Objective To investigate the expression of ki-67 and the development of the intimal hyperplasia(IH) of the irradiated human umbilical artery incorperated with nofloxacin and silver(IHUAINS) grafts into the carotid arteries of the rabbit. Methods Twenty IHUAINSs were sterilely produced. Thirty rabbit were performed bilateral carotid bypass grafting. The IHUAINS(experimental group)and the left carotid arteries (control group) were implanted in the left and right carotid arteries respectively. Graft patency was checked at the 2nd and 6th week after implantation, and the grafts were studied with standard histological techniques and immunohistochemieal method for meas-urement of intimal thickness and the expression of ki-67. Results The total patency rate of the grafts was 89.6%. Light microscopic exami-nation of the grafts revealed intimal and media proliferation, cellular in-filtration. The endothelial cells covered the vascular lumen. There was no significant difference of the intimal thickness between two groups at the 2nd week after grafting (P>0.05). The intimal thickness of the experimental group was larger than that in control group at the 6th week after implantation without statistical significance (P>0.05). At the same time, immunocytochemical analysis showed that the expression of ki-67 in the experimental group was stronger than that in control group without statistical significance(P>0.05). Conclusion The IH of the IHUAINS was larger than that of the autologous artery, but there is no difference between these two groups. Thus, IHUAINS may be an ideal graft in the field of coronary surgery.

BACKGROUNDTo explore the clinical and prognostic values of serum carbohydrate antigen (CA125), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), calcitonin (CT) levels in patients with lung cancer before operation.

METHODSNinety two untreated patients with lung cancer confirmed histologically were studied. Serum CA125, NSE, and CT were detected in 92 lung cancer patients by ELISA before operation. Thirty healthy volunteers were chosen as controls.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of CA125, NSE, and CT for the diagnosis of lung cancer were 48.9%, 21.7%, and 7.6% respectively. The level of CA125 in lung cancer patients was significantly higher than that of control (P < 0.05). The level of NSE in patients with small cell lung cancer was significantly higher than that of control (P < 0.01). The level of CT in lung cancer patients was higher than that of control, but without significant difference. The 3-year survival rate of patients with increased serum CA125 level before operation was 44.4% (20/45), whereas that of patients with normal CA125 level was 66.0% (31/47) (P < 0.05). The 3-year survival rate of patients with increased serum NSE and CT levels was 45.0% (9/20) and 42.8% (3/7) respectively, whereas that of patients with normal serum NSE and CT level was 58.3% (42/72) and 56.5% (48/85) respectively. The 3-year survival rate of patients with increased serum NSE or CT level had no significant difference with that of patients with normal level (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe diagnostic values of CA125, NSE and CT are limited. CA125 can be used as an prognostic parameter in patients with lung cancer after operation.