Hyperthermia therapy employs artificial heat to treat malignant tumors. Hyperthermia uses a variety of physical energy to produce thermal effects in the body tissue. Hyperthermia elevates the temperature of tumor tissues to a certain degree and makes it maintained for a certain period of time to kill cancer cells and prevent normal cells from damage. Compared with other conventional therapy, hyperthermia has its special advantages and has become one of the novel comprehensive medical treatments for cancer therapy. This paper briefly reviews the action mechanism on hyperthermia against tumors and its clinical application in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancer.

Lung cancer, a malignant cancer with highest death rate, severely threats the people's health. 80% lung carcinomas are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent studies have found that estrogen system has close relationship with the biological behaviors of NSCLC. Meanwhile, the level of estrogen influences the progression of disease and the prognosis of lung cancer patients. As a result, estrogen pathway has become a hot target in NSCLC treatment. This paper reviews the recearch advances of estrogen system in NSCLC treatment.

Stathmin, a ubiquitously expressed cytosolic protein(Mr=19×10~3), is also called oncogene protein 18 (Op18). Stathmin is involved in the assembly of microtubule (MT) and spindle by binding the tubulin protein. It plays a key role in cell proliferation, differentiation, regeneration, and migration and has regulatory effects on the signal transduction. Recently, it is reported that stathmin is overexpressed in a variety of human malignancies. It induces tumor cell migration and invasion by regulating MT depolymeri-zation. Its post-translational modification influences the interaction with p53 protein and is involved in the initiation and progression of malignant tumor. Stathmin alone or in combination with chemotherapeutics has been used for tumor therapy. The internal association of stathmin with cancer etiology is still unknown. So, further studies are needed to determine the role of stathmin as potential tumor biomarker and a drug target in tumor therapy.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of detecting excision repair cross-complementing 1(ERCC1)and ERCC2 in peripheral venous blood instead of cancer tissues from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients. Methods:The expressions of ERCC1 and ERCC2 mRNA were detected by using RT-PCR in 39 cases of peripheral venous blood samples, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues, and adjacent normal tissues. ELISA was used to determine the levels of ERCC1 and ERCC2 proteins in serum. The periphe-ral blood from 10 healthy volunteers was used as control. Results:Expression levels of ERCC1 and ERCC2 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in peripheral blood from healthy control than those in esophageal carcinoma patients (P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between the expression of ERCC1 and ERCC2 mRNA in peripheral blood and cancer tissues (P<0.01). Conclusion:The expression levels of ERCC1 and ERCC2 mRNA in peripheral blood can indirectly reflect their expression levels in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues.

Objective:To investigate the mRNA and protein expressions of steroid sulfatase (STS) in breast cancer tissues and normal breast tissues, and analyze its relationship with clinicopathologic characteristics. Methods:The mRNA and protein expressions of STS, in 40 cases of breast cancer tissues and corresponding paracancerous normal breast tissues, were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and immunohistochemistry. The correlation of STS expression level with clinicopathologic characteristics was analyzed. Results:STS protein was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of breast carcinoma cells and epithelial cells in normal breast glands, but not in the stroma. It could be detected in the nucleus of carcinoma cells in 3 cases of breast cancer tissues, which was pathologically classified as invasive ductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma, and invasive micropapillary carcinoma. STS was not observed in interstitial tissues of breast glands. STS protein expression had positive correlation with its mRNA expressing level. The positivity of STS was 70.0% in breast cancer tissues, significantly higher than that of normal breast tissues (42.5%). The difference was significant (P =0.013). Stratified analysis showed that the positive rates of STS protein were significantly higher in premenopausal patients, the patients with lymph node metastasis, and those with advanced breast carcinoma than those in the matched normal breast tissues (P<0.05). Conclusion:Breast cancer tissues highly expressed STS protein to stimulate local estrogen production, thereby enhancing the progression and migration of breast cancer cells. In addition, as the tumor growth, locally biosynthesized estrogens may play more and more important roles.

Objective:To study whether sacral lymph nodes should be included in the target volume delineation for those patients with early (stageⅠB-ⅡA) uterus cervix cancer during postoperative radiotherapy. Methods:Forty-six patients with early uterus cervix cancer were given postoperative three dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) in our department for one month after radical resection. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. The sacral lymph nodes were not included in the target volume delineation in the treatment group. But they were delineated in control group. All the patents had no radiotherapy-related contraindications and signed the consent agreement. The patients were followed up. The local controlling rate and the incidence and degree of radioactive proctitis were compared between the two groups. Results:The local controlling rate of the two groups had no significant difference(t=0.000, P=1.000). The doses received by the 5% and 95% volume of the rectum(V_5, V_95), the average dose, and the minimum dose had significant difference between the two groups(t_(V5)=2.169, P_(V5)=0.041; t_(V95)=4.036, P_(V95)=0.001;t_(mean)=2.236, P_(mean)=0.036; t_(min)=2.265, P_(min=0.034), but the maximum dose received by the rectum had no obvious difference (t_(max)=0.518, P_(max)=0.610). The incidence of radioactive proctitis had significant difference between the two groups(t=2.174, P=0.190). Conclusion:For the early uterus cervix cancer patients who have recurrent risk after radical surgery, sacral lymph nodes should not be included in the delineation of target volume during 3D-CRT in order to decrease the incidence of radioactive proctitis.

Objective:To explore the expression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein related protein 1(IGFBP-rP1) gene in children with acute leukemia and its potential significance. Methods:Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RFQ-PCR) method was used for detecting IGFBP-rP1 mRNA expression in bone marrow (BM) cells of 168 children with acute leukemia. The results were compared with those of 30 non-leukemia children in control group. Meanwhile the relationship between IGFBP-rP1 expression level and clinical prognosis was analyzed according to clinical prognostic factors of children acute leukemia. Results:Expression level of IGFBP-rP1 in initial acute leukemia children was significantly higher than that of non leukemia children (P<0.01). It was higher in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) than in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)(P =0.013). The transcription level of IGFBP-rP1 mRNA in patients who had complete remission (CR) were lowest, which was nearly the same as non-leukemia childish patients. It increased again when leukemia relapsed, which was significantly higher than that in CR. However, as far as ALL was concerned, IGFBP-rP1 expression levels had no significant difference between newly-diagnosed, complete remission, and recurrent groups.Conclusion:IGFBP-rP1 may be involved in the initiation and development of childish leukemia. It has the potential to become a new target for AML treatment.

Objective:To study the correlation of C(-938)A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of anti-apoptosis gene Bcl-2 with the clinical biological parameters of breast cancer patients in Hebei Province. Methods:Three genotypes(AA, AC, CC) of Bcl-2 C(-938)A from 113 samples of breast cancer patients were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method, and the results were associated with clinical biological parameters. The distribution of genotype frequency was compared between different groups. Results:When stratified for axillary lymph node metastases, the frequency of AA genotype were 26.8%, 47.8% and 52.6% and the distribution of AC+CC genotypes were 73.2%, 52.2% and 47.4% in negative group, 1-3 metastasis group, and ≥4 metastasis group. The difference between the two groups was significant (χ~2=6.337, P=0.042). Compared with the AC+CC genotypes, the OR value of AA genotype in ≥4 metastasis group was 3.041 (95%CI=1.072-8.626). The frequency of AA genotype were 30.9% and 69.1% in gradeⅠ-Ⅱ group and grade Ⅲ group, and the frequency of AC+CC genotypes were 57.9% and 42.1%. The difference between the two groups was significant (χ~2=5.055; P=0.025). Compared with the AC+CC genotypes, the OR value of AA genotype in differentiated tumors(grade Ⅲ)was 3.082 (95%CI=1.122-8.465). Stratified for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and C-erbB2, there was no difference between the distribution of AA genotype and AC+CC genotypes (χ~2=3.005, χ~2=1.504, χ~2=1.163, P>0.05). Conclusion:The AA genotype of Bcl-2 gene C(-938)A maybe correlated with high lymph node metastasis rate and poor differentiation.

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of a modified baseline BEACOPP regimen(bleomycin+etoposide+adriamycin+cyclophosphamide+vincristine+ procarbazine hydrochloride+ prednisone) in the treatment of advanced Hodgkin 's lymphoma (HL). Methods:From March 2006 to September 2008, 22 previously untreated patients with stages Ⅱ(bulky), Ⅲ and Ⅳ HL were treated with a modified baseline BEACOPP regimen. Each patient was scheduled to receive 6 to 8 cycles of BEACOPP with consolidation radiotherapy to bulky (≥5 cm) or residual disease.Results:There were 11 males and 11 females with a median age of 28 years (15 to 61 years old). Twelve patients (54.5%) had nodular sclerosis HL, and 10(45.5%) had mixed cellularity HL. There were 4 patients in stageⅡ, 7 in stage Ⅲ and 11 in stage Ⅳ. Sixteen patients (72.7%) achieved a complete remission (CR) and 5 patients (22.7%) had partial remission (PR). The total effective rate (CR+PR) was 95.5%. Among all kinds of clinical factors International Prognostic Score (IPS) had significant effect on CR rate (P=0.011). The 1-, 2- and 3-year total survival rates were the same (95.5%); the 1-, 2- and 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 72.7%, 53.1% and 53.1%, respectively;the 1-, 2- and 3-year disease-free survival rates were 85.9%, 76.4% and 76.4%,respectively. Univariate analysis showed that the gender, IPS and whether achieving CR had significant effects on PFS (P<0.05). The main toxic effects were bone marrow depression and liver injury. Three patients (13.6%) had grade Ⅲ drug-induced lung injury. No treatment-related death was observed.Conclusion:The modified baseline BEACOPP regimen was effective and safe for treatment of newly diagnosed patients with advanced HL.

Objective:To investigate the impact of polysomy 17 of breast cancer on testing results of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and its clinicopathologic significance. Methods:Seventy-one patients with primary invasive breast carcinoma were studied. The HER2 gene and chromosome 17 copy numbers were determined by dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The testing results were expressed by absolute HER2 gene copy number or the ratio of HER2 to chromosome 17. Based on the FISH testing results and HER2 protein expression determined by immunohistochemistry the results were compared between different groups divided by related clinicopathologic parameters.Results:All patients who had doubtable FISH results, either by absolute HER2 copy number (14 of 71 patients; 19.7%) or by the ratio HER2/chromosome 17 (2 of 71 patients, 2.8%), displayed polysomy 17. Polysomy 17-positive patients had no significant difference with HER2-negative patients in tumor grade, lymph node metastasis, and estrogen receptor (ER) expression (all P>0.05); but compared with HER2-positive patients, they showed lower tumor grade (50.0% vs 81.5%, P=0.025), higher rate of negative lymph node (55.6% vs 25.9%, P=0.045), and higher rate of ER positive expression (83.3% vs 41.7%, P=0.005) and progesterone receptor(PR)positive expression (87.5% vs 44.4%, P=0.003).Conclusion:Compared with HER2 gene amplification group, polysomy 17-positive group tends to have negative HER2 gene expression. Polysomy 17 influences the testing results of HER2 and may be the main factor that caused doubtable results in FISH examination.