The role of mRNA splicing in prostate cancer

Alternative splicing （AS） is a crucial step in gene expression. It is subject to intricate regulation, and its deregulation in cancer can lead to a wide array of neoplastic phenotypes. A large body of evidence implicates splice isoforms in most if not all hallmarks of cancer, including growth, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, and metabolism. AS has important clinical implications since it can be manipulated therapeutically to treat cancer and represents a mechanism of resistance to therapy. In prostate cancer （PCa） AS also plays a prominent role and this review will summarize the current knowledge of alternatively spliced genes with important functional consequences. We will highlight accumulating evidence on AS of the components of the two critical pathways in PCa： androgen receptor （AR） and phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）. These observations together with data on dysregulation of splice factors in PCa suggest that AR and PI3K pathways may be interconnected with previously unappreciated splicing regulatory networks. In addition, we will discuss several lines of evidence implicating splicing regulation in the development of the castration resistance.     

Radium-223 in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer

In 2004, docetaxel was approved for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer （mCRPC）. For the next several years, there was a lull in drug approvals. However, from 2010 onwards, 5 additional therapies have been approved on the basis of showing a survival benefit in phase III studies. These agents include sipuleuceI-T, cabazitaxel, abiraterone, enzalutamide and （most recently） radium-223. Amongst radiopharmaceuticals currently used for advanced prostate cancer （e.g. samarium-153 and strontium-89）, radium-223 possesses several unique properties. As an alpha-emitting compound, the agent produces a high-energy output over a short range, facilitating selective destruction of tissue within the bone in the region of osteoblastic lesions while sparing surrounding normal tissue. The current review will outline biological rationale for radium-223 and also provide an overview of preclinical and clinical development of the agent. Rational sequencing of radium-223 and combinations, in the increasingly complex landscape of mCRPC will be discussed, along with factors influencing clinical implementation.     

在不同年龄中结肠癌患者的临床和内镜分析

目的　探讨不同年龄人结肠癌的临床特点。方法　对经结肠镜检查的 2 17例结肠癌患者按年龄分为三组 ,老年组 (>6 0岁 )、中年组 (36～ 5 9岁 )、青年组 (<35岁 )。比较不同年龄组结肠癌患者的临床表现、内镜下表现、病理及雌激素受体表达等肿瘤特征进行分析并与中青年组患者相对照。结果　老年组粘液血便为主占 90 2 % ,肿瘤分布以直肠和乙状结肠多见 ,显著高于青年组。老年男性雌激素受体 (ER)阳性率显著降低。结论　本研究表明老年人结肠癌患病率高、结肠癌发病高峰为 6 0～ 70岁。老年人结肠癌发生部位以左半结肠多见 ,分化好 ,病程长。     

晚期非小细胞肺癌综合治疗的前瞻性研究

目的探讨提高Ⅲ期非小细胞肺癌治疗效果的方法。方法85例Ⅲ期非小细胞肺癌患者随机分为3组,并进行不同顺序的治疗,A组(化疗+手术+放疗)28例,放疗后配合辅助化疗;B组(手术+化疗+放疗)28例;C组(手术+放疗+化疗)29例。比较各组3年生存率、局部区域复发率和远处转移率的差异性。结果A、B、C3组3年生存率分别为75.00%,53.57%,44.83%,其中A组与C组比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.05);3组局部区域复发率分别为7.14%,32.14%,17.24%,其中A组与B组比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.05);各组远处转移率分别为7.14%,10.71%,37.93%,其中A组与C组及B组与C组比较,差异均有显著性意义(P<0.05)。结论术前化疗再手术,配合术后放疗及辅助化疗,可提高治疗Ⅲ期非小细胞肺癌的疗效。     

Ultrasonographic fine-needle aspiration of pathological masses in the head and neck region.

Two hundred and eight ultrasonographic fine-needle aspiration biopsies were performed in patients with head and neck masses and examined cytologically. The average minimum diameter of the masses was 1.5 cm. The smallest punctured lymph node located in the perivascular sheath had a diameter of 0.4 cm. In none of the patients were complications observed. Ninety-seven percent of the diagnoses based on cytological examination were confirmed in the histological examination of surgical biopsies or in the further clinical course.     

二苓苡仁汤联合常规西医治疗晚期结肠癌的临床疗效及对细胞免疫功能状态、血清学指标的影响

目的:分析晚期结肠癌患者予以常规西医联合二苓苡仁汤治疗的方法及对患者免疫功能、血清指标的作用。方法:本次研究时间为期4年,由2015年3月起至2019年3月结束,研究对象选择我院收治晚期结肠癌患者56例,随机将其分为两组,对照组采取常规西医治疗,观察组在其基础上联合二苓苡仁汤治疗,评估两组患者临床效果。检测对比各组患者治疗前后细胞免疫功能及血清相关指标差异,记录并计算各组患者治疗后不良反应发生概率。结果:观察组此次治疗总效果明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。两组患者入院时细胞免疫功能指标等较为相近(P>0.05),经治疗后观察组患者细胞免疫功能指标均高于对照组,同时治疗后血清各项指标相较对照组更低(P<0.05)。观察组患者治疗后出现不良反应的概率低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:晚期结肠癌患者在接受常规西医化疗期间联合二苓苡仁汤治疗效果确切,倡导临床应用。     

Effect of Jianpi-yangwei decoction on gut fungi in the patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy

Background:Our previous study shows that the empirical formula of Chinese medicine Jianpi-yangwei decoction(JYD)can improve the quality of life in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy by increasing beneficial gut bacteria and decreasing harmful bacteria.The present study aims to investigate the effect of JYD on gut fungi in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy.Methods:A total of 73 patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy were recruited.Twenty-nine patients in the chemotherapy group were given standard chemotherapy and 44 patients in the observation group were given JYD plus standard chemotherapy.A control group(55 cases)was recruited from the healthy medical examiners.After 3 months of treatment,life-quality score was evaluated and fecal microbiota was tested by high-throughput sequencing based on the 18S rRNA gene.Results:After treatment,life-quality score in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the chemotherapy group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference between the observation and control groups’diversity and richness indices of intestinal fungi.The Chao index for intestinal fungi in the chemotherapy group was significantly lower than that in the observation group(P<0.05).There was a significant difference between the control and chemotherapy groups in the intestinal fungi according to Shannon and Simpson indices(P<0.05).Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis showed no significant differences among the three groups,but significant difference in intestinal fungi was observed between the observation group and the chemotherapy group.At the genus level,the relative abundance of the Aspergillus genus in the observation and control groups was significantly lower(P<0.05),the relative abundance of the Cutaneotrichosporon,Galactomyces,and Ganoderma genus taxa was significantly higher compared with those in the chemotherapy group(P<0.05),and there was no significant difference between the observation group and control group.Conclusion:JYD can ameliorate chemotherapy-induced fungal dysbacteriosis in patients with gastric cancer undergoing chemotherapy and improve the quality of life of patients.     

Predictive risk factors for lymph node metastasis in patients with small size non-small cell lung cancer

Background

Accurate clinical staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is essential for developing an optimal treatment strategy. This study aimed to determine the predictive risk factors for lymph node metastasis, including both N1 and N2 metastases, in clinical T1aN0 NSCLC patients.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated clinical T1aN0M0 NSCLC patients who showed no radiologic evidence of lymph node metastasis, and who had undergone surgical pulmonary resection with systematic mediastinal node dissection or sampling at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University between January 2011 and June 2013. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictive factors for node metastasis.

Results

Pathologically positive lymph nodes were found in 16.2% (51/315) of the patients. Positive N1 nodes were found in 12.4% (39/315) of the patients, and positive N2 nodes were identified in 13.0% (41/315) of the patients. Some 9.2% (29/315) of the patients had both positive N1 and N2 nodes, and 3.8% (12/315) of the patients had nodal skip metastasis. Variables of preoperative radiographic tumor size, non-upper lobe located tumors, high carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and micropapillary predominant adenocarcinoma (AC) were identified as predictors for positive N1 or N2 node multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

Pathologically positive lymph nodes were common in small size NSCLC patients with clinical negative lymph nodes. Therefore, preoperative staging should be performed more thoroughly to increase accuracy, especially for patients who have the larger size, non-upper lobe located, high CEA level or micropapillary predominant ACs.