Objectives: To investigate the dosimetric advantages of the voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold technique assisted by optical surface monitoring system for whole breast irradiation in left breast ...cancer after breast-conserving surgery and verify the reproducibility and acceptability of this technique. Methods: Twenty patients with left breast cancer receiving whole breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery were enrolled in this prospective phase II study. Computed tomography simulation was performed during both free breathing and voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold for all patients. Whole breast irradiation plans were designed, and the volumes and doses of the heart, left anterior descending coronary artery, and lung were compared between free breathing and voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold. Cone beam computed tomography was performed for the first 3 treatments, then weekly during voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold treatment to evaluate the accuracy of the optical surface monitoring system technique. The acceptance of this technique was evaluated with in-house questionnaires completed by patients and radiotherapists. Results: The median age was 45 (27-63) years. All patients received hypofractionated whole breast irradiation using intensity-modulated radiation therapy up to a total dose of 43.5 Gy/2.9 Gy/15f. Seventeen of the 20 patients received concomitant tumor bed boost to a total dose of 49.5 Gy/3.3 Gy/15f. Voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold showed a significant decrease in the heart mean dose (262 ± 163 cGy vs 515 ± 216 cGy, P < .001) and left anterior descending coronary artery (1191 ± 827 cGy vs 1794 ± 833 cGy, P < .001). The median delivery time of radiotherapy was 4 (1.5-11) min. The median deep breathing cycles were 4 (2-9) times. The average score for acceptance of voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold by patients and radiotherapists was 8.7 ± 0.9 (out of 12) and 10.6 ± 3.2 (out of 15), respectively, indicating good acceptance by both. Conclusions: The voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold technique for whole breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery in patients with left breast cancer significantly reduces the cardiopulmonary dose. Optical surface monitoring system–assisted voluntary deep inspiration breath-hold is reproducible and feasible and showed good acceptance by both patients and radiotherapists.
Summary Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as prognostic biomarkers in many types of cancer. We aimed to identify miRNAs that were prognostic in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods ...We retrospectively analysed miRNA expression profiles in 312 paraffin-embedded specimens of nasopharyngeal carcinoma from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China) and 18 specimens of non-cancer nasopharyngitis. Using an 873 probe microarray, we assessed associations between miRNA signatures and clinical outcome in a randomly selected 156 samples (training set) and validated findings in the remaining 156 samples (internal validation set). We confirmed the miRNAs signature using quantitative RT-PCR analysis in 156 samples from a second randomisation of the 312 samples, and validated the miRNA signature in 153 samples from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu, China (independent set). We used the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests to estimate correlations of the miRNA signature with disease-free survival (DFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival. Findings 41 miRNAs were differentially expressed between nasopharyngeal carcinoma and non-cancer nasopharyngitis tissues. A signature of five miRNAs, each significantly associated with DFS, was identified in the training set. We calculated a risk score from the signature and classified patients as high risk or low risk. Compared with patients with low-risk scores, patients with high risk scores in the training set had shorter DFS (hazard ratio HR 2·73, 95% CI 1·46–5·11; p=0·0019), DMFS (3·48, 1·57–7·75; p=0·0020), and overall survival (2·48, 1·24–4·96; p=0·010). We noted equivalent findings in the internal validation set for DFS (2·47, 1·32–4·61; p=0·0052), DMFS (2·28, 1·09–4·80; p=0·030), and overall survival (2·87, 1·38–5·96; p=0·0051) and in the independent set for DFS (3·16, 1·65–6·04; p=0·0011), DMFS (2·39, 1·05–5·42; p=0·037), and overall survival (3·07, 1·34–7·01; p=0·0082). The five-miRNA signature was an independent prognostic factor. A combination of this signature and TNM stage had better prognostic value than did TNM stage alone in the training set (area under receiver operating characteristics 0·68 95% CI 0·60–0·76 vs 0·60 0·52–0·67; p=0·013), the internal validation set (0·70 0·61–0·78 vs 0·61 0·54–0·68; p=0·012), and the independent set (0·70 0·62–0·78 vs 0·63 0·56–0·69; p=0·032). Interpretation Identification of patients with the five-miRNA signature might add prognostic value to the TNM staging system and inform treatment decisions for patients at high risk of progression. Funding Science Foundation of Chinese Ministry of Health, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Pearl River Scholar Funded Scheme, Guangdong Key Scientific and Technological Innovation Program, Guangdong Natural Science Foundation, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
Abstract Background context Posterior atlantoaxial fixation is an effective treatment for atlantoaxial instability. Great advancements on posterior atlantoaxial fixation techniques have been made in ...the past decades. However, there is no article reviewing all the posterior atlantoaxial fixation techniques yet. Purpose The aim was to review the evolution and advancements of posterior atlantoaxial fixation. Study design This was a literature review. Methods The application of all posterior fixation techniques in atlantoaxial stabilization, including wiring techniques, interlaminar clamp fixation, transarticular fixation, screw-plate systems, screw-rod systems, and hook-screw systems, are reviewed and discussed. Recent advancements on the novel technique of atlantoaxial fixation are described. The combination of the C1 and C2 screws in screw-rod systems are described in detail. Results All fixation techniques are useful. The screw-rod system appears to be the most popular approach. However, many novel or modified fixation methods have been introduced in recent years. Conclusions Great advancements on posterior atlantoaxial fixation techniques have been made in the past decades. The wiring technique and interlaminar clamps technique have fallen out of favor because of the development of newer and superior fixation techniques. The C1–C2 transarticular screw technique may remain the gold standard for atlantoaxial fusion, whereas screw-rod systems, especially the C1 pedicle screw combined with C2 pedicle/pars screw fixation, have become the most popular fixation techniques. Hook-screw systems are alternatives for atlantoaxial fixation.
From 2003 to 2005, standardised 5-year cancer survival in China was much lower than in developed countries and varied substantially by geographical area. Monitoring population-level cancer survival ...is crucial to the understanding of the overall effectiveness of cancer care. We therefore aimed to investigate survival statistics for people with cancer in China between 2003 and 2015.
We used population-based data from 17 cancer registries in China. Data for the study population was submitted by the end of July 31, 2016, with follow-up data on vital status obtained on Dec 31, 2015. We used anonymised, individual cancer registration records of patients (aged 0–99 years) diagnosed with primary, invasive cancers from 2003 to 2013. Patients eligible for inclusion had data for demographic characteristics, date of diagnosis, anatomical site, morphology, behaviour code, vital status, and last date of contact. We analysed 5-year relative survival by sex, age, and geographical area, for all cancers combined and 26 different cancer types, between 2003 and 2015. We stratified survival estimates by calendar period (2003–05, 2006–08, 2009–11, and 2012–15).
There were 678 842 records of patients with invasive cancer who were diagnosed between 2003 and 2013. Of these records, 659 732 (97·2%) were eligible for inclusion in the final analyses. From 2003–05 to 2012–15, age-standardised 5-year relative survival increased substantially for all cancers combined, for both male and female patients, from 30·9% (95% CI 30·6–31·2) to 40·5% (40·3–40·7). Age-standardised 5-year relative survival also increased for most cancer types, including cancers of the uterus (average change per calendar period 5·5% 95% CI 2·5–8·5), thyroid (5·4% 3·2–7·6), cervix (4·5% 2·9–6·2), and bone (3·2% 2·1–4·4). In 2012–15, age-standardised 5-year survival for all patients with cancer was higher in urban areas (46·7%, 95% CI 46·5–47·0) than in rural areas (33·6%, 33·3–33·9), except for patients with oesophageal or cervical cancer; but improvements in survival were greater for patients residing in rural areas than in urban areas. Relative survival decreased with increasing age. The increasing trends in survival were consistent with the upward trends of medical expenditure of the country during the period studied.
There was a marked overall increase in cancer survival from 2003 to 2015 in the population covered by these cancer registries in China, possibly reflecting advances in the quality of cancer care in these areas. The survival gap between urban and rural areas narrowed over time, although geographical differences in cancer survival remained. Insight into these trends will help prioritise areas that need increased cancer care.
National Key R&D Program of China, PUMC Youth Fund and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and Major State Basic Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
Background The efficacy of tonsillectomy in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) remains controversial. Our meta-analysis was intended to investigate its efficacy as an adjunct or independent ...treatment. Study Design Meta-analysis of prospective and retrospective studies using PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Setting & Population Patients with IgAN treated with or without tonsillectomy. Selection Criteria for Studies Studies that compared clinical remission or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with IgAN with or without tonsillectomy. Intervention Tonsillectomy. Outcomes Clinical remission and ESRD. Results 14 studies (1,794 patients) were included and a random-effects model was applied. There were significantly greater odds of clinical remission with tonsillectomy (10 studies, 1,431 patients; pooled OR, 3.40; 95% CI, 2.58-4.48; P < 0.001). Sensitivity analysis to exclude the effects of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors yielded consistent results (6 studies, 671 patients; pooled OR for remission, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.91-4.09; P < 0.001). In subgroup analysis of the remission outcome, tonsillectomy plus steroid pulse therapy was superior to steroid pulse therapy alone (7 studies, 783 patients; pooled OR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.99-5.01; P < 0.001), and tonsillectomy plus conventional steroid therapy was superior to conventional steroid therapy alone (2 studies, 159 patients; pooled OR, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.23-13.94; P = 0.02). Tonsillectomy was superior to general treatment (3 studies, 187 patients; pooled OR for remission, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.20-4.05; P = 0.01). In addition, tonsillectomy was associated with decreased odds of ESRD (9 studies, 873 patients; pooled OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.12-0.52; P < 0.001). 2 sensitivity analyses, one excluding studies with less than 5 years’ follow-up and another excluding the confounding effect of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, yielded nearly the same reduction in ESRD risk (6 studies, 691 patients; pooled OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.11-0.36; P < 0.001; and 6 studies, 547 patients; pooled OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.14-0.44; P < 0.001). Limitations Most included studies were retrospective cohort studies; we were unable to adjust uniformly for potential confounding variables. Conclusions As adjunct or independent therapy, tonsillectomy may induce clinical remission and reduce the rates of ESRD in patients with IgAN.
Background Many studies have demonstrated that patients with metachronous second primary lung cancer (MSPLC) benefit from surgery. Owing to the lack of uniform criteria and prospective randomized ...trials, the extent of resection remains controversial, and prognostic factors are still not fully clear. The present study aimed to assess surgical treatment of MSPLC and identify prognostic factors of outcome. Methods This retrospective analysis included 143 patients who underwent surgical resection of MSPLC in our department from January 2006 to December 2011. Predictors of postoperative complications were analyzed with the binary logistic regression method. Survival was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods. Results Operative mortality was 1.4%, and the complication rate was 34.3%. Age more than 70 years was an independent risk factor for postoperative complications. The overall 5-year survival after resection of MSPLC was 54.5%. TNM stage II or higher ( p = 0.025), 20 or more pack-years of smoking ( p = 0.037), and tumor size greater than 2 cm ( p = 0.033) were independent negative prognostic factors for survival. For stage I disease, completion pneumonectomy had a lower 5-year survival rate than others, 44.8% and 65.9, respectively ( p = 0.039); lobectomy and sublobar resection have a 5-year survival of 77.1% and 56.7%, respectively ( p = 0.203). Conclusions Surgical treatment of MSPLC is safe and effective. TNM stage I, tumor size 2 cm or less, or less than 20 pack-years smoking are predictors of improved survival. Sublobar resection is acceptable. For stage I disease, lobectomy tends to be associated with better survival than sublobar resection, although the difference is not significant, and completion pneumonectomy is not recommended. Long-term follow-up is necessary even after curative resection of lung cancer.
Background There are no reliable risk factors to predict bronchopleural fistula (BPF) formation in patients undergoing pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aims to create ...a validated clinical model based on the risk factors for BPF after pneumonectomy. The model to estimate the risk of BPF may help select patients for intervention therapy to reduce the rate of BPF after pneumonectomy. Methods This retrospective analysis included 684 patients with NSCLC who underwent pneumonectomy at our institution from 1995 to 2012. The rates of BPF were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors for the BPF and based on which a clinical model for the prediction of the incidence of BPF was formed. Results The incidence of BPF was 4.4% (30 of 684 patients). Three factors were independently associated with BPF after pneumonectomy for NSCLC: neoadjuvant therapy (hazard ratio, 2.479), diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio, 1.061), and age 70 years or older (hazard ratio, 1.175). A scoring system for BPF was developed by assigning 2 points for a major risk factor (neoadjuvant therapy) and 1 point for each minor risk factor (diabetes mellitus and age ≥ 70 years). The 684 patients were divided into a low-risk group (score, 0 to 1), moderate-risk group (score, 2), and high-risk group (score, ≥ 3), with respective incidences of early BPF after pneumonectomy of 2.4%, 18.2%, and 58.3% Conclusions This model, based on readily available clinical characteristics, can estimate the risk of BPF after pneumonectomy in the NSCLC patients, independent of early BPF and late BPF classifications. This model could be used to select patients for intervention therapy (parenteral alimentation, control of blood glucose level, oxygen therapy, and strengthening the antibiotic treatment) if validated in independent data sets.
Background To determine the current role of surgery and the risks and operative outcomes in patients with massive hemoptysis caused by pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods A retrospective review of ...patients treated in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Disease Hospital between January 2001 and December 2010 was undertaken. The inclusion criteria were massive hemoptysis defined as expectoration of at least 200 mL of blood on each occasion or more than 600 mL in 24 hours; anatomic major pulmonary resection including lobectomy, bilobectomy, and pneumonectomy; histologic or bacteriologic pulmonary tuberculosis. Results Sixty-eight men (76.4%) and 21 women (23.6%) aged 41.3 ± 11.7 years met the criteria. The cumulative amount of bleeding on admission was 558 ± 272 mL. A total of 36 patients (40.4%) underwent an emergency operation and 53 (59.6%) had a delayed operation. The operative morbidity rate was 31.5% (28 of 89) and mortality was 2.2% (2 of 89). Only 2 (2.2%) of the 89 patients had a recurrent episode of hemoptysis. Multivariate analysis showed that patients who received antituberculous therapy before surgery (odds ratio OR, 0.12; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.04-0.38; P = .0003) had a decreased risk of developing postoperative complications and that patients who underwent an emergency operation (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.29-11.5; P = .0154) had an increased risk. Conclusions In the present study, the immediate and long-term outcomes after surgery for patients with massive hemoptysis caused by pulmonary tuberculosis were fairly satisfactory. The morbidity and mortality were also acceptable. However, delayed elective surgery is preferred and emergency surgery should be reserved for patients with persistent life-threatening hemoptysis despite a multidisciplinary intervention.
Background A variety of complications occur in patients with pulmonary aspergilloma. The safety and feasibility of a thoracoscopic approach to therapeutic lung resection for pulmonary aspergilloma ...have not been well evaluated. Methods The medical records of patients who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or a thoracotomy for therapeutic resection of pulmonary aspergilloma between January 2005 and December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed for age, sex, indications for surgery, approach and procedures, postoperative pain, operative time, blood loss, hospital stay, cost, and complications. Results A total of 310 patients underwent thoracotomy, 76 patients underwent attempted VATS lobectomy. Seventy-six patients from 310 patients for thoracotomy were selected and compared with the VATS group. Nine cases (11.8%) in the VATS group were converted to a thoracotomy for the following reasons: bleeding (n =2); dense fibrous adhesions (n =3); fused interlobar fissure (n =2); and hilar lymphadenopathy (n = 2). Lesions treated with pneumonectomy failed to be done using VATS. There was no difference in the blood loss and median operative time between the 2 groups, but the patients with VATS had shorter length of stay in the hospital ( p = 0.035) and fewer complications ( p = 0.032) than those with thoracotomy. Conclusions Video-assisted thoracic surgery is an alternative to open procedures in the management of pulmonary aspergilloma. Simple aspergilloma and complex aspergilloma without infiltration of the hilum are good candidates for VATS resection. Aspergilloma lesions that require a pneumonectomy are still a major challenge for VATS.
Status of Cardiovascular Health in Chinese Adults Bi, Yufang, MD, PhD; Jiang, Yong, PhD; He, Jiang, MD, PhD ...
Journal of the American College of Cardiology,
03/2015, Volume:
65, Issue:
10
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease has become the leading cause of death in China. Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate the current status of cardiovascular health in Chinese ...adults. Methods Cardiovascular health data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 96,121 Chinese adults age ≥20 years in 2010. Ideal cardiovascular health was defined according to the American Heart Association’s 2020 Strategic Impact Goals as follows: the simultaneous presence of 4 favorable health behaviors (ideal smoking status, ideal body mass index, physical activity at goal, and healthy dietary habits) and 4 favorable health factors (ideal smoking status, untreated total cholesterol <200 mg/dl, untreated blood pressure <120/<80 mm Hg, and untreated fasting plasma glucose <100 mg/dl) in the absence of a history of cardiovascular disease. Results The estimated percentage of ideal cardiovascular health was 0.2% in the general adult population in China (0.1% in men and 0.4% in women). An estimated 0.7% (0.4% in men and 1.0% in women) of Chinese adults had all 4 ideal health behaviors, and 13.5% (5.0% in men and 22.3% in women) had all 4 ideal health factors. Men most frequently had 3 to 4 ideal components, and women most commonly had 4 to 5 ideal components of the 7 cardiovascular health metrics. Ideal diet (1.6%) was the least common among all cardiovascular health metrics. Female sex and younger age were the 2 most common protective factors for cardiovascular health in Chinese adults. Conclusions The percentage of ideal cardiovascular health in Chinese adults is extremely low. Both population-wide and high-risk strategies should be implemented with great effort to promote cardiovascular health in China.
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