A neoadjuvant-surgery interval >7 weeks is safe and is associated with a higher rate of pCR and R0 resection, and decreased local recurrence.

Background/Aims: Basophils have been reported to infiltrate skin lesions in various skin diseases, but not in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study investigated basophil infiltration in SLE and its mechanism. Methods: Twenty newly diagnosed SLE patients and twenty healthy controls were enrolled. Nine SLE patients underwent skin biopsies. Flow cytometric analysis the phenotype of peripheral basophils and their migration rate toward RANTES and MCP-1 were analyzed with the transwell culture system, also the expression of these two chemokines in skin tissue were analyzed with immunohistochemistry. Results: Increased activation and decreased numbers of peripheral basophils were observed in SLE patients compared with controls. Basophil migration into skin lesions of SLE patients were observed, but not in normal skin tissue. This migration was related to the upregulation of chemokine receptors CCR1 and CCR2 on basophils. In vitro studies showed that migration rate toward RANTES and MCP-1 increased significantly in basophils from SLE patients compared with those from controls. Consistently, high levels of RANTES and MCP-1 expression were observed in skin lesions from SLE patients but not in normal skin tissue. Conclusion: Basophil recruitment to skin lesions of SLE patients mediated by CCR1 and CCR2, which may contribute to tissue damage in SLE.

Background: The lymph node ratio (LNR) has been shown to be an important prognostic factor for colorectal cancer. However, studies focusing on the prognostic impact of LNR in rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by curative resection have been limited. The aim of this study was to investigate LNR in rectal cancer patients who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy harvested LNs, and as well as in those ≥12 harvested LNs (p<0.05). In addition, LNR had a prognostic impact on both OS and DFS in patients with N1 staging (p<0.001). Conclusions: LNR is an independent prognostic factor in ypN-positive rectal cancer patients, both in patients with <12 harvested LNs, and as well as in those ≥12 harvested LNs. LNR provides better prognostic value than pN staging. Therefore, it should be used as an additional prognostic indicator in ypN-positive rectal cancer patients.

Background Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation (CAA-ri) is a rare clinical entity, characterized by headaches, seizures, rapidly progressive cognitive decline, behavioral changes and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings underlying the autoimmune and inflammatory reaction at the level of CAA-affected vessel. CAA-ri is likely responsive to corticosteroid. MRI shows asymmetric and multifocal white matter hyperintensity (WMH) lesions and multiple cerebral microbleeds. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 homozygosity is associated with CAA-ri strongly [Neurology 68(17):1411-1416, 2007, Ann Neurol 73(4):449-458, 2013, J Alzheimers Dis 44(4):1069-1074, 2015]. SORL1 processes a causal involvement in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as a proposed modulator of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). It is unclear whether SORL1 is involved with CAA-ri or not. Case presentation A 48-year-old woman suffered from a one-day history of a headache, nausea, and vomiting. Neurological examination revealed normal. We diagnosed this case as probable CAA-ri according to the clinic manifestations and MRI. Gene detection indicated a rare variant in SORL1 and ApoE ε4 homozygosity. When treated with corticosteroid, the patient’s clinical symptoms and MRI manifestations were almost relieved. However, when keeping the corticosteroid withdrawal for three months, the patient relapsed with a headache and typical images on MRI emerged. Corticosteroid therapy was effective again. Unfortunately, susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) showed increased microbleeds. With tapering corticosteroid slowly, no recurrence was found on this patient with four-month follow-up. Conclusion A variant of SORL1 may be associated with CAA-ri, recurrence of disease could be detected with MRI by an increased microbleeds. Our case report suggests that corticosteroid therapy might be effective for CAA-ri.