The immunoregulatory effects of mescenchymal stem cell (MSC) and its application have become a hot research topic in recent years. This article reviews the up-to-dated research advances in the features and mechanisms of immune regulation of MSC and its application.
Animals ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; physiology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology

Imiquimod (R-837) and Resiquimod (R-838), two novel small-molecular-weight immune response modifiers, have similar structure. They have anti-virus and anti-tumor activities and can be used as B lymphocyte activators and adjuvants. They are widely used in dermatology to treat virus dermatoses and cutaneous benign or malignant tumors.
Adjuvants, Immunologic ; therapeutic use ; Aminoquinolines ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Condylomata Acuminata ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Imidazoles ; therapeutic use ; Skin Neoplasms ; drug therapy

Itraconazole has been used to treat superficial candidal infections in China for 12 years with promising efficacy and safety. This article retrospectively reviewed literatures published in the mainstream journals in China with an attempt to find a reasonable therapy for Chinese populations.
Antifungal Agents ; therapeutic use ; Candidiasis ; drug therapy ; Dermatomycoses ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomatitis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Vaginitis ; drug therapy ; microbiology

Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) have different mechanism and adverse effects compared with cytotoxic agents. The introduction of MoAbs has improved the treatment potency to malignant lymphoma without decreasing the quality of life. However, there are many questions to be answered: What is the profound mechanism of MoAbs? How about their long-term adverse effects? What is the best medication pattern in different disease types?
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived ; Antibodies, Neoplasm ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Delivery Systems ; methods ; Drug Design ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; therapy ; Radioimmunotherapy ; Rituximab

The treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer constitutes a constant challenge to surgeons. Although various therapeutic modalities have been employed in the past century, the cure rate remains unsatisfactory. Current opinions in the therapeutics of this disease pay more attention to the preservation of larynx function and the improvement of quality of life. It is practical to improve the survival rate and quality of life by upgrading the conservative surgical techniques and radiotherapy tactics, neo-adjuvant therapies, and especially the combined treatment using concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; surgery ; therapy ; Quality of Life

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a functional imaging modality. The combined PET and CT scan provides more accurate detection of tumors and their relationship with normal tissues by providing the functional and anatomic information simultaneously. Relevant researches have been focused on the application of combined PET/CT in the radiotherapy of head and neck cancer, which includes: providing valuable information in the staging of head and neck cancer before radiotherapy; localizing a primary tumor in patients with unknown metastases in cervical lymph nodes; predicting the response of tumors to radiotherapy; providing biological target volume to radiation treatment planning, especially in intensity-modulated radiotherapy; and monitoring the residual and recurrent diseases after radiotherapy. However, its application in many aspects is still controversy, and further researches in its clinical application are still needed.
Head and Neck Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; radiotherapy ; Humans ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; methods ; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of long-term and low-dose hormone replacement therapy on bone mineral density (BMD), and the incidence of bone pain in postmenopausal women.

METHODSTotally 141 postmenopausal women were selected from the medical staff of the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Of them, 63 women treated with low-dose sex hormone for over 5 (5-32) years were divided into hormone replacement therapy (HRT) group, and 78 never receiving HRT were divided into control group. The BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at lumbar spine, Ward's triangle, femoral neck, trochanter, and total hip, and the incidence of bone pain was inquired.

RESULTSThe BMD in the HRT group was 9.1% higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of bone pain was significantly lower in the HRT group (71.4%) than that in the control group (89.7%).

CONCLUSIONLong-term and low-dose hormone replacement therapy can reduce bone loss and the incidence of bone pain.

Absorptiometry, Photon ; Bone Density ; Estrogens ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal ; prevention & control ; Progesterone ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo elucidate the clinicopathological features of solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas.

METHODSEight patients with SPT of the pancreas admitted from August 1996 to March 2005 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAll the 8 patients were female with an average age of 25.3 (13-41) years. The primary clinical manifestations included abdominal mass (n = 3), vague abdominal pain (n = 3), and duodenal obstruction (n = 1). SPT was occasionally found in one patient during physical examination. Six tumors located at the head and the other two in the body and tail of the pancreas. Pancreaticoduodenectomies were performed in 4 patients, tumor enucleations in 2, distal pancreatectomies in 1, and palliative internal drainage with a cystoenterotomy in the other one with an unresectable huge cystic lesion. All patients were alive on an average follow-up of 37.8 (8-103) months.

CONCLUSIONSPT occurs mainly in adolescent and young females, and satisfactory outcome may be achieved with active and appropriate surgeries.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Pancreas ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo explore factors influencing the recurrence of patients with Cushing's disease after transsphenoidal surgery.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 182 patients treated by transsphenoidal surgery with Cushing's disease in our department in PUMC Hospital from 1992 to 2002.

RESULTSThe recurrence rates were significantly different when patients had different radiological findings (P = 0.001), operative methods (P = 0.001), histological findings (P = 0.04), and postoperative cortisol levels (P = 0.02); however, such difference was not found in term of tumor size (P = 0.43).

CONCLUSIONRadiological findings, operative methods, histological findings, and postoperative cortisol estimates may be the factors influencing the recurrence of patients treated by transsphenoidal surgery.

Adenoma ; complications ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Hypophysectomy ; methods ; Male ; Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion ; etiology ; surgery ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVETo explore the principles of diagnosis and treatment of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT) coexistent with thyroid malignancy.

METHODSThe clinical data of 52 patients with CLT, including clinicopathologic features, treatment, and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Among these 52 patients, 40 patients had coexisting thyroid carcinoma (TC group) and 12 had coexisting thyroid lymphoma (TL group).

RESULTSThese two thyroid malignancies accounted for 13.87% of all the CLT inpatients during this period, in which 10.67% were CLT with carcinoma and 3.20% were CLT with lymphoma. Significant differences existed between TC group and TL group in sex (P = 0.008) , age (P = 0.000), and B-mode ultrasound findings (P = 0.000). Most patients in TC group received total lobectomy of one lobe and subtotal lobectomy of the other side, of which some received elective lymphadenectomy. The operations varied among patients in TL group, and most of them received chemotherapy after surgery. The median follow-up was (35.51 +/- 39.84) months for 37 patients in TC group, and 36 patients survived with a median period of (34.50 +/- 39.91) months; the median follow-up was (39.50 +/- 29.00) months for 12 patients in TL group, and 10 patients survived with a median period of (44.70 +/- 28.78) months.

CONCLUSIONSCLT with thyroid malignancies are not uncommon in clinical practice. While thyroid carcinoma accounts for majority of these malignancies, its clinicopathologic features, treatment, and prognosis differs with thyroid lymphoma. Surgery may be appropriate for CLT patients with rapid thyroid enlargement or nodule, and for patients with solitary solid nodule or nodules with calcification revealed by B ultrasound.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hashimoto Disease ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy