[Screening of mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid 3271T > C, 8356T > C, 9176T > C/G and 13513G > A mutations in mitochondrial encephalomyopathies].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the spectrum of mitochondrial DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) 3271T > C, 8356T > C, 9176T > C/G and 13513G > A mutations in Chinese patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 500 mitochondrial encephalomyopathies patients clinically diagnosed as mitochondrial encephalomyopathy lactic acidosis & stroke-like episodes (MELAS), myoclonus epilepsy & ragged-red fibers (MERRF) or Leigh's syndrome from October 2005 to October 2009. The methods of PCR- polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and PCR-sequencing were performed to identify the mutations. RESULTS: No patients with the 3271T > C, 8356T > C, 9176T > C/G or 13513G > A mutations were identified. CONCLUSION: The mutations of 3271T > C, 8356T > C, 9176T > C/G and 13513G > A are rare causes of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies in Chinese patients.

[Clinical observation of XELOX (Capecitabine puls Oxaliplatin): an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen used in stage III colorectal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen: XELOX (Capecitabine puls Oxaliplatin) used after curative resection for stage III colorectal cancer. METHODS: From Jan. 1998 to Jan. 2004, 256 cases with stage III colorectal cancer randomized received de Gramont, modified FOLFOX4 (mFOLFOX4) and XELOX regimens. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared within the three groups and relative prognosis factors within mFOLFOX4 and XELOX groups. Therapeutic adverse events were recorded and analyzed with Kaplan-Meier test. RESULTS: 98, 87 and 71 cases were respectively enrolled in the de Gramont, mFOLFOX4 and XELOX groups, mFOLFOX4 and XELOX had superior efficacy compared with de Gramont regimen. The two former could significantly improve 3-year DFS (79.7% vs. 66.2%, P = 0.015; 81.5% vs. 66.2%, P = 0.004) and medium survival time (40.2 mon vs. 37.8 mon, P = 0.024; 41.4 mon vs. 37.8 mon, P = 0.014). Meanwhile they could respectively decrease the ratio of recurrence risk by 18.0% (P = 0.024) and 21.0% (P = 0.003). The relative benefit of mFOLFOX4 versus XELOX didn't differ for 3-year DFS [hazard ratio (HR): 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79-1.12, P = 0.13] and OS (HR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.84-1.06, P = 0.54). In the analysis of DFS in relative prognosis factors, XELOX had a better trend of survival advantage. mFOLFOX4 had higher adverse events within these regimens, especially in grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and peripheral neurologic adverse events. CONCLUSION: XELOX maintains its efficacy and safety ratio in advanced colorectal cancer. Patients have good tolerance and compliance. The regiment is deserves to be applied in clinical treatment. Oxaliplatin;