Central obesity and atherogenic dyslipidemia in metabolic syndrome are associated with increased risk for colorectal adenoma in a Chinese population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is composed of cardiovascular risk factors including insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Most of the components of MetS have been linked to the development of neoplasm. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between individual components of MetS and colorectal adenoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study subjects were recruited from a pool of 4872 individuals who underwent a health check-up examination during the period January 2006 to May 2008. Each participant fulfilled a structured questionnaire. MetS was defined based on the America Heart Association and National Heart Lung Blood Institute criteria. Subjects with history of colon cancer, colon polyps, colitis, or prior colonic surgery were excluded.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 4122 subjects were included for final analysis (2367 men and 1755 women; mean age, 49.6 ± 11.7 years). Of them, MetS was diagnosed in 708 men (29.9%) and in 367 women (20.9%). Among the patients with MetS, 34.6% had adenoma, 31.7% had hyperplastic polyps and 23.3% were polyp-free (p < 0.0001, Chi-square test). The adjusted OR for colorectal adenoma was significantly higher in the subjects with MetS (OR, 1.31, CI: 1.09-1.57). A stronger association between MetS and colorectal adenoma was found in men (OR:1.44, CI:1.16-1.80) than in women (OR:1.04, CI:0.74-1.46). The adjusted OR for adenoma increased as the number of MetS components increased (p for trend = 0.0001 ). When the individual components of MetS were analyzed separately, only central obesity (OR:1.36, CI:1.14-1.63), low HDL cholesterol levels (OR:1.30, CI:1.10-1.54) and high triglyceride levels (OR:1.26, CI:1.04-1.53) were independently associated with colorectal adenoma.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Of the components of MetS analyzed in this study, central obesity and dyslipidemia are independent risk factors for colorectal adenoma. With regard to the prevention of colorectal neoplasm, life-style modification such as weight reduction is worthwhile.</p

Elimination of head and neck cancer initiating cells through targeting glucose regulated protein78 signaling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly lethal cancer that contains cellular and functional heterogeneity. Previously, we enriched a subpopulation of highly tumorigenic head and neck cancer initiating cells (HN-CICs) from HNSCC. However, the molecular mechanisms by which to govern the characteristics of HN-CICs remain unclear. GRP78, a stress-inducible endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, has been reported to play a crucial role in the maintenance of embryonic stem cells, but the role of GRP78 in CICs has not been elucidated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Initially, we recognized GRP78 as a putative candidate on mediating the stemness and tumorigenic properties of HN-CICs by differential systemic analyses. Subsequently, cells with GRP78 anchored at the plasma membrane (^memGRP78⁺) exerted cancer stemness properties of self-renewal, differentiation and radioresistance. Of note, xenotransplantation assay indicated merely 100 ^memGRP78⁺HNSCCs resulted in tumor growth. Moreover, knockdown of GRP78 significantly reduced the self-renewal ability, side population cells and expression of stemness genes, but inversely promoted cell differentiation and apoptosis in HN-CICs. Targeting GRP78 also lessened tumorigenicity of HN-CICs both <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>. Clinically, co-expression of GRP78 and Nanog predicted the worse survival prognosis of HNSCC patients by immunohistochemical analyses. Finally, depletion of GRP78 in HN-CICs induced the expression of Bax, Caspase 3, and PTEN.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In summary, ^memGRP78 should be a novel surface marker for isolation of HN-CICs, and targeting GRP78 signaling might be a potential therapeutic strategy for HNSCC through eliminating HN-CICs.</p

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the lung- a case report

A 45-year-old man presented with a six-month history of progressive dyspnea with productive cough and wheezing. The patient was a heavy smoker and had a history of tongue cancer, hypertension, and asthma. Chest X-ray and computed tomography showed a mass lesion in the left hilar region and total collapse of the upper left lobe of the lung. Bronchoscopy revealed a whitish solid tumor obstructing the left upper lobe bronchus. Positron emission tomography showed increased tracer uptake in the lesion. A thoracoscopic lobectomy of the left upper lobe of the lung was performed. The final pathologic diagnosis was inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor

Predictors of Response to Autologous Dendritic Cell Therapy in Glioblastoma Multiforme

BackgroundGlioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary malignant glioma in adults. Dendritic cell (DC) vaccines have demonstrated promising results in GBM clinical trials. However, some patients do not respond well to DC therapy, with survival rates similar to those of conventional therapy. We retrospectively analyzed clinical and laboratory data to evaluate the factors affecting vaccine treatment.MethodsForty-seven patients with de novo GBM were enrolled at China Medical University Hospital between 2005 and 2010 and divided into two subgroups. One subgroup of 27 patients received postsurgical adjuvant immunotherapy with autologous dendritic cell/tumor antigen vaccine (ADCTA) in conjunction with conventional treatment of concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with temozolomide. The other 20 patients received only postsurgical conventional treatment without immunotherapy. Immunohistochemistry for CD45, CD4, CD8, programed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and programed death 1 (PD-1) was performed on sections of surgical tumor specimens and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Pearson’s correlation, Cox proportional hazard model, and Kaplan–Meier analyses were performed to examine the correlations between the prognostic factors and survival rates.ResultsYounger age (&lt;57 years), gross total resection, and CCRT and PD-1+ lymphocyte counts were significant prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the ADCTA group. Sex, CD45+ lymphocyte count, CD4+ or CD8+ lymphocyte count, tumor PD-L1 expression, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutation, and O6 methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter methylation status were not significant factors in both groups. In the ADCTA group, patients with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) with a lower PD-1+/CD8+ ratio (≤0.21) had longer OS and PFS (median OS 60.97 months, P &lt; 0.001 and PFS 11.2 months, P &lt; 0.008) compared to those with higher PD-1+/CD8+ ratio (&gt;0.21) (median OS 20.07 months, P &lt; 0.001 and PFS 4.43 months, P &lt; 0.008). Similar results were observed in patients’ PBMCs; lymphocyte counts with lower PD-1+/CD8+ ratio (≤0.197) had longer OS and PFS. There was a significant correlation of PD-1+/CD8+ ratio between TILs and PBMCs (Pearson’s correlation R2 = 0.6002, P &lt; 0.001). By contrast, CD4−, CD8−, but PD-1+, CD45+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes have no impact on OS and PFS (P = 0.073 and P = 0.249, respectively).ConclusionFor patients receiving DC vaccine adjuvant therapy, better outcomes are predicted in patients with younger age, with TILs or PBMCs with lower PD-1+/CD8+ ratio, with gross tumor resection, and receiving CCRT

Band-Selection of a Portal LED-Induced Autofluorescence Multispectral Imager to Improve Oral Cancer Detection

This aim of this study was to find effective spectral bands for the early detection of oral cancer. The spectral images in different bands were acquired using a self-made portable light-emitting diode (LED)-induced autofluorescence multispectral imager equipped with 365 and 405 nm excitation LEDs, emission filters with center wavelengths of 470, 505, 525, 532, 550, 595, 632, 635, and 695 nm, and a color image sensor. The spectral images of 218 healthy points in 62 healthy participants and 218 tumor points in 62 patients were collected in the ex vivo trials at China Medical University Hospital. These ex vivo trials were similar to in vivo because the spectral images of anatomical specimens were immediately acquired after the on-site tumor resection. The spectral images associated with red, blue, and green filters correlated with and without nine emission filters were quantized by four computing method, including summated intensity, the highest number of the intensity level, entropy, and fractional dimension. The combination of four computing methods, two excitation light sources with two intensities, and 30 spectral bands in three experiments formed 264 classifiers. The quantized data in each classifier was divided into two groups: one was the training group optimizing the threshold of the quantized data, and the other was validating group tested under this optimized threshold. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of each classifier were derived from these tests. To identify the influential spectral bands based on the area under the region and the testing results, a single-layer network learning process was used. This was compared to conventional rules-based approaches to show its superior and faster performance. Consequently, four emission filters with the center wavelengths of 470, 505, 532, and 550 nm were selected by an AI-based method and verified using a rule-based approach. The sensitivities of six classifiers using these emission filters were more significant than 90%. The average sensitivity of these was about 96.15%, the average specificity was approximately 69.55%, and the average accuracy was about 82.85%

Comparison and Efficacy of LigaSure and Rubber Band Ligature in Closing the Inflamed Cecal Stump in a Rat Model of Acute Appendicitis

Safety of either LigaSure or rubber band in closing inflamed appendiceal stump in acute appendicitis has been less investigated. In this study, cecal ligation followed by resecting inflamed cecum was performed to mimic appendectomy in a rat model of acute appendicitis. Rats were sacrificed immediately (Group A) and 7 days (Group B) after cecal resection, respectively. The cecal stumps were closed by silk ligature (S), 5 mm LigaSure (L), or rubber band (R). Seven days after cecal resection, the LigaSure (BL) and silk subgroups (BS) had significantly less intra-abdominal adhesion and better laparotomy wound healing than rubber band subgroup (BR). The initial bursting pressure at cecal stump was comparable among the three methods; along with tissue healing process, both BL and BS provided a higher bursting pressure than BR 7 days after appendectomy. BL subgroup had more abundant hydroxyproline deposition than BS and BR subgroup. Furthermore, serum TNF-α in BR group kept persistently increasing along with time after cecal resection. Thus, the finding that LigaSure but not rubber band is safe in sealing off the inflamed cecal stump in rat model of acute appendicitis suggests the possibility of applying LigaSure for appendectomy via single port procedure or natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES)

Distinct population of highly malignant cells in a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line established by xenograft model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>The progression and metastasis of solid tumors, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), have been related to the behavior of a small subpopulation of cancer stem cells. Here, we have established a highly malignant HNSCC cell line, SASVO3, from primary tumors using three sequential rounds of xenotransplantation. SASVO3 possesses enhanced tumorigenic ability both <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>. Moreover, SASVO3 exhibits properties of cancer stem cells, including that increased the abilities of sphere-forming, the number of side population cells, the potential of transplanted tumor growth and elevated expression of the stem cell marker Bmi1. Injection of SASVO3 into the tail vein of nude mice resulted in lung metastases. These results are consistent with the postulate that the malignant and/or metastasis potential of HNSCC cells may reside in a stem-like subpopulation.</p