The impact of new screening protocol on individuals at increased risk of colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE: Screening colonoscopy has been shown to reduce mortality and cancer stage in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) individuals. However, the benefit of screening in intermediate risk groups is unknown. The most recent national guidelines have recommended a reduction of screening frequency for the intermediate risk group. Therefore, this study aims to compare the results of colonoscopic screening in HNPCC and intermediate risk groups and assess the effect of the most recent screening protocol recommendations. METHOD: A total of 244 individuals; 108 from HNPCC families (28 mismatch repair gene carriers) and 136 from intermediate risk families were referred for regular colonoscopic screening by the Regional Genetics Service. Findings from 417 colonoscopies performed between 1992 and 2003 were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of three cancers, 39 adenomas and 41 hyperplastic polyps were found in the HNPCC group compared with one cancer, 22 adenomas and 19 hyperplasic polyps in the intermediate risk group. If the recent screening guidelines for the intermediate group were applied, then 89 (44%) fewer colonoscopies would have been performed. Although no cancers would have been missed, six adenomas (mean size = 5.7 mm, range 2-10 mm) with two graded as severely dysplasic and six hyperplastic polyps would not have been detected. CONCLUSION: The detection rate and distribution of adenomas were similar in both groups. If the new colonoscopic screening recommendations for the intermediate risk group had been applied, a small number of significant lesions would have been missed.     

SUCCESSFUL ENDOSCOPIC CLOSURES OF COLONIC PERFORATIONS REQUIRING ABDOMINAL DECOMPRESSION AFTER ENDOSCOPIC MUCOSAL RESECTION AND ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION FOR EARLY COLON CANCER

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colorectal cancer is not widely accepted because of its technical difficulty and the risk of perforation. In addition, the risk of peritonitis cannot be completely eliminated even if a perforation is closed successfully. Reported here are two cases of early colon cancer in which the patients sustained iatrogenic perforations of the ascending colon during conventional endoscopic mucosal resection and of the sigmoid colon during ESD, respectively, requiring abdominal decompression with an 18 G Medicut needle. Both of these perforations were successfully treated by endoscopic clipping. In conclusion, conservative medical management may be possible in patients who have undergone successful closure of colonic perforations using endoscopic clipping. In order to perform immediate endoscopic closure, abdominal decompression has been useful to decrease patient discomfort and colonic lumen collapse. Now, CO₂ insufflation is being used effectively for the prevention of pneumoperitoneum.     

TECHNIQUES AND PITFALLS OF ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION FOR COLORECTAL TUMORS

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colorectal tumors is steadily being developed. Safety and standardization of ESD for colorectal tumors have not been yet established because of the technical difficulties and the unsuitable anatomical characteristics of the colon and rectum. The authors mainly use a Flex knife for mucosal incision and a Hook knife for submucosal dissection to perform ESD safely. Skillful colonoscopic control, selection of scope, distal attachment tip hood, adequate high‐frequency generator and correct approach strategy should all be considered for safe performance of ESD. However, the incidence of indicative lesions is rare because the majority of colorectal tumors are adenomatous large laterally spreading tumors, which can be cured by intentional endoscopic piecemeal resection. At present, ESD for colorectal tumors should be performed only at central facilities that have expert colonoscopists. With the development of new devices and associated techniques, technical standardization of ESD for colorectal tumors is expected in the near future.     

癌胚抗原DNA疫苗对大肠癌特异性细胞免疫的激活效果

目的检测以质粒pIRES为载体构建的带有全序列癌胚抗原(CEA)基因的核苷酸疫苗对机体特异性抗肿瘤免疫反应的激活效果。方法将CEA基因片段连接于真核表达质粒pIRES中,用肌肉注射方法接种核酸疫苗;检测CEA在小鼠肌肉组织中的表达情况及其对小鼠脾细胞CEA特异性细胞免疫反应的激活效果。结果小鼠经肌肉注射质粒后,免疫组化证实该核酸疫苗可在体内有效表达CEA;分子免疫检测显示注射后小鼠特异性淋巴细胞增值反应明显并且伴有自然杀伤细胞NK活性显著增高。结论实验所构建的核酸疫苗pIRESCEA可在体外及小鼠体内高效表达并表现出良好的细胞免疫原性。     

Performance measures for evaluating services for people with a first episode of psychosis

Aim: The purpose of this project was to operationalize and apply a previously identified set of performance measures designed to evaluate services for those experiencing a first episode of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Methods: Operational definitions were developed for previously identified measures through an iterative process of discussions between clinical experts and health‐care evaluators. Data were collected from existing sources including corporate databases, clinical databases and chart review. Results: Definitions were developed for 44 measures covering seven of eight domains recommended for service level evaluation by the Canadian Institute for Health Information domains. Forty measures could be calculated. Conclusions: The measures represent a comprehensive set of performance measures suitable for the evaluation of services for people with a first‐episode psychosis. The measures could be used by other services in order to establish standards and norms for routine clinical practice.     

放射性脑损伤和脑肿瘤复发的鉴别诊断

放射性脑损伤是放射治疗的严重的并发症,其与脑肿瘤复发的鉴别诊断非常困难,目前主要依靠影像学诊断,核磁共振弥散加权像、磁共振波谱、正电子发射型计算机体层显像、单光子发射计算机体层显像等被认为对于鉴别诊断有一定的帮助,但其敏感性和特异性还有待于进一步研究。最终确诊依赖标本的组织学检查。     

Interpreting Post-Transplant Proteinuria in Patients with Proteinuria Pre-Transplant

Increasing numbers of patients receive kidney transplants before initiation of dialysis or shortly thereafter. Some of these patients have significant proteinuria pre-transplant making the interpretation of post-transplant proteinuria problematic. In this study, we evaluated post-transplant proteinuria in 115 patients who had urine protein measured within 3 months of transplant and assessed the association of proteinuria with allograft pathology. Proteinuria declined rapidly from 3650 +/- 3702 mg/day pre-transplant to 550 + 918 at 3 weeks (p < 0.0001) and continued to decline until 1 year post-transplant (472 +/- 1116, p < 0.0001 vs. 3 weeks). Proteinuria greater than 3000 mg/day was present in 48 patients (42%) pre-transplant, in 1 patient (1%) at 3 weeks and in 4 patients (4%) at 1 year. Surveillance graft biopsies were done at 1 year in 93% of patients. Proteinuria > or = 1500 mg/day and/or an absolute increase in proteinuria > 500 mg/day after 3 weeks post-transplant was associated with allograft glomerular pathology. In conclusion, pre-transplant proteinuria, even when high grade, declines rapidly after transplantation. Failure to decline or persistence of proteinuria greater than 1500 mg/day is indicative of allograft pathology.     

Activation of peripheral 5-HT4 receptors attenuates colonic sensitivity to intraluminal distension

Tegaserod is a 5-HT(4) receptor partial agonist approved for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome in women with constipation and in both men and women with chronic constipation. The efficacy of tegaserod is based on the importance of 5-HT(4) receptors regulating intestinal peristalsis and secretion, and possibly visceral sensory pathways. Our aim was to investigate the effect of tegaserod on colorectal sensitivity using models of normal and exaggerated responsiveness to colorectal distension (CRD). The visceromotor responses (VMR) to CRD at graded pressures (0-60 mmHg) were measured by the number of reflex abdominal contractions. Acute colorectal hypersensitivity was induced by intracolonic infusion of dilute acetic acid. Chronic hypersensitivity was observed in rats following spontaneous resolution of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis. Rats with normosensitive colons served as controls. Tegaserod (0.1-10 mg kg(-1)) caused dose-dependent reduction of the VMR to CRD in control rats and in those with colonic hypersensitivity. 5-HT(4) antagonists reversed the effects of tegaserod in rats with normosensitive colons, and partially inhibited effects in rats with colonic hypersensitivity. Central administration of tegaserod had no inhibitory effect. These results support the assumption that colonic hypersensitivity could be normalized by tegaserod acting, at least in part, through peripheral 5-HT(4) receptors.     

垂体腺瘤的分子病因学研究进展

垂体腺瘤是发生于垂体前叶的良性肿瘤，约占中枢神经系统肿瘤的10％-20％，而无功能微腺瘤占到成人尸检的23％左右。生理上根据免疫组化将垂体腺瘤按功能分为有激素分泌活性腺瘤（functioning pituitary adenoma，FPA）和非激素分泌活性腺瘤（non—functioning pituitary adenoma，NFPA）两大类。[第一段]     

苯乙酸对结直肠癌细胞中C-myc基因表达的影响

目的　观察诱导分化剂苯乙酸 (Phenylacetate,PA)抑制结直肠癌细胞HCT 8增殖过程中C myc基因表达的变化。方法　体外细胞培养 ,运用流式细胞技术观察苯乙酸对HCT 8细胞凋亡的影响。应用原位分子杂交方法观察应用PA后对HCT 8细胞C mycmRNA表达的情况。结果　PA组HCT 8细胞G1期比例从 32 3%增加到 6 1 0 % ,S期比例从 5 9 6 %下降到 2 9 7%。PA治疗后HCT 8细胞C mycmRNA表达阳性表达率为 (12 0 5± 7 92 ) % ,显著低于非治疗组中的阳性率 (5 5 15± 2 1 6 4 ) % ,P <0 0 1。通过细胞周期的检测发现 ,PA抑制大肠癌细胞HCT 8增殖的方式为抑制细胞周期G1期比例。结论　PA通过下调结直肠癌细胞C mycmRNA的生成以及细胞生长G1期阻滞在肿瘤诱导分化治疗方面发挥作用