Systematic review on the association between ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs13181 polymorphisms and glioma risk.

Several studies have examined the association between excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) C8092A and ERCC2 Lys751Gln polymorphisms and glioma risk, but the results have been inconclusive. We conducted a meta-analysis of 12 studies to determine the association between ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs13181 genes and glioma susceptibility. We searched for relevant studies in both Chinese and English in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE through January 1, 2014, and identified 3939 cases and 5407 controls. The results showed that individuals carrying the ERCC1 rs3212986 AA genotype had higher risk of glioma compared with the CC genotype, with a pooled odds ratio = 1.29, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.55. Subgroup analysis showed that the ERCC1 rs3212986 AA genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk of glioma in the Chinese population (odds ratio = 1.37, 95% confidence interval = 1.07-1.55), but no association in Caucasian Chinese. No significant association was observed between ERCC2 rs13181 polymorphisms and glioma risk. The results of our meta-analysis strongly suggested that the ERCC1 rs3212986 polymorphism was associated with a higher susceptibility to glioma, particularly in the Chinese population. Studies including a larger sample size and more specified information regarding pathological types of glioma are needed to confirm our results.

Clinical application of carbon nanoparticle lymph node tracer in the VI region lymph node dissection of differentiated thyroid cancer.

The application and clinical significance of carbon nanoparticle lymph tracer in the VI region (central region) lymph node dissection of differentiated thyroid cancer was investigated. Eighty patients with differentiated thyroid cancer were equally divided into the carbon nanoparticle-marked group (ipsilateral thyroid injection) and the control group (no injection). All patients underwent standard primary tumor treatment and VI lymph node dissection. The number of lymph nodes retrieved in the carbon nanoparticle group (mean=6.725 pieces, range=1-13) was significantly higher than those retrieved in the control group (mean=3.6, range=1-7; P<0.05). The black staining lymph node rate was 69.89%. A significantly higher number of lymph nodes less than 2 mm were detected in the carbon nanoparticle group (P=0.0023). The transfer rates and lymph node metastasis rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. The black-staining lymph node metastasis rate was 20.74% (39/188) and the non-staining lymph node metastasis rate was 22.22% (18/81), which were not significantly different (P=0.7856). No parathyroid accidental resection was observed in the carbon nanoparticle group, whereas three cases occurred in the control group (P=0.2405). In conclusion, carbon nanoparticles show good lymphatic tracer effects, easy identification, increased number of lymph nodes retrieved, more accurate reflection of the VI region lymph node status, and increased accuracy of the clinical stage. These results should help develop reasonable surgery programs and follow-up comprehensive treatments, and can help to reduce the risk of accident parathyroid resection.

Association of chemotactic factor receptor 5 gene with breast cancer.

We designed a 2-stage study to investigate chemotactic factor receptor 5 (CCR5) gene expression in breast cancer tissues and axillary lymph nodes and analyze the association between the CCR5-Î"32 gene polymorphism and the clinical features and prognosis of breast cancer patients. The first stage examined 72 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma and axillary lymph node tissue, 50 cases of breast fibroadenoma tissue, and 40 cases of normal breast tissue. The tissues specimens were embedded in paraffin, and CCR5 expression was detected using immunohistochemical methods. C-erbB-2, p53, Ki-67, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor expression were also detected in the breast cancer tissues. The second stage examined 35 cases of surgically removed tissue. Relative expression levels of CCR5 messenger RNA (mRNA) in primary foci, axillary lymph node, and cancer-adjacent tissues of the breast cancer and breast fibroadenoma samples were detected using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. We found that 1) CCR5 mRNA relative expression levels in breast cancer tissue were significantly higher than those in adjacent normal tissue (P < 0.01) and benign tumors (P < 0.05). The relative CCR5 mRNA relative expression level between phase II and phase III breast cancer tissues was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The CCR5 mRNA relative expression level between adjacent normal tissues and fibroadenoma tissues was not significantly different (P > 0.05). 2) Relative CCR5 mRNA expression level was significantly higher in metastatic lymph node tissues than that in non-metastatic lymph nodes (P < 0.05), and 3) CCR5 expression in breast cancer tissue was positively correlated with axillary lymph node metastasis (chi-square = 4.982, P = 0.026, r = 0.305). CCR5 expression was mildly and positively correlated with the oncogene C-erbB-2 (P < 0.05, r = 0.291). 4) CCR5 expression in breast cancer tissue was not correlated with age, menopause, maximum tumor size, tumor phase, p53, Ki-67, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, or other clinical features (P > 0.05). We concluded that CCR5 expression significantly increases in breast cancer tissues and metastatic lymph nodes. CCR5 plays a role in breast cancer development and axillary lymph node metastasis. It can be used indirectly as an indicator of axillary lymph node metastasis and prognosis.