Neutrophils as potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) remains the foremost cause of cancer mortality globally, with neutrophils playing a critical role in its pathogenesis. As an essential tumor microenvironment (TME) component, neutrophils are emerging as pivotal factors in BC progression. Growing evidence has proved that neutrophils play a Janus- role in BC by polarizing into the anti-tumor (N1) or pro-tumor (N2) phenotype. Clinical trials are evaluating neutrophil-targeted therapies, including Reparixin (NCT02370238) and Tigatuzumab (NCT01307891); however, their clinical efficacy remains suboptimal. This review summarizes the evidence regarding the close relationship between neutrophils and BC, emphasizing the critical roles of neutrophils in regulating metabolic and immune pathways. Additionally, we summarize the existing therapeutic approaches that target neutrophils, highlighting the challenges, and affirming the rationale for continuing to explore neutrophils as a viable therapeutic target in BC management.

Ferritinophagy induced ferroptosis in the management of cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis, a newly form of regulated cell death (RCD), is characterized by iron dyshomeostasis and unrestricted lipid peroxidation. Emerging evidence depicts a pivotal role for ferroptosis in driving some pathological processes, especially in cancer. Triggering ferroptosis can suppress tumor growth and induce an anti-tumor immune response, denoting the therapeutic promises for targeting ferroptosis in the management of cancer. As an autophagic phenomenon, ferritinophagy is critical to induce ferroptosis by degradation of ferritin to release intracellular free iron. Recently, a great deal of effort has gone into designing and developing anti-cancer strategies based on targeting ferritinophagy to induce ferroptosis. CONCLUSION: This review delineates the regulatory mechanism of ferritinophagy firstly and summarizes the role of ferritinophagy-induced ferroptosis in cancer. Moreover, the strategies targeting ferritinophagy to induce ferroptosis are highlighted to unveil the therapeutic value of ferritinophagy as a target to manage cancer. Finally, the future research directions on how to cope with the challenges in developing ferritinophagy promoters into clinical therapeutics are discussed.

Effects of Chinese Medicine on Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy:A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective To investigate the efficacy of a Chinese Medicine formula on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).Methods From April,2013 to December,2014,56 patients were randomized blindly to receive granulas of Chinese Medicine of modified Huangqi-Guizhi Wuwu and Shentong-Zhuyu(treatment group,n=28)or placebo(control group,n=28),for a month.They were as-sessed with Number Rating Scale (NRS) of symptoms of CIPN, National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE) version 4.0, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-30 (EORTC QLQ-C30)before,and four weeks,eight weeks and twelve weeks after treatment.Results The score of NRS(F>9.518,P<0.01) and grade of NCI-CTCAE(Z>3.887,P<0.05)improved in the treatment group compared with those in the control group eight weeks and twelve weeks after treatment.The scores of EORTC QLQ-C30 also improved twelve weeks after treatment, but only significantly in the symptom of fatigue(t=-2.971,P<0.01).Conclusion The Chinese Medicine can release the symptoms of CIPN,decrease the grade of neuro-toxicity,and may improve the quality of life somewhat.

Dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound study on levator ani muscle fissures for female pelvic floor relaxation syndrome / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the value of dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound in detecting the levator ani muscle fissures morphological changes of female pelvic floor relaxation syndrome after biofeedback and acupuncture treatments.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty female constipation patients with pelvic floor relaxation syndrome were screened from the Constipation Designed Disease Clinic in our hospital between October 2011 and September 2012. Cleveland Constipation Score (CCS) scale was used. Anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the levator ani muscle fissures were measured by dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound in Valsalva maneuver. After a course (10 days) of biofeedback and acupuncture treatments, CCS scale was filled, and dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound was performed in Valsalva maneuver as well. Associated data before and after treatment were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-five patients completed the trial. As compared to pre-treatment, the longitudinal axes of levator ani muscle fissure [(4.89±0.89) cm vs. (5.13±0.82) cm, P<0.01], the horizontal axes of the levator ani muscle fissure [(4.62±0.75) cm vs. (4.86±0.74) cm, P<0.01], and the area of the levator ani muscle fissure [(18.16±6.42) cm(2) vs. (19.92±6.33) cm(2), P<0.01] decreased significantly after treatment, while CCS scale (9.52±2.50 vs. 15.80±3.42, P<0.01) declined significantly as well.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound is an effective, simple and non-invasive method for the determination of levator ani muscle fissure in female patients with pelvic floor relaxation syndrome.</p>

Dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound in the diagnosis of pelvic floor dyssynergia / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the feasibility of dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound measurement in the diagnosis of pelvic floor dyssynergia(PFD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty female patients with PFD received dynamic three-dimensional ultrasound. The differences in angle α measured by transperineal three-dimensional ultrasound, and angle β, angle γ, and H line as measured by transanorectal three-dimensional ultrasound were compared between resting state and Valsalva maneuver. In addition, the detective rate of PFD by different parameters was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 30 patients, rectocele was found in 13 cases(43.3%), rectal internal mucous intussusception in 14 cases(46.7%), uterine prolapse in 11 cases(36.7%), and bladder prolapse in 1 case(3.3%). Compared with the resting state, α, β and H decreased obviously, but γ increased apparently in Valsalva maneuver, and differences of these parameters were statistically significant(all P<0.01). Detective rates of PFD for parameters of α, β, γ and H were 93.3%(28/30), 96.7%(29/30), 96.7%(29/30) and 86.7%(26/30), respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Measurements of α, β, γ and H can provide feasible indicators for clinical diagnosis of PFD.</p>