Efficacy and safety of fibrin sealant application in patients undergoing thyroidectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Various studies have focused on the application of fibrin sealants (FS) in thyroid surgery. Utilizing a meta-analysis, this systematic review analyzed the findings of recent randomized controlled trials on the safety and efficacy of FS in patients who underwent thyroidectomy. The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, and Medline databases were searched for relevant studies, without any language restrictions.

Transfer RNA-Derived Small RNAs: Novel Regulators and Biomarkers of Cancers.

Transfer RNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are conventional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with a length between18 and 40 nucleotides (nt) playing a crucial role in treating various human diseases including tumours. Nowadays, with the use of high-throughput sequencing technologies, it has been proven that certain tsRNAs are dysregulated in multiple tumour tissues as well as in the blood serum of cancer patients. Meanwhile, data retrieved from the literature show that tsRNAs are correlated with the regulation of the hallmarks of cancer, modification of tumour microenvironment, and modulation of drug resistance.

Correlation analysis between single nucleotide polymorphisms of pulmonary surfactant protein A gene and pulmonary tuberculosis in the Han population in China.

Objective: To investigate the correlation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in SFTPA1 and SFTPA2 genes encoding pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A) with the susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in the Han population in China.

Methods: This study included 248 patients with active PTB (case group) and 124 normal individuals (control group). SNPs at loci aa19, aa50, aa62, aa133, and aa219 of SFTPA1, and at loci aa9, aa91, aa140, and aa223 of SFTPA2 were analyzed with PCR.

Uncovering the roles of miRNAs and their relationship with androgen receptor in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most commonly occurring malignant tumor in Europe and America. Normal and neoplastic growth of prostate gland are dependent on androgen receptor (AR) expression and function. PCa is driven by androgen and its receptor, and they continue to be the key drivers of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

The relationship between Lin28 and the chemotherapy response of gastric cancer.

Objective: The aim of the study reported here was to identify whether a stem cell biomarker, Lin28, may predict the pathologic tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: The study enrolled 47 patients with gastric cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery between July 2004 and March 2012. Cancer tissue was biopsied by gastroscopy and Lin28 expression in the tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry.

Estrogen receptor α roles in breast cancer chemoresistance.

Resistance to chemotherapy treatment, which may lead to limited efficacy of systemic therapy in breast cancer patients, is multifactorial. Among the mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy treatment, there are those closely related to estrogen receptor α, P-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance-related protein, glutathione S-transferase pi and topoisomerase-II. ERα is ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates gene expression and plays a critical role in endocrine signaling.

[Managements of small thyroid nodules with contralateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma].

Objective: To study the diagnoses and treatments of small thyroid nodules (maximum diameter < 1 cm) with contralateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).

Methods: A total of 253 patients with unilateral PTMC and contralateral thyroid benign nodules identified by ultrasound before thyroidectomy was retrospectively analysed. All patients underwent near-total or total thyroidectomy.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy predicts lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer: a retrospective analysis.

Background/aims: Minimally invasive treatments have emerged as the frontline therapy for patients with early gastric cancer (EGC). However, some cT1N0 patients with EGC may have lymph node metastasis because of inadequate evaluation. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of sentinel lymph node (SLN) and tried to find out feasible criteria for SLN-guided minimally invasive surgery for EGC.

Outcome of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy vs. open gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a retrospective comparative study.

Background/aims: Laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy is still controversial because of scant evidence of safety and feasibility. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using the laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy in treating gastric cancer and evaluate its outcome compared with conventional open gastrectomy.

Methodology: Between November 2005 and November 2007, 31 patients underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy and 95 patients underwent open gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Dystroglycan is associated with tumor progression and patient survival in gastric cancer.

Previous reports had indicated that there was a possible correlation of dystroglycan (DG) with biological behavior of cancer cells and cancer patients' survival. However, the role of DG expression in gastric cancer was rarely studied. In this study, α-DG and β-DG expression were determined by immunohistochemistry in specimens of primary cancer, metastatic lymph node, distal metastatic lesion, and their normal counterpart tissues in 20 gastric cancer patients.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy versus surgery alone for locally advanced gastric cancer: a retrospective comparative study.

Background/aims: Preoperative chemotherapy is considered an effective treatment option for patients with gastric cancer. We retrospectively evaluated neoadjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin, leucovorin and 5-flurouracil (OLF) in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer to determine its feasibility, as well as impact on the curative resection rate and patients' survival.

Methodology: A total of 87 patients with locally advanced gastric cancer that underwent preoperative chemotherapy combined with surgery or surgery alone were randomly matched according to the clinical TNM stage.

Laparoscopic local resection based on sentinel node evaluation for early gastric cancer: a preliminary report.

We previously reported that lymphatic mapping using isosulfan blue can be used to identify sentinel nodes (SNs). This study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of using the SN technique in treating early gastric cancer and to explore its usefulness for minimal invasive surgery. Twenty-three patients with early gastric cancer who underwent SN biopsy were retrospectively evaluated.