1.Clinicopathological and molecular characterization of high-grade endometrial carcinoma with POLE mutation: a single center study
Shuangni YU ; Zezheng SUN ; Liju ZONG ; Jie YAN ; Mei YU ; Jie CHEN ; Zhaohui LU
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2022;33(3):e38-
Objective:
The molecular classification system of endometrial carcinoma (EC) in ‘The Cancer Genome Atlas’ is widely acknowledged for its prognostic utility. Subsequently, more simplified classification system that incorporate DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) exonuclease domain mutations, mismatch repair deficiencies (MMRd), and abnormal p53 (P53abn) has also demonstrated its clinical utility. These classifications helped identifying a ‘POLE ultramutated’ (POLEmut) category of patients, most of whom show excellent prognoses despite having high-grade ECs. We aimed to investigate the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of high-grade ECs with POLEmut.
Methods:
We investigated 414 patients with high-grade ECs (including endometrioid carcinomas grade 3, serous carcinomas, clear cell carcinomas, mixed carcinomas, undifferentiated and dedifferentiated carcinomas, and carcinosarcomas) by sequencing and immunohistochemical staining.
Results:
Forty-three tumors (10.4%) were classified as POLEmut, including 2 with new, possibly pathogenic POLE mutations at P286C and L424V. These patients had very good prognoses except for 1 with stage IV disease and residual tumor. Eleven patients in this group also had P53abn and 4 had MMRd; molecular analysis revealed that patients with synchronous POLE pathogenic mutation and other mutations had a POLEmut or MMRd phenotype; survival analysis found no difference in prognosis between these patient categories. The prognoses of patients in the POLEmut EC group were not significantly influenced by treatment or risk category.
Conclusions
Patients with high-grade EC exhibiting POLEmut have very good clinical outcomes, and should be identified urgently in daily work owing to their conflicting morphology. Our findings also provide guidance on subclassifying ECs with poor histological appearance.
2.Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine for Tuberculosis and Severe Malnutrition with Coronavirus Disease 2019(Critical Type): A Case Report
Danni ZHOU ; Xiuyang LI ; Xuefei ZHAO ; Aibo DU ; Zezheng GAO ; Chensi YAO ; Chongxiang XUE ; Jun SUN ; Han WANG ; Chuantao ZHANG ; Linhua ZHAO ; Qiang WANG ; Peng WANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2023;64(22):2363-2367
We reported a case of a patient dignosed as tuberculosis and severe malnutrition with coronavirus disease 2019 (critical type) treated with a combination of Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Through the retrospective analysis of the diagnosis and treatment process of this patient, on the basis of Chinese medicine's understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of “old state” and “deficient state”, the critical coronavirus pneumonia combined with pulmonary tuberculosis and severe malnutrition was mostly due to the physical condition and the invasion of epidemic toxin, resulting in dysfunctions of the internal organs such as the lungs, spleens, kidneys and other organs. Based on the understanding of the cause and mechanism of the coronavirus disease, the treatment combined Chinese and Western medical therapies was given. The western medicine was used with the main treatments of oxygen therapy, anti-viral, intestinal nutritional support, and anti-coagulation, while the Chinese medicine was used by tonifying qi, blood, yin, and yang, warming yang and dissipating cold, and clearing heat and dampness, then tonifying qi, nourishing yin and eliminating heat, in which tonifying middle and replenishing qi ran through the whole process. The integrated treatment eventually improved the patient's symptoms and accelerated the negative conversion of nucleic acid of the coronavirus.