【Abstract】Objective To investigate the recent studies on the biocharacters of keratin family (e.g. genetic mutations and abnormal expressions) and their relationships with the malignant tumors. Methods The literatures of recent years on the biocharacters of keratin family (e.g. genetic mutations and abnormal expressions) and their relationships with the malignant tumors were reviewed. Results Keratin family is a kind of structural proteins in cell which plays an important role in cytomechanics and regulates cell-cycle. The mutations of keratin genes (mRNA) or the overexpression of keratin proteins would interfere with the order of cell-cycle or the integrity of cytomechanics, and lead to some diseases and malignant tumors finally. Conclusion The studies on biocharaters of keratin family (e.g. genetic mutations and abnormal expressions) are helpful in the diagnosis, staging and the evaluation of prognosis of some diseases and cancers, e.g. liver cirrhosis, breast cancer, rectum carcinoma, etc.
ObjectiveTo investigate the association between the preoperative nutritional risk and anastomotic leakage following anterior resection for the rectal cancer. MethodsA total of 321 patients with rectal cancer underwent anterior resection in our hospital between January 2008 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative nutritional status was evaluated using NRS 2002. Correlation of clinicopathologic characteristics with postoperative anastomotic leakage was evaluated using single factor analysis and Logistic regression model. ResultsAmong the 321 patients, the incidence of postoperative anastomotic leakage was 5.6% (18/321). Single factor analysis showed that the NRS2002 score≥3, clinicalpathologic stage (Ⅲ-Ⅳstage) and distance of tumor from the anal verge were the risk factors of anastomotic leakage after anterior leakage following anterior resection for rectal cancer. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the NRS2002 score (OR=4.125, 95% CI=2.062-7.004), clinicalpathologic stage (OR=3.334, 95% CI=2.062-7.004) and the distance of tumor from the anal verge (OR=2.341, 95% CI=2.559-15.838) were the independent risk factors for anastomotic leakage after anterior leakage following anterior resection for rectal cancer. Conciusions Preoperative NRS2002 score is helpful to predict the risk of anastomotic leakage after anterior resection of rectal cancer. Nutrition education should be strengthened to decrease the morbidity of the anastomotic leakage following anterior resection for the patients who's NRS2002 score≥3.
ObjectiveTo understand the incidence of fecal incontinence after sphincter-preserving operation for middle and low rectal cancer, the factors influencing fecal incontinence, the relationship of fecal incontinence to anorectal manometry, and treatment. MethodThe literatures about fecal incontinence after sphincter-preserving operation for middle and low rectal cancer were reviewed. ResultsThe incidence of fecal incontinence after sphincter-preserving operation for middle and low rectal cancer was about 35.3%. Wexner fecal incontinence score was the most popular scale in assessing the severity of fecal incontinence, which had high validity and utility. When Wexner score≥9, the fecal incontinence-related quality of life was seriously damaged. Closer the anastomosis to the anal margin, the fecal incontinence was more likely to happen and much severer if it appeared. Surgeon could improve the anorectal function through some kinds of surgeries, like ultralow anterior resection with levator-sphincter reinforcement when the tumor site was rather low. The effect of chemoradiotherapy on fecal incontinence was uncertain now. Age itself was a risk factor for fecal incontinence, for elderly patients underwent sphincter-preserving operation needed to be careful. The relationship of fecal incontinence to anorectal function was not completely clear. The anal sphincter nerve function was a predicting factor whether neurogenic fecal incontinence was going to happen or not. Even though the retrograde colonic irrigation, sacral nerve stimulation, and biofeedback therapy had been proved to alleviate the symptoms and improve the quality of life after sphincter-preserving operation, much more prospective and controlled studies were needed to validate their efficacy and explore other new solutions. ConclusionsWe still need to come up with the objective criterion to assess fecal incontinence. Much more prospective studies are needed to analyze the influencing factors and to find effective prevention and treatment.
Objective To analyze the relationship between Glasgow prognostic score （GPS）， liver metastasis， and prognosis of rectal caner. Methods Clinical data of 223 patients with rectal cancer who underwent operation in Chinese PLA General Hospital from Jun. 2005 to Dec. 2011 were retrospectively analyzed， and the relationship between preoperative GPS score， liver metastasis， and prognosis of rectal cancer were analyzed. Results Preoperative GPS score of patients with rectal cancer was related to invasion depth （P＜0.001）， vascular or lymphatic invasion （P＜0.001）， liver metastasis （P＜0.001）， TNM stage （P＜0.001）， levels of carcinoembryonic antigen （P=0.009）， levels of CA19-9（P＜0.001）， and levels of CA724 （P＜0.001）. Multivariate analysis results revealed that differentiation of tumor （poorly：OR=10.688）， vascular or lymphatic invasion （OR=4.918）， lymph node metastasis （OR=3.359）， and preoperative GPS score （score 2：OR=15.907） were related to liver metastasis；age （RR=2.121）， differentiation of tumor （poorly：RR=2.846）， invasion depth （RR=1.754）， TNM stage （stageⅡ：RR=7.447， stageⅢ：RR=9.030， stage Ⅳ：RR=13.325）， and preoperative GPS score （score 2：RR=2.471） were the independently prognostic factors of rectal cancer. The preo- perative GPS score were related with both liver metastasis and prognosis of rectal cancer. Conclusion Preoperative GPS score is associated with liver metastasis of rectal cancer， and it is considered to be a useful predictor of postoperative prognosis in rectal cancer.
ObjectiveTo assess the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with rectal cancer. MethodsThe related randomized controlled trials comparing patients underwent radical surgery for rectal cancer with (adjuvant chemotherapy group) or without (surgery alone group) adjuvant chemotherapy, were retrieved from the databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBAS, CBM, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP, then using RevMan 5.2 software to conduct the Meta-analysis. ResultsA total of 8 articles involving 3 654 patients were included. The results of Meta-analysis showed that:①for all patients with rectal cancer, the 2-(OR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.05-1.57, P=0.020), 3-(OR=1.28, 95% CI: 1.09-1.51, P=0.003), and 5-year (OR=1.21. 95% CI: 1.05-1.40, P=0.008) survival rates of adjuvant chemotherapy group were higher than those of surgery alone group, respectively.②For patients with rectal cancer ofⅡstaging, compared with surgery alone group, the 5-year survival rate was higher in adjuvant chemotherapy group (OR=1.39, 95% CI: 1.09-1.78, P=0.009), but 5-year recurrence rate was lower in adjuvant chemotherapy group (OR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.49-0.87, P=0.003).③For patients with rectal cancer ofⅢstaging, compared with surgery alone group, the 5-year recurrence rate was lower in adjuvant chemotherapy group (OR=0.40, 95% CI: 0.26-0.64, P=0.000 1), but there was no significant difference on the 5-year survival rate (OR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.00-1.61, P=0.050). ConclusionCompared with radical surgery, radical surgery combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy can improve the survival and reduce the recurrence for patients with rectal cancer.
Objective To explore the characteristics of diagnosis and treatment for the rectal cancer in the young patients （≤40 years）．Methods The domestic and abroad literatures about the research on the progress of rectal cancer in the young patients were reviewed, the clinical data of patients with rectal cancer were compared between the young patients and the other age patients, the characteristics of diagnosis and treatment for the rectal cancer in the young patients were summarized．Results The onsets of the young patients with rectal cancer were related to the diet，lifestyle, and genetic factors．Compared with the older patients, more later stage, higher percentage of poor differentiation, earlier lymph node metastasis were found in the young patients with rectal cancer．Rectal cancer of the young patients was often misdiagnosed and with a poor prognosis．Currently，surgery assisted with neoadjuvant therapy was generally acknowledged as a better method．Conclusions It has specificity in epidemiology, pathology, treatment, prognosis, and so on for rectal cancer in the young patients, but surgery needs further research．
Objective To investigate the correlation among lymph node metastasis and clinical features, postoperative survival rate in rectal cancer. Methods Seventy-nine patients who had accepted total mesorectal excision (TME) were collected, and the correlation among their clinical features (including gender, age, tumor size, gross type, depth of infiltration, histology type, differentiated degree and the level of blood serum CEA), lymph node metastasis, and postoperative survival rate were analyzed. Results There was significant correlation between six factors (namely the tumor size, gross type, depth of infiltration, histology type, differentiated degree and the level of blood serum CEA) and lymph node metastasis in single factor analysis. However， multivariate analysis showed that only gross type of tumor and depth of tumor infiltration were related to lymph node metastasis. The postoperative survival time of 43 non-metastasis cases was remarkably longer than that of 33 cases with lymph node metastasis (χ2=18.806， P=0.000), and it was longer in 22 cases with ＜4 lymph nodes metastasis than that of 11 cases with ≥4 lymph nodes metastasis (χ2=4.659， P=0.031). Conclusion In rectal cancer patients the clinical features can reflect the condition of lymph node metastasis in a certain extent, and it can help doctors to evaluate the lymph node metastasis and prognosis.
Objective To investigate the application of air leak test combined with methylene blue solution leak test in the detection of anastomotic leakage after total mesorectal excision （TME） in rectal cancer. Methods In total of132 patients with rectal cancer underwent Dixon according to TME in our hospital from Mar. 2010 to Mar. 2013 were enrolled. All patients were randomly divided into air leak test group （n=65） and air leak＋methylene blue solution leak test group （n=67）. The intestinal anastomosis of patients in air leak test group were clamped at 2 cm from the upper endof bowel， then injecting 500 mL distilled water to pelvic， and placing 24# Foley catheter through the anus. The catheter balloon was injected with water to close anus， and then injected with 50 mL gas to find the anastomotic leakage where bubbles happened， and then repaired it. Patients of air leak＋methylene blue solution leak test group were treated with methylene blue solution test in addition. After sucking out of the distilled water in pelvic and gas in the rectum， 1 bottle of methylene blue solution （20 mg） and 50 mL saline were injected， observing the location where the methylene blue solutionleaking out and repaired it. Results Three cases （4.62%） of anastomotic leakage were found during operation in air leak test group， and 9 cases （13.85%） were found after operation. Of the 9 cases， 5 cases were cured with placement of adeq-uate drainage and symptomatic treatment， 3 cases were cured with anal patch， and 1 case was cured with transverse colon fistula and drainage. In total of 15 cases （22.39%） were found anastomotic leakage， 2 cases of them were found by air leak test and another 13 cases were found by methylene blue solution leak test during operation in air leak＋methylene bluesolution leak test group， but no one suffered anastomotic leakage after operation. Compared with air test group， detectionrate of anastomotic leakage during operation was higher （P＜0.05）， and incidence rate of anastomotic leakage after opera-tion was lower in air leak＋methylene blue solution leak test group （P＜0.05）. Conclusions Large anastomotic leakage can be found by using air leak test， and small and hidden leakage can be found by using methylene blue solution leak test， combination method of the two experiments is better. Repair can be performed effectively under direct vision.
Objective To investigate the expressions of tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand （TRAIL） and its receptors (DR4, DcR1) in human rectal cancer tissues and normal rectal tissues. MethodsThe expressions of TRAIL and its receptors (DR4, DcR1) in 31 cases of human rectal cancer tissues and 20 cases of normal rectal tissues were detected by immunohistochemical staining. ResultsThe positive expression rates of TRAIL, DR4 and DcR1 （32.26%， 29.03%， 0） were lower than those of normal rectal tissues （55.00%， 70.00%， 65.00%）, the difference was statistically significant(P=0.015， P=0.000， P=0.000). There were no relation between the expressions of TRAIL, DR4 and DcR1 and clinicopathologic characteristics (Pgt;0.05). ConclusionThe expressions of TRAIL and its receptors (DR4, DcR1) in human rectal cancer tissues were lower than those of normal rectal tissues, which may suggest that the apoptotic effect induced by the interaction between TRAIL and its receptors has attenuated in human rectal cancer.
ObjectiveTo determine the expression change of activating transcription factor 5 (ATF5) in human rectal cancer tissue, and analyze the correlation between ATF5 expression and the clinicopathologic parameters of rectal cancer. MethodsNinetytwo paired samples of rectal cancer tissue and more than 5 cm distant normal rectal tissue were obtained from inpatients between March 2009 and October 2009 in this hospital. ATF5 mRNA and protein expressions were detected by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. ResultsThirty-three (35.9%) cases of rectal cancer showed ATF5 mRNA overexpression; however, the expression level of ATF5 mRNA in the rectal cancer tissue was not statistically different from that in the normal rectal tissue (P=0.363). There was no evidence for the relationship between the ATF5 mRNA expression and the patients’ age, gender, histological type, tumor differentiation degree, invasive depth, lymph node metastasis, distance metastasis, or TNM stage. In contrast, the positive expression rate of ATF5 protein in the rectal cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in the normal rectal tissue (P=0.000). Moreover, the ATF5 protein expression was correlated with the tumor differentiation degree (P=0.013), but not with other clinicopathologic features (Pgt;0.05). ConclusionsThe results suggest that ATF5 protein may be related to the carcinogenesis and differentiation of human rectal cancer. However, further researches are required to prove the correlation.