"Leverage pry-off method" for effective prevention of thermal injury during microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the safety and efficacy of"leverage pry-off method"for preventing thermal injury during microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules.@*METHODS@#From July, 2017 to September, 2019, a total of 348 patients with benign thyroid nodules underwent ultrasound-guided microwave ablation. For protecting from thermal injury during the ablation, "hydrodissection technique" was used in 174 of the patients (admitted from July, 2017 to August, 2018) and "leverage pry-off method" in the other 174 patients (admitted from September, 2018 to September, 2019). All the patients were followed up for 1 to 12 months after the operation for observation of severe complications and nodular residues.@*RESULTS@#Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation was completed in all the 348 patients. The most common severe complication associated with the ablation was voice change, occurring in 3 cases (1.7%) in "hydrodissection technique" group and in 4 (2.3%) in the "leverage pry-off method" group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). During the follow-up, no significant difference was found in the rate of nodular residues between the "hydrodissection technique" group and "hydrodissection technique" group (9.8% vs 10.9% (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#The "leverage pry-off method" is simple and effective for preventing thermal injury during microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules.

Effects of leflunomide combined with hormone therapy for refractory IgA nephropathy / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects and safety of leflunomide combined with hormone therapy for refractory IgA nephropathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirteen patients with refractory IgA nephropathy were treated with leflunomide and hormone therapy, and the clinical data were collected and evaluated before and in weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 during the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Leflunomide therapy significantly improved proteinuria (Plt;0.001) and increased serum albumin in these patients (Plt;0.001) but caused no significant changes in serum creatinine (Pgt;0.05). Only mild tolerable adverse effects were observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Leflunomide combined with hormone therapy can be one of the safety and effective choices for treatment of refractory IgA nephropathy.</p>

Establishment of animal model of breast cancer dormancy / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Tumor dormancy has been defined clinically as a condition in which tumor cells are present but do not grow for a long period of time. Breast cancer is noted for its long periods of tumor dormancy and metastases can occur many years after treatment.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Simulating the characteristics of breast cancer patients after treatment, we established the animal model of breast cancer dormancy by inoculating 500 Ca761-03 cells into the limb muscle of 615 mice and then selecting animals with tumor dormancy 2 months post inoculation (corresponding to 5 years for humans).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Two months after inoculation of Ca761-03 cells into the muscle of 615 mice, tumor occurred in 30% of the mice. The remaining 70% of mice did not show tumor growth. After repeated traumatic stimulation, 90% of the mice developed tumors after 5 months, therefore representing tumor dormancy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results demonstrate that breast cancer cells can remain in a dormant state for long periods of time in vivo. Trauma can stimulate the dormant tumor cells to proliferate again, and causes tumor relapse. This murine model system promises a sound animal model for the study of solid tumor dormancy.</p>

Establishment and characterization of a rabbit tumor cell line VX2 / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a rabbit tumor cell line and to characterize its biological parameters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>VX2 tumor tissue was used for the primary culture in vitro. After 40 passages, the cell morphology, CK expression (immunohistochemical staining), cell cycle, karyotype and tumorigenecity in rabbits and nude mice were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The newly established cell line VX2 was maintained in continuous culture for over 70 passages in 10 months. Morphologically, VX2 cells were polygonal to short spindled. Tonal fibril and tight junction were found under the electron microscope. CK was positive. The cell cycle analysis showed 69.3% in G1 phase, 5.6% in G2 phase and 25.1% in S phase. The population doubling time was 34.5 hours. The chromosomal analysis showed a hypotriploidy with a median chromosome number of 58 approximately 62. The tumorigenecity in rabbits and nude mice were both 100%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The established VX2 cell line derived from rabbit squamous carcinoma could serve as a model system for experimental oncology in the rabbit.</p>