Overexpression of long non-coding RNA MALAT1 is correlated with clinical progression and unfavorable prognosis in pancreatic cancer.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proved to serve as a critical role in cancer development and progression. However, little is known about the pathological role of lncRNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in pancreatic cancer patients. The aims of this study are to measure the expression of lncRNA MALAT1 in pancreatic cancer patients and to explore the clinical significance of the lncRNA MALAT1. Using qRT-PCR, the expression of lncRNA MALAT1 was measured in 126 pancreatic cancer tissues and 15 adjacent non-cancerous tissues. In the present study, our results indicated that lncRNA MALAT1 was highly expressed in pancreatic cancer compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues (P < 0.001), and positively correlated with clinical stage (early stages vs. advanced stages, P < 0.001), tumor size (<2 vs. ≥2 cm, P = 0.004), lymph node metastasis (negative vs. positive, P < 0.001), and distant metastasis (absent vs. present, P = 0.001) in pancreatic cancer patients. Furthermore, we also found that lncRNA MALAT1 overexpression was an unfavorable prognostic factor in pancreatic cancer patients (P < 0.001), regardless of clinical stage, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. Finally, increased lncRNA MALAT1 expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for pancreatic patients through multivariate analysis (P = 0.018). In conclusion, overexpression of lncRNA MALAT1 serves as an unfavorable prognostic biomarker in pancreatic cancer patients.

[Diagnosis and treatment of focal nodular hyperplasia of liver].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnosis and treatment of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of liver. METHODS: The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for 26 cases with confirmed FNH of liver from January 2006 to July 2011. Enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed. RESULTS: Among them, 22 cases underwent surgical resection, including left hemihepatectomy (n = 4), left lateral lobe hepatectomy (n = 5) and partial hepatectomy (n = 13). The pathological diagnosis was FNH. Most tumors were of soft texture. The gross surface was brown or yellow-brown in color. Central scar and radiating fibrous septas were spotted in some cases. There was no recurrence during a follow-up period of 4 months to 5 years. Serial observations were conducted for 4 cases with a follow-up period of 2 - 4 years. No growth was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced CT and MRI are important diagnostic tools. The confirmed cases may be followed up. Surgical resection is effective with an excellent prognosis.

Prognostic factors and therapeutic effects of different treatment modalities for colorectal cancer liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China, and the liver is the most common metastatic site in patients with advanced CRC. Hepatectomy is the gold standard treatment for colorectal liver metastases. For patients who cannot undergo radical resection of liver metastases for various reasons, ablation therapy, interventional therapy, and systemic chemotherapy can be used to improve their quality of life and prolong their survival time. AIM: To explore the prognostic factors and treatments of liver metastases of CRC. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 87 patients with liver metastases from CRC treated at the Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute between January 2005 and March 2011. According to different treatments, the patients were divided into the following four groups: Surgical resection group (36 patients); ablation group (23 patients); intervention group (15 patients); and drug group (13 patients). The clinicopathological data and postoperative survival of the four groups were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The median survival time of the 87 patients was 38.747 ± 3.062 mo, and the 1- and 3-year survival rates were 87.5% and 53.1%, respectively. The Cox proportional hazards model showed that the following factors were independent factors affecting prognosis: The degree of tumor differentiation, the number of metastases, the size of metastases, and whether the metastases are close to great vessels. The results of treatment factor analysis showed that the effect of surgical treatment was better than that of drugs, intervention, or ablation alone, and the median survival time was 48.83 ± 4.36 mo. The drug group had the worst prognosis, with a median survival time of only 13.5 ± 0.7 mo (P < 0.05). For patients with liver metastases of CRC near the great vessels, the median survival time (27.3 mo) of patients undergoing surgical resection was better than that of patients using other treatments (20.6 mo) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with a low degree of primary tumor differentiation, multiple liver metastases (number of tumors > 4), and maximum diameter of liver metastases > 5 cm have a poor prognosis. Among drug therapy, intervention, ablation, and surgical treatment options, surgical treatment is the first choice for liver metastases. When liver metastases are close to great vessels, surgical treatment is significantly better than drug therapy, intervention, and ablation alone.

Intermedin promotes hepatic carcinoma cell proliferation through upregulation of miR-155.

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) plays an important role in the development of malignant carcinoma. The small peptide intermedin (IMD) can promote hepatic carcinoma cell proliferation. The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of miR-155 on IMD-stimulated hepatic carcinoma cell proliferation. METHODS: Proliferation of hepatic carcinoma SMMC7721 cells was detected by CCK-8, expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and miR-155 was detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: We found that IMD promotes the proliferation of SMMC7721 cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. IMD can upregulate the expression of miR-155, and blocking of miR-155 can inhibit the IMD-induced SMMC7721 cell proliferation to some extent. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that IMD can promote the proliferation of human hepatic carcinoma cell line SMMC7721 cells through upregulation of miR-155. This study may contribute to hepatic cancer prevention and therapy.

Intermedin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation through the classical Wnt signaling pathway.

The proliferative activity of hepatic carcinoma cells is directly associated with tumorigenesis, tumor development, metastasis and invasion. A variety of cytokines and peptides serve important roles in the development of hepatic carcinoma. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of intermedin (IMD) on hepatic carcinoma cell proliferation and its mechanism of action. HepG2 hepatic carcinoma cell lines were treated with human recombinant IMD1-53 and its receptor antagonist IMD17-47. Cell proliferation was detected using a Cell Counting kit-8. The activation of the classical Wnt signaling pathway was demonstrated by the ratio of TOPflash:FOPflash luciferase activity. The expression of c-Myc and cyclin D1 downstream of the Wnt signaling pathway were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. It was demonstrated that IMD may promote the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a time-dependent manner, and that the IMD receptor antagonist IMD17-47 could eliminate this promotion. IMD may activate classical Wnt signaling pathway transcriptional activity and the mRNA levels of certain downstream target genes. Furthermore, blocking of the Wnt signaling pathway may inhibit IMD-induced HepG2 cell proliferation to a certain extent. IMD may promote hepatic carcinoma cell proliferation by binding with receptor antagonist IMD17-47 and activating the Wnt signaling cascade, thus providing a novel avenue for the treatment of hepatic carcinoma.

Pathology comparative study on the characteristic CT signs in solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas.

In order to analyze characteristic CT signs in the solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 49 patients with pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas who where treated in Liaoning Cancer Hospital. All of the patients were confirmed by pathology, CT signs were analyzed and a pathology contrast was conducted. Furthermore, all cases had single lesions; 7 cases in the pancreatic head, 23 cases in the pancreatic body, 15 cases in the pancreatic body-tail and 4 cases in the pancreatic tail. The boundaries of the lesions were clear and the tumors, which may outline the pancreas, were composed of solid and polycystic parts. In addition, calcifications could be observed in the lesions and CT results revealed varying degrees of contrast enhancement of the solid components in the arterial phase, as well as a gradual contrast enhancement in the venous and delayed phase. Enhancement of capsule could be observed, and the enhancement region was observed in the solid part, no enhancement in cystic part.. In conclusion, CT manifestations of solid pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas are specific, which is helpful to the diagnosis.

[Localization and pathological examination of sentinel lymph node during operation in gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application of sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer. METHODS: Thirty- eight patients with gastric cancer were divided into three groups (T(1); T(2); T(3)) according to tumor invasion depth. SLN was localized using methyl blue injection method. Metastatic lymph nodes were detected by immunohistochemical staining of cytokeratin (CK- 19). RESULTS: SLN(S ) were detected in all 38 patients and lymph node metastasis occurred in 18 cases. The sensitivity, false- negative rate, and diagnostic accuracy of SLN for lymph node metastasis were 83.3% 16.7% and 92.1% respectively. The diagnostic accuracy was 100% in T1 cases without false- negative cases, 94.1% in T(2) cases with one false- negative case, 75% in T(3) cases with two false- negative cases. CONCLUSION: The method of injecting methylene blue around the primary tumor is a feasible method that can determine SLN localization during operation.