Effects of silencing hsa_circ_0015326 on proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

Although the treatment of ovarian cancer has made great progress, there are still many patients who are not timely detected and given targeted therapy due to unknown pathogenesis. Recent studies have found that hsa_circ_0015326 is upregulated in ovarian cancer and is involved in the proliferation, invasion, and migration of ovarian cancer cells. However, whether hsa_circ_0015326 can be used as a new target of ovarian cancer needs further investigation. Therefore, the effect of hsa_circ_0015326 on epithelial ovarian cancer was investigated in this study. At first, si-hsa_circ_0015326 lentivirus was transfected into epithelial ovarian cancer cells. Then real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect hsa_circ_0015326 level. The proliferation of ovarian cancer cells was detected by CCK-8 assay. The horizontal and vertical migration abilities of the cells were detected by wound-healing assay and Transwell assay, respectively. Transwell assay was also used to determine the invasion rate. As for the apoptosis rate, it was assessed by flow cytometry. As a result, the expression level of hsa_circ_0015326 in A2780 and SKOV3 was found to be higher than that in IOSE-80. However, after transfecting si-hsa_circ_0015326 and si-NC into the cells, the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of A2780 and SKOV3 cells in the si-hsa_circ_0015326 group were significantly reduced in comparison to those in the si-NC and mock groups, while their apoptosis rates were elevated. Collectively, silencing hsa_circ_0015326 bears the capability of inhibiting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells while increasing apoptosis rate. It can be concluded that hsa_circ_0015326 promotes the malignant biological activities of epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

Isolation and antioxidant activity of peptides from Chinese hairy tofu.

Hairy tofu is a famous Chinese snack that is made from soybeans and rich in various nutrients. In order to further explore the antioxidant peptides of hairy tofu hydrolysates, seven proteases were used to hydrolyze hairy tofu. The results of in vitro radical scavenging activity showed that hairy tofu hydrolysates obtained by pancreatin exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. After Sephadex G-25 gel filtration and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), 97 peptides were identified in the most antioxidant fraction using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Among them, nine peptides were synthesized and their antioxidant activities were assessed using a H2O2-induced oxidative 293T cell model. Finally, four peptides (QCESHK, LAWNEGR, NLQGENEWDQK, and FTEMWR) at concentrations of < 50 µg/ml significantly decreased the malondialdehyde content compared with the model group, displaying in vivo antioxidant activity and low cytotoxicity. Overall, this research provided the choice of using hairy tofu peptides as antioxidant products in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Migration of phosphorus in pig manure during pyrolysis process and slow-release mechanism of biochar in hydroponic application.

Pyrolysis is an effective method for treating of livestock and poultry manure developed in recent years. It can completely decompose pathogens and antibiotics, stabilize heavy metals, and enrich phosphorus (P) in biochar. To elucidate the P migration mechanism under different pig manure pyrolysis temperatures, sequential fractionation, solution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure techniques were used to analyze the P species in pig manure biochar (PMB). The results indicated that most of the organic P in the pig manure was converted to inorganic P during pyrolysis. Moreover, the transformation to different P groups pathways was clarified. The phase transition from amorphous to crystalline calcium phosphate was promoted when the temperature was above 600 °C. The content of P extracted by hydrochloric acid, which was the long-term available P for plant uptake, increased significantly. PMB pyrolyzed at 600 °C can be used as a highly effective substitute for P source. It provides the necessary P species (e.g. water-soluble P.) and metal elements for the growth of water spinach plants, and which are slow-release comparing with the Hogland nutrient solution.

Treatment experience with and clinicopathological analysis of vocal fold leukoplakia per appearance classification guidance: a cohort of 1442 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the comparative clinical outcomes and clinicopathological significance of vocal fold leukoplakia lesions treated by appearance classification and traditional methods. METHOD: A total of 1442 vocal fold leukoplakia patients were enrolled. Group A patients were treated according to appearance classification and Group B patients were treated according to traditional methods. RESULTS: In Group A, 24.4, 14.9 and 60.6 per cent of patients had grade I, II and III dysplasia, respectively. Grade I dysplasia (63.4 per cent) was more than twice as frequent in Group B patients than in Group A patients, while grade II dysplasia (20.4 per cent) and grade III dysplasia (16.2 per cent) were significantly less frequent in Group B patients than in Group A patients (p = 0.000). There was a significant correlation between vocal fold leukoplakia appearance and the degree of dysplasia (p = 0.000). The recurrence and malignant transformation rates (17.6 and 31 per cent, respectively) in Group B were significantly greater than those in Group A (10.8 and 25.9 per cent, respectively) (p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: Vocal fold leukoplakia appearance classification is useful for guiding treatment decision-making and could help to improve therapeutic accuracy.

Relative States-Based Consensus for Sampled-Data Second-Order Multiagent Systems With Time-Varying Topology and Delays.

In this article, the consensus problem of sampled-data second-order integrator multiagent systems with switching topology and time-varying delay is studied. And, a zero rendezvous speed is not required in the problem. Two new consensus protocols that employ no absolute states are proposed, depending on the presence of delay. Sufficient synchronization conditions are obtained for both protocols. It is shown that consensus can be reached, provided there is a sufficiently small gain and periodically joint connectivity in the sense of scrambling graph or spanning tree. Finally, both numerical and practical examples are supplied for illustrative purpose, and both show the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Dynamic Consensus of Second-Order Networked Multiagent Systems With Switching Topology and Time-Varying Delays.

This article investigates the dynamic consensus problem for the discrete-time second-order integrator networked multiagent system with time-varying delay and switching topology, in which the speed of each agent is not required to be synchronized to zero value. Novel consensus protocols using only relative state information are proposed, and sufficient conditions for dynamic consensus are derived. The results show that consensus can be reached for both the case with delay and the case without delay, if the gain is sufficiently small and the union of interaction graphs is scrambling or contains a spanning tree frequently enough as the system evolves. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Peroneus Longus Tendon Autograft is a Safe and Effective Alternative for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

The ipsilateral peroneus longus tendon (PLT) was utilized as an autograft for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction of patients with acute ACL rupture and grade III medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury. We investigated the efficacy and safety of this alternative autograft compared with autologous hamstring tendon (HT). Biomechanical testing of the graft options was performed and compared with the native ACL. Thirty-eight patients with acute ACL ruptures and grade III MCL injuries were treated with ACL reconstruction with a doubled autologous PLT or quadrupled autologous HT. Knee stability and function was evaluated clinically with the Lachman test and KT-2000 arthometer as well as subjectively with functional scores. Effects on the donor ankle were evaluated by biomechanical testing. The ultimate tensile strengths of doubled PLT and quadrupled HT were significantly higher than that of the native ACL and the ultimate tensile strength of doubled PLT was comparable with that of quadrupled HT. There were no significant differences in clinical or functional scores between the two groups. There were no significant differences in pre- and postoperative biomechanical testing of the donor ankle. PLT is a suitable alternative autograft for an ACL reconstruction in patients with a concomitant grade III MCL injury without a significant biomechanical disadvantage to the ankle donor site.

Conservative Treatment versus Surgery for Laryngeal Contact Granuloma: A Prospective Study.

AIMS: To confirm the efficacy of conservative treatment for laryngeal contact granuloma and identify factors influencing treatment outcome. METHODS: In this prospective study, patients with laryngeal contact granuloma were divided into a group receiving conservative treatment and a group undergoing surgery. Efficacy was assessed by analyzing the complete response after a 48-week follow-up. The association of treatment outcome with clinical factors was then evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 61 patients, 43 in the group receiving conservative treatment and 18 in the group undergoing surgery, were analyzed, and the complete response rate was 72.1% and 38.9%, respectively. Both univariate analysis and multivariate analysis revealed that treatment modality (p1 = 0.015, p2 = 0.043), voice abuse (p1 = 0.010, p2 = 0.010), and the size of the granuloma (p1 = 0.031, p2 = 0.020) were significantly associated with the complete response of laryngeal contact granuloma. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that alcohol consumption (p = 0.031), voice abuse (p < 0.001), and granuloma size (p = 0.025) were significantly related to the complete response of conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study strengthens the argument for conservative treatment (instead of surgery) as the first choice for laryngeal contact granuloma. The results also suggest that voice abuse, alcohol consumption, and the size of the granuloma may predict treatment outcome.

Nonsurgical Treatment for Vocal Fold Leukoplakia: An Analysis of 178 Cases.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness and identify vocal fold leukoplakia types appropriate for nonsurgical treatment. METHODS: The vocal fold leukoplakia in 178 patients was divided by gross appearance into three subtypes: flat and smooth, elevated and smooth, and rough. All patients received nonsurgical treatment including smoking and drinking cessation, voice rest, omeprazole, and Chinese medication therapy. The clinical response of three subtypes was assessed after a 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Vocal fold leukoplakia subtypes included flat and smooth (n = 66; 37.1%), elevated and smooth (n = 103; 57.9%), and rough (n = 9; 5.0%). The rate of complete response was 80.3%, 66.0%, and 0.0% for the 3 lesion types, respectively (rough versus flat and smooth, P < 0.001; rough versus elevated and smooth, P < 0.001, Fisher's exact test). The incidence of carcinoma in rough leukoplakia was significantly higher than that in smooth leukoplakia (44.4% versus 2.4%, P = 0.002, Fisher's exact test). Clinical type was the only significant factor for clinical response of nonsurgical treatment (P = 0.005, ordinal logistic regression). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of nonsurgical treatment for smooth vocal fold leukoplakia is better in comparison to rough vocal fold leukoplakia. Smooth leukoplakia could be managed with nonsurgical treatment; more aggressive treatments should be considered for rough leukoplakia.

Neoglottis reconstruction with sternohyoid muscles on upper-tracheal orifice after laryngectomy.

Ideal speech restoration remains a difficult challenge for patients undergoing laryngectomy so far. Our aim was to explore the feasibility of neoglottic reconstruction with sternohyoid muscles on upper-tracheal orifice after total laryngectomy which can obtain relatively ideal voice rehabilitation. Fifteen male patients are laryngectomized, of whom eight with standard total laryngectomy and seven underwent nonstandard total laryngectomy with epiglottis conserved. After laryngectomy, the upper margin of the anterior hypopharyngeal mucosa (postcricoid mucosa) was stitched to the posterior margin of upper-tracheal orifice and a triangle-shaped neoglottis on upper-tracheal orifice was reconstructed using bilateral sternohyoid muscles near the hyoid bone which were sutured to the posterior wall and bilateral of upper-tracheal orifice. Then tracheolingual root anastomosis was done and reconstruction surgery was completed. Finally, a satisfactory voice was achieved in 14 of 15 patients except one whose neoglottis is stenosed and 11 cases had no severe complications including aspiration erroneous deglutition. The stomach catheters were removed successfully from 4 to 6 weeks after surgery in 11 cases, respectively. The neoglottis had to be closed in three patients because of aspiration problem. One neoglottis was closed 3 weeks after surgical reconstruction because of tracheal rings tear which created a bigger neoglottis. One neoglottis was removed 32 moths after total laryngectomy due to big neoglottis. Another one was closed 3 weeks after surgery by reason of the fear of aspiration without psychological preparation. Therefore, it is feasible to use the sternohyoid muscles for creation of a neoglottis on upper-tracheal orifice and provide an alternative surgical method of the voice restoration for the patients after laryngectomy.

Effect of daily milk supplementation on serum and umbilical cord blood folic acid concentrations in pregnant Han and Mongolian women and birth characteristics in China.

Many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of folic acid (FA) supplementation in prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs), although the extent of NTDs varies among individuals of different races and ethnic origin. China is a multi-ethnic country with no standard practice for FA-fortified food. Milk is consumed by women, but little is known about the effects of milk on folate concentration in maternal blood and neonatal umbilical cord blood in Han and Mongolian women after stopping taking the supplement for a month and five month, respectively. The objective of this study was to determine whether only daily consumption of liquid milk can increase the blood folate concentration in pregnant women and whether there are differences in blood folate concentrations between Han and Mongolian women after cessation of FA supplementation. Of the 4052 women enrolled in the parallel group design study. Three thousand five hundred and twenty-six women had confirmed pregnancies and were randomized to receive liquid milk or not until delivery. Women who consumed the liquid milk had significantly increased serum folate concentrations at 16 and 32 weeks of gestation as well as cord blood at birth compared to control groups in both ethnic groups. Infants born to women drinking milk also had better the term birth weight and height, which may be related to the increased concentration of folate. In conclusion, daily consumption of milk can increase the serum folate concentration in pregnant Han and Mongolian women in China (differences in the efficacy of FA and milk supplementation) and may enhance birth outcomes.

Assessment of the effect of local application of amifostine on acute radiation-induced oral mucositis in guinea pigs.

The aim of present study was to assess the radioprotective effects of the local application of amifostine to treat acute buccal mucositis in guinea pigs. A total of 32 guinea pigs were randomized into four groups: (Group A) topically administered 50 mg of amifostine plus radiotherapy (RT); (Group B) 100 mg amifostine plus RT; (Group C) normal saline plus RT; and (Group D) normal saline plus sham RT. The opportunity for administration was 15 min before irradiation. When administered, the cotton pieces that had been soaked with 0.5 ml amifostine solution or saline were applied gently on the buccal mucosa of each guinea pig for 30 min. The animals in Groups A, B and C were irradiated individually with a single dose of 30 Gy to the bilateral buccal mucosa. Eight days after irradiation, the animals were scored macroscopically; they were then euthanized, and the buccal mucosal tissues were processed for hematoxylin-eosin staining and ICAM-1 immunohistochemical analysis. In Groups A and B, the mean macroscopic scores were 2.9 ± 0.6 and 2.4 ± 1.1, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, when they were separately compared with Group C (4.4 ± 0.7), a noticeable difference was obtained (P < 0.05). No mucositis was observed in Group D. Comparisons of the expression of ICAM-1 were in agreement with the macroscopic data. Histologically, superficial erosion, exudate and ulcer formation were all observed in the RT groups; only the severity and extent were different. The microscopic observations in the amifostine-treated groups were better than in Group C. The results demonstrated that topical administration of amifostine to the oral mucosa is effective treatment of acute radiation-induced mucositis.

Haemin-enhanced expression of haem oxygenase-1 stabilizes erythrocyte-induced vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies demonstrated that intraplaque haemorrhage increased the contents of cholesterol and oxidants in atherosclerotic plaques. The present study was aimed to test the hypothesis that enhanced expression of haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) may stabilize vulnerable plaques. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was performed to identify three similar abdominal aortic plaques in each of 58 fat-fed New Zealand rabbits after aortic balloon injury. With the guidance of IVUS, 50 microL autologous erythrocytes (RBC) or normal saline (NS) were injected from adventitia into two of the pre-selected plaques, respectively, whereas the third plaque served as a blank control. All rabbits were randomly divided into two groups, receiving intraperitoneal injection of haemin and saline respectively. KEY RESULTS: Compared with NS or control plaques, RBC plaques had more macrophage infiltration and lipid content, thinner plaque fibrous cap, and higher expression of inflammatory factors and incidence of plaque rupture. RBC plaques in the haemin group had about a 50% lower incidence of plaque rupture than those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Haem oxygenase-1 may eliminate haem or other oxidants, exert unexpected anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects and serve as a promising approach to the direct inhibition of erythrocyte-induced plaque instability.

Application of multislice spiral CT angiography on transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Multislice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA) is very important in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. Currently, most studies on three-dimensional MSCTA of the liver vascular system focus on the liver tumors, preoperative assessment of liver transplantation and the systematic anatomy of the liver vascular system. This study was to investigate the clinical application of MSCTA on transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by comparing images of MSCTA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). METHODS: MSCT dual-phase enhanced scanning was performed in 50 patients with advanced HCC. Both hepatic artery angiography and portal vein angiography were conducted using maximal intensity projection (MIP) and volume rendering technique (VRT). DSA of the celiac artery, superior mesenteric artery, renal artery and diaphragm artery, as well as TACE were performed in all patients. MSCTA and DSA images of the 50 patients were compared. RESULTS: MSCTA and DSA showed equal detectability in revealing classification of the hepatic artery anatomy and tumor blood vessels, with a coincidence of 100% (p = 1.00). However, MSCTA was superior to DSA in displaying arterioportal shunt and portal vein tumor thrombus. CONCLUSIONS: As a noninvasive and easy to conduct technique, MSCTA can accurately provide information of the hepatic artery, portal vein and tumor supply vessels. Therefore MSCTA has a favorable value to guide TACE for HCC.

Pathological mechanisms of erythrocyte-induced vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques.

Erythrocytes are considered a new culprit contributing to atherosclerosis. Plaques with intraplaque hemorrhage are prone to new plaque hemorrhage, which may not only stimulate the progression of atherosclerosis but also promote the transition from a stable to an unstable lesion. However, the role of erythrocytes in inducing the vulnerability of plaque with intraplaque hemorrhage and the possible mechanism involved are not well understood. Recently, increased cholesterol level from erythrocytes was reported to expand the lipid core of plaque. As well, heme, iron and phospholipids derived from erythrocytes trigger peroxidization in vitro, which is strongly associated with the progression of atherosclerosis. We speculate that erythrocytes trapped in plaque may induce vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques not only by accumulating lipids but also by promoting peroxidization within plaques, thereby expanding the lipid core, increasing the infiltration of inflammatory cells and attenuating the fibrous cap of plaques. This proposition may provide clues into the development of novel treatments to increase the stability of atherosclerotic plaques.

A hypothesis: adiponectin mediates anti-atherosclerosis via adventitia-AMPK-iNOS pathway.

Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived protein with insulin-sensitizing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherogenic properties and is abundantly found in plasma. Vascular adventitia is the outermost connective and supporting tissue of vessels. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that infection in the adventitia is one of the causes of atherosclerosis and restenosis. Our previous study indicated that local transferring adenovirus expressing adiponectin gene (Ad-APN) to intima and adventitia can suppress atherosclerosis, but the exact mechanism is still obscure. We speculate that with infection in the adventitia, adiponectin can activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) through adiponectin receptors in the membranes of adventitial fibroblasts and then inhibit the expression and activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS); secretion of adventitial infective factors; division, proliferation and translation of adventitial fibroblasts; and change of adventitial fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, finally decreasing oxidative/nitrative stress to reduce atherosclerotic plaque area and stabilize atherosclerotic plaques. The proposition may provide clues into the development of a novel treatment for atherosclerosis.

Pathological mechanisms and dose dependency of erythrocyte-induced vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaques.

To test our hypothesis that erythrocytes may induce plaque vulnerability and investigate the mechanism involved, we established a novel model of intraplaque hemorrhage in 56 New Zealand white rabbits with established plaques. Three distinct abdominal aortic plaques with similar thickness were identified in each rabbit with use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging. Rabbits were equally divided into 4 groups depending on dosage of treatment; with the guidance of IVUS, one of the three plaques from each rabbit was injected from adventitia with autologous erythrocytes (RBC) or cholesterol (CH) for the following groups: RBC, 50 microL or 100 microL, and CH, 50 microL or 100 microL. One of the other two plaques in each rabbit received an equal volume of normal saline (NS) and one received no injection. Plaques in the 100 microL RBC group had a higher plaque rupture rate than its respective NS or blank controls plaques (57.1% vs. 14.3% or 14.3%, P<0.05). Plaques from the RBC or cholesterol groups showed, dose-dependently, more macrophage infiltration, more superoxide and lipid content, thinner plaque fibrous cap, higher mRNA level of MCP-1, IL-1 or IFN-gamma and higher vulnerability index than controls, especially in the RBC group. Thus, erythrocyte treatment can dose-dependently induce the vulnerability of plaques. Accumulation of lipid content and augmentation of oxidative stress and inflammation in the plaques are the probable pathological mechanisms involved.

Local adiponectin treatment reduces atherosclerotic plaque size in rabbits.

In this study, we investigated the in vivo role of adiponectin, an adipocytokine, on the development of atherosclerosis in rabbits mainly using adenovirus expressing adiponectin gene (Ad-APN) and intravascular ultrasonography. Serum adiponectin concentrations in rabbits after Ad-APN local transfer to abdominal aortas increased about nine times as much as those before transfer (P < 0.01), about ten times as much as the levels of endogenous adiponectin in adenovirus expressing beta-galactosidase gene (Ad-beta gal) treated rabbits (P < 0.01), and about four times as much as those in the aorta of non-injured rabbits on a normal cholesterol diet (P < 0.01). Ultrasonography revealed a significantly reduced atherosclerotic plaque area in abdominal aortas of rabbits infected through intima with Ad-APN, by 35.2% compared with the area before treatment (P < 0.01), and by 35.8% compared with that in Ad-beta gal-treated rabbits (P < 0.01). In rabbits infected through adventitia, Ad-APN treatment reduced plaque area by 28.9% as compared with the area before treatment (P < 0.01) and 25.6% compared with that in Ad-beta gal-treated rabbits (P < 0.01). Adiponectin significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) by 18.5% through intima transfer (P < 0.05) and 26.9% through adventitia transfer (P < 0.01), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) by 40.7% through intima transfer (P < 0.01), and 30.7% through adventitia transfer (P < 0.01). However, adiponectin had no effect on the expression of types I and III collagen. These results suggest that local adiponectin treatment suppresses the development of atherosclerosis in vivo in part by attenuating the expression of VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 in vascular walls.

Involvement of integrins, MAPK, and NF-kappaB in regulation of the shear stress-induced MMP-9 expression in endothelial cells.

Variations in the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 gene are related to the presence and severity of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine the signaling pathways of MMP-9 in endothelial cells subjected to low fluid shear stress. We found that low fluid shear stress significantly increased MMP-9 expression, IkappaBalpha degradation, NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity and phosphorylation of MAPK in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Inhibition of NF-kappaB resulted in remarkable downregulation of stress-induced MMP-9 expression. Pretreatment of HUVECs with inhibitors of p38 mitogen-activating protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) also led to significant suppression of stress-induced MMP-9 expression and NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity. Similarly, addition of integrins inhibitor to HUVECs suppressed the stress-induced MMP-9 expression, IkappaBalpha degradation, NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity and the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, ERK1/2. Our findings demonstrated that the shear stress-induced MMP-9 expression involved integrins-p38 MAPK or ERK1/2-NF-kappaB signaling pathways.

[Study on primary hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hypersplenism treated by partial splenic embolization combined with hepatic arterial chemoembolization].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: 70-90% of patients of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) are associated with liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension and hypersplenism. The treatment of PHC is usually hampered by low or slow recovery of blood cell counts. This study was to investigate the effect of partial splenic embolization (PSE) combined with transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for the treatment of PHC with portal hypertension and hypersplenism. METHODS: Efficacy of 26 patients with PSE combined with TACE and 26 patients with single TACE was observed. RESULTS: Satisfactory effects were achieved in PSE combined with TACE group in terms of correction of blood cell counts compared with cases treated with TACE alone. CONCLUSION: PSE associated with TACE is safe and effective for the treatment of patients with PHC associated with liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension and hypersplenism.