Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of metformin on endometrial carcinoma subline of progestin-resistance and find whether metformin could regulate progestin-resistance in endometrial carcinoma. Methods Ishikawa endometrial carcinoma cells were cultured for a long period in the presence of the synthetic medroxyprogesterone 17-acetate (MPA) to generate a subline refractory to the growth-suppressive effects of MPA,named Ishikawa/MPA cells. The effect of MPA (1, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 60 μmol/L) or metformin (1, 10, 20, 40, 60, 70 and 80 mmol/L) on proliferation of the Ishikawa/MPA and parental Ishikawa cells was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method. Western blot was used to detect the effect of metformin and(or)MPA on the expression of PR-B in the Ishikawa/MPA and Ishikawa cells. Results The Ishikawa/MPA showed that growth stimulation rather than inhibition in the Ishikawa cells after low MPA concentration treatment. The doubling time of Ishikawa/MPA cell lines were (43±4) hours and that of Ishikawa cell line were (47 ± 3) hours. No changes in doubling time were observed (t=0.349,P=0.572). Low concentration (1 and 5μmol/L) of MPA could promote the growth of Ishikawa/MPA cells (by 3% and 13%). High concentration (10, 20, 40 and 60 μmol/L) of MPA could inhibited the growth of Ishikawa/MPA cells (by 4%, 3%, 9%and 40%) and the growth of Ishikawa cells (by 41%, 55%, 65%and 66%). At the same concentration, the difference of inhibition rates between the two cell lines were statistically significant (P<0.01). Metformin (1, 10, 20, 40, 60, 70 and 80 mmol/L) could inhibite the growth of Ishikawa/MPA (by-10%, 20%, 56%, 89%, 97%, 98%and 99%) greater than those in parental Ishikawa cells (by-6%, 19%, 37%, 54%, 70%, 72%and 83%), and the inhibitory effect was dose-dependent manner. Western blot assay showed that for Ishikawa cells, the protein expression levels of PR-B in metformin group and MPA+metformin group were respectively (53.5±4.0)%and (37.7±5.2)%, which were higher than that in the control group [(23.4 ± 3.0)%], and there were significant the differences (P<0.01). For Ishikawa/MPA cells, the protein expression levels of PR-B in metformin group and MPA+metformin group were respectively (38.6 ± 1.7)%,(36.3 ± 2.5)%,which were higher than those in the control group [(6.4 ± 1.6)%], and there were also significant differences (P<0.01). Conclusion Metformin may regulate the progestin-resistance in endometrial carcinoma by increasing the expression of PR-B.

BACKGROUNDLocally advanced lung cancer includes IIIA and IIIB lung cancer that tumors are localized within the chest and with no clinic and pathologic distal metastasis. In this study the results of extended resection of a portion of heart or great vessels with cardiopulmonary bypass was summarized in the treatment of locally advanced lung cancer.

METHODSLobectomy or pneumonectomy combined with extended partial excision of the heart or great vessels were carried out in 10 patients with locally advanced lung cancer. The operations included aortic resection and reconstruction with left heart bypass in 2 cases, extended resection of left atrium with normal cardiopulmonary bypass in 5 cases, and resection and reconstruction of superior vena cava in 3 cases respectively.

RESULTSThe patients had no operative complication except for one haemothorax, which was controlled by re-exploration. One patient died of brain metastasis 6 months after operation and another one died of multiple metastasis 26 months after operation. The others were alive.

CONCLUSIONSCPB is a safe and effective anesthetic procedure during extended resection of locally advanced lung cancer although it is controversial for aggravating operative trauma, complex technique and higher cost.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality and poor prognosis. The main reason for poor prognosis are difficulties in early diagnosis, common recurrence and metastasis after surgery. Therefore, early diagnosis and postoperative monitoring of HCC are particularly important to improve the overall prognosis of HCC patients. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are malignant tumor cells in blood circulation, which play an important role in tumor inva-sion and metastasis. As a"liquid biopsy"technique, CTC test can be performed in real-time and allows repeated monitoring of tumor cells in peripheral blood, which has great clinical application value in early tumor diagnosis, postoperative dynamic monitoring, and prognosis evaluation. In this article, the research progress of CTCs at home and abroad was retrospectively illustrated, and their detec-tion methods, research, and clinical applications for diagnosis, prognosis, and other aspects of HCC patients were systematically re-viewed.