AIM: To explore the role of lipocalin-2(LCN-2)in retinal angiogenesis in vitro by observing its effects on proliferation, migration and capillary-like tube formation of murine retinal vascular endothelial cells(RVECs).

METHODS: Well cultured RVECs were divided to different groups which were treated with 0, 5, 10 μmol/L LCN-2 for 48h, respectively. Cell proliferation, migration and tube formation were detected by using the EDU assay, transwell assay and matrigel assay, respectively.

RESULTS: The cell proliferation rate was promoted in both low and high dose of LCN-2 groups compared to the control cells(P<0.05). The number of migrated cells in both LCN-2 groups was significantly larger than that of the control group(P<0.05). The number of capillary-like tube structures of both LCN-2 groups was significantly larger than that of the control cells(P<0.05). In addition, cell proliferation, migration and tube formation were all increased with the increase of LCN-2 concentration.

CONCLUSION: LCN-2 could obviously promote the angiogenesis capacity of RVECs, suggesting that LCN-2 is an important pro-angiogenic factor in retinal angiogenesis.

Objective To evaluate the predictive values of different systems for clinical staging of esophageal carcinoma in one group of patients and improve the criteria for T staging,and to provide a basis for accurate clinical staging. Methods A retrospective study was performed in 701 patients with esophageal carcinoma who received radical radiotherapy in our hospital. The prognosis was performed according to American Joint Committee on Cancer ( AJCC) tumor-node-metastasis staging system,Chinese 2004 staging system,the draft of Chinese 2009 staging system,and gross tumor volume of the primary tumor (GTV-T). Results In terms of T stage,patients evaluated according to the AJCC staging system were in relatively early stages;23. 1% of them were in stage T1,and the survival curves of T3 and T4 patients were close to each other;the survival curves plotted according to the Chinese 2004 staging system were well separated, but relatively few patients were in stages T1 and T4 , yielding an uneven distribution;according to the draft of Chinese 2009 staging system, the survival curve of T3 patients intersected that of T4 patients, and up to 43. 2% of patients were in stage T4.The new T staging was performed based on GTV and the extent of tumor invasion into the adjacent tissue and organ, and the results showed that there was no intersection between survival curves and a relatively balanced T stage distribution. In terms of N staging,patients were divided into stages N0 ,N1 ,and N2 . The TNM staging was performed by a combination of N staging and new T staging, resulting in significant separation between survival curves ( P=0. 000) . Conclusions The combination of T staging,which is based on GTV and the extent of tumor invasion,and N staging,which is based on metastasis of lymph nodes, can accurately predict the survival of non-surgically treated patients with esophageal carcinoma.

Objective To explore the prediction value of the modified clinical staging standard of GTV volume on non-surgical treatment esophageal carcinoma by analyzing the GTV volume of esophageal carcinoma and the invasion degree of structures and surrounding organs as the T stage standard.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for 701 esophageal cancer patients treated by definitive radiotherapy from Jan.2006 to Dec.2012.After grouping and analysis by the previous GTV volume staging standards, we put forward the idea that considering effects of invasion degree of structures and surrounding organs of tumor on the basis of GTV volume when it came to T stage, which would be re-classified by downgrading and reevaluation of survival and prognosis.Results There was no significant survival differences between T3 and T4 on previous GTV volume staging standards (P ＞ 0.05), and also had shown an inconspicuous survival difference between stage Ⅲ and stage Ⅳ when combined with three-group N stage(P ＞ 0.05).We had modified the T stage standards of GTV volume: Based on different size of GTV volume, and in consideration of the invasion of adjacent structures and organs, new T stages had shown good separation on a corresponding survival curve(x2 =59.702 ,P ＜0.05).In clinical TNM staging which combined with the new T stage and three-group N stages, the 701 patients were divided into stage Ⅰ , Ⅱ , Ⅲ and Ⅳ, with corresponding 5-year survival rates of 33.5％ , 26.3％ , 13.4％ , 9.2％ , respectively, which strongly revealing significant differences of survival rates (x2 =82.577, P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions The new T staging standard, which combined GTV volume with invasion degree of adjacent structures and organs, could accurately predict the prognosis of patients with radical radiotherapy of esophageal carcinoma.

Objective To analyze the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma and its influencing factors,and to provide an optimal combination mode of chemoradiotherapy for treating esophageal carcinoma. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data from 232 patients with esophageal carcinoma who were admitted to our hospital from January 2006 to December 2012 and received radical chemoradiotherapy. All patients received three?dimensional conformal radiotherapy or intensity?modulated radiotherapy as well as platinum?based chemotherapy. The overall survival ( OS ) and local control ( LC) rates were calculated using the Kaplan?Meier method and analyzed using the Logrank test. Univariate and multivariate prognostic analyses were made by the log?rank test and the Cox proportional hazard model,respectively. Results In all patients,the 1?,3?,and 5?year LC rates were 66?1%,42?2%, and 38?5%,respectively;the median LC time was 24?4 months;the 1?,3?,and 5?year OS rates were 73?3%, 37?2%,and 19?5%,respectively;the median OS time was 21 months. The univariate analysis revealed that T stage,N stage,clinical stage,irradiation range,and no less than 3 cycles of chemotherapy were influencing factors for OS ( P=0?000,0?000,0?000,0?030,0?001) and LC ( P=0?112,0?031,0?009,0?074,0?218) . The multivariate analysis revealed that N stage,clinical stage,and no less than 3 cycles of chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for OS ( P=0?006,0?000,0?001) . Conclusions The LC and long?term OS rates in patients with early?stage esophageal carcinoma can be substantially improved by radical chemoradiotherapy. The irradiation range and no less than 3 cycles of chemotherapy improve the long?term survival in patients.

Small cell lung cancer accounts for about 15% of all lung cancers, and is a highly invasive neuroendocrine tumor. smoking is a major risk factor. SCLC grows rapidly, has a high metastasis rate and has a poor prognosis. For more than 30 years, the treatment of SCLC has progressed slowly, until the emergence of immunodrugs in recent years, which have achieved certain efficacy in a wide range of patients.

Objective To explore the CTV to PTV external expansion boundary and the effect of the dose of normal lung tissue under different fixed modes by a comparative analysis of combined body position and thermoplastic film fixed set-up error of radiation therapy for lung cancer. Methods From October 2016 to March 2018, the patients who received chest radiology at the Tangshan people's hospital were enrolled as subjects retrospectively divided into two groups, including 50 patients with lung cancer radiotherapy with combined body position fixation, and 40 patients with lung cancer with thermoplastic film fixation. The two groups of patients drew the target areas in accordance with the unified standard, and the set-up error of left and right, up and down, front and rear ( x, y, z axis) were recorded respectively after 1 time/week cone CT( CBCT) matched with the planned CT image and analyzed by t test. According to the MPTV =2. 5Σ+0. 7δ, CTV to PTV external expansion boundary in the combined body position group were calculated. And the V5、V20 and V30 of two groups of patients were calculated and analyzed by TPS system. Results The set-up error of the combined body position group and thermoplastic film group were respectively (1. 00 ± 0. 58) mm and (3. 28 ± 0. 43) mm on the x axis, (1. 42 ± 0. 28) mm on the y axis and (4. 03 ± 0. 41) mm, (1. 06 ± 0. 44) mm and (3. 18 ± 0. 34) mm on the z axis. The set-up errors of the two groups were statistically significant on x, y and z axis( t= -20. 740, -35. 596, -25. 015,P<0. 05). There was no significant difference in set-up errors between the central and peripheral lung cancer patients and between left and right lung cancer patients(P>0. 05). Through the MPTV =2. 5Σ+0. 7δ, CTV to PTV external expansion boundary in the combined body position fixation group was 2. 906 , 3. 746 and 2. 958 mm on x, y and z axis respectively. The comparison between group A and B showed that the mean values of V5 , V20 and V30 in group B were reduced by 1. 5％, 3. 1％ and 4. 8％ respectively compared with group A. Conclusions The combined body position technique can improve the accuracy of lung cancer patients after radiation therapy,and further reduce the boundary of CTV to PTV, which is of certain value to reduce the occurrence of radiation pneumonitis.

Liver transplant patients require lifelong immunotherapy， and if they are infected by SARS-Cov-2， their immune function will face double whammy. This report described the integrated approach of traditional Chinese and western medicine in the treatment of a liver transplant patient with severe COVID-19. The treatment was involved with western medicine such as antiviral， immunosuppressive， focusing on maintaining immune balance. Traditional Chinese medicine was given based on the differentiation of syndromes， targeting at the core pathogenesis and using methods such as promoting qi circulation， clearing heat and resolving dampness， draining lung and relieving panting. Following the treatment， the patient exhibited notable improvement in clinical symptoms and liver function， leading to the effective cessation of disease progression and a shortened recovery period.