Postmastectomy chest wall radiotherapy with single low-energy electron beam: An assessment of outcome and prognostic factors

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the outcome of patients who had received postmastectomy chest wall radiotherapy using a single electron beam, and to identify the relevant factors that influenced prognosis.MethodsThe medical records of patients with breast cancer treated with postmastectomy radiotherapy from January 2000 to December 2004 were retrospectively analyzed (n = 328). Two hundred seventy-one (82.6%) patients were staged as (tumor-nodes-metastasis [TNM]) T3-4, any N, M0; or T1-2, N2-3, M0, and 57 (17.4%) patients were staged as T1-2, N1, M0. All patients received chest wall radiation with a 6-10 MeV electron beam. In addition, 327 patients (99.7%) received supraclavicular node radiation, 67 (20.4%) axillary radiation, and 35 (10.7%) internal mammary chain (IMC) radiation. Chemotherapy with anthracycline and taxane was given to 323 patients (98.5%). Of patients with positive hormone receptor, 183 (82.8%) received hormone therapy and 8 patients with negative and 3 patients with unknown hormone receptor received hormone therapy. Locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the differences assessed by log-rank test.ResultsThe median follow-up time was 78 months (range, 5-123 months) for patients who remained alive. The 5-year LRR, DM, disease-free survival and OS rates were 5.9%, 26.2%, 72.5%, and 83.1%, respectively. LRR occurred in 1 or more sites in 21 patients. The 5-year recurrence rates in the chest wall, supraclavicular node, axilla, and internal mammary chain were 1.9%, 2.3%, 2.9%, and 0%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, hormone therapy was the only independent favorable prognostic factor for LRR (P = .017). LRR was significantly associated with DM and OS. The 5-year DM rate was 82.9% and 22.7% (P < .0001) and the 5-year OS rate was 52.8% and 84.7% (P < .0001) for patients with or without LRR. The treatment-related toxicity was low, with the incidence of symptomatic pneumonitis being 0.3%.ConclusionsBreast cancer patients can be treated with postmastectomy single electron beam radiotherapy with excellent local control and low toxicity.     

Mechanism of cisplatin resistance in human urothelial carcinoma cells

An isogenic pair of cisplatin-susceptible (NTUB1) and -resistant (NTUB1/P) human urothelial carcinoma cell lines was used to elucidate the mechanism of cisplatin resistance. The significantly lower intracellular platinum (IP) concentration, which resulted from the decreased cisplatin uptake, was found in NTUB1/P cells. The enhancement of IP concentration did not increase the susceptibility of NTUB1/P cells to cisplatin treatment. The reduction of IP concentration as well was unable to enhance the cisplatin-resistance in susceptible NTUB1 cells. This indicated that reduction of IP concentration was not the account for the development of cisplatin resistance here. Instead, the over expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, anti-oxidative heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and cell cycle regulator p16INK4 seemed to be more important for the gaining of cisplatin in these human urothelial carcinoma cell.     

Chronic hypertension superimposed on preeclampsia at 13 gestational weeks: a case report with review

Preeclampsia is represented by hypertension and proteinuria in pregnancy. It usually occurs after 20 gestational weeks. There are few reports on preeclampsia before 20 gestational weeks. In this case, we report a patient with chronic hypertension superimposed with preeclampsia at 13 gestational weeks.

     

Comparison of myopia control between toric and spherical periphery design orthokeratology in myopic children with moderate-to-high corneal astigmatism

AIM: To compare clinical results between toric and spherical periphery design orthokeratology (ortho-k) in myopic children with moderate-to-high corneal astigmatism. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 62 eyes of 62 subjects using toric ortho-k lenses. These subjects were assigned to the toric group. Based on the one-to-one match principle (same age, proximate spherical equivalence and corneal astigmatism), 62 eyes of 62 subjects were enrolled and included in the spherical group. At one-year follow-up visit, visual acuity, corneal astigmatism, treatment zone decentration, axial elongation and adverse reaction were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: At the one-year visit, corneal astigmatism was significantly lower in the toric group (1.22±0.76 D) than in the spherical group (2.05±0.85 D) (P=0.012). The mean magnitude of the treatment zone decentration was 0.62±0.42 mm in the toric group and 1.07±0.40 mm in the spherical group (P=0.004). Axial elongation was significantly slower in the toric group (0.04±0.13 mm) than in the spherical group (0.09±0.13 mm) (P=0.001). The one-year axial elongation was significantly correlated with initial age (r=-0.487, P<0.001) and periphery design of ortho-k lens (r=0.315, P<0.001). The incidence of corneal staining was lower in the toric group (8.1%) than in the spherical group (19.4%) (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Toric periphery design ortho-k lenses may provide lower corneal astigmatism, better centration, slower axial elongation and lower incidence of corneal staining in myopic children with moderate-to-high corneal astigmatism.     

0.5g/L环孢素A滴眼液对中重度干眼患者眼部症状及体征评分的影响

目的：探讨0.5g/L环孢素A滴眼液对中重度干眼患者眼部症状及体征评分的影响。
　　方法：中重度干眼症患者80例160眼依据随机双盲试验原则将其分为两组：观察组40例80眼,采用10 g/L羧甲基纤维素钠和0.5g/L环孢素A滴眼液治疗,对照组40例80眼,采用10 g/L羧甲基纤维素钠滴眼液治疗,比较两组患者眼部症状和体征评分变化。
　　结果：观察组治疗总有效率95.0%,显著高于对照组(85.0%),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组和对照组患者未治疗时症状积分分别为36.1±4.4、36.4±4.5分,经治疗后,观察组1、3 lo 时症状积分下降至25.2±3.2、11.09±3.9分,对照组下降至29.4±4.1、22.05±3.1分,治疗前后差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05),但观察组治疗1、3 lo的症状积分显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);治疗前,两组患者泪膜破裂时间(BUT)、泪液分泌试验( Slt)、角膜荧光素染色( FL)和生活质量(OSDI)评分之间无统计学差异(P>0.05);经治疗后,观察组四项指标均显著下降(P<0.05),对照组仅 FL 和OSDI评分显著下降,差异有统计学意义( P<0.05);观察组治疗后四项指标均显著高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);观察组在用药14~28d时3眼出现刺痛感,对照组2眼刺痛感,1眼结膜充血,继续用药时2 d后全部消失。
　　结论：0.5g/L环孢素A滴眼液能够有效缓解中重度干眼患者症状和体征,促进泪液分泌,改善患者眼表环境,治疗效果良好。     

自噬在张力诱导终板软骨细胞退变过程中的变化

 目的 探讨自噬在张力诱导终板软骨细胞退变过程中的变化及作用。方法 取10只清洁级SD大鼠腰椎终板软骨进行细胞培养。对P1代终板软骨细胞分别加载间歇循环张力（10%伸长率,0.5 Hz）0 h、3 h、12 h、24 h、48 h。以倒置相差显微镜观察细胞形态学变化,实时PCR与蛋白印迹法检测软骨标志基因Ⅱ型胶原、转录因子SOX-9及蛋白多糖转录因子、Beclin-1和LC3基因表达的变化,以单丹磺酰戊二胺染色观察自噬小体。MTT（3-2,5-二苯基四氮唑溴盐染色）法检测3-甲基腺嘌呤（自噬抑制剂）刺激前后的细胞存活率。结果 间歇循环张力诱导后0 h组与3 h组为正常终板软骨细胞形态,呈多角形;12 h组略呈不规则形;24 h组和48 h组呈梭形改变。实时PCR显示24 h组和48 h组中Ⅱ型胶原、转录因子SOX-9及蛋白多糖的表达量降低;自噬相关基因LC3和Beclin-1表达量呈时间依赖性增加。单丹磺酰戊二胺染色显示24 h组和48 h组自噬发生率呈时间依赖性增加。MTT结果显示细胞存活率呈降低趋势;添加3-甲基腺嘌呤刺激后细胞活性减弱、存活率降低。结论 间歇循环张力刺激下终板软骨细胞表型逐渐丧失;自噬相关基因LC3与Beclin-1表达明显上调,但细胞活性降低;抑制自噬水平可降低细胞存活率,提示自噬参与了间歇循环张力诱导的终板软骨细胞退变过程。