Prognostic nomogram for primary splenic lymphoma: a SEER database-based study.

This study aimed to establish a nomogram model based on the clinicopathological factors affecting the prognosis of patients with primary splenic lymphoma (PSL) to predict the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients. A total of 4074 patients diagnosed with PSL were included in this study. Among them, 4052 cases from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database were randomized into a training set and an internal validation set in a 7:3 ratio. Another 22 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University were used as an external validation set. The prognostic factors affecting the OS and CSS of patients were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier (KM) method and compared by Log-rank test. Then, a nomogram model was established to predict OS and CSS. Finally, the model was validated both internally and externally using the concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), and calibration curve to evaluate its predictive value, and the decision curve analysis (DCA) was conducted to assess its clinical utility. Our results showed that the model displayed a good prediction ability. In the training set, the OS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 85.9%, 75.8% and 70.1%, respectively, while the CSS rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 91.9%, 86.2% and 82.3%, respectively. Predictors in the prediction model of OS included age, sex, marital status, Ann Arbor stage, histology, surgery, chemotherapy and year at diagnosis. On the other hand, predictors in the model of CSS included age, Ann Arbor stage, histology, chemotherapy, and year at diagnosis. Internal and external validation of the nomogram model showed that the C-index for predicting OS was 0.678 (0.662, 0.694) in the training set, 0.672 (0.648, 0.696) in the internal validation set, and 0.704 (0.565, 0.843) in the external validation set; the C-index for predicting CSS was 0.685 (0.661, 0.709) in the training set, 0.683 (0.650, 0.716) in the internal validation set, and 0.676 (0.488, 0.864) in the external validation set. The calibration curves for several groups showed good consistency, and DCA suggested its clinical usability. In conclusion, the nomogram constructed in this study has a good predictive value for the survival of patients with PSL, and can be a clinically applicable and practical prediction tool, facilitating rapid and accurate individualized predictions of the patient survival.

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation in the spleen: A case series study and literature review.

To assess the clinicopathologic features, differential diagnosis, and pathogenesis of sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT) of the spleen.The clinical characteristics of 7 cases with SANT were retrospectively analyzed. Histochemical and immunohistochemical (EnVision method) examinations were performed. Moreover, quantitative assessment of IgG4 and IgG-positive cells was performed.The 7 SANT patients included 1 female and 6 males, with ages ranging from 7 to 60 years (mean 33.4 years). They showed no specific clinical manifestations. Macroscopically, the surface of the excised masses was gray-white, and vague nodularity was observed. Mass sizes ranged from 3.0 to 7.0 cm (mean 5.5 cm). Microscopically, all cases were characterized based on multiple angiomatoid nodules of various sizes embedded in a fibrosclerotic stroma. The nodules were round and sometimes convoluted. Moreover, the nodules were composed of slit-like, irregularly-shaped, or slightly dilated vascular spaces lined by plump endothelial cells, and interspersed with a population of spindly or ovoid cells. Immunohistochemical examination showed a heterogeneous staining pattern, with the lining cells of small capillaries expressing CD34 and those of sinusoid-like structures expressing CD8. CD31 was stained in the lining and interspersed cells, thus resulting in a complex meshwork. Additionally, the lining cells were focally positive for CD68. Vimentin and smooth muscle antibody were expressed in all 7 cases, whereas no desmin or CD21 was detected. IgG4-positive cells accounted for 2 to 5 per high-power field (mean 3.7). Furthermore, the IgG-positive cells accounted for 2 to 8 per high-power field (mean 4.2).SANT is a rare primary benign tumor-like lesion of the spleen, and has characteristic histopathological features and immunohistochemical profiles. SANT should be distinguished from other angiomatoid tumors and tumor-like lesions. Moreover, SANT could be treated by splenectomy, with favorable prognosis. The relationship between SANT and IgG4-related sclerosing lesions remains to be clarified.

The inhibitive effect of sh-HIF1A-AS2 on the proliferation, invasion, and pathological damage of breast cancer via targeting miR-548c-3p through regulating HIF-1α/VEGF pathway in vitro and vivo.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) has been the commonest malignant tumor with a low survival rate among woman. Long non-coding RNA hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha antisense RNA-2 (HIF1A-AS2) was correlated with various cancers. PURPOSE: The study aimed to investigate the roles and related underlying molecular mechanisms of HIF1A-AS2 in BC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Target relationships were speculated by Targetscan 7.0 and confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay. Proteins levels were monitored by RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry assays. CCK-8 assay, SA-ß-gal staining and transwell assay were used to detect proliferation, senescence and invasion, respectively. Xenograft nude mice were put into use to evaluate the tumor growth and motility. RESULTS: The present study exhibited that HIF1A-AS2 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) were upregulated while miR-548c-3p was downregulated in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, ZR-75-1, and BT-549 BC cell lines. Bioinformatics analysis showed HIF1A-AS2 and HIF-1α were two targets of miR-548c-3p, and the target relationship was further confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, knockdown of HIF1A-AS2 by shRNA (sh-HIF1A-AS2) markedly elevated miR-548c-3p level, and the enhanced miR-548c-3p noticeably suppressed cell proliferation, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and promoted senescence in vitro. In addition, overexpression of HIF-1α promoted MCF-7 cell invasion. Intriguingly, low expression of HIF1A-AS2 reduced HIF-1α level by upregulating the expression of miR-548c-3p. Furthermore, experiment in xenograft nude mice has indicated that sh-HIF1A-AS2 inhibited tumor growth and motility by targeting miR-548c-3p through regulating HIF-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway in vivo. CONCLUSION: The inhibitive effect of HIF-1α/VEGF pathway by sh-HIF1A-AS2 through targeting miR-548c-3p plays crucial regulatory roles in BC. Therefore, designing targeted drugs against HIF1A-AS2 provides a new direction for the treatment of BC.

Inhibition of BAP31 expression inhibits cervical cancer progression by suppressing metastasis and inducing intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis.

Cervical cancer is reported as one of the most lethal types of cancer among female. However, extensive studies of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the progression of cervical cancer are still required. B-cell associated protein (BAP)-31 is a 28-kDa integral membrane protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), playing essential role in modulating various physiological processes. The present study indicated that BAP31 was a novel gene associated with cervical cancer development. Here, we demonstrated that BAP31 was significantly increased in human cervical cancer specimens, which was positively correlated to histological grade of the cancer. BAP31 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, clonogenic ability and metastasis-associated traits in vitro, as well as carcinogenesis and pulmonary metastasis in vivo. Further studies indicated that the expression levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Vimentin and N-cadherin were markedly reduced by BAP31 knockdown in cervical cancer cells. In addition, intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis was significantly induced in BAP31 knockdown cells, as evidenced by the increased expression of cleaved Caspase-8/-9/-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP). Notably, suppressing the activities of Caspase-8/-9 and -3 obviously diminished BAP31 silence-triggered apoptosis. Together, these findings highlighted an essential role for BAP31 in the modulation of tumorigenesis and metastatic potential of cervical cancer, and demonstrated a promising application of BAP31 in cancer prevention.

Genetic polymorphisms of the drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP2J2 in a Tibetan population.

As an important metabolic enzyme, it is necessary to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of CYP2J2 among healthy Tibetan individuals. Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2J2 could affect enzyme activity and lead to differences among individual responses to drugs.We sequenced the whole gene of CYP2J2 in 100 unrelated, healthy Tibetan volunteers from the Tibet Autonomous Region and screened for genetic variants in the promoters, introns, exons, and the 3'-UTR regions.We detected 4 novel genetic polymorphisms of the CYP2J2 gene. The allelic frequencies of CYP2D6*1 and *7 were 0.955 and 0.045, respectively. CYP2D6*1/*7 decreased the activity of CYP2J2 and was expressed in 9% of the sample population.Our results provided basic data about CYP2J2 polymorphisms in a Tibetan population, suggested that the enzymatic activities of CYP2J2 might be different within the ethnic group, and offered a theoretical basis for individualized medical treatment and drug genomics studies.

CCR7 preservation via histone deacetylase inhibition promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

The effects of Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) differs in various types of cancers. However, its function in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well-explored. In this study, we investigated the effect of HDAC inhibition on EMT in HCC cells by using trichostatin A (TSA) and valproic acid (VPA). The results showed that TSA/VPA significantly induced EMT phenotype, as demonstrated by the decreased level of E-cadherin, increased level of N-cadherin, vimentin, Twist and snail, and enhanced capacity of cell migration and invasion. In addition, CCR7 was speculated and confirmed as a function target of HDAC inhibition. CCR7 promotes the progression of HCC and is associated with poor survival. Knockdown of CCR7 significantly attenuated the effect of TSA on EMT. Moreover, our results demonstrated that HDAC inhibition up-regulates CCR7 via reversing the promoter hypoacetylation and increasing CCR7 transcription. Taken together, our study has identified the function of HDAC in EMT of HCC and suggested a novel mechanism through which TSA/VPA exerts its carcinogenic roles in HCC. HDAC inhibitors require careful caution before their application as new anticancer drugs.

Long noncoding RNA SOX2OT contributes to gastric cancer progression by sponging miR-194-5p from AKT2.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly malignant cancer with poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) may play an important role in tumor progression. Our present study aimed to explore the effect of LncRNA SOX2OT on GC progression. We observed that SOX2OT was overexpressed in GC tissues and cell lines. Overexpressed SOX2OT promoted cell proliferation and metastasis of GC cells (SGC-7901, TMK-1) and the phosphorylation of AKT2 as well, while knockdown of SOX2OT reversed these effects. Besides that, miR-194-5p was predicted to be a target of SOX2OT and decreased expression of miR-194-5p was observed in GC tissues and cell lines. Overexpressed miR-194-5p counteracted the promoting role of SOX2OT on cell proliferation and invasion of GC cells. Moreover, AKT2 was predicted to be a target of miR-194-5p. The expression of AKT2 was negatively regulated by miR-194-5p while positively regulated by SOX2OT. Overexpressed AKT2 also promoted GC cell proliferation and invasion. Our in vitro experiments suggested that SOX2OT promoted cell proliferation and metastasis of GC cells via sponging miR-194-5p from AKT2. Finally, our in vivo experiments indicated that overexpressed SOX2OT promoted GC tumor growth and metastasis in nude mice. Taken together, our present study suggested that SOX2OT contributed to GC progression via sponging miR-194-5p from AKT2 both in vitro and in vivo. The SOX2OT-miR-194-5p-AKT2 axis may provide a new perspective for treatment of GC.

DIRC3 and near NABP1 genetic polymorphisms are associated laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patient survival.

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is one of the most common and aggressive malignancies of the upper digestive tract. The present study is a retrospective analysis of data from a prospective longitudinal study. A total of 170 male LSCC patients (average age, 60.75±10.082) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine were recruited between January 2002 and April 2013 for this study. We assessed correlations between patient characteristics and survival, and sequenced genomic DNA from patient peripheral blood samples. We found that the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs11903757, with closest proximity to NABP1 and SDPR, and rs966423 in DIRC3, were associated with survival in LSCC patients. Median follow-up was 38 months (range 3-122) and median survival time was 48 months. LSCC patients with total laryngectomy, poor differentiation, T3-T4 stage, N1-N2 stage or III-IV TNM stage had reduced survival. This is the first study to demonstrate that the rs11903757 GT (HR=2.036; 95% CI, 1.071-3.872; p=0.030) and rs966423 TT (HR=11.677; 95% CI, 3.901-34.950; p=0.000) genotypes predict poor patient outcome. These polymorphisms may serve as useful clinical markers to predict patient survival, and to guide individual patient therapeutic decisions.

[Relationship between histopathologic characteristics and epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in lung adenocarcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To correlate morphological features with mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in lung adenocarcinomas. METHODS: According to 2011 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society International Multidisciplinary Lung Adenocarcinoma Classification, a total of 72 surgically resected lung adenocarcinomas were collected and classified into different histological subtypes and different cell types (hobnail, columnar and polygonal). EGFR gene mutation was detected with the amplification refractory mutation method provided by the EGFR mutation test kit. The correlation between these subtypes and EGFR mutations were evaluated. RESULTS: Mutations of EGFR were detected in 48.6% (35/72) of lung adenocarcinomas; 19del and L858R were major mutational types (88.6%, 31/35). EGFR mutations were associated with female gender, non-smoking status, and well to moderately differentiated tumor histology. EGFR mutation types were not associated with age, smoking index, lymph node metastasis, stage, status of whether have or not have inclusion bodies or psammoma bodies and mitotic level. Correlations were observed between acinar and papillary adenocarcinoma subtypes and EGFR mutations according to the new classification. EGFR mutation was rare in the subtype of solid adenocarcinoma with mucin production and almost never observed in special subtypes (mainly mucinous and colloid adenocarcinoma). In addition, EGFR mutation was associated with the hobnail cell type. CONCLUSION: Lung adenocarcinomas of predominate acinar and papillary histological subtypes with hobnail cell morphology are good predictors for EGFR mutations.

[Expressions of FOXC1 and MMP-7 in molecular subtypes of breast cancer and their association with clinicopathological characteristics].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expressions of FOXC1 and matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7) in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer and their association with clinicopathological characteristics of the disease. METHODS: Based on immunohistochemical results of ER, PR, HER2, CK5/6, CK14 and EGFR, 105 breast cancer patients were classified as 4 subtypes: luminal, HER2 positive, basal-like subtype (BLs) and normal breast-like subtype (NBLs). The association of FOXC1 and MMP-7 expressions with clinicopathological parameters in different molecular subtypes was analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 105 patients with breast cancer, the subtypes of luminal, HER2 positive, BLs and NBLs accounted for 52.4% (55/105), 16.2% (17/105), 17.1%(18/105) and 14.3% (15/105), respectively. Patients with luminal and/or NBLs subtypes had significantly higher 5-year survival rate than those with HER2 positive and/or BLs did (log-rank=22.161, P<0.01). The overall positive expression rate of FOXC1 was 26.7% (28/105) and the expression was higher in BLs patients than that in other subgroups (χ²=30.108, P<0.01). The expression of FOXC1 was correlated with histological grade, tumor size, distant metastasis and 5-year survival rate of breast cancer. The overall positive expression rate of MMP-7 was 67.6% (71/105) and the expression of MMP-7 was also higher in BLs patients than that in other molecular subtypes (χ²=11.328, P<0.05). The positive expression of MMP-7 was correlated with metastasis in ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes, distant metastasis and 5-year survival rate of the patients. FOXC1 was correlated with MMP-7 (r=0.325, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients with luminal and/or NBLs breast cancer have more favorable prognosis than those with HER2 positive and/or BLs subtypes. The expressions of FOXC1 and MMP-7 are closely correlated with the clinicopathological features of breast cancer patients.

Prevention of late postpneumonectomy complications using a 3D printed lung in dog models.

OBJECTIVES: Repositioning of the mediastinum with implantation of a prosthesis seems the favoured approach to treat late complications of pneumonectomy caused by mediastinal shift. However, the traditional prostheses are not designed specifically for use in the thoracic cavity, sometimes resulting in failure of treatment for many reasons. The aim of our study was to develop a novel prosthesis to promote prevention or treatment of late postpneumonectomy complications. METHODS: Using 3D printing technology, we created a novel mimetic lung model replicating the native one and then transplanted it into the thoracic cavity of postpneumonectomy dogs to maintain the original position of the mediastinum. Postoperative morbidity and mortality of late complications were compared between transplanted and non-transplanted groups. The safety and feasibility of implanting a 3D printed prosthesis were also evaluated by chest computed tomography (CT) scan and pathological examination. RESULTS: At the 1-year follow-up, pneumonectomy dogs with 3D printed lungs showed less morbidity and mortality of late complications. CT images indicated dynamic mediastinal shift in pneumonectomy-only dogs with enlarged contralateral lungs. Nevertheless, there was no obvious change in the position of the mediastinum in 3D printed lung transplanted individuals. Moreover, the 3D printed lungs did not cause any additional side effects and revealed good histocompatibility and tolerance of recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiences indicated the safety, feasibility and efficacy of transplantation with 3D printed lungs for prevention of late postpneumonectomy complications and provided a practical and possibly unique clinical application of 3D printing technology for surgical therapy.

Novel green-light KTP laser en bloc enucleation for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer: technique and initial clinical experience.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The standard procedure for staging and treating nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is still transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) via a wire loop. However, TURBT is associated with serious disadvantages that facilitate tumor recurrence. Recently, lasers have been explored as treatment tools for bladder tumors. Here, we report a novel tumor en bloc enucleation using a front-firing green-light potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser and its initial clinical application. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From March through June 2013, 45 patients with NMIBC received modified transurethral resection using a front-firing green-light laser. En bloc enucleation was performed on all tumors. Preoperative and intraoperative data were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: All patients successfully went through a session of treatment with front-firing green-light laser enucleation of the bladder tumor. Complications such as bladder hemorrhage, vesicle perforation, and obturator nerve reflex were not encountered during the treatment. The tumor diameter ranges from 0.3 to 3.0 cm with a mean value of 1.8 cm. Mean operative time and enucleation time were 21 (12-38) and 12 (4-23) minutes, respectively. Serum hemoglobin decreased 1.1 (0.1-2.4) mg/dL averagely. Mean catheter time was 2.0 (1.0-3.0) days, and mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.5 (1.5-4.0) days. The stages of bladder cancer included 27 Ta, 15 T1, and 3 T2a. No tumor recurrence was observed at the initial 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The modified technique using a front-firing green-light laser to en bloc enucleate bladder tumors is effective and safe for treatment of NMIBC. Moreover, it may improve the accurate valuation of tumor stage and prediction of postoperative prognosis, although long-term outcomes and prospective clinical trials are needed.

Detection of miR-34a and miR-34b/c in stool sample as potential screening biomarkers for noninvasive diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

Explore potential screening biomarkers for noninvasive diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) by testing methylation of the miR-34a and miR-34b/c promoter in CRC patients' tissue and stool samples. Methylation-specific PCR analyses were performed on sample DNAs: 82 pairs of normal/cancer samples, 82 CRC patients' stool samples, 40 healthy volunteer stool samples, and 20 healthy volunteer blood samples were recruited. miR-34a has been found methylated in 65 of 82 (79.3%) the CRC tissue samples, but only 36 of 82 (43.9%) in corresponding normal samples. And when testing miR-34a in stool, 63 of 82 (76.8 %) CRC stool samples were observed methylated, and 2 of 40 (5%) healthy samples were observed methylated. The methylation for miR-34b/c has been found in 80 of 82 (97.5%) CRC tissue samples, 49 of 82 (59.8%) corresponding CRC normal samples, and 74 of 79 (93.6%) CRC stool samples. Yet we did not detect any methylation from healthy volunteers stool samples or healthy adult blood samples. Results indicated 76.8 % sensitivity and 93.6% specificity of the miR-34a methylation test for detecting CRC using stool samples. Meanwhile, the sensitivity and specificity of miR-34b/c were 95 and 100%, respectively. Moreover, our results revealed that abnormal DNA methylation of miR-34a was correlated with lymph metastasis (P = 0.010). Abnormal methylation of miR-34a and miR-34b/c genes might be regarded as potential biomarkers for noninvasive screening and diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

[MORPHOLOGY AND PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE ARTIFICIAL TRACHEAL TRANSPLANTATION].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the morphological and pathological changes after transplantation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in vivo. METHODS: PTFE microporous polypropylene tube which was encircled by spiral steel wire was used to prepare the artificial trachea. Forty New Zealand white rabbits (weighing, 4-5 kg) were selected, and were divided into 2 groups. After the cervical trachea (2 cm in length) was removed, the end-to-end anastomosis between the trachea and PTFE artificial trachea was performed in the experimental group (n=20), and end-to-end anastomosis of the trachea in the control group (n=20). The survival of the rabbits was observed after operation; the X-ray, gross, and histological observations were carried out at 2, 4, and 6 months after operation. The longitudinal tensile and radial support biomechanical tests were performed before and after transplantation. RESULTS: The survival time was more than 2 months and the artificial airway was patency in 15 rabbits of the experimental group; the tissue outside the artificial trachea was like tracheal tissue, which filled in the defect, but it was more than 4 months. X-ray observation showed that the PTFE artificial trachea had no obvious displacement in the experimental group, and no tracheostenosis was observed in the control group. After 2 months, there was no epithelial tissue on the artificial airway wall; after 4 months, there was some epithelial cells on the artificial airway wall, incomplete endothelialization and trachea layer structure were seen with no tracheal ciliated columnar epithelium; after 6 months, the artificial trachea wall was covered with epithelium basically, and some ciliated columnar epithelium cells were found, which had the physiological function of the trachea. The transplanted PTFE artificial trachea could keep the stability of the biological mechanics performance, and could be used for the rabbit tracheal reconstruction. CONCLUSION: PTFE artificial trachea can induce to form a tracheal tissue in the trachea tissues of recipients, each layer of the trachea is relatively complete and the experiment animals can be short-term survival.

[Expression of EZH2 in breast cancer and its clinicopathological significance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of EZH2 in breast cancer and its clinicopathological significance. METHODS: Eighty cases of invasive breast cancer with complete clinlcpathological data and follow-up information were enrolled in the study. The expressions of ER, PR, HER-2, CK5/6, CK14, EGFR and EZH2 proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship of EZH2 expression with molecular subtypes and prognosis of breast cancer was analyzed. RESULTS: In 80 cases of breast cancer, there were 49 cases of Luminal subtype, 8 cases of HER-2(+) subtype, 20 cases of Basal-like subtype and 3 cases of Normal breast-like subtype. The molecular subtypes of breast cancer were associated with menopausal status of patients. Luminal subtype had the highest overall survival rate, while the Basal-like carcinomas were associated with the lowest survival (P< 0.05). The overall EZH2-positive expression rate was 45.00% and the expression was correlated with axillary lymph node metastasis, histological grading and clinical staging of breast cancer (P < 0.05). The EZH2-positive expression rates in Luminal subtype, HER-2(+) subtype and Basal-like subtype of breast cancers were 34.6%,50.0% and 70.0%, respectively (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Positive expression of EZH2 may indicate a poor prognosis of breast cancer patients and it might be used as a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer of Basal-like subtype.

Raman spectroscopy, a potential tool in diagnosis and prognosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the feasibility of Raman spectroscopy (RS) in diagnosis and prognosis of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in patients with prostate cancer (PC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Raman spectra are detected from PC cell lines (LNCaP and C4-2) and tissues using a Labram HR 800 RS. Then, principal component analysis (PCA) and support vector machine (SVM) are applied for prediction. A leave-one-out cross-validation is used to train and test the SVM. RESULTS: There are 50 qualified patients, including 33 with androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC) and 17 with CRPC. The spectral changes at 1126, 1170, 1315 to 1338, and 1447 cm-1 between CRPC and ADPC are detected in both cells and tissues models, which are assigned to specific amino acids and DNA. PCA/SVM algorithm provided a sensitivity of 88.2% and a specificity of 87.9% for diagnosing CRPC tissues. Furthermore, 14 patients with ADPC progressed to CRPC within 12 months. These patients are separated into two groups depending on whether their cancers progressed to CRPC within 12 months. PCA/SVM could differentiate these two groups with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 88.9%. CONCLUSIONS: RS has the potential in diagnosis and prognosis of CRPC in clinical practice.

Primary Ewing's sarcoma of vulva: a case report and a review of the literature.

Ewing sarcomas/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (ES/pPNET) are extremely rare in the vulva. A review of the literature reveals only 14 previously reported possible cases. Here we reported a case of primary extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (EES) of the vulva in a 37-year-old woman. Characteristic histologic features of ES/pPNET were present in this case, including a monomorphic population of small round blue cells with cytoplasmic glycogen confirmed by periodic acid-Schiff, membrane staining with CD99 and nuclear staining with FLI-1. After surgery, the patient was found to have pulmonary metastasis and then received six cycles of polychemotherapy. She is still alive with stable disease after 1 year of follow up. Our findings underline the crucial role of immunohistochemical techniques in the differential diagnosis of small round cell tumors in these unusual locations. We also give a summary about the clinical and pathological features of the primary ES/pPNET in the vulva reported previously in the literature.