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.     

益气通脉饮联合西药治疗气虚血瘀型冠心病心绞痛90例临床疗效观察

目的:探讨益气通脉饮治疗气虚血瘀型冠心病心绞痛的临床疗效。方法:选取2017年10月—2019年2月烟台业达医院收治的气虚血瘀型冠心病心绞痛的患者90例作为研究对象,根据随机数字表法将所选患者均分为两组,每组各45例,两组的一般资料经统计学方法,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),因此具有可比性。对照组给予常规西药进行治疗,观察组在对照组治疗基础上给予益气通脉饮治疗,1个月后比较两组临床的疗效,评估治疗前后中医证候、心绞痛症状分级和血脂水平。临床检测的数据通过统计产品与服务解决方案(Statistical Product and Service Solutions,SPSS) 19.0软件进行分析和处理,计量的数据使用平均数±标准差(x±s)表示,采用双侧t检验,计数的数据采用χ~2检验,以%表示,以P<0.05为差异有统计学意义。结果:治疗后,对照组和观察组都有一定疗效,但观察组的改善中医证候总有效率95.56%(43/45),高于对照组的82.22%(37/45),两组比较具有统计学意义(P<0.05);心绞痛的症状总有效率观察组为93.33%(42/45),对照组为77.78%(35/45),两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);与治疗前相比较,两组治疗后的三酰甘油(Triglyceride,TG)、血清总胆固醇(Serum Total Cholesterol,TC)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(High Density Liptein Cholesterol,HDL-C)水平均降低(P<0.05),且观察组治疗后低于对照组(P<0.05),两组治疗后的HDL-C升高(P<0.05),组间比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:益气通脉饮治疗气虚血瘀型冠心病心绞痛的疗效显著,值得临床进一步研究与推广应用。     

PTPN6通过抑制SP1/p38 MAPK信号通路促进前列腺癌细胞的化疗敏感性

目的:研究PTPN6对前列腺癌细胞PC3的作用及其作用机制。方法:RT-PCR和Western blot实验检测前列腺癌组织和细胞以及癌旁组织和人前列腺上皮细胞中PTPN6的表达量；CCK-8和EDU染色实验检测PTPN6对前列腺癌细胞PC3增殖的影响；Western blot实验检测耐药相关蛋白P-gp和MRP-1的蛋白表达水平。结果:RT-PCR和Western blot结果显示，PTPN6在前列腺癌组织和细胞中的表达量显著低于癌旁组织和人前列腺上皮细胞中的表达量；过表达PTPN6显著抑制前列腺癌PC3细胞的增殖，并降低PC3细胞的耐药性；进一步的研究结果表明PTPN6可通过抑制SP1，并抑制p38 MAPK通路抑制PC3细胞的增殖和耐药。结论:PTPN6能够抑制前列腺癌细胞PC3的增殖和耐药，提高其化疗敏感性，作用机制是通过调控SP1/p38 MAPK信号通路来实现的，这一结果能够为临床上前列腺癌的诊断和治疗提供分子基础。     

超高CD34+采集的动员方案序贯二次自体造血干细胞移植治疗难治性 霍奇金淋巴瘤

目的:探讨超高CD34+采集的动员方案后序贯二次自体造血干细胞移植治疗难治性霍奇金淋巴瘤的疗效和安全性。方法:对1例经过多疗程一线、二线、新药、免疫等均难治的霍奇金淋巴瘤患者，予以IA+C方案化疗+G-CSF动员干细胞后采集出超高水平CD34+细胞，之后行自体造血干细胞移植，移植后获得完全缓解，再予序贯第二次自体造血干细胞移植进行巩固治疗。结果:总计输注单个核细胞数13.67×108/kg，CD34+细胞48.68×106/kg，第一次自体造血干细胞移植术后第7天造血功能恢复，复查全身PET-CT提示获得完全缓解，第二次自体造血干细胞移植术后第8天造血功能恢复，两次自体造血干细胞移植相关并发症均在可控范围内。结论:超高CD34+细胞采集的IA+C方案化疗+G-CSF动员可以让患者有机会进行多次自体造血干细胞移植，是临床动员的创新方案。对于难治性霍奇金淋巴瘤，序贯二次自体造血干细胞移植可达到更深层次缓解，且安全性较高，延长患者无疾病生存期及总生存期，为难治性霍奇金淋巴瘤治疗提供更多临床依据。     

Macroporous thin membranes for cell transplant in regenerative medicine

The aim of this paper is to present a method to produce macroporous thin membranes made of poly (ethyl acrylate-co-hydroxyethyl acrylate) copolymer network with varying cross-linking density for cell transplantation and prosthesis fabrication. The manufacture process is based on template techniques and anisotropic pore collapse. Pore collapse was produced by swelling the membrane in acetone and subsequently drying and changing the solvent by water to produce 100 microns thick porous membranes. These very thin membranes are porous enough to hold cells to be transplanted to the organism or to be colonized by ingrowth from neighboring tissues in the organism, and they present sufficient tearing stress to be sutured with surgical thread. The obtained pore morphology was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope, and confocal laser microscopy. Mechanical properties were characterized by stress–strain experiments in tension and tearing strength measurements. Morphology and mechanical properties were related to the different initial thickness of the scaffold and the cross-linking density of the polymer network. Seeding efficiency and proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells inside the pore structure were determined at 2 h, 1, 7, 14 and 21 days from seeding.     

A case of diaphragmatic hernia incarceration after a heart transplant operation

We report a case of a diaphragmatic hernia after a heart transplant operation. A 43-year-old woman, who underwent orthotropic heart transplantation for hypertrophic cadiomyopathy two year earlier, presented with vomiting and epigastric pain. A computed tomography scan showed that the stomach and transverse colon were dislocated in the left thoracic cavity. We diagnosed left diaphragmatic hernia incarceration and performed laparoscopic repair of the diaphragmatic hernia. A 12 × 8 cm diaphragmatic defect was found intraoperatively on the ventrolateral aspect of the left diaphragm, and the stomach with volvulus had herniated into the thorax through the defect. The hernia was considered to be iatrogenic. The diaphragmatic defect was large, and the diaphragm was thinning. We closed the defect by mesh repair. Laparoscopic mesh repair of the diaphragmatic hernia could be performed safely and with minimal invasiveness.     

Impact of overweight and obesity on US renal cell carcinoma incidence trends (1995-2018)

In the United States, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence and the prevalence of obesity, an established risk factor for RCC, have been increasing for several decades. RCC is more common among older individuals. We sought to quantify the contribution of excess adiposity to the rising incidence of RCC among individuals 60 years or older. National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study data (n = 453 859 participants, enrolled in 1995-1996, age at enrollment 50-71 years) were used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for RCC across body mass index categories and HRs associated with smoking. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated using estimated HRs and annual overweight/obesity prevalence from the National Health Interview Survey (1985-2008). PAF estimates were combined with RCC incidence from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-13 to calculate annual percent changes in RCC incidence attributable (and unrelated) to overweight/obesity. We found that between 1995 and 2018, among individuals aged 60 years and older, PAF for overweight/obesity increased from 18% to 29% for all RCCs. In comparison, the PAF for smoking declined from 12% to 9%. RCC incidence increased 1.8% per year (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5%-2.1%) overall, while RCC incidence attributable to overweight/obesity increased 3.8% per year (95%CI 3.5%-4.2%) and RCC incidence unrelated to overweight/obesity increased 1.2% per year (95% CI 0.9%-1.4%). In conclusion, overweight/obesity appears to have contributed importantly to the rising incidence of RCC in the United States since the mid-1990s. Public health interventions focused on reducing overweight and obesity could help substantially in curbing this trend.     

Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of resectable acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas-propensity score matching analysis with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BackgroundSurgical resection is recommended for patients with resectable acinar cell carcinoma (ACC). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of resectable ACC in comparison to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).MethodA retrospective analysis was performed on all patients who consecutively underwent radical resection with pathologically confirmed ACC and PDAC from December 2011 to December 2018. Clinicopathologic characteristics and follow-up information were analyzed. A 1:3 propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to minimize the bias between ACC and PDAC.ResultsA total of 26 patients with ACC and 1351 with PDAC were included. Compared to PDAC, ACC tended to be larger (4.5 vs. 3.0 cm; p < 0.001) and more frequently located in the pancreatic body/tail (61.5% vs. 36.6%, p = 0.009), with lower total bilirubin levels, lower neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) levels and lower carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels. There was no difference in postoperative morbidities in patients with ACC and PDAC. The median OS and RFS were longer in ACC when compared to PDAC (OS: 43.5 mo vs. 19.0 mo, p = 0.004; RFS: 24.5 mo vs. 11.6 mo, p = 0.023). After the 1:3 PSM, ACC remained to be a better histological type for OS (p = 0.024), but had comparable RFS with PDAC (p = 0.164).ConclusionPatients with ACC after radical resection had better OS than that with PDAC. However, ACC is also an aggressive tumor with a similar trend of RFS with PDAC after the matching, necessitating the multidisciplinary treatment for resectable ACC disease.     

皮肤鳞状细胞癌的中医药治疗进展

皮肤鳞状细胞癌是具有发病率高、发展快、可转移、易误诊等特点的一种恶性肿瘤，对人类的健康造成威胁。随着中医的发展和现代医学实验研究技术的进步，中医药在皮肤鳞状细胞癌的现代研究方面也取得一定成果。目前临床上治疗鳞状细胞癌多采取手术及药物化疗等，因不良反应的存在，患者接受度低。中药具有多靶点、安全性高、不良反应少等优势，在治疗皮肤鳞状细胞癌中中医具有一定优势，本文将围绕中药单体、中药复方，以及针灸在治疗皮肤鳞状细胞癌的研究进展展开论述和思考。