ABSTRACT
Recurrence of a lung tumor invading the subclavian artery, causing stenosis and leading to finger ulcers as the initial symptom, is rare. We employed endovascular techniques, inserting a Viabahn® VBX covered stent (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Arizona) to aid in ulcer healing and improve the patient's quality of life. The patient, a 73-year-old male, had a history of lung adenocarcinoma resection two years prior but had not undergone follow-up examinations or cancer-specific treatments. Clinical examination revealed an invasion of the right subclavian artery by the recurrent tumor, resulting in severe stenosis and ischemic symptoms in the right upper limb. Given the patient's advanced cancer stage and the decline of further tumor-specific treatments, an endovascular intervention using a Viabahn VBX covered stent was performed to improve blood flow and promote ulcer healing. The stent demonstrated exceptional stability and patency during the six-month follow-up, greatly improving the patient's quality of life. This case highlights the importance of recognizing atypical symptoms as potential indicators of tumor recurrence or progression and demonstrates the promising role of covered stents in managing vascular complications in selected patients with advanced-stage malignancies.
ABSTRACT
Objective: Spontaneous iliac vein rupture (SIVR) is a rare but life-threatening condition with limited understanding regarding its clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, management, and risk factors for mortality. This study aims to address this gap by providing comprehensive insights into SIVR through personal case reports and a systematic review of previous cases. Methods: We detail a case of right SIVR caused by inappropriate positioning of the stent in the inferior vena cava and systematically reviewed previous cases. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for mortality. Results: Our SIVR case was successfully managed with percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy and covered stent placement. In the systematic review, 68 patients were included in the analysis with an average age of 62.01 ± 13.25 years; 86.76% were female, 91.17% had left iliac vein rupture, 55.88% presented hemodynamic instability, 76.47% had lower abdomen or iliac fossa pain, 67.64% had deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and 32.35% had MayâThurner syndrome (MTS). The mortality rates of conservative treatment and open surgery were 2.94% and 17.65%, respectively. All 12 patients receiving endovascular treatment survived. The factors associated with a worse outcome were younger age (52.86 ± 12.96 years, OR: 1.085, 95% CI: 1.002-1.174) and SIVR patients without DVT (OR:10.111, 95% CI: 1.637-62.443). Conclusion: This first systematic review on SIVR shows that SIVR should be highly suspected in elderly females who develop lower extremity DVT and concurrent lower abdominal pain, particularly those with a retroperitoneal mass and unstable hemodynamics. Thrombosis secondary to MTS may be the main cause of SIVR. Angiography and endovascular therapy should be prioritized for DVT patients with unexplained retroperitoneal hematoma. This study classifies SIVR into two types: iliac vein rupture alone and iliac vein rupture with DVT. These findings provide critical insights for clinicians to accurately diagnose and manage SIVR, thereby improving patient outcomes.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To retrospectively analyze the differences of survival, recurrence, acute side effects and prognostic factors between early stage (stage ⅠB-ⅡA) cervical cancer patients with intermediate risk factors receiving postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) or radiotherapy (RT) alone.Methods:Clinical data of 211 patients with intermediate risk factors after early stage cervical cancer surgery admitted to Department of Radiation Oncology of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from January 2016 to December 2018, were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 91 cases were assigned in the RT group and 120 cases in CCRT group. The 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), recurrence and acute side effects were compared between two groups by Chi-square test. Univariate analysis of OS and PFS was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test was performed. Multivariate prognostic analysis was conducted by using Cox model. Results:The 3- and 5-year OS of 211 patients were 95.0% and 93.8%, respectively. The 3- and 5-year PFS were 86.8% and 83.2%, respectively. The OS of CCRT and RT group were 93.9%, 96.5% (3-year), 91.8%, 96.5% (5-year) respectively ( χ2=1.763, P=0.184), and the PFS were 84.4%, 89.9% (3-year), 79.3%, 88.3% (5-year) ( χ2=2.619 ,P=0.106), with no difference between the two groups. The total recurrence rate was 15.64%, and there was no significant difference in the recurrence rate and recurrence area between two groups ( χ2=2.623 ,P=0.105; χ2=6.745 ,P=0.080). Locoregional recurrence and lung metastasis were the main patterns of failure. Multivariate prognostic analysis showed that pathological type might significantly affect the OS ( χ2=3.849, P=0.05), and depth of invasion significantly affected the PFS ( χ2=4.095, P=0.043). The incidence of acute gastrointestinal side effect and bone marrow suppression in the CCRT group was significantly higher than that in the RT group ( χ2=56.425, 27.833; both P<0.001). Conclusions:Patients with intermediate risk factors after early cervical cancer surgery obtain high efficacy after radiotherapy. The main patterns of failure are locoregional recurrence and lung metastasis. The pathological type may be an independent prognostic factor of OS and the depth of invasion is an independent prognostic factor of PFS. Compared with RT, CCRT increases the risk of acute gastrointestinal side effects and myelosuppression, which can be tolerated. There is no significant difference in the clinical efficacy between RT and CCRT, which remains to be validated by large sample size studies.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To retrospectively analyze the prognosis and related risk factors of lymph node metastasis in early-stage (Ⅰ B-Ⅱ A) cervical cancer patients with postoperative positive lymph nodes who were treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted for 292 early-stage cervical cancer patients with postoperative high and/or moderate risk factors who were treated with pelvic-abdominal IMRT with/without concurrent chemotherapy in Ningxia Medical University General Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018. These patients included 239 with negative pelvic lymph nodes and 53 with positive lymph nodes, who were incorporated into the negative group and the positive group, respectively. Multivariate and univariate analyses of the risk factors of lymph node metastasis and prognosis were performed for both groups.Results:The univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the lesion ≥4 cm, deep interstitial invasion, and the number of risk factors were independent factors influencing pelvic lymph node metastasis ( χ2 = 7.11, 9.05, 90.08, P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the 3- and 5-year OS ( P>0.05) between both groups. The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and 5-year DFS of the negative group were 87.6% and 84.5%, respectively, and those of the positive group were 72.5% and 69.3%, respectively ( χ2=8.59, P=0.003). Regarding failure modes, distant metastasis mainly occurred in the positive group, while local recurrence was dominant in the negative group ( χ2=9.40, P<0.05). The univariate analysis of the DFS in 53 patients with postoperative positive lymph nodes showed that deep interstitial invasion affected DFS, with statistically significant differences ( χ2 = 7.25, P < 0.05). The result of the multivariate analysis showed that the lesion size >4 cm, positive residual, and deep interstitial invasion significantly influenced the DFS ( χ2 = 4.37, 4.69, 4.39, P < 0.05). Conclusions:The lesion size, deep interstitial invasion, and risk factor number were independent factors influencing lymph node metastasis, and the DFS after radiotherapy of patients with pelvic lymph node metastasis was significantly lower than the patients with negative lymph nodes. The main recurrence type of patients with lymph node metastasis was distant metastasis. Moreover, the deep interstitial invasion was independent factor affecting the DFS of early-stage cervical cancer patients with postoperative positive lymph nodes.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the clinical application of cervix-uterine internal target volume (ITV) in volume-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for cervical cancer under different bladder filling conditions, aiming to obtain more accurate planning target volume (PTV).Methods:Sixty-two patients with cervical cancer receiving radiotherapy rather than surgery were selected and randomly divided into the study ( n=31) and control groups ( n=31). In the study group, individualized ITV, PTV and PTV margin were obtained under three bladder filling status by localization CT scan to compare the VMAT. The target area and organs at risk (OARs) within the target area were statistically compared between two groups. The target missing rate in CBCT, adverse events and short-term efficacy of radiotherapy were analyzed in two groups. Results:There was no significant difference in the volume of target area and OARs in the target area between two groups (both P>0.05). In the study group, the target missing rate and target missing volume were significantly lower compared with those in the control group (both P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of acute radiation-induced adverse events between two groups ( P>0.05). The 1-, 2-year overall survival and progress-free survival did not significantly differ between two groups (all P>0.05). One patient in the study group had uterine recurrence and 2 cases in the control group. Conclusion:Application of individualized cervix-uterine ITV and PTV in definitive VMAT under different bladder filling conditions can improve the accuracy of target area contouring and improve the local control rate in cervical cancer patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective · To investigate the expression of the regulator of calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) and calcineurin A (CnA) in tissues of in-stent restenosis after intervention of arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO), and to explore the relationship between their expression levels and the occurance of in-stent restenosis. Methods · Superficial femoral arterial tissues were collected from 15 ASO patients undergoing lower extremity amputation for in-stent restenosis in Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from September 2013 to June 2016. H-E staining and Masson staining were performed on the stenosis tissues, as well as on the proximal and distal tissues, and the morphological changes of these tissues were observed under optical microscope. Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of RCAN1, CnA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The distribution of RCAN1 and CnA proteins was observed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence methods. In addition, co-immunoprecipitation was used to validate the protein-protein interaction between RCAN1 and CnA in vascular tissues. Results · The expression of RCAN1 in the distal tissues was significantly elevated compared with the proximal tissues and the stenosis tissues (P<0.05). The expression of RCAN1 in the proximal tissues was higher than that in the stenosis tissues (P <0.05). The expression of CnA and PCNA in the stenosis tissues was significantly elevated compared with the proximal tissues and the distal tissues (P<0.05). Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses showed that RCAN1 and CN proteins were mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of vascular smooth muscle cells. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed there is protein-protein interaction between RCAN1 and CnA in arterial tissues. Conclusion · The low expression of RCAN1 and the high expression of CnA are probably related to the occurrence of in-stent restenosis.
ABSTRACT
Objective To probe into the relation of expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF and EGFR in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with radiation therapy efficacy. Methods 73 of the patients with carcinoma of oesophagus from January , 2011 to May , 2014 in the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University , were involved in this research , their clinical data reviewed and analyzed. Before radiotherapy , immunohistochemical SP was used to test expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF and EGFR in the cancer tissues. Relationships between the expressions and the efficiency of radiotherapy were analyzed. Results The positive expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF and EGFR were 70.0%, 84.9% and 80.8%, respectively. In terms of the single factor analysis related to recent curative effects, HIF-1α expression had significant correlation with recent curative effects (P=0.03). Conversely , multiplicity indicated that HIF-1α and EGFR expressions were notably associated with recent curative effects (P=0.007, 0.045, respectively). Conclusions The positive expressions of HIF-1α,VEGF and EGFR in the esophageal carcinoma may account for a largest proportion of the total. HIF-1α and EGFR expressions are associated with the short-term outcomes.
