Correlation between preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma and tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand gene expression in different types of leukaemia patients.

INTRODUCTION: Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) down-regulation by preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME) is a general phenomenon in different types of solid tumours, but research on the correlation between PRAME and TRAIL gene expression in leukaemia patients is rare. METHOD: PRAME and TRAIL expression was detected in bone marrow samples from 80 newly diagnosed acute leukaemia (AL) patients and 40 chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients using TaqMan-based real-time quantitative PCR methods, and a linear correlation analysis was performed on their levels of expression. A total of 15 normal bone marrow samples from individuals with non-malignant haematological diseases served as normal controls. RESULTS: PRAME expression was higher in both AL and CML patients compared to controls (both p < 0.001). CML patients in both blast crisis (BC) and the accelerated phase (AP) had significantly higher PRAME levels than CML patients in the chronic phase (CP) (p = 0.006 and 0.0461, respectively). TRAIL expression was higher in both the acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) group and the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) group than in the controls (p = 0.039 and 0.047, respectively). In contrast, CML patients had lower TRAIL levels than controls (p = 0.043), and TRAIL expression in CML patients in the advanced phases (BC and AP) was significantly lower than in CML-CP patients (p = 0.006). In CML patients, there was a significant inverse correlation (Spearman's R = -0.6669, p < 0.0001) between PRAME and TRAIL gene expression, while a greater significant inverse correlation was found in patients in the advanced phases (BC and AP) (R = -0.6764). In addition, no correlation was observed in AML and ALL patients. CONCLUSION: The simultaneous detection of PRAME and TRAIL gene expression may be helpful to monitor condition changes in leukaemia patients and evaluate therapeutic effects in clinical practice, particularly in CML patients.

[Preliminary study of HCT-CI score system for prognosis prediction in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia after chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of the HCT-CI score in chemotherapy risk assessment and prognosis of elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: The clinical data of 116 AML patients older than 60 years in the department of Hematology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2000 to December 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients received cytarabine-based regimens, including protocol DA, MA, IA, AA or CAG, followed by cytarabine-based postremission treatment. (1) Comorbidities were evaluated by using HCT-CI score, the early death rates and median survival time were compared among these different groups. (2) These prognostic factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: (1) All 116 cases were followed-up. The patient cohort was divided into those with HCT-CI scores of 0, 1 or 2, or ≥ 3. Early death rates were 3.7%, 12.1% and 23.21% in above three groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Overall survival were 345, 225 and 113 days, respectively (P < 0.01). (2) HCT-CI score ≥ 3 (P < 0.01), antecedent MDS history (P = 0.035), high-risk karyotype (P = 0.018), white blood cells at diagnosis ≥ 100×10(9)/L (P = 0.041) were independent adverse prognostic factors with multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: (1) The HCT-CI score can objectively assess elderly AML patients with comorbidities and predict chemotherapy risk in older patients receiving AML induction therapy. (2) Antecedent MDS history, high-risk karyotype, high white blood cell, and HCT-CI score ≥ 3 are independent adverse prognostic factors of elderly AML patients.

Histochemical studies on intestinal metaplasia adjacent to gastric cardia adenocarcinoma in subjects at high-incidence area in Henan, north China.

AIM: To characterize the histochemical type and pattern of intestinal metaplasia (IM) adjacent to gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) and distal gastric cancer (GC) in Linzhou, Henan Province, China. METHODS: Alcian-blue-periodic acid Schiff and high iron diamine-Alcian blue histochemical methods were performed on 142 cases of IM, including 49 cases of GCA and 93 cases of GC. All the patients were from Linzhou, Henan Province, China, the highest incidence area for both GCA and squamous cell carcinoma. Radio- or chemotherapy was not applied to these patients before surgery. RESULTS: The detection rate of IM in tissues adjacent to GCA tissues was 44.9%, which was significantly lower than that in GC tissues (80.64%, P<0.01). The rates of both incomplete small intestinal and colonic IM types identified by histochemistry in GCA tissues (31.82% and 63.64%, respectively) were significantly higher than those in GC (5.33% and 21.33%, respectively, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: IM in GCA and GC should be considered as a separate entity. Further research is needed to evaluate whether neoplastic progression of IM is related to its mucin profile in GCA.