ObjectiveTo explore the therapeutic effect and safety of irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation technique on esophageal cancer.MethodsAn ECM830 electroporator was used for IRE treatment on esophageal cancer cells EC109 and KYSE30. According to the different electric field intensity, five groups were assigned: a control group, a 500 V/cm group, a 1000 V/cm group, a 1500 V/cm group, and a 2 000 V/cm group. After 24 h, methyl thiazolyltetrazolium (MTT) was used to detect the cell proliferation of each group. Western blotting was performed to evaluate the expression of apoptosis proteins in cells before or after IRE treatment. Eight healthy BALB/c nude mice were equally divided into two groups: a control group (n=4) and an IRE group (n=4). EC109 was used to establish subcutaneous transplantation tumors and subsequently the mice in the IRE group were treated with flat electrode. The weight and volume of tumors were measured after 14 days. Ten healthy New Zealand white rabbits were equally divided into two groups: a control group (n=5) and an IRE group (n=5). After exposing the abdominal cavity, the abdominal esophagus of the IRE group was treated with flat electrode. Seven days later, the esophagus was extracted for HE and Masson staining.ResultsWhen the electric field intensity was low (500 V/cm), there was no change in esophageal cancer cells proliferation after IRE treatment compared to the control group (EC109: P=0.385, KYSE30: P=0.600). With the increase of electric field intensity, the influence of IRE on the proliferation of esophageal cancer cell gradually increased. When it reached 2 000 V/cm, there was basically no cell viability after IRE treatment (P<0.001). The results of Western blotting showed that the expression of cleaved caspase-3 increased after IRE treatment (P<0.01). Animal experiments indicated that the weight and volume of tumors in nude mice reduced (P<0.05) and the growth of tumors was slowed down after IRE treatment. In addition, the parenchymal cells of rabbit esophagus were largely damaged, while interstitial tissues such as fibers were well preserved.ConclusionIRE ablation has the potential to inhibit the proliferation of esophageal cancer cell and slow down the tumor growth.What’s more, it is safe for the esophagus.
Objective To study the effects of adenosine 2A receptor activation on activation, proliferation, and toxicity of T lymphocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) in vitro. Methods A model of activated T cells was established by stimulating the cells with PHA. Those T cells were treated with different concentrations of adenosine 2A receptors agonist (0.01 μmol/L, 0.1 μmol/L, 1 μmol/L, and 10 μmol/L CGS21680). The expressions of CD69, CD25 and proliferation of T cells were measured by fluorescent antibody stain and flow cytometry. ELISA method was used to detect IL-2 and INF-γ levels. Results All concentrations of CGS21680 significantly inhibited the expressions of CD25 and CD69 on PHA-stimulated T cells surface and proliferation of T cells （Plt;0.05， Plt;0.01）. IL-2 and INF-γ secreted by T cells were significantly suppressed, too （Plt;0.01）. Conclusion Activation of adenosine 2A receptor can effectively inhibit the activation, proliferation, and toxicity of T cells in vitro.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of total thoracoscopic lobectomy for patients with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The clinical data of 138 NSCLC patients from January 2013 to June 2015 in Shaanxi People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 88 males and 50 females with an average age of 57.4±8.8 years, ranging from 44 to 76 years. According to the operation methods, they were divided into a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) group (thoracoscopic lobectomy in 63 cases) and a thoracotomy group (conventional open chest surgery in 75 cases). The intra- and postoperative clinical data, surgical complications and pulmonary function were compared. Results There was no significant difference in the operation time, intraoperative lymph node dissection groups, intraoperative lymph node dissection number between two groups (P>0.05). The blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, duration of postoperative analgesia, Numeric Rating Scale for pain and hospital stay in the VATS group were significantly lower than those of the thoracotomy group (P<0.05). The pre- and postoperative FVC%pred and FEV1%pred in both groups were compared and there was no significant difference (P>0.05). However the postoperative FVC%pred and FEV1%pred in both groups significantly reduced compared with preoperative ones (P<0.05). Complication rate of thoracoscopic group was significantly less than that of the thoracotomy group (20.63%vs. 32.00%,χ2=3.974,P=0.046). Conclusion Thoracoscopic lobectomy for NSCLCⅠ/Ⅱpatients is reliable, and achieves rapid postoperative recovery as well as less complications.
Objective To investigate the efficacy of Docetaxel injection and Capecitabine tablets combined with Oxaliplatin injection in chemotherapy for patients after esophageal cancer surgery. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 101 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent radical surgery from June 2010 to December 2012, including 58 males and 43 females. According to the different treatment methods they were divided into a study group (58 patients, 32 males and 26 females, postoperatively receiving Docetaxel injection, Capecitabine tablets, Oxaliplatin injection and chemotherapy) and a control group (43 patients, 26 males and 17 females, taking Docetaxel injection and Capecitabine tablets for 4 consecutive courses). We compared the difference in the outcomes between the two groups. Results There was no significant difference in the level of serum anticancer antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) before chemotherapy between two groups (P>0.05). After chemotherapy, the level of serum CEA, CA125, CA199, SCC in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The 1-year survival rate of the study group was 92.59% and the 2-year survival rate was 70.37%, which were not significantly different from those of the control group (P>0.05). The 3-year survival rate of the study group was significantly higher than that of the control group (57.41 %vs. 32.43%, P<0.05). The mean survival time of the study group was longer than that of the control group (31 monthsvs. 22 months, P=0.001). Conclusion Docetaxel injection and Capecitabine tablets combined with Oxaliplatin injection for the treatment of esophageal cancer surgery can significantly reduce levels of tumor markers in serum after esophageal cancer surgery, and is favorable for the long-term survival of patients, but adverse reactions should be noted.
A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that broke out at the end of 2019 is a newly discovered highly pathogenic human coronavirus and has some similarities with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor for infected cells by SARS-CoV. SARS-CoV can invade cells by binding to ACE2 through the spike protein and SARS-CoV-2 may also infect cells through ACE2. Meanwhile, ACE2 also plays an important role in the course of pneumonia. Therefore the possible role of ACE2 in SARS and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is worth discussing. This paper briefly summarized the role of ACE2 in SARS, and discussed the possible function of ACE2 in COVID-19 and potential risk of infection with other organs. At last, the function of ACE2 was explored for possible treatment strategies for SARS. It is hoped to provide ideas and theoretical support for clinical treatment of COVID-19.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of smoking and drinking status on the prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodsThe clinical data of 483 patients with ESCC who underwent surgical treatment in Shannxi Provincial People's Hospital from 2007 to 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 352 patients were male and 131 were female, with a median age of 64 (37-80) years. There were 311 smokers and 172 drinkers. The relationship between preoperative drinking or smoking status and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with ESCC was analyzed. Log-rank method and Cox risk regression were used to conduct univariate and multivariate survival analysis, respectively.ResultsThe preoperative smoking status was related to the patient's tumor location (P=0.030). Drinking status was associated with tumor location (P=0.001), degree of differentiation (P=0.030), pathological T stage (P=0.024) and pathological N stage (P=0.029). Univariate survival analysis showed that smoking status did not affect the disease-free survival (DFS) (P=0.188) and overall survival (OS) (P=0.127) of patients with ESCC. However, patients who drank alcohol had worse PFS than non-drinking patients (29.37 months vs. 42.87 months, P=0.009). It was further proved that alcohol consumption was an independent risk factor affecting patients' recurrence and metastasis by using multivariate analysis (RR=1.28, P=0.040). Alcohol consumption also reduced the OS of patients by 21.47 months (P=0.014), however, multivariate analysis did not yield significant results.ConclusionPreoperative drinking status is related to the stage and differentiation of patients with ESCC. It is an independent risk factor affecting the recurrence and metastasis of ESCC.
ObjectiveTo explore whether surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy can bring survival benefits to patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodsThe clinical data of patients with cervical and upper thoracic ESCC who underwent R0 resection and neck anastomosis in our department from 2006 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients received neoadjuvant therapy or adjuvant radiotherapy were excluded. The adjuvant chemotherapy group was given a combination of taxanes and platinum based chemotherapy after surgery; the surgery alone group did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival difference between the adjuvant chemotherapy group and the surgery alone group. ResultsA total of 181 patients were enrolled, including 141 (77.9%) males and 40 (22.1%) females, with an average age of 61.0±8.2 years (80 patients aged≤61 years, 101 patients aged>61 years). There were 70 (38.7%) patients of cervical ESCC, and 111 (61.3%) patients of upper thoracic ESCC. Eighty-seven (48.1%) patients underwent postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and 94 (51.9%) patients underwent surgery alone, and the basic clinical characteristics were well balanced between the two groups (P>0.05). The median survival time of patients in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and the surgery alone group was 31.93 months and 26.07 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 35.0% and 32.0%, respectively (P=0.227). There was no statistical difference in median survival time between the cervical ESCC and upper thoracic ESCC group (31.83 months vs. 29.76 months, P=0.763). For cervical ESCC patients, the median survival time was 45.07 months in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 14.70 months in the surgery alone group (P=0.074). Further analysis showed that the median survival time of lymph node negative group was 32.53 months, and the lymph node positive group was 24.57 months (P=0.356). The median survival time was 30.43 months in the lymph-node positive group with adjuvant chemotherapy and 17.77 months in the lymph-node positive group with surgery alone. The survival curve showed a trend of difference, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.557).ConclusionThere is no statistical difference in the long-term survival of cervical and upper thoracic ESCC patients after R0 resection. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy may have survival benefits for patients with cervical ESCC and upper ESCC with postoperative positive lymph nodes, but the differences are not statistically significant in this setting.