1.5G-enabled remote robot-assisted thoracic surgery: Clinical outcomes, current challenges, and future perspectives
Wenlong CHEN ; Jiyong YANG ; Yaling LIU ; Zhuang ZUO ; Changhao QUE ; Li DOU ; Yunjiu GOU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(05):698-709
With the integration of 5G communication technology and robotic surgical systems, remote robot-assisted thoracic surgery is overcoming geographical barriers, offering an innovative approach to addressing the uneven distribution of medical resources. This study conducted a systematic literature review—using databases such as PubMed and CNKI, with the search period extending up to 2025—incorporating clinical studies, case reports, and review articles to comprehensively evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of 5G-enabled remote robot-assisted thoracic surgery (5G-RRATS). The analysis also examined current technological limitations and potential future development trajectories. Existing evidence indicates that, given adequate technical support, 5G-RRATS can achieve perioperative outcomes comparable to those of conventional local robotic surgeries across procedures including pulmonary wedge resection, lobectomy, and esophagectomy. Furthermore, it demonstrates potential advantages in minimizing surgical incisions and reducing intraoperative blood loss. Nevertheless, challenges related to network stability, latency control, interdisciplinary collaboration between medical and engineering teams, and legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations continue to hinder widespread clinical adoption. Looking ahead, the emergence of a "one-to-many" remote surgical model, combined with the integration of artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies, as well as advancements in low-orbit satellite communications, may enable 5G-RRATS to further advance precision and efficiency in thoracic surgery, thereby facilitating equitable access to high-quality care for a broader patient population.
2.Clinical efficacy of robot versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of mediastinal tumor: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Wei CAO ; Haochi LI ; Kai YANG ; Qi WANG ; Zhuang ZUO ; unjiu GOU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(05):799-806
Objective To systematically evaluate the therapeutic effects of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) in treating mediastinal tumors. Methods A computer search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang, CNKI, CBM, VIP databases for literature comparing the clinical efficacy of VATS and RATS in treating mediastinal tumors, with the search time from inception to March 31, 2024. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate the quality of the included cohort studies, and Review Manager 5.4 software was used to perform a meta-analysis. Results A total of 32 articles were included, with 7868 patients. The NOS scores of the included cohort studies were all≥7 points. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the VATS group, the RATS group had less intraoperative blood loss [MD=−16.71, 95%CI (−23.88, −9.54), P<0.001], lower conversion rate to open thoracotomy [OR=0.41, 95%CI (0.26, 0.67), P=0.003], lower overall postoperative complication rate [OR=0.66, 95%CI (0.48, 0.92), P=0.01], shorter postoperative drainage time [MD=−0.64, 95%CI (−0.92, −0.36), P<0.001], and shorter postoperative hospital stay [MD=−1.03, 95%CI (−1.28, −0.78), P<0.001]. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of tumor size [MD=−0.06, 95%CI (−0.31, 0.19), P=0.64] or operation time [MD=5.52, 95%CI (−2.35, 13.40), P=0.17]. The RATS group had higher hospitalization costs than the VATS group [MD=1.69, 95%CI (1.26, 2.13), P<0.001]. Conclusion In mediastinal tumors resection, RATS is superior to VATS in terms of intraoperative blood loss, conversion rate to open thoracotomy, overall postoperative complication rate, postoperative drainage time, and postoperative hospital stay, but it increases hospitalization costs.
3.Five patients undergoing 5G remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery
Zhuang ZUO ; Xu TANG ; Wenlong CHEN ; Dacheng JIN ; Wei CAO ; Yunjiu GOU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(05):594-597
Objective To evaluate the safety and feasibility of remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery utilizing 5G technology. Methods Clinical data from five patients who underwent 5G remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery at the Thoracic Surgery Center of Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from May to October 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Finally, five patients were included. There were 2 males and 3 females at median age of 50 (42-63) years. All five surgeries (including 1 patient of lobectomy, 3 patients of partial lung resection and 1 patient of mediastinal lesion resection) were successfully completed without conversion to thoracotomy, complications, or mortality. The median intraoperative signal delay across the patients was 39 (37-42) ms. The median psychological load score for the surgeons was 9 (3-13). The median operation time was 100 (80-122) minutes with a median intraoperative blood loss of 100 (30-200) mL. Catheter drainage lasted a median of 4 (3-5) days, and the median drainage volumes on the first, second, and third postoperative day were 200 (100-300) mL, 150 (60-220) mL, and 80 (30-180) mL, respectively. The median postoperative hospital stay was 4 (3-7) days, and the median pain scores on the third postoperative day were 3 (1-4), 3 (0-3), and 1 (0-3), respectively. Conclusion 5G remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is safe and effective, with good surgical experience, smooth operation and small intraoperative delay.
4.Zhiwei Fuwei Pills regulate miRNA-21/Bcl-2 pathway to improve mitochondrial apoptosis in rats with precancerous lesions of gastric cancer.
Jiao-Jiao ZUO ; Rui-Ping SONG ; Peng-Cheng DOU ; Xin-Yi CHEN ; Zhuang-Zhuang FENG ; Jin SHU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(15):4342-4351
This study aimed to investigate the effects of Zhiwei Fuwei Pills on mitochondrial apoptosis in the rat model of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC) based on the microRNA-21(miRNA-21)/B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2) signaling pathway. Eighty-five 5-week-old male SPF-grade SD rats were selected, of which 75 were fed with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) for multifactorial modeling, and the PLGC model was established after 26 weeks. The rats were randomly grouped as follows: model, folic acid(0.002 g·kg~(-1)), low-dose(0.42 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, medium-dose(0.84 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, and high-dose(1.67 g·kg~(-1)) Zhiwei Fuwei Pills, with 15 rats in each group. Additionally, 10 rats were assigned to a blank group and administrated with an equivalent volume of normal saline by gavage. After four weeks of continuous drug administration, the gastric mucosal tissue was collected. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was performed to reveal the pathological changes in the gastric mucosa. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) was employed to detect apoptosis in gastric mucosal epithelial cells. RT-PCR was adopted to determine the mRNA levels of miRNA-21, phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN), Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), and cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 3(caspase-3). Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of PTEN, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) was used to detect the positive expression of PTEN, Bcl-2, and Bax in the gastric mucosal tissue. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was employed to observe the morphological and structural changes in mitochondria. The results showed that compared with model group, the drug administration groups showed alleviated pathological changes, with increased apoptotic cells, down-regulated mRNA levels of miRNA-21 and Bcl-2, up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PTEN, Bax, and caspase-3, and down-regulated protein level of Bcl-2. In addition, the drug administration groups exhibited mitochondrial swelling and rupture and reduction of cristae, which indicated mitochondrial apoptosis. These findings suggest that Zhiwei Fuwei Pills can effectively improve mitochondrial apoptosis in PLGC cells by regulating the miRNA-21/Bcl-2 signaling pathway.
Animals
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MicroRNAs/metabolism*
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Male
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Apoptosis/drug effects*
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Stomach Neoplasms/physiopathology*
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics*
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Mitochondria/genetics*
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Precancerous Conditions/drug therapy*
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Humans
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PTEN Phosphohydrolase/genetics*
5.Experimental study on promotion of skin radiation damage repair by icarin via HIF-2α/VEGF/Notch pathway to enhance the paracrine function of adipose-derived stem cells.
Yuer ZUO ; Shuangyi LI ; Siyu TAN ; Xiaohao HU ; Zhou LI ; Haoxi LI
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(7):881-890
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the effectiveness and preliminary mechanisms of icariin (ICA) in enhancing the reparative effects of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on skin radiation damagies in rats.
METHODS:
Twelve SPF-grade Sprague Dawley rats [body weight (220±10) g] were subjected to a single dose of 10 Gy X-ray irradiation on a 1.5 cm×1.5 cm area of their dorsal skin, with a dose rate of 200 cGy/min to make skin radiation damage model. After successful modelling, the rats were randomly divided into 4 groups ( n=3), and on day 2, the corresponding cells were injected subcutaneously into the irradiated wounds: group A received 0.1 mL of rat ADSCs (1×10 7cells/mL), group B received 0.1 mL of rat ADSCs (1×10 7cells/mL)+1 μmol/L ICA (0.1 mL), group C received 0.1 mL of rat ADSCs (1×10 7cells/mL) pretreated with a hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF-2α) inhibitor+1 μmol/L ICA (0.1 mL), and group D received 0.1 mL of rat ADSCs (1×10 7cells/mL) pretreated with a Notch1 inhibitor+1 μmol/L ICA (0.1 mL). All treatments were administered as single doses. The skin injury in the irradiated areas of the rats was observed continuously from day 1 to day 7 after modelling. On day 28, the rats were sacrificed, and skin tissues from the irradiated areas were harvested for histological examination (HE staining and Masson staining) to assess the repair status and for quantitative collagen content detection. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect CD31 expression, while Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) were used to measure the protein and mRNA relative expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), interleukin 10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), HIF-2α, and Notch1, 2, and 3.
RESULTS:
All groups exhibited skin ulcers and redness after irradiation. On day 3, exudation of tissue fluid was observed in all groups. On day 7, group B showed significantly smaller skin injury areas compared to the other 3 groups. On day 28, histological examination revealed that the epidermis was thickened and the dermal fibers were slightly disordered with occasional inflammatory cell aggregation in group A. In group B, the epidermis appeared more normal, the dermal fibers were more orderly, and there was an increase in new blood vessels without significant inflammatory cell aggregation. In contrast, groups C and D showed significantly increased epidermal thickness, disordered and disrupted dermal fibers. Group B had higher collagen fiber content than the other 3 groups, and group D had lower content than group A, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining showed that group B had significantly higher CD31 expression than the other 3 groups, while groups C and D had lower expression than group A, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Western blot and qRT-PCR results indicated that group B had significantly higher relative expression levels of VEGF, PDGF-BB, FGF-2, IL-10, TGF-β, HIF-2α, and Notch1, 2, and 3 proteins and mRNAs compared to the other 3 groups ( P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
ICA may enhance the reparative effects of ADSCs on rat skin radiation damage by promoting angiogenesis and reducing inflammatory responses through the HIF-2α-VEGF-Notch signaling pathway.
Animals
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Skin/pathology*
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Rats
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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/genetics*
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/genetics*
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Signal Transduction
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Flavonoids/pharmacology*
;
Adipose Tissue/cytology*
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Stem Cells/cytology*
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Receptors, Notch/metabolism*
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Radiation Injuries, Experimental/metabolism*
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Wound Healing/drug effects*
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Male
6.Research on the intervention of Zhiwei Fuwei pills on rats with precancerous lesions of gastric cancer
Peng-cheng DOU ; Xue-ling YUAN ; Rui-ping SONG ; Zhuang-zhuang FENG ; Liu-yi YAO ; Xin-yi CHEN ; Xiao-long WANG ; Jiao-jiao ZUO ; Jin SHU
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(23):3429-3433
Objective To explore the intervention effect and mechanism of Zhiwei Fuwei pills on precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC)model rats based on hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)signaling pathway.Methods PLGC model rats were established by the combination of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and ammonia drinking,hunger and satiation disorder,ethanol gavage and ranitidine feeding,and were randomly divided into model group,control group and experimental-H,-M,-L groups,with 8 rats in each group.Another 8 healthy rats were selected as blank group.Experimental-H,-M,-L groups were given 1.67,0.84 and 0.42 g·kg-1 Zhiwei Fuwei pills solution by intragastric administration,respectively;control group was given 2.00 × 10-3g·kg-1 folic acid solution by intragastric administration;blank group and model group were given 0.9%NaCl by intragastric administration,once a day for 4 weeks.The structural changes of gastric microvessels were detected by transmission electron microscopy,and the expression levels of HIF-1α,VEGF,vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2(VEGFR-2)and Angiopoietin-2(Ang-2)were detected by western blot.Results Compared with the model group,the abnormality of gastric microvascular structure in experimental-H,-M,-L groups was improved to some extent,and the effect of high dose experimental group was the most obvious.The relative expression levels of HIF-1 α protein in experimental-H,-M groups and control group,model group and blank group were 0.43±0.03,0.66±0.04,0.77±0.01,0.80±0.02 and 0.37±0.02;the relative expression levels of VEGF protein were 0.97±0.06,1.21±0.06,1.51±0.07,1.54±0.05 and 0.88±0.02;the relative expression levels of VEGFR-2 protein were 1.03±0.06,1.18±0.04,1.37±0.05,1.45±0.02 and 0.70±0.02;the relative expression levels of Ang-2 protein were 0.51±0.03,0.61±0.02,0.71±0.01,0.78±0.03 and 0.34±0.01,respectively.Compared with the model group,the above indexes in the experimental-H,-M groups were statistically significant(all P<0.01).Conclusion Zhiwei Fuwei pills may inhibit the abnormal activation of HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathway,improve hypoxia microenvironment,reduce angiogenesis,and then effectively interfere with the progression of PLGC.
7.Research progresses of Qa-1 restricted CD8+ regulatory T cells in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases.
Xiaoyue XU ; Manling XUE ; Jiajia ZUO ; Kang TANG ; Yusi ZHANG ; Chunmei ZHANG ; Ran ZHUANG ; Yun ZHANG ; Boquan JIN ; Yuhong LYU ; Ying MA
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2024;40(11):1018-1023
The Qa-1 in mice is homologous to human leukocyte antigen E(HLA-E), and both of them belong to the non-classical major histocompatibility complex I b(MHC-I b) molecules. Qa-1 is capable of presenting self or exogenous antigen peptides to interact with two distinct receptors, namely T cell receptor (TCR) and natural killer cell group 2 member A (or C) (NKG2A/C), thus playing an important role in immune response and regulation. Qa-1-restricted regulatory CD8+ T cell (CD8+ Treg) is one of the most studied CD8+ Treg subgroups, which can maintain immune homeostasis and autoimmune tolerance by exerting immunosuppressive effects. Consequently, Qa-1-restricted CD8+Treg cells are closely associated with the occurrence and development of various clinical diseases, such as tumors, infections, autoimmune diseases, and transplant rejections. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the phenotypic characteristics, functional effects, regulatory mechanisms of Qa-1-restricted CD8+ Treg cells, as well as the latest research progresses of Qa-1-restricted CD8+ Treg cells involved in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases.
Humans
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Animals
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T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/immunology*
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Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/immunology*
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CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/immunology*
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Communicable Diseases/immunology*
8.Research status of traditional Chinese medicine intervention in precancerous lesions of gastric cancer
Peng-cheng DOU ; Rui-ping SONG ; Liu-yi YAO ; Jiao-jiao ZUO ; Zhuang-zhuang FENG ; Xin-yi CHEN ; Xiao-long WANG ; Jin SHU
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(22):3343-3347
Precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC)is a key pathological stage in the process of inflammation cancer transformation of the gastric mucosa.Early diagnosis and effective intervention in this stage have positive significance in preventing the occurrence of gastric cancer.Numerous studies have confirmed that traditional Chinese medicine can effectively intervene in PLGC by regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis,regulating inflammatory response,anti angiogenesis,inhibiting epithelial mesenchymal transition,inhibiting glycolysis,antioxidant stress,combating helicobacter pylori,regulating autophagy levels,and regulating gut microbiota through various pathways.The article systematically elaborates on the research status of the intervention mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine monomers or extracts,and traditional Chinese medicine formulas in PLGC,aiming to provide reference for the clinical treatment of this disease and related drug development.
9.90%effective dose of ciprofol combined with alfentanil in inhibiting gastroscopy insertion response in elderly patients
Yongqiang ZHANG ; Chunlei CUI ; Mingyu ZUO ; Ping ZHUANG ; Xiaopeng WANG
China Journal of Endoscopy 2024;30(6):67-73
Objective To investigate the 90%effective dose(ED90)of ciprofol combined with alfentanil in inhibiting gastroscopy insertion response in elderly patients.Methods 110 patients were selected to undergo painless gastroscopy examination on a scheduled basis.110 patients were randomly divided into ciprofol group alone(group H,n=57)and ciprofol group combined with alfentanil 5 μg/kg(group A,n=53).The trial was conducted according to the Biased coin design up-and-down(BCD-UDM)sequential.Patients in group H were given only intravenous infusion of ciprofol and patients in group A were pre-infused with intravenous alfentanil at 5μg/kg,followed by intravenous infusion of ciprofol,and gastroscopy was initiated when the modified observer's assessment of alertness/sedation scale(MOAA/S)was≤1 point.The initial dose of ciprofol was 0.200 mg/kg in all cases,and the adjacent isotropic dose was 0.030 mg/kg.If the patient's MOAA/S was still>1 or the patient had a response that interfered with the operative examination,such as choking or body movement,during gastroscopy placement,2.0 min after the intravenous infusion of ciprofol,was regarded as an ineffective response,then the next patient was elevated by one dose gradient.If the anesthetic effect of the previous patient was judged to be a valid response,the next patient was randomized to a dose according to the BCD-UDM,with an 11%(b=0.11)probability of decreasing the dose gradient by one dose,and an 89%(1-b=0.89)probability of remaining unchanged,and the experiment was terminated at the 45th effective response in each group.Probabilistic unit regression analysis was used to calculate the ED90,95%effective dose(ED95),and 95%confidence intervals(CI)for the inhibition of gastroscopy placement response with ciprofol alone and the combination of 5 μg/kg alfentanil in elderly patients.Results The ED90 of ciprofol in group A was 0.296 mg/kg(95%CI:0.275~0.338),and ED95 was 0.310 mg/kg(95%CI:0.291~0.383);The ED90 of ciprofol in group H was 0.407 mg/kg(95%CI:0.390~0.447),and ED95 was 0.420 mg/kg(95%CI:0.402~0.483).Compared with group H,the total amount of ciprofol was significantly reduced in group A,the time of awakening and time of leaving the hospital were significantly shorter,and the incidence of intraoperative hypotension and hypoxemia was significantly lower,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion The ED90 of ciprofol combined with 5 μg/kg of alfentanil and ciprofol alone in inhibiting gastroscopy implantation in elderly patients are 0.296 mg/kg and 0.407 mg/kg respectively.
10.Value of cystic fluid carcinoembryonic antigen combined with glucose detection in the diagnosis of mucinous cystadenoma of pancreas
Ying ZHUANG ; Jiayun CHEN ; Yan QIU ; Rong ZUO ; Dandan WANG ; Shihua LIU
Modern Interventional Diagnosis and Treatment in Gastroenterology 2024;29(7):794-798
Background and Objective Accurate diagnosis of mucous cystic lesion(PCL)remains a clinical difficult.Both Carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)and glucose(GLU)are reported to have ability to distinguish mucinous PCL from non-mucinous PCL,but the accuracy was limited.The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of cystic CEA combined with GLU in the diagnosis of mucinous PCL.Methods PCL patients who underwent pancreatic surgery and endoscopic ultrasonography guided fine-needle aspiration(EUS-FNA)were retrospectively collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University.Clinical data and cystic fluid analysis of included PCLs patients were analyzed using receiver operator(ROC)curves.ROC analysis,sensitivity and specificity analyses were used to evaluate the value of CEA combined with GLU in the diagnosis of mucinous PCL.Results From January 2015 to December 2021,a total of 84 patients underwent cyst fluid CEA and GLU analysis,of whom 44(52.4%)had mucinous PCL and 40(47.6%)had non-mucinous PCL.The AUC for distinguishing mucinous from non-mucinous PCL by CEA was 0.82[(95%confidence interval(CI):0.72-0.92)].When 192 ng/mL was used as the cutoff level,the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 50%and 93%,respectively.Using 20 ng/mL as cutoff level,the diagnostic sensitivity increased to 80%and the specificity decreased to 68%.The AUC for the cystic GLU to distinguish mucinous from non-mucinous PCL was 0.73(95%CI:0.99-0.87),and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 100%and 60%,respectively.When the cutoff level of CEA was 192 ng/mL,the AUC of CEA combined with GLU in the diagnosis of mucinous PCLs was 0.94(95%Cl:0.86-0.99),while when the cutoff level of CEA was 20 ng/mL,the AUC of CEA combined with Glu in the diagnosis of mucinous PCLs was 0.94(95%CI:0.85-0.99).The AUCs were significantly higher than the AUC with single diagnostic indicators.Conclusion When using the cutoff level of 192 ng/mL,cyst fluid CEA combined with GLU has high sensitivity and specificity in differentiating mucinous PCL from non-mucinous PCL,so it can be considered for clinical application.Lower CEA cutoff level(20 ng/mL)can improve the sensitivity of diagnosis.

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