Not an equal opportunity disease – a sex and gender-based review of colorectal cancer in men and women: Part II

This paper reviews the literature on colorectal cancer from a sex and gender-based perspective. Colorectal cancer is a major cause of death in the developed world, with rates increasing in developing countries. Although described by some writers as an ‘equal opportunity’ disease, it presents more risk to men than women. Both biological, or sex-linked factors, and gender-linked factors play a part in the aetiology of the disease, while gender differences in the use of screening and treatment also help shape the mortality gap between women and men for this condition. Without an appreciation of the part played by sex and gender in the risk of colorectal cancer, and without a gender-sensitive approach to screening in particular, it is possible that the mortality gap between men and women for this condition will widen in the future.     

Prophylactic laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy for hereditary diffuse gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ten percent of gastric cancer (GC) cases are familial, with one third resulting from a mutation in the tumor suppressor gene CDH1. Loss of this important structure can result in hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC), which carries a high mortality if early diagnosis is not made. Despite its clear genetic origin, optimal management of HDGC family members is controversial, as the utility and efficacy of current cancer screening programs for mutation carriers are unproven. METHODS: A 53-year-old Caucasian woman was initially seen for genetic screening because multiple family members had mutations of the CDH1 gene. Her pedigree analysis demonstrated 4 generations of gastric cancer, and 2 of the generations carried the CDH1 germline mutation, consistent with HDGC. At endoscopy, the patient's gastric mucosa was normal and random biopsies were also normal. The patient underwent a laparoscopic total gastrectomy. RESULTS: The gross examination of her stomach appeared normal. On histologic examination, however, the stomach was found to have diffuse (signet ring cell) adenocarcinoma in-situ with 11 microscopic foci of invasive adenocarcinoma limited to the lamina propria. CONCLUSION: Our case is the first reported prophylactic total gastrectomy utilizing a laparoscopic approach, and it highlights the importance of taking a thorough family history and obtaining a pedigree analysis. Endoscopic screening in HDGC cannot rule out diffuse GC, because the stomach and biopsies can be normal despite the presence of adenocarcinoma. Therefore, our case supports the recommendation for prophylactic gastrectomy in HDGC.     

Empfehlungen für die Anwendung der Immunapherese bei der Therapie bullöser Autoimmundermatosen

The etiology of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is unknown. EBA may be associated with other autoim‐mune systemic diseases; it also has been described in connection with different malignant tumors, showing complete remission after successful treatment of the tumor.In such cases, EBA may be regarded as a paraneo‐plastic dermatosis. We detected a highly differentiated neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer in a 78‐year‐old woman with EBA. Even thought her tumor was completely removed and the patient has been disease‐free for over seven years, a complete regression of her autoimmune bullous dermatosis could not be induced. By using intravenous immunoglobulins in combination with mycophenolate mofetil, further blister formation could be ameliorated.     

微生态肠内营养在结直肠癌患者围手术期的应用

目的:探讨微生态肠内营养在结直肠癌患者围手术期应用中的疗效。方法:将90例结直肠癌患者随机分为3组:常规治疗组(RT)、肠内营养组(EN)及添加微生态制剂肠内营养组(EMN)。观察患者术中肠道清洁度以及术后排气时间、吻合口漏、感染情况以及菌群失调情况,并监测手术前后内毒素、CRP、TNF水平变化及淋巴细胞计数改变。结果:术后排气时间EN组及MEN组均早于RT组(P<0.05),而EMN组早于EN组(P<0.05);第1次排便后细菌油镜计数结果示EN组及MEN组均明显低于RT组(P<0.05),而EMN组低于EN组(P<0.05)。术后外周血内毒素及CRP水平EN组及MEN组均低于RT组(P<0.05),而EMN组低于EN组(P<0.05);外周血淋巴细胞计数EMN组较术前有所增加(P<0.05),其他两组无明显变化;TNF水平各组均高于术前水平(P<0.05)。肠腔清洁度、吻合口漏、切口感染率及腹腔感染率差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:添加微生态制剂肠内营养能有效防治患者肠道菌群失调,增强机体免疫力,促进肠道功能恢复。     

In vivo 13C saturation transfer effect of the lactate dehydrogenase reaction.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, EC 1.1.1.27) catalyzes an exchange reaction between pyruvate and lactate. It is demonstrated here that this reaction is sufficiently fast to cause a significant magnetization (saturation) transfer effect when the 13C resonance of pyruvate is saturated by a continuous-wave (CW) RF pulse. Infusion of [2-(13)C]glucose was used to allow labeling of pyruvate C2 at 207.9 ppm to determine the pseudo first-order rate constant of the unidirectional lactate-->pyruvate flux in vivo. During systemic administration of GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline, this pseudo first-order rate constant was determined to be 0.08+/-0.01 s-1 (mean+/-SD, N=4) in halothane-anesthetized adult rat brains. In 9L and C6 rat glioma models, the 13C saturation transfer effect of the LDH reaction was also detected in vivo. Our results demonstrate that the 13C magnetization transfer effect of the LDH reaction may be useful as a novel marker for utilizing noninvasive in vivo MRS to study many physiological and pathological conditions, such as cancer.     

前列腺上皮内瘤变的基因微阵列分析

目的:通过基因微阵列分析,研究经显微切割后的前列腺上皮内瘤变(PIN)的基因表达谱,并将其与前列腺良性增生(BPH)及前列腺癌的mRNA基因表达谱进行对比,探讨前列腺癌的发生、发展,检测PIN及前列腺癌的肿瘤标志物。方法:采用美国Affymetrix公司的HG-U133A基因芯片,检测了16例人的前列腺组织标本,包括5例良性标本,6例PIN以及5例前列腺癌标本,均为新鲜冰冻组织。为了精确获得上皮细胞基因表达谱,避免周围间质细胞及单核细胞的RNA 对结果的影响,我们采用了激光捕获显微切割技术,分别得到了3组纯的上皮细胞群进行研究。结果:有些基因的表达强度在从良性增生到PIN到癌的转化过程中,呈逐渐改变的趋势,但笔者发现3组间基因表达谱存在非常显著的差异。与BPH及前列腺癌相比,PIN有其独特的基因表达谱。结论:基因表达谱中显著上调及下调的特异性基因,可以将PIN 和BPH及前列腺癌中区分开来;基因微阵列分析也有助于揭示代谢通路及信号转导途径的变化,有利于靶基因治疗。     

奥沙利铂为主的化疗方案治疗老年非小细胞肺癌疗效观察

目的 观察以奥沙利铂(O-LHP)为主的联合化疗方案对老年非小细胞肺癌的疗效和安全性。方法23例老年非小细胞肺癌患者接受治疗，化疗方案采用O-LHP VP-16(或口服威克)，每个病例至少化疗2周期。结果完全缓解1例，部分缓解7例，有效率为34．8％；主要毒副反应为白细胞下降和神经毒性，患者可以耐受。结论以奥沙利铂为主的联合化疗方案对老年非小细胞肺癌的治疗安全有效。     

孕激素联合化疗治疗卵巢上皮性癌

目的 分析孕激素联合以铂类为主的常规化疗对卵巢上皮性癌1～4期患者的临床疗效。方法 以已行瘤体减灭术的卵巢上皮性癌患者1～4期为研究对象，分为单纯化疗组、己酸孕酮组和普维拉组。随访、统计各组各期患者的生存率及复发率、血清激素水平、骨密度变化以及化疗副反应。结果 孕激素联合以铂类为主的化疗对早期卵巢上皮性癌的预后无明显影响，但对晚期(3期)卵巢上皮性癌的术后近期以及远期(2～5年)生存率及复发率均有改善趋势。单纯化疗组、己酸孕酮组、普维拉组3期患者术后3年生存率分别为34．8％、66．2％、73．9％，复发率分别为72．2％、47．3％、40．6％；单纯化疗组、己酸孕酮组术后5年生存率分别为17．4％、48．4％，复发率分别为81．5％、62．4％。孕激素的使用不影响患者血清激素水平，也不增加化疗的毒、副作用。联合孕激素治疗的患者术后骨密度下降较一般绝经后妇女慢。结论 孕激素联合以铂类为主的常规化疗可改善晚期卵巢上皮性癌的预后，并且不增加化疗的毒副作用，可改善患者的骨量丢失。     

Multicentre prospective audit of surgical outcomes and acute complications following short course pre-operative radiotherapy for resectable rectal cancer

BACKGROUND: The addition of short course pre-operative radiotherapy to total mesorectal excision reduces local recurrence in resectable adenocarcinoma of the rectum. In a previous retrospective study potential factors associated with early complications following this combination were identified. The aim of this study was to examine these relationships in a prospective multicentre audit. METHODS: One hundred and seven patients who received short course pre-operative radiotherapy in four cancer centres between 1 October 2001 and 30 September 2002 were included. Data including patient age, radiotherapy field length, overall treatment time, operation type, surgical outcomes and complications occurring within 3 months of the 1st day of radiotherapy were collected. These were compared and combined with the previously studied cohort of 176 patients treated at one centre between 1st January 1998 and 31st December 1999. RESULTS: In the prospective cohort only patient age (P=0.001) was significantly associated with acute complications. However, both the overall treatment time (median 9.0 vs 11.0 days P <0.0001) and field length (median 16.6 vs 17.0 cm P=0.03) were significantly shorter in this cohort when compared to the previous retrospective study. In patients from both studies (n=283), increasing age (P=0.002) and field length (independent of operation type) (P=0.02) were independently associated with an increased risk of acute complications. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that meticulous selection of patients for short course pre-operative radiotherapy and smaller planning target volumes may be associated with a lower risk of acute complications. The use of MRI scanning to stage pelvic disease may reduce the number of patients with R1 resections receiving short course pre-operative radiotherapy.     

海藻酸钠微球在部分性脾栓塞术中的应用评价

目的 评价海藻酸钠微球（KMG）行部分性脾栓塞术（PSE）治疗肝癌并脾功能亢进（脾亢）的疗效及并发症。资料与方法 58例肝癌并脾亢行PSE患者，依据PSE术所采用的栓塞材料不同分为2组：A组30例，栓塞材料为明胶海绵颗粒；B组28例，栓塞材料为KMG。随访观察两组外周血自细胞（WBC）、血小板（PLT）和红细胞（RBC）计数变化及术后反应。结果 两组患者术后1周、2周、1个月、6个月的WBC和PLT计数均较术前明显升高（P〈0．001）。虽然B组术后WBC和PLT计数较A组升高较多，但两组的疗效差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。两组术后RBC计数一直无明显变化（P〉0．05）。随着栓塞程度的增加，外周血WBC和PLT计数升高越明显，但是术后反应加重．并发症也随之增加。结论 KMG可作为PSE术的栓塞材料，将栓塞程度控制在50％～60％可有效治疗脾亢，减轻术后反应。