For the purpose of investigating the pattern of E-cadherin (E-CD) expression in thymomas, 72 cases were immunostained using monoclonal antibody (HECD-1) and microwave-enhanced immunohistochemical method on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The thymomas were classified according to modified Muller-Hermelink classification. The spindle-shaped, medullary type tumor epithelial cells in medullary (3 cases) and composite type (20 cases) thymomas rarely expressed E-CD except in focal areas showing microcystic change observed in 8 cases. Meanwhile, the cohesive epithelioid tumor cells in every case of well-differentiated thymic carcinomas (WDTC) (29 cases) expressed E-CD. The epithelial cells in cortical type (13 cases) expressed stronger E-CD compared with those of organoid type (7 cases). In cases of WDTC admixed with cortical type, we observed increasing expression of E-CD as the tumor epithelium forms cohesive sheets. We could not find any loss of E-CD expression in invasive foci of the 11 cases of high-staged WDTC examined. Since the results of our study show a strong correlation between E-CD expression and epithelioid morphology of the tumor, E-CD seems to play a major role as a morpho-regulatory factor rather than as a suppressor of invasion in organotypic thymomas.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Aged ; Cadherins/immunology ; Cadherins/analysis* ; Female ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Middle Age ; Neoplasm Staging ; Thymoma/pathology ; Thymoma/classification ; Thymoma/chemistry* ; Thymus Neoplasms/pathology ; Thymus Neoplasms/classification ; Thymus Neoplasms/chemistry*

BACKGROUND: So far there's no tumor maker applied in diagnosis and treatment of thymic epithelial tumors. This study is to assess the correlation between serum cytokine 19 fragment (Cyfra 21-1) and clinicopathological features and prognosis of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). METHODS: The clinical data of 159 patients with TETs in Shanghai Chest Hospital was retrospectively analysed. Patients were divided into groups according to different tumor stages and histotypes. Serum Cyfra 21-1 was thus compared. In addition, the possible relationship between perioperative serum Cyfra 21-1 level and the recurrent status was carrid out. RESULTS: Preoperative Cyfra 21-1 serum concentrations in patiants with advanced stage (T4) and thymic carcinomas were significantly higher than that in others (P<0.001, P<0.001, respectively). When the preoperative serum level exceeds the out-off of 1.66 ng/mL, it possibly indicates the recurrence during follow up. Furthermore, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive as well as negative predictive value (PPV and NPV) of postoperative Cyfra 21-1 to predict tumor recurrence were evaluated. At a cut-off of Cyfra 21-1 of 2.66 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 0.7, the specificity was 0.925, the PPV was 0.5 and the NPV was 0.966. CONCLUSIONS The elevated level of preoperative serum Cyfra 21-1 indicates an advanced stage of tumor or a more malignant histotype (thymic carcinoma). It also probably suggests a higher risk of tumor recurrence. During the oncological follow up, in addition to regular imaging examinations, the blood test of serum Cyfra 21-1 is also suggested to improve the diagnosis of tumor recurrence in order to improve the prognosis.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; blood ; chemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Peptide Fragments ; blood ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymus Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo study the antitumor activity of Huanglian Jiedu decoction (HLJDT).

METHODAntitumor activities were tested in mice with experimental tumor H22 in vivo, and the thymus index, spleen index and tumor inhibitory rate were evaluated. The effects on cancer cells from human were investigated in vitro using serum pharmacological approach. Swille, SPC-A-1, SGC-7901 and MCF-7 cancer cells were incubated in culture media containing serum from mice medicated with HLJDT. The inhibitory effects of HLJDT serum were observed by MTT assay.

RESULTHLJDT showed significant antitumor activities on H22 in mice. All of the HLJDT serum in different dosage groups could highly inhibit the proliferation of 4 cancer cell lines from human.

CONCLUSIONThe HLJDT can significantly inhibit the tumor H22 in mice in a dose-dependent manner, the drug serum has obvious anticancer effects against Swille, SPC-A-1, SGC-7901 and MCF-7.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Female ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Mice ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Thymus Gland ; pathology

OBJECTIVESTo assess the diagnostic accuracy and to study the histologic typing of mediastinal lesions using core needle biopsies.

METHODSThe histopathology and immunophenotype of 65 mediastinal core needle biopsy specimens were studied retrospectively by light microscopy and immunohistochemical staining (ABC method). Gene rearrangement studies were performed in some of the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas cases using PCR. Follow-up records were also analyzed.

RESULTSMorphologically, all specimens showed a combination of epithelioid cells, lymphoid cells and fibrous tissue in different proportions. The pathologic diagnoses included lymphoma (21 cases), pulmonary carcinoma (20 cases), thymoma (14 cases), thymic carcinoma (4 cases), seminoma (3 cases) and chronic inflammation (1 case). Definitive diagnosis was not possible in 2 cases due to insufficient material. The tumor cells in lymphoma (21 cases) expressed CD20, CD3, TDT, CD30, CD15 or EMA, depending on their histologic subtypes. Tumor cells in the 17 pulmonary carcinoma cases expressed cytokeratin (CK), except 3 cases of small cell carcinoma of lung. Synaptophysin, chromogranin A and neuron-specific enolase were all positive in the 10 cases of small cell carcinoma of lung and 1 case of thymic small cell carcinoma (which was also CD5 negative). The 3 cases of adenocarcinoma of lung showed positivity for thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) and they were negative for CD5. The 14 thymoma cases expressed CK, CD3 or CD20. The 3 thymic carcinoma cases expressed CK and CD5. Placental-like alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) was positive in 3 seminoma cases which were CK-negative. Immunoglobulin heavy chain gene was rearranged in the 3 cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and 1 B-cell anaplastic large cell lymphoma case. T-cell receptor beta gene was rearranged in 5 T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma cases.

CONCLUSIONSMicroscopic assessment of tissue samples from mediastinal core needle biopsies should be made in combination with clinical and radiologic information. Ancillary investigations, including immunohistochemical staining and/or gene rearrangement studie, are needed in both non-lymphoma and lymphoma cases of mediastinum.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; CD5 Antigens ; analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor ; Humans ; Keratins ; analysis ; Lung Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Lymphoma ; chemistry ; pathology ; Male ; Mediastinal Diseases ; pathology ; Mediastinum ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymus Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo confirm the anticancer effect of total annonaceous acetogenins (TAAs) abstracted from Annona squamosa Linn. on human hepatocarcinoma.

METHODSThe inhibitory effect of TAAs was demonstrated in H22-bearing mice. The potency of TAAs was confirmed as its 50% inhibiting concentration (IC50) on Bel-7402 cell under Sulfur Rhodamine B staining. Both underlying mechanisms were explored as cellular apoptosis and cell cycle under flow cytometry. Mitochondrial and recipient apoptotic pathways were differentiated as mitochondrial membrane potential under flow cytometry and caspases activities under fluorescence analysis.

RESULTSThe inhibitory rate of TAAs in mice was 50.98% at 4 mg/kg dose. The IC50 of TAAs on Bel-7402 was 20.06 µg/mL (15.13-26.61µg/mL). Effective mechanisms of TAAs were confirmed as both of arresting cell cycle at G1 phase and inducing apoptosis dose- and time-dependently. Mitochondrial and recipient pathways involved in apoptotic actions of TAAs.

CONCLUSIONTAAs is effective for hepatocarcinoma, via inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis.

Acetogenins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Annona ; chemistry ; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Caspases ; metabolism ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; enzymology ; pathology ; Male ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; drug effects ; Mice ; Organ Specificity ; drug effects ; Spleen ; drug effects ; Thymus Gland ; drug effects ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays