PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the prognostic value of lymph node ratio (LNR) in stage II/III breast cancer patients who undergo mastectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical and pathological data describing stage II/III breast cancer patients were included in this retrospective study. The primary outcomes were locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Among 277 patients, there were 43 ypN0, 64 ypN1, 89 ypN2, and 81 ypN3 cases. Additionally, there were 43, 57, 92 and 85 cases in the LNR 0, 0.01-0.20, 0.21-0.65, and > 0.65 groups, respectively. The median follow-up was 49.5 months. Univariate analysis showed that both ypN stage and LNR were prognostic factors of LRFS, DMFS, DFS, and OS (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that LNR was an independent prognostic factor of LRFS, DMFS, DFS, and OS (p < 0.05), while ypN stage had no effect on prognosis (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The integrated use of LNR and ypN may be suitable for evaluation the prognosis of stage II/III breast cancer patients who undergo mastectomy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Mastectomy* ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of ovarian ablation using goserelin in premenopausal patients with stage II/III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer without chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of breast patients treated between October 1999 and November 2007 without CIA. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for calculation of the survival rate. Log rank method and Cox regression analysis were used for univariate and multivariate prognostic analysis. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 61 months. Initially, 353 patients remained without CIA after chemotherapy and 98 among those who received goserelin and tamoxifen (TAM). In univariate analysis, goserelin improved locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) (98.9% vs. 94.1%, p=0.041), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (85.4% vs. 71.9%, p=0.006), disease-free survival (DFS) (85.4% vs. 71.6%, p=0.005), and overall survival (OS) (93.5% vs. 83.5%, p=0.010). In multivariate analysis, goserelin treatment was an independent factor influencing DMFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.603; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.228 to 2.092; p=0.001), DFS (HR, 1.606; 95% CI, 1.231 to 2.096; p=0.001), and OS (HR, 3.311; 95% CI, 1.416 to 7.742; p=0.006). In addition, treatment with goserelin resulted in significantly improved LRFS (p=0.039), DMFS (p=0.043), DFS (p=0.036), and OS (p=0.010) in patients aged < 40 years. In patients aged > or = 40 years, goserelin only improved DMFS (p=0.028) and DFS (p=0.027). CONCLUSION: Ovarian ablation with goserelin plus TAM resulted in significantly improved therapeutic efficacy in premenopausal patients with stage II/III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer without CIA.
Amenorrhea* ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Goserelin* ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Premenopause ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Tamoxifen

BACKGROUND: Diabetic wounds are a major clinical challenge, because minor skin wounds can lead to chronic, unhealed ulcers and ultimately result in infection, gangrene, or even amputation. Studies on bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and a series of growth factors have revealed their many benefits for wound healing and regeneration. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may improve the environment for BMSC development and differentiation. However, whether combined use of BMSCs and PRP may be more effective for accelerating diabetic ulcer healing remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of BMSCs and PRP for the repair of refractory wound healing in a diabetic rat model. METHODS: Forty-eight rats with diabetes mellitus induced by streptozotocin were divided into four groups: treatment with BMSCs plus PRP, BMSCs alone, PRP alone, phosphate buffered saline. The rate of wound closure was quantified. A histopathological study was conducted regarding wound depth and the skin edge at 7, 14, and 28 days after surgery. RESULTS: Wound healing rates were significantly higher in the BMSC plus PRP group than in the other groups. The immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression of platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and transforming growth factor-beta1 increased significantly in the BMSC plus PRP group compared to the other treatment groups. On day 7, CD68 expression increased significantly in the wounds of the BMSC plus PRP group, but decreased markedly at day 14 compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: The combination of BMSCs and PRP aids diabetic wound repair and regeneration.
Amputation ; Animals ; Bone Marrow ; Cell Adhesion ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Gangrene ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells* ; Models, Animal ; Platelet-Rich Plasma* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rats* ; Regeneration ; Skin ; Streptozocin ; Ulcer ; Wound Healing ; Wounds and Injuries

The aim of this study was to investigate how patterns of lymph nodes recurrence after radical surgery impact on survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. One hundred eighty consecutive patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma underwent radical surgery, and the tumors were staged as pT1-3N0M0 by postoperative pathology. Lymph nodes recurrence was detected with computed tomography 3-120 months after the treatment. The patterns of lymph nodes recurrence including stations, fields and locations of recurrent lymph nodes, and impacts on patterns of survival were statistically analyzed. There was a decreasing trend of overall survival with increasing stations or fields of postoperative lymph nodes involved (all P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that stations or fields of lymph nodes recurrence, and abdominal or cervical lymph nodes involved were prognostic factors for survival (all P<0.05). Cox analyses revealed that the field was an independent factor (P<0.05, odds ratio=2.73). Lymph nodes involved occurred predominantly in cervix and upper mediastinum (P<0.05). In conclusion, patterns of lymph node recurrence especially the fields of lymph nodes involved are significant prognostic factors for survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Esophageal Neoplasms/mortality/pathology/*surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes/*pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Odds Ratio ; Postoperative Period ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Survival Analysis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Angiostrongyliasis is difficult to be diagnosed for the reason that no ideal method can be used. Serologic tests require specific equipment and are not always available in poverty-stricken zone and are time-consuming. A lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) may be useful for angiostrongyliasis control. We established a LFIA for the diagnosis of angiostrongyliasis based on 2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against antigens of Angiostrongylus cantonensis adults. The sensitivity and specificity were 91.1% and 100% in LFIA, while those of commercial ELISA kit was 97.8% and 86.3%, respectively. Youden index was 0.91 in LFIA and 0.84 in commercial ELISA kit. LFIA showed detection limit of 1 ng/ml of A. cantonensis ES antigens. This LFIA was simple, rapid, highly sensitive and specific, which opened an alternative approach for the diagnosis of human angiostrongyliasis.
Adult ; Angiostrongylus cantonensis* ; Angiostrongylus* ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans* ; Immunoassay* ; Limit of Detection ; Methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serologic Tests

A total of 16 Taenia multiceps isolates collected from naturally infected sheep or goats in Gansu Province, China were characterized by sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene. The complete cox1 gene was amplified for individual T. multiceps isolates by PCR, ligated to pMD18T vector, and sequenced. Sequence analysis indicated that out of 16 T. multiceps isolates 10 unique cox1 gene sequences of 1,623 bp were obtained with sequence variation of 0.12-0.68%. The results showed that the cox1 gene sequences were highly conserved among the examined T. multiceps isolates. However, they were quite different from those of the other Taenia species. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete cox1 gene sequences revealed that T. multiceps isolates were composed of 3 genotypes and distinguished from the other Taenia species.
Animals ; China ; Cluster Analysis ; Cysticercosis/parasitology/veterinary ; DNA, Helminth/chemistry/genetics/isolation & purification ; DNA, Mitochondrial/chemistry/genetics/isolation & purification ; Electron Transport Complex IV/*genetics ; *Genetic Variation ; Goat Diseases/parasitology ; Goats ; Phylogeny ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein Subunits/genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sheep ; Sheep Diseases/parasitology ; Taenia/*classification/genetics/*isolation & purification