Comparison of survival rate and crestal bone loss of narrow diameter dental implants versus regular dental implants: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

The aim of the present study was to establish survival rates, as well as crestal bone loss (CBL) of narrow diameter implants (NDI), compared to regular diameter implants (RDI). The current review followed the Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research guidelines and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses statement. We searched main databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register) for articles addressing the focused question up to and including May 2018. Meta‐analyses were conducted for CBL and survival rates. Qualitatively, three clinical studies showed comparable CBL and survival rates between NDI and RDI at follow up. Only one study showed increased CBL around NDI compared to RDI. The overall weighted mean difference (WMD) for CBL (WMD = .06, 95% confidence interval [CI] = ‐.38‐.51, P=.76) and risk difference for survival rate (risk difference = .88, 95% CI = .22‐3.50, P=.85) were not significant between the NDI and RDI groups at follow up. NDI and RDI showed comparable CBL and survival rates. However, the findings of the present study should be interpreted with caution due to significant heterogeneity and the low number of included studies. Further randomized, controlled trials should be performed in order to obtain strong conclusions.     

10-Year Heart Failure Outcomes From Nurse-Driven Clinics in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa

Nurse-led delivery care models have the potential to address the significant burden of heart failure in sub-Saharan Africa. Starting in 2006, the Rwandan Ministry of Health, supported by Inshuti Mu Buzima (Partners In Health–Rwanda), decentralized heart failure diagnosis and care delivery in the context of advanced nurse-led integrated noncommunicable clinics at rural district hospitals. Here, the authors describe the first medium-term survival outcomes from the district level in rural sub-Saharan Africa based on their 10-year experience providing care in rural Rwanda. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to determine median time to event for: 1) composite event of known death from any cause, lost to follow-up, or transfer to estimate worst-case mortality; and 2) known death only. Five-year event-free rates were 41.7% for the composite outcome and 64.3% for known death. While death rates are encouraging, efforts to reduce loss to follow-up are needed.     

广泛期小细胞肺癌一线化疗肿瘤缓解深度与生存期的相关性

目的:分析广泛期小细胞肺癌一线化疗后肿瘤缓解深度与患者生存期的相关性。方法:回顾性分析符合入组条件的50例初治广泛期小细胞肺癌患者的临床资料。通过Spearman秩相关检验评价广泛期小细胞肺癌化疗后肿瘤缓解深度与生存期的相关性，应用Log-rank检验比较不同肿瘤缓解深度对生存期的影响，应用COX比例回归模型进行多因素分析。结果:Spearman秩相关分析显示肿瘤缓解深度与PFS及OS均呈中等程度相关。不同缓解深度患者的生存期存在统计学差异。体重减少（P＜0.000 1）、缓解深度（P＜0.001）为无进展生存期的独立影响因素；体重减少（P＜0.000 1）、体力状态（P=0.001 2）、缓解深度（P＜0.001）、化疗周期（P=0.000 2）、二线治疗（P=0.006 7）为总生存期的独立预后因素。结论:广泛期小细胞肺癌一线化疗后肿瘤缓解深度对患者生存期有一定的预测价值。     

A case review of a patient experience of photopheresis using a peripherally inserted central catheter

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is a cell based immunomodulatory therapy in which the patient is attached intravenously to a cell separating machine. During ECP a patient's blood is collected via either a central venous access device (CVAD) or a peripherally inserted 16G arterial venous fistula needle in either one or both antecubital fossa. However, patients presenting for ECP with GVHD repeatedly present a challenge to the ECP team due to poor venous access resulting from previous therapies and skin changes. The use of peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) offers an alternative route of vascular access for this cohort of patients. Here we present a case report of a patient successfully treated with ECP following the insertion of a PICC line.     

可手术非小细胞肺癌患者术前血浆中VEGF/sVEGFR-1比值与长期生存关系的初步探索

目的:检测可手术非小细胞肺癌患者术前血浆中VEGF、sVEGFR-1的表达水平，并分析其与临床病理资料和长期生存的关系。方法:收集98例可手术非小细胞肺癌患者术前静脉血，用ELISA方法检测血浆中VEGF和sVEGFR-1的表达水平，并分析其表达水平与患者临床病理资料和长期生存之间的关系。结果:可手术非小细胞肺癌患者术前血浆中VEGF、sVEGFR-1的表达水平与患者的临床病理资料没有相关性，但是多因素生存分析中，年龄、TNM分期和VEGF/sVEGFR-1比值是可手术非小细胞肺癌患者长期生存的独立预后因子。结论:血浆VEGF/sVEGFR-1比值与可手术非小细胞肺癌患者的长期生存相关，该比值在非小细胞肺癌的意义值得进一步深入研究。     

Predictors of response and survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with nivolumab: real-world experience

Real-world predictors of the treatment efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are unknown. This retrospective study enrolled 87 consecutive patients with unresectable HCC from May 2017 to December 2019 at two hospitals. Of the 87 patients, 7, 9, 60, and 11 patients had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stages A, B, C, and D, respectively, and 45, 30, and 10 patients were Child-Pugh class A, B, and C, respectively. The median injection numbers of nivolumab and treatment duration were 6 (3-8) and 2.53 (1.47-4.23) months, respectively, and 64.4% of patients received combination therapy. Radiological imaging was not assessed for 25 patients. Objective response (OR) and disease control rates were 19.5% and 39.1%, respectively. A single tumor (odds ratio: 9.542, P = .015) and ≥20% decline in serum α-fetoprotein protein (AFP) levels within the first 3 months of treatment (defined as AFP response, odds ratio: 5.997, P = .042) were predictors of OR. Lack of macrovascular invasion, combination therapy, and AFP response were predictors of progression-free survival. A Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score of 0-2 (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.717, P = .004) and grade 1-2 immune-related adverse events (irAEs, HR: 2.217, P = .049) were predictors of overall survival (OS) in the entire cohort, and a CLIP score of 0-2 (HR: 3.257, P = .009) was a predictor of OS in evaluable patients. IrAEs ≥ grade 3 were noted in 14 patients, and three died as a result. Having a single tumor and AFP response were predictors of OR, and CLIP score was a predictor of OS.     

Successful treatment of advanced ovarian cancer with anlotinib: a case report

Ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynecological malignant tumor, with relapse occurring in approximately 70% of advanced cases. Anlotinib is an oral small-molecule multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor that can resist neoangiogenesis and inhibit tumor growth. Previous research demonstrated clinical antitumor activity of anlotinib in various cancers. We report the case of an elderly woman with advanced ovarian cancer who received anlotinib after failure of multiple-line chemotherapy. A partial response was observed after six cycles of anlotinib monotherapy, with a reduction in the size of the metastases and significantly decreased serum CA125 levels from 1832.7 U/mL to 118.7 U/mL. She continued to take anlotinib, with a progression-free survival time of more than 4 months. Only mild hypertension was observed during the treatment. Anlotinib monotherapy may be a novel therapeutic option for patients with advanced ovarian cancer.     

Invasive breast cancer over four decades reveals persisting poor metastatic outcomes in treatment resistant subgroup – the “ATRESS” phenomenon

BackgroundMajor advances in breast cancer treatment have led to a reducuction in mortality. However, there are still women who are not cured. We hypothesize there is a sub-group of women with treatment-resistant cancers causing early death.MethodsBetween 1975 and 2006, 5392 women with invasive breast cancer underwent surgery at Guy’s Hospital, London. Data on patient demographics, tumour characteristics, treatment regimens, local recurrence, secondary metastasis, and death were prospectively recorded. We considered four time periods (1975–1982, 1983–1990, 1991–1998, 1999–2006). Risks and time to event analysis were performed with Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier estimation.ResultsUnadjusted hazard ratios for developing metastasis and overall mortality relative to the 1975–1982 cohort decreased steadily to 0.23 and 0.63, respectively in 1999–2006. However, metastasis-free interval shortened, with the proportion of women developing metastasis ≤5 years increasing from 73.9% to 83.0%. Furthermore, median post-metastatic survival decreased from 1.49 years to 0.94 years. Applying our risk criteria identified the presence of ±200 patients in each cohort who developed metastasis early and died within a much shorter time frame.ConclusionsAdvances in treatment have decreased the risk of metastasis and improved survival in women with invasive breast cancer over the last 40 years. Despite this, a subpopulation with shorter metastasis-free and post-metastatic survival who are unresponsive to available treatment remains. This may be due to the ATRESS phenomenon (adjuvant therapy-related shortening of survival) secondary to preselection inherent in adjuvant therapy, successful treatment of less malignant tumour cells and treatment-induced resistance in the remaining tumour clones.