Analyses on K-ras mutations and fascin expression in patients with cardia cancer

Fascin expression persists with fibronectin in embryonic rat hepatoblasts

Both fascin and fibronectin are known to play important roles in cell adhesion and migration. They are noted as tumor markers or inhibiting target for tumor treatment. In this study, embryonic rat livers were obtained to examine the expression of fascin and fibronectin during liver development. Then, the effect of fibronectin on fascin expression was investigated. At embryonic day (ED) 10.5, when the foregut endoderm began to form the liver bud and spread into the septum transversum, fibrous extracellular matrix was observed between the space where the liver bud and the septum transversum merged. At ED11.5, fibronectin was observed surrounding the cluster of fascin-positive hepatoblasts. At ED13.5, hematopoietic cells emerged and both fibronectin and fascin expression started to decline. Fascin and fibronectin appeared temporarily and disappeared by ED 14.5. Their expression was chronologically synchronized. Subsequently, the effect of fibronectin on fascin was examined by cultivation of hepatoblasts that were isolated from the ED13.5 rat liver. As a result, with fibronectin, fascin was positive in most hepatoblasts, although, without fibronectin, fascin expression was remarkably declined. Presently, there are few studies about the relationship between fascin and fibronectin. Our findings suggest that fibronectin could regulate fascin expression in rat hepatoblasts.

Using etoposide + dexamethasone-based regimens to treat nasal type extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

PURPOSE

Nasal type extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) can be associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (NK/T-LAHLH), which is a rare and fatal disease with no effective therapy. We evaluated whether etoposide + dexamethasone-based chemotherapy regimens might be useful for treating NK/T-LAHLH.

METHODS

This retrospective single-center study evaluated clinical data from 37 patients with NK/T-LAHLH who were treated between May 2008 and January 2020.

RESULTS

Among 363 patients with ENKTL, the cumulative incidence of HLH was 11.9%. Among 43 patients with NK/T-LAHLH, 37 patients received etoposide + dexamethasone-based chemotherapy regimens, with an overall response rate of 45.9% for the HLH. The overall response rate was substantially higher for newly diagnosed NK/T-LAHLH than it was for relapsed or refractory NK/T-LAHLH (66.7% vs. 18.8%). The median overall follow-up time was 4 months, with overall survival rates of 81.1% at 1 month, 62.2% at 2 months, 56.8% at 3 months, and 34.4% at 6 months. Significantly better overall survival (all P < 0.05) was observed for patients with newly diagnosed NK/T-LAHLH (vs. relapsed/refractory disease), stage I/II disease (vs. stage III/IV disease), and nasal disease (vs. non-nasal disease). Patients who responded to the ENKTL treatment also experienced response in their HLH; 8 patients experienced continued complete response for both HLH and ENKTL. Multivariate analysis revealed that a poor prognosis among patients with NK/T-LAHLH was independently related to relapsed/refractory ENKTL and non-nasal disease.

CONCLUSION

Although patients with NK/T-LAHLH generally experienced poor outcomes, etoposide + dexamethasone-based chemotherapy regimens were associated with good outcomes among select patients with newly diagnosed or stage I/II NK/T-LAHLH.