Prognostic Significance of Blood, Serum, and Ascites Parameters in Patients with Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma or Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

To determine effects of the biochemical and cytological properties of blood, serum, and ascites on survival of patients with malignant peritoneal effusion (MPeE), including malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), we conducted a retrospective study of patients with MPeE and healthy controls. Potential prognostic factors were identified as follows: age, sex, blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), serum parameters, ascites parameters, serum-ascites albumin gradient, and the ascites-serum LDH ratio. Compared to those of the control group, serum albumin levels were significantly lower, and the NLR and serum LDH levels were significantly higher in the MPeE group. Overall survival (OS) was longer in patients with MPeM compared to that in patients with PC. Compared with patients in the MPeM, patients with PC had higher NLRs, ascites glucose levels, serum-ascites albumin gradients, and serum LDH levels. In contrast, their ascites albumin levels and ascites-serum LDH ratios were lower. Univariate analyses indicated that the NLR, serum LDH levels, ascites LDH levels, ascites coenocyte levels, and the ascites coenocyte-to-monocyte ratios affected the OS. Multivariate analyses identified only serum and ascites LDH levels as independent prognostic factors.

Pretreatment Controlling Nutritional Status Score and Lactate Dehydrogenase as Predictive Markers of Survival in Patients with Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships between the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and ascites fluid lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and prognosis in patients with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM). METHODS: A total of 125 patients with MPeM were selected for the study using a pathological screening method. Once the diagnosis is established, before the treatment their clinical characteristics and nutritional evaluations were recorded including CONUT score and ascites LDH level. The associations between CONUT, ascites LDH, and other clinicopathological features including body mass index, asbestos exposure, pathological type, and treatment method were analyzed. Prognostic parameters predicting overall survival (OS) were analyzed by Cox regression. RESULTS: High CONUT score, high ascites LDH level were positively associated with poor prognosis in patients with MPeM according to univariate analyses (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively), and CONUT score and ascites LDH were independent predictors of a poor prognosis according to multivariate analysis. When the CONUT score is greater than 3 and the ascites LHD is greater than 474 IU/l, it indicates a poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: CONUT score and ascites LDH are important factors influencing the prognosis of MPeM patients and should thus be considered in clinical applications.

CT differentiation of diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and peritoneal carcinomatosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Diffuse malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (DMPM) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) have similar imaging in computer tomography (CT). We aimed to distinguish them. METHODS: Computer tomography findings were evaluated in 48 DMPM and 47 PC for the peritoneal, mesenteric, omentum, lymph nodes, viscera infiltration, ascites and pleural plaques. RESULTS: Two groups had no difference in terms of thickness, clinical manifestation, diameter of lymph nodes, ascites, and viscera infiltration. But they showed differences in the following: Ratio of asbestos exposure in DMPM group was higher. Smooth and irregular peritoneal thickening were more seen in DMPM group; peritoneal nodules were more commonly detected in PC group. Forty-eight cases of peritoneum in DMPM showed mild enhanced, while 14 patients in PC showed severe enhanced. Nodular type of omentum was more common in PC group than in DMPM group; omental cake was more commonly detected in DMPM group. Mesentery involvement was more commonly seen in DMPM group. Location of enlarged lymph nodes in cardiophrenic region was more frequently identified in DMPM, whereas location of enlarged lymph nodes in retroperitoneal region was more frequently identified in PC. Lymph nodes fusion was more frequently visualized in PC. Fixation of the intestinal wall was more common in DMPM. Pleural plaque was more common in DMPM. PC had distant metastasis except primary foci and peritoneum. In PC, tumor origins were ovary in 10, digestive system in 21, breast in one. CONCLUSION: Using a combination of CT findings may increase our ability to distinguish PC from DMPM.

Analysis of NQO1, GSTP1, and MnSOD genetic polymorphisms on lung cancer risk in Taiwan.

We assessed the association of three genetic polymorphisms, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), Glutathione-S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), with lung cancer risk in 198 cases and 332 controls in Taiwan. Overall, NQO1 and MnSOD polymorphisms were not associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. Individuals carrying variant alleles of GSTP1 were at higher risk of squamous cell lung carcinoma (odds ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.96-2.74). When the groups were further stratified by smoking status following gender and histological type, the wild-type NQO1 was associated with lung adenocarcinoma among smokers but not among nonsmokers (odds ratio, 2.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-5.32). These results suggest that NQO1 plays a role in the development of cigarette smoking-associated lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, GSTP1 polymorphism was associated with the risk of squamous cell lung carcinoma in Taiwan.