Objective To evaluate the value of serum procalcitonin(PCT ) and C-reactive protein(CRP) analysis in the differenti-ation of the cause of fever in cancer patients .Methods 218 cases with fever enrolled were divided into three groups ,including bacte-rial infection group ,viral infection group and tumor related fever group .The positive rates of white blood cell(WBC) count ,percent-age of neutrophil ,PCT and CRP were determined and there correlations were analyzed .Results The positive rates of WBC count , percentage of neutrophil ,PCT and CRP in bacterial infection group were significantly increased compared to viral infection group and tumor related fever group(P<0 .05) .The positive rate of PCT in tumor related fever group was also statistically significant difference compared to viral and bacterial infection group(P<0 .05) .The sensitivity of PCT was 97 .83% and the specificity of PCT was 83 .33% .Conclusion PCT and CRP can help identify causes of fever in cancer patients .PCT has better sensitivity and specific-ity ,it can help anti-infective and provide experimental evidence for tumor treatment ,and also help determine the disease outcome and clinical deterioration .

Objective:To investigate the effect of SU11248 proliferation and apoptosis of multiple myeloma cell line U266 in vitro and analyze its mechanisms.Methods:Effect of SU11248 on proliferation of U266 cells was detected by MTT assay.The ability of SU11248 to induce apoptosis of U266 cells was examined by cell cycle analysis,TUNEL and DNA fragmentation.Expression of c-myc,hTERT,Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA in U266 cells was assessed by RT-PCR analysis.Results:The proliferation of U266 cells was inhibited by SU11248 in dose-and time-dependent manners (P

This in vitro study demonstrated that taurine supplemented culture medium enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin secretion and mineralized matrix formation. Taurine induced activation of ERKI/2 and osteoblast differentiation, which was blocked by pretreatment of osteoblasts with ERKI/2 inhibitor (PD98059), suggesting taurine stimulated osteoblast differentiation via ERKI/2.

BACKGROUNDIntrathoracic lymph node metastasis including hilus and mediastinum is one of important prognosis factors of lung cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics and patterns of lymph node metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer and to provide evidence for determining the range of lymph node dissection.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-five patients with non-small cell lung cancer received complete resection combined with systematic lymph node dissection according to the mapping system developed by Naruke.

RESULTSA total of 1553 lymph nodes were dissected from 155 lung cancer patients. The positive ratios of N1 and N2 were 20.0% (31/155) and 38.7% (60/155) respectively. Fifteen patients (9.7%) were found with skipping N2 which were located in lymph node groups 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 respectively. There was close correlation between lymph node metastasis and T stage (P < 0.01). The metastatic rate of lymph node in different histology had no significant difference. Skipping mediastinal lymphatic metastasis was found more frequently in lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONSLymph node metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer may occur in multiple groups and regions, even in a skipping pattern. Systematic lymph node dissection may be routinely performed in pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer except stage T1.