Background:The goals for treatment of achalasia are reducing lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP)and alleviating esophageal obstruction and its related symptoms.Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)is a promising option for treating achalasia.Aims:To assess the short-term efficacy of POEM for treating achalasia by analyzing the dynamic changes in esophageal manometry.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted in 39 achalasia patients receiving POEM in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from Dec.2011 to Oct.2012.Data of water-perfusion esophageal manometry and one-month follow up were collected and analyzed.Results:Thirty-eight patients accomplished the POEM procedure and esophageal manometry three days after treatment.The post-POEM LESP was significantly reduced as compared with the pre-POEMones (P <0.01),while no significant difference was seen in LES relaxation rate before and after POEM.With regard to the motility of esophageal body,absence of peristalsis and increased synchronous contraction were observed both pre-and post-operatively.One month after POEM,LESP was still significantly lower than that before treatment (P <0.05).Thirty-seven patients had their dysphagia alleviated with an efficacy rate of 94.9%.Conclusions:POEM can reduce LESP and alleviate clinical symptoms of achalasia patients but has no effect on esophageal peristalsis during the short-term follow up.Esophageal manometry is useful for evaluating the short-term outcome postoperatively.

As a kind of breast cancer surgery choice,the nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM)saves the patients′nipple-areola complex (NAC)which has significant meaning for patients′cosmetic results and posto-peration reconstruction.However,the clinical application of NSMis still in controversial.Some hot topics about oncological safety of NSM have appeared in recent years,such as the screening criterion of the enrolled patients,the situation of NAC involvement and the complications after NSM and handing methods.

Objective To investigate the pathological features of gastro-esophageal high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIEN) confirmed by biopsy and to compare the differences of its diagnosis after endoscopic resection. Methods Data of 147 patients with gastro-esophageal HGIEN confirmed by biopsy, who underwent EMR or ESD in recent 4 years were analyzed for the pathological findings of pre- and post- procedures. Results Among 147 cases of HGIEN diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy, 106 lesions were in esophagus and 41 in stomach. After endoscopic resection, intraepithelial neoplasia was confirmed in 97 (66%), and cancer was diagnosed in 50 (34%), of which submucosal layer was involved in 11. There were 34 cases of adenocarcinoma and 16 squamous cell carcinomas, in which 22 cases (44%) were poorly or moderately differentiated. Conclusion More than one third cases of biopsy diagnosed HGIEN are confirmed to be carcinoma after endoscopic resection, which needs active therapeutic measures.

Objective To investigate the clinical,pathologic and endoscopic ultrasound characteristics of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs).Methods Clinical data of 24 consecutive patients of PNETs who were admitted between January 2002 and January 2011 were reviewed.Results Among these 24 patients,19 were diagnosed to have insulinomas,1 was malignant insulinoma,2 were gastrinomas,and 2 were glucagonomas.Eighteen (75％) cases of PNETs were functional PNETs,and 6 (25％) were nonfunctional PNETs.The mean age of the patients was (42 ± 14) years old ranging from 19 ～ 64 years old,and the percentage of male patient was 33.3％.The main symptoms of insulinomas were intermittent abdominal pain or discomfort,and the main manifestations of glucagonomas were weight loss,skin migratory erythema; and the main symptoms of gastrinomas were diarrhea,vomiting with large amounts of water-like liquid.The detection rate of CT was 86.7％ (13/15),and the detection rate of EUS was 100％ (15/15),but PET-CT detected only 40％ of tumors (2/5).The endoscopic ultrasound characteristics of PNETs were circular or oval hypoechoic mass,and the volume was small with clear boundary and homogeneous echo.There was no enlarged lymph node,and liquid was detected in big tumor.Twenty-two patients received operation and 2 patients did not.PNETs expressed CgA and Syn protein.All patients of PNETs were alive with 7 to 80 months follow-up.Conclusions The clinical characteristics of PNETs were unique.EUS has a high accuracy for detecting and localizing PNETs.The surgical method is similar to that of pancreatic cancer,and the prognosis is relatively good.

Background:Pyruvate kinase M2( PKM2 ),which is highly expressed in cancer cells,plays an important role in cancer cell growth and aerobic glycolysis and is a promising target for cancer therapy. Aims:To investigate the effect of silencing PKM2 by siRNA on proliferation,apoptosis,migration,invasion and glycolysis of gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 cells. Methods:SGC-7901 cells were divided into three groups:non-transfectd SGC-7901 cells,SGC-7901 cells transfected with empty plasmid and SCG-7901 cellls transfected with PKM2 siRNA. Expression of PKM2 was detected by fluorescent quantitative PCR and Western blotting at mRNA and protein levels. Intracellular expression and distribution of PKM2 was determined by immunofluorescence. CCK-8 assay,flow cytometry,migration and invasion experiment were used to assess cell proliferation,apoptosis,migration and invasion,respectively. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of glucose transporter-1( Glut-1)and lactate dehydrogenase A( LDHA). Spectrophotometry was used to detect levels of extracellular glucose and lactic acid and intracellular lactate dehydrogenase( LDH). Results:Compared with non-transfected group and negative control( empty plasmid )group,PKM2 mRNA and protein expressions were significantly decreased in PKM2 siRNA plasmid transfected group(P<0. 05). Intracellular expression of PKM2 was markedly decreased in PKM2 siRNA cells. After transfected with PKM2 siRNA plasmid,cell proliferation,migration and invasion were significantly inhibited,and cell apoptosis was increased significantly( P<0. 05 ). Expressions of Glut-1 and LDHA were down-regulated in PKM2 silenced cells( P <0. 05 ). Glucose uptake,lactic acid production and LDH activities were significantly decreased in PKM2 silenced cells(P<0. 05). Conclusions:RNA interference targeting PKM2 gene inhibits PKM2 expression in human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SGC-7901 cells,thereby inhibits cell proliferation and glycolysis.

ObjectiveTo prospectively assess the efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasoundguided celiac plexus neurolysis (EUS-CPN) in the management of pain caused by pancreatic carcinoma.MethodsPatients with confirmed un-resectable pancreatic malignancy were treated with EUS-CPN once or twice.The data including age,gender,pain duration,opioid consumption,tumor location,pain scores before and after the procedure,number of treatment,duration of pain relief and survival time were collected.ResultsA total of 27 cases with cancerous abdominal pain were recruited.The median pain scores were significantly lower after EUS-CPN,and pain relief was obtained in 81.5％ (95％ CI,66.8％ -96.1％ ) patients with a median duration of 56.0 days (95％ CI,17.1-94.9),whose confidence interval was comparable to that of survival time (97.0 days,95 ％ CI,82.7-111.3 ).No clinical factors could predict post-procedure duration of pain relief (x2 =6.757,P =0.239).Procedure-related transient diarrhea and fever were noted only in 1 patient.No major complications occurred.ConclusionEUS-guided CPN is safe and effective in alleviating abdominal pain associated with pancreatic cancer,even at the late stage.Moreover,no clinical factor could predict post-procedure degree or duration of pain relief.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for precancerous lesions and early cancer at gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) by comparing endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) with ESD.MethodsData of patients with GEJ precancerous lesions or early cancer,who received EMR ( n =51 ) or ESD ( n =28) were reviewed to compared the en bloc resection rate,R0 resection rate,operation time,complication and recurrence rate between 2 methods.ResultsEn blcc resection and R0 resection rates of ESD group (92.9％,78.6％ respectively) were significantly higher than those of EMR group (45.1％,43.1％ respectively).Local recurrence rate in ESD group (3.6％,1/28) was significantly lower than that of EMR group ( 19.6％ ).Complications including perforation,delayed hemorrhage,stricture were not significantly different between EMR and ESD groups.Mean operation time of ESD group (64.3 ±27.1 min) was significantly longer than that of EMR group (27.6 ± 14.1 min)(P ＜0.05).ConclusionESD,with a higher cure rate and en bloc rate and a lower local recurrence rate,is superior to EMR for precancerous lesions and early cancer at GEJ.

ObjectiveTo investigate the diagnostic value of single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.MethodsA total of 78 SBE procedures was conducted on 72 patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding,with 40 via oral route and 38 via anal route.The procedure time,insertion depth and rate of positive finding were recorded.ResultsFor 40 SBE procedures performed via oral route,the mean procedure time was 60 minutes ( 15-110 minutes),and the mean insertion depth was 195 cm at the distal end of Trentz ligament (30-240 cm).For 38 SBE procedures performed via anus,the mean procedure time was 75 minuets (30-120 minutes),and the mean insertion depth was 160 cm at the proximal end of ileocecal valve (50-200 cm ).The whole diagnostic yield of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding was 62.5％.ConclusionSBE is a safe and useful tool for the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of endoscopic resection of giant gastric stromal tumors without explicit evidence of metastases.Methods A total of 12 giant gastric stromal tumors with no evidence of metastases diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and computed tomography (CT) scan were managed by endoscopic resection.Operation time,blood loss and the incidence rate of perforation were recorded respectively.The diagnoses of tissue specimens were made by pathological examination and immunohistochemistry.In order to assess local recurrence and distant metastases,endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound follow-up examinations were performed routinely at 2,6 and 12 months,and the whole abdominal CT scan was also performed at 12 months after operation.Results Endoscopic resections were successfully performed in 10 of 12 cases (83.3％),among which,6 underwent endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) without unexpected perforation and 4 endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR)with intentional perforation.The rate of intentional perforation was 33.3％ (4/12),and all the perforations could be sealed by endoscopic methods.The blood losses were all more than 100 ml,which could be controlled by argon plasma coagulation,electrocoagulation or hemostatic clips.In the 10 encapsulated tumors,8 could be smoothly removed from esophagus,whose long diameter of the minimum cross section was less than 3.5 cm,however,2 tumors whose diameters were larger than 3.5 cm were taken out after segmentation.In the 10 tissue samples,9 were confirmed as low risk GIST,1 larger than 5 cm was pathologically confirmed as high risk GIST.During 1-year follow-up,no local recurrence or peritoneal metastasis was found.2 tumors,larger than 5.0 cm,could not be removed by endoscopic methods due to uncontrolled bleeding.The rate of uncontrolled bleeding was 16.7％ (2/12).The patients were transferred to surgery,and pathologically confirmed as having high risk GIST.Conclusion For low-risk giant gastric stromal tumors whose diameters were less than 5cm without evidence of metastases,endoscopic resection is considered as a safe and effective procedure.Tumors with long diameter of the minimum cross section less than 3.5 cm are more suitable for endoscopic resection,which can be smoothly taken out through cardia.However,for high-risk GIST larger than 5.0 cm,the rate of uncontrolled bleeding is high,so endoscopic resection should be adopted with discretion.

Objective To analyze the possible risk factors of esophageal stenosis after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Methods From January 2008 to December 2009, a total of 219 procedures of esophageal EMR were performed to resect early esophageal squamous carcinoma and its precancerous lesions,and esophageal stenosis was observed in 9 cases. Data of these 9 patients ( stenosis group) were collected and compared with those of patients without stenosis ( control group, n = 202, 8 patients were excluded because of being diagnosed as squamous carcinoma with submucosal infiltration after EMR and being transfered to surgery). Results There was no significant difference between two groups in regard of gender, age, location of the lesion, length of the lesion or pathological diagnosis after EMR, while the rate of patients with mucosal defect larger than 3/4 circumference in stenosis group ( 8/9, 88.9% ) was significantly higher than that in control group (9/202, 4. 5%, P ＜ 0. 01 ). Conclusion In EMR for early esophageal squamous carcinoma and its precancerous lesions, post-EMR mucosal defect larger than 3/4 circumference is a risk factor for esophageal stenosis.