Objective To explore the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of acute perforation of gnstric cancer. Methods The clinical data of 24 patients with acute perforation of gastric cancer who had been admitted to Guangzhou General Hospital of PLA from July 1996 to December 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Of all patients, 4 were treated by perforation repair, 2 by perforation repair combined with gastrojejunostomy, 11 by palliative subtotal gastrectomy, 2 by radical gastrectomy, and 5 by radical gastrectomy after perforation repair. The mean survival time of patients treated by perforation repair, perforation repair combined with gastro-jejunostomy, partial gastrectomy and radical gastrectomy were (4±5), (6±9), (12±7), and (25±9) months, respectively. Conclusions Early diagnosis and reasonable operation are the keys to decrease the morality and increase life quality for patients who suffered from acute perforation of gastric cancer. Different pathologic stages maybe an important factor in deciding the prognosis.

Objective To investigate the effects of fast-track surgery on postoperative rehabilitation of patients with liver cancer. Methods Forty-one patients with liver cancer who had been admitted to Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University from 9 to 30 in July 2008 were randomly divided into fast-track surgery group (n =20) and routine treatment group (n =21) according to the random number table. Patients in fast-track surgery group were preoperatively educated in order to lessen their anxiety. Bowel preparation was not applied before operation, and they were orally administered with 1000 ml of enteral nutrition emulsion (1300 kcal), then they were fasted for 4 hours before operation. Urethral catheter and gastric tube were removed after operation. They were orally administered with 1000 ml of enteral nutrition emulsion on postoperative day 2, and were encouraged to partake in off-bed activity shortly after the operation. The off-bed time, anus exhaust time, postoperative complica-tions, hospitalization time, expense, nutritional and metabolic indexes on postoperative day 1, 3 and 5, hepatic and renal function, immune and stress indexes between the 2 groups were compared by t test and chi-square test. Results There were significant differences in off-bed time, anus exhaust time, patients' weight, expense, total bilirubin level on postoperative day 1, 3 and 5, and level of serum TNF-α on postoperative day 3 between the 2 groups (t =7.065, 5.483, 3.754, 2.291,2.289, 3.218, 3.192, 2.434, 2.089, P <0.05). Conclusions Fast-track surgery can accelerate the postoperative rehabilitation of patients with liver cancer.

Objective To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics, immunophenotypes and immu-noglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Methods The clinical data of 35 patients with gastric MALT lymphoma who had been admitted to Southwest Hospital from January 1984 to June 2003 were retrospectively analyzed. The specimens of the gastric MALT lymphoma were obtained and their pathomorphological classifications were studied. The immunophenotypes and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement were detected by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction, respectively. All the data were analyzed by chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results The main manifestations of patients with gastric MALT lymphoma were epigastric discomfort and abdominalgia. The percentage of patients with age≥40 accounted for 74% (26/35). The gastric MALT lyrnphoma has low differentia-tion in 32 patients, and high differentiation in 3 patients. There were 31 patients in Ⅰ E stage, 2 in Ⅱ E1 stage and 2 in Ⅳ stage. Pathological examination showed that gastric MALT lymphoma was composed of centrocyte-like cells and mononuclear-like B cells or lymphoplasma cells. Twenty-nine specimens were with lymphoepithelial lesions (83%), 2 with follicular colonization (6%), and 11 with plasma cells segregated beneath the surface epithelium (33%). All the 35 specimens were B cell immunotype. Restrictive expression of κ and λ light chains of the immunoglobulin was found in 19 cases, and Bcl-2 positive expression was found in 16 cases. High expres-sion of proliferating cell nuclear antigen was found in gastric MALT lymphoma with transformed blasts, which indicated that gastric MALT lymphoma with transformed blasts was more active in proliferation than those of low grade. A monoclonal pattern of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement was detected in 33 patients (94%). Conclusions Digestive symptoms are the main manifestations of patients with gastric MALT lymphoma. The incidence of gastric MALT lymphoma increases with age. The final diagnosis of gastric MALT lymphoma depends on the pathological, immunohistochemical examination and laboratory test.

Objective To study the preventive effects of vitamin K2 on tumor recurrence in patients with hepatocellalar carcinoma (HCC) after radical resection. Methods The clinical data of 50 patients with HCC who received radical resection from March 2006 to March 2007 in No. 181 Hospital of PLA were analyzed retrospec-tively. All the patients were divided into 2 groups according to the random number table. Twenty-six patients in vitamin K2 group were administered with menatetrenone (45 mg per day), and the rest 24 pateints were in the control group. The accumulative and tumor-free survival rates, differences between the 2 groups, multivariate factors for prognosis were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curve, Log-rank test and Cox regression model, respectively. Results During a period of 36 month follow-up, 10 patients died and 28 had tunor recurrence. The 1-, 2-, 3-year accumulative survival rates were 96%, 92% and 83% in vitamin K2 group, and 96%, 82% and 63% in control group (χ2 = 3.61, P > 0.05). The 1-, 2-, 3-year tumor-free survival rates were 92%, 60% and 38% in vitamin K2 group, and 75%, 42% and 12% in control group, with significant difference between the 2 groups (χ2 =5.61, P <0.05). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that without taking menate-trenone, the preoperative level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) ≥800 μg/L and vascular invasion were the indepen-dent risk factors for tumor recurrence. Conclusions Vitamin K2 has a suppressive effect on tumor recurrence of HCC, while patients with AFP≥800 μg/L before operation or with vascular invasion have poor prognosis.

Objective To investigate the value of modified pancreatoduodenectomy in the treatment of ampullary carcinoma by comparing the efficacy of pancreatoduodenectomy with preservation of ascending portion of duodenum and that of Whipple procedure. Methods The clinical data of 133 patients with ampullary carcinoma who had been admitted to the Qilu Hospital from 1990 to 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 133 patients, 88 received Whipple procedure (group A) and 45 received pancreatoduedenectomy with preservation of ascending portion of duodenum (group B). The preoperative condition of the patients and short- and long-term efficacy of the 2 procedures were compared by Fisher exact probability, t test, chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Log-rank test, and the differences between the efficacy of the 2 procedures were compared. Results The operation time, time of gastrointestinal function recovery, hospital stay and ratio of patients with blood transfusion were (366±111) minutes, (7.4±1.4) days, (24±9) days and 76% (67/88) in group A, and (325±32)minutes, (4.3±1.4)days, (31±14)days, 42% (19/45) in group B, with significant difference between the 2 groups (t = 2.34, 2.08, 1.98 ; χ2 = 14.99, P < 0.05). The medium survival time of patients in groups A and B were (19.0±1.5)months and (16.9±1.7) months, with no significant difference between the 2 groups (χ2 = 0.46, P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the occurrence of postoperative complications between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions Pancreateduodenectomy with preservation of ascending portion of duodenum can be applied for patients with ampullary carcinoma.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of preoperative regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC) in the treatment of resectable pancreatic head carcinoma. Methods The clinical data of 50 patients with resectable pancreatic head carcinoma who had been admitted to the Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases of Fudan University from December 2006 to July 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were randomly divided into2 groups (n =25 in each group): patients in group A were treated with preoperative RIAC followed by regional pancreaticoduodenectomy, and patients in group B were treated with surgical procedure routinely. The lymphatic metastases in the 50 specimens of pancreatic head carcinoma were detected by histological examination with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and lymphatic micrometastases were detected by immunohistochemical method with staining of cytokeratin AE1/AE3 in 10 specimens with negative HE staining of the lymph nodes in each group. Results There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications, the length of hospital stay and the 1-, 2-year survival rates between the 2 groups (χ2 = 0.12, 2.88, P > 0.05). The incidence of positive lymph node metastasis in group A was 7.1% (52/734), which was significantly higher than 22.1% (118/532) in group B (χ2 = 60.01, P < 0.05). The incidence of lymphatic micrometastasis was 9.4% (30/319) in group A, and 9.1% (23/252) in group B, with no statistical difference between the 2 groups (χ2= 0.01, P > 0.05). Conclusions Preoperative RIAC is helpful in improving the prognosis of patients with resectable pancreatic head carcinoma by reducing the incidence of lymphatic metastasis and decreasing tumor stage.

Objective To investigate the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor. Methods The clinical data of 38 patients with malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor who had been admitted to First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 1969 to December 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Of all patients, 6 were with insulinoma, 23 with pancreatic polypeptide tumor, 4 with glucagonoma and 5 with pancreatic carcinoid. Results All patients except 1 with insulinoma were found with pancreatic lesion by imaging examination. The resection rate was 87% (33/38). Pathological examination found 7 patients with liver metastasis, 5 with lymph node metastasis, 1 with tumor thrombus in vessels and lymphatic vessels, and 28 with local invasion. Twenty-four patients were followed up, and neither recurrence nor metastasis was found except 1 patient with insulinoma who received reoperation for local recurrence and 1 patient with pancreatic carcinoid who received radiofrequency ablation for liver metastasis. Conclusions The diagnosis of pancreatic endocrine tumor mainly depends on imaging examination. The malignancy of pancreatic endocrine tumor is determined after the comprehensive analysis of preoperative imaging findings, intraoperative examination, post-operative pathological examination and the data obtained during follow-up. The malignant pancreatic endocrine tumor should be managed actively by resection because of its relatively low malignancy, high operative resectability and relatively good prognosis.

With the increasing incidence and high malignancy, pancreatic cancer is still expected to be treated by radical resection. However, because of the unique anatomical and biological features, such as rapid progression, early metas-tasis and direct invasion to the vessels, the resection rate of pan-creatic cancer is still at a lower level. The standard procedures of diagnosis and treatment, including early detection, preopera-tive resectability assessment, and judgement of the resection area based on the tumor staging, benefit the patients and significantly improve the prognosis.

Objective To study the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the expression of β-catenin, c-myc and cyclin D1 in colorectal cancer cell line SW480. Methods The changes of mRNA and protein expression of β-catenin, cyclin DI and c-myc were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot after culturing the colorectal cancer cell line SW400 with different concentrations of CAPE (2.5, 5.0, 10.0 mg/L) for 24 hours and 48 hours. Results After the treatment of CAPE, the mRNA expression of β-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc were decreased from 1.05±0. 26, 0.87±0.09, 0.63 ± 0. 09 to 0.67 ±0. 10, 0.51±0.14, 0.32±0.14, respectively, and the protein expression of β-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc were decreased from 204±52, 111±11, 87±7 to 52±16, 52±16, 32±12, respectively. There was a significant difference in the decrease of mRNA and protein expression of β-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc in colorectal cancer cell line SW480 with and without treatment of CAPE (F=5.724, 6.793, 7.026, 15.936, 14.889, 14.162, 31.147, 28.881, 6.322, 17.647, 9.584, P<0.05 ). The inhibition effect of CAPE was displayed in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Conclusions CAPE can obstruct the β-catenin pathway, and down-regulate the transcription and expression of β-catenin, cyclin D1 and c-myc. The anti-tumor effect of CAPE may be related to the decreased expression of β-catenin, cyclin DI and c-myc.

Objective To study the relationship between the expression of cytochrome c ( Cyt c) and programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) in pancreatic cancer, and investigate the pathway of PDCD4 inducing the apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. Methods Pancreatic cancer specimens from 69 patients who received pancreatic resection from 1990 to 2002 in First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University were collected. The expression of Cyt c in the 69 paraffin specimens of pancreatic cancer was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the expression of Cyt c in 8 samples of cold-preserved fresh pancreatic cancer and normal pancreatic tissues were detected by Western blot. The expression of PDCD4 and Cyt c in pancreatic cancer was analyzed by paired t test and chi-square test. Results Compared with normal pancreatic tissues, the expression of Cyt c in pancreatic cancer was significantly decreased. The positive expression rate of Cyt c in 69 samples of pancreatic cancer was 41% (28/69). The expression of Cyt c was positive in most patients with positive expression of PDCD4, and the expression of PDCD4 was negative in most patients with negative expression of Cyt c. The expression of PDCD4 and Cyt c was closely correlated with each other (χ2= 10.52, P < 0.05). Conclusions There is a close relationship between the expression of PDCD4 and Cyt c in pancreatic cancer. PDCD4 may induce the apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells through mitochondrial pathway.