Liquid-based cytological test of samples obtained by catheter aspiration is applicable for the bronchoscopic confirmation of pulmonary malignant tumors.

The aim of the present study is to confirm the value of electronic bronchoscopy-aided catheter aspiration technique with liquid-based cytological test in the diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma. A total of 815 patients of lung cancer were evaluated by bronchoscopy between February 2011 and June 2012. Catheter aspiration technique and forceps biopsy during bronchoscopy were employed to obtain adequate tissue specimens. Liquid-based cytological test and conventional smears for catheter aspiration were used for cytological detection of the tumors. For all cytological specimens, slide preparations with LCT and CS were reviewed by two senior pathologists, who were blinded to patient medical history. Complications related to electronic bronchoscopy, such as bleeding, were clinically judged as light, moderate or severe by the needs for clinical interventions. The diagnostic yield of catheter aspiration in endobronchial visible lesions (tumor, infiltrative and necrotic lesions) was 94.6% (success rates concerning malignancy), which was slightly higher than that of the forceps biopsy (91.4%, P<0.05). The diagnostic yield of catheter aspiration in endobronchial invisible lesions (normal, compressive and nonspecific lesions) was 82.8%, which was significantly higher than that of the forceps biopsy (51.4%, P<0.01). The combination of the forceps biopsy with the cytological analysis of the catheter aspiration increased the diagnostic sensitivity in both lesion types (P<0.05). For catheter aspiration, the positive rate of lung cancer by liquid-based cytological test was superior to that by conventional smears (P<0.05). The catheter aspiration is a sampling technique that produces higher diagnostic rate for lung cancers compared with forceps biopsy. Liquid-based cytological test is routinely applicable for the diagnosis of lung cancer using samples collected through electronic bronchoscopy.

Clinical significance of annexin II expression in human non-small cell lung cancer.

The aim of the present study is to explore the role of annexin II in the development and progression of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was conducted to detect annexin II mRNA expression. Annexin II protein expression was also determined by western blot. In addition, annexin II expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 137 clinicopathologically characterized NSCLC cases. The correlation of annexin II expression with patients' survival rate was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression. Our results showed that the expression levels of annexin II mRNA and protein in NSCLC tissues were significantly higher than those in non-cancerous tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that annexin II expression was significantly correlated with tumor diameter, pathological grade, pT status, pN status, and pleural invasion. The results of the Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that a high expression level of annexin II resulted in a significantly poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Multi-variate Cox regression analysis revealed that annexin II expression level was an independent prognostic parameter for the overall survival rate of NSCLC patients. In conclusion, these results suggested that annexin II up-regulation was associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC; therefore, it might act as a prognostic marker and a new potential target for NSCLC treatment.