Proteolysis induce factor in the digestive systematic cancer cachexia patients: its expression and role in cancer cachexia / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To demonstrate the expression of proteolysis induce factor(PIF) in the gastrointestinal(GI) cancer cachexia patients and evaluate its role in cancer cachexia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Examination of PIF was performed in urine samples from 28 GI cancer cachexia patients, 13 GI cancer patients without cachexia, and 12 weight loss patients with benign disease. PIF was added to the mice cultured C2C12 muscle cells, then the protein kinase B(Akt) phosphorylation and morphological change were measured.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of PIF in urine of 28 cancer cachexia patients was 53.6%(15/28). In the other two groups, no positive result was detected. PIF could successfully induce Akt phosphorylation, cell atrophy, metamorphosis, and death. The peak of this phosphorylation could be detected after half an hour of the initiation of PIF at a concentration of 4 nmol/L.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PIF is specifically and highly expressed in GI cancer cachexia patients' urine. PIF can induce cancer cachexia possibly by activating Akt phosphorylation and inducing downstream proteolysis.</p>

Diagnostic methods for initial evaluation of primary gastrointestinal stromal tumors

To describe the imaging features of gastrointestinal stromal tumors [GISTs] at initial presentation with clinical, surgical, and pathologic correlation, and to evaluate values of various techniques in GISTs. This retrospective study recruited 70 patients with histologically proved GISTs between December 2004, and May 2009 in the Department of General Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan Univeristy, Shanghai, China. Each patient underwent CT scanning, 39 patients underwent simultaneous endoscopy, 12 patients underwent endoscopic ultrasound [EUS], and 36 patients underwent transabdominal ultrasonography [TAUS] simultaneously. Features of GISTs were assessed. Computerized tomography findings showed an eccentric mass in 44 patients, an intraluminal component in 24, and a transmural distribution in 2. Forty-two tumors were dumbbell-shaped, 2 were round, while 26 were irregular. Forty-three tumors presented with well-defined masses, while 27 with unclear borders. The arterial phase attenuation showed the continuous enhancement. The portal-venous phase attenuation was heterogeneous in 26 and homogeneous in the other 44. There was a significant correlation between certain CT features and tumor risk stratification. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors were characterized by a smooth shape and normal overlying mucosa in endoscopy, hypoechoic, and solid in TAUS. Imaging examinations are pivotal in the management of GISTs. The CT scan is valuable in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment planning of GISTs. Endoscopy and EUS contribute to the detection of mucosal lesions. Other methods including TAUS, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, CT gastrography, and MRI help in specific cases