Particle radiotherapy for prostate cancer

Recent advances in external beam radiotherapy have allowed us to deliver higher doses to the tumors while decreasing doses to the surrounding tissues. Dose escalation using high‐precision radiotherapy has improved the treatment outcomes of prostate cancer. Intensity‐modulated radiation therapy has been widely used throughout the world as the most advanced form of photon radiotherapy. In contrast, particle radiotherapy has also been under development, and has been used as an effective and non‐invasive radiation modality for prostate and other cancers. Among the particles used in such treatments, protons and carbon ions have the physical advantage that the dose can be focused on the tumor with only minimal exposure of the surrounding normal tissues. Furthermore, carbon ions also have radiobiological advantages that include higher killing effects on intrinsic radio‐resistant tumors, hypoxic tumor cells and tumor cells in the G0 or S phase. However, the degree of clinical benefit derived from these theoretical advantages in the treatment of prostate cancer has not been adequately determined. The present article reviews the available literature on the use of particle radiotherapy for prostate cancer as well as the literature on the physical and radiobiological properties of this treatment, and discusses the role and the relative merits of particle radiotherapy compared with current photon‐based radiotherapy, with a focus on proton beam therapy and carbon ion radiotherapy.     

Prognostic factors and risk classifications for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

The introduction of molecular‐targeted therapy has made dramatical changes to treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Currently, there are four vascular endothelial growth factor receptor‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors and two mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors in Japan. For the appropriate clinical use of these molecular‐targeted drugs, the identification of prognostic and/or predictive factors in patients who received these drugs is required. Although molecular biological and genetic factors that determine the prognosis of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma have been reported, most of these factors are problematic in that the number of patients analyzed was small. In contrast, clinicopathological prognostic factors, including the practice of cytoreductive nephrectomy, pathological findings, metastatic sites and metastasectomy, and abnormal inflammatory response, have been identified by analyzing a relatively large number of patients. Several prognostic classification models that were developed by combining these clinicopathological factors are widely used in not only clinical trials, but also routine clinical practice. However, the quality of these prognostic models is considered to be insufficient regarding prognostic prediction of metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients and, thus, requires further improvements. Recently, basic and clinical studies have been extensively carried out for the identification of promising informative markers and for understanding molecular mechanisms of resistance to molecular‐targeted drugs in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients. The present review considers ongoing translational research efforts on clinicopathological, molecular biological, and genetic prognostic and/or predictive factors for metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients in the era of molecular‐targeted therapy, and discusses the clinical implications of these findings.     

Cytomegalovirus prevention strategies in seropositive kidney transplant recipients: an insight into current clinical practice

There is notable heterogeneity in the implementation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevention practices among CMV‐seropositive (R+) kidney transplant (KT) recipients. In this prospective observational study, we included 387 CMV R+ KT recipients from 25 Spanish centers. Prevention strategies (antiviral prophylaxis or preemptive therapy) were applied according to institutional protocols at each site. The impact on the 12‐month incidence of CMV disease was assessed by Cox regression. Asymptomatic CMV infection, acute rejection, graft function, non‐CMV infection, graft loss, and all‐cause mortality were also analyzed (secondary outcomes). Models were adjusted for a propensity score (PS) analysis for receiving antiviral prophylaxis. Overall, 190 patients (49.1%) received preemptive therapy, 185 (47.8%) antiviral prophylaxis, and 12 (3.1%) no specific intervention. Twelve‐month cumulative incidences of CMV disease and asymptomatic infection were 3.6% and 39.3%, respectively. Patients on prophylaxis had lower incidence of CMV disease [PS‐adjusted HR (aHR): 0.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.79] and asymptomatic infection (aHR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.29–0.72) than those managed preemptively, with no significant differences according to the duration of prophylaxis. All cases of CMV disease in the prophylaxis group occurred after prophylaxis discontinuation. There were no differences in any of the secondary outcomes. In conclusion, antiviral prophylaxis was associated with a lower occurrence of CMV disease in CMV R+ KT recipients, although such benefit should be balanced with the risk of late‐onset disease.     

Cytomegalovirus post kidney transplantation: prophylaxis versus pre‐emptive therapy?

Cytomegalovirus is the most important pathogen causing opportunistic infections in kidney allograft recipients. The occurrence of CMV disease is associated with higher morbidity, higher incidence of other opportunistic infections, allograft loss and death. Therefore, an efficient strategy to prevent CMV disease after kidney transplantation is required. Two options are currently available: pre‐emptive therapy based on regular CMV PCR monitoring and generalized antiviral prophylaxis during a defined period. In this review, we describe those two approaches, highlight the distinct advantages and risks of each strategy and summarize the four randomized controlled trials performed in this field so far. Taken this evidence together, pre‐emptive therapy and anti‐CMV prophylaxis are both equally potent in preventing CMV‐associated complications; however, the pre‐emptive approach may have distinct advantages in allowing for development of long‐term anti‐CMV immunity. We propose a risk‐adapted use of these approaches based on serostatus, immunosuppressive therapy and availability of resources at a particular transplant centre.     

耳穴贴压治疗失眠疗效的Meta分析

目的系统评价耳穴贴压治疗失眠的疗效,为失眠患者的治疗提供参考。方法计算机检索PubMed、Cochrane Library、中国生物医学文献数据库(CBM)、中国知网(CNKI)、维普期刊资源整合服务平台(VIP)和万方数据知识服务平台(WanFang Data)等数据库中有关耳穴贴压治疗失眠的随机对照试验(RCT),追溯纳入文献的参考文献,文献检索时限为各数据库建库至2014年9月。按照纳入和排除标准筛选文献、提取资料并评价纳入研究的方法学质量后,采用RevMan 5.0软件进行Meta分析。结果共纳入7篇RCT,合计939例受试者。根据干预时间和对照组的干预方案进行亚组分析。Meta分析结果显示:1以干预时间为亚组分析:干预2周,耳穴贴压组的总有效率高于对照组[OR=10.66,95%CI(5.23,21.74),P0.01];干预1个月,耳穴贴压组的总有效率高于对照组[OR=4.54,95%CI(2.28,9.01),P0.01]。2以对照组治疗方案为亚组分析:与针刺组相比,耳穴贴压组总有效率高于针刺组[OR=7.70,95%CI(3.05,19.48),P0.01];与药物组相比,耳穴贴压组总有效率高于药物组[OR=7.76,95%CI(4.61,13.08),P0.01]。结论耳穴贴压治疗失眠有一定疗效,可提高患者的睡眠质量。但由于本次纳入文献差异性较大,故研究结果需谨慎对待,还需大样本、高质量的文献进一步证实其临床疗效。     

药护协同管理在急性心肌梗死患者溶栓治疗中的实践

目的 探讨药护协同管理在急性心肌梗死患者溶栓治疗中的实践效果.方法 将100例急性心肌梗死溶栓治疗的患者按数字随机法分为常规组(n=50)和协同管理组(n=50),常规组按照常规护理,协同管理组在此基础上实施药护协同管理,干预6个月后比较治疗效果.结果 两组入院后明确诊断至开始溶栓时间、冠脉有效灌注率和住院天数比较,协同干预组显著优于常规组,48h内恶性心律失常发生例数协同组显著少于常规组,差异有统计学意义(均P＜0.05).两组患者溶栓治疗后12h、24 h、48 h、7d的LVEF值比较,差异有统计学意义(均P＜0.05);出院后6个月心脏不良事件发生比例比较,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).结论 药护协同管理能够有效缩短急性心肌梗死患者入院后至溶栓的时间,提高冠脉有效灌注,减少48 h内恶性心律失常发生和缩短住院天数,促进心功能恢复.     

合理情绪疗法对骨性Ⅲ类错颌畸形患者术前心理状况的影响

目的探讨合理情绪疗法对骨性Ⅲ类错颌畸形患者术前心理状况的影响。方法将40例骨性Ⅲ类错颌畸形患者随机分为观察组和对照组各20例。对照组给予口腔科术前常规护理,实验组在此基础上应用合理情绪疗法进行心理干预,分为心理诊断阶段、领悟阶段、修通阶段、再教育阶段4个阶段采取相应的干预措施。干预前和干预后即刻采用症状自评量表(SCL-90)、汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)、汉密尔顿焦虑量表(HAMA)进行评估。结果干预后观察组SCL-90改善幅度显著优于对照组,HAMA评分显著低于对照组(均P0.05)。结论合理情绪疗法能够明显改善骨性Ⅲ类错颌畸形患者术前焦虑程度,让患者更积极参与治疗。     

胰腺癌放射性核素内照射治疗现状及进展

胰腺癌是恶性程度高、进展迅速、预后极差的消化系统肿瘤,早期诊断困难,多数患者发现时已属晚期,失去手术治疗的机会,只能采取放化疗等辅助治疗手段来缓解症状及控制疾病。近年来随着放射性核素内照射治疗的不断发展,治疗策略的不断更新,其在胰腺癌的治疗中的作用越来越受到重视,笔者就其在胰腺癌治疗中的进展进行综述。     

锁骨近端骨折治疗进展

锁骨近端骨折发病率极低,一般行保守治疗。对于须行手术治疗的患者,因该处解剖结构比较特殊,并缺乏特定内固定材料,稳妥固定难度较大,临床上一直在探索一种比较好的内固定方式。我们对锁骨近端骨折的治疗进展进行综述。