肠道菌群与恶性肿瘤的研究进展

人类微生物群是由寄生在人体上皮屏障的细菌和其他微生物组成的，其中大部分位于肠道内，与宿主之间形成共生的关系。机体肠道微生物的组成虽然受到年龄、饮食、生活方式等因素的影响，但在正常生理情况下是相对稳定的。近年来，肠道菌群与恶性肿瘤的关系越来越受到重视。肠道菌群不但能够维持局部稳态，还能调节机体代谢、炎症和免疫等生理过程。有研究表明，微生物群，特别是肠道菌群能够显著调节机体对癌症治疗的反应性以及机体对毒副反应的敏感性。检查肠道菌群中各菌种之间的比例可作为筛查恶性肿瘤的新方法。本文将综述微生物群具有影响肿瘤的发生发展、抗肿瘤治疗疗效以及药物不良反应的证据，以及其中所涉及的微生物种类，从而为恶性肿瘤精准治疗提供证据。     

基于MRI动态图像观察吞咽时器官动度对头颈部肿瘤调强放疗靶区影响

目的 利用MRI技术连续采集头颈部肿瘤患者吞咽时图像,观察并测量软腭、舌、喉的运动规律及最大活动度。方法 随机选取2018年7月-10月在中国医学科学院肿瘤医院接受调强放疗的原发头颈部恶性肿瘤20例患者,其中男17例、女3例,中位年龄58.5岁(28~78岁)。20例患者中鼻咽癌7例,口腔癌3例,口咽癌5例,下咽癌3例,鼻腔鼻旁窦2例。根据AJCC第八版分期Ⅰ-Ⅱ期患者2例,Ⅲ期8例,Ⅳ期10例。结果 吞咽时软腭向上移动移动距离为(1.06±0.31) cm且服从正态分布,向后移动距离为(0.83±0.24) cm且近似正态分布。舌体向后移动距离为(0.77±0.22) cm,且服从正态分布。含压舌板行图像采集患者舌上移位移为0,无压舌板患者舌体中位上移距离为1.23 cm (0.59~1.41 cm)。喉向上移动距离为(1.14±0.22) cm且服从正态分布,向前移动的中位距离为0.4 cm (0.27~0.90 cm)。结论 吞咽运动有可能发生于头颈部肿瘤患者放疗过程中,并引起大体肿瘤体积(GTV)及周围正常组织移动;因此在制定放疗计划时应注意GTV至PGTV的个体化外放距离,以保证肿瘤处方剂量。     

Lower body mass index and higher height are correlated with increased varicocele risk

To evaluate the anthropometric indexes in subjects with varicocele compared to controls and the incidence of varicocele in different body mass index (BMI) groups for the purpose of exploring the association between varicocele and anthropometric indexes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted by using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE databases and Cochrane Library up to February 2019. A systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted by STATA, and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was utilised for assessing risk of bias. Ultimately, 13 articles containing seven case–control studies and six cross‐sectional studies with 1,385,630 subjects were involved in our study. Pooled results demonstrated that varicocele patients had a lower BMI (WMD = ?0.77, 95% CI = ?1.03 to ?0.51) and a higher height than nonvaricocele participants, especially in grade 3 varicocele patients. Subgroup analyses showed that normal BMI individuals had a higher risk of varicocele than obese or overweight individuals and a lower risk than underweight individuals. In conclusion, this study indicates that varicocele patients have a lower BMI and a higher height than nonvaricocele participants. Moreover, men with excess bodyweight have a lower incidence of varicocele compared to normal weight or underweight people. That is to say, high BMI and adiposity protect against varicocele and high BMI is associated with a decreased risk of varicocele.     

In Vivo Kinematics of Functional Ankle Instability Patients and Lateral Ankle Sprain Copers During Stair Descent

Patients with mechanic ankle instability experience increased tibiotalar and subtalar joint laxity. However, in vivo joint kinematics in functional ankle instability (FAI) patients and lateral ankle sprain (LAS) copers, especially during dynamic activities, are poorly understood. Ten FAI patients, 10 LAS copers, and 10 healthy controls were included in this study. A dual fluoroscopic imaging system was used to analyze the tibiotalar and subtalar joint kinematics during stair descent. Five key poses of stair descent were analyzed. Kinematic data from six degrees of freedom were calculated utilizing a solid modeling software. The range of motion and joint positions in each degree of freedom were compared among the three groups. The tibiotalar joints of FAI patients and LAS copers were significantly more inverted than those of healthy controls during the foot strike (p = 0.016, = 0.264). The subtalar joints of FAI patients were significantly more anteriorly translated (pose 2, p = 0.003, = 0.352; pose 3, p < 0.001, = 0.454; pose 4, p = 0.004, = 0.334), inverted (pose 4, p = 0.027, = 0.234; pose 5,p = 0.034, = 0.221), and externally rotated (pose 4, p = 0.037, = 0.217; pose 5; p = 0.004, = 0.331) than those of healthy controls during the mid‐stance and the heel off. The FAI patients showed excessive tibiotalar inversion and subtalar joint hypermobility during stair descent. Meanwhile, the LAS copers maintained subtalar joint stability, and only showed excessive tibiotalar inversion in foot strike. These data provide insight into the mechanisms behind the development of FAI after initial LAS. © 2019 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:1860–1867, 2019     

Racial differences in characteristics and prognoses between Asian and white patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer receiving atezolizumab: An ancillary analysis of the POPLAR and OAK studies

This study aimed to compare the differences in characteristics and prognoses between Asian and white patients receiving immunotherapy for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We studied 390 patients who received atezolizumab as part of the POPLAR or OAK trial, and analyzed the differences in baseline characteristics, outcomes and genetic mutations in blood samples between Asian and white patients. Overall survival (OS) was longer in Asian compared to white patients (median OS: 18.7 vs. 11.1 months; p = 0.005). Race was identified as an independent prognostic factor for OS (Asian vs. white: hazard ratio 0.647, 95% confidence interval 0.447–0.936, p = 0.021), together with performance status, histology, baseline sum of the longest tumor diameters (BLSLD) and number of metastatic sites. The two groups also differed in terms of characteristics including smoking history, BLSLD, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation frequency, programmed death-ligand 1 expression and blood-based tumor-mutation burden. Blood mutations of STK11, EGFR, KEAP1, POLE, GRM3, ATM and STAG2 were associated with treatment response, and TP53, KEAP1, APC, RB1, CREBBP, EPHA5 and STAG2 mutations were associated with OS. The blood-based mutation profiles differentiated between Asian and white patients, especially in relation to EGFR (23.8 vs. 8.5%), TP53 (30.2 vs. 46.9%) and STK11 (1.6 vs. 12.3%) mutations (all p < 0.05). The different clinicopathological features and mutation profiles in Asian and white patients may explain the superior outcome following atezolizumab treatment in Asian patients with NSCLC. The results of this study have important implications for further studies on racial disparities in relation to immunotherapy.