Objective To re-evaluate the prognostic value of the 6th edition of UICC/AJCC staging system in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-medulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Methods From February 2001 to March 2007, Clinical data of 570 NPC patients initially treated with IMRT in Cancer Center of Sun yat-sen University were reviewed and the long-term survival was analyzed according to T, N and overall stages. Results The median follow-up was 42 months. 184 patients were followed up to 5 years. The 5-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) of the whole group were 93. 0%, 85.4% and 83. 3% ,respectively. No statistically significant difference of LRFS was detected between the either two of stage T_1, T_(2a) and T_(2b)(100%, 100% and 94. 5% ;T_1 vs. T_(2b), χ~2 = 1.92, P =0. 166 ;T_(2a) vs. T_(2b), χ~2= 0. 35, P =0. 555), stage T_(2b) and T_3 (94. 5% and 91.3% ;χ~2 = 2. 62, P = 0. 106), or stage T_3 and T_4 (91.3% and 89. 5% ; χ~2 = 1.55, P =0. 214). The 5-year DMFS of stage N_2 was similar with stage N_1 or stage N_3(80. 2%, 86. 2% and 61. 4% ; N_2 vs. N_1, χ~2=2.22, P=0.136;N_2 vs. N_3, χ~2= 1.92, P=0.165). No statistically significant difference of 5-year OS was observed among stage Ⅰ , Ⅱ_a and Ⅱ_b(91.7%, 100% and 95. 3% ; Ⅰ vs. Ⅱ_b χ~2 =0.32, P=0.574;Ⅱ_a vs. Ⅱ_b,χ~2-0.25, P=0.617), or between Ⅳ. And Ⅳ_b(67.9% and 75. 0% ;χ~2 = 0.25, P = 0. 616). Conclusions The 6th edition of UICC/AJCC staging system shows poor predictive value for the long-term survival of NPC patients treated with IMRT.

Objective To compare the Chinese'92 and 2008 staging systems of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) based on the long term survival of the patients. Methods Clinical data of 498 NPC patients treated with definitive IMRT were retrospectively analyzed. The distributions of patients in the two staging systems were compared. The long term outcomes according to T, N and overall stages in each system were evaluated. Kappa value and Pearson coefficient were used to evaluate the agreement and correlation of the two systems. Results The distributions of both T and N stage between'92 and 2008 stage systems were different. In both staging systems, the local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) curves of T_1, T_2 andT_3 were close up (even overlaped), though they were apart from T_4. The distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) curves overlaped of N_1 and N_2 in the'92 staging system, while separated of N_1, N_2 and N_3 in the 2008 staging system. Significant difference of DMFS was not found between N, and N_2 in'92 staging system, while did exist among N_0, N_1, N_2 and N_3 stages in 2008 staging system. In the both staging systems, the disease-specific survival (DSS) of stage Ⅰ did not significantly differ from that of stage Ⅱ or Ⅲ. The statistical analysis showed the conformality of DSS curves in the two system was 89% (Kappa =0. 833 ,P <0.01), with agood relative rate (r=0. 919,P<0. 01). Conclusions The difference between'92 and 2008 staging system is mainly in N stage. The 2008 N stage seems more reasonable compared with'92 N stage, which is able to better forecast the DMFS. There are some agreements and correlations between the two staging systems.

Objective To evaluate the outcomes and toxicities of early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)alone. Methods From February 2001 to January 2008, 198 early stage NPC patients according to AJCC/UICC 2002 staging system were treated by radical radiotherapy with IMRT technique in our institute, the clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. Results The 5-year disease-specific survival, local recurrence-free survival(LRFS)and distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS)were 97.3%, 97.7% and 97. 8% respectively. The 5-year LRFS for T1, T2 patients were 100%, 96. 7%(x2 = 2. 24 ,P = 0. 135)respectively. The 5-year DMFS for T1 N0,T2N0, T1N1, and T2N1 patients were 100%, 98. 8%, 100% and 93. 8%(x2= 2. 35, P= 0. 125)respectively. Grade 1 and 2 mucositis and pharyngitis were most common acute toxicities. Radiation encephalopathy and cranial nerve injury were not observed in all patients. Conclusions IMRT alone for early stage NPC patients can produce satisfactory results and acceptable treatment-relative toxicities. Patients with T2b and T2bN1 had a relatively higher incidence of local recurrence and distant metastasis, which suggested that combination of IMRT and chemotherapy may improve clinical results in those patients.

Objective To investigat the prognostic value of overall treatment time (OTT) for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).Methods From May 2001 to April 2007, 376 patients with locally advanced NPC treated with IMRT were retrospectively analyzed.All patients were divided into OTT≤45 days group and OTT >45 days group.The treatment outcomes between the two groups were analyzed.Results Between the groups with OTT≤45 days and OTT > 45 days, the 2-year local control rate (LCR) was 94.9% and 93.1% (χ2= 2.83, P > 0.05) for all patients, 96.3% and 98.7% (χ2=2.83, P>0.05) for patients with T3 disease, 92.2% and 83.1%(χ2= 6.30, P < 0.05) for T4, and 93.1% and 97.5% (χ2= 4.69, P = 0.030) when chemotherapy was concurrently administered.The 2-year LCR was 98%, 96% and 93% (χ2= 2.20, P = 0.531) for patients with treatment interruption before, within and after the 3rd week of IMRT, The Cox regression analysis found that OTT was an independent prognostic factor for LCR in T4 disease.The Linear regression showed that the 2-year LCR was decreased by 2.7% per day of delay.Between the groups with OTT≤45 days and OTT >45days, the 2-year estimated disease-specific survival (DSS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) were 84.1% vs.78.7% (χ2= 0.02, P = 0.881), 87.0% vs.86.1% (χ2= 0.85,P = 0.358), and 91.7% vs.92.2% (χ2= 0.06, P = 0.806), respectively.The further stratified analysis found that the DSS, DMFS and OS were similar between the two groups in T3 (83.7% vs.83.2%, χ2=0.07, P=0.798;86.6% vs.85.7%,χ2=0.02, P = 0.898 ; and 93.7% vs.94.8%,χ2=0.03, P=0.862) and T4 disease (81.4% vs.72.3%, χ2= 0.16, P = 0.687 ;82.6% vs.86.9%, χ2= 1.78, P =0.182;and 88.3% vs.87.5% ,χ2=0.60, P =0.438).In multivariate analysis, T-stage and N-stage were the independent prognostic factors for both DFS and OS, and N-stage was the independent prognostic factor for DMFS.Conclusions The prolongation of the overall treatment time decrease the local control of patients with T4 NPC.

Objective:To explore the clinical application values of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis and classification of portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT)by comparing with enhanced CT.Methods:43 patients with PVTT confirmed by clinic and pathology were selected, and the accuracy rates of the diagnosis and clinic classification of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and enhanced CT were compared. Results:The characteristic of PVTT in contrast-enhanced ultrasound was“quick in fast out”;88.4% (38/43)of PVTT were hyper-enhancement in the arterial phase, 81.4% (35/43 ) of PVTT were hypo-enhancement in the vein phase, and all tumor thrombosis showed hypo-enhancement in the delay phase. The diagnostic accuracy rate of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in PVTT was 100%,and the accuracy rate of enhanced CT was 97.7% (42/43).The classification accuracy rate of contrast-enhanced ultrasonic was 95.3% (41/43),and the accuracy rate of enhanced CT was 93.0% (40/43 );there was no statistically significant difference between two methods (P > 0.05 ). Conclusion:Dynamiccontrast-enhanced ultrasonography can display the blood perfusion characteristics of PVTT, and displays the actual infiltrating tumor thrombosis. Ultrasonic imaging and enhanced CT in the qualitative diagnosis of PVTT and clinical classification have a good consistency.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound can be used as an important imaging method to evaluate the PVTT before treatment.

Objective To analysis the correlation between patient selection and heterotopic ossification (HO) after cervical artificial disc replacement.Methods Data of 48 patients with cervical spondylosis (34 cervical spondylotic myelopathy and 14 nerve-root type) who had undergone Bryan cervicadisc replacement from December 2003 to December 2008 were reviewed retrospectively,and all the patients had been followed up for more than 5 years.There were 21 males and 27 females with an average age of 42 years old (range,20-53 years).There were 38 single level replacement (C3-4 3 cases,C4-5 5 cases,C5-6 28 cases,C6-7 2 cases),9 double level replacement (C4-5,C5 6 4 cases;C5-6,C6-7 5 cases) and 1 three level replacement (C3-4,C4 5,C5-6) as a total of 59 surgical segments.The occurrence of HO was defined by McAfee classification on cervical lateral X-ray.Four factors were used in patient selection including gender,range of motion (ROM) of the target level,alignment of the functional spine unit (FSU) of the index level,and the disc height ratio between surgical level and the adjacent levels.The correlation between these four factors and HO was evaluated by logistic regression.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the ROC curve were used to evaluate the significant result of logistic regression and the optimal diagnostic value.Results 48 patients were all followed up for an average period of 70.3 months (range,60-120 months).The occurrence rate in this study was 33.9％ (20/59 segments).Only one factor,the disc height ratio of the target level and its adjacent levels,presented statistical correlation with HO.ROC analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve of disc height ratio was 0.813 and the optimal diagnostic threshold was 0.9.Conclusion The disc height ratio of the target level and adjacent levels was the only patient selective factor correlated with the occurrence of HO.For those with disc height loss exceeding 10％ comparing to adjacent levels,it is not indicated for cervical artificial disc replacement with Bryan prosthesis.

Objective To investigate the long-term outcomes of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in different stages treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and explore their treatment strategies.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 868 NPC patients without distant metastasis who received radical IMRT from May 2001 to October 2008.These patients were divided into early N0 (T1-2N0) group (n =137),early N1 (T1-2N1) group (n =129),locally advanced (T3-4N0-1) group (n =322),regionally advanced (T1-2 N2-3) group (n=107),and locoregionally advanced (T3-4 N2-3) group (n =173).There groups were compared in terms of treatment outcome and treatment strategy.Results The follow-up rate was 91.4％,and 314 patients completed 5-years follow-up.The 5-year overall survival rate,local recurrence-free rate,and distant metastasis-free rate (DMFR) were 83.5％,91.8％,and 84.6％,respectively.The early N0 group had the best treatment outcome,with a 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) rate up to 99.1％.Each group had a similar outcome after receiving either IMRT alone or IMRT combined with chemotherapy.The locally advanced group and regionally advanced group had similar failure patterns and treatment outcomes.The locoregionally advanced group had the worst treatment outcome,with a 5-year DMFR of 67.2％ and a DSS of 68.0％.The regionally advanced group and locoregionally advanced group had a similar treatment outcome after receiving IMRT alone,induction chemotherapy plus IMRT,or concurrent chemotherapy and IMRT.Conclusions Patients with NPC in different stages have different survival outcomes.It is recommended that different treatment strategies should be adopted according to the T and N stages of NPC.IMRT alone can produce satisfactory results in patients with T1-2N0 NPC,but a more effective medication should be added to IMRT in patients with advanced NPC,particularly those with T3-4N2-3 NPC who have a relatively low DMFR.

BACKGROUNDProto-oncogene Pokemon is the special transcription inhibitor of ARF,which can regulate cell growth and differentiation by ARF-P53 path.It may be the important monitoring target of tumor because of being upstream region of many tumor suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes.The aim of this study is to explore the clinical significance of Pokemon gene in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).

METHODSImmunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of Pokemon protein in 92 cases of NSCLC and 20 cases of paracancerous lung tissues.Correlation between abnormal expression of Pokemon with pathologic characteristics and prognosis of NSCLC was analyzed.

RESULTSPokemon was not expressed in paracancerous lung tissues and was found in 66 of 92(71.7%) cases of lung cancer tissues.Expression of Pokemon was closely related to TNM stages(P=0.011).Survival rate of patients with negative Pokemon expression was significantly higher than that of those with positive Pokemon expression(P=0.0015).Pokemon expression was demonstrated as independent prognostic factor of NSCLC.

CONCLUSIONSPokemon is expressed in NSCLC and it may be identified as a new diagnostic marker.High expression of Pokemon may indicate poor prognosis of patients with NSCLC.

Objective Toinvestigatetheconsistencyofultrasoundand MSCTindiagnosing microvascularinvasion (MVI)in hepatocellularcarcinoma,andtocomparethediagnosticefficiencyofbothtwomethods.Methods TheultrasoundandMSCTdataof 82patientswithhepatocellularcarcinomawerecollected.Accordingtothepostoperativepathologicalresults,theconsistencyanddiagnostic efficiencyofultrasoundandMSCTindiagnosingMVIinhepatocellularcarcinomawerecompared.Results Accordingtothepostoperative pathologicalfindingsof82patients,30caseswerepositiveofMVI,while52caseswerenegative.ThepreoperativeMSCTandultrasound examinations had a strong consistency (Cohen’s Kappa＝0.829 ,P＜0.001 ).The sensitivity ,specificity and accuracy of preoperative ultrasoundinpredictingtheMVIinhepatocellularcarcinomawere76.67% (23/30),67.31% (35/52)and70.73% (58/82),respectively. Thesensitivity,specificityandaccuracyofpreoperativeMSCTinpredictinghepatocellularcarcinomaMVIwere83.33% (25/30),73.08%(38/52)and75.61% (63/82),respectively.Conclusion Preoperativeultrasoundand MSCThavegoodconsistencyandhighdiagnostic efficiencyindiagnosing MVIinhepatocellularcarcinoma.

Objective　To assess the mid-term clinical and radiological outcomes of anterior cervical internal fixation and fusion for the treatment of Hirayama disease and to evaluate the clinical significance and value of this procedure.Methods　All of 31 patients underwent anterior cervical internal fixation and fusion were retrospectively analyzed with a minimum of 5 years follow-up in our hospital between May 2008 and May 2011,whose disease progressively deteriorated after six-month's conservative therapy(neck collar)preoperatively.There were 30 males and 1 female with an average age of 19.0±2.7 years which ranged from 16 to 27.The clinical outcomes included forearm and hand muscle atrophy and strength.The radiological outcomes included range of motion(ROM)of the whole cervical spine and unstable segments,as well as venous flow empty phenomena and "snake eyes" sign on MRI in the flexed position.All were recorded at 3 month,1 year,3 year and 5-6 years follow-up time points after surgery.The preoperative and postoperative quantitative variables were analyzed by paired t test,and a P<0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance.Results　All the patients showed no further progression of symptoms of muscular weakness or atrophy.At the end of 5-6 years follow-up,24 of the 31 patients(77.4%)showed improved muscle strength and 16 of the 31 patients(51.6%)showed improved atrophy.Thirty-one patients had a forearm muscle strength of 4 to 5 at the last follow-up,with an average of 4.9±0.3,which was superior to preoperative 0 to 5(3.6±1.0);grip strength was 3 to 5 kg,with an average of 3.9±0.7 kg,significanthigher than 1 to 3.8 kg(2.5±0.8 kg)before surgery.Score of muscle strength of the 31 patients at the end of 5-6 years' follow-up was 4.9±0.3(4 to 5),which was significantly higher than preoperative.Postoperative X-rays at the end of 5-6 years' follow-up revealed that all the cases' internal fixation was at the proper position,and no losing or broken of the internal fixation were identified.Dynamic X-rays of cervical spine showed the range of motion(ROM)of the whole cervical spine was significantly decreased after the operation.The ROM of preoperation was 77.8o±12.70 and that of 5—6 years postoperation was 27.90±7.60.The unstable segments of cervical spine became stable postoperatively.The flexible position MRI of cervical spine showed the spinal cord was completely relieved,without new compression.Venous flow empty phenomena disappeared and no "snake eyes" sign was identified.Conclusion　Anterior cervical internal fixation and fusion is an effective surgical treatment for Hirayama disease and may provide preferable mid-term clinical and radiological outcomes.This procedure has clinical significance and value in terms of control of the progression and outcome of this disease.