Objective To investigate the cause of reoperation for high differentiated thyroid carcinoma and the risk factors of neck lymph node metastasis in reoperation. Methods Retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 54 high differentiated thyroid cancer patients from 1998 to 2005, who received reoperation and neck lymph node dissection simultaneously. Results The residual thyroid carcinoma rate and lymph node metastasis rate were higher in 39 patients who initially received partial thyroidectomy than in 15 who previousely underwent radical operation(P <0. 05). Age less than 45 years, lymphadenectasis before initial operation, tumor residued or relapsed, muhicentricity of primary cancer and blurred boundary between cortex and medulla of lymph node were the risk factors for ipsilateral lymph node metastasis(P <0. 05), while mul-ticentricity of primary cancer and contralateral thyroid cancer were the risk factors for contralateral lymph me-tastasis (P < 0. 05). Conclusions Individual standard radical operation and necessary lymph node dissection are important measures to prevent recurrence and reoperation. Completion thyroidectomy and modified or selec-tive neck dissection are recommended for reoperation patients with the risk factors of lymph node metastasis.

BRAFV600E mutation is the most common genetic alteration in the papillary thyroid carcinoma.It plays an important role in the tumorigenesis,invasiveness and metastasis of the papillary thyroid carcinoma.Testing of BRAFV600E mutation is of great value in diagnosis,which also can be used as a prognostic maker of papillary thyroid cancer.Inhibitors treatment targeted to BRAF kinase and its downstream effectors is a new area in the treatment of BRAFV600E mutated thyroid cancer.

TSH suppression therapy plays an important role in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. It can lower mortality and recurrence rate in high risk patients. Meanwhile, it also has potential side effects on cardiovascular and skeletal systems. Thus, TSH suppressive therapy should be individualized in regard to its possible benefit and potential adverse effects.

BACKGROUNDPulmonectomy is the first priority in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The postoperative complication is the main factor which affects the efficacy of operation. The aim of this study is to analyze the incidences of postoperative complications in NSCLC patients and the value of modified cardiopulmonary risk index (CPRI) in predicting the short-term complication.

METHODSPostoperative complications were analyzed in patients who underwent pulmonectomy in Tianjin Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2004 to November 2004, and the value of modified Epstein CPRI in predicting the risk of pulmonectomy was estimated.

RESULTSA total of 256 consecutive patients were studied. Postoperative cardiopulmonary complications occurred in 86 patients (33.6%), hemathorax in 6 patients (2.3%) and other complications in 11 patients (4.3%). Postoperative cardiopulmonary complications occurred in 61 of the 67 patients with CPRI≥4, which was significantly more frequent than that in those with CPRI < 4 (P < 0.05). Using CPRI≥4 as a threshold for predicting postoperative complication, the sensitivity, specificity and accu- racy were 70.9%, 96.5% and 87.9% respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe main early postoperative complications are cardiopulmonary complications. CPRI shows significant importance in predicting the early postoperative prognosis for patients with NSCLC.

Objective To analyze the factors affecting the efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in node-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods 480 patients with stage N_1-N_2 NSCLC after radical surgery were retrospectively reviewed. Of them, 267 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and 121 received PORT. All patients were grouped based on the N stage, tumor size and lymph node positive ratio (the percentage of positive lymph nodes from the detected lymph nodes, LNPR). Group 1 included patients with tumor size ≤3 cm and LNPR ≤33%, group 2 was tumor size > 3 cm or LNPR > 33%, and group 3 was tumor size > 3 cm and LNPR > 33%. The endpoints were the local recurrence free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS). Kaplan-Meier method and Cox's proportional hazards regression model were used for the statistic analyses. Results PORT improved the overall survival only in patients with N_2 disease. Both tumor size and LNPR significantly influenced the efficacy of PORT. The 5-year LRFS for patients with vs. without PORT in the group 1, 2 and 3 were 55% vs. 60% (χ~2 = 0.03,P-0.869), 42% vs. 50% (χ~2 =0.31,P=0.547),and 62% vs. 52% (χ~2=4.25,P=0.036), respectively;and the corresponding OS were 22% vs. 50% (χ~2 = 1.65 ,P =0. 199), 26% vs. 22% (χ~2= 0. 13,P=0.786) and 42% vs. 16% (χ~2= 15.33,P=0.000), respectively. Conclusions Tumor size and LNPR significantly impact the efficacy of PORT . For patients with stage N_2 NSCLC , PORT could improve local recurrence free survival and overall survival when tumor size > 3 cm and LNPR >33%.

OBJECTIVETo observe the proportion change of immune cells in the peripheral blood of patients with rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy and to explore the relationship between tumor regression and CD4⁺CD25(High)CD127(low) regularly T cells(Treg cells).

METHODSPatients with rectal cancer who underwent the neoadjuvant therapy before surgery at the Shanxi Cancer Hospital Colorectal Surgery Department from January to December 2013 were prospectively enrolled. These patients were divided into down-staging group and non-down-staging group according to the change of staging in accordance with TNM classification for rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the proportions of Treg cells, CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, NK cells, B cells, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the peripheral blood from these patients before and after neoadjuvant therapy.

RESULTSA total of 108 patients were enrolled, including 76 cases in the down staging group and 32 cases in the non-down-staging group. Differences of immune cells proportions between two groups before neoadjuvant therapy were not statistically significant(all P>0.05). In the down-staging group, the proportions of Treg cells, B cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were decreased while the proportion of NK cells did not change obviously after the neoadjuvant therapy. Interestingly, in the non-down-staging group, the proportions of B cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were decreased while the proportions of Treg cells and NK cells did not change obviously after the neoadjuvant therapy. In addition, after neoadjunvat therapy, the proportion of Treg cells in down-staging group was significantly lower than that in non-down-staging group [(4.4 ± 1.7)% vs. (6.2 ± 1.9)%, P=0.001].

CONCLUSIONFor patients in the down-staging group after neoadjuvant therapy, the proportion of Treg cells in peripheral blood decreases, suggesting that Treg cells may be a valuable biomarker for assessing tumor regression.

CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit ; Killer Cells, Natural ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Rectal Neoplasms ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the left ventricular (LV) radial and longitudinal systolic function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients by 3.0 T MR.

METHODSSixteen HCM (HCM group) and twenty normal adults (normal group) were examined with fast imaging employing steady-state (FIESTA) acquisition sequence of cardiac MRI. LV ejection fraction (LVEF), longitudinal shortening (LS) and fractional shortening (FS) in three standard levels were measured to analyze LV radial and longitudinal systolic function.

RESULTSAsymmetric hypertrophy was detected in all HCM patients. The LVEF and FS were significantly higher while LS was significantly lower in HCM group than those in normal group (P < 0.05 or 0.01). FS at basal and middle levels were significantly higher in HCM group than in normal group (both P < 0.01). FS in apex level was similar in the two groups (P = 0.057). Pearson correlation analysis showed that LS was negatively related with the number of hypertrophy segments in HCM patients (r = -0.537, P = 0.032). But there was no correlation between FS and the number of hypertrophy segments as well as FS and LS in HCM patients (r = -0.090, P = 0.739; r = 0.049, P = 0.856).

CONCLUSIONThe LV longitudinal systolic function was reduced but the LV radial systolic function remained unchanged in HCM patients, thus, LS changes could better reflect myocardial systolic function in HCM patients.

Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; physiopathology ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myocardium ; Systole ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; Ventricular Function, Left

Objective: To investigate the expression of TSLP in human lung cancer tissue and the correla-tion between TSLP expression and number of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Methods: The expression of TSLP mRNA and protein was detected in different pathological lesions of the lung by Q-RT-PCR and immunohisto-chemistry. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect Foxp3+ Tregs. The correlation of TSLP with the number of Tregs was analyzed. Results: TSLP gene was expressed in tumor tissues (n=37), latero-tumor tissues (n=29) and non-tumor lung tissues (n=24), without statistical difference (P=0.148). TSLP protein was expressed in the cytoplasm and was observeed in 69.57% of tumor tissues, 13.33% of benign lesions and 30.00% of non-tumor lung tissues, with a significant difference (P<0.05). The expression of TSLP protein was correlated with tumor size (P=0.000) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.018). The number of Tregs in TSLP positive group was more than that in TSLP negative group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The expression of TSLP in lung tu-mor tissues is increased and is correlated with the number of Tregs, indicating that TSLP could induce Treg to play an important role in tumor immunotolerance.

OBJECTIVETo establish a rat model of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE)-induced subacute toxic encephalopathy.

METHODSSixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: negative control, positive control, low-dose DCE (1 472 mg/m(3)), middle-dose DCE (2 550 mg/m(3)), and high-dose DCE (4 418 mg/m(3)). The three DCE groups received static inhalation of DCE 6 hours a day for 6 consecutive days. The positive control group received intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (5 mg/kg) and were sacrificed 8 hours after injection. Blood and brain tissue were collected, followed by determination of brain water content and HE staining for pathological examination of brain tissue.

RESULTSThe rats in DCE groups suffered decreased body weight with increasing DCE dose (P < 0.01), and brain water content rose with increasing DCEdose. The brain water content of middle-dose DCE group (80.09 ± 0.14%) and high-dose DCE group (80.28±0.10%) increased significantly as compared with that of the negative control group (79.46±0.23%) (P < 0.001). Optical microscopy discovered loose structure and vasodilation in the brain tissue of middle-dose DCE group, indicating obvious brain edema; the high-dose DCE group and positive control group had spongiform and vacuolated brain tissues with severe vascular dilation, indicating severe brain edema.

CONCLUSIONA rat model of subacute toxic encephalopathy induced by 1, 2-dichloroethane has been successfully established.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ethylene Dichlorides ; toxicity ; Male ; Neurotoxicity Syndromes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley