A meta‑analysis of serum p16 gene promoter methylation for diagnosis of nonsmall cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic value of serum p16 gene promoter methylation for diagnosis of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: By searching the databases of PubMed and CNKI, we included all the published articles related serum p16 gene promoter methylation and nonsmall lung cancer. The true positive, false positive, false negative, and true negative data for each included publication were extracted by the reviewers. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were pooled by MetaDiSc1.4 software. RESULTS: Finally, 13 manuscripts with 1440 subjects were involving in this diagnostic meta‑analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.25 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18–0.32) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93–0.97), respectively, with randomized effect model. The pooled positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were 5.08 (95% CI: 3.00–8.62) and 0.69 (95% CI: 0.62–0.77) with fixed effect model and randomized effect model, respectively. The diagnostic ROC curve for the included 13 publications was pooled by statistical software MetaDiSc14.0 according to the Bayes theorem. The pooled area under the ROC was 0.72 with its standard error of 0.10. CONCLUSION: According to the published articles, high specificity and low sensitivity were found in this meta‑analysis for the p16 gene promoter methylation in the diagnosis of NSCLC.

Artificial pneumothorax for pain relief during microwave ablation of subpleural lung tumors.

BACKGROUND: When microwave ablation (MWA) is used for subpleural lesions, severe pain was the common side effect under the local anesthesia conditions during the procedure and postprocedure. To study the pain relief effect of artificial pneumothorax in the treatment of subpleural lung tumors with MWA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2012 to October 2014, 37 patients with 40 subpleural lung tumors underwent MWA, including 17 patients of 19 sessions given artificial pneumothorax prior to MWA (group‑I), and 20 patients of 21 sessions without artificial pneumothorax (group‑II). Patient’s pain assessment scores (10‑point visual analog scale [VAS]) at during‑procedure, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after the MWA procedure and mean 24 h morphine dose were compared between the two groups. Complications of the artificial pneumothorax were also summarized. RESULTS: Pain VAS were 0.53, 0.65, 1.00, 0.24, and 0.18 at during‑procedure, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h for group‑I and 5.53, 2.32, 2.82, 1.21, and 0.21 for group‑II, respectively. Pain VAS in group I was significantly decreased at during‑procedure, 6, 12, and 24 h after the MWA (P < 0.001). No statistical pain VAS difference was observed at 48 h after the MWA between the two groups (P > 0.05). The mean 24 h morphine dose was 5.00 mg in group‑I and 12.63 mg in group‑II (P = 0.000). “Artificial pneumothorax” related complications occurred in two patients from group‑I, including one pleural effusion and one minor hemoptysis. No patient in group‑I and group‑II died during the procedure or in 30 days after MWA. CONCLUSION: Artificial pneumothorax is a safe and effective method for pain relief during MWA of subpleural lung tumors.

Microwave ablation as palliative treatment of locally recurrent colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients suffering local recurrence of colorectal cancer which cannot be surgically removed are troubled with severe pain and poor quality of life. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)‑guided microwave ablation (MWA) as palliative treatment for recurrent unresectable colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty‑one patients were suffering locally recurrent colorectal cancer underwent MWA with CT guidance. The MWA power was set at 60–80 W, 6–8 min. Effectiveness was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) with a follow‑up of 6‑month. Complications were also recorded. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in all patients. Mean VAS preprocedure was 7.10. Mean VAS postprocedure were as follows: 1 week, 2.65 (P < 0.001); 1 month, 0.81 (P < 0.001); 3 months 0.45 (P < 0.001); and 6 months 0.19 (P < 0.001). No serious complications were observed including intestinal fistulas, bladder fistulas, or peripheral vascular or nerve injury. CONCLUSIONS: CT‑guided MWA as treatment of recurrent colorectal cancer can quickly and effectively relieve pain. It is a minimally invasive, safe, and efficient palliative treatment of recurrent colorectal cancer.

Computed tomography‑guided percutaneous microwave ablation of patients 75 years of age and older with early‑stage nonsmall cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the clinical outcome of computed tomography (CT)‑guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) in patients 75 years of age and older with early stage peripheral nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty‑eight patients, aged ≥75 years, with Stage I and lymph node‑negative IIa peripheral NSCLC underwent CT‑guided percutaneous MWA in our hospital between July 2007 and March 2015. The overall 1‑, 2‑, 3‑, and 4‑year survival rates were estimated using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Adverse events were recorded. RESULTS: The median follow‑up time was 22.5 months. The overall median survival time (MST) was 35 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 22.3–47.7 months), and the cancer‑specific MST was 41.9 months (95% CI 38.8–49.9 months). The 1‑, 2‑, 3‑, and 4‑year overall survival rates were 91.7%, 76.5%, 47.9%, and 47.9%, while the cancer‑specific survival rates were 94.7%, 73.9%, 64.7%, and 64.7%, respectively. Median time to local progression was 28.0 months (95% CI 17.7–38.3 months). Major complications were included pneumothorax (21.4%, requiring drainage), pleural effusions (3.6%, requiring drainage), and pulmonary infection (3.6%). CONCLUSIONS: CT‑guided percutaneous MWA is safe and effective for the treatment of patients 75 years of age and older with medically inoperable early stage peripheral NSCLC.

Bronchopleural fistula after lung ablation: Experience in two cases and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) complicating lung tumor ablation is rare but severe. The purpose of this article was to study its characteristics and treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two of 682 (0.3%) sessions of lung microwave ablation (MWA) were complicated with BPF and documented. Two electronic databases were searched for reported cases of BPF after lung tumor ablation. Case selection and data collection were done by 3 independent reviewers. RESULTS: A 56‑year‑old man and a 61‑year‑old woman developed BPF after MWA and died. Thirteen cases (mean age 63.8, 61.5% male) of BPF with adequate information were identified from 8 articles. Of the 13 cases, 5 (38.5%) had pulmonary co‑morbidity, 3 (23.1%) had a history of pulmonary surgery, 7 (53.8%) had a target tumor adjacent or abutting pulmonary pleura, and 6 (46.2%) developed severe infections. After chest tube placement, pleurodesis, endoscopic therapy, surgery, and other treatments, 12 were cured and 1 died of BPF and pneumonia. CONCLUSION: BPF is a rare but severe complication of lung ablation, and the management needs a multidisciplinary and individualized treatment strategy.

The effects of temperature, light and water upon the hatching of the ova of Schistosoma japonicum.

Eggs of Schistosoma japonicum were obtained from infected patients' feces from Yujiang City, China to observe the effects of temperature, light and water on the hatching of eggs. The temperature of water and light played important roles on the hatching of S. japonicum, but the type of water did not. A constant temperature of 28 degrees C and electrical light produced the highest rate of hatching, and reproducible results, whereas a temperature of 4 degrees C or 37 degrees C, and the absence of light inhabited the hatching of eggs. The percentage of eggs hatched during the first 8 hours of 24 hours incubation was 94.90%, so that using the hatching rate of the first 8 hours could approximate the total hatching rate of samples.

Comparison of effects of pyronaridine, amodiaquine, mefloquine and qinghaosu on rodent malaria.

Blood schizontocidal effect of antimalarials were compared by 4-day suppressive test with an extended observation period of 31 days. On a drug-sensitive Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain, pyronaridine (PND) exhibited the best effect, followed by amodiaquine (ADQ), mefloquine (MFQ), and qinghaosu (QHS). On a moderately chloroquine-resistant P. berghei NS line, the order of effects was the same, PND greater than ADQ greater than MFQ greater than QHS. On a highly pyronaridine-resistant P. berghei RP line, ADQ, MFQ and QHS showed cross resistance with PND.

Tissue schizontocidal effect of trifluoroacetyl primaquine in Plasmodium yoelii infected mice and Plasmodium cynomolgi infected monkeys.

Trifluoroacetyl primaquine oxalate (M8506) was compared with primaquine phosphate for tissue schizontocidal action in rodent and simian malaria. In Plasmodium yoelii sporozoites infected mice, the causal prophylactic effects of M8506 at 5, 10 and 20 mg(base)/kg were 56.7%, 87.2% and 100%, respectively, comparable to those of primaquine (54.4%, 90.8% and 100%). In P. cynomolgi sporozoites infected rhesus monkeys 4 dosage regimens of the two agents were compared for radical curative effect. On the first day of treatment pyronaridine phosphate 10 mg(base)/kg twice a day were intramuscularly injected to eliminate erythrocytic stages of P. cynomolgi. At the dosage of 3.0 mg(base)/kg/day x 3, both M8506 and primaquine radically cured the monkeys. At 0.75 mg/kg/day x 3, 12 of 13 (92.3%) monkeys cured by M8506, 5 of 9 (55.6%) cured by primaquine. At 1.5 and 0.375 mg/kg/day x 3, the radical curative effects of M8506 were also better than those of primaquine. Since the toxicity of M8506 was significantly milder in mice, rats and dogs than that of primaquine, M8506 has potential as a tissue schizontocide.

Antimalarial and toxic effect of triple combination of pyronaridine, sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine.

The triple combination of pyronaridine, sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine which has been proven to be efficient in delaying emergence of drug resistance of rodent malarial parasites was further studied for potential application to malaria control. The antimalarial effect of the triple combination on Plasmodium berghei ANKA-infected mice and the toxic effects in mice and rats were additive. A single dose of pyronaridine 500 mg in combination with sulfadoxine, 1000 or 1500 mg, and pyrimethamine, 50 or 75 mg, given to 72 acute falciparum malaria patients resulted in a 100% cure rate with nil or mild side effects, and no recrudescence of asexual parasite over 4-week follow-up. Preliminary experiments on the drug effect on sporogony showed that the drug combination at the dose used could not completely interrupt the sporozoite formation although many retarded oocysts were found.