ABSTRACT
Objective@#RET/PTC gene rearrangement can lead to aberrant activation of tyrosine kinase receptors, which is a common mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study focuses on the association of RET/PTC rearrangements with PTC clinical factors.@*Methods@#From January 2011 to December 2013, a total of 114 patients with PTC were enrolled in this study. Clinicopathological parameters, lifestyle, and thyroid hormone levels were collected. RET/PTC rearrangements were detected by TaqMan PCR and verified by Sanger sequencing.Data were analyzed with SPSS software, including chi-square test, Fisher′s exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, Student′s t-test, and Logistic regression.@*Results@#RET/PTC rearrangements were not found in all paracancerous normal thyroid tissues, and were detected in 23.68% (27/114) of PTC. Further analysis revealed no correlation between RET/PTC rearrangement and thyroid function, clinicopathologic parameters, and lifestyle in the total PTC group or in the subgroup of patients with concomitant diseases (including Hashimoto′s thyroiditis and nodular goiter). But in the subgroup of PTC without concomitant disease, RET/PTC rearrangement was associated with tumor multifocal (P=0.018), and RET/PTC-positive PTC patients had an increased risk of tumor multifocal (OR=5.57, 95% CI 1.39-22.33). It was also found that RET/PTC rearrangement was associated with an abnormal increase in TSH level of one month after surgery (P= 0.037).@*Conclusion@#Nodular goiter and Hashimoto ′s thyroiditis may be a confounding factor in PTC. RET/PTC rearrangement may play an important role in the occurrence of thyroid carcinoma multifocal after exclusion of this confounding factor.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Portal/hepatic vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT/HVTT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a sign of advanced stage disease and is associated with poor prognosis. This study investigated the surgical outcomes of patients with HCC and PVTT/HVTT to determine the most appropriate surgical treatment strategy for these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population included 77 HCC patients from January 2004 to June 2009 who underwent hepatectomy in our department and were diagnosed with PVTT/HVTT based on pathological examination. The patients were divided into two groups: in group 1, PVTT/HVTT was located in the hepatic resection area and removed with the tumor en bloc (38 cases); in group 2, PVTT/HVTT was beyond the resection line and removed by suction or thrombectomy (39 cases). Concerning the factor of surgical margins, the patients were further divided into four subgroups: group 1A: patients in group 1 with surgical margins ≤1 cm (28 cases); group 1B: patients in group 1 with surgical margins >1 cm (9 cases); group 2A: patients in group 2 with surgical margins ≤1 cm (28 cases); and group 2B: patients in group 2 with surgical margins >1 cm (9 cases). RESULTS: Most of the characteristics of groups 1 and 2 were similar. Patients in group 2 had significantly higher median blood loss (p=0.002) and higher blood transfusion rate (p=0.002) during the operation, which were not considered prognostic factors (p=0.323 and 0.571, respectively). The median overall survival (OS) duration in group 1 was significantly longer than that in group 2 (14.3 vs. 10.4 months, p=0.047). The median OS durations in groups 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B were 14.3, 42.7, 7.5, and 18.0 months, respectively, which were significantly different(p=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: When PVTT/HVTT is located in the hepatic resection area and removed with the tumor en bloc, the median OS duration is longer. Based on this finding, widening the surgical margins when technically possible may increase OS.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/complications , Hepatectomy/adverse effects , Hepatic Veins/surgery , Liver Neoplasms/complications , Portal Vein/surgery , Postoperative Complications , Thrombectomy/mortality , Venous Thrombosis/surgery , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/mortality , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/surgery , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Hepatic Veins/pathology , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/mortality , Liver Neoplasms/surgery , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Neoplasm Staging , Portal Vein/pathology , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Survival Rate , Venous Thrombosis/etiology , Venous Thrombosis/mortalityABSTRACT
AIM To characterize the primary structure of recombinant L-asparaginase II product. METHODS The molecular weight of the protein was measured by pneumatically-assisted electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with flow injection mode. Subsequently, tryptic peptide mapping was performed by high performance liquid chromatography on a C8 column with tandem UV and MS detection. An easy-to-use and simple denaturation process with trichloroacetic acid was conducted prior to tryptic digest so as to release the digest resistance from the protein structure. The amino acid sequences of the tryptic peptides were elucidated based on their in-source collision-induced dissociation spectra. RESULTS The measured molecular mass was different from the theoretical value. Three amino acid variations were unambiguously detected along the peptide backbone derived from the gene-encoding sequence. CONCLUSION This paper revealed that LC/ESI/MS had provided a promising and robust technique in primary structure analysis and quality control of DNA-derived recombinant protein pharmaceuticals.
