Detection of aberrant p16 methylation in the serum of colorectal cancer patients / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To detect aberrant p16 promoter methylation in serum of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), and to explore the possibility of using this assay in early detection or as a prognostic marker.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Methylation-specific PCR was used to detect p16 methylation in DNA extracted from 52 CRCs and corresponding serum samples. Serum samples from 34 patients with adenomatous polyps and 10 healthy individuals were used as controls. The association of p16 hypermethylation in serum DNA of CRC patients with clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>p16 methylation was found in 38% (20 of 52) of CRC tissues. Among the 20 patients with aberrant methylation in the tumor tissues, similar changes were also detected in the serum of 14 (70%) patients. No methylated p16 sequences were detected in the peripheral serum of the 32 CRC patients without these changes in the tumor, in 34 paitents with adenomatous polyps, or in 10 healthy controls. Clinicopathological analysis revealed that p16 methylation in serum was significantly associated with later Dukes' stage (chi(2) = 5.7, P = 0.03).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This assay offers a potential means for the serum-based detection and/or monitoring of CRC patients.</p>

Evaluation of diagnosis and treatment of colorectal malignant melanoma / 临床外科杂志

Objective To study the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of colorectal malignant melanoma.Methods Six cases of colorectal malignant melanoma diagnosed and treated in our department between 1981 and 1996 were reviewed and underwent follow-up.Results All cases had masses that could be found near dentate line in digital examination and were black or brown in color. All patients underwent operations ,operations abdomino-perineal resection for 2 cases, post pelvic excision for 2 cases, enlarged local resection for 1 case and laporotomy for 1 case.Either lymph node metastasis or liver metastasis were found prior to or during operation. All patients died within 5～23 months after being diagnosed, with average survival time of 14.7 months.Conclusions Colorectal malignant melanoma was rare and was highly of malignant with tendency of early metastasis and poor prognosis. Radical surgery combined with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and biotherapy may be effective.