Network meta-analysis of the effects of different cognitive trainings on the cognitive function of patients with mild cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Examining the relationship between the responses of a number of different cognitive trainings on cognitive functioning in middle-aged and elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment. METHODS: Randomized controlled experimental studies published publicly from the time of inception to October 30, 2023 were searched through Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library databases. Traditional and network meta-analyses were performed using Stata 17.0 software. RESULTS: Fifty papers on 4 types of cognitive training were included. Traditional meta-analysis showed that virtual reality training (SMD = 0.53, 95%CI: [0.36,0.70], P = 0.00), neuropsychological training (SMD = 0.44, 95%CI: [0.18,0.70], P = 0.00), cognitive strategy training (SMD = 0.26, 95%CI: [0.16,0.36], P = 0.00), and cognitive behavioral therapy (SMD = 0.25, 95%CI: [0.08,0.41], P = 0.00) all had significant improvement effects on the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment. Network meta-analysis revealed neuropsychological training as the best cognitive training, and subgroup analysis of cognitive function subdimensions showed that neuropsychological training had the best effects on working memory, lobal cognitive function, memory, and cognitive flexibility improvement. Meanwhile, virtual reality training had the best effects on processing speed, verbal ability, overall executive function, spatial cognitive ability, and attention improvement. CONCLUSION: Cognitive training can significantly improve the cognitive function of middle-aged and elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment, and neuropsychological training is the best intervention, most effective in interventions lasting more than 8 weeks.

Reliability and Validity of the Star Excursion Balance Test for Evaluating Dynamic Balance of Upper Extremities.

BACKGROUND: Upper extremity (UE) dynamic balance is a significant physical fitness ability, which includes high-level neuromuscular proprioception, joint mobility, force, and coordination. The evaluation methods of UE dynamic balance are insufficient and lack experimental support. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a reliable assessment of dynamic balance and injury risk of the lower extremity. HYPOTHESIS: The UE-SEBT is a reliable and reproducible approach for evaluating dynamic balance of UEs. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited 65 healthy adults. All participants were required to complete UE-SEBT, UE Y-balance test (UE-YBT), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of UE, closed kinetic chain UE stability test (CKCUEST), trunk flexor endurance test (TFET), trunk extensor endurance test (TEET), and lateral trunk endurance test (LTET). Intra- and inter-rater reliability and the correlation of UE-SEBT with other outcomes were measured. RESULTS: Among the participants, the intra- and interoperator reliability of UE-SEBT in all directions and composite score achieved a moderate-to-excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICC], 0.729-0.946) reliability. For validity, the UE-SEBT had a moderate to very strong correlation with UE-YBT (r = 0.315-0.755, P < 0.01) and a strong correlation with CKCUEST (r = 0.4-0.67, P < 0.01). Furthermore, the UE-SEBT performance showed weak-to-strong correlations with MVIC (r = 0.26-0.43, P < 0.05). UE-SEBT was also correlated with LTET, TEET, and TFET to varying degrees. CONCLUSION: UE-SEBT has good reliability and validity to assess UE dynamic balance compared with other tests. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: UE-SEBT can be used as a clinical assessment method to evaluate UE dynamic balance and injury prevention.

Single Exercise for Core Symptoms and Executive Functions in ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of single exercise on core symptoms and executive function in adolescents with ADHD. METHODS: Four databases were searched for studies of the effects of single exercise on core symptoms and executive functioning in adolescents with ADHD. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included, and a single session of exercise had small effect-size improvements in core symptoms and executive function in adolescents with ADHD: 10 to 13 year olds in the early adolescent-elementary school years and 18 to 24 year olds in the late adolescent-college years. Moderate-intensity continuous training, high-intensity interval training, single sessions of less than 30 minutes, and single sessions of 30 minutes and more significantly improved cycling training, attention, inhibition, substance use, and pre-study abstinence. CONCLUSIONS: A single session of exercise had an overall ameliorative effect on core symptoms and executive function in adolescents with ADHD.

Research trends and frontiers in exercise for movement disorders: A bibliometric analysis of global research from 2010 to 2021.

Objective: To conduct a bibliometric analysis of trends and frontiers on exercise-based non-pharmacological treatments for movement disorders published between 2010 and 2021. Methods: The Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database was searched for articles published between 2010 and 2021. The CiteSpace software was used for in-depth analysis of the countries, institutions, journals, and collaboration networks among authors and their types of articles, developmental directions, references, and hot keywords of published articles. Results: A total of 2,626 published articles were retrieved by search formula and included in the analysis. The number of publications fluctuated during this period, with 96 countries, 3,058 institutions, and 886 academic journals having published articles in this area, with subject classifications that focused on Clinical Neurology and Neurosciences. The United States has maintained its dominant and most influential position in exercise-based non-pharmacological research on movement disorders. Among research institutions and journals, the League of European Research Universities and Movement Disorders journals published the highest number of academic articles. In the last five years, the hot research topics by burst keyword analysis, are focused on treatments, research advances, and clinical treatments. Conclusion: Research on exercise-based non-pharmacological treatments for movement disorders is generally on the rise from 2010 to 2021. The bibliometric analysis of this area will help provide potential collaborations among researchers, frontiers, and directions for development.

Research Hotspots and Trends of Exercise on Parkinson's Disease: A Global Bibliometric Analysis From 2012 to 2021.

Background: Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, which can be alleviated in drug treatment, but with evident side effects. At the same time, increasing evidence shows that exercise can significantly improve the symptoms of patients with Parkinson's disease, with an effect that cannot be achieved by drug treatment. The related research on exercise on Parkinson's disease increases rapidly with the passage of time. However, the research analysis on Parkinson's disease by means of bibliometrics is rare. The purpose of this study is to perform a bibliometric analysis of the research hotspots and development trends of the global movement on Parkinson's disease from 2012 to 2021. Methods: The literature was derived from the Web of Science core collection database, and the social science citation index was set as SCI-EXPANDED. The language was set to English, and the literature category was set as article and review and published from 2012 to 2021. CiteSpace and other software were used to analyze the relationship among published documents, countries, institutions, journals, authors, references, disciplines, and keywords. Results: A total of 2,222 articles were included in the analysis. The analysis showed that the publication volume increased with the increase in years, with a total of 76 countries and 546 academic journals published; the largest number was that of the United States. The journals are mainly concentrated in the fields of neurology, sports, and ophthalmology. Rush University and Movement Disorders journals are the main institutions and journals. The cited keywords show that trial, cognition, and interference are the research hotspots and development trends in recent years. Conclusion: The number of published articles on Parkinson's disease by exercise has increased rapidly in the past 10 years, and the bibliometric analysis can provide useful information for future research teams and researchers.

Long non-coding RNA SPRY4-IT1 pormotes colorectal cancer metastasis by regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most common cancers worldwide. Increasing evidence indicates that SPRY4 intronic transcript 1 (SPRY4-IT1) regulate cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, and cancer progression. However, the expression and function of SPRY4-IT1 in the progression of CRC remains largely unknown. Here, we reported that SPRY4-IT1 was upregulated in CRC. Increased SPRY4-IT1 expression in CRC was associated with larger tumor size and higher clinical stage. In vitro experiments revealed that SPRY4-IT1 knockdown significantly inhibited CRC cell proliferation by causing G1 arrest and promoting apoptosis, whereas SPRY4-IT1 overexpression promoted cell proliferation. Further functional assays indicated that SPRY4-IT1 overexpression significantly promoted cell migration and invasion by regulate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Taken together, our study demonstrates that SPRY4-IT1 could act as a functional oncogene in CRC, as well as a potential therapeutic target to inhibit CRC metastasis.

MiR-639 promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle in human thyroid cancer by suppressing CDKN1A expression.

Accumulating evidence has indicated that aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRs) are extensively involved in cancer development and progression. MiR-639 has been reported to act as tumor promoter in various types of cancer. However, the biological function and underlying molecular mechanism of miR-639 in thyroid carcinoma (TC) have not been intensively investigated. Herein the present study aimed to investigate the functional role of miR-639 in TC. We found that miR-639 expression was upregulated in TC cells and clinical tissues. Overexpression of miR-639 promoted TC cell proliferation and cell cycle, with increased expression of CyclinE and c-myc, whereas miR-639-in reverses the function. Using prediction software and luciferase reporter assay, we found that CDKN1A was a target of miR-639. CDKN1A small interfering RNA (siRNA) abrogated the role of miR-639-in on cell proliferation of TC. In summary, our data demonstrated that miR-639 upregulation was associated with development of TC, miR-639 promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle by targeting CDKN1A in TC.

MiR-384 regulated IRS1 expression and suppressed cell proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Acquired evidence indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) played essential roles in cancer development, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Functions and mechanisms of miRNAs involved in HCC remain largely unknown. Here, we found that miR-384 was significantly downregulated in HCC cells and tissues by RT-PCR. Gain and loss of function studies revealed that miR-384 significantly suppressed HCC cell proliferation. Insulin receptor substrate 1(IRS1) was identified as a direct and functional target of miR-384. Moreover, miR-384 decreased IRS1 expression, subsequently downregulating cyclin D1 and upregulating p21 and p-Rb expression. In addition, promotion of cell proliferation caused by miR-384-in was counteracted by silencing IRS1 expression with siRNAs. Taken together, our data provided convincing evidence that miR-384 exerted suppressive effect on HCC cell proliferation through the direct inhibition of IRS1 expression, suggesting miR-384 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Selective CDK7 inhibition with BS-181 suppresses cell proliferation and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in gastric cancer.

Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) family members have been considered as attractive therapeutic targets for cancer. In this study, we aim to investigate the anticancer effects of a selective CDK7 inhibitor, BS-181, in gastric cancer (GC) cell line. Human GC cells (BGC823) were cultured with or without BS-181 at different concentrations for 24-72 hours. BS-181 significantly reduced the activity of CDK7 with downregulation of cyclin D1 and XIAP in GC cells. Treatment with BS-181 induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The expression of Bax and caspase-3 was significantly increased, while Bcl-2 expression was decreased in cells treated with BS-181. In addition, the inhibition of CDK7 with BS-181 resulted in reduced rates of proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cells. Those results demonstrated the anticancer activities of selective CDK7 inhibitor BS-181 in BGC823 cells, suggesting that CDK7 may serve as a novel therapeutic target or the treatment of GC.

Downregulation of CDK-8 inhibits colon cancer hepatic metastasis by regulating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Liver metastasis is a major cause of mortality from colon cancer. To investigate the role of cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) in the progression of colon cancer hepatic metastasis. In this present study, human colon cancer HCT116 or HCT116-LUC-GFP cells were transfected with Lentiviral vector-mediated knockdown of CDK-8. After transfection, metastasis and invasion potential of colon cancer cell was investigated by wound healing and transwell invasion assays, respectively. A mice model of colon cancer liver metastases was established and observed with bioluminescence imaging. The protein expression of CDK-8, ß-catenin, E2F1, MMP-7 and E-cadherin in liver tissues were detected by Western Blot. Our results revealed that lentiviral vector-mediated knockdown of CDK-8 inhibited metastasis and invasion of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Protein expression of CDK-8, ß-catenin, MMP-7 and E-cadherin were inhibited, but protein expression of E2F1 was enhanced. In sum, our data provided compelling evidence that CDK-8 played a significant role in colon cancer hepatic metastasis by regulating the Wnt/ß-catenin signal pathway and might sever as a potential therapeutic target for colon cancer patients.

The association between serum ferritin with colorectal cancer.

There are conflicting reports on the correlation between serum levels of ferritin with colorectal cancer. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the association between serum ferritin with colorectal cancer using a meta-analysis approach. We searched articles indexed in Pubmed published as of July 2015 that met our predefined criteria. Six eligible articles involving 927 subjects were identified. Overall, pooled analysis indicated that subjects with colorectal cancer had lower serum level of ferritin than the healthy controls (SMD=-1.569, 95% CI=[-2.718, -0.420], P= 0.007). Further subgroup analysis found lower serum level of ferritin among patients with colorectal cancer in eastern country (SMD=-1.956, 95% CI=[-3.750, -0.162], P=0.033), but not in western country (SMD=-1.285, 95% CI=[-2.778, 0.207], P=0.091). In conclusion, this meta-analysis supports a significant association between serum ferritin with colorectal cancer. However, the subgroup analysis found that there was significant effect modification of ferritin level by ethnic. Thus this finding needs further confirmation by trans-regional multicenter, long-term observation in a cohort design to obtain better understanding of causal relationships between serum ferrintin levels and colorectal cancer, through measuring ferritin at baseline to investigate whether the highest ferritin category versus lowest is associated with colorectal cancer risk.

MiR-492 contributes to cell proliferation and cell cycle of human breast cancer cells by suppressing SOX7 expression.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important regulators that potentially play critical roles in cancer cell biological processes. Previous studies have shown that miR-492 plays an important role in cell tumorigenesis in multiple kinds of human cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanisms of this microRNA in breast cancer remain largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated miR-492's role in cell proliferation of breast cancer. MiR-492 expression was markedly upregulated in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cells. Overexpression of miR-492 promoted the proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of breast cancer cells. Bioinformatics analysis further revealed sex-determining region Y-box 7 (SOX7), a putative tumor suppressor, as a potential target of miR-492. Data from luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-492 directly binds to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of SOX7 messenger RNA (mRNA) and repressed expression at both transcriptional and translational levels. Ectopic expression of miR-492 led to downregulation of SOX7 protein, which resulted in the upregulation of cyclin D1 and c-Myc. In functional assays, SOX7 silenced in miR-492-in-transfected ZR-75-30 cells has positive effect to promote cell proliferation, suggesting that direct SOX7 downregulation is required for miR-492-induced cell proliferation and cell cycle of breast cancer. In sum, these results suggest that miR-492 represents a potential onco-miR and participates in breast cancer carcinogenesis by suppressing SOX7 expression.

Triptolide induces apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via inhibiting the overexpression of MDM2.

Triptolide has been reported to exhibit antitumor effects in several cancers. This study investigates the mechanism by which triptolide induces apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. Gastric biopsies were collected for histological evaluation and detection of murine double minute 2 (MDM2) expression. Gastric cancer cells were cultured and treated with different concentrations of triptolide at indicated time points. The expression of MDM2, p53 protein, and target proteins including p21, PUMA, and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) was detected. Apoptosis of cells treated with or without triptolide was evaluated. Our results showed that MDM2 protein was overexpressed in gastric cancer (p < 0.01, resp.). Triptolide induced significant apoptosis of gastric cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner (p < 0.05). In addition, treatment with triptolide strongly inhibited the overexpression of MDM2 in gastric cancer cells, and this MDM2 inhibition led to increased levels of p53 protein and inhibition of XIAP (p < 0.05). However, triptolide failed to increase the expression of p53 target protein p21 and PUMA (p > 0.05). In conclusion, triptolide may induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via the inhibition of MDM2 overexpression in a p53-independent manner.

Immunoassay using surface-enhanced Raman scattering based on aggregation of reporter-labeled immunogold nanoparticles.

A one-step homogenous sensitive immunoassay using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been developed. This strategy is based on the aggregation of Raman reporter-labeled immunogold nanoparticles induced by the immunoreaction with corresponding antigens. The aggregation of gold nanoparticles results in a SERS signal increase of the Raman reporter. Therefore, human IgG could be directly determined by measuring the Raman signal of the reporter. The process of aggregation was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The effects of the temperature, time, and size of gold nanoparticles on the sensitivity of the assay were examined. Using human IgG as a model protein, a wide linear dynamic range (0.1-15 microg mL(-1)) was reached with low detection limit (0.1 microg mL(-1)) under optimized assay conditions. The successful test suggests that the application of the proposed method holds promising potential for simple, fast detection of proteins in the fields of molecular biology and clinical diagnostics.

Electrochemical detection of thrombin by sandwich approach using antibody and aptamer.

The goal of this work was to introduce a modified electrochemical sandwich model for target protein detection, exploiting antibody as the capturing probe, aptamer as the detection probe and methylene blue as the electrochemical active marker intercalating in the probing aptamer without previous labeling. With appropriate design of the sequence of the aptamer, the aptamer was successfully utilized instead of antibody for obtaining the electrochemical detection. A special immobilization interface consisting of nanogold-chitosan composite film was used to improve the conductivity and performance characteristics of the electrode. The capturing antibody was linked to the glassy carbon electrodes modified with composite film via a linker of glutaraldehyde. Differential pulse voltammetry was performed to produce the response signal. Thrombin was taken as the model target analyte to demonstrate the feasibility of proposed methodology. The sensor shows the linear response for thrombin in the range 1-60 nM with a detection limit of 0.5 nM. The proposed approach provides an alternative approach for sandwich protein assay using aptamers.

Detection of adenosine using surface-enhanced Raman scattering based on structure-switching signaling aptamer.

In the present study, we report a novel sensitive method for the detection of adenosine using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing platform based on a structure-switching aptamer. First, Ag-clad Au colloids film on a polished gold disc is prepared as enhanced substrate and modified with thiolated capture DNA. The formation of an aptamer/DNA duplex of expanded anti-adenosine aptamer and tetramethylrhodamine-labeled DNA (denoted TMR-DNA) is then developed, in which TMR-DNA could also hybridize completely with capture DNA. The introduction of adenosine thus triggers structure switching of the aptamer from aptamer/DNA duplex to aptamer/target complex. As a result, the released TMR-DNA is captured onto the SERS substrate, resulting in an increase of SERS signal. Under optimized assay conditions, a wide linear dynamic range (2.0 x 10(-8)M to 2 x 10(-6)M) was reached with low detection limit (1.0 x 10(-8)M). Moreover, high selectivity, stability and facile regeneration are achieved. The successful test demonstrates the feasibility of the strategy for adenosine assay.

Ag/SiO2 core-shell nanoparticle-based surface-enhanced Raman probes for immunoassay of cancer marker using silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles as separation tools.

A simple, sensitive and highly specific immunoassay has been developed based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering for human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a tumor marker for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. This strategy combines the Ag/SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles embedded with rhodamine B isothiocyanate dye molecules as Raman tags and the amino group modified silica-coated magnetic nanoparticle as immobilization matrix and separation tool. In the proposed system, a sandwich-type immunoassay was performed between polyclonal antibody functionalized Ag/SiO2 nanoparticle-based Raman tags and monoclonal antibody modified silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles. The presence of the analyte and the reaction between the antigen and antibody can be monitored by the Raman spectra of the Ag/SiO2 tags. Compared to the previous surface-enhanced Raman immunoassays, the main advantage of this strategy lies in two aspects. One is the high stability of Raman tags derived from the silica shell-coated silver core-shell nanostructure. The other is the use of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles as immobilization matrix and separation tool, thus avoiding complicated pretreatment and washing steps. We have studied in detail the experimental parameters such as the effects of the antibody concentration modified on the Raman tags and on the magnetic particles, and the immunoreaction time. Using this strategy, concentration of human AFP up to 0.12 microg/ml was detected with a detection limit of 11.5 pg/ml.

Effect of complex amino acid imbalance on growth of tumor in tumor-bearing rats.

AIM: To investigate the effect of complex amino acid imbalance on the growth of tumor in tumor-bearing (TB) rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent jejunostomy for nutritional support. A suspension of Walker-256 carcinosarcoma cells was subcutaneously inoculated. TB rats were randomly divided into groups A, B, C and D according to the formula of amino acids in enteral nutritional solutions, respectively. TB rats received jejunal feedings supplemented with balanced amino acids (group A), methionine-depleted amino acids (group B), valine-depleted amino acids (group C) and methionine- and valine-depleted complex amino acid imbalance (group D) for 10 days. Tumor volume, inhibitory rates of tumor, cell cycle and life span of TB rats were investigated. RESULTS: The G0/G1 ratio of tumor cells in group D (80.5 +/- 9.0)% was higher than that in groups A, B and C which was 67.0 +/- 5.1%, 78.9 +/- 8.5%, 69.2 +/- 6.2%, respectively (P<0.05). The ratio of S/G2M and PI in group D were lower than those in groups A, B and C. The inhibitory rate of tumor in groups B, C and D was 37.2%, 33.3% and 43.9%, respectively (P<0.05). The life span of TB rats in group D was significantly longer than that in groups B, C, and A. CONCLUSION: Methionine/valine-depleted amino acid imbalance can inhibit tumor growth. Complex amino acids of methionine and valine depleted imbalance have stronger inhibitory effects on tumor growth.

Prevention and therapy of fungal infection in severe acute pancreatitis: A prospective clinical study.

AIM: To investigate the prevention and therapy of fungal infection in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: Seventy patients with SAP admitted from Jan. 1998 to Dec. 2002 were randomly divided into garlicin prevention group, fluconazole (low dosage) prevention group and control group. The incidence of fungal infection, the fungal clearance and mortality after treatment were compared. RESULTS: The incidence of fungal infection in garlicin group and fluconazole group was lower than that in control group (16% vs 30%, P<0.05 and 9% vs 30%, P<0.01, respectively). Amphotericin B or therapy-dose fluconazole had effects on patients with fungal infection in garlicin group and control group, but had no effects on patients with fungal infection in fluconzole group. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic dosage of antifungal agents (garlicin or low dosage fluconazole) can reduce the incidence of fungal infection in patients with SAP. But once fungal infection occurs, amphotericin B should be used as early as possible if fluconazole is not effective.

Tamoxifen combined with octreotide or regular chemotherapeutic agents in treatment of primary liver cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of tamoxifen (TAM) combined with a somatostatin analogue, octretide (OCT) on advanced liver cancer and whether tamoxifen combined with OCT is superior to regular chemotherapeutic agents 5-Fu and mitomycin C (MMC). METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with inoperable liver cancer were randomly subdivided into TAM+OCT group (n=24) and regular chemotherapeutic group (n=15). They received treatment for three months respectively. Blood cell count, liver function, immunologic function, blood alpha-FP was regularly measured. Liver lump and extrahepatic metastasis were examined by CT. The patients were followed up after treatment and conducted survival analysis. RESULTS: In the TAM+OCT group, complete response is 4 patients, partial response is 7 patients, no change is 9 patients and progressive disease is 4 patients; blood level of ALT and AST had no noticeable change, IgE and IgG increased (P<0.01), and alpha-FP lowered (P<0.05). In regular chemotherapeutic group, no change is 4 patients and progressive disease is 11 patients. There was conspicuous statistical difference in the two groups. The accumulative survival rates of 6 months, 1 year and 2 years were 95.7% vs 41.2% (P<0.01), 63.7% vs 21.1% (P<0.01), 25.4% vs 0 (P<0.01), respectively. Medium survival time was 12.8 months in TAM+OCT group and 5.5 months in chemotherapeutic group. CONCLUSIONS: TAM+OCT excerts reliable therapeutic effect on patients with inoperable ER(+) hepatocellular cancer. It is superior to 5-Fu and MMC in increasing the survival rate, prolonging survival time, and reducing side-effects.