PRR11 immunoreactivity is a weak prognostic factor in non-mucinous invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung.

INTRODUCTION: Proline-rich protein 11 (PRR11) functions in the progression of cell cycle, and silencing the PRR11 gene in lung cancer cells results in the inhibition of cellular proliferation, cell cycle progression, cell migration, invasion and colony formation. PRR11 may therefore be a therapeutic target in lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microarrays of surgical specimens of non-mucinous invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung, from 346 subjects that were not given preoperative therapy, were autoimmunostained with PRR11 and, except for trace and pseudo-positivity, assessed as "positive" at any proportion and intensity. RESULTS: PRR11 immunoreactivity demonstrated a tendency to associate with an aggressive phenotype (tumor size, vascular invasion, and adjuvant therapy) and some effect on overall survival (Hazard ratio 1.51). CONCLUSIONS: PRR11 may be a weak prognostic indicator of overall survival of patients with non-mucinous invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Manometric study of the lower esophageal sphincter and esophagus in subtotal gastrectomy patients.

There is controversy in the literature regarding the motor function behavior of the lower esophageal sphincter and esophagus following partial gastrectomy. We studied 26 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma of the distal corpus and/or antrum who underwent radical subtotal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction. There were 15 women (57.69%) and 11 men (42.31%) with a mean age of 57.2 years; 21 were White (80.8%) and five were of African descent (19.2%). Before the surgery and 3 months afterwards, every patient underwent manometric and endoscopic examinations. The lower esophageal sphincter showed reductions in mean respiratory pressure (19.41-15.59 mmHg, P= 0.02) and maximum expiratory pressure (8.13-5.54 mmHg, P= 0.02) without significant alteration in diaphragmatic crura pressure (32.92-30.64 mmHg, P= 0.37). An increase in peristaltic wave amplitude (91.43-124.86 mmHg, P < 0.01) and peristaltic wave conduction velocity (3.29 cm/s to 4.23 cm/s; P= 0.024) were detected in esophageal function. The presence of erosive esophagitis decreased from 10 (38.46%) patients to none (P= 0.002). We concluded that following surgery the lower esophageal sphincter function was impaired, through decreased pressure in the esophageal component without alteration in diaphragmatic crura pressure. On the other hand, there was significant increase in peristaltic wave amplitude and velocity, and improvement of the erosive esophagitis. The authors suggest that subtotal gastrectomy, with gastroesophageal junction preservation, and Roux-en-Y reconstruction should be the preferred operation for distal gastric cancer to minimize esophageal dysfunction and gastroesophageal reflux disease.