The emerging role of IL-15 in NK-cell development.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
C C Liu
Publications and source records attributed to C C Liu.
An outbreak of enterovirus 71 infection in Taiwan 1998: a comprehensive pathological, virological, and molecular study on a case of fulminant encephalitis.
BACKGROUND: In a recent enterovirus outbreak in Taiwan, serotype 71 was the culprit of encephalitis causing rapid clinical deterioration and death among young children. OBJECTIVES: Since knowledge of enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in the central nervous system is still limited, the purpose of the present case study was attempted to uncover the pathogenesis of the virus. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a detailed pathological examination, virological and molecular studies on a case of EV71 infection with a rapidly fatal outcome. In addition, the whole genome of the virus was sequenced to determine the genetic relationships to other enteroviruses and two other EV71 strains (a prototype BrCr and a neurovirulent MS strain), and to provide the genetic basis of its neurovirulence of the new isolate, NCKU9822 strain. RESULTS: Characteristic features of acute encephalomyelitis were observed, with most prominent lesions in the spinal cord and brain stem. Mild myocarditis and pancreatitis were also noticed. EV71 antigen was localized to neurons on immunohistochemical staining. EV71 was recovered from all organs with inflammatory reaction. Sequence analysis showed that overall NCKU9822 and the two EV71 strains shared 80% nucleotide identity and 95% amino acid identity. It had only 45% amino acid and 52% nucleotide identities with polioviral P1 capsid region. CONCLUSION: The spinal cord and brain stem were the main targets of EV71 in the fatal cases in this outbreak, however, heart and pancreas might also be involved. Since the amino acid sequences in the P1 region are conserved (97% identity) among the three EV71 strains as compared to other enteroviruses and polioviruses, these EV71 neurovirulent strains might share the same mechanisms of neurovirulence, and the mechanisms might be different from those in polioviruses.
Brain↗
An outbreak of enterovirus 71 infection in Taiwan, 1998: epidemiologic and clinical manifestations.
BACKGROUND: An outbreak of enterovirus infections occurred throughout Taiwan in 1998. The diseases were manifectated with hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), some associated with meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed to characterize and analyze the epidermologic and clinical features during the outbreak. STUDY DESIGN: The epidemiologic information was collected from the Ministry of Health on passive surveillance; clinical and virological investigations were carried out at National Cheng Kung University Medical Center. RESULTS: Between April and December 1998, 405 children were hospitalized, and 78 patients died during this outbreak in Taiwan. There were 119 cases identified to be EV71 infection in Tainan and Chiayi areas; 105 cases by virus isolation and 14 by serological assay. The outbreak had a biphasic curve with peak in June and October, especially in the southern Taiwan. Seventy-two percent of patients were below 3 years of age. The spectrum of disease included HFMD in 54, HFMD with central nerve system (CNS) involvement in 37, herpangina in 12, aseptic meningitis in three, encephalitis/ meningoencephalitis in ten, acute flaccid paralysis in three. There was nine fatal cases complicated with neurogenic pulmonary edema. Myoclonus with sleep disturbance was the most important early sign of EV71 infection with CNS involvement. CONCLUSION: Our experience demonstrated that the EV71 isolated in Taiwan had strong dermatotropic as well as neurotropic tendencies. Early detecting CNS involvement and commencing aggressive therapy may reduce the mortality.
Adolescent↗
An outbreak of enterovirus 71 infection in Taiwan, 1998. II. Laboratory diagnosis and genetic analysis.
BACKGROUND: An epidemic of enterovirus 71 (EV71) occurred in Taiwan from April to December of 1998, with two peaks, one in June and the other in October. Many enteroviruses were isolated in our laboratory from 258 cases during this outbreak. Approximately half of the enteroviruses isolated were EV71 and one fifth were coxsackievirus A16. OBJECTIVES: To analyze laboratory findings in the EV71 epidemic of 1998 in Taiwan, various EV71 specimens in different cell lines were examined. In addition, genetic analysis of 5' non-coding region (NCR) was performed to analyze the strain variation in this outbreak. RESULTS: The cytopathic effect induced by EV71 was observed 2-13 (mean of 4.5) days post-inoculation in Vero cells and 4-15 (mean of 6.6) days in green monkey kidney (GMK) cells inoculated with throat swabs. Of the total positive EV71 cases, virus was most frequently obtained from throat swabs (91.7%), less from stools (64.8%), and none from cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). Molecular analyses of EV71 by sequencing the 5' NCR of 34 strains obtained from different clinical categories and various geographic areas showed that their sequences differed (0-13 bp in 681 bp sequenced) by approximately 0-2%. The sequences of these isolates differed from EV71 prototype BrCr or MS strain by 17.5-19%, with the exception of two samples which exhibited nucleotide variation by only 8.9 and 8.2%, when compared to the MS strain. CONCLUSION: EV71 was most frequently isolated from throat swab specimens in Vero cells. The molecular analyses of the 5' NCR of EV71 revealed that most isolates from this epidemic belonged to a group of closely related clones and only two were in a different group which was clustered with the EV71 MS strain.
Adolescent↗
Hierarchical rule-based monitoring and fuzzy logic control for neuromuscular block.
OBJECTIVE: The important task for anaesthetists is to provide an adequate degree of neuromuscular block during surgical operations, so that it should not be difficult to antagonize at the end of surgery. Therefore, this study examined the application of a simple technique (i.e., fuzzy logic) to an almost ideal muscle relaxant (i.e., rocuronium) at general anaesthesia in order to control the system more easily, efficiently, intelligently and safely during an operation. METHODS: The characteristics of neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium were studied in 10 ASA I or II adult patients anaesthetized with inhalational (i.e., isoflurane) anaesthesia. A Datex Relaxograph was used to monitor neuromuscular block. And, ulnar nerve was stimulated supramaximally with repeated train-of-four via surface electrodes at the wrist. Initially a notebook personal computer was linked to a Datex Relaxograph to monitor electromyogram (EMG) signals which had been pruned by a three-level hierarchical structure of filters in order to design a controller for administering muscle relaxants. Furthermore, a four-level hierarchical fuzzy logic controller using the fuzzy logic and rule of thumb concept has been incorporated into the system. The Student's test was used to compare the variance between the groups. p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The system achieved stable control of muscle relaxation with a mean T1% error of -0.19 (SD 0.66) % accommodating a range in mean infusion rate (MIR) of 0.21-0.49 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1). When these results were compared with our previous ones using the same hierarchical structure applied to mivacurium, less variation in the T1% error (p < 0.05) but the same variation in infusion rate were observed. The controller activity of these two drugs showed no significant difference (p > 0.5). However, the consistent medium coefficient variance (CV) of the MIR of both rocuronium (i.e., 36.13 (SD 9.35) %) and mivacurium (i.e., 34.03 (SD 10.76) %) indicated a good controller activity. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that a hierarchical rule-based monitoring and fuzzy logic control architecture can provide stable control of neuromuscular block despite the considerable individual variation in neuromuscular block required among patients. Also, there was less variation in T1% error compared with that of previous study on mivacurium. Meanwhile, the consistent medium CV of the MIR of both rocuronium and mivacurium indicated a good controller activity which is able to withstand noise, diathermy effect, artifacts and surgical disturbances.
Adolescent↗
CD8+ T-cell-mediated response to Listeria monocytogenes taken up in the liver and replicating within hepatocytes.
Like most other organisms that enter the bloodstream, the bulk of Listeria monocytogenes injected i.v. into mice is taken up by the liver. Listeriae not killed rapidly by infiltrating neutrophils are internalized by hepatocytes which constitute the principal site of intracellular replication in the liver. CD8+ T cells play a critical role in eliminating infected hepatocytes and resolving listerial infections of the liver; the specific mechanisms involved are not understood fully. Here, we review recent data implicating the cytolytic activities expressed by MHC class Ia- and class Ib-restricted CD8+ T cells in host resistance to Listeria. Evidence demonstrating the perforin- and/or Fas ligand-dependent induction of caspase activity and the resultant apoptosis of Listeria-infected hepatocytes is discussed.
Animals↗
Clinical features and therapeutic implications of 104 episodes of monomicrobial Aeromonas bacteraemia.
OBJECTIVES: Aeromonas bacteraemia is not a common infectious disease, but can cause a grave outcome in infected cases. In this study, clinical presentations and prognostic factors of cases of monomicrobial Aeromonas bacteraemia were analysed. Also, the impact of beta-lactam and aminoglycoside in combination and of emerging cephalosporin-resistance during therapy was discussed. METHODS: From 1989 to 1998 in a medical centre in southern Taiwan, those cases with monomicrobial Aeromonas bacteraemia were included for study. RESULTS: A total of 104 episodes of monomicrobial Aeromonas bacteraemia, accounting for 74% of all Aeromonas bacteraemia, were encountered. The infections usually occurred in the patients with hepatic cirrhosis (54%) or malignancy (21%) and were community-acquired (74%). Cases of community-acquired bacteraemia were more likely to have cirrhosis, a high severity score at onset, and a worse prognosis than those of nosocomial bacteraemia did and nosocomial isolates were less susceptible to cefoxitin and cefotaxime. Forty-three percent of cases had a concomitant infection focus, such as primary peritonitis, invasive cellulitis or necrotizing fasciitis, biliary tract or burn wound infections. Crude fatality rate within 2 weeks after the onset was 30%. Secondary bacteraemia and a higher severity score ( > or = 4) for illness at the first presentation were independently associated with a fatal outcome. The therapeutic superiority of beta-lactam and aminoglycoside in combination cannot be demonstrated in patients with Aeromonas bacteraemia. Cefotaxime resistance emerged in 3.4% of 58 patients treated with a cephalosporin for at least 72 h. None of the community-acquired isolates, but one-quarter of the nosocomial isolates, were resistant to cefotaxime. CONCLUSIONS: Aeromonas bacteraemia usually occurred in patients with liver cirrhosis or malignancy, and heralded a poor prognosis, especially while associated with a relevant infectious source or with a higher severity score at presentation. The superiority of aminoglycoside and beta-lactam in combination cannot be demonstrated while treating those patients, and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance to cephalosporin was a rare event during cephalosporin therapy. Thus, a broad-spectrum cephalosporin remains one of the antimicrobial alternatives for invasive community-acquired Aeromonas infections.
Adolescent↗
Clinical significance of serum soluble interleukin 2 receptor-alpha in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Although the serum level of soluble interleukin-2 receptor alpha (sIL-2Ralpha) has been shown to correlate with progression and prognosis of several cancers, data to support its clinical significance to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are limited. This study was conducted to assess the prognostic value and source of sIL-2Ralpha in patients with ESCC. From January 1986 to June 1997, 125 patients with histopathologically confirmed ESCC were enrolled for study. Ninety-three patients underwent en bloc esophagectomy, and 32 patients with unresectable tumor underwent palliative surgery. Four (4.3%; 4 of 93) patients died of surgical complications. Serum levels of sIL-2Ralpha were measured by ELISA. Expression of IL-2Ralpha, IL-2Rbeta, and IL-2Rgamma in the pathological section was determined, respectively, by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH). Compared with the healthy control group (1020 +/-476 pg/ml, n = 103), ESCC patients tended to have significantly higher serum sIL-2Ralpha concentrations (1424 +/- 798 pg/ml, n = 121). The sIL-2Ralpha level was correlated with age, Tumor-Node-Metastasis classification, tumor stage, reading score of the IHC staining, and survival but not with the pathological grade or lymphovascular invasion. Prognosis was worse for patients with high sIL-2Ralpha levels (> or =1500 pg/ml) than for those with low serum sIL-2Ralpha levels (< 1500 pg/ml; P = 0.0209). It can be used as an independent prognostic factor of ESCC. In the pathological sections, expression of IL-2Ralpha, IL-2Rbeta, and IL-2Rgamma was detected in 17 (18.1%), 83 (89.2%), and 83 (89.2%) cases, respectively, by IHC, and the message of IL-2Ralpha was identified in tumor cells by ISH in 30.1% (28 of 93) of the cases. Serum concentrations of sIL-2Ralpha are frequently elevated in ESCC patients and are correlated with disease progression and survival. These data indicate that, in addition to activated T cells, cancer cells could be an important source of sIL-2Ralpha in ESCC patients.
Aged↗
Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease of the wrist: trapezioscaphoid joint abnormality.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether trapezioscaphoid (TS) joint alterations are associated with calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition disease and, if so, to determine the nature of these alterations. METHODS: Radiographs of 160 wrists with evidence of chondrocalcinosis were evaluated with regard to TS joint abnormalities, and findings were compared with a similar number of radiographs in an age and sex matched control population in whom no evidence of chondrocalcinosis or other calcification in the wrist was seen. Two radiologists in consensus recorded radiographic findings in both groups, and a third radiologist blinded to the presence or absence of chondrocalcinosis reviewed wrist radiographs in both groups in a random order. Correlation of TS joint abnormalities with other changes in the wrist was also accomplished. RESULTS; TS arthropathy was found in 43.7% of CPPD wrists and in 14.4% of control wrists in the consensus evaluation. In the blind evaluation, 30% of CPPD wrists and 12.5% of control wrists had TS arthropathy. The degree of arthropathy was more extensive in the CPPD group than in the control group. Features associated with TS arthropathy in the patient population were first carpometacarpal arthropathy and subchondral cysts in the scaphoid or trapezium, or both bones. CONCLUSION: CPPD patients, compared to a control population, reveal frequent and significant radiographic abnormalities of the TS joint that may be suggestive of the diagnosis, even in patients in whom chondrocalcinosis is obscured or absent. The features associated with TS arthropathy are first carpometacarpal arthropathy and subchondral cysts in the scaphoid and trapezium.
Adult↗
Comparison of invasive and non-invasive measurement of spontaneous baroreflex during anesthesia.
BACKGROUND: Many works have shown that beat-to-beat variations in systolic arterial pressure (SAP) could be used for the assessment of cardiac baroreflex function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether Finapres, a non-invasive device to measure systolic arterial pressure, could serve as an acceptable alternative to intra-arterial catheterization for assessing the spontaneous baroreflex during anesthesia. METHODS: Thirty ASA class I patients scheduled for surgical hepatic and gastric tumor excisions were enrolled in this study. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (SBR) during anesthesia was calculated by sequence analysis of beat-to-beat variations in systolic arterial pressure and R-R intervals. Data obtained from Finapres were compared with those from standard intra-arterial catheterization technique. RESULTS: SBR values determined by non-invasive and invasive blood pressure measurement technique were precisely correlated (r = 0.96) and the mean difference was about 0.22 ms/mmHg (12.5%). However, the individual data might differ by -0.52 to +0.96 ms/mmHg (-35% to +60%). CONCLUSIONS: Finapres may trace the changes of SBR during anesthesia and provides similar results as does invasive method but individual variation exists.
Adult↗
Complications of varicella in children: emphasis on skin and central nervous system disorders.
A review of medical records at a tertiary hospital in southern Taiwan from June 1988 through May 1998 identified 136 children who had been hospitalized for varicella-related complications. Of the children, 83% (113/136) were healthy before the onset of varicella and 17% (23/136) had underlying illnesses. The mean age was 4.7 years (ranged from 1 day to 18 years) with a male predominance (1.7:1). The mean hospital stay was 5.5 days (ranged from 1 to 22 days). Secondary bacterial skin or soft tissue infections were the most common complications (44%), followed by central nervous system (CNS) involvement (23%), pneumonia (18%), thrombocytopenia (12%), and liver function impairment (10%). Among the 60 patients with secondary bacterial cutaneous infection, 16 (27%) had positive isolates, including 12 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and four Streptococcus pyogenes. Age above 8 years was significantly associated with the development of varicella-associated CNS complications (p = 0.019). Of the 23 immunocompromised hosts, the most common underlying conditions were hematological diseases (11 patients, 48%), followed by neonatal varicella (7 patients, 30%) and chronic illness with steroid treatment (5 patients, 22%). All of the subjects in this study had a favorable outcome except for three lethal cases, resulting in a case-fatality rate of 2.2%. The cause of death was S. aureus septicemia in one patient, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome in one patient, and encephalitis with brain herniation in one patient. Our results demonstrate that varicella continues to be a serious disease that occasionally results in life-threatening complications in healthy and immunocompromised children. Routine immunization of all healthy children against varicella is recommended.
Adolescent↗
The role of antioxidants in protection from impulse noise.
The hearing loss from exposure to noise and ototoxic drugs share a number of audiological and pathological similarities. Recent research has shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS) may be a common factor in both noise- and drug-induced hearing loss. This review describes three experiments that point to ROS as a causative factor in both noise- and drug-induced hearing loss and antioxidants as a protective agent. In the first experiment, the ears of chinchillas were treated with R-N6-phenylisopropyladenoisine (R-PIA) and exposed to 150-dB impulse noise. The treated ears developed substantially less permanent hearing loss (PTS) and hair cell loss than the untreated ears. One interpretation of this experiment is that R-PIA increases the availability of glutathione (GSH). In the second experiment, the role of GSH was specifically examined. The ears of chinchillas were treated with glutathione monoethylester (GEE), a pro-GSH drug that has been shown to readily cross cell membranes and increase GSH levels. The GEE-treated ears had significantly less PTS and hair-cell loss than the nontreated ear. Previous research has shown that moderate levels of noise exposure can increase a subject's resistance to noise, and also increase the availability of antioxidant enzymes in the cochlea. In the third experiment, chinchillas were given a series of "toughening" exposures (i.e., 6 h of a 0.5-kHz OB noise at 95 dB for 10 days). After the series of "toughening" exposures, the subjects were treated with carboplatin, a drug that causes massive inner-hair-cell lesions in the chinchilla. The animals receiving the 10-day toughening exposure developed less PTS and hair-cell loss than the control animals.
Animals↗
Neurologic complications in children with enterovirus 71 infection.
BACKGROUND: Enterovirus 71 infection causes hand-foot-and-mouth disease in young children, which is characterized by several days of fever and vomiting, ulcerative lesions in the oral mucosa, and vesicles on the backs of the hands and feet. The initial illness resolves but is sometimes followed by aseptic meningitis, encephalomyelitis, or even acute flaccid paralysis similar to paralytic poliomyelitis. METHODS: We describe the neurologic complications associated with the enterovirus 71 epidemic that occurred in Taiwan in 1998. At three major hospitals we identified 41 children with culture-confirmed enterovirus 71 infection and acute neurologic manifestations. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in 4 patients with acute flaccid paralysis and 24 with rhombencephalitis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 2.5 years (range, 3 months to 8.2 years). Twenty-eight patients had hand-foot-and-mouth disease (68 percent), and 6 had herpangina (15 percent). The other seven patients had no skin or mucosal lesions. Three neurologic syndromes were identified: aseptic meningitis (in 3 patients); brain-stem encephalitis, or rhombencephalitis (in 37); and acute flaccid paralysis (in 4), which followed rhombencephalitis in 3 patients. In 20 patients with rhombencephalitis, the syndrome was characterized by myoclonic jerks and tremor, ataxia, or both (grade I disease). Ten patients had myoclonus and cranial-nerve involvement (grade II disease). In seven patients the brain-stem infection produced transient myoclonus followed by the rapid onset of respiratory distress, cyanosis, poor peripheral perfusion, shock, coma, loss of the doll's eye reflex, and apnea (grade III disease); five of these patients died within 12 hours after admission. In 17 of the 24 patients with rhombencephalitis who underwent MRI, T2-weighted scans showed high-intensity lesions in the brain stem, most commonly in the pontine tegmentum. At follow-up, two of the patients with acute flaccid paralysis had residual limb weakness, and five of the patients with rhombencephalitis had persistent neurologic deficits, including myoclonus (in one child), cranial-nerve deficits (in two), and ventilator-dependent apnea (in two). CONCLUSIONS: In the 1998 enterovirus 71 epidemic in Taiwan, the chief neurologic complication was rhombencephalitis, which had a fatality rate of 14 percent. The most common initial symptoms were myoclonic jerks, and MRI usually showed evidence of brainstem involvement.
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Bacterial expression, purification, and characterization of a novel mouse sulfotransferase that catalyzes the sulfation of eicosanoids.
Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of a recently cloned mouse sulfotransferase cDNA (clone 679153) revealed the presence in its 3'-untranslated sequence of an AT-rich region which contains four ATTTA motifs and an TTATTTAT-like sequence, commonly found among those encoding inflammation-related proteins. The recombinant enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to near electrophoretic homogeneity displayed strong sulfotransferase activities toward various prostaglandins, thromboxane B2, and leukotriene E4. These results mark the first discovery of the sulfation of eicosanoids catalyzed by a distinct sulfotransferase.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Clinical spectrum of enterovirus 71 infection in children in southern Taiwan, with an emphasis on neurological complications.
An outbreak of enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection occurred in Taiwan in 1998. The clinical spectrums and laboratory findings for 97 patients with virus culture-proven EV71 infections were analyzed. Eighty-seven percent of the patients were younger than age 5 years. Hand-foot-and-mouth syndrome occurred in 79% of the children and central nervous system (CNS) involvement in 35%, including nine fatal cases. The predominant neurological presentations were myoclonus (68%), vomiting (53%), and ataxia (35%). Brain stem encephalitis was the cardinal feature of EV71 CNS involvement during this outbreak. Magnetic resonance imaging and pathological findings illustrated that the midbrain, pons, and medulla were the target areas. EV71 brain stem encephalitis can present either with cerebellar signs and an initially mild, reversible course or with overwhelming neurogenic shock and neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) resulting in a fatal outcome. Brain stem encephalitis that progressed abruptly to neurogenic shock and NPE was indicative of poor prognosis in this epidemic. Early aggressive treatment and close monitoring of the neurological signs are mandatory to improve the chance of survival.
Adolescent↗
A case of atrial flutter or fibrillation?
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Aged↗
Double multielectrode mapping catheters facilitate radiofrequency catheter ablation of focal atrial fibrillation originating from pulmonary veins.
INTRODUCTION: Several reports have demonstrated that focal atrial fibrillation (AF) may arise from pulmonary veins (PVs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of using double multielectrode mapping catheters in ablation of focal AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-two patients (30 men, 12 women, age 65+/-14 years) with frequent attacks of paroxysmal AF were referred for catheter ablation. After atrial transseptal procedure, two long sheaths were put into the left atrium. Two decapolar catheters were put into the right superior PV (RSPV) and left superior PV (LSPV), or inferior PVs if necessary, guided by pulmonary venography. All the patients had spontaneous initiation of AF either during baseline (2 patients), after isoproterenol infusion (8 patients) or high-dose adenosine (2 patients), after short duration burst pacing under isoproterenol (14 patients), or after cardioversion of pacing-induced AF (16 patients). The trigger points of AF were from the LSPV (12 patients), RSPV (8 patients), and both superior PVs (19 patients). The trigger points from PVs (total 61 points) were 18 (30%) in the ostium of PVs and 43 inside the PVs (9 to 40 mm). After 6+/-3 applications of radiofrequency energy, 57 of 61 triggers were completely eliminated, and the other 4 triggers were partially eliminated. During a follow-up period of 8+/-2 months, 37 patients (88%) were free of symptomatic AF without any antiarrhythmic drugs. Twenty patients received a transesophageal echocardiogram, and 19 showed small atrial septal defects (2.8+/-1.2 mm) with trivial shunt. Fifteen defects closed spontaneously 1 month later. CONCLUSION: The technique using double multielectrode mapping catheters is a relatively safe and highly effective method for mapping and ablation of focal AF originating from PVs.
Adult↗
Prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: analysis of clinicopathological and biological factors.
OBJECTIVE: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is rather common among the Chinese, but the therapeutic outcome is dismal. Knowledge of the prognostic factors in cancerous patients may influence therapeutic strategy. However, systemic analyses of clinicopathological and biological factors for patients with ESCC are few, and the results are controversial. METHODS: Between 1985 and 1996, 117 patients undergoing en bloc esophagectomy and gastric substitution were enrolled. None had neoadjuvant treatment. Postoperative adjuvant therapy was provided for patients at and beyond stages IIa. Clinical responses were followed routinely. Flow cytometry was used to measure DNA ploidy and synthesis-phase fraction (SPF) of the resected esophageal tissues from all patients. Immunohistochemistry was also used to examine the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), epidermoid growth factor receptor (EGFR), HER-2/neu, and p53 in the pathological sections. Clinical correlation was evaluated by chi2 with Fisher's exact test, and survival by log-rank test. RESULTS: The overall survival rates were 74% for 1 yr, 48% for 3 yr, and 38% for 5 yr. TNM tumor staging, the number of diseased lymph nodes (N < or = 3 or N > 3), degree of cell differentiation, DNA ploidy, SPF, and lymphovascular invasion were more useful than biological markers, such as PCNA, EGFR, HER-2/neu, and p53, for the prognosis of ESCC. Multivariate analysis revealed significant correlation of tumor staging and number of diseased lymph nodes with patient survival after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: En bloc esophagectomy may provide a rather satisfactory survival rate for patients with early stage ESCC. However, for patients with distant lymph node metastasis and those with more than three lymph nodes involved, radical surgical resection, even combined with postoperative chemoradiotherapy, cannot improve survival. The prognostic value of biological markers, including PCNA, EGFR, HER-2/neu, and p53, however, is limited.
Adult↗