Recent preclinical data have demonstrated that antidiabetic drug metformin can act as an anticancer agent for breast cancer.Epidemiologic evidences show that metformin decreases the incidence of breast cancer and cancer-related mortality in diabetic patients.The metformin treatment also increases complete pathological tumor response rates following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer patients.Metformin also displays significant growth inhibitory effects in most types of breast cancer cell lines and tumor xenogra-fts in mice.Preclinical data also shows metformin combined with chemotherapy drugs or HER2-targeted drugs or new anticancer drugs has synergic anti-cancer effect.Reduction of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway in body and activation of LKB1/AMPK and inhibition of downstream mTOR pathway in tumor cells have been found to play the most important role in anti-cancer effect of metformin.Currently,a number of clinical trials are underway in breast cancer patients to evaluate the effective use value of metformin as a cancer therapy

The previous studies identify connexin as a tumor suppressor gene,which inhibits the occurrence and development of breast cancer.However,some researches of resent years demonstrate that the expression level of connexin in a large part of metastatic breast cancer is elevated and connexin may promote breast cancer metastasis.Therefore,connexin may play different roles by different mechanisms in the occurrence,development,invasion and metastasis of breast cancer.Rational use of connexin in breast cancer treatment can be beneficial to breast cancer patients.

CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 can express in breast cancer,and are regulated by several factors in the genesis and development of breast cancer. Lots of researches have proved that CXCL12 and CXCR4 can be used as new independent prognostic makers of breast cancer.Treatment targeted for CXCR4 can be seen as a new kind of combination therapy,which may provides patients a more ideal treatment.

Objective To detect the expressions of CXCR4,Smoothened (Smo) and Patched (Ptch) in breast cancer,to analyze the clinical significance of the expression of CXCR4,and to evaluate the relationships among CXCR4,Smo and Ptch.Methods The expressions of CXCR4,Smo and Ptch from 121 cases of breast cancer specimens were detected by immunohistochemistry,and the results were analyzed.Results The positive expression rate of CXCR4 in breast cancer was 66.9％,which was positively associated with the lymph node metastasis (r =0.181,P =0.044).The positive expression rates of Smo and Ptch in breast cancer were respectively 58.9％ and 64.5％.The expressions of Smo and Ptch were positively associated with the expression of CXCR4 in breast cancer (r =0.189,P =0.036 ; r =0.230,P =0.010).Conclusion The expression of CXCR4 in breast cancer is associated with the lymph node metastasis,and it is positiviely associated with the expressions of Smo and Ptch.Patients with breast cancer who express both CXCR4 and Hedgehog signaling pathway may have a higher risk of recurrence.

OBJECTIVE:To promote the computerized management of drug database.METHODS:The function of drug database software development system(SDS)developed by the co-efforts of pharmacy department and information center in our hospital was introduced.RESULTS:With hospital information system,the software can conduct statistics and queries of patients’drug database information at any time.CONCLUSION:The computerized management of drug database can provide prompt and efficient data support for rational drug administration and which is in the benefit of the development of clinical pharmacy work.

Objective To evaluate clinical safety and efficacy of autologous tissue antigens loaded dendritic cells (DC)in the treatment of elderly patients with gastric cancer.Methods Fresh tumor cells were isolated from surgical specimens in twenty patients with gastric cancer. Single cell suspensions were obtained and induced to apoptosis by heat shock. The apoptotic tumor cells were frozen before use.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and cultured with recombinant human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4).DCs were loaded with apoptotic tumor cells. The immunological and clinical responses were examined after the final vaccination. ResultsVaccination of dendritic cells was well tolerated and no toxicity was observed. The cytokine levels in serum such as IL-2(46 pg/mg vs 89 pg/mg), IL-12(44 pg/mg vs. 86 pg/mg) and IFN-γ(38 pg/mg vs.82 pg/mg) were increased after vaccinations as compared with pretherapy. DTH test were positive in five patients (5/10). The antigen special cells for CD8+/ IFN-γ+ were increased in five patients(5/10). The size of retroperitoneal lymph node of one patient was reduced. The tumor marker CEA level were decreased in five patients, stable in eight patient and increased in two patients.Conclusions Autologous DC vaccines loaded with autologous tumor antigens could improve function of non specific immunity and elicit specific T cells immunologic response and is one of safe and effective treatments for gastric cancer.

Objective · To explore the inhibitive effect of silencing the CD147 gene on the proliferation of triple negative breast cancer cells and relevant mechanisms. Methods · Normal human mammary epithelial cell line HMEC and three triple negative breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, HCC70 and T4-2 were cultured in vitro. mRNA and protein expressions in cells were measured using realtime-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. A siRNA sequence targeting the coding region of human CD147 gene was designed and used to construct a recombinant lentivirus Lv-shRNA-CD147, which was used to infect the three breast cancer cell lines. The negative control group (Lv-NC infected group) and the noninfected cell control group (cell control group) were simultaneously used. The effects of silencing the CD147 gene were measured with real-time PCR and Western blotting. The proliferation and migration of cells were measured with MTT and Transwell assay, respectively. HCC70 cells were collected 72 h after viral infection and proteins related to proliferation, migration and apoptosis of cells (β-catenin, MMP2, MMP9, and Bax) were measured with Western blotting. Results · mRNA and protein expressions of CD147 were significantly higher in three breast cancer cell lines than in HMEC (P<0.01). The Lv-shRNA-CD147 infected group had lower mRNA and protein expressions of CD147, cell proliferation, and cell migration as compared with the Lv-NC infected group and the cell control group,the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). The Lv-shRNA-CD147 infected group had lower expressions of β-catenin, MMP2, and MMP9, and higher Bax expression in HCC70 cells 72h after viral infection as compared with the Lv-NC infected group and the cell control group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion · Silencing the CD147 gene can inhibit the proliferation and migration of triple negative breast cancer cells.

Objective To investigate the knowledge and willingness of genetic counseling and testing in blood relatives of breast cancer patients.Methods A total of 922 blood relatives of breast cancer patients finished our questionnaire.Data were devided into different groups according to age,family history of tumor for statistical analysis.Results Most of the respondents were unaware of genetic counseling and genetic testing.However,after a brief introduction,major of them were willing to accept genetic counseling,breast cancer risk evaluation and screening.Specifically,79.8％ of them were willing to accept genetic counseling,and 62.3％ were willing to accept genetic testing.Most of the respondents would accept inexpensive early genetic screening.For the genetic testing with higher prices,only 37.9％ of them would accept it.Supposing a positive genetic testing result,most of them were willing to perform prevention through close follow-upscreening,31.3％ of them would choose prophylactic surgery or drugs.Despite being told the confidentiality of the test results,32.9％ of them worried about the adverse effects of genetic test.Conclusions Most of the blood relatives of breast cancer patients were unaware of counseling and genetic testing,but had apparent willingness to accept them.Misunderstanding of genetic characteristics,costs and concerning about discrimination are obstacles for the respondents to accept genetic counseling,genetic testing and related screening prevention.

Developments of contrast agent and imaging technique have made it possible for using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to assess perfusion. As an irradiative, real time and repeatable technique, ultrasound is revealing its advantages in this field compared with nuclear medicine, CT and MRI. This paper introduces the mechanism and methods of the CEUS in the perfusion ultrasound. The advancement in the study of the time-intensity curve (TIC) in systemic organs is also reviewed in this paper.
Animals ; Contrast Media ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Liver Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Models, Theoretical ; Perfusion ; Ultrasonography ; methods ; trends

Objective To study the quality of life (QOL) of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and to analyze the relevant factors affecting their QOL.Methods A total of 84 patients with DCIS and 125 patients with invasive breast cancer were surveyed.Researchers used SF-36 to assess the QOL of participants at one year after operation.The relationships between some information of patients and SF-36 score were analyzed,such as age,the type of surgery,endocrine therapy,education,marital status,working status and health insurance.Results Compared to normal women,patients with DCIS had lower QOL in physical function (t =2.468,P =0.029),bodily pain (t =2.076,P =0.039),general health (t =2.153,P =0.033) and mental health (t =3.396,P =0.003).Patients with invasive breast cancer also had poorer QOL in physical function (t =5.638,P =0.002),bodily pain (t =5.417,P =0.002),vitality (t =4.438,P =0.002),general health (t =3.960,P =0.002) and mental health (t =6.020,P =0.001).QOL of DCIS patients was similar to that of invasive breast cancer patients,except that scores of physical function (t =2.714,P =0.032) and vitality (t =2.134,P =0.040) were better in DCIS patients.Endocrine therapy significantly affected the score of QOL of DCIS patients.DCIS patients with endocrine therapy had poorer score in physical function (t =2.082,P ＜ 0.05),bodily pain (t =2.003,P ＜ 0.05),general health (t =2.751,P ＜0.05),vitality (t =2.048,P ＜ 0.05) and mental health (t =4.162,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Patients with DCIS have poor QOL at one year after operation.Endocrine therapy significantly reduces their QOL.