ABSTRACT
Anoctamin 1 (ANO1) is a calcium-activated chloride channel and is amplified and over-expressed in gastrointestinal stromal tumor, breast cancer, bladder cancer, head and neck squamous cell cancer, esophageal squa-mous cell cancer, prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer.The amplification and over-expression of ANO1 are associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis.ANO1 promotes tumor formation and metastasis, and the drugs that inhibit the activity or expression of ANO1 show antitumor effects.Therefore, ANO1 may promote the tumorigenesis, and may be a molecular biomarker and a new target for cancer therapy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the detection rate of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for iso-echo liver cancers, and to evaluate the application of CEUS in treating iso-echo liver cancers with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods A total of 27 patients with liver cancers (31 lesions in total) were enrolled in this study. Of the 27 patients, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was seen in 11 (11 lesions) and hepatic metastasis in 16 (20 lesions). In all patients the diagnosis was detected by contrast-enhanced CT or contrast-enhanced MRI and was clinically confirmed. Under real-time CEUS guidance, RFA was carried out for all the 31 lesions. The ablated extent was evaluated by CEUS, and CEUS findings were used to guide the further treatment. Results All 31 lesions were detected by CEUS and were treated with RFA. No serious complications occurred after RFA. Both CEUS and CECT performed one month after RFA showed that complete tumor necrosis was seen in all the 31 lesions. After RFA the serum AFP levels in all 11 HCC patients fell to normal range, and the serum CEA, CA-199 as well as CA-153 levels in patients with hepatic metastasis decreased significantly(P<0.01). Conclusion CEUS can markedly increase the detection rate of iso-echo liver cancers. Besides, CEUS plays an important role in guiding the performance of RFA for iso - echo liver lesions.