AIM: To study the effects of Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration, choroidal blood flow and oxidative stress of RPE cells.METHODS: The 35mg/kg NaIO3-induced RPE degeneration rat eyes was given 25μg 1% TMP eye drops 3 times a day for 7 days before NaIO3 injection, and then 2 to 4 weeks after NaIO3 injection. RPE function was measured with c-wave of electroretinogram (ERG). Colored microsphere technique was used for in vivo experiments to determine the choroidal blood flow in ocular hypertensive (40mmHg) rabbit eyes. Methylthiazoltetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to study in vitro effect of TMP on various oxidants induced injury in the hRPE (ARPE-19 (ATCC, Manassas, VA, USA)) . RESULTS: Two weeks after NaIO3 injection, the amplitude of ERG c-wave fell markedly in NaIO3 group to 36% of control group (P<0.01). No apparent difference was observed in TMP+NaIO3 group. Four weeks later, the NaIO3 group fell to 46% of control group (P<0.01), while the TMP+NaIO3 group fell to only 77% of control group (P<0.01). There was a 67% reversal of the ERG c-wave by TMP as compared to NaIO3 group (P<0.01). The choroidal blood flow was significantly increased at all time points (at 30, 60 and 120 minutes after TMP instillation) as compared with corresponding controls. TMP had no effect on hypoxia-(1%O2), t-BHP- and H2O2-induced damage in RPE cells. 10μg/mL TMP could reverse 1 and 3mmol/L NaN3-induced loss of viability of RPE by 18.5% (P<0.01) and 23% (P<0.01), respectively. 30μg/mL TMP could reverse 30 and 100mmol/L NaIO3 induced loss of viability of RPE by 18.1% (P<0.05) and 16.8% (P<0.01), respectively.CONCLUSION: TMP can significantly protect RPE from NaIO3 induced degeneration in vivo and oxidative stress in vitro and can increase choroidal blood flow markedly in vivo .

OBJECTIVE: Neuroendocrine cervical carcinoma is a rare subtype of cervical cancer. These tumors exhibit an aggressive behavior with early regional lymph node and distant metastases. The purpose of our study was to describe five cases of neuroendocrine cervical-vaginal carcinoma and to discuss the potential of the 2-[18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) scan for the detection of this rare malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five cases of cervical-vaginal neuroendocrine tumor were retrospectively collected, during a two year (from September 2009 to August 2011) period in our hospital. The clinical staging distributions were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB2 (1 of 5), stage IIA (3 of 5) and stage IVA (1 of 5). RESULTS: Two cases (cases 1 and 4) were restaged after 18F-FDG PET/CT scan in the initial staging process. Post-treatment 18F-FDG PET/CT scans, in three patients, revealed positive findings for tumor recurrence or lymph node metastases. Two patients (cases 2 and 3) died of tumor within two years. CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG PET/CT scan is a useful tool in cervical-vaginal neuroendocrine tumor. In its initial staging, the 18F-FDG PET/CT scan may help assess the possible nodal involvement or early hematogeneous spreading. We can also use the 18F-FDG PET/CT to detect local recurrence and to evaluate the treatment response after clinical manipulation.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine/pathology/*radionuclide imaging/therapy ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/*diagnostic use ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Radiopharmaceuticals/*diagnostic use ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/pathology/*radionuclide imaging/therapy ; Vaginal Neoplasms/pathology/*radionuclide imaging/therapy

OBJECTIVETo summarize the 8-year experience of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) on liver malignancies and explore the effect and prognostic factors.

METHODSFrom August 1999 to February 2007, 803 patients with liver malignancies, among which there were 672 with primary liver cancer (PLC) and 131 with liver metastasis, were treated with RFA. There were 781 cases who were performed percutaneously under the guidance of ultrasound, 8 cases under CT, 9 cases with laparoscopy and 5 cases with laparotomy. And there were 117 cases who were treated by RFA combined with percutaneous ethanol injection and 108 cases by RFA combined with trans-catheter arterial chemoembolization.

RESULTSIn the treatment of all the 803 patients with liver malignancies, the mortality was 0.25%, the rate of severe complications was 0.37%. The rate of complete ablation was 92.5%, the loco-recurrence rate was 13.8% and the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-year survivals were 95.1%, 85.6%, 75.7%, 60.7% and 47.5%, respectively. For the 672 patients with PLCs, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-year survivals with stage Ia (Chinese staging system) were 97.8%, 91.5%, 84.6%, 77.1% and 61.9%, respectively, with stage Ib were 93.9%, 83.7%, 69.8%, 45.1% and 42.2%, respectively, with stage II were 86.2%, 67.3%, 47.3%, 17.2% and 0, respectively, and the 1, 2-year survivals with stage III were 67.8% and 0, respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSRFA is a safe and effective method for liver malignancy, and the tumor size and stage are important prognostic factors.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome