The application of current diagnostic protocols of patients with colon cancer in preparation for therapy

The clinical application value of multi-slice spiral CT enhanced scans combined with multiplanar reformations images in preoperative T staging of rectal cancer

This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical application value of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) enhanced scans combined with multiplanar reformations (MPRs) images compared with postoperative pathological results in preoperative T staging of rectal cancer.One hundred sixty-eight consecutive patients with rectal cancer were admitted in our hospital between January 2013 and October 2018. Conventional MSCT plain scans, multi-phase dynamic contrast-enhanced scans, and MPRs were performed in all patients before surgical operation. The preoperative T staging of the rectal cancer lesions was evaluated using MSCT enhanced scans combined with MPRs, which was verified by postoperative pathological results. The diagnostic accuracy of MSCT enhanced scans combined with MPRs in evaluating T staging of the rectal cancer lesions were analyzed by χ test and Kappa test.Compared with postoperative pathology, T staging using MSCT enhanced scans combined with MPRs had overall accuracy of 85.7%. Consistency between MSCT enhanced scans combined with MPRs and postoperative pathological staging was effective for T staging (Kappa = 0.658, χ = 4.200, P = .122).Conventional MSCT enhanced scans combined with MPRs are simple and feasible. It is consistent with the pathological diagnosis of evaluating T staging in the rectal cancer lesions. It can provide reliable imaging evidence for the preoperative evaluation of primary rectal cancer, especially in patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contraindications, or in grass-roots hospitals due to lack of MRI equipment.

Valdecoxib Recovers the Lipid Composition, Order and Dynamics in Colon Cancer Cell Lines Independent of COX-2 Expression: An ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy Study

Prostanoids play an important role in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes including inflammation and cancer. The rate-limiting step in the prostanoid biosynthesis pathway is catalyzed by cyclooxygenases (COXs). Aberrant expression of the inducible isoform COX-2 plays a significant role in colon cancer initiation and progression. In this study, we have hypothesized that COX-2 specific inhibitors such as Valdecoxib (VLX), being highly hydrophobic, may alter biophysical properties of cellular lipids. In this study, COX-2 expressing (HT29) and COX-2 non-expressing (SW620) colon cancer cell lines were treated with VLX and examined using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy. The results revealed that VLX treatment decreased lipid fluidity in the cells irrespective of COX-2 expression status and affected order parameters of the lipids in both cell lines. Cluster analysis also indicated that the spectral differences between the two cell lines are profound and could be successfully differentiated. Valdecoxib treatment could enhance the composition, order and dynamics of the lipids of colon cancer cells independently of its COX-2 inhibitory mechanism. Valdecoxib has therapeutic effects upon colon cancer, therefore it can be used as an adjuvant and/or chemopreventive agent for colon cancer.

Direct detection of cancer biomarkers in blood using a "place n play" modular polydimethylsiloxane pump

Cancer biomarkers have significant potential as reliable tools for the early detection of the disease and for monitoring its recurrence. However, most current methods for biomarker detection have technical difficulties (such as sample preparation and specific detector requirements) which limit their application in point of care diagnostics. We developed an extremely simple, power-free microfluidic system for direct detection of cancer biomarkers in microliter volumes of whole blood. CEA and CYFRA21-1 were chosen as model cancer biomarkers. The system automatically extracted blood plasma from less than 3 μl of whole blood and performed a multiplex sample-to-answer assay (nano-ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) technique) without the use of external power or extra components. By taking advantage of the nano-ELISA technique, this microfluidic system detected CEA at a concentration of 50 pg/ml and CYFRA21-1 at a concentration of 60 pg/ml within 60 min. The combination of PnP polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pump and nano-ELISA technique in a single microchip system shows great promise for the detection of cancer biomarkers in a drop of blood.