Tertiary lymphoid structure in gastric cancer and its clinical significance / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To investigate the pathological features and prognostic value of tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) formation in gastric cancer (GC) . Methods HE staining slides were reviewed to evaluate the TLS in 163 specimens from patients with GC in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from 2006 to 2008. The validation cohort contained 63 randomly selected cases and immunohistochemical staining of MECA-79 was used to verify the accuracy of pathological assessment of TLS. Results TLS score and MECA-79 immunohistochemical staining showed significant correlation (P = 0. 002) and agreement (P = 0. 024) . The TLS was not significantly correlated to clinical pathological parameters. The patients with high level of TLS had better prognosis (P = 0. 025) with the mean survival time of 48. 54 months. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, TLS was an independent prognostic factor (P = 0. 031) . Conclusion The pathological evaluation of TLS is accurate. The formation of TLS is an important positive prognostic factor for GC patients.

Coplanar VMAT vs. noncoplanar VMAT in the treatment of sinonasal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed that noncoplanar intensity-modulated radiotherapy (NC-IMRT) for sinonasal cancer is superior to coplanar intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a newly introduced treatment modality, and the performance of noncoplanar VMAT for sinonasal cancer has not been well described to date. PURPOSE: To compare the dosimetry difference of noncoplanar VMAT (NC-VMAT), coplanar VMAT (co-VMAT), and NC-IMRT for sinonasal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten postoperative patients with sinonasal cancer were randomly selected for planning with NC-VMAT, co-VMAT, and NC-IMRT. Two planning target volumes (PTVs) were contoured representing high-risk and low-risk regions set to receive a median absorbed dose (D50%) of 68 Gy and 59 Gy, respectively. The homogeneity index (HI), conformity index (CI), dose-volume histograms (DVHs), and delivery efficiency were all evaluated. RESULTS: Both NC-VMAT and co-VMAT showed superior dose homogeneity and conformity in PTVs compared with NC-IMRT. There was no significant difference between NC-VMAT and co-VMAT in PTV coverage. Both VMAT plans provided a better protection for organs at risk (OARs) than NC-IMRT plans, and NC-VMAT showed a small improvement over co-VMAT in sparing of OARs. For peripheral doses, the doses to breast, thyroid, and larynx in the NC-IMRT plans were significantly higher than those in both VMAT plans. Compared to NC-VMAT, co-VMAT significantly reduced peripheral doses. NC-VMAT and co-VMAT reduced the average delivery time by 63.2 and 64.2%, respectively, in comparison with NC-IMRT. No differences in delivery efficiency were observed between the two VMAT plans. CONCLUSION: Compared to NC-VMAT, co-VMAT showed similar PTV coverage and comparable OAR sparing but significantly reduced peripheral doses and positioning uncertainty. We propose to give priority to coplanar VMAT in the treatment of sinonasal cancer.

Influence of co-stimulatory molecules B7-H4 expression on the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer treated with cytokine-induced killer cells adoptive immunotherapy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of co-stimulatory molecules B7-H4 expression on prognosis of gastric cancer patients treated by cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK cells) adoptive immunotherapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of 156 cases of gastric cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into chemotherapy group(n=81) and chemotherapy combined with CIK cell therapy group(n=75). B7-H4 expression was detected in the surgical specimens of gastric cancer patients by immunohistochemistry assay. Disease-free survival was compared between the chemotherapy group and the CIK group at different expression levels of B7-H4.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The difference was not statistically significant in all clinical and pathological data between the chemotherapy group and the CIK treatment group (P>0.05). The postoperative median tumor-free survival in two groups was 18.0 and 45.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=11.631, P=0.001). The postoperative median survival time was 27.0 and 49.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=10.907, P=0.001). In 86 patients with low B7-H4 expression, the median tumor-free survival time was 32.0 and 62.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=4.663,P=0.03). In 70 patients with high B7-H4 expression, the median tumor-free survival time was 11.0 and 18.0 months, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (chi(2)=11.971, P=0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The median tumor-free survival time of patients with gastric cancer may be further improved by chemotherapy combined with CIK cell therapy, regardless of the level of B7-H4 expression.</p>

Lipids changes in liver cancer / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Liver is one of the most important organs in energy metabolism. Most plasma apolipoproteins and endogenous lipids and lipoproteins are synthesized in the liver. It depends on the integrity of liver cellular function, which ensures homeostasis of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. When liver cancer occurs, these processes are impaired and the plasma lipid and lipoprotein patterns may be changed. Liver cancer is the fifth common malignant tumor worldwide, and is closely related to the infections of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). HBV and HCV infections are quite common in China and other Southeast Asian countries. In addition, liver cancer is often followed by a procession of chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis, so that hepatic function is damaged obviously on these bases, which may significantly influence lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in vivo. In this review we summarize the clinical significance of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism under liver cancer.