Circulating DNA level is negatively associated with the long-term survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients

AIM： To quantify the circulating DNA in plasma from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and to evaluate its prognostic value. METHODS： Blood samples were collected from 79 patients with HCC before operation, 20 patients with liver cirrhosis, and 20 healthy volunteers. Circulating DNA was extracted from plasma and quantified. The association between circulating DNA level and prognosis of HCC patients was evaluated. RESULTS： Compared with the healthy volunteers （17.6 ± 9.5 ng/mL）, a significant higher circulating DNA level was found in the patients with HCC （47.1 ± 43.7 ng/ mL, P = 0.000） or with liver cirrhosis （30.0 ± 13.3 ng/ mL, P = 0.002）. The circulating DNA level was closely associated with tumor size （P = 0.008） and TNM stage （P = 0.040）, negatively associated with the 3-year diseasefree survival （DFS） （P = 0.017） and overall survival （OS） （P = 0.001）. CONCLUSION： Large or invasive tumor may release more circulating DNA, and higher level of circulating DNA may be associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients.

Splenic vasculopathy in portal hypertension patients

AIM： To investigate the interaction between portal hypertension, splanchnic hyperdynamic circulation and splanchnic vasculopathy by observing splenic arterial and venous pathological changes and the role of extracellular matrix in the pathogenesis of portal hypertensive vasculopathy by measuring the expression of type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ procollagen mRNA in splenic venous walls of portal hypertensive patients. METHODS： Morphological changes of splenic arteries and veins taken from portal hypertensive patients （n = 20） and normal controls （n = 10） were observed under optical and electron microscope. Total RNA was extracted and the expression of type Ⅰ and type Ⅲ procollagen mRNA in splenic venous walls of portal hypertensive patients （n= 20） was semi-quantitatively detected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. RESULTS： Under optical microscope, splenic arterial intima was destroyed and internal elastic membrane and medial elastic fibers of the splenic arterial walls were degenerated and broken. Splenic venous intima became remarkably thick. Endothelial cells were not intact with formation of mural thrombus. The tunica media became thickened significantly due to hypertrophy of smooth muscles. Fibers and connective tissues were increased obviously. Under electron microscope, smooth muscle cells of the splenic arteries were degenerated and necrotized. Phenotypes of smooth muscle cells changed from constrictive into synthetic type. Red blood cells and platelets accumulated around the damaged endothelial cells. Synthetic smooth muscle cells were predominant in splenic veins and their cytoplasma had plentiful rough endoplasmic reticulum ribosomes and Golgi bodies. Along the vascular wall, a lot of collagen fibers were deposited, the intima was damaged and blood components accumulated. There was no significant difference in the expression of type Ⅰ procollagen mRNA in splenic venous wall between the patients with portal hypertension and those without portal hypertension （P〉0.05）, but the expression of type Ⅲ procoagen mRNA was significantly stronger in the patients with portal hypertension than in those without portal hypertension （P〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Type Ⅲ procollagen and collagen might be important extra-cellular matrix resulting in neointimal formation and vascular remodeling in the pathogenesis of portal hypertensive vasculopathy. The pathological changes in splenic arteries and veins exist in portal hypertension patients. There might be an interaction between portal hypertension, splanchnic hyperdynamic circulation and splanchnic vasculopathy.

Metastatic bone cancer as a recurrence of early gastric cancer - characteristics and possible mechanisms

The surgical outcome of most early gastric cancer （EGC） is usually satisfactory. Some cases show bone metastasis even though the depth of cancer invasion is confined to the mucosa. The most frequent site for recurrence of EGC is the liver. Cases of EGC with bone metastasis are reviewed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of EGC giving rise to bone metastasis. Possible mechanisms and risk factors underlying this rare condition are proposed. Forty-six cases of bone metastasis from EGC are reviewed from published reports and meeting proceedings in Japan. This investigation suggests that risk factors for bone metastasis from EGC include depressed-type signet-ring cell carcinoma, poorly differentiated carcinoma, and/or the likely involvement of lymph node metastasis, even though the cancer is confined to the gastric mucosa. The risk factors do not include recurrence of EGC in the liver. We speculate that the mechanism of bone metastasis from EGC is via lymphatic channels and systemic circulation. Postoperative follow-up of cases should consider the development of bone metastasis from EGC. We propose the use of elevated alkaline phosphatase levels for the detection of bone metastasis and recommend bone scintigraphy in positive cases. 2005 The WJG Press and Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Hepatorenal syndrome

Hepatorenal syndrome(HRS) is defined as a functional renal failure in patients with liver disease with portal hypertension and it constitutes the climax of systemic circulatory changes associated with portal hypertension.This term refers to a precisely specified syndrome featuring in particular morphologically intact kidneys,where regulatory mechanisms have minimised glomerular filtration and maximised tubular resorption and urine concentration,which ultimately results in uraemia.The syndrome occurs almost exclusively in patients with ascites.Type 1 HRS develops as a consequence of a severe reduction of effective circulating volume due to both an extreme splanchnic arterial vasodilatation and a reduction of cardiac output.Type 2 HRS is characterised by a stable or slowly progressive renal failure so that its main clinical consequence is not acute renal failure,but refractory ascites,and its impact on prognosis is less negative.Liver transplantation is the most appropriate therapeutic method,nevertheless,only a few patients can receive it.The most suitable "bridge treatments" or treatment for patients ineligible for a liver transplant include terlipressin plus albumin.Terlipressin is at an initial dose of 0.5-1 mg every 4 h by intravenous bolus to 3 mg every 4 h in cases when there is no response.Renal function recovery can be achieved in less than 50% of patients and a considerable decrease in renal function may reoccur even in patients who have been responding to therapy over the short term.Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt plays only a marginal role in the treatment of HRS.

Mechanisms of Qi-blood circulation and Qi deficiency syndrome in view of blood and interstitial fluid circulation

OBJECTIVE: Based on comparison between fundamental theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western Medicine (WM) and modern scientific research on meridians, we find that "Qi" in TCM is closely related to tissue fluid. In this study, the essence of Qi is explored in the view of circulation of blood and interstitial fluid. METHODS: Because the concept of Qi is complicated, Qi deficiency syndrome (QDS) is chosen to probe the relationship between of Qi deficiency and Qi-blood circulation (QBC). We analyze Qi-blood theory in terms of WM, set up a hemodynamic model to describe QBC, and review clinical research on QDS in the view of blood-interstitial fluid circulation. RESULTS: QDS is caused by imbalances of substance exchanges between blood and interstitial fluid, leading to an increase in the interstitial liquid volume or a decrease in nutrients and retention ofmetabolic wastes in interstitial fluid. CONCLUSION: This study describes the essence of Qi, providing support for further research on theories of Qiand Qi-blood circulation inTCM.