Objective: To evaluate clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary myelofibrosis (PMF) patients with thrombocytopenia in varied degrees. Methods: Clinical features and survival data of 1 305 Chinese patients with PMF were retrospectively analyzed. The prognostic value of thrombocytopenia in patients with PMF was evaluated. Results: 320 subjects (47%) presented severe thrombocytopenia (PLT<50×10(9)/L), 198 ones (15.2%) mild thrombocytopenia [PLT (50-99)×10(9)/L] and 787 ones (60.3%) without thrombocytopenia (PLT ≥ 100×10(9)/L). The more severe the thrombocytopenia, the higher the proportions of HGB<100 g/L, WBC<4×10(9)/L, circulating blasts ≥ 3%, abnormal karyotype and unfavourable cytogenetics (P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.004, P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively) were observed in this cohort of patients. The more severe the thrombocytopenia, the lower the proportion of JAK2V617F positive (P<0.001) was also noticed. Platelet count was positively correlated with splenomegaly, HGB and WBC (P<0.001, correlation coefficients were 0.131, 0.445 and 0.156, respectively). Platelet count was negative correlated with constitutional symptoms and circulating blasts (P=0.009, P=0.045, respectively; correlation coefficients were -0.096 and -0.056, respectively). The median survival of patients with severe thrombocytopenia, mild thrombocytopenia and without thrombocytopenia were 32, 67 and 89 months, respectively (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified thrombocytopenia in varied degrees (HR=1.693, 95%CI 1.320-2.173, P<0.001) and Dynamic Internation Prognostic Scoring System(DIPSS) prognostic model (HR=2.051, 95%CI 1.511-2.784, P<0.001) as independent risk factors for survival. Conclusion: PMF patients with severe thrombocytopenia frequently displayed anemia, leucopenia, circulating blasts and short survival, so active treatment measures should be taken especially in these patients.
Humans ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombocytopenia

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors(EGFR-TKIs) for neoadjuvant therapy. Methods: Eighty-six patients with stage ⅢA EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma were assigned to 2 groups (n=43 in each group) according to the random number table method: neoadjuvant targeted therapy group (single oral dose of erlotinib 150 mg per day, for 9 weeks) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy group (2 cycles of pemetrexed combined with cisplatin chemotherapy followed by 3- week discontinuation). Surgical treatment was underwent after imaging efficacy evaluation. Results: In neoadjuvant targeted therapy group, 4 achieved complete response (CR), 25 achieved partial response (PR), giving an objective response rate (ORR) of 67.4%. In pathological response, 8 patients had grade Ⅰ, 20 patients had grade Ⅱ, giving a pathological response rate of 65.1%. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) were rash and diarrhea. In neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, 2 had CR and 17 had PR, giving an ORR of 44.2%. In pathological response, 3 patients had grade Ⅰ, 15 patients had grade Ⅱ, giving a pathological response rate of 41.9%. The main AEs were hematologic toxic effects. The ORR, histological efficacy and hematologic toxicity showed statistical significance between the two groups (P<0.05). The neoadjuvant targeted therapy group had 90.7% resection rate, (299.8±23.4) ml of hemorrhage volume during operation, (5.2±0.4) days of extubation time and 9.3% postoperative complication rate. Corresponding results were 83.7%, (308.9±22.7) ml, (5.4±0.6) days and 11.6% in neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, which showed no statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusions Neoadjuvant targeted treatment for stage ⅢA lung adenocarcinoma harboring EGFR mutations. The regimen could be considered as a choice of neoadjuvant treatment for patients with stage ⅢA EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma.

Objective To investigate the expression of microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1 ( MGST1) in hepa-tocellular carcinoma ( HCC) and its significance in the development of HCC. Methods Western blot was used to measure MGST1 expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent tissues and HCC cell lines. Further-more, shRNA targeting MGST1 was constructed and transected into MHCC97H and HCCLM3 cells to deplete MGST1 expression. MGST1 was over-expressed in SK-Hep-1 cells using pCDH lentivirus system. Cell proliferation and migration were analyzed by colony formation and Transwell migration assay, respectively. The subcutaneous xenograft model of MHCC97H cells in nude mice was established to check tumor development and mouse survival.Results MGST1 was higher in 71% (17/24) of HCC tissues compared with their adjacent liver tissues. Cell proliferation and migration were significantly decreased by MGST1 knockdown, while they were increased by MGST1 overexpression. Furthermore, mice implanted with shMGST1 MHCC97H cells exhibited retarded tumor formation and tumor progression compared with control group. Conclusions MGST1 overexpression promotes hepatocellular carcinoma development and this molecule targeted for HCC treatment.

BACKGROUNDAtopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by chronic recurrent dermatitis with profound itching. Most patients have personal and/or family history of atopic diseases. Several criteria have been proposed for the diagnosis of AD. Although the clinical features of childhood AD have been widely studied, there has been less large-scale study on adult/adolescent AD. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of adult/adolescent patients with chronic symmetrical eczema/AD and to propose Chinese diagnostic criteria for adult/adolescent AD.

METHODSA hospital-based study was performed. Forty-two dermatological centers participated in this study. Adult and adolescent patients (12 years and over) with chronic symmetrical eczema or AD were included in this study. Questionnaires were completed by both patients and investigators. The valid questionnaires were analyzed using EpiData 3.1 and SPSS 17.0 software.

RESULTSA total of 2662 valid questionnaires were collected (1369 male and 1293 female). Of all 2662 patients, 2062 (77.5%) patients had the disease after 12 years old, while only 600 (22.5%) patients had the disease before 12 years old, suggesting late-onset eczema/AD is common. Two thousand one hundred and thirty-nine (80.4%) patients had the disease for more than 6 months. One thousand one hundred and forty-four (43.0%) patients had a personal and/or family history of atopic diseases. One thousand five hundred and forty-eight (58.2%) patients had an elevated total serum IgE and/or eosinophilia and/or positive allergen-specific IgE. Based on these clinical and laboratory features, we proposed Chinese criteria for adult/adolescent AD. Of all 2662 patients, 60.3% were satisfied with our criteria, while only 48.2% satisfied with Hanifin Rajka criteria and 32.7% satisfied with Williams criteria, suggesting a good sensitivity of our criteria in adult/adolescent AD patients.

CONCLUSIONLate-onset of eczema or AD is common. The clinical manifestations of AD are heterogeneous. We have proposed Chinese diagnostic criteria for adolescent and adult AD, which are simple and sensitive for diagnosis of adult/adolescent AD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Eczema ; diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires

INTRODUCTIONPatients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) have variable survival outcomes. We have previously shown that an elevated peripheral blood lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) is associated with an increased metastatic risk in patients with primary NPC. The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of pretreatment LMR in a large cohort of metastatic NPC patients.

METHODSClinical data of 672 patients with metastatic NPC diagnosed between January 2003 and December 2009 were analyzed. The peripheral lymphocyte and monocyte counts were retrieved, and LMR was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazards analyses were performed to evaluate the association of LMR with overall survival (OS).

RESULTSUnivariate analysis revealed that an elevated absolute lymphocyte count (≥1.390×10(9)/L) and LMR (≥2.475) as well as a decreased monocyte count (<0.665×10(9)/L) were significantly associated with prolonged OS. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that LMR (hazard ratio [HR]=0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.41-0.60, P<0.001), absolute lymphocyte count (HR=0.77, 95% CI=0.64-0.93, P=0.007), and monocyte count (HR=1.98, 95% CI=1.63-2.41, P<0.001) were independent prognostic factors. By stratification analyses, only LMR remained a significant predictor of prognosis.

CONCLUSIONWe identified pretreatment LMR as an independent prognostic factor for patients with metastatic NPC. Independent validation of our findings is needed.

Carcinoma ; Humans ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocytes ; Monocytes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve

Introduction:Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) sporadically develop abnormal adenoids. Nasopharyngeal adenoids are usually included in the gross tumor volume (GTV) but may have different therapeutic responses than tumor tissue. Therefore, distinguishing adenoids from tumor tissue may be required for precise and efficient chemoradiotherapy and radiotherapy. We characterized nasopharyngeal adenoids and investigated the therapeutic responses of NPC and nasopharyngeal adenoids using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Methods:MRI data from 40 NPC patients with a coexisting adenoid mass before and after treatment were analyzed. The features of the adenoid masses, including location, striped appearance, size, interface, symmetry/asymmetry, and cysts, were evaluated. Treatment response were scored according to the World Health Organization guidelines.
Results:A striped appearance was observed in 36 cases before treatment and in all cases after treatment. In these 36 cases, the average GTVs including and excluding the uninvolved adenoids were 19.8 cm3 and 14.8 cm3, respectively. The average percentage change after excluding the uninvolved adenoids from the GTV was 31.0%. Stable disease in the adenoids was identified in 27 (96.4%) of 28 patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, while NPC clearly regressed. Partial adenoid responses were identified in 33 (82.5%) of 40 patients at 3 months after chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy, whereas complete tumor responses were achieved in all patients. Six months after treatment, the adenoids continued to atrophy but did not disappear, and tumor recurrence was not found.
Conclusions:Nasopharyngeal adenoids and carcinoma tissue in NPC patients can be distinguished by using MRI and have different responses to chemoradiotherapy and radiotherapy. These findings contribute to better delineating the GTV of NPC, based on which spatially optimized strategies can be developed to render precise and efficient chemoradiotherapy and radiotherapy. Additionally, we observed a clear difference in the responses of these two tissue types to current therapies. This finding may reduce or avoid unnecessary biopsies or overtreatment.