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Background In view of the limited knowledge of plasma biomarkers relating to cancer resistance to radiotherapy, we have set up screening, training and testing stages to investigate the microRNAs (miRNAs) expression profile in plasma to predict between the poor responsive and responsive groups after 6 months of radiotherapy. Methods Plasma was collected prior to and after radiotherapy, and the microRNA profiles were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) arrays. Candidate miRNAs were validated by single qRT-PCR assays from the training and testing set. The classifier for ancillary prognosis was developed by multiple logistic regression analysis to correlate the ratios of miRNAs expression levels with clinical data. Results We revealed that eight miRNAs expressions had significant changes after radiotherapy and the expression levels of miR-374a-5p, miR-342-5p and miR-519d-3p showed significant differences between the responsive and poor responsive groups in the pre-radiotherapy samples. The Kaplan–Meier curve analysis also showed that low miR-342-5p and miR-519d-3p expressions were associated with worse prognosis. Our results revealed two miRNA classifiers from the pre- and post-radiotherapy samples to predict radiotherapy response with area under curve values of 0.8923 and 0.9405. Conclusions The expression levels of miR-374a-5p, miR-342-5p and miR-519d-3p in plasma are associated with radiotherapy responses. Two miRNA classifiers could be developed as a potential non-invasive ancillary tool for predicting patient response to radiotherapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12967-018-1711-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Additional file 1. Additional figures and tables.

Background The presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with increased radiosensitivity in vitro. However, the results from clinical studies regarding the radiosensitivity in NSCLC with mutant EGFR are inconclusive. We retrospectively analyzed our NSCLC patients who had been regularly followed up by imaging studies after irradiation for brain metastases, and investigated the impact of EGFR mutations on radiotherapy (RT). Methods Forty-three patients with brain metastases treated with RT, together with EGFR mutation status, demographics, smoking history, performance status, recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class, tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities, were included. Radiological images were taken at 1 to 3 months after RT, and 3 to 6 months thereafter. Radiographic response was evaluated by RECIST criteria version 1.1 according to the intracranial images before and after RT. Log-rank test and Cox regression model were used to correlate EGFR mutation status and other clinical features with intracranial radiological progression-free survival (RPFS) and overall survival (OS). Results The median follow-up duration was 15 months. Patients with mutant EGFR had higher response rates to brain RT than those with wild-type EGFR (80% vs. 46%; p = 0.037). Logistic regression analysis showed that EGFR mutation status is the only predictor for treatment response (p = 0.032). The median intracranial RPFS was 18 months (95% CI = 8.33-27.68 months). In Cox regression analysis, mutant EGFR (p = 0.025) and lower RPA class (p = 0.026) were associated with longer intracranial RPFS. EGFR mutation status (p = 0.061) and performance status (p = 0.076) had a trend to predict OS. Conclusions Mutant EGFR in NSCLC patients is an independent prognostic factor for better treatment response and longer intracranial RPFS following RT for brain metastases.

We present the case of a 79-year-old female with symptomatic cavernous haemangioma of the liver. The patient had experienced progressive right lateral abdominal pain for years despite increased painkiller use. Surgical resection or transarterial embolisation was not recommended because of the patient's age, cardiovascular comorbidities and large tumour size. Therefore, the patient was treated with 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (RT) with a total dose of 30 Gy in 15 fractions. Following RT, the painkillers were tapered from the third month, and complete symptomatic remission was achieved after the ninth month. The measured tumour volume from serial images pre-RT and 3, 9 and 15 months post-RT was 400 ml, 372 ml, 185 ml and 140 ml, respectively. The most dramatic volumetric reduction was found between 3 and 9 months post-RT, whereas the change before or after this period was minimal. The time course of the radiological volumetric changes correlated with that of the clinical symptoms. In addition, the observed vascular changes on serial imaging studies were consistent with the assumed radiobiological effects after fractionated RT.

Purpose/Objective(s): The purpose of this study was to identify the predictive factors of skeletal-related events (SREs) in NSCLC patients with bone metastases. Materials/Methods: Time-to-the first SRE and SRE-free survival and their associations with the patient characteristics were evaluated retrospectively in 416 patients in NSCLC with bone metastatic. Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were used to determine significant risk factors for SRE-free survival. Results: The overall median survival time was 11.5 (9.9-13.2) months from bone metastases. The median observation period for SREs was 8.9 (7.9-9.9) months. Out of 416 patients with bone metastases, 159 (38.2%) developed at least one SRE during or after the initial treatment. On univariate analysis, patients with characteristics such as male, nonadenocarcinoma, ever-smoking, bone metastases with soft-tissue extension and no history of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) therapy had a shorter median time from bone metastasis to first SRE. The results of multivariate analysis revealed that male, bone metastases with soft-tissue extension, no history of EGFR-TKI therapy risk factors for the first SRE, with hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) 1.414 (1.050-1.905), 1.225 (1.030-1.457), 1.731 (1.327-2.259), respectively. Conclusions: The presence of bone metastases with soft-tissue extension was significantly associated with the development of SREs in patients with advanced NSCLC. Male sex and no history of EGFR-TKI therapy were also independent risk factor of development of SREs throughout the course of disease.