Correlation between efficacy of the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor and serum tumor markers in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND: The mutation at epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a clinical predictor of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level was regarded as a predictive factor for the EGFR-TKI efficacy. Are there any other serum markers? This study analysed the correlation between the EGFR-TKI treatment effect and multiple serum tumor markers only in lung adenocarcinoma to find serum predictive markers for the EGFR-TKI efficacy. METHODS: Clinical features, survival time, and serum tumor marker levels before EGFR-TKI treatment were analysed, retrospectively, in 48 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with EGFR-TKI. RESULTS: With EGFR-TKI treatment, the response rate was 58.3% and disease control rate was 65.6% in lung adenocarcinoma; median survival time was 13.2 months. The efficiency of EGFR-TKI significantly correlated with smoking history and the serum level of CEA and CA199 (p < 0.05). Patients with a higher level of serum CEA and CA199 had a higher disease control rate and longer survival time (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum CA199 and CEA levels can predict the response of EGFR-TKI in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

Correlation between EGFR mutations and serum tumor markers in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Mutations affecting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are good predictors of clinical efficacy of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels are also regarded as predictive for the efficacy of EGFR-TKI and EGFR gene mutations. This study analyzed the association between EGFR gene mutations and clinical features, including serum tumor marker levels in lung adenocarcinomas patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 70 lung adenocarcinoma patients with complete clinical data and pathological specimens were investigated. EGFR gene mutations at exons 19 and 21 were assessed. Serum tumor markers were detected by protein chip- chemiluminescence at the corresponding time, and correlations were analyzed. RESULTS: Mutations of the EGFR gene were detected in 27 of the 70 patients and the serum CEA and CA242 concentrations were found to be significantly associated with the incidence of EGFR gene mutations (P<0.05). The AUCs for CEA and CA242 were 0.724 (95% CI: 0.598~0.850, P<0.05) and 0.769 (95% CI: 0.523~0.800, P<0.05) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Serum CEA and CA242 levels are associated with mutations of the EGFR gene in patients with lung adenocarcinomas.

Rolipram attenuates bleomycin A5-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary fibrosis has a poor prognosis. The pathogenesis of fibrotic disorders is unclear, but the extent of lung damage due to persistent inflammation is regarded as a critical factor. Rolipram inhibits inflammation induced by various stimuli, as well as the chemotaxis of fibroblasts. In this study rolipram was used to treat pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin A5 in rats, and the possible mechanisms were investigated. METHODS: Rolipram (0.25 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally daily, following intratracheal instillation of bleomycin A5 (5 mg/kg). Animals were killed at 7 or 28 days after bleomycin A5 instillation, and indices of lung damage and fibrosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Bleomycin A5 induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis, increased the levels of malondialdehyde and tumour necrosis factor-alpha and enhanced accumulation of collagen in the lungs. Rolipram administration significantly attenuated these effects. CONCLUSIONS: Rolipram ameliorated pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis induced by bleomycin A5 in rats. The effects of rolipram may be associated with its antioxidant activity and inhibition of tumour necrosis factor-alpha production.

[Dynamic characteristics of leaf area index and allocation characters of ecological resources for different yielding spring maize populations].

By using 3-year field experimental results and related meteorological observation data, the dynamic characteristics of leaf area index (LAI) and the allocation characters of ecological resources for different yielding spring maize (Zea Mays L.) population in Huadian of Jilin Province were studied. The results showed that the dynamic characteristics of relative LAI, with the relative growth days of test population, relative effective accumulated temperature, relative sunshine hours and relative rainfall as independent variables, fitted rational formula y = (a + bx) /(1 + cx + dx2), and the regression equation of maize yield with the ratios of growth days before and after silking (x1), effective accumulated temperature before and after silking (x2), rainfall before and after silking (x3), and sunshine hours before and after silking (x4) was y = 5465.19 + 17810.64x(1) - 23236.14x(2) + 4093.41x(3) + 6287.37x(4) (R2 = 0. 8187, P < 0.01), with the effects of these ecological factors on yield being in the sequence of x1 > x2 > x3 > x4 according to the absolute values of partial regression coefficients. In super high yielding (15499.86 kg x hm(-2)) spring maize population, the allocation ratios of x1, x2, x3, and x4 were 1.43, 1.41, 1.44, and 1.40, respectively. Therefore, in Northeast China, appropriate early sowing of spring maize to prolong its growth days with more rainfall and sunshine hours before silking could attain high yielding, and high or super high yield could be achieved when the allocation ratios of x1, x2, x3, and x4 were all about 1.4.

[Study of transcranial magnetic stimulation on diaphragm in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes and possible mechanisms of diaphragm motor evoked potential (MEP) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). METHODS: Sixteen healthy volunteers (control group), 7 primary snorers (snore group), 13 mild-moderate OSAHS patients (mild-moderate group) and 16 severe OSAHS patients (severe group) were recruited for the study from June in 2005 to June in 2006. Esophageal electrodes combined with TMS and cervical magnetic stimulation (CMS) were used to measure the latency and amplitude of right diaphragm MEP, as well as central motor conduction time (CMCT). The study was repeated in 5 OSAHS patients after effective nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) treatment for at least 2 months. RESULTS: The amplitude of right MEP in severe OSAHS group was (152 +/- 116) microV, which was significantly lower than that in the control group (414 +/- 201) microV, the snore group (352 +/- 99) microV and the mild-moderate group (372 +/- 206) microV. The latency and CMCT in the severe OSAHS group were (18.1 +/- 1.8), (10.6 +/- 1.8) ms respectively, which were significantly longer than those in the control group (13.9 +/- 1.6), (7.7 +/- 1.7) ms, the snore group (14.6 +/- 1.6), (8.1 +/- 1.6) ms, and the mild-moderate group (15.4 +/- 2.7) , (9.0 +/- 2.2) ms. The latency and amplitude of diaphragm MEP as well as CMCT correlated significantly with arousal index, longest apnea duration, minimum pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2), oxygen desaturation index, the percentage of total sleep time with SpO2 below 90% and apnea-hypoxia index (AHI). The latency became significantly shorter after effective nCPAP treatment for more than 2 months, which was (17.5 +/- 0.6) and (15.5 +/- 0.7) ms respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The latency of MEP and CMCT in OSAHS patients prolonged significantly, while the amplitude of MEP lowered, which may be due to repeated hypoxia, carbon dioxide retention and disorder of sleep structure at night.

[Phrenic nerve conduction of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significance of phrenic nerve conduction time (PNCT) and diaphragm compound muscle action potential (CMAP) detection in the assessment of severity and response to treatment in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients. METHODS: Sixteen healthy volunteers (control group), 8 primary snorers (snorer group), 14 mild-moderate OSAHS patients (mild-moderate group) and 18 severe OSAHS patients (severe group) were recruited for the study from January to July in 2005. Multi-pair esophageal electrodes were used to measure PNCT and CMAP of diaphragm in response to unilateral magnetic stimulation. The study was repeated in 5 OSAHS patients after effective nCPAP treatment for at least 2 months. RESULTS: The PNCT in severe OSAHS group was (8.9 +/- 1.2), (7.9 +/- 1.5) ms respectively, which was significantly longer than those in the control group (6.5 +/- 0.7), (6.0 +/- 0.5) ms, snorer group (6.5 +/- 1.2), (6.0 +/- 0.8) ms and mild-moderate group (7.3 +/- 1.0), (6.3 +/- 0.7) ms. The amplitude of diaphragm CMAP was (1.4 +/- 0.4), (1.4 +/- 0.3) mV in mild-moderate group and (0.9 +/- 0.4), (1.1 +/- 0.6) mV in severe group, which was significantly lower than those in the control group (2.3 +/- 0.9), (2.1 +/- 0.9) mV and snorer group (1.9 +/- 0.5), (2.1 +/- 0.7) mV, and severe patients have significantly lower CMAP than mild-moderate patients. The PNCT and CMAP of both sides for all subjects correlated significantly with oxygen desaturation index and apnea-hypopnea index. The PNCT shortened significantly after effective nCPAP treatment, which was (8.6 +/- 0.6) ms, (7.4 +/- 0.5) ms for left side and (7.8 +/- 0.6) ms, (6.5 +/- 0.5) ms for right side. CONCLUSION: PNCT and CMAP detection with multi-pair esophageal electrodes in response to unilateral magnetic stimulation may be useful for the severity assessment and evaluation of response to effective treatment in OSAHS patients.