Cancer incidence in Dutch Balkan veterans

Suspicion has been raised about an increased cancer risk among Balkan veterans because of alleged exposure to depleted uranium. The authors conducted a historical cohort study to examine cancer incidence among Dutch Balkan veterans. Male military personnel (n = 18,175, median follow-up 11 years) of the Army and Military Police who had been deployed to the Balkan region (1993–2001) was compared with their peers not deployed to the Balkans (n = 135,355, median follow-up 15 years) and with the general Dutch population of comparable age and sex. The incidence of all cancers and 4 main cancer subgroups was studied in the period 1993–2008. The cancer incidence rate among Balkan deployed military men was 17% lower than among non-Balkan deployed military men (hazard ratio 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.69, 1.00)). For the 4 main cancer subgroups, hazard ratios were statistically non-significantly below 1. Also compared to the general population cancer rates were lower in Balkan deployed personnel (standardised incidence rate ratio (SIR) 0.85 (0.73, 0.99). The SIR for leukaemia was 0.63 (0.20, 1.46). The authors conclude that earlier suggestions of increased cancer risks among veterans are not supported by empirical data. The lower risk of cancer might be explained by the ‘healthy warrior effect’.     

In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors

Several human and murine colon cancer cell lines have been established, physiologic integrity of colon tumors such as multiple cell layers, basal-apical polarity, ability to differentiate, and anoikis are not maintained in colon cancer derived cell lines. The present study demonstrates a method for culturing primary mouse colon tumor organoids adapted from Sato T et al. ¹, which retains important physiologic features of colon tumors. This method consists of mouse colon tumor tissue collection, adjacent normal colon epithelium dissociation, colon tumor cells digestion into single cells, embedding colon tumor cells into matrigel, and selective culture based on the principle that tumor cells maintain growth on limiting nutrient conditions compared to normal epithelial cells.The primary tumor organoids if isolated from genetically modified mice provide a very useful system to assess tumor autonomous function of specific genes. Moreover, the tumor organoids are amenable to genetic manipulation by virus meditated gene delivery; therefore signaling pathways involved in the colon tumorigenesis could also be extensively investigated by overexpression or knockdown. Primary tumor organoids culture provides a physiologic relevant and feasible means to study the mechanisms and therapeutic modalities for colon tumorigenesis.     

Alterations in growth-associated protein (GAP-43) expression in lower urinary tract pathways following chronic spinal cord injury

Alterations in the expression of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) were examined in lower urinary tract micturition reflex pathways 6 or 8 weeks following complete spinal cord transection (~ T9). In control animals, expression of GAP-43 was present in specific regions of the gray matter in the rostral lumbar and caudal lumbosacral spinal cord, including: (1) the dorsal commissure; (2) the corticospinal tract; (3) the dorsal horn; and (4) the regions of the intermediolateral cell column (L1-L2) and the sacral parasympathetic nucleus (L6-S1); and (5) in the lateral collateral pathway of Lissauer in L6-S1 spinal segments. Densitometry analysis has demonstrated significant increases (p 0.001; 1.3-6.4-fold increase) in GAP-43-immunoreactivity (IR) in these regions of the rostral lumbar (L1-L2) and caudal lumbosacral (L6-S1) spinal cord 6 weeks following spinal cord injury. Changes in GAP-43-IR were restricted to the L1-L2 and L6-S1 segments that are involved in lower urinary tract reflexes. Changes in GAP-43-IR were not observed at the L5 segmental level except for an increase in GAP-43-IR in the superficial, dorsal horn at 6 weeks post-injury. In all segments examined, GAP-43-IR was decreased (2-5-fold) in the corticospinal tract (dorsal division) 6 and 8 weeks following spinal cord injury. Eight weeks following spinal cord injury, changes in GAP-43-IR had returned to control levels except for the persistence of increased GAP-43-IR in the region of the sacral parasympathetic nucleus and the lateral collateral pathway in the S1 spinal segment. Alterations in GAP-43-IR following chronic spinal cord injury may suggest a reorganization of bladder afferent projections and spinal elements involved in urinary bladder reflexes consistent with alterations in urinary bladder function (hyperreflexia) observed in animals following spinal cord injury above the lumbosacral spinal cord.     

腹腔镜根治性膀胱全切除联合回肠原位新膀胱术对膀胱癌患者免疫功能和生活质量的影响

目的:探讨腹腔镜根治性膀胱全切除联合回肠原位新膀胱术对膀胱癌患者免疫功能和生活质量的影响。方法:选取2016年7月到2017年8月在我院进行治疗的膀胱癌患者90例,患者均采用根治性膀胱全切除联合回肠原位新膀胱术治疗,其中50例行开放性根治性膀胱全切除联合回肠原位新膀胱术,作为对照组;40例行腹腔镜根治性膀胱全切除联合回肠原位新膀胱术,作为观察组。记录患者围手术期指标及并发症,比较两组患者的尿动力学指标和免疫功能变化情况以及SF-36量表评分。结果:观察组患者的手术时间长于对照组,术中出血量、住院时间、胃肠功能恢复时间均短于对照组(P<0.05)。两组患者的膀胱容量、最大尿流率、充盈期膀胱压力、排尿时最大膀胱压、最大尿道压、残留尿量和总并发症发生率比较无差异(P>0.05)。术后3 d,两组患者的CD3^+、CD4^+、CD4^+/CD8^+水平均有所下降,CD8^+水平有所上升(P<0.05),且观察组的CD3^+、CD4^+、CD4^+/CD8^+水平高于对照组,CD8^+水平低于对照组(P<0.05)。术后1个月两组患者的生理职能、生理机能、健康状况、躯体疼痛、社会功能、精力、情感职能以及精神健康评分均有增加(P<0.05),且观察组的生理职能、健康状况、精力、情感职能以及精神健康评分明显高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:与开放手术相比,腹腔镜根治性膀胱全切除联合回肠原位新膀胱术手术时间更长,但术中出血量少,患者术后恢复快,且手术对患者的免疫功能影响较小,可显著提升患者的生活质量。     

膀胱尿路上皮肿瘤合并2型糖尿病患者临床和病理特点的比较性研究

目的:对比分析膀胱尿路上皮肿瘤合并2型糖尿病患者的临床和病理特点,为临床诊疗工作提供一定的参考。方法:回顾性分析2015年1月至2019年2月于我院泌尿外科手术治疗且经病理确诊为原发性膀胱尿路上皮肿瘤的患者资料,合并2型糖尿病的膀胱肿瘤患者59例设为糖尿病组(T2DM组),根据性别和年龄按照1:2的比例匹配同时期未合并2型糖尿病的膀胱肿瘤118例患者为非糖尿病组(NT2DM组),比较两组患者的临床特征和病理特点。结果:T2DM组的高血压患者比例和血肌酐值高于NT2DM组(P<0.05),而在教育程度、吸烟、饮酒、BMI、前列腺增生、泌尿系感染、血常规、肝功、尿常规、肿瘤大小、数量方面无明显统计学差异(P>0.05)。T2DM组和NT2DM组在膀胱尿路上皮肿瘤良恶性分类、肿瘤数量、肿瘤大小的构成比上无明显统计学差异(P>0.05);然而,对膀胱恶性肿瘤患者进行亚组分析显示,T2DM亚组中肌层浸润性癌的比例和高级别癌的比例明显高于NT2DM亚组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:2型糖尿病可能使膀胱癌的病理分级和分期更高,导致患者预后更差,临床上应更加关注膀胱恶性肿瘤合并2型糖尿病患者的诊治。     

血清LncRNA XIST与miR-33a在膀胱癌中的表达及临床意义

目的:探究血清长链非编码RNA X染色体失活特异转录本(Lnc RNA XIST)与微小RNA-33a(mi R-33a)在膀胱癌中的表达及临床意义。方法:选择2017年4月至2019年8月青岛大学附属医院诊治的95例膀胱癌患者作为膀胱癌组,选择同期体检的95例健康者作为健康组。采用荧光定量PCR检测两组的血清LncRNA XIST与mi R-33a表达水平,分析患者的临床病理参数与血清LncRNA XIST、mi R-33a表达水平的关系,采用受试者工作特征曲线(ROC)分析血清LncRNA XIST与mi R-33a对膀胱癌的预测价值。结果:与健康组相比,膀胱癌组的血清LncRNA XIST表达水平明显升高(P0.05),而血清mi R-33a表达水平明显下降(P0.05)。血清LncRNA XIST与mi R-33a表达均与膀胱癌患者的TNM分期和淋巴结转移情况相关(P0.05)。血清LncRNA XIST联合mi R-33a(AUC=0.830,敏感性=90.47%,特异性=89.85%)预测膀胱癌的临床价值明显高于血清LncRNA XIST(AUC=0.716,敏感性=81.36%,特异性=80.74%)及血清mi R-33a(AUC=0.736,敏感性=82.19%,特异性=81.09%)单独检测。结论:血清LncRNA XIST表达异常升高、血清mi R-33a表达降低与膀胱癌发生密切相关,联合检测有助于预测膀胱癌发生的风险,从而为临床制定针对性干预和治疗方案提供参考。     

miR-92在膀胱癌患者中的表达与膀胱癌细胞侵袭和耐药性的关系

为了考察miR-92在膀胱癌患者中的表达及与膀胱癌细胞侵袭和耐药性的关系,本研究通过RT-PCR检测了膀胱癌患者癌组织和BIU-87细胞中的miR-92表达,通过对BIU-87细胞转染miR-92抑制剂来敲低miR-92的表达。使用10μg/mL的顺铂处理BIU-87细胞24 h、48 h和72 h,Cell Counting Kit-8试剂盒(CCK-8)检测细胞活力。基质胶侵袭实验检测侵袭能力,Annexin V/PI流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡。RT-PCR和Western blotting检测GSK3β、细胞核β-catenin、Cyclin D1、c-myc和MMP7的表达。研究显示,膀胱癌组织和细胞中miR-92的表达上调且与TNM分期和淋巴结转移相关。敲低miR-92抑制膀胱癌细胞增殖、侵袭和上皮-间质转化,并降低膀胱癌细胞的顺铂耐药性。敲低miR-92导致Cyclin D1、c-myc、MMP7和细胞核β-catenin的表达水平显著降低,而GSK3β的表达水平显著升高。本研究表明,miR-92在膀胱癌患者中明显上调,敲低miR-92可抑制膀胱癌细胞的增殖、转移和上皮-间质转化,并提高化疗药物敏感性。miR-92对膀胱癌细胞生物学行为的调控作用部分由Wnt信号通路相关分子(如GSK3β等)介导。     

Decorin antagonizes IGF receptor I (IGF-IR) function by interfering with IGF-IR activity and attenuating downstream signaling

We have recently discovered that the insulin-like growth factor receptor I (IGF-IR) is up-regulated in human invasive bladder cancer and promotes migration and invasion of transformed urothelial cells. The proteoglycan decorin, a key component of the tumor stroma, can positively regulate the IGF-IR system in normal cells. However, there are no available data on the role of decorin in modulating IGF-IR activity in transformed cells or in tumor models. Here we show that the expression of decorin inversely correlated with IGF-IR expression in low and high grade bladder cancers (n = 20 each). Decorin bound with high affinity IGF-IR and IGF-I at distinct sites and negatively regulated IGF-IR activity in urothelial cancer cells. Nanomolar concentrations of decorin promoted down-regulation of IRS-1, one of the critical proteins of the IGF-IR pathway, and attenuated IGF-I-dependent activation of Akt and MAPK. This led to decorin-evoked inhibition of migration and invasion upon IGF-I stimulation. Notably, decorin did not cause down-regulation of the IGF-IR in bladder, breast, and squamous carcinoma cells. This indicates that decorin action on the IGF-IR differs from its known activity on other receptor tyrosine kinases such as the EGF receptor and Met. Our results provide a novel mechanism for decorin in negatively modulating both IGF-I and its receptor. Thus, decorin loss may contribute to increased IGF-IR activity in the progression of bladder cancer and perhaps other forms of cancer where IGF-IR plays a role.     

A mathematical model of combined bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and interleukin (IL)-2 immunotherapy of superficial bladder cancer

We report a mathematical model that describes the growth of superficial bladder cancer and the effect thereupon of immunotherapy based on the administration of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) combined or not with interleukin-2 (IL-2). Intravesical instillations of BCG performed after surgical removal of tumors represents an established treatment with approximately 50% success rate. So far, attempts to improve this efficiency have not led to essential changes. However, convincing clinical results have been reported on the combination of IL-2 to BCG, even though this is still not applied in current practice. The present model provides insights into the dynamical outcomes arising in the bladder from the interactions of immune cells with tumor cells in the course of BCG therapy associated or not with IL-2. Specifically, from the simulations performed using seven ordinary and non-linear differential equations we obtained indications on the conditions that would result in successful bladder cancer treatment. We show that immune cells -effector lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells-expand and reach a sustainable plateau under BCG treatment, which may account for its beneficial effect, resulting from inflammatory “side-effects” which eliminate residual or eventual newly arising tumor cells, providing thus protection from further cancer development. We find, however, that IL-2 does not actually potentiate the effect of BCG as regards tumor cell eradication. Hence, associating both under the conditions simulated should not result in more efficient treatment of bladder cancer patients.