[Objective] To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of treatment-naive patients with highly suspected prostate cancer (PCa) with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level ≥20 ng/mL, to provide reference for promoting early screening of PCa. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of treatment-naive patients with PSA level ≥20 ng/mL, undergoing prostate biopsy for highly suspected PCa at the Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital during Jan.2013 and Jun.2023. The correlation between patients' age, body mass index (BMI), PSA, prostate volume (PV), prostate cancer-specific antigen density (PSAD), prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) score, and International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade with highly suspected PCa metastasis and PSA stratification were analyzed. [Results] A total of 1778 suspected patients were enrolled. Pathological findings confirmed PCa in 1465 cases (82.4%), with 487(33.2%) diagnosed as metastatic PCa. Over the past decade, the number of patients undergoing prostate biopsy for highly suspected PCa and being confirmed has been increasing annually, with the proportion of metastatic cases remaining at around 30%. Compared with those with PSA level being 20-50 ng/mL, patients with PSA level >50 ng/mL had older age, lower BMI, higher PSAD, higher PI-RADS, higher ISUP, more diverse pathological types, and a higher incidence of metastasis (P<0.05) with lower proportion of urban residents. Additionally, analysis of metastatic PCa cases showed that 46.8%(228/487) had oligometastasis (≤5 metastatic lesions), including 99.0% bone metastasis, 4.1% extraregional lymph node metastasis, and 4.3% other organ metastasis. [Conclusion] Over the past 10 years, there has been a continuous increase in the number of treatment-naive biopsied cases and newly diagnosed cases of highly suspicious PCa with PSA level ≥20 ng/mL, while the proportion of metastatic cases remains high. Therefore, proactive efforts should be made to promote early screening of high-risk suspected cases.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of spleen-invigorating, dampness-removing and stasis-dissolving formula (SDSF) combined with endocrinotherapy for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC).Methods:A retrospective case control study was conducted. The clinical data of 193 mHSPC patients treated at First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, and Tianjin First Central Hospital from January 2018 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with continuous endocrinotherapy and they were divided into the combination therapy group (82 cases) and the monotherapy group (94 cases) based on whether they received SDSF treatment or not. Prostate specific antigen (PSA), serum testosterone, blood lipids (triglyceride, total cholesterol), fasting blood glucose, and international prostate symptoms score (I-PSS) and Karnofsky score were compared between the 2 groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the progression-free survival (PFS), and log-rank test was performed. The Cox proportional risk model was used to make univariate analysis and multivariate analysis on the influencing factors of PFS.Results:A total of 176 mHSPC patients were finally enrolled and the age was 67±11 years. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of PSA, serum testosterone, triglyceride, total cholesterol and fasting blood glucose, I-PSS score and Karnofsky score between the two groups (all P > 0.05). A total of 91 mHSPC patients developed metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), including the combination therapy group (40 cases) and the monotherapy group (51 cases), and 9 patients died because of the progression to mCRPC. The median PFS time of all patients was 19 months, that was 17.9 months in the monotherapy group and 20.4 months in the combination therapy group; and the difference was statistically significant between the 2 groups ( P = 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis results showed that combination therapy with SDSF and the lowest testosterone level were independent influencing factors of PFS ( P = 0.001). The total cholesterol at 6-, 9-, 12-month in the combination therapy group was lower than that in the monotherapy group (all P < 0.05), triglyceride at 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-month in the combination therapy group was lower than that in the monotherapy group (all P < 0.05); and the differences in fasting blood glucose after treatment at different time points were not statistically significant between the 2 groups (all P > 0.05); I-PSS score at 9-, 12-month in the monotherapy group was lower than that in the monotherapy group (both P < 0.05). Conclusions:The combination of SDSF with endocrinotherapy can delay the progression of mHSPC, improve treatment-related complications, and enhance patients' quality of life.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Huajian-Badu membrane in the treatment of moderate and severe cancer pain. Methods The 80 malignant tumor patients with moderate to severe cancer pain from January 2016 to June 2017 in Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine First Teaching Hospital were recruited and randomly divided into the observation group and the control group, each of 40 cases. The control group were treated with Oxycodone Hydrochloride Prolonged-release Tablets, while the treatment group were treated with Huajian-Badu membrane on the basis of the treatment in control group. The pain relief, pain frequency, morphine consumption and quality of life (Karnofsky score), adverse reaction were evaluated between two groups before and after treatment. Results Compared with the control group, the total efficiency in the observation group was significantly higher (95.0％ vs. 80.0％, χ2=4.114, P=0.043). The frequency of breakthrough pain of two groups increased on the seventh and fourteenth treatment days(0.3 ± 0.6 times vs. 0.8 ± 0.7 times, t=-3.430 and 0.4 ± 0.6 times vs. 0.9 ± 0.8 times, t=-3.162), but the number of outbreaks of pain in the observation group significantly less than the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The morphine injection dosage increased on the seventh and fourteenth treatment days (3.01 ± 4.28 g vs. 5.62 ± 6.37 g, t=-2.151 and 3.21 ± 4.32 g vs. 7.84 ± 7.76 g, t=-3.297), but the amount of the observtation group was significantly lower than that of control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The KPS score in the observation group increased significantly, and significantly higher than the control group on the seventh and fourteenth treatment days (73.0 ± 15.0 vs. 66.0 ± 12.0, t=2.305 and 77.0 ± 13.0 vs. 70.0 ± 15.0, t=2.230, P<0.05). The adverse reaction rate of the control group was 25％, while the the observation group was 20％. The difference between two groups was significant (χ2=0.287, P=0.592). Conclusions The Huajian-Badu membrane combined Oxycodone Hydrochloride Prolonged-release Tablets can improve the total effective rate of pain relief, reduce the number of outbreaks, reduce morphine consumption, improve patient KPS score of the patients with cancer pain.

Objective: To elucidate the expression levels of key immune biomarkers, phosphate and tension homology deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and programmed cell death protein1(PD-1),of different immune tolerance pathway in classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma (CHL) to further determine their clinical role and prognostic significance. Methods: The clinical features and prognostic factors of 56 CHL patients, who were admitted to the TianJin Medical University Cancer Institute from February 2003 to August 2013, were retrospectively analyzed. PTEN and PD-1 protein expression levels were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA (EBER) was performed by in situ hybridization assay. Correlations between the expression of biomarkers and clinicopathologic parameters were examined and survival analyses were performed. Results: This cohort of 56 CHL patients included 34 males and 22 females with a median age of 25 years (ranged from 7 to 71 years). In a univariate analysis, age≥45, IPS score >2, EBER positive, high expression of PTEN protein conferred inferior 5-year OS and 5-year PFS; In a multivariate model, age≥45, IPS score >2, EBER positive, high expression of PTEN protein were identified as the independent adverse prognostic factors for CHL. Conclusions This study suggested for the first time that PTEN was independent prognostic immune biomarkers in CHL, which provided the novel therapeutic strategy of immune therapy for CHL.

Objective:To determine the effect of apatinib combined with Xiaoyan decoction for the treatment of non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer. Methods:Thirty-eight patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer were randomly categorized into apatinib group (group A, 18 cases) and apatinib combined with Xiaoyan decoction group (group B, 20 cases). All patients did not under-go surgical treatment, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy during the study. Results:The median progression free survival (mPFS) of ad-vanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer patients reached up to 3 months. The mPFS, objective response rate, and disease control rate of the apatinib combined with Xiaoyan decoction group showed no significant difference and statistical significance (P>0.05). The apatinib combined with Xiaoyan decoction group was superior to the apatinib group with regard to alleviating clinical symp-toms and adverse reactions (P<0.05). Conclusion:Xiaoyan decoction combined with apatinib can improve the clinical symptoms of pa-tients and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions in the treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVETo explore the role of CXCR4/STAT3 in mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-mediated drug resistance of AML cells.

METHODSAML cell lines U937 and KG1a and primary AML cells were co-cultured with MSC from bone marrow of healthy donors. The AML cell lines cultured alone were used as control. Apoptosis induced by mitoxantrone was measured by flow cytometry. Expression of CXCR4 and STAT3 protein were detected by Western blot. After incubated with STAT3 inhibitor Cucurbitacin I or CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100, the apoptosis of AML cells induced by mitoxantrone was evaluated.

RESULTSApoptosis of AML cells (U937 and KG1a) and primary AML cells induced by mitoxantrone significantly decreased in cocultured group than that of control group [U937 cells: (20.08±1.53)% vs (45.33 ± 1.03)% , P=0.004; KG1a cells: (25.60 ± 1.82)% vs (40.33 ± 3.29)% , P=0.020]. Expression of phosphorylated STAT3 and CXCR4 protein in AML cells were upregulated in cocultured group. After addition of Cucurbitacin I into the co-culture system, the apoptosis rate of primary AML cells significantly increased. Similar results of the apoptosis rates were also detected when the inhibitor of CXCR4 AMD3100 was added to overcome the stromal cell-mediated drug resistance. Besides, the expression of p-STAT3 in AML cells after incubated with AMD3100 decreased significantly.

CONCLUSIONSAML cells cocultured with MSC leads to the up-regulation of phosphorylated STAT3 and CXCR4 proteins, which resulted in AML cells resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore targeting STAT3 or CXCR4 could be a new therapeutic strategy of AML.

Acute Disease ; Apoptosis ; Coculture Techniques ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Flow Cytometry ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; Heterocyclic Compounds ; Humans ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; U937 Cells ; Up-Regulation

Objective:To detect the inhibitory effects of CAL-101, a selective inhibitor of phosphoinostitide-3'-kinase delta (PI3Kδ), on Burkitt's lymphoma cell line Raji and diffused large B-cell lymphoma cell line SUDHL-10 and elucidate its relative mechanism. Methods:Raji and SUDHL-10 cells were treated with various concentrations of CAL-101. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was performed to determine the inhibitory effect of CAL-101 on lymphoma cells, and cell apoptosis was measured by Annexin V/PI and DAPI staining. Migration assays were performed with transwell to detect the migration of lymphoma cells derived from the stromal cell line HK. Western blot was used to detect the phosphorylation status of the ERK pathway. MTT and CalcuSyn software analyses were preformed to detect whether or not combining CAL-101 with bortezomib induces synergistic cytoxicity. Results:CAL-101 at con-centrations of 5, 10, 15, and 20μmol/L inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The proliferation rates of the Raji cells treated with 5, 10, 15, and 20μmol/L for 48 h were 29.17%± 1.23%, 38.15%± 1.51%, 46.46%± 1.78%, and 55.8%± 2.01%, respec-tively, which were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the control group (1.15% ± 0.02%). Similar results were found in the SUDHL-10 cells after treatment with CAL-101 (P<0.05). CAL-101 also exerted an apoptotic effect on the lymphoma cells. The apop-totic rates of the Raji cells treated with CAL-101 for 21 h were 22.69%± 3.83%and 49.96%± 7.36%, respectively, which were signifi-cantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the control group (5.23%± 2.04%). Similar results were found in the SUDHL-10 cells (P<0.05). Treatment with 5 and 10 μmol/L CAL-101 dose-dependently inhibited the migration activity of lymphoma cells to stromal cells (P<0.05). Western blot analysis showed that the expression level of ERK phosphorylation protein was significantly downregulated in the cells treated with CAL-101. A synergistic effect between CAL-101 and bortezomib was verified. That is, these two drugs can signifi-cantly inhibit the proliferation of lymphoma cells with CI values less than 1. Conclusion:The PI3Kδ-specific inhibitor CAL-101 sup-pressed the proliferation of Raji and SUDHL-10 cells, induced apoptosis, and inhibited stromal cell-derived migration. This inhibitory effect may be induced by blocking the ERK pathway. Overall, our study indicated that CAL-101 is a novel and potential agent in the therapeutic strategy against aggressive B-cell lymphoma.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of CAL-101, a selective inhibitor of PI3Kδ, in combination with bortezomib on the proliferation and apoptosis in human mantle cell lymphoma cell lines Z138, HBL-2 and Jeko-1 in vitro, to explore its mechanisms and provide the foundation for effective treatment strategies against mantle cell lymphoma.

METHODSMTT assay was applied to detect the inhibitory effects of CAL-101 and bortezomib either alone or combined on Z138, HBL-2 and Jeko-1 cells. Calcusyn software was used to analyze the synergistic cytotoxicity. Western blot was used to detect the expression of PI3K-p110σ and p-Akt, Akt, p-ERK and ERK proteins after the cells were exposed to different concentrations of CAL-101. Flow cytometry was employed to assess the apoptosis rate. NF-κB kit was used to determine the changes of location of NF-κB P65, and Western blot was applied to detect the level of caswpase-3 and the phosphorylation of Akt in different groups.

RESULTSCAL-101 and BTZ inhibited the proliferation of Z138, HBL-2 and Jeko-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. CAL-101/BTZ combination induced significantly synergistic cytotoxicity in the MCL cells. The results of Western blot assay showed that CAL-101 significantly blocked the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK in the MCL cell lines. In addition, CAL-101 combined with BTZ induced pronounced apoptosis (P < 0.01). For example, after the Z138 cells exposed to the drugs for 48 h, the apoptosis rates of the control, CAL-101, BTZ and CAL-101 + BTZ groups were: (2.6 ± 1.8)%, (40.0 ± 3.0)%, (34.0 ± 1.0)%, and (67.4 ± 1.0)%, respectively; and when drug treatment was given to HBL-2 cells over 96 h, the apoptosis rates of these four cell groups were (7.4 ± 0.6)%, (30.7 ± 5.7)%, (12.0 ± 1.0)%, and (85.0 ± 4.0)%, respectively. The combination therapy contributed to the enhanced inactivity of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and Akt inactivation in the MCL cell lines (P < 0.05), however, the casepase-3 activity was up-regulated.

CONCLUSIONSThe combination of CAL-101 and bortezomib is muchmore effective in inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of mantle cell lymphoma cell lines (Z138, HBL-2 and Jeko-1), which may be mediated through inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the transcription of NF-κB.

Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Boronic Acids ; Bortezomib ; pharmacology ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Class Ia Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Synergism ; Formazans ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell ; drug therapy ; pathology ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; drug effects ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Purines ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Pyrazines ; Quinazolinones ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Signal Transduction ; Software ; Tetrazolium Salts

Objective:To investigate the clinical features, treatment strategies, and relative prognostic factors in 66 patients with solitary plasmacytoma (SP). Methods:The data of 644 patients, who were diagnosed with pathologically proven plasmacytoma in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital between June 2000 and October 2012, were collected. Sixty-six of these patients (10.25%) were evaluated as SP, including 45 solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) and 21 extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP). Results:SBP and EMP were the two clinical subsets of SP revealing the location of the lesion. SBP mostly occurred in the axial skeleton, whereas EMP was most frequently observed in the upper respiratory tract. The differences among tumor size, serum M-protein, and serumβ2-microglobulin exhibited statistical significance. Conclusion:Large tumor size (≥5 cm), positive serum M-protein, and serumβ2-microglobulin were the factors that affected the prognosis of SBP patients. Radiotherapy and serumβ2-microglobulin>3.5 mg/L were the favorable prognostic factors for EMP patients.

Objective To investigate the effect of CAL?101, a selective inhibitor of PI3Kδ, in combination with bortezomib on the proliferation and apoptosis in human mantle cell lymphoma cell lines Z138, HBL?2 and Jeko?1 in vitro, to explore its mechanisms and provide the foundation for effective treatment strategies against mantle cell lymphoma. Methods MTT assay was applied to detect the inhibitory effects of CAL?101 and bortezomib either alone or combined on Z138, HBL?2 and Jeko?1 cells. Calcusyn software was used to analyze the synergistic cytotoxicity. Western blot was used to detect the expression of PI3K?p110σ and p?Akt, Akt, p?ERK and ERK proteins after the cells were exposed to different concentrations of CAL?101. Flow cytometry was employed to assess the apoptosis rate. NF?κB kit was used to determine the changes of location of NF?κB P65, and Western blot was applied to detect the level of caswpase?3 and the phosphorylation of Akt in different groups. Results CAL?101 and BTZ inhibited the proliferation of Z138, HBL?2 and Jeko?1 cells in a dose? and time?dependent manner. CAL?101/BTZ combination induced significantly synergistic cytotoxicity in the MCL cells. The results of Western blot assay showed that CAL?101 significantly blocked the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK in the MCL cell lines. In addition, CAL?101 combined with BTZ induced pronounced apoptosis (P<0.01). For example, after the Z138 cells exposed to the drugs for 48 h, the apoptosis rates of the control, CAL?101, BTZ and CAL?101+BTZ groups were:(2.6±1.8)%, (40.0±3.0)%, (34.0±1.0)%, and (67.4±1.0)%, respectively; and when drug treatment was given to HBL?2 cells over 96 h, the apoptosis rates of these four cell groups were (7.4±0.6)%,(30.7±5.7)%, (12.0±1.0)%, and (85.0±4.0)%, respectively. The combination therapy contributed to the enhanced inactivity of nuclear factor?κB ( NF?κB) and Akt inactivation in the MCL cell lines (P<0.05), however, the casepase?3 activity was up?regulated. Conclusions The combination of CAL?101 and bortezomib is muchmore effective in inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of mantle cell lymphoma cell lines ( Z138, HBL?2 and Jeko?1) , which may be mediated through inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the transcription of NF?κB.