Chinese medical journal
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Chinese medical journal · Aug 2011
Comparative study of transvaginal ultrasonographic and diagnostic hysteroscopic findings in postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen.
There is an association between postmenopausal tamoxifen therapy and endometrial pathologies. We investigated the usefulness of diagnostic hysteroscopy and transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) and estimated whether diagnostic hysteroscopy improves detection of endometrial pathologies in postmenopausal breast cancer patients on tamoxifen. ⋯ In postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen, TVS alone is not sufficient for the detection of endometrial pathologies. Additional use of diagnostic hysteroscopy considerably improves the detection of polyps, thus significantly reducing the rate of false-negative findings of endometrial pathologies.
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Chinese medical journal · Jul 2011
Coexistence of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg imbalances in patients with allergic asthma.
Recent recognition is that Th2 response is insufficient to fully explain the aetiology of asthma. Other CD4(+) T cells subsets might play a role in asthma. We investigated the relative abundance and activities of Th1, Th2, Th17 and CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells in patients with allergic asthma. ⋯ Imbalances in Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg were found in patients with allergic asthma. Furthermore, elevated Th17 cell responses, the absence of Tregs and an imbalance in Th17/Treg levels were associated with moderate to severe asthma.
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Chinese medical journal · Jul 2011
Intrahepatic biliary injuries associated with radiofrequency ablation of hepatic malignancies.
Biliary injury after radiofrequency ablation can cause serious consequences including death. However, there are limited data regarding bile duct changes with or without complications associated with radiofrequency ablation of hepatic malignancies. This study aimed to assess the incidence, prognosis and risk factors of intrahepatic biliary injury associated with radiofrequency ablation. ⋯ The incidence of biliary injury was not frequent (1.8%). Through appropriate treatment, intrahepatic bile duct injuries seemed not affect the patients' long-term survival. Additionally, risk factors may be helpful for selecting radiofrequency ablation candidates and predicting biliary complications.
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Chinese medical journal · Jul 2011
Novel mutations of PRSS1 gene in patients with pancreatic cancer among Han population.
A high mortality rate of pancreatic cancer becomes a bottleneck for further treatment with long-term efficacy. It is urgent to find a new mean to predict the early onset of pancreatic cancer accurately. The authors hypothesized that genetic variants of cationic trypsinogen (PRSS1) gene could affect trypsin expression/function and result in abnormal activation of protease activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), then lead to pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to elaborate some novel mutations of PRSS1 gene in the patients with pancreatic cancer. ⋯ Mutations of PRSS1 gene may be an important factor of pancreatic cancer.