Application and optimization of prostate-specific antigen screening strategy in the diagnosis of prostate cancer: a systematic review.

Currently, prostate cancer (PCa) poses a global risk to the well-being of males. Over the past few years, the utilization of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening has become prevalent in the identification and management of PCa, which has promoted a large number of patients with advanced PCa to receive timely treatment and reduce the mortality. Nevertheless, the utilization of PSA in PCa screening has sparked debate, and certain research has validated the potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment associated with PSA screening. Hence, in order to decrease the mortality rate of PCa patients and prevent unnecessary diagnosis and treatment, it is crucial to carefully choose the suitable population and strategy for PSA screening in PCa. In this systematic review, the clinical studies on PSA screening for the diagnosis and treatment of PCa were thoroughly examined. The review also delved into the effects and mechanisms of PSA screening on the prognosis of PCa patients, examined the factors contributing to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and put forth strategies for optimization. The objective of this research is to offer valuable recommendations regarding the utilization of PSA screening for the detection and management of PCa.

BIRC5 regulates inflammatory tumor microenvironment-induced aggravation of penile cancer development in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5) is overexpressed and plays as a key regulator in the progression of various human carcinomas. The inflammatory tumor microenvironment (ITM) is closely associated with the development of cancers. However, the role of BIRC5 in penile cancer (PC) and the ITM-induced abnormal progression of PC is still obscure. METHODS: In this study, serum and tissues of patients with PC were recruited to evaluate the expression profile of BIRC5. We used PC cell lines (Penl1 and Penl2) and constructed a PC xenograft mice model to explore the effects of the silencing of BIRC5 on proliferation, migration, invasion and tumor growth, as well as survival of mice. Besides, interferon (IFN)-γ was utilized to mimic the ITM of PC cells. RESULTS: Our results showed that BIRC5 was dramatically upregulated in the serum and tissues of PC patients, as well as PC cell lines. Knockdown of BIRC5 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of PC cells. Meanwhile, it suppressed PC xenograft tumor growth and improved mice survival. Moreover, IFN-γ significantly aggravated PC progression both in vivo and in vitro while the silencing of BIRC5 reversed these unfavorable effects. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data revealed that BIRC5 silencing inhibited aggravation of PC cell processes and tumor development induced by ITM. This suggested that BIRC5 may function as a diagnosis and therapy target of PC in the future.

PBX1 Participates in Estrogen-mediated Bladder Cancer Progression and Chemo-resistance Affecting Estrogen Receptors.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BCa) is a common cancer associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Pre-B-cell leukemia transcription factor 1 (PBX1) has been reported to be involved in tumor progression. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to explore the specific role of PBX1 in BCa and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: The relative expressions of PBX1 in muscle-invasive BCa tissues and cell lines were analyzed through RT-qPCR and western blotting. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to analyze the relationship between PBX1 levels and survival status. Co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR assays were adopted to verify the interaction between PBX1 and Estrogen receptors (ERs) and explore the estrogen receptors (ERs)-dependent genes transcription. RESULTS: PBX1 was upregulated in invasive BCa patients and BCa cells, positively associated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and poorer survival status. The overexpression of PBX1 promoted cell growth, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process and cisplatin resistance in BCa cells, while the silence of PBX1 showed opposite effects. Furthermore, PBX1 interacted with ERs and was required for ER function. PBX1 overexpression aggravated the tumorpromoting effect of estrogen on BCa cells, while it partially suppressed the inhibitory effects of ER antagonist AZD9496 on BCa cells. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that PBX1 participated in estrogen mediated BCa progression and chemo-resistance through binding and activating estrogen receptors. Hence, PBX1 may serve as a potential prognostic and therapeutic target for BCa treatment.

Inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-8 and sleep monitoring in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

The present study investigated the changes of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and sleep ability in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). A total of 684 patients who were admitted to Xuzhou Central Hospital between June 2012 and June 2016 were enrolled to serve as the experimental group and 192 healthy subjects were selected as the control group. Polysomnography was performed on both groups, and serum TNF-α and IL-8 levels were measured by ELISA. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to analyze correlations between factors. Compared with control group, the levels of TNF-α and IL-8, the morning systolic and diastolic pressure in OSAHS group were significantly higher (P<0.01). Furthermore, the mean oxygen saturation (MSaO2) and lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2) of the OSAHS group were significantly lower compared with those in control group (P<0.01). Results also indicated that TNF-α was positively correlated with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), morning systolic and diastolic pressure (r=0.621, 0.464, 0.539; P<0.05), and negatively correlated with MSaO2 and LSaO2 (r=-0.526, -0.466; P<0.05). Notably, IL-8 was positively correlated with AHI, morning systolic and diastolic pressure (r=0.337, 0.413 and 0.629; P<0.05), and negatively correlated with MSaO2 and LSaO2 (r=-0.329 and -0.417; P<0.05). Therefore, it was concluded that TNF-α and IL-8 may be involved in the occurrence and development of OSAHS, are closely related to OSAHS and may be important risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with OSAHS. The present findings suggest that TNF-α and IL-8 can be used to assess the degree of OSAHS.

The assistance of coblation in arytenoidectomy for vocal cord paralysis.

BACKGROUND: There are many causes for vocal cord paralysis, which can cause difficulty in breathing in serious cases. The common surgical methods for solving vocal cord paralysis include laryngeal splitting or laser surgery, but there are limitations. Plasma radiofrequency ablation is a new treatment with good achievements in clinical applications. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of coblation-assisted arytenoidectomy (CSA) in the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP). METHODS: All patients had undergone preoperative electrolaryngoscopic examination of the glottidis rima; electronic laryngoscopy can assess the width of the glottis. The purpose of preoperative electronic laryngoscopic evaluation is to assess the width of the glottis, and arytenoid cartilage movement. Unilateral arytenoid cartilage and a section of the vocal cords were removed in all cases. RESULTS: Of the 14 patients, 13 were successfully extubated after CSA; 1 patient could not be extubated and underwent a second CSA of the contralateral arytenoid cartilage, after which extubation was achieved. All patients were continuously followed up (6 months to 2 years), and all achieved satisfactory results. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: CSA can effectively relieve post-CSA dyspnea in patients with BVCP. More patients underwent tracheal cannula extubation after tracheotomy compared with other surgeries.

[Treatment of early-stage glottic cancer with radiofrequency coblation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of radiofrequency coblation for the treatment of Tl glottic cancer. METHOD: Six patients with early-stage glottic cancer (Tla = 5, Tlb = 1) treated with coblation were enrolled in this study. The outcome of the surgery were analyzed. RESULT: No complication happened during the follow-up of 6 to 12 months. All patients achieved satisfactory post-operative voice. CONCLUSION: Although current probe design limits the potential for resection of some tumors, radiofrequency coblation appears to be an attractive evolving technique for the endoscopic resection of selected glottic cancer.

[Vasodilators for sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects and safety of vasodilators on sudden sensorineural hearing loss(SSHL). SEARCH STRATEGY: Electronic databases: MEDLINE from 1966, EMBASE from 1974, the Cochrane Controlled Trails Register, Chinese Bio-medicine Database from 1989. Hand search: Five kinds of Chinese otolaryngology journals were selected. Literature references were checked intensively. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials comparing vasodilators with placebo or other drugs in patients with SSHL. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three reviewers independently accessed the quality of trials and extracted the data. RESULTS: Thirteen trials with 1,155 patients were eligible and covered in the systematic review. Ten of the trials were conducted in developed countries, and three in China. None of the four trials showed the effects of vasodilators on SSHL were better than that of placebo. None of the seven trials comparing different drugs showed the effects of one kind of vasodilators were better than that of the other vasodilators. Two trials showed that some other drugs, such as batroxobin and hypaque were probably better than the vasodilators (dextran, papaverine, 654-2, danshen). Eight trials showed side effects of vasodilators, such as pruritus, allergy, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the systematic review of current eligible randomized controlled clinical trials, there is no evidence to prove that vasodilator therapy is more effective than placebo or other therapies for SSHL, or the effects of one kind of vasodilators to be better than that of the other vasodilators. So far we can't draw a reliable conclusion about the effects of vasodilators for SSHL. In addition, we must pay attention to their potential adverse reactions.