Let-7c restores radiosensitivity and chemosensitivity and impairs stemness in oral cancer cells through inhibiting interleukin-8.

BACKGROUND: The let-7 family of microRNAs has been considered as tumor suppressors in various cancers; however, the role of let-7c in oral squamous cell carcinoma has not been determined yet. METHODS: In this study, phenotypical behaviors and the radio/chemoresistance were examined subsequent to overexpression of let-7c. In addition, the expression of let-7c in cancer stem cells (CSCs) was evaluated and the effect of let-7c on stemness characteristics was assessed. Also, luciferase activity assays were performed to test whether interleukin (IL)-8 was a putative target of let-7c. RESULTS: Our results confirmed that the expression of let-7c in CSCs was reduced, while overexpression of let-7c attenuated the oncogenicity. Moreover, ectopic expression of let-7c in CSCs downregulated the stemness hallmarks and the radio/chemoresistance. Expression and secretion of IL-8 in oral CSCs were both reduced following overexpression of let-7c. Besides, the inhibitory effect of let-7c on various stemness phenotypes was reverted by IL-8, indicating that lower expression of let-7c may confer higher cancer stemness through a failure to downregulate IL-8. CONCLUSION: These findings revealed the significance of let-7c in the contribution of oral cancer stemness and radio/chemoresistance. Targeting let-7c and its downstream IL-8 may be beneficial to prevent cancer recurrence and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Effect of 4% chlorhexidine gluconate predisinfection skin scrub prior to hepatectomy: a double-blinded, randomized control study.

This trial was designed to compare the efficacy of 4% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) with normal saline (NS) as a predisinfection skin-scrub solution prior to standard presurgical skin preparation. Data was collected at a single transplantation center where patients electing resection of hepatic tumors were recruited between October 2011 and September 2012. In total, 100 patients were consecutively enrolled for random assignment to either 4% CHG or NS as a predisinfection skin-scrub solution prior to surgery. Our aim was to assess the comparative antiseptic efficacy of CHG in this setting, focusing on cutaneous microbial colonization (at baseline, preoperatively, and postoperatively) and postsurgical site infections as primary outcome measures. Positivity rates of baseline, preoperative, and postoperative cultures were similar for both groups, showing significant declines (relative to baseline) after skin preparation and no significant postsurgical rebound. Rates of surgical site infection were also similar in both groups (CHG, 6.0%; NS, 4.1%; P = 1.0). For patients with hepatic tumors undergoing hepatectomy, the effect of 4% CHG as a predisinfection scrub solution was similar to that of NS in terms of skin decontamination and surgical site infections.

Pattern of relapse after curative surgery for metastatic colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate patterns in the relapse frequency after curative surgical intervention, with the intention of determining the feasibility of a complete holiday from chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. METHODS: Patients with stage IV mCRC who received curative surgical intervention between January 1999 and December 2009 at Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan were investigated retrospectively. Factors influencing the frequency and pattern of relapse were analyzed by logistic regression. Factors influencing overall survival (OS) were analyzed with Cox proportional hazard ratios. Significant factors were extracted and relationships to OS were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier with Log-Rank test. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two patients were included in the study in which 94 (71.2%) suffered from relapse. The number of relapses peaked between 3 and 6 months. The incidence of relapse and Disease-free survival had a negative influence on OS, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.36 (95% CI: 0.01-0.26) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.90-0.95). The prognosis was significantly worse when the relapse (n=25) occurred within 6 months after metastectomy (p<0.001). Patients exhibited significantly better long-term OS if the relapse does not occur within 28 months after surgery (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Early relapse indicated a worse prognosis. We determined that if mCRC patients remain cancer-free for 28 months after curative surgery, their chance of long-term survival is significantly better.

A lower costly laparoscopic appendectomy: our experience of more than 2000 cases.

Many authors emphasize the advantages of laparoscopic techniques in their experience, including the excellent cosmetic results, reduced postoperative pain, rapid functional recovery, lower incidence of adhesions, wound infections and believe that laparoscopic appendectomy is a reliable operation for treating acute appendicitis. Laparoscopic appendectomy has become a standard procedure in the treatment of acute appendicitis in our department since it was introduced in 2003. There are 414 patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy and 37 patients underwent open appendectomy in our department in 2008. More than 2000 laparoscopic appendectomies were performed in our department during 2003-2009. However, open appendectomy is still the standard procedure in many Taiwan and worldwide hospitals. One of the reasons is that the operating costs incurred for laparoscopic appendectomy are higher than that of open appendectomy. We describe, herein, an access technique utilizing existing instrumentation that is reliable and easy.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei, origin from appendix: report of cases with images.

This report demonstrates the cases of a 47-year-old housewife, a 54-year-old female, and an 80-year-old woman in whom pseudomyxoma peritonei was found accidentally during surgery. Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare disease. No effective treatment is known. Modern treatments include radical surgical excision with appendicectomy and oophorectomy in women and adjuvant hyperthermic intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy. Major causes of morbidity and mortality are bowel obstruction and biliary obstruction. Five-year survival rate, depending on whether the disease is benign or malignant, is about 53-75%. Median survival is about 2 years under surgical management.

Transparenchymal retraction maneuver: a simple technique in laparoscopic hepatectomy.

The performance of laparoscopic hepatectomy still presents technical problems. One of the main difficulties is the impossibility of directly grasping the liver during resection. To overcome this problem, we have begun using transparenchymal suture traction in laparoscopic hepatectomy. From January 2000 through August 2001, eight laparoscopic hepatectomies were performed using suture traction during parenchymal resection. The advantages of this technique include no leakage of pneumoperitoneum, no increased trocar hole, ability to repeat application to the liver from various directions, and better exposure of the transected line.