Objective: To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on gastric carcinoma cell line AGS in vitro and to assess the influence of As2O3 on the expression of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Methods: AGS cells were treated with different concentrations of As2O3 (1, 5, and 10 ?mol/L) for 24,48, and 72 h. The cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay, cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were measured by flow cytometry and TUNEL, and the expression of STAT3 and VEGF was investigated by ELISA, immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Results: (1) As2O3 inhibited AGS cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner; (2) FCM results showed a typical sub-diploid peak before G0/ G1 phase and cell cycle analysis showed G2/M phase arrest; (3) TUNEL analysis revealed the DNA fragmentation; (4) During the As2O3-induced apoptosis of AGS cells, the expression of STAT3 and VEGF was down-regulated, especially when As2O3 was at 10 mol/L. Conclusion: As2O3 can inhibit the proliferation of AGS cells and induce AGS cell apoptosis, which might be related with cell cycle block and down-regulation of STAT3 and VEGF expression.

Objective : To explore the relationship between geriatric nutritional risk index( GNRI) and perioperative nutritional status，postoperative recovery and complications in elderly patients with gastric cancer． Methods : In this retrospective study，212 elderly patients ( aged ≥60 years ) with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy were recruited．GNRI was used to retrospectively assess the patients' preoperative nutritional status ，and analyze the relationship between GNRI and perioperative nutritional status，postoperative recovery and complications．The ROC curve was applied to explore the value of GNRI in predicting postoperative complications. Results : The inci- dence of preoperative nutritional risk in elderly patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery was 45. 07%．Compared with the patients whose GNRI＞98 points，the patients whose GNRI≤98 points had different degrees of decrease in serum total protein，albumin，prealbumin，hemoglobin and lymphocyte counts before surgery，day 1 and day 5－8 after surgery (P ＜0. 05) ．The patients whose GNRI ＜92 points had longer postoperative hospital stay than those with GNRI＞98 points (P＜0. 05) ．With the decrease of GNRI scores，the incidence of complications showed an upward trend(P＜0. 001) ．The multivariate analysis of the relationship between GNRI and postoperative complica- tions showed that TNM staging of III －IV and GNRI ＜92 points were independent risk factors for complications. GNRI had a good predictive value for the occurrence of complications (AUC = 0. 639，95% CI : 0. 570－0. 703，P = 0. 001，Cut-off value : 92. 21) ． Conclusion GNRI can be used for preoperative nutritional assessment for eld- erly gastric cancer patients．Patients with GNRI＜92. 21 points should be actively given nutritional therapy to im- prove perioperative nutritional status，speed up postoperative recovery，and reduce the occurrence of complications.