The Effect of Body Mass Index on Surgical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Pancreatic Resection: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: Previous studies that investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and pancreatectomy outcomes have produced conflicting conclusions. We conducted this meta-analysis to assess the association between them.

Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases up to December 28, 2014.

MicroRNA-320a promotes 5-FU resistance in human pancreatic cancer cells.

The drug-resistance of pancreatic cancer cells results in poor therapeutic effect. To predict the therapeutic effect of the chemotherapy drugs to specific patients and to reverse the resistance of pancreatic cancer cells are critical for chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play important roles in the genesis of drug-resistance of various cancer types.

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-positive plasma cell infiltration is associated with the clinicopathologic traits and prognosis of pancreatic cancer after curative resection.

Interactions between pancreatic cancer cells and inflammatory cells play crucial roles in the biological behavior of pancreatic cancer. Abundant infiltration of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-positive plasma cells in the pancreas is the most significant feature of autoimmune pancreatitis; however, the clinical significance of IgG4-positive plasma cell infiltration in pancreatic cancer has not previously been reported. Herein, we analyzed intratumoral and peritumoral infiltrations of IgG4-positive plasma cells in 95 pancreatic cancer cases after curative resection.

Diagnostic performance of parafibromin immunohistochemical staining for sporadic parathyroid carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

It is a challenge to distinguish parathyroid carcinoma (PTCA) from benign parathyroid lesions without recurrence or metastasis. Parafibromin immunohistochemical (IHC) staining had been described for the diagnosis of PTCA. But great variations existed in the reported sensitivity and specificity among different studies.

Plasma microRNA panels to diagnose pancreatic cancer: Results from a multicenter study.

Biomarkers for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) are urgent needed. Plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) might be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of cancer. We analyzed 361 plasma samples from 6 surgical centers in China and performed machine learning approach.

Blood Transfusion is an Independent Risk Factor for Postoperative Serious Infectious Complications After Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background/purpose: Blood transfusionhas been considered as a risk factor for postoperative infection after major surgery. However, the relationship between perioperative blood transfusion and the development of serious infections after pancreaticoduodenectomy remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to analyze risk factors associated with postoperative serious infections following pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Sequencer-Based Capillary Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) Targeting the rDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) Regions for Accurate Identification of Clinically Important Yeast Species.

Accurate species identification of Candida, Cryptococcus, Trichosporon and other yeast pathogens is important for clinical management. In the present study, we developed and evaluated a yeast species identification scheme by determining the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region length types (LTs) using a sequencer-based capillary gel electrophoresis (SCGE) approach. A total of 156 yeast isolates encompassing 32 species were first used to establish a reference SCGE ITS LT database.

Challenges in detecting pre-malignant pancreatic lesions during acute pancreatitis using a serum microRNA assay: a study based on KrasG12D transgenic mice.

Caerulein-induced acute pancreatitis accelerates the progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions in a pancreas-specific KrasG12D mouse model. The purpose of this study was to explore whether serum microRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as sensitive biomarkers to detect occult PanIN in the setting of acute pancreatitis. Serum miRNA profiles were quantified by an array-based method and normalized by both Variance Stabilization Normalization (VSN) and invariant methods.

CHIP: A new modulator of human malignant disorders.

Carboxyl terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP) is known as a chaperone-associated E3 for a variety of protein substrates. It acts as a link between molecular chaperones and ubiquitin-proteasome system. Involved in the process of protein clearance, CHIP plays a critical role in maintaining protein homeostasis in diverse conditions.

Predictors of metastasis to lymph nodes posterior to the right recurrent laryngeal nerve in differentiated thyroid carcinoma: A prospective study.

Objectives: To study the clinicopathological characteristics and the risk factors of lymph nodes posterior to the right recurrent laryngeal nerve (LN-prRLN) metastasis in differentiated thyroid carcinoma; and to identify the indication for LN-prRLN dissection.

Methods: We treated 145 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma with appropriate surgical intervention. The specimens were examined by the pathologists.

Insights into the distinct roles of MMP-11 in tumor biology and future therapeutics (Review).

The biological processes of cancer cells such as tumorigenesis, proliferation, angiogenesis, apoptosis and invasion are greatly influenced by the surrounding microenvironment. The ability of solid malignant tumors to alter the microenvironment represents an important characteristic through which tumor cells are able to acquire specific functions necessary for their malignant biological behaviors. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases with the capacity of remodeling extracellular matrix (ECM) by degrading almost all ECM proteins, which plays essential roles during the invasion and metastasis process of solid malignant tumors, including allowing tumor cells to modify the ECM components and release cytokines, ultimately facilitating protease-dependent tumor progression.

Interleukin-27 inhibits malignant behaviors of pancreatic cancer cells by targeting M2 polarized tumor associated macrophages.

Pancreatic cancer is characterized as inflammatory malignancy with a dismal prognosis. There is abundant intratumoral infiltration of macrophages, and most of these tumor associated macrophages (TAM) are induced to be M2 phenotype. The M2 polarized TAM has been demonstrated to promote progression and induce chemo-resistance of pancreatic cancer.

Long non-coding RNA PVT1 and cancer.

Genome-wide sequencing technologies have led to the identification of many non-coding RNAs and revealed an important role for these molecules in cancer. Although there have been many studies on the role of short non-coding RNAs in cancer, much work remains to characterize the functions of long non-coding RNAs. PVT1, a long non-coding RNA encoded by the human PVT1 gene, is located in the well-known cancer-related region 8q24, also known as the 8q24 'gene desert.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) facilitate distant metastasis of malignancies by shielding circulating tumor cells (CTC) from immune surveillance.

The mechanisms of distant metastasis of malignancies largely remain unknown. Circulating tumor cells (CTC) derived from the primary cancer initiate distant metastasis by entering and traversing the bloodstream. Current methods to detect CTC are based on the notion that CTC do not express the common leukocyte antigen CD45.

Nuclear translocation of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 and its significance in pancreatic cancer.

Nuclear translocation of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) was previously observed in some kinds of cancer. However, whether the phenomenon occurs in pancreatic cancer (PC), a malignancy with very dismal prognosis, remains unknown. In the present study, FGFR3 expression was firstly detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical staining in specimens of PC.

Pancreatic metastasis of renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common cancer, but pancreatic metastasis of RCC is unusual. Because of the rarity and peculiarity, pancreatic lesions from RCC metastasis were described mostly in case reports which highlight the importance of a systematic analysis of this clinical condition.

Data Sources: Data of 7 patients with pancreatic metastasis of RCC treated in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital were extracted and 193 similar patients reported in the past 10 years from the literature were analyzed.

Isoattenuating insulinomas at biphasic contrast-enhanced CT: frequency, clinicopathologic features and perfusion characteristics.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the frequency of isoattenuating insulinomas, to investigate their clinicopathological features and to assess their regional pancreatic perfusion characteristics.

Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained, and patient informed consent was waived. From July 2010 to June 2014, 170 patients (66 male, 104 female) with endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia underwent biphasic contrast-enhanced CT before surgery, and 129 of those patients also received preoperative whole-pancreas CT perfusion.

Accurate Identification of Common Pathogenic Nocardia Species: Evaluation of a Multilocus Sequence Analysis Platform and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry.

Species identification of Nocardia is not straightforward due to rapidly evolving taxonomy, insufficient discriminatory power of conventional phenotypic methods and also of single gene locus analysis including 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Here we evaluated the ability of a 5-locus (16S rRNA, gyrB, secA1, hsp65 and rpoB) multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) approach as well as that of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in comparison with sequencing of the 5'-end 606 bp partial 16S rRNA gene to provide identification of 25 clinical isolates of Nocardia. The 5'-end 606 bp 16S rRNA gene sequencing successfully assigned 24 of 25 (96%) clinical isolates to species level, namely Nocardia cyriacigeorgica (n = 12, 48%), N.

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor PET/CT with 68Ga-NOTA-Exendin-4 for Detecting Localized Insulinoma: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Unlabelled: Preoperative localization of insulinoma is a clinical dilemma. We aimed to investigate whether glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) PET/CT with (68)Ga-NOTA-MAL-cys(40)-exendin-4 ((68)Ga-NOTA-exendin-4) is efficient in detecting insulinoma.

Methods: In our prospective cohort study, patients with endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia were enrolled.

[Combination of intraoperative ultrasonography for localizing insulinoma under Da Vinci robotic surgical system: experience of a single center in 50 cases].

Objective: To evaluate the effect and safety of enucleation of insulinoma under the Da Vinci robotic surgical system combination with intraoperative ultrasonography(IOUS) for the localization.

Methods: The clinical materials of 50 insulinoma cases which underwent IOUS and assisted by the robotic surgical system from September 2012 to September 2014 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were followed up by outpatient review and telephone until October 2014.

HLA-G impairs host immune response and predicts poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer.

Human leucocyte antigen G (HLA-G) was shown to be associated with immune suppression and unfavorable prognosis in multiple types of cancers. However, its expression in pancreatic cancer (PC) was less investigated. Particularly, its roles in PC remain unknown.

Elevated GRP78 expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is a member of the heat-shock protein 70 family. We evaluated the expression of GRP78 using tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry in tumor tissues and adjacent nontumor tissues from 180 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. The associations between the expression levels of GRP78, clinicopathological factors, and overall survival were evaluated.

Localized Autoimmune Pancreatitis: Report of a Case Clinically Mimicking Pancreatic Cancer and a Literature Review.

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a rare disease with clinical presentations that greatly mimic pancreatic cancer (PC). It is critical for clinicians to distinguish AIP from PC because their treatments and prognoses are entirely different. Typical images show characteristic features such as diffuse pancreatic swelling and strictures of the main pancreatic duct (MPD).