BACKGROUND: Whether a combination of the nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) scaffolds with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is superimposed to promote or inhibit the bone marrow stromal stem cells, as well as its biocompatibility, remain unclear.OBJECTIVE: To observe the biocompatibility and bone formation activity of nHA/BMP-2 co-cultured with rabbit bone marrow stem cells in vitro.METHODS: Bone marrow stem cells obtained from rabbits were cultured and proliferated in DMEM medium in vitro. The cells at the third passage were inoculated into four mediums and according divided into four groups: control group, BMP-2 group, nHa group, and nHa/BMP-2 group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The cell diplo-proliferation time of control group and nHa group was longer than that in BMP-2 group and nHa/BMP-2 group. The cells proliferative activity calculated by MTT assay and bone formation activity based on the alkaline phosphatase method demonstrated statistical significant difference in BMP-2 group and nHa/BMP-2 group compared with control and nHa group (P < 0.01). Experimental findings indicate that, the tissue formation of nHA/BMP-2 not only has good biocompatibility with Bone marrow stem cells, but also could bring into full play the effect of BMP-2 for promoting the proliferation, differentiation, and bone formation activity of bone marrow stem cells.

Background and purpose:The application of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has improved the local control rate of nasopharyngeal carcinoma greatly, which changed the predictive value of T classiifca-tions of TNM staging system. This study aimed to validate the predictive effect of T classiifcations in the 7th Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) staging system and discuss the simpliifcation of T classiifcations.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 641 primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients at our center from January 2007 to June 2011. We evaluated the predictive effect of T classiifcations by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression model.Results:The 5-year overall survival (OS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) were 85.4%, 88.5%, 78% and 87.1%, respectively. The 5-year OS of T1, T2, T3 and T4 categories were 91.6%, 85.3%, 90.1% and 76.5%, respectively; LRFS were 93%, 85.3%, 91.5% and 84.4%; PFS were 88.2%, 77.3%, 80.8% and 70.9%; DMFS were 95.1%, 88.9%, 88.2% and 81.3%, respectively. The difference in survival curves between T1, T2 and T3 were not signiifcant (P>0.05). However, several prognostic indexes were signiifcantly different between T4 and T1, T2, T3. We merged the T1, T2 and T3 classiifcations as new T1, and the T4 classiifcation as new T2. The 5-year OS of new T1 and T2 were 89.1% and 76.5% (P=0.001); LRFS were 90.1% and 84.4% (P=0.028); PFS were 81% and 70.9% (P=0.001); DMFS were 90.8% and 81.2% (P=0.002). The survival curves were substantially separated. The simpliifed T classiifcations had obvious advantages when separately analyzed in different N stages.Conclusion:In the era of IMRT, the predictive effect of T classiifcations of the 7th UICC staging system has diminished. The simpliifcation of T classiifcations can ift with the new treatment and provide a better surviv-al prediction.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic significance of paranasal sinus invasion for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its suitable position in the T classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 695 patients with previously untreated, biopsy-proven, non-metastatic NPC that was treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The incidence of paranasal sinus invasion was 39.4% (274 of 695 patients). Multivariate analysis showed that paranasal sinus invasion was an independent negative prognostic factor for local failure-free survival (LFFS) (p < 0.05). According to the eighth American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system, 275 patients were classified as T3 classification. Of these, 78 patients (28.4%) developed paranasal sinus invasion (T3b) and 197 (71.6%) didn't (T3a). The estimated 5-year LFFS and overall survival (OS) rates for the patients with T3b and T3a classification were 88.6% versus 95.0% (p=0.047), and 84.5% versus 93.3% (p=0.183), respectively. The estimated 5-year LFFS and OS rates for the patientswith T4 classificationwere 89.5% and 83.2%,whichwere similarwith the outcomes of patients with T3b classification. CONCLUSION: MRI-determined paranasal sinus invasion is an independent prognostic factor of NPC treated by IMRT. Paranasal sinus invasion is recommended to classify as T4 classification in the 8th AJCC staging system for NPC.
Classification ; Humans ; Incidence ; Joints ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Multivariate Analysis ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated* ; Retrospective Studies