Effect of acupuncture on patients with cancer-related fatigue and serum levels of CRP, IL-6, TNF-α and sTNF-R1 / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and to explore its possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#A total of 80 patients with CRF were randomized into an observation group and a control group, and finally 67 patients completed the trial (36 patients in the observation group, 31 patients in the control group). Patients in the control group were treated with conventional chemoradiotherapy and symptomatic treatment, while no particular anti-fatigue intervention was adopted. On the basis of treatment in the control group, acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Fengchi (GB 20), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) in the observation group, once a day, 5 times as one course, with 2 days interval between each course, totally 4 courses were required. Before and after treatment, scores of functional assessment of cancer therapy-fatigue (FACT-F) in Chinese and McGill quality of life questionnaire (MQOL), serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and soluble TNF receptor-1 (sTNF-R1) were observed in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#①Compared before treatment, the FACT-F score was decreased after treatment in the observation group (<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the control group (<0.05). The change of the FACT-F score in the observation group was larger than that in the control group (<0.05). ②In the observation group, scores of physiological and psychological dimension were decreased (<0.05), score of social support dimension was increased after the treatment (<0.05). The score changes of physiological, psychological and social support dimension in the observation group were larger than those in the control group (all <0.05). ③After treatment, the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α and sTNF-R1 were decreased in the observation group (<0.05), while the serum levels of CPR and IL-6 were increased in the control group (<0.05). The serum levels of CPR, IL-6 and TNF-α in the observation were lower than those in the control group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#①Acupuncture can improve the related symptoms of depression, weakness and headache in patients with CRF, strengthen their cognition of the support from society and family, and boost the confidence in curing the disease. ②Acupuncture can effectively down-regulate serum levels of the relative inflammatory factors, which may be its possible mechanism on treating CRF.

Expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 and basic fibroblast growth factor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and their association with radiotherapy sensitivity / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and evaluate their value in predicting the radiotherapy sensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expressions of COX-2 and bFGF were detected immunohistochemically in biopsy samples of NPC, and their relationship with the radiotherapy sensitivity of the tumors were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 97 NPC cases, the positivity rates of COX-2 and bFGF were 71.1% (69/97) and 64.9% (63/97), respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated that a positive COX-2 expression was positively correlated with an advanced T status and N status, and bFGF expression was positively associated with an advanced N status in NPCs. In radiotherapy-sensitive and radiotherapy-insensitive cases, the positive rate of COX-2 was 62.8% and 92.6%, and that of bFGF was 57.1% and 85.2%, respectively. The expression of COX-2 was positively correlated with that of bFGF (r=0.486, P<0.05). The radiotherapy sensitivity differed significantly among patients with different statuses of COX-2 and bFGF positivity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>COX-2 and bFGF can be effective and sensitive biomarkers for predicting radiotherapy sensitivity in NPC.</p>