Comparison of the therapeutic efficacy between systemic chemotherapy with and without radiofrequency ablation for colorectal cancer liver metastases: A propensity score matching study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic efficacy between systemic chemotherapy (SC) alone and preoperative SC followed by radiofrequency ablation (SC+RFA) in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). METHODS: This study identified a cohort of patients with CRLM after treatment between 2010 and 2016. Patients who received SC+RFA were compared with SC patients by propensity score matching. Overall survival (OS) and intrahepatic progression-free survival (PFS) were compared using stratified log-rank test. The outcomes after SC and SC+RFA were also assessed in patient subgroups. RESULTS: This study identified 338 patients with CRLM who had underwent SC and had different response to chemotherapy, including non-progressive disease (non-PD) or progressive disease (PD). Of this cohort, 64 patients in SC+RFA group were matched by propensity score to 64 patients who received SC alone. Compared with SC cohort, the SC+RFA cohort yielded better OS (HR, 0.403; 95% CI, 0.271-0.601) and PFS (HR, 0.190; 95% CI, 0.113-0.320). The estimated OS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 93.8%, 51.6% and 15.6% for SC+RFA group and 81.3%, 26.6% and 10.9% for SC group (p＜0.001). The cumulative PFS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 43.8 %, 14.1% and 3.1% for the SC+RFA group and 1.6%, 0 and 0% for SC group (p＜0.0001). In subgroup analysis, compared with patients with PD response, patients with non-PD response could gain better PFS (HR, 0.207; 95% CI, 0.121-0.354) and OS (HR, 0.390; 95% CI, 0.246-0.617). CONCLUSIONS: RFA was associated with improved OS and intrahepatic PFS in CRLM patients with preoperative SC,especially in non-PD response subgroup after SC. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: The addition of RFA was advocated for CRLM patients with preoperative SC. This study will provide important reference and evidence to better perform the management of unresectable CRLM.

Expression of MICA/B protein in esophageal cancer and its clinical significance / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the expression of MICA/B in human esophageal cancer, and to analyze its correlation with clinicopathological features.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of MICA/B in 40 cases of esophagus carcinoma and corresponding normal esophageal mucosa tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of expression of MICA/B protein in the esophageal carcinoma was 75.0% (30/40), and that in the corresponding normal esophageal mucosa was 0 (0/40). Up-regulation of MICA/B expression was found in the esophageal carcinomas. The expression of MICA/B was related with histological grade of the esophageal carcinoma (P = 0.012).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MICA/B protein plays an important role in the esophageal carcinogenesis, and my become a useful molecular marker for the diagnosis of esophageal carcinoma.</p>

Kaempferol-induced apoptosis of human esophageal squamous carcinoma Eca-109 cells and the mechanism / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the growth-inhibiting and pro-apoptotic effect of kaempferol in human esophageal squamous carcinoma Eca-109 cells and explore the mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The effect of kaempferol on Eca-109 cell proliferation in vitro was measured by MTT assay. TUNEL staining was used to detect the cell apoptosis following kaempferol treatment. The changes in Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA expressions in response to kaempferol treatment were determined by RT-PCR, and the caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities were evaluated using colorimetric assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Kaempferol significantly inhibited Eca-109 cell proliferation (P<0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner and induced obvious cell apoptosis. RT-PCR showed that after kaempferol treatment caused up-regulated Bax and down-regulated Bcl-2 mRNA expression. The colorimetric assay revealed significantly increased caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities in Eca-109 cells following kaempferol treatment (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Kaempferol can induce apoptosis of Eca-109 cells via a mitochondria-dependent pathway.</p>