GASTRIC CANCERS IN SINGAPORE: POOR PROGNOSIS ARISING FROM LATE PRESENTATION

Background : Mortality rates from gastric cancer, apart from those derived from Japanese series, remain poor. This paper sought to determine the present outcome of gastric carcinoma in a predominantly Chinese population in Singapore. Prognostic factors useful in predicting survival were also evaluated in this population. Method : All cases of histologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma presenting in 1992 were entered into a prospective database. Prognostic factors related to age, sex, site of disease, depth of invasion, histological grade, nodal status and stage of disease were evaluated in patients with resectable disease to determine their utility in predicting survival. Results : Of 1310 consecutive patients with histologically proven adenocarcinomas, 37% had distant metastases at presentation predominantly in the liver (21%) and peritoneal cavity (20%). Sixty-four per cent of patients underwent surgery and in only 51% of these patients was resection of the turnour possible. Stages 111 and IV (T4N2) locally advanced disease were present in 38% of patients. Thus the majority of patients presented with late or metastatic disease (75%, stages 111 and IV). Sixty per cent of patients were alive at I year and 40% at 2 years after resection of the tumour (Kaplan-Meier survival plots). In contrast, no patient survived longer than a year if the tumour was not resectable (P < 0.001, log-rank test). Median survival of patients without surgery was 12 weeks. Median survival for patients with resected stage IV disease was 23 weeks, compared to 18 weeks after surgical bypass. Age, sex, site, depth of invasion and histological grade did not significantly predict survival. Patients with node-negative disease survived longer (2 year, 70%) than those with nodal involvement (2 years, 44%; P = 0.06, log-rank test). Pathologic staging with the TNM system was useful in predicting survival (P < 0.001). Sixty per cent of patients with stage I and II disease were alive at 2 years compared to 54% with stage III disease and 0% with stage IV disease. Conclusion : The prognosis of stomach cancer remains poor, due predominantly to late presentation. Pathologic TNM staging and nodal status were useful in predicting survival outcome after resection. If the tumour were resectable, survival was appreciable even in patients with advanced stage III (2 years, 54%) and stage IV (1 year, 40%) disease. Strategies to improve outcome should focus on early detection of gastric carcinomas.     

维拉帕米灌注治疗前列腺术后膀胱痉挛性疼痛的临床疗效观察

为探讨前列腺术后膀胱痉挛性疼痛的药物治疗效果，将２６例前列腺增生行耻骨上经膀胱前列腺摘除术后频繁发作膀胱逼尿肌无抑制性收缩导致膀胱痉挛性疼痛者，按随机抽样法分为两组，第１组１５例接受维拉帕米膀胱灌注治疗，第２组１１例作为对照，不用任何可能影响下尿中功能的药物。     

HLA-DR 52- and 51-associated DRB1 alleles in Kenya, East Africa

The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are amongst the most polymorphic loci known in the human population. The population genetics of the MHC encoded HLA loci of sub-Saharan Africa are of major interest because of their particular genetic diversity. Here we report on the HLA-DR 52- and 51-associated determinants of the DRB1 loci observed in 165 East African individuals studied in Nairobi, Kenya. The HLA-DR typing was done by serologic and by molecular DNA techniques (PCR-SSOP). The most frequent allele identified was DRB1*1101, followed by DRB1*1503 and DRB1*1302. Some unexpected alleles were repeatedly identified: DRB1*1108, DRB1*1316 and DRB1*1421. Most oftheDR 52-and 51-associated DRB1 alleles were correctly identified by serology as part of the DR3, DR5, DR6 and DR2 groups respectively. The HLA-DRB1 profile reported here corroborates previous genetic and linguistic data supporting the concept that the Eastern African Black population is genetically distinct from other African Black populations. This has important implications in public health issues related to the genetic profile of a population (transplantation, vaccine design for example).     

Features of pediatric head injury in Hong Kong

Head injury in children causes special concern in most communities. From 1989 to 1994, 2,785 children younger than 16 years old were admitted to our neurosurgical service because of head injury. Fall from a height was the major cause of head injury leading to admission in infants and children in preschool age groups, whereas traffic-related or bicycle-related accidents were more likely to be the cause of head injury for those aged 11–15 years. In all age groups there was a male preponderance. The overall mortality was 0.6%. Traffic-ralated accidents caused more severe injury and accounted for 67% of all fatalities. For patients under 6 years old, about 40% of head injuries occurred at home. Preventive measures for pediatric head injury in Hong Kong are suggested.     

Gastroesophageal Reflux,Motility Disorders,and Psychological Profiles in the Etiology of Globus Pharyngis

The aim of this study was to investigate the origin of globus pharyngis with particular reference to esophageal disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), motility disorders, structural abnormalities, other gastrointestinal tract diseases, and psychological profile. Previous studies on this subject using 24-hour pH monitoring give conflicting results and are hampered by the high background prevalence of asymptomatic GERD in the normal Western population. The local Chinese population is known to have a very low background level of GERD and therefore is an ideal study population. Twenty-six patients with globus pharyngis underwent 24-hour ambulatory pH monitoring, esophageal manometry, and esophagogas-troduodenoscopy with lower esophageal biopsy. A control group of 20 patients presenting with non-ulcer dyspepsia was similarly investigated. Personality profiles of the globus pharyngis subjects and an appropriate control group were assessed. Eight of the globus pharyngis group (30.7%) had evidence of GERD, whereas only one of the controls (5%) demonstrated GERD on 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring (P < 0.05). The manometric and personality profile studies did not show significant differences between study and control groups. We concluded that the finding of GERD in patients with globus pharyngis is not a coincidental finding but that there is a true association between GERD and globus pharyngis.     

Results of speech perception and speech production training for three prelingually deaf patients using a multiple-electrode cochlear implant.

Five studies were conducted to measure changes in the perception and production of selected speech targets, with training, in three prelingually deaf patients. The two adults and one adolescent were implanted with the Cochlear (Nucleus) multiple-electrode prosthesis. The studies were perception and production of nasal consonants; perception of syllable-final consonants; perception and production of alveolar consonants; auditory-visual perception of alveolar consonants; and perception and production of vowels. Perceptual data were collected in the audition (implant)-alone condition, except for the auditory-visual perception of alveolar consonants where the audition-alone, vision-alone, and auditory-visual conditions were used. Speech perception data in the audition-alone condition were also collected from four postlingually deaf adult implant patients, without training, to indicate differences between the two classes of patients. The three prelingually deaf patients generally showed some improvements in speech production. In perception, improvements were recorded only for individual patients in some studies. The performance of the adolescent was better than that of the two adults in all cases. The perceptual performance of the postlingually deaf patients was superior to that of the prelingually deaf patients in all cases.     

环氧化酶-2基因启动子甲基化及表达与胃黏膜病变的关系

目的 探讨环氧化酶2(COX-2)基因启动子区甲基化水平和蛋白表达与胃黏膜病变的关系,并对其相关的影响因素进行研究.方法 以1201例患有不同胃黏膜病变的高危人群为研究对象,采用免疫组织化学方法榆测COX-2表达,用亚硫酸氢钠-变性高效液相色谱(DHPLC)对COX-2启动子甲基化率进行定量分析,采用13C尿素呼气实验(13C-UBT)对幽门螺旋杆菌(H priori)感染状况进行测定.结果 COX-2甲基化率中位数随胃黏膜病变的加重逐渐升高,在浅表性胃炎和慢性萎缩性胃炎(SG/CAG)、肠上皮化生(IM)及不确定性异型增生和异璎增生(Ind DYS/DYS)病变中分别为10.6%、11.8%、13.8%,各病变组之间差异有统计学意义(X2=8.312,P=0.016).分层分析显示,在H pylori感染阴性病例中,COX-2甲基化率仍随病变加重明显升高,在SG/CAG、IM、Ind DYS/DYS病变中其中位数分别为8.8%、10.6%、14.1%(X2=6.629,P=0.036).进一步分析发现,COX-2甲基化率随着COX-2表达强度的增强而降低,由COX-2弱阳性表达的13.3%降至强阳性表达的7.6%(X2=10.400,P=0.015).结论 COX-2启动子甲基化水平与胃黏膜病变程度及H pylori感染状况密切相关,并与COX-2表达强度呈负相关,说明COX-2启动子区异常甲基化可能在胃黏膜病变的演变过程中起重要作用.     

家兔未成熟心肌缺血再灌注肌浆网摄钙功能的初步研究

目的 :从亚细胞水平研究未成熟心肌缺血 -再灌注损伤中肌浆网 (SarcoplasmicReticulum ,SR)摄钙功能。方法 :36只家兔随机分为 4组 ,进行离体心灌注。组Ⅰ :幼兔 ,单纯灌注 30min ;组Ⅱ :幼兔 ,停搏 6 0min ,再灌注 30min。组Ⅲ、组Ⅳ为成兔 ,处理分别同组Ⅰ、组Ⅱ ,进行对照。测定各组心功能、冠状动脉流出液血气 ,单细胞内游离钙离子浓度 ([Ca2 + ]i) ,肌浆网Ca2 + -ATPase活性 ,肌浆网45Ca2 + 摄取。结果 :缺血 -再灌注后 ,成熟与未成熟心肌均发生钙超载 (P >0 .0 5 )。未成熟心肌肌浆网Ca2 + ATPase活性 ,肌浆网45Ca2 + 摄取恢复率 ,明显高于成熟心肌 (P <0 .0 5 )。结论 :未成熟心肌缺血 -再灌注损伤钙超载机制不同于成熟心肌 ,肌浆网钙摄取功能 ,在钙超载损伤中不起主要作用。