Objective:This study investigated the positive detection rate of cytoplasm thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) in lung cancer patients and the relationship of TK1 with clinicopathological features and prognosis. Methods:Sensitive chemiluminescence dot-blot assay was used to detect serum TK1 levels in 73 lung cancer patients and 56 normal control subjects. Results:The positive detection rate of TK1 was elevated in the lung cancer patients compared with the controls (P=0.006). The positive detection rate of TK1 was also correlated with distant metastases, but not with other factors, such as smoking, sex, lymph node metastasis, and pathology types. The 2 year survival of the patients with negative TK1 detection was significantly longer than that of the patients positively detected with the marker (P<0.001). Conclusion:Serum TK1, a new tumor marker, has potential applications in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer.

Objective:To observe and identify the inhibitory effect of oncostatin M (OSM) combined with dacarbazine (DTIC) on mouse melanoma cells B16 in vitro and in vivo. Methods:The inhibitory effect of OSM combined with DTIC on the proliferation and apoptosis of B16 melanoma cell line B16 were determined through MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The change in nu-cleus morphology of B16 cells was observed under a fluorescence microscope by Hoechst staining method. The effects of single agents OSM and DTIC, as well as OSM-DTIC joint treatments, on tumor in mice in vivo were observed by inoculating B16 cells into C57 BL of six mice. Results:The OSM, DTIC, and combined OSM-DTIC treatments inhibited the proliferation of B16 cells by (11.2±2.3)%, (25.3±4.6)%, and (32.5±3.8)%, respectively (P<0.05). Apoptosis of B16 occurred at (1.32±0.42)%, (10.64±2.13)%, and (15.86±2.76)%, respectively (P<0.05). Cell morphology showed a significant increase in nuclear fragmentation, as proven by OSM-DTIC combined treatment. In the in vivo experiment, DTIC caused an apparent inhibition on the growth of mouse melanoma compared with the control group, and the joint treatment showed that the addition of OSM enhanced the tumor suppression effect of DTIC. Conclusion: OSM combined with DTIC has a synergistic effect that inhibits proliferation and apoptosis of B16 in vitro. This approach suggests a new po-tential treatment for melanoma.

Objective: This work aimed to investigate the relationships of the serum levels of IL-17 and TGF-β with the carcinogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), as well as the clinical significance of these serum levels. Methods: Data of 30 healthy subjects, 59 patients with simple CRC and 44 CRC patients with postoperative (post-op) metastasis were recruited in this study. The patients were respectively divided into group A (30 healthy subjects as the control group), group B (59 CRC patients without distant metastasis after surgery), and group C (44 CRC patients with post-op metastasis). The patients in each group had a mean age of 53.8 ± 20.8, 62.0 ± 11.8, and 64.0 ± 15.7 years, respectively. All patients were confirmed by pathological diagnosis. The serum levels of IL-17 and TGF-β were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 13.0. Results: The IL-17 serum level was significantly higher in groups B and C than in group A. The preoperative (pre-op) serum level of IL-17 was significantly higher than the post-op serum level in group B (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the TGF-β serum levels between groups A and B, as well as between the pre-op and post-op serum levels in group B (P>0.05). However, the TGF-β serum level in group C was significantly higher than that in groups A and B (P<0.05). No significant correlation was observed in the serum level IL-17 or TGF-β between colon and rectum cancers in groups B and C. Conclusion: The serum level of IL-17 is significantly correlated with that of CRC. The serum level IL-17 increases with the aggravation of CRC and increased tumor burden. A strong correlation exists between the serum level of TGF-β and metastasis of CRC. Cytokine IL-17 and TGF-β may play an important role in the progression and metastasis of CRC.

Objective To observe the effect of budesonide/doxofylline on patients with persistent asthma. Methods Sixty patients with moderate asthma were randomly divided into treatment group and control group. Patients in treatment group accepted the inhalation budesonide 400μg/d and doxofylline tablet 0.2 bid po but those in control group accepted the inhalation budesonide/formoterol 160/4.5μg bid. FeNO, sputum eosinophils, PEF and ACT scores were compared between two groups. Results PEF and ACT scores in treatment group were lower to those in control group (P<0.05), whereas the score of sputum eosinophils in treatment group was higher (P<0.05) one month later. There was no significant difference in FeNO between two groups (P>0.05). After three months, sputum eosinophils in treatment group were better than that in control group (P<0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in PEF, ACT scores and FeNO between two groups(P>0.05). Conclusion There is no significant difference in controlling asthma between budesonide/doxofylline and budesonide/formooterol

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on alleviating hepatorenal damage caused by combined chemotherapy using cisplatin-based regiments in elderly patients. MethodsAll 40 elderly patients with malignant tumors were randomly divided into AB and BA group in cross-over pattern. In AB group, combination of chemotherapy and NAC was administrated for 10 days first, and then combination of chemotherapy, carnine and vitamin C was given for 10 days. In BA group, combination of chemotherapy, earnine and vitamin C was administrated for 10 days first, and then combination of chemotherapy and NAC was given for 10 days, a cycle was 21 days. The hepatorenal damage degree was observed and the curative effect of NAC on hepatorenal damage was evaluated. ResultsThere were no differences in the levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST) and serum creatinine(Cr) between pre chemotherapy and post chemotherapy in A cycle[(25.32±5.23) U/L vs. (29.18±5.43) U/L,(29.21±6.51)U/L vs. (32.37±7. 13)U/L, (89.87±19.56)Mmol/L vs. (95.22±20. 60)μmol/L,all P>0. 05] . In B cycle, the levels of ALT,AST and Cr were (56.76±5.53) U/L, (48.83±6.64)U/L and (137.33±21.16)μmol/L post chemotherapy, respectively, which were evidently higher than pre chemotherapy[(26.19 ± 5.51) U/L, (29.95±6.56) U/L and (88.66±18.27)μmol/L,respectively] (all P<0.01) . ConclusionsNAC has better preventive and therapeutic effects on hepatorenal damage caused by the chemotherapeutic drugs in elderly patients with malignant cancer.