Clinical Guidance for the Management of Patients with Urothelial Cancers During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Rapid Review

The current COVID-19 pandemic presents a substantial obstacle to cancer patient care. Data from China as well as risk models suppose that cancer patients, particularly those on active, immunosuppressive therapies are at higher risks of severe infection from the illness. In addition, staff illness and restructuring of services to deal with the crisis will inevitably place treatment capacities under significant strain. These guidelines aim to expand on those provided by NHS England regarding cancer care during the coronavirus pandemic by examining the known literature and provide guidance in managing patients with urothelial and rarer urinary tract cancers. In particular, they address the estimated risk and benefits of standard treatments and consider the alternatives in the current situation. As a result, it is recommended that this guidance will help form a framework for shared decision making with patients. Moreover, they do not advise a one-size-fits-all approach but recommend continual assessment of the situation with discussion within and between centres.     

A Reminder of Methylene Blue's Effectiveness in Treating Vasoplegic Syndrome after On-Pump Cardiac Surgery

The inflammatory response induced by cardiopulmonary bypass decreases vascular tone, which in turn can lead to vasoplegic syndrome. Indeed the hypotension consequent to on-pump cardiac surgery often necessitates vasopressor and intravenous fluid support. Methylene blue counteracts vasoplegic syndrome by inhibiting the formation of nitric oxide.We report the use of methylene blue in a 75-year-old man who developed vasoplegic syndrome after cardiac surgery. After the administration of methylene blue, his hypotension improved to the extent that he could be weaned from vasopressors. The use of methylene blue should be considered in patients who develop hypotension refractory to standard treatment after cardiac surgery.     

二甲双胍对糖尿病合并食管癌患者放疗效果分析

目的通过观察二甲双胍对糖尿病合并食管癌患者放疗效果,为糖尿病合并食管癌患者的治疗提供依据。方法选取2016年-2018年在该院确诊的糖尿病合并食管癌并口服二甲双胍降糖治疗的患者51例为观察组,同期诊断糖尿病合并食管癌并皮下注射胰岛素治疗的患者50例为对照组,所有的患者均实施内镜切除联合局部放疗治疗。治疗结束后随访1个月,根据RECIST标准对治疗效果进行评价两组患者的近期疗效。结果观察组患者近期疗效明显优于对照组(P<0.05)。结论二甲双胍可以提高食管癌患者的放疗效果。     

Salvage Focal Cryotherapy Offers Similar Short-term Oncologic Control and Improved Urinary Function Compared With Salvage Whole Gland Cryotherapy for Radiation-resistant or Recurrent Prostate Cancer

BackgroundWe compared the short-term oncologic and functional outcomes of salvage focal cryotherapy (SFC) with those of salvage total cryotherapy (STC) for radiotherapy (RT)-persistent/recurrent prostate cancer.Materials and MethodsWe queried the Cryo On-Line Database registry for men who had undergone SFC and STC of the prostate for RT-persistent or recurrent disease. Propensity score weighting was used to match age at treatment, presalvage therapy prostate-specific antigen level, Gleason sum, and presalvage cryotherapy androgen deprivation therapy status. The primary outcome was progression-free survival.ResultsA total of 385 men with biopsy-proven persistent or recurrent prostate cancer after primary RT were included in the present study. The median follow-up, age, prostate-specific antigen, and Gleason sum before salvage cryotherapy was 24.4 months (first and third quartile, 9.8 and 60.3), 70 years (first and third quartile, 66 and 74 years), 4 ng/dL (first and third quartile, 2.7 and 5.6 ng/dL), and 7 (first and third quartile, 6 and 8), respectively. After propensity score weighting, the difference in progression-free survival was not statistically significant between the patients who had undergone STC and those who had undergone SFC (79.8% vs. 76.98%; P = .11 on weighted log-rank test). SFC was associated with a lower probability of post-treatment transient urinary retention (5.6% vs. 22.4%; P < .001). No significant differences were found in the incidence of rectal fistula (1.4% vs. 3.8; P = .30), new-onset urinary incontinence within 12 months (9.3% vs. 15.1%; P = .19), or new-onset erectile dysfunction within 12 months (52.6% vs. 59.6%; P = .47) between the SFC and STC groups, respectively.ConclusionsSTC resulted in similar 2-year oncologic outcomes compared with SFC in the RT-persistent/recurrent disease population. However, the patients who had undergone SFC had a lower urinary retention rate compared with those who had undergone STC.     

Risk communication in a patient decision aid for radiotherapy in breast cancer: How to deal with uncertainty?

Background and aimPatient decision aids for oncological treatment options, provide information on the effect on recurrence rates and/or survival benefit, and on side-effects and/or burden of different treatment options. However, often uncertainty exists around the probability estimates for recurrence/survival and side-effects which is too relevant to be ignored. Evidence is lacking on the best way to communicate these uncertainties. The aim of this study is to develop a method to incorporate uncertainties in a patient decision aid for breast cancer patients to support their decision on radiotherapy.MethodsFirstly, qualitative interviews were held with patients and health care professionals. Secondly, in the development phase, thinking aloud sessions were organized with four patients and 12 health care professionals, individual and group-wise.ResultsConsensus was reached on a pictograph illustrating the whole range of uncertainty for local recurrence risks, in combination with textual explanation that a more exact personalized risk would be given by their own physician. The pictograph consisted of 100 female icons in a 10 x 10 array. Icons with a stepwise gradient color indicated the uncertainty margin. The prevalence and severity of possible side-effects were explained using verbal labels.ConclusionsWe developed a novel way of visualizing uncertainties in recurrence rates in a patient decision aid. The effect of this way of communicating risk uncertainty is currently being tested in the BRASA study (NCT03375801).     

131Ⅰ治疗非Graves'甲状腺功能亢进及非毒性甲状腺肿后诱发Graves'病

~(131)I治疗非Graves’甲亢及非毒性甲状腺肿后数月,少部分患者体内出现促甲状腺激素受体抗体并诱发Graves’病(GD),发病率在0．05%～5%之间。其发病机制假说有通过自身免疫反应介导等。通过监测体内甲状腺自身抗体水平变化、甲状腺显像,可以预测~(131)I治疗后GD的发生。其治疗方法有抗甲状腺药物治疗、再次放射性~(131)I治疗、手术治疗。     

食管癌热疗、放疗、化疗三联治疗的前瞻性研究

目的 分析热疗、放疗、化疗三联治疗食管癌的疗效。及与放疗比较。材料与方法 1987年6月至1991年10月，对食管癌的三联治疗和常规放疗进行前瞻性随机研究。两组病例分别为57例和58例，三联组放疗每周2次，每次3.6Gy，总量36Gy，5周，化疗：平阳霉素20mg，顺铂（DDP）1.0-1.5mg/kg，每周1次，共3次，腔内微波热疗每周1次，共3-5次，全部病例随访5年以上，失访者按死亡统计。结果 总生存率：三联组1，3，5年分别为93.0%(53/57)、40.4%(23/57)、31.6%(18/57)。单放组分别为：79.3%(46/58)、31.0%(18/58)、15.5%(9/58)。1，5年生存率的P<0.05，其中病变长度在5cm以上的：三联组1，3，5年生存率分别为91.4%(32/35)、51.4%(18/35）、40.0%(14/35)；单放组为78.8%(26/33)、24.2%(8/33)、12.1%(4/33)，三联组月逐年均优于单放组，T90<43℃的为90.0%((/10).20.0%(2/10)，及0（0/10）,而T90>43℃的分别为92.8%(39/42),42.8%(18/42)及38.1%(16/42)。结论 食管癌三联治疗在减少了放疗剂量的同时，提高了近期疗效和1，3，5年生存率。     

胸廓矢状面倾斜度的测定及其对放疗的意义

目的了解人体前胸矢状面倾斜度的大小及对放疗剂量分布的影响。方法选择126例患者行胸部CT扫描并予正中矢状面重建。分别测定上中下胸廓层面前后体表中线至脊髓距离及各层上下间距,计算出前胸倾斜度。查TMR表得出中平面深度及脊髓深度处上中胸及中下胸层面剂量误差。结果前野各层面至脊髓距离变化较大,后野变化较小。人体前胸倾斜度范围为25~56°。上中胸段组的上下缘剂量误差较大,躯体中平面平均相差8%,脊髓17%。中下胸段组剂量误差较小,躯体中平面4%,脊髓7%。误差随倾斜角度增加而增加。根据倾斜度得出合适的楔形板修正角度大约为10~35°。结论人体前胸矢状面存在自然倾斜度,这种倾斜影响前野剂量分布,应予以个体化修正。建议根据角度的大小选择合适的头足向楔形板优化。