Background and purpose:Chemotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of gastric cancer.It is becoming a direction that the choice of chemotherapeutic agent for the clinic will be based on the levels of some relative gene expressions in the tumor tissue.As the key enzymes of fluoropyrimidines,the expression levels of thymidylate synthase(TS) and thymidine phosphorylase(TP) may correlate with the response of tumor to chemotherapy.This study was to investigate the expression of TS and TP mRNA in gastric cancer tissues and their correlation with prognosis.Methods:The expression levels of TS,TP mRNA in 51 gastric adenocarcinoma tissues were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Results:The median expression levels of TS,TP mRNA were 0.94 and 21.20,respectively.There was significant difference in terms of disease-free and overall survival between the gastric cancer patients with high and low TS mRNA expression level(P0.05)but not overall survival(P0.05).Conclusions:The expression levels of TS,TP mRNA may serve as prognostic markers for gastric cancer patients treated with FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy.

Lumbar spondylolysis refers to the bone injury between the upper and lower articular processes and the transition zone of the transverse process of the unilateral or bilateral pedicle of the lumbar spine, being a common cause of low back pain in patients that seriously affects their quality of life. The mechanism of the occurrence and development of lumbar spondylolysis is complex, and long-term stress wear and sudden damage with an external force are the main causes. At the same time, risk factors related to spinal anatomy are important causes of lumbar spondylolysis. A full understanding of the pathogenesis of lumbar spondylolysis, early identification of high-risk groups, and active preventive measures can reduce its incidence. For this purpose, the authors reviewed the research progress in risk factors related to the spinal anatomy of lumbar spondylolysis from three aspects including genetical susceptibility, local anatomy and overall spine-pelvic sequence, so as to provide references for the prevention and treatment of spondylolysis.

Objective:To introduce a novel risk factor for lumbar spondylolysis, the pedicle isthmus angle (PIA), and to explore its underlying mechanism and clinical relevance.Methods:A retrospective analysis of CT imaging data from young male patients with lumbar spondylolysis, admitted to the 960th Hospital of the Joint Logistic Support Force of the PLA between January 2018 and August 2023, was conducted. The study included 119 cases of unilateral spondylolysis and 339 cases of bilateral spondylolysis, with a mean age of 22.8±3.4 years (range 18-30 years). A control group of 458 patients with normal lumbar CT scans, presenting with low back pain, was also analyzed. Their mean age was 22.9±3.5 years (range 18-30 years). The PIA of the left and right sides of the L 3, L 4, and L 5 vertebrae in both the spondylolysis and control groups were measured using CT imaging. Differences in PIA measurements between the left and right sides, as well as between groups, were compared. Binary logistic regression analysis identified risk factors for lumbar spondylolysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Youden index were used to determine the critical risk threshold for lumbar spondylolysis. Results:No significant differences were found between the spondylolysis and control groups in terms of gender, age, height, weight, or body mass index (BMI) ( P>0.05). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the left and right PIA measurements for the L 3, L 4, and L 5 vertebrae in either group ( P>0.05). The PIA of the L 3 and L 4 vertebrae was not significantly different between the groups (107.2°±3.5° vs. 107.1°±3.5°, t=0.270, P=0.787; 110.6°±3.5° vs. 110.5°±4.0°, t=0.441, P=0.659). However, the PIA of the L 5 vertebra was significantly larger in the spondylolysis group (117.7°±4.7°) compared to the control group (114.0°±4.9°) ( t=11.654, P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis identified an increased PIA at L 5 ( β=0.159, OR=1.172, P<0.001) as a risk factor for lumbar spondylolysis. According to the ROC curve and Youden index, the risk of lumbar spondylolysis increased substantially when the L 5 PIA exceeded 115.8°. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.709, with a sensitivity of 0.670 and a specificity of 0.644. Conclusion:PIA is an objective and effective imaging parameter for predicting lumbar spondylolysis. It aids in understanding the pathophysiology of spondylolysis, identifying high-risk individuals, and informing prevention and treatment strategies for lumbar spondylolysis.