Influence of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum environment on adhesion and metastasis of a human ovarian cancer cell line

Rapid exacerbation featuring acute leukemoid reaction after retrolaparoscopic nephrectomy: a rare case report of renal cell carcinoma with postoperative comprehensive genomic profiling

Background

Rapid lethal exacerbation and recurrence featuring acute leukemoid reaction (ALR) after retrolaparoscopic radical nephrectomy (RN) is a relatively rare clinical incident. Performing the reoperation for the patient and analyzing the tissue-based genetic mutation information postoperatively are a skill-demanding and meaningful task, which have been even more rarely reported.

Case presentation

We present a case with a large right renal mass (13.0 × 10.0 × 8.0 cm). This 71-year-old male patient underwent the retrolaparoscopic RN in our department. The operation was technically precise and successful with final pathological diagnosis of hybrid (clear cell and papillary type) renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, 10 days after the patient was discharged, he was readmitted with the chief complaint of high fever with severe right flank pain. CT scanning revealed that right retroperitoneal hematoma and the blood routine showed the dramatic elevation of white blood cell count (WBC). Even though the immediate broad-spectrum antibiotics were administered without delay and subsequent percutaneous puncturing and drainage was performed, the patient’s condition still exacerbated rapidly. In spite of the reoperation of hematoma evacuation, the patient died of multiple organ failure 10 days after the reoperation. The pathological result of reoperation showed the necrotic and hematoma tissue blended with RCC tumor cells (nuclear grading III), and both of the postoperative tissue-originated comprehensive genomic profiling by using the specimens from the RN and reoperation respectively indicated significant mutations of some oncogenes which might have potential relevance with ALR. Besides, both of the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining results from primary surgical renal mass and reoperative resected tissue revealed the positive expressions of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF).

Conclusions

ALR may be a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with RCC, and comprehensive genomic profiling as well as the alterative expression of G-CSF can help to provide potential valuable genetic etiological information and evidence for guiding the potential effective molecular-targeting therapy.

High-pressure artificial pneumothorax promotes invasion and metastasis of oesophageal cancer cells

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the viability, apoptosis, invasion and metastasis of oesophageal cancer cells in a simulated artificial pneumothorax model and to explore its potential mechanism of action.

METHODS

Oesophageal cancer cells were subjected to a simulated thoracoscopic CO2 pneumothorax environment with different pressures and exposure times (low-pressure group: 8 mmHg 1 h or 8 mmHg 4 h; high-pressure group: 12 mmHg 1 h). Cell viability, apoptosis, invasive capacity and mRNA expression of adhesion- and metastasis-related molecules in each group were detected. To explore in greater detail the potential reasons for the changes in biological behaviour under the high-pressure CO2 environment, we designed 3 additional experimental groups: (i) high-pressure group, (ii) hypoxia group and (iii) pH decrease group. An miRNA microarray analysis was performed by comparing 2 paired samples of cells from the high-pressure group and the control group.

RESULTS

Treatment with high-pressure CO2 pneumothorax significantly increased the cell viability (P < 0.001) and the cell invasion (P < 0.001). Significantly higher expression of adhesive- and metastasis-related molecules was also observed. Further experiments indicated that the high-pressure CO2 pneumothorax might increase cell invasion and metastasis through the high pressure and decreased pH. The miRNA microarray analysis results suggested that several potential pathways related to cancer development: the RhoA pathway, the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway and the MAPK signalling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of high-pressure CO2 pneumothorax promoted the invasion and metastasis of oesophageal cancer cells through high pressure and decreased pH. This process might be related to several signalling pathways.

Port-Site Metastasis of Uterine Carcinosarcoma after Laparoscopy

We report a case of port-site metastasis after laparoscopic surgery for early stage uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) and review the related literature. A 53-year-old woman with suspected uterine malignance underwent a total laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, infra-colic omentectomy, and pelvic lymphadenectomy resulting pathologically in a stage IA UCS. Twelve months later she developed a palpable abdominal-wall mass at the trocar site without other synchronous metastases. A mass resection was performed and it was pathologically diagnosed with port-site metastasis of UCS. When performing surgery for UCS, specimens should be carefully removed in case small pieces of the occult disseminated metastatic tissues are trapped between the outer surface of the trocar sleeve and the abdominal wall incisional canal. Despite the low incidence, a laparotomy might be considered rather than laparoscopy to prevent port-site metastasis and more gynecological oncology clinical practices might be relevant to the management of port-site metastasis.

Effect of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum on human renal cell carcinoma proliferation and metastasis in an orthotropic xenograft nude mouse model

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to explore the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) pneumoperitoneum on tumor proliferation and metastasis in an orthotropic xenograft nude mice model of human renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and evaluate the safety of CO2 pneumoperitoneum laparoscopy for treating RCC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

RCC 786-0 cells were injected to establish an orthotropic xenograft model. Fifty nude mice were given orthotropic inoculations and randomized to five groups: group A (control); group B (CO2 pneumoperitoneum for 2 h); group C (CO2 pneumoperitoneum for 4 h); group D (CO2 pneumoperitoneum for 4 h and 24 h after waking); group E (CO2 pneumoperitoneum for 4 h and 48 h after waking). The proliferation status was observed in RCC specimens by immunohistochemical staining for Ki67. The protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were examined by western blotting.

RESULTS

All groups showed similar Ki67-positive staining in RCC samples (p > 0.05). The relative expression of HIF-1α and VEGF gradually increased in both group B and group C, as compared with group A, but only the difference between group C and group A reached statistical significance (p < 0.05). The protein levels of HIF-1α and VEGF decreased in both group D and group E, as compared with group B and group C; however, the differences between group D, group E, and group A did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In an orthotropic xenograft nude mice model of RCC, CO2 pneumoperitoneum has no effect on expression of the cellular proliferation marker Ki67. However, CO2 pneumoperitoneum rapidly induces transient expression of HIF-1α and VEGF. Thus, CO2 pneumoperitoneum laparoscopy may be a safe method for treating RCC.

Lethal effect of a hyperthermic CO₂ pneumoperitoneum on gastric cancer cells

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the lethal effect of a hyperthermic CO₂ pneumoperitoneum on gastric cancer cells. This could form the theoretical basis for further studies of the feasibility and safety of inflating hyperthermic CO₂ in the abdominal cavity of gastric cancer patients during laparoscopy.

METHODS

An in vitro hyperthermic CO₂ pneumoperitoneum experimental model was built, where gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 cells were grouped according to temperature. Cytotoxicity was detected using a cell counting kit; apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI flow cytometry and Hoechst 33342/PI fluorescent microscopy. Morphological alterations were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Invasion and migration were detected by a scratch test and by transwell migration, respectively.

RESULTS

Cytotoxicity assays showed that a hyperthermic CO₂ pneumoperitoneum significantly inhibited the proliferation of SGC-7901 cells (P<0.05); it also significantly induced apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells (P<0.05). Morphological observations showed that the cell membrane and nucleus had an apoptotic phenotype. The invasiveness and migration ability of the gastric cancer cells subjected to hyperthermic CO₂ were significantly reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

A hyperthermic CO₂ pneumoperitoneum had a lethal effect on gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells by inhibiting their invasion and migration, and by inducing apoptosis.