Management of Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia refractory to radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation(RFA) is very effective for eradication of flat Barrett's mucosa in dysplastic Barrett's esophagus after endoscopic resection of raised lesions. However, in a minority of the time, RFA may be ineffective at eradication of the Barrett's mucosa. Achieving complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia can be challenging in these patients. This review article focuses on the management of patients with dysplastic Barrett's esophagus refractory to RFA therapy. Management strategies discussed in this review include optimizing the RFA procedure, optimizing acid suppression(with medical, endoscopic, and surgical management), cryotherapy, hybrid argon plasma coagulation, and EndoRotor resection.     

Low-Grade Inflammation and Increased Arterial Stiffness in Chinese Youth and Adolescents with Newly-Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective:

To investigate the relationship between low-grade inflammation (LI) and increased arterial stiffness in Chinese youth and adolescents with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods:

Ninety-eight subjects aged 10 to 24 years with newly-diagnosed T2DM were investigated for findings of general inflammation. Anthropometric measurements were taken. Data related to arterial stiffness [brachial artery distensibility (Branch D), augmentation index (AIx), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (CF-PWV)] were collected. The subjects were divided into a non-LI group (NLI, n=42) and a LI group (n=56) according to their high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) levels.

Results:

There were no significant differences in age and gender between the LI group and the NLI group. CF-PWV and AIx values of the LI group were higher than those of the NLI group (p<0.01), while Branch D values were lower in the LI group (p<0.01). Branch D, CF-PWV, and AIx values correlated significantly with Hs-CRP overall (r=-0.32, 0.34, 0.33, all p<0.01). Multivariate models revealed that in either group (LI or NLI), Hs-CRP, as a continuous variable, was an independent determinant of arterial stiffness parameters even after adjusting for other risk factors.

Conclusion:

Newly-diagnosed T2DM youth and adolescents with LI present a more adverse cardiovascular disease risk profile and stiffer arteries. Hs-CRP levels correlated with arterial stiffness parameters and constituted an independent determinant of arterial stiffness.     

First-line treatment of Waldenström's disease with cladribine

Purpose: To assess the activity and side effects of cladribine (2-CdA) treatment in patients with advanced Waldenström's disease. Patients and methods: Ten symptomatic patients without prior therapy were included in a prospective multicenter trial. 2-CdA was administered daily at 0.12 mg/kg body weight in a 2-h i.v. infusion over 5 consecutive days; this was repeated every 28 days for four cycles. Patients achieving a remission received interferon alfa-2c (IF) 15?μg s.c. three times a week for 1 year. Results: All 10 patients responded to 2-CdA (100%; 95% confidence interval, 68–100%), with one complete (CR) and eight partial responders (PR); one patient had only one 2-CdA cycle and showed a minor improvement (MR). Patients tolerated the treatment well. Despite considerable immunosuppression, an infection occurred in only two patients. After a median observation period of 57 weeks, three patients had shown progression, including one who died of lymphoma. Conclusion: 2-CdA induction and IF maintenance is a well-tolerated therapy for symptomatic untreated patients with advanced Waldenström's disease and offers excellent palliation.     

鼻窦低度恶性肌纤维母细胞肉瘤的影像表现

目的总结鼻窦低度恶性肌纤维母细胞肉瘤(low grade myofibroblastic sarcoma,LGMS)的影像学表现,以期提高对该病的诊断水平。资料与方法回顾性分析经手术后病理证实的5例LGMS的影像学表现。5例LGMS均行CT平扫,其中1例行CT增强扫描,其余4例行MR平扫+增强扫描。结果 5例LGMS,2例累及右侧上颌窦及筛窦,2例累及双侧筛窦及蝶窦,1例累及左侧各鼻窦。5例均表现为窦腔内不规则形软组织肿块,CT平扫均呈等或稍低密度;MRI检查,T1WI为中等及稍低信号,T2WI为中等及稍高信号,信号不均匀;增强扫描5例均可见中度-明显强化。5例肿瘤周围均出现虫蚀样溶骨性骨质破坏。结论鼻窦LGMS的影像学表现为鼻窦内软组织肿块伴溶骨性骨质破坏,增强扫描中度-明显强化,影像学检查有助于确定肿瘤的的侵犯范围。     

Hepatic steatosis, low-grade chronic inflammation and hormone/growth factor/adipokine imbalance

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a further expression of metabolic syndrome, strictly linked to obesity and diabetes mellitus, is characterized by insulin resistance (IR), elevated serum levels of free fatty acids and fatty infi ltration of the liver, which is known as hepatic steatosis. Hepatocyte apoptosis is a key feature of this disease and correlates with its severity. Free-fatty-acidinduced toxicity represents one of mechanisms for the pathogenesis of NAFLD and hormones, growth factors and a...     

宫颈细胞学诊断低度鳞状上皮内病变不除外高度鳞状上皮内病变的临床意义

目的:对宫颈细胞学诊断为低度鳞状上皮内病变不除外高度鳞状上皮内病变(low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion,cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion,LSIL-H)与TBS-2001系统中的LSIL、非典型鳞状细胞不除外高度病变(atypical squamous cells,cannot rule out a high grade lesion,ASC-H)和高度鳞状上皮内病变(high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion,HSIL)的组织病理学结果进行比较,评估LSIL-H的临床风险。方法:对细胞学诊断异常标本即未明确意义的非典型鳞状上皮细胞(atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance,ASC-US)、LSIL、ASC-H和HSIL,采用盲法重新进行回顾性诊断,分级为ASC-US、LSIL、LSIL-H、ASC-H和HSIL。同时追踪组织病理学诊断结果,并分析高危型人乳头瘤病毒(highrisk-HPV)阳性率。结果:总共49000例被纳入分析。重新诊断后,LSIL-H有88例(88/49000,0.17%)。重新分级诊断前,LSIL-H在各异常分级中所占的比例分别为:ASC-US为19.32%(17/88)、LSIL为43.18%(38/88)、ASC-H为34.09%(30/88)、HSIL为3.41%(3/88)。LSIL-H罹患高度病变CIN2/3的概率要高于LSIL,两者相比差异有统计学意义(P<0.01),但均低于HSIL(P<0.01)。LSIL-H与ASC-H的CIN2/3患病率相当(分别为39.47%和38.46%),差异无统计学意义。结论:LSIL-H组织病理学结果证实,其与高度病变之间的关系与ASC-H相近,建议采用与ASC-H同样的方法对这类患者进行临床管理。     

Monocyte number associated with incident cancer and mortality in middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling Danes

Background

Monocytes play an important role in innate immunity and exhibit prognostic value in some cancers. It was hypothesised that activation of the innate immune system through mobilisation of monocytes to tissue macrophages develops an inflammatory state associated with increased risk of cancer and mortality.

Methods

To test this hypothesis monocyte number was measured in a sample of 669 Danish men (59%) and women (41%) aged 55 to 75 years who were free of any known prevalent cancer or cardiovascular disease. The population was followed for 6.3 years, during which period incident cancers and deaths were compiled from validated national registries.

Results

Fifty-two subjects developed cancer and 83 subjects died during follow-up. The upper quintile of monocyte number (median 0.44 × 10⁹/L, lower quintile <0.33, upper quintile >0.60) was associated with an increased risk of cancer (hazard ratio [HR] 2.00 [95% CI 1.12-3.57]) and deaths (HR 1.67 [1.03-2.72]) in univariate analyses, after correction for age and gender (cancer HR 2.15 [1.20-3.86] and death HR 1.63 [1.00-2.67]), and following additional correction for smoking habits, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol (cancer HR 2.00 [1.10-3.70] and death HR 1.30 [0.78-2.16]). COX regression models, with inclusion of the aforementioned explanatory variables and added heart rate variability, alcohol use, and CRP, revealed monocyte count (per 0.1 × 10⁹/L increase) to be independently associated with incident cancer (HR 1.12 (1.05-1.19)) and death (HR 1.13 (1.06-1.19)).

Conclusions

In healthy middle-aged and elderly community-dwelling Danes circulating monocytes independently predicted incident cancer and mortality.     

A new and reliable culture system for superficial low-grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

Several bladder cancer culture systems have been developed in recent years. However, reports about successful primary cultures of superficial urothelial carcinomas (UC) are sparse. Based on the specific growth requirements of UC described previously, we developed a new and reliable culture system for superficial low-grade UC. Between November 2002 and April 2006, 64 primary cultures of bladder cancer specimens were performed. After incubating the specimens overnight in 0.1% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution, tumour cells could easily be separated from the submucosal tissue. Subsequently, cells were seeded in a low-calcium culture medium supplemented with 1% serum, growth factors, non-essential amino acids and glycine. The malignant origin of the cultured cells was demonstrated by spectral karyotyping. Overall culture success rate leading to a homogenous tumour cell population without fibroblast contamination was 63%. Culture success could be remarkably enhanced by the addition of glycine to the culture medium. Interestingly, 86.4% of pTa tumours were cultured successfully compared to only 50% of the pT1 and 38% of advanced stage tumours, respectively. G1 and G2 tumours grew significantly better than G3 tumours (86, 73 and 41%, respectively). Up to three passages of low-grade UC primary cultures were possible. We describe a new and reliable culture system, which is highly successful for primary culture and passage of low-grade UC of the bladder. Therefore, this culture system can widely be used for functional experiments on early stage bladder cancer.