Californium-252 neutron brachytherapy combined with external pelvic radiotherapy plus concurrent chemotherapy for cervical cancer: a retrospective clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the sixth most common cancer in Chinese women. A standard treatment modality for cervical cancer is the combination of surgery, chemotherapy, external-beam radiotherapy and intracavitary brachytherapy. The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the long-term treatment outcomes of patients with cervical cancer who were treated with californium-252 neutron brachytherapy combined with external-beam radiotherapy plus concurrent chemotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 150 patients with primary stages IB-IVB cervical cancer who received neutron brachytherapy combined with external-beam radiotherapy concurrently with cisplatin chemotherapy. All patients were followed up. Using an actuarial analysis, patient outcomes and treatment-related adverse effects were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: The median overall survival (OS) was 33.2 months. The 3-year progression-free survival rates for patients with stages I-II, III, and IV diseases were 81.0% (68/84), 65.0% (39/60), and 0% (0/6), respectively; the 3-year OS rates were 90.5% (76/84), 85.0% (51/60), and 16.7% (1/6), respectively. Vaginal bleeding was controlled within the median time of 4.0 days. One month after treatment, 97.3% of patients achieved short-term local control. The local recurrence rates for patients with stages I-II, III, and IV disease were 4.8% (4/84), 11.7% (7/60), and 33.3% (2/6), respectively, and the occurrence rates of distant metastasis were 16.7% (14/84), 25.0% (15/60), and 100.0% (6/6), respectively. Cancer stage, tumor size, and lymph node metastasis were identified as prognostic risk factors, but only lymph node metastasis was found to be an independent prognostic factor. The most common adverse effects during treatment were grades 1 and 2 irradiation-related proctitis and radiocystitis. CONCLUSION: For patients with cervical cancer, neutron brachytherapy combined with external-beam radiotherapy plus concurrent chemotherapy produces a rapid response and greatly improves local control and long-term survival rates with tolerable adverse effects.

Ovarian cancer transformation from adenocarcinoma to undifferentiated small cell carcinoma: A case report.

The ovaries contain cells that have the capacity for regeneration and cancer stem cells (CSC) that are capable of differentiating aberrantly from the homeostatic controls. The histology of ovarian cancer does not usually change in a patient. However, CSCs are the origin of a number of tumors. CSCs are known to exist in ovarian carcinomas and the expression of CD44, c-Kit and CD133 has been identified in such carcinomas. This study presents the case of a patient diagnosed with ovarian cancer with an abdominal mass who underwent surgery, eight cycles of gemcitabine-paclitaxel chemotherapy and irradiation. Pathological examination indicated a transformation from adenocarcinoma to undifferentiated small cell carcinoma. The expression of CD133 changed from negative to positive in ovarian carcinomas. The present case indicates that any histological changes observed in ovarian neoplasms originate from neoplastic stem cells. In addition, this case demonstrates the importance of repeatedly assessing therapy by tumor biopsy throughout the course of ovarian cancer treatment.

The complete recanalization of PICC-related venous thrombosis in cancer patients: A series of case reports.

In this study, cancer patients with venous thrombosis associated with the use of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) underwent complete recanalization by the administration of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), which vary from heparin or urokinase in that they do not have the same risks associated with thrombolysis, including bleeding. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study concerning the treatment of cancers with PNS to be reported in the literature. Three cancer patients aged 30-50 years old, two females and one male, were subjected to chemotherapy. On the first day of chemotherapy, a PICC was inserted into the right basilic vein with its tip in the superior vena cava. On the third day of chemotherapy, pain, swelling and skin flushing started. In the following days, particularly days 10-13, a Doppler ultrasound examination confirmed a long thrombus along the PICC line in the axillary vein and brachial veins in each patient. The patients rejected the insertion of an inferior vena cava filter, and neither heparin nor urokinase were administered due to contra-indications. An injection of PNS (200 mg) was administered every day. On days 20-28 of chemotherapy, the thrombus in the axillary and brachial veins disappeared in the three patients. It was concluded that PNS promote blood circulation, which prevents blood stasis and reduces the toxicity of cisplatin. The results suggest that PNS are a feasible and effective treatment option for many types of cancer, but have a broader clinical impact on cancer patients with PICC-related venous thrombosis. Therefore, this study is an original case report of particular interest to cancer patients with PICC-related venous thrombosis.

[Construction of mic2/CD99 gene vector and its transfection in Hodgkin lymphoma L428 cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To construct a eukaryotic expression vector of CD99 gene for transfection into Hodgkin lymphoma L428 cells. METHODS: The full-length cDNA of CD99 gene was amplified from Jurkat cells by RT-PCR and cloned into the pcDNA3.1(+) vector and transfected into L428 cell line using Lipofextamine 2000. The sequence of CD99 mRNA in the transfected cells was confirmed by restriction endonuclease digestion and DNA sequencing, and the expression of CD99 protein was identified using immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: A gene fragment of 558 bp was amplified from the transfected cells and the sequence was verified by DNA sequencing. Immunocytochemistry identified the presence of CD99 expression in the transfected cells. CONCLUSION: A eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+)-CD99 is successfully constructed and stably expressed in L428 cell line.

[Construction and identification of a recombinant lentivirus harboring small interfering RNA targeting mouse CD99 antigen-like 2 gene].

OBJECTIVE: To construct a recombinant lentivirus harboring RNA interference sequence targeting mouse CD99 antigen-like 2 (mCD99L2) gene and observe its infection efficiency of 293FT cells. METHODS: Four pairs of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting mCD99L2 cDNA were designed, synthesized and linked to the lentivirus vector SD1259 to construct the lentivirus shuttle plasmids. After sequencing, the 4 lentivirus shuttle plasmids were transfected into 293FT cells in the presence of packaging plasmids. Forty-eight hours later, the supernatant was collected and the titer and infection efficiency of the recombinant lentivirus were determined according to the expression of the reporter gene enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under fluorescent microscope. RESULTS: DNA sequencing demonstrated that mCD99L2 siRNAs were successfully cloned to the lentiviral vector SD1259. The titer of concentrated virus was 1x10(7)/ml in the supernatant of the infected cells. CONCLUSION: The recombinant lentivirus containing siRNA targeting mCD99L2 gene has been successfully constructed, which provide the basis for future establishment of visualized cell model and animal model of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

[Intensity-modulated radiation combined with Delisheng injection for naspharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT) combined with Delisheng injection for treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Sixty-six patients with pathologically confirmed NPC (stage II and III) were randomized into therapeutic group and control group. Patients in the therapeutic group were treated with Delisheng injection in addition to IMRT and those in the control group with IMRT alone. RESULTS: No significant difference in the response rate occurred between the two groups. The incidence of adverse effects was significantly lower in the therapeutic group than in the control group, and the humoral immunity was improved in the former. CONCLUSION: Delisheng injection can decrease the side effects of IMRT and improve humoral immunity in NPC patients.