Association between single nucleotide polymorphism locus rs189037 in the promoter of ATM gene and nasopharyngeal carcinoma susceptibility in Cantonese / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene and the susceptibility of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Cantonese.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 176 NPC Cantonese NPC patients and 202 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. G/A genotyping of the SNP locus rs189037 in the promoter of ATM gene was performed by PCR and direct sequencing of the PCR products.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The genotype frequency of heterozygote G/A was 50% (88/176) and 47.5% (96/202), and that of the homozygote variant A/A was 15.3% (27/176) and 18.3% (37/202) in NPC patients and healthy individuals, respectively. Statistics analysis revealed no evident correlations of the G/A and A/A genotypes to the clinical phenotypes of NPC in either NPC group or healthy control group (OR7equals;1.022, 95%CIequals;0.668-1.564 for G/A+A/A). Analysis after stratification by age and gender found no such correlations either.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The genotype frequencies of SNP locus rs189037 in the promoter of ATM gene are similar between NPC patients and healthy subjects, suggesting that rs189037 is not related to the genetic susceptibility of NPC in Cantonese.</p>

Role of lung fibroblast activation in radiation lung injury / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of lung fibroblast activation in radiation-induced lung injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-five male Wistar rats were exposed to a single-dose 30 Gy irradiation of the right hemithorax or sham right lung irradiation. At 1, 7, 14, 28, 56 or 84 days after the irradiation, the rats were sacrificed for examination of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression in the bilateral lung tissues using immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>alpha-SMA expression in fibroblast increased significantly in the out-field and in-field lung tissues within 24 h after irradiation after the irradiation (P<0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Activation of the lung fibroblasts occurred within 24 h after irradiation and found in ont-field and in-field lung tissues, suggesting that radiation-induced lung injury may not have an obvious latency.</p>

Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for massive primary liver cancer / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the outcomes of patients with unresectable massive primary liver cancer (PLC) receiving three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3-DCRT) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From January 2001 to December 2004, 84 patients with unresectable massive PLC (tumor size> or =10 cm) received 3-DCRT combined with TACE, including 49 cases in UICC/AJCC T(3) stage and 35 cases in T(4) stages. Lymph node metastasis was found in none of the patients, and portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) was detected in 30 cases. Child-Pugh grade A of liver cirrhosis was present in 64 cases and grade B in 20 cases. The mean value of GTV was 705-/+430 cm(3) (170-2099 cm(3)). Following injections of fluorouracil and hydroxycamptothecine into the target artery of the tumor, the mixture of carboplatin, mitomycin (or pirarubicin) and super-liquefactive iodized oil was injected into the target artery. Gelatin sponge was used to embolize the artery. The procedure was repeated every 1.5-2 months according to the condition of the patients, and each patient received 1-3 such procedures. 3-DCRT was performed in all the patients, who received a total dose of 53.6-/+6.6 Gy (4-6 Gy per fraction at the interval of 48 h), and 3 fractions were given every week.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight patients died in 3 months after 3-DCRT and were not evaluated. The total response rate (CR+PR) in these patients was 68.9% (51/74). The overall survival rates at 1, 2 and 3 years were 55.4%, 24.7% and 15.4%, respectively. T stage, GTV, PVTT and fraction size had no significant impact on the overall survival. Child-Pugh grade was found to have significant impact on the patients' survival (P=0.035, RR=2.440).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>3-DCRT combined with TACE has definite therapeutic effect on advanced massive PLC, and Child-Pugh grade is an independent prognostic factor in such cases.</p>

Relationship between radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and MDR1 gene polymorphism / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between human multidrug resistancel gene (MDR1) polymorphisms and the radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Blood samples were collected from 59 NPC patients, who were devided into radiosensitive or radioresistant groups according to their responses to radiation therapy. The genotypes for MDR1 polymorphisms (G2677T in exon 21 and C3435T in exon 26) and their haplotypes were determined by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The results were further confirmed by sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The 3435CC genotype was associated with a significantly better response to radiotherapy than combined 3435 CT and TT genotype (P=0.026). The 2677GG genotype was also associated with a better response in comparison with combined 2677 GT and TT genotype, but this relation was not statistically significant. Patients with 2677G-3435C haplotype had a significant better response to radiotherapy than those with the other haplotypes (P=0.017).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The MDR1 G2677T and C3435T polymorphisms may help predict the response to radiotherapy in NPC patients.</p>