Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in an infant with obstructive jaundice caused by neuroblastoma

Comparative evaluation of negative lymph node count, positive lymph node count, and lymph node ratio in prognostication of survival following completely resection for non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter population-based analysis

Objective

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Lymph node involvement remains a crucial prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the TNM system is the current standard for staging. However, it mainly considers the anatomical location of lymph nodes, neglecting the significance of node count. Metrics like metastatic lymph node count and lymph node ratio (LNR) have been proposed as more accurate predictors.

Methods

We used data from the SEER 17 Registry Database (2010-2019), including 52,790 NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy or pneumonectomy, with at least one lymph node examined. Primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Cox regression models assessed the prognostic value of negative lymph node (NLN) count, number of positive lymph node (NPLN), and LNR, with cut-points determined using X-tile software. Model performance was evaluated by the Akaike information criterion (AIC).

Results

The Cox proportional hazards model analysis revealed that NLN, NPLN, and LNR are independent prognostic factors for OS and LCSS (P < 0.0001). Higher NLN counts were associated with better survival (HR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.76-0.83, P < 0.0001), while higher NPLN (HR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.79-2.67, P < 0.0001) and LNR (HR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.79-2.67, P < 0.0001) values indicated worse outcomes. Kaplan-Meier curves for all three groups (NLN, NPLN, LNR) demonstrated clear stratification (P < 0.0001). The NLN-based model (60,066.5502) exhibited the strongest predictive performance, followed by the NPLN (60,508.8957) and LNR models (60,349.4583), although the differences in AIC were minimal.

Conclusions

NLN count, NPLN, and LNR were all identified as independent prognostic indicators in patients with NSCLC. Among these, the predictive model based on NLN demonstrated a marginally superior prognostic value compared to NPLN, with NPLN outperforming the LNR model. Notably, higher NLN counts, along with lower NPLN and LNR values, were consistently associated with improved survival outcomes. The relationship between these prognostic markers and NSCLC survival warrants further validation through prospective studies.

Jaundice as a Rare Presentation of Neuroblastoma in a Pediatric Patient

ABSTRACT

Neuroblastoma presenting as obstructive jaundice due to compression of the extrahepatic bile duct is very rare. An 11-month-old girl had sudden onset of jaundice. Initial imaging suggested a dilated biliary system caused by hepatic hilum mass. 18 F-FDG PET/CT showed a lesion with increased 18 F-FDG accumulation associated with surrounding enlarged lymph nodes. Surgical pathology confirmed the diagnosis of a poorly differentiated neuroblastoma associated with multiple lymph node metastases.

Changes of farnesoid X receptor and Takeda G‑protein coupled receptor 5 following biliary tract external drainage in hemorrhagic shock

Since biliary tract external drainage (BTED) is increasingly used to treat patients with shock, it is necessary to clarify pathophysiological changes following BTED in hemorrhagic shock (HS). The present study aimed to investigate the effect of BTED on farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G-protein coupled receptor 5 (TGR-5) expression in HS. A total of 24 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to sham, BTED, HS and HS + BTED groups. Rat models of HS were induced by drawing blood from the femoral artery until a mean arterial pressure of 40±5 mmHg was achieved and maintained for 60 min. Rat models of BTED were induced by inserting a catheter into the bile duct. The distal end of the bile duct was ligated, and the catheter was passed through the rat flank to allow external collection of bile. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry were performed to detect changes in expression levels of FXR and TGR-5 in the jejunum, ileum and liver. Expression levels of FXR and TGR-5 increased significantly in jejunum and liver following HS (P<0.05). BTED significantly decreased expression levels of FXR in the liver (P<0.05) and TGR-5 in the jejunum, ileum and liver (P<0.05). In conclusion, expression levels of FXR and TGR-5 increased in HS but BTED decreased expression levels of FXR and TGR-5 in HS.

Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage in a Two-Month-Old Infant with Inspissated Bile Syndrome

Inspissated bile syndrome (IBS) is a relatively rare condition. Many treatment options are available, including medication, surgery, and surgical interventions, such as insertion of cholecystostomy drain, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, internal biliary drainage, and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). We herein report the first case of IBS that was successfully treated with PTBD in a two-month-old infant in Korea. PTBD was initiated on postnatal day 72. On postnatal day 105, we confirmed complete improvement and successfully removed the catheters. This report suggests that PTBD is a viable and safe treatment option for obstructive jaundice in very young infants.