LDLR promotes growth and invasion in renal cell carcinoma and activates the EGFR pathway.

Previous studies identified an association of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and LDL receptor (LDLR) with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development. This study investigated the expression and roles of LDLR in RCC. LDLR expression was examined in clear cell RCC (ccRCC) and adjacent normal kidney tissues, and its clinicopathological significance was analyzed. The role of LDLR in RCC cell proliferation, cell cycle, and invasion were assessed in RCC cells with LDLR stable knockdown. LDLR expression was higher in ccRCC tissues than in normal kidney tissues and increased with RCC progression. LDLR knockdown in RCC cells inhibited cell growth, migration and invasion, and induced G1/S cell cycle arrest. We identified an interaction between LDLR and EGFR, and EGFR signaling protein expression was reduced after LDLR knockdown. Our findings reveal that LDLR plays an important role in RCC carcinogenesis, suggesting that LDL and LDLR might be potential targets for therapeutic intervention in RCC.

An Easy and Effective Method to Locate Renal Vein During Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy: Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND There are few studies that address how to quickly locate the renal vein after processing the renal artery during retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (RLRN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of an easy and effective method to locate the renal vein in RLRN. MATERIAL AND METHODS Between September 2016 and October 2017, a total of 44 consecutive cases of RLRN were performed. All the surgeries used the proposed study method to locate the renal vein, in which surgeons located the renal artery following the medial arcuate ligament on the posterior abdominal wall, then the surgeon directly searched for the renal vein caudally relative to renal artery when performing left nephrectomy, but cranially when performing right nephrectomy. RESULTS Among the 44 enrolled RLRN patients, there were 28 left nephrectomies and 16 right nephrectomies. We found the renal vein in most cases successfully by our proposed method. The renal vein was located caudally relative to the renal artery in 27 cases of the left kidney (96.4%), and was located cranially in 14 cases of the right kidney (87.5%). The mean operative time was 135.0±27.8 minutes. No intraoperative complications occurred. Postoperative complications (fever) developed in 5 patients. Pathological examination revealed: clear cell carcinoma in 34 cases (77.3%), chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in 5 cases (11.4%), papillary RCC in 3 cases (6.8%), multilocular cystic RCC in 1 case (2.3%), and oxyphil cell adenoma in 1 case (2.3%). CONCLUSIONS Our proposed method to search for the renal vein might be a safe and feasible procedure to accelerate the process of handling the renal pedicle and of great practical significance in RLRN surgery.

MiR429 expression level in renal cell cancer and its correlation with the prognosis of patients.

PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that miR429 expression in renal cancer patients is increased and plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. METHODS: Twenty-seven renal cancer patients admitted to our hospital from May 2014 to May 2015 were enrolled as the study group, and 28 non-cancer patients were selected during the same period as the control group. Renal biopsy and serum samples were used to detect miR429 expression levels, and the patient histories were obtained to make relevant associations to clinical outcomes. In addition, the renal cancer cell line SK458 was used for overexpressing or knocking out miR429 in in vitro experiments to observe changes in proliferation and apoptosis rates. RESULTS: The expression levels of miR429 in renal tissues and serum of renal cancer patients were significantly higher compared with control patients (p<0.05). In addition, a correlation was found between the levels of miR429 in the serum of renal cell cancer patients and their clinical outcome after conventional treatment, with patients expressing lower miR429 levels showing better clinical outcomes. Finally, experiments with renal cancer cells revealed that the proliferation of cells overexpressing miR429 was increased and their apoptosis rate was significantly reduced, while the opposite was true in miR429-knockout cells. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that miR429 can inhibit normal apoptosis rates and lead to high proliferation rates. Accordingly, the higher serum miR429 level in renal cancer patients suggests that it plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease, while the differential miR429 levels according to the patients' clinical outcomes after treatment suggest that miR429 may be useful as a marker for prognosis.

Influence of adipocytokines in periprostatic adipose tissue on prostate cancer aggressiveness.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between the level of adipocytokines expression in periprostatic adipose tissue and the prostate cancer aggressiveness. PATIENTS AND METHOD: The periprostatic adipose tissues were collected from 30 patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy. The subcutaneous adipose, periprostatic adipose tissues and prostate cancer tissue from the same patient were collected from 10 patients for match research. The expression level of IL-6, Leptin and Adiponectin was detected by immunohistochemistry and by Real-time quantitative PCR in periprostatic adipose tissues. RESULT: There were differences in the positive rates of IL-6, Leptin and Adiponectin expression in the periprostate adipose between prostate cancer and control (P<0.001, P=0.032, 0.003). Nothing but the "IL-6 expression intensity" was seen in difference with the aggressiveness of prostate cancer (P=0.001), and was relevant with the prostate cancer aggressiveness (rs=0.668, P<0.001); The mRNA expression of IL-6 in periprostatic adipose tissues of prostate cancer was higher than that of control (P=0.049), and the mRNA expression of Adiponectin was lower (P<0.0001); IL-6 mRNA expression in periprostate adipose tissue and prostate cancer tissue were higher than that in subcutaneous adipose (P<0.001, P=0.001); IL-6 mRNA expression in periprostate adipose was correlated with that in prostate cancer tissue (r=0.663, p=0.036); Adiponectin mRNA expression in prostate cancer tissue was lower than that in periprostate adipose (P=0.006), and Adiponectin mRNA expression in periprostate adipose was correlated with that in prostate cancer tissue (r=0.707, p=0.022). CONCLUSION: IL-6, Leptin and Adiponectin were expressed in the periprostatic adipose tissues, which constitute the microenvironment of prostate cancer aggressiveness. There might be intimate relationship between periprostate adipose and prostate cancer tissue.

Preoperative lymphocyte-monocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios as predictors of overall survival in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

Although pretreatment neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are reportedly associated with clinical outcomes of many cancers, their roles in patients with bladder cancer (BCa) who undergo radical cystectomy (RC) have not been widely investigated. We analyzed relationships between preoperative NLR, LMR, PLR, and overall survival (OS) in 124 BCa patients undergoing RC. OS curves were drawn using the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated using the log-rank test. Relationships between OS and potential confounding variables were determined using Cox's proportional hazard regression model. Decreased LMR was associated with shorter OS (P = 0.012); OS in the low PLR group was significantly longer than that in the high PLR group (P = 0.029), and NLR was not significantly associated with oncological outcomes. However, after adjusting for confounding variables, patients in the high-LMR group indicated >30% decreased mortality than the low-LMR group (hazard ratio 0.674; 95% confidence interval 0.412-0.890; P = 0.003), and PLR was not an independent predictor of OS. Our results show that preoperative LMR is a better prognostic factor in BCa patients undergoing RC, compared with NLR and PLR.

The association between metabolic syndrome and the risk of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: a case-control study in China.

BACKGROUND: Evidence of the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with cancer risk is accumulating. However, uncertainties still exist as to the link of MetS with bladder cancer. This study aimed to assess the relationship between MetS and the risk of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UC) in a Chinese population. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological data of 972 newly diagnosed UC patients and 1098 cancer-free controls matched to the cases by age and gender. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression in both unadjusted and adjusted models. RESULTS: MetS was not significantly associated with the overall UC risk (p=0.08). However, a significant association of MetS with UC was observed in female patients (p=0.006). Diabetes mellitus (crude OR 1.339, 95% CI 1.079-1.662, p=0.008; adjusted OR 1.767, 95% CI 1.308-2.386, p<0.001) and hypertriglyceridemia (crude OR 1.245, 95% CI 1.018-1.522, p=0.033; adjusted OR 1.254, 95% CI 1.020-1.542, p=0.032) were significantly associated with UC risk. As the number of MetS components increased, the UC risk was elevated. Having three or more (versus zero) components of MetS was significantly related to risk of overall UC (OR 1.315; 95% CI 1.006-1.719; p=0.045) and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (OR 1.354; 95% CI 1.019-1.798; p=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated a marginal association between MetS and UC risk, and a significant association with UC risk in female patients. The results need to be evaluated in large-scale prospective cohorts.

[Expression of nNOS and ultrastructural changes in the penile tissue of rats with prolactinoma-induced erectile dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of nNOS and ultrastructural changes in the penile tissue of rats with prolactinoma-induced erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODS: We established the model of prolactinoma in 20 male Westar rats by peritoneal injection of diethylstilbestrol (DES) and treated the control rats with normal saline (n = 10) or sterilized arachis oil (n = 10). After 8 weeks, we performed the apomorphine test and measured the weight of the pituitary gland and the levels of serum prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (T) to confirm the successful construction of the prolactinoma-induced ED model. Then we determined the expression of nNOS in the penile tissue by immunohistochemistry and examined the ultrastructural changes of the penile cavernosum under the transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: The prolactinoma-induced ED model was successfully established in 15 rats. The weight of the pituitary gland was significantly increased in the rats treated with DES as compared with the normal saline and sterilized arachis oil controls ([46.7 ± 15.5] vs [11.7 ± 2.4] and [12.4 ± 2.3] mg, both P < 0.05). The level of serum PRL was markedly higher while that of T remarkably lower in the former than in the latter two groups ([1,744.9 ± 304.5] vs [11.5 ± 2.4] and [10.6 ± 1.9] ng/ml, both P < 0.0l; [1.54 ± 0.46] vs [3.11 ± 1.08] and [3.04 ± 1.11] ng/ml, both P < 0.05). The rate of penile erection was significantly reduced in the prolactinoma-induced ED model rats in comparison with the normal saline and arachis oil controls (16.7% vs 100% and 87.5%, both P < 0.05), and so was the expression of nNOS in the penile tissue (0.024 ± 0.011 vs 0.066 ± 0.019 and 0.058 ± 0.021, both P < 0.05). Transmission electron microscopy manifested significant ultrastructural changes in the endothelial and smooth muscle cells of the cavernous tissue in the prolactinoma-induced ED models. CONCLUSION: The ultrastructural changes of the penile cavernous tissue and the reduced expression of nNOS in penile tissue may be the most important mechanisms of prolactinoma-induced ED in rats.

Prevalence of dyslipidaemia in patients with renal cell carcinoma: a case-control study in China.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of dyslipidaemia in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in a Chinese population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 550 histologically confirmed RCC cases and 570 controls, matched for age and sex were included. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were assessed before treatment using standard techniques. The lipid profiles were defined as 'normal', 'borderline high', 'high' and 'low' according to Chinese Guidelines on Adult Dyslipidaemia. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression in both unadjusted and adjusted models. RESULTS: Abnormal LDL elevation was common in RCC cases compared with controls (P < 0.001). Results for total cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL levels between groups were insignificant. The OR for RCC for high levels of LDL (≥160 mg/dL) compared with those with a normal LDL profile was 4.675 (95% CI 1.900-11.500). After adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, total cholesterol and triglyceride, the coexistence of high levels of LDL and RCC was large and statistically significant (OR 8.955, 95% CI 3.371-23.786). There was a significant coexistence of RCC for participants with high LDL levels when subgroups of cases with clear cell subtypes and advanced T stages were compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Abnormal LDL elevation was prevalent in Chinese patients with RCC. The results remain to be evaluated in prospective cohorts.

[Improving effect of Shengjingsan on spermatogenic function following testicular torsion/detorsion in rats and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Shengjingsan on spermatogenic function following testicular torsion/detorsion in rats and its action mechanism. METHODS: Forty SD male rats were equally randomized to groups A (sham operation), B (control), C (low-dose Shengjingsan), D (medium-dose Shengjingsan) and E (high-dose Shengjingsan). The model of testicular torsion was established by 720 degrees clockwise torsion of the left testis for 4 hours. An hour before operation, the rats of group B received daily gavage of normal saline at 1 ml per kg per d, while those in groups C, D and E that of Shengjingsan at 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 g per kg per d, all for 35 days. Then all the rats were sacrificed for measuring the semen parameters by CASA and detecting the expression of the CatSper1 gene in the sperm by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with group A, Sperm concentration, the percentage of grade a + b sperm, sperm vitality and CatSper1 expression were significantly lower in group B ([15.30 +/- 6.30] %, [44.42 +/- 6.36] %, [21.00 +/- 6.14] x 10(6)/ml and 1.12 +/- 0.50) than in A ([51.30 +/- 6.60]%, [69.01 +/- 7.20]%, [40.53 +/- 7.01] x 10(6)/ml and 2.04 +/- 0.77) (P < 0.01). Compared with group B, the four parameters were increased remarkably in groups D ([51.63 +/- 3.20] %, [72.09 +/- 2.20]%, [55.30 +/- 5.90] x10(6)/ml and 2.11 +/- 0.20) andE ([55.93 +/- 3.17]%, [73.01 +/- 2.11]%, [58.33 + 4.90] x 10(6)/ml and 2.31 +/- 0.17) (P < 0.01), but not significantly in C ([18.02 +/- 0.23]%, [48.04 +/- 7.01]%, [22.87 +/- 2.10] x 10(6)/ml and 1.19 +/- 0.51) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Shengjingsan can improve sperm parameters following testicular torsion/ detorsion in male rats by regulating their spermatogenic function and improving the expression of CatSper1 in the sperm.

Prognostic value of the sarcomatoid component in bladder cancer: A propensity score matching study.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the bladder is rare, and little is known about the prognostic impact of the proportion of sarcomatoid components of the bladder. The present study aimed to assess the prognostic value of the proportion of sarcomatoid components with regard to death and recurrence rates in patients with bladder cancer (BC), and to validate the worse survival results of sarcomatoid carcinomas of the bladder using propensity score matching. Patients with sarcomatoid carcinoma of the bladder who were treated at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between August 2010 and May 2021 were included in the study. A 1:2 propensity score matching system based on age, sex and pathological T stage was used for sarcomatoid and non-sarcomatoid carcinoma matching. Finally, 114 patients with BC were included. Patients with sarcomatoid carcinoma had worse 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) (69.1 vs. 86.9%; log-rank P=0.008) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (64.1 vs. 83.6%; log-rank P=0.001) rates compared with patients with non-sarcomatoid carcinoma, as had the subgroup with muscle invasion. Multivariate analysis revealed sarcomatoid carcinoma as an independent prognostic factor. Patients with a low proportion of sarcomatoid components (1-50%) had a better prognosis than patients with a high proportion (>50%), and no significant difference was found compared with the non-sarcomatoid group. Overall, a proportion of sarcomatoid components >50% was a predictor of CSS and RFS. Sarcomatoid components markedly increased the risk of death and recurrence in muscle-invasive BC, but not in non-muscle-invasive BC. A higher proportion of sarcomatoid components was significantly associated with poorer survival.

Granulomatous prostatitis after bacille Calmette-Guérin instillation resembles prostate carcinoma: A case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillation is recommended in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who have intermediate-risk and high-risk tumors. However, granulomatous prostatitis is a rare complication induced by BCG instillation, which can easily be misdiagnosed as prostate cancer. Here, we report a case of granulomatous prostatitis that resembled prostate cancer. CASE SUMMARY: A 64-year-old Chinese man with bladder cancer received BCG instillation. Three days later, he stopped BCG instillation and received anti-infective therapy due to the urinary tract infection. Three months after BCG restart, he had rising total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (9.14 ng/mL) and decreasing free PSA/total PSA (0.09). T2-weighted images of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 28 mm × 20 mm diffuse low signal abnormality in the right peripheral zone, which was markedly hyperintense on high b-value diffusion-weighted MRI and hypointense on apparent diffusion coefficient map images. Considering Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score of 5 and possibility of prostate cancer, a prostate biopsy was conducted. Histopathology showed typical features of granulomatous prostatitis. The nucleic acid test for tuberculosis was positive. He was finally diagnosed with BCG-induced granulomatous prostatitis. Thereafter, he stopped BCG instillation and received anti-tuberculosis treatment. During 10 mo follow-up, he had no evidence of tumor recurrence or symptoms of tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: Temporarily elevated PSA and high followed by low signal abnormality on diffusion-weighted MRI are important indicators of BCG-induced granulomatous prostatitis.

Testis and epididymis-unusual sites of metastatic gastric cancer: A case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Although gastric cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, cases of gastric cancer metastasis to the male reproductive system are rare. Here, we report a case involving testicular and epididymal gastric cancer metastases. CASE SUMMARY: A 75-year-old Chinese man complained of experiencing a palpable painful mass in the right scrotum for 6 mo. He had undergone distal gastrectomy with chemotherapy for pT3N3aMx poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma 9 mo before. Physical examination revealed a moderate right hydrocele and a painful mass in the right testis and epididymis. Serum tumor biomarkers were all normal except for elevated beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels. Computed tomography urography and B-ultrasound imaging revealed a moderate right hydrocele and a mixed solid-cystic mass in the right testicular and epididymal area. Thus, the patient underwent right radical orchiectomy. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the tumor cells were positive for pancytokeratins and caudal related homeodomain transcription 2. Metastatic, poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma of the testis and epididymis was confirmed by pathology. He continued to undergo chemotherapy at the department of oncology of our hospital. Mesenteric lymph node metastases were found at the postoperative 1-mo follow-up. CONCLUSION: Palpable, painful scrotal mass, history of gastric cancer, and imaging features may indicate testicular and epididymal metastatic gastric cancer.

Adult isolated congenital anterior urethrocutaneous fistula.

Isolated congenital anterior urethrocutaneous fistula (CAUF) is an extremely rare deformity and few cases have been reported in the English language literature. Moreover, adult CAUF has not been reported up to now. We present a rare adult patient with this unusual isolated CAUF deformity. The possible etiology and treatment strategy are discussed.

Development and validation of a nomogram including lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio for initial prostate biopsy: a double-center retrospective study.

Here, we developed a prostate cancer (PCa) risk nomogram including lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) for initial prostate biopsy, and internal and external validation were further conducted. A prediction model was developed on a training set. Significant risk factors with P < 0.10 in multivariate logistic regression models were used to generate a nomogram. Discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the model were assessed using C-index, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis (DCA). The nomogram was re-examined with the internal and external validation set. A nomogram predicting PCa risk in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 4-10 ng ml-1 was also developed. The model displayed good discrimination with C-index of 0.830 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.812-0.852). High C-index of 0.864 (95% CI: 0.840-0.888) and 0.871 (95% CI: 0.861-0.881) was still reached in the internal and external validation sets, respectively. The nomogram exhibited better performance compared to the nomogram with PSA only (C-index: 0.763, 95% CI: 0.746-0.780, P < 0.001) and the nomogram with LMR excluded (C-index: 0.824, 95% CI: 0.804-0.844, P < 0.010). The calibration curve demonstrated good agreement in the internal and external validation sets. DCA showed that the nomogram was useful at the threshold probability of >4% and <99%. The nomogram predicting PCa risk in patients with PSA 4-10 ng ml-1 also displayed good calibration and discrimination performance (C-index: 0.734, 95% CI: 0.708-0.760). This nomogram incorporating age, PSA, digital rectal examination, abnormal imaging signals, PSA density, and LMR could be used to facilitate individual PCa risk prediction in initial prostate biopsy.

Ureter - an unusual site of breast cancer metastasis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BCa) is one of the most common malignancies in women; however, ureteral metastasis of BCa has rarely been reported in the literature. CASE SUMMARY: A 55-year-old Chinese woman with an 8-year history of BCa presented with lower back pain that had persisted for 3 mo. The patient underwent bilateral modified radical mastectomy and subclavian and submandibular clearance, and received systemic treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy during treatment. Ureteroscopy did not acquire a satisfactory biopsy. Thus, laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was performed, and ureteral metastases of BCa were pathologically confirmed. As suggested by her oncologist, she continued to receive apatinib. Postoperative 3-mo follow-up indicated further progression of axillary lymph node metastases. CONCLUSION: Ureteral metastasis of BCa shows nonspecific symptoms. Diagnosing ureter metastasis from BCa can be established by histopathology and immunohistochemistry.

[Diagnosis and treatment of penile verrucous carcinoma: a report of 4 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnosis and treatment of penile verrucous carcinoma. METHODS: The clinical and pathological data of 4 patients with penile verrucous carcinoma were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients ranged in age from 42 to 76 years (average 52). All the tumors showed exophytic papillary lesions, the biggest being 2.1 to 5.8 cm in diameter. The lesions were confined to the glans penis in two cases and invaded the shafts in the other 2 (1 accompanied by syphilis). One patient, whose tumor was small (1.4 cm in diameter) and confined to the glans penis, underwent glandectomy. One with a larger tumor confined to the glans penis and the other 2 with the shafts involved underwent partial penectomy, including the one accompanied by syphilis, who underwent the operation after treated by Benzathine benzylpenicillin. Histopathological examination of the specimens showed that the tumor cells were mostly well-differentiated and the surgical margins were tumor free in all the 4 cases. HE stain was performed in all the specimens. Microscopic examination revealed papillomatosis and hyperkeratosis of the epithelium, with bulbous projections into the lamina propria consisting of well-differentiated squamous epithelial cells. Marked invasion of the stroma by lymphocytes was noted. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 7 years (average 4.6), revealing no recurrence. The result of the rapid plasma regain (RPR) test was negative but that of the Treponema pallidum passive-particle-agglutination (TPPA) test remained positive in the blood of the patient accompanied by syphilis after treatment. CONCLUSION: Verrucous carcinoma of the penis is characterized by low malignant potential and locally aggressive nature. It seldom develops metastasis to regional lymphonodes or distant areas. Glandectomy or partial penectomy can be chosen for its treatment, with favorable prognosis.

Association of ABO Blood Types and Clinicopathological Features of Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between ABO blood types and clinicopathological characteristics in patients with prostate cancer (PC). METHODS: A total of 237 pathologically diagnosed PC patients were enrolled. All patients were classified as low-middle or high-risk group. The correlation of ABO blood types with high-risk PC was determined by univariate and multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Data indicated 144 (85.7%) patients were stratified as high risk in the non-O group, while 50 (72.5%) patients in the O group (p = 0.025). However, there was no significant difference regarding PSA, Gleason score, stage, or metastasis between O and non-O group (p > 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analyses revealed PSA, Gleason score, and blood type non-O were all correlated with high-risk PC (OR = 1.139, p < 0.001; OR = 9.465, p < 0.001; OR = 2.280, p = 0.018, resp.). In the stepwise multivariate regression analysis, the association between blood type non-O and high-risk PC remained significant (OR = 33.066, 95% CI 2.391-457.323, and p = 0.009) after adjusting for confounding factors as well as PSA and Gleason score. CONCLUSION: The present study firstly demonstrated that non-O blood type was at higher risk of aggressive PC compared with O type, suggesting that PC patients with non-O blood type should receive more attention in clinical practice.

Comparison of preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte, lymphocyte-monocyte, and platelet-lymphocyte ratios in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma undergoing radical nephroureterectomy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUTUC). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 140 patients with UUTUC who underwent radical nephroureterectomy from January 2005 to December 2011. We plotted receiver operating characteristic curves of NLR, PLR, and LMR for the diagnosis of tumor recurrence. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Independent risk factor analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that NLR was superior to PLR and LMR as a predictive factor in patients with UUTUC undergoing radical nephroureterectomy. Univariate analysis revealed that NLR (P<0.001 and P<0.001), PLR (P=0.01 and P<0.001), and LMR (P<0.001 and P<0.001) were significantly associated with disease-free survival and progression-free survival (PFS), respectively. Multivariate analysis identified NLR and LMR as independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival (P=0.035 and P=0.002) and PFS (P=0.005 and P=0.002), respectively. CONCLUSION: NLR and LMR could be independent predictors of disease-free survival and PFS, and NLR is a superior predictive factor to LMR.

MicroRNA-126 inhibits tumor cell invasion and metastasis by downregulating ROCK1 in renal cell carcinoma.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in cancer development and progression. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) frequently undergoes metastasis and has a high mortality rate. The current study measured miRNA­126 (miR­126) expression levels in 128 pairs of clear cell RCC and adjacent normal kidney tissue samples by reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and analyzed the association between miR­126 and various clinicopathological parameters. In addition, cell proliferation, wound healing and cell invasion assays were conducted using RCC cells overexpressing miR­126. Potential miR­126 target genes and the signaling pathways that may be regulated by miR­126 were then examined. miR­126 expression was significantly reduced in patients with metastatic RCC compared with patients without metastasis. Consistently, overexpression of miR­126 in RCC cells significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro compared with negative control miRNA. A luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR­126 targets Rho associated coiled­coil containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) by directly binding the 3'­untranslated region. Furthermore, western blotting identified miR­126 as an important regulator of the AKT and extracellular signal­regulated 1/2 signaling pathways. The results of the present study indicate that miR­126 inhibits RCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion by downregulating ROCK1. These findings suggest that miR­126 may be valuable as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in RCC.