Chronic hepatitis B and occult infection in chemotherapy patients-evaluation in oncology and hemato-oncology settings:The CHOICE study

BACKGROUND Reactivation of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is a well-known risk that can occur spontaneously or following immunosuppressive therapies,including cancer chemotherapy.HBV reactivation can cause significant morbidity and even mortality,which are preventable if at-risk individuals are identified through screening and started on antiviral prophylaxis.AIM To determine the prevalence of chronic HBV(CHB)and occult HBV infection(OBI)among oncology and hematology-oncology patients undergoing chemo-therapy.METHODS In this observational study,the prevalence of CHB and OBI was assessed among patients receiving chemotherapy.Serological markers of HBV infection[hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg)/anti-hepatitis B core antigen(HBc)]were evaluated for all patients.HBV DNA levels were assessed in those who tested negative for HBsAg but positive for total anti-HBc.RESULTS The prevalence of CHB in the study cohort was determined to be 2.3%[95%confidence interval(95%CI):1.0-4.2].Additionally,the prevalence of OBI among the study participants was found to be 0.8%(95%CI:0.2-2.3).CONCLUSION The findings of this study highlight the importance of screening for hepatitis B infection in oncology and hematology-oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy.Identifying individuals with CHB and OBI is crucial for implementing appropriate antiviral prophylaxis to prevent the reactivation of HBV infection,which can lead to increased morbidity and mortality.

Peer-Support in Oncology: A Qualitative Study of Caregivers Perception in a Cancer Center

This study aimed to gather healthcare professionals’expectations and reluctance toward peer support in a cancer center.Semistructured interviews were conducted among 12 professionals,recruited in different professions.The interviews were fully transcribed,and a thematic analysis was then conducted.Of the data analysis,three main themes about professionals’expectations emerged:the need for the strongest support of the patients,to break the isolation in the sickness,and to enhance the care system.Three main themes also emerged from the data analysis about professionals’reluctances:the limitations related to the intervention of the peer-workers,the psychological issues of the relationship,and institutional barriers to the implementation of peer-support interventions.Our study shows that peer support could be a response to the expectations of healthcare professionals’,but its implementation should consider their reluctance.

Advancement of Nursing Education in Psychosocial Oncology Care:Perspectives and Experiences of Nurses

Introduction:The main objective of this study was to fill the gap between the knowledge nurses have about psychosocial care and what they do about cancer patients’needs.It also aimed to devise ways to improve nursing education for nurses who could provide enhanced psychosocial support in such areas.Methods:This qualitative study relied on 18 in-depth interviews with nurses,with a focus on the difference between their understanding of psychosocial care and its application in helping cancer patients.This involved analyzing the transcribed interviews using thematic analysis.Data were collected from February to March 2024.Results:The verbal accounts of 18 participants were analyzed.These include theme 1“holistic approach to cancer care”with the subtheme“navigating resource constraints:”theme 2“nurses well-being and emotional input”with the subtheme“positive impact of psychosocial care:”theme 3“Care for patients’well-being”with subtheme“resourcefulness and resilience in psychosocial care:”theme 4“adapting care and building connections:”theme 5“ideal and reality in psychosocial care”with subtheme“challenges in delivering comprehensive cancer care:”and theme 6“empowering nurses for effective psychosocial care”with subtheme“building a strong foundation for psychosocial care.”Conclusion:From the nurses’perspective,this study indicates a need for more inclusive cancer treatment.Therefore,in addition to physical interventions,emotions and social welfare must also be addressed.Although emotionally invested,health workers may offer assistance along psychosocial lines,thus aiding both patients and caretakers.Although individualized care with personal connections is crucial for effective services,this approach can make it difficult to ensure that all clients receive adequate psychological assistance.Hence,there has been a call to enhance the training to produce nurses who offer high-quality services.This study emphasizes a more holistic approach toward the emotional needs of patients while supporting those responsible for them in their sickness journey.

Personalized medicine:Clinical oncology on molecular view of treatment

Cancer,the second leading global cause of death,impacts both physically and emotionally.Conventional treatments such as surgeries,chemotherapy,and radiotherapy have adverse effects,driving the need for more precise approaches.Precision medicine enables more targeted treatments.Genetic mapping,alongside other molecular biology approaches,identifies specific genes,contributing to accurate prognoses.The review addresses,in clinical use,a molecular perspective on treatment.Biomarkers like alpha-fetoprotein,beta-human chorionic gonadotropin,5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid,programmed death-1,and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 are explored,providing valuable information.Bioinformatics,with an emphasis on artificial intelligence,revolutionizes the analysis of biological data,offering more accurate diagnoses.Techniques like liquid biopsy are emphasized for early detection.Precision medicine guides therapeutic strategies based on the molecular characteristics of the tumor,as evidenced in the molecular subtypes of breast cancer.Classifications allow personalized treatments,highlighting the role of trastuzumab and endocrine therapies.Despite the benefits,challenges persist,including high costs,tumor heterogeneity,and ethical issues.Overcoming obstacles requires collaboration,ensuring that advances in molecular biology translate into accessible benefits for all.

Immunotherapy in Cutaneous Oncology: Revolutionizing Treatment Approaches

Background: Cutaneous oncology encompasses a broad range of skin malignancies, including melanoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC), all of which pose significant global health challenges. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that melanoma incidence has increased by approximately 50% over the past three decades. While SCC and BCC are generally less aggressive than melanoma, they contribute significantly to the overall burden of skin cancer due to their high prevalence. Traditional treatment modalities for these malignancies, such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, have shown limitations in achieving durable responses and minimizing systemic toxicity. As a result, there is an increasing need for more effective and less toxic treatment options. Immunotherapeutic strategies have emerged as a promising avenue in oncology, with the potential to revolutionize treatment approaches for cutaneous malignancies. Objectives: This literature review aims to undertake an in-depth examination of immunotherapeutic strategies for melanoma, SCC, and BCC. Specifically, the review focuses on the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapies, and emerging immunotherapies, assessing their impact on treatment outcomes, survival rates, and patient quality of life. Methods: A literature search was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The search terms included “cutaneous oncology”, “immunotherapy”, “immune checkpoint inhibitors”, “adoptive cell therapy”, “melanoma”, “cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma”, and “basal cell carcinoma”. Peer-reviewed articles published in the last 10 years that reported clinical outcomes from immunotherapy-based treatments for cutaneous malignancies were included. The studies were reviewed and analyzed based on their reported clinical outcomes, including survival rates, adverse events, and quality of life metrics. Results: Our review identified significant advancements in immunotherapeutic strategies for cutaneous oncology. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, demonstrated improved overall survival rates, particularly in melanoma patients. In addition, adoptive cell therapies, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies, showed promise in managing both cutaneous SCC and BCC, with reported reductions in tumor burden and durable responses. Emerging immunotherapies, such as cancer vaccines and oncolytic viruses, are in early clinical trials but exhibit potential in enhancing antitumor immunity and expanding treatment options. Conclusions: Immunotherapeutic strategies represent a critical advancement in the management of cutaneous malignancies, offering improved outcomes compared to traditional therapies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies are already reshaping clinical practice, while emerging immunotherapies provide exciting avenues for future research. These therapies not only enhance survival rates but also reduce systemic toxicities, representing a transformative approach to treating skin cancer. Further research and clinical trials are needed to refine these strategies and expand their applicability to a broader patient population.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Trends of Exercise in Oncology During the Past Three Decades

Recently, studies have found that exercise can promote recovery in cancer patients. Based on bibliometric analysis, this paper discusses the trends and hot spots of exercise oncology research in the past 30 years. The Science Citation Index Expanded of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was searched to obtain information on publications and records published between 1993 to 2023.VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to conduct bibliometric and visual analyanalysis on the overall distribution of keywords and highly cited papers, and a total of 1775 articles were retrieved. Harvard University was the institution with the highest number of publications and Fearon ranked first in 2013 with a total of 605 citations.

Analysis of the Necessity and Modalities of Imparting Death Education to Medical Students Undergoing Training in Oncology Departments

Patients with advanced-stage tumors may experience various psychological problems that can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of cancer treatment and the quality of their survival.Therefore,it is crucial for oncologists to prioritize addressing the psychological issues that patients encounter throughout the diagnosis and treatment process.As future frontline healthcare professionals,oncology medical students should receive education on end-of-life care early on in their training.This will enable them to develop a profound appreciation for the value of life,deliver improved medical services,and contribute to the humanization of medicine.Furthermore,they will be able to provide terminal patients and their families with effective professional guidance,assisting patients in finding peaceful endings with minimal pain and helping families come to terms with the inevitable realities they face.Moreover,this education can effectively enhance their sense of responsibility toward life and cultivate a positive and optimistic attitude toward their own lives.

How to properly evaluate cardiac vagal tone in oncology studies:a state-of-the-art review

Heart rate variability(HRV)analysis provides an assessment of cardiac vagal tone and consequently global cardiac health as well as systemic condition.In systemic diseases such as cancer and during treatments that affect the whole body,like chemotherapy,the vagus nerve activity is low and deregulated.Some studies focus on using HRV to predict mortality in oncology.However,in cancer patients,systemic alterations substantially increase artifacts during HRV measurement,especially atrial ectopic beats.Moreover,HRV may be altered by various factors(duration and time of measurement,breathing,drugs,and other confounding factors)that alter each metric in different ways.The Standard Deviation of all Normal to Normal intervals(SDNN)is the most commonly used metric to evaluate HRV in oncology,but it does not appear to be specific to the cardiac vagal tone.Thus,cardiac vagal activity diagnosis and vital prognosis of cancer patients can be biased.Our review presents the main HRV metrics that can be currently used in oncology studies and their links with vagus nerve and cancer.We present the influence of external factors and the required duration and time of measurement.Considering all these parameters,this review proposes seven key points for an assessment of HRV and cardiac vagal tone in patients with cancer.

Community-Based Oncology Nursing:Current Status and Prospects-A Secondary Publication

Objective:Currently,it is difficult to determine whether a comprehensive and systematic community-based cancer care project is properly implemented.The purpose of this article is to present the current status and prospects of community-based oncology nursing by reviewing related literature.Methods:A new cancer care model was established through the analysis of existing models and a literature review of community-based cancer prevention,cancer screening,cancer survivor care,and cancer patient hospice care.Results:The Comprehensive Cancer Care Model(CCCM)was esrablished.The CCCM organizes the stages of cancer treatment and the cancer journey on the horizontal axis.On the vertical axis,public health centers,oncology hospitals,cancer convalescent hospitals,primary care physicians,and prayer centers were involved.The levels of participation of human resources among institutions and the degree of interconnection between organizations was observed.Conclusion:It is expected that CCCM will be used for holistic,sustainable,and cost-effective cancer management.In community-based oncology nursing,the team of health promotion nurses in public health centers is in charge of population-based cancer prevention and early detection programs,while the visiting health management team of nurses is in charge of individual-based cancer survivor and hospice programs.

Survey and Analysis of Postoperative Quality of Life in Gynaecological Oncology Patients

Goal:To investigate the current status of quality of life of postoperative patients with gynaecological tumours,and to analyse the relevant factors affecting the quality of life of postoperative patients with gynaecological tumours.Method:One hundred and fifty-three postoperative gynecological oncology patients who attended the gynaecology and oncology departments of three tertiary hospitals in Henan Province from June 2023 to March 2024 were investigated by convenience sampling method.The patients’postoperative survival quality was investigated through the General Information Survey Scale and Quality of Life Score Scale.Results:The quality of life measurement scale score of postoperative gynaecological oncology patients in this study was(121.27±10.87),in which there was a difference in the quality of life of postoperative gynaecological oncology patients of different age,education level,marital status,and per capita monthly income of the family,p<0.05.Conclude:The quality of life level of postoperative gynaecological oncology patients is generally good,and age,literacy,marital status,and per capita monthly family income are important factors in the postoperative quality of life of gynaecological oncology patients.Healthcare professionals should focus on patients with older age,lower education level,unstable marital status,and poor economic status,and provide personalised targeted interventions to improve their quality of life.

SCI期刊《Oncology Nursing Forum》2008～2012年刊文内容分析

目的了解SCI期刊《Oncology Nursing Forum》近5年刊文信息,探讨最新肿瘤护理热点及研究前沿。方法选择该刊2008～2012年共30期刊载的278篇科研论文作为调查资料,对其进行内容分析。结果278篇科研论文中,描述性研究最多(45.32%),其次为干预性研究(20.50%)和质性研究(20.14%);受关注度最高的群体为乳腺癌患者(26.98%),其次为医护人员(11.51%)和患者照顾者(6.12%);临床实践研究占43.17%,其次为社区护理(21.22%);症状管理是关注度最高的主题,占33.45%,其次为患者或健康人群的健康促进行为(28.78%)。结论《Oncology Nursing Forum》护理学术影响力强,近5年的护理热点及研究前沿值得借鉴,同时可指导我国肿瘤护理领域的研究。

New Year’s greeting and overview of World Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2021

Although the whole world has been suffering under the Coronavirus Disease 2019 epidemic,the World Journal of Clinical Oncology(WJCO)was able to productively direct our efforts in the field through 2020.This was only accomplished through the collective efforts and support of our Editorial Board members,peer reviewers,authors,readers and editorial office staff.In 2020,the WJCO published 12 issues encompassing 84 papers,a 115.4%increase over 2019(39 papers).In December of 2020,we strategized a plan to solicit even more high-quality contributions for WJCO in 2021.So far,we have registered and accepted 188 manuscript titles,including 132 reviews and 56 original articles.In the New Year,we will work with our internal and external colleagues who care about and support the development of WJCO with the express aim of improving the academic rank of WJCO in the field of oncology.Ultimately,our goal is to merit and gain inclusion in the Science Citation Index Expanded,with the first impact factor being awarded as soon as possible.

Immuno-oncology combinations： raising the tail of the survival curve

There have been exponential gains in immuno-oncology in recent times through the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for advanced melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer,immune checkpoint inhibitors also appears to have significant antitumor activity in multiple other tumor types. An exciting component of immunotherapy is the durability of antitumor responses observed, with some patients achieving disease control for many years. Nevertheless, not all patients benefit, and efforts should thus now focus on improving the efficacy of immunotherapy through the use of combination approaches and predictive biomarkers of response and resistance. There are multiple potential rational combinations using an immunotherapy backbone, including existing treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or molecularly targeted agents, as well as other immunotherapeutics. The aim of such antitumor strategies will be to raise the tail on the survival curve by increasing the number of long term survivors, while managing any additive or synergistic toxicities that may arise with immunotherapy combinations. Rational trial designs based on a clear understanding of tumor biology and drug pharmacology remain paramount. This article reviews the biology underpinning immuno-oncology, discusses existing and novel immunotherapeutic combinations currently in development, the challenges of predictive biomarkers of response and resistance and the impact of immuno-oncology on early phase clinical trial design.

Molecular regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis and its role in gastrointestinal oncology:Progress and updates

Gastrointestinal(GI)tumors,including liver,pancreatic,gastric,and colorectal cancers,have a high incidence rate and low survival rate due to the lack of effective therapeutic methods and frequent relapses.Surgery and postoperative chemoradiotherapy have largely reduced the fatality rates for most GI tumors,but these therapeutic approaches result in poor prognoses due to severe adverse reactions and the development of drug resistance.Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis plays an important role in the onset and progression of GI tumors.Ferroptosis is a new non-apoptotic form of cell death,which is iron-dependent,non-apoptotic cell death characterized by the accumulation of lipid reactive oxygen species(ROS).The activation of ferroptosis can lead to tumor cell death.Thus,regulating ferroptosis in tumor cells may become a new therapeutic approach for tumors,making it become a research hotspot.Current studies suggest that ferroptosis is mainly triggered by the accumulation of lipid ROS.Furthermore,several studies have indicated that ferroptosis may be a new approach for the treatment of GI tumors.Here,we review current research progress on the mechanism of ferroptosis,current inducers and inhibitors of ferroptosis,and the role of ferroptosis in GI tumors to propose new methods for the treatment of such tumors.

The most important questions in cancer research and clinical oncology Question 2-5.Obesity-related cancers:more questions than answers

Obesity is recognized as the second highest risk factor for cancer. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying tobaccorelated cancers are well characterized and efective programs have led to a decline in smoking and related cancers, but there is a global epidemic of obesity without a clear understanding of how obesity causes cancer. Obesity is heterogeneous, and approximately 25% of obese individuals remain healthy(metabolically healthy obese, MHO), so which fat deposition(subcutaneous versus visceral, adipose versus ectopic) is "malignant"? What is the mechanism of carcinogenesis? Is it by metabolic dysregulation or chronic inflammation? Through which chemokines/genes/signaling pathways does adipose tissue influence carcinogenesis? Can selective inhibition of these pathways uncouple obesity from cancers? Do all obesity related cancers(ORCs) share a molecular signature? Are there common(overlapping) genetic loci that make individuals susceptible to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cancers? Can we identify precursor lesions of ORCs and will early intervention of high risk individuals alter the natural history? It appears unlikely that the obesity epidemic will be controlled anytime soon; answers to these questions will help to reduce the adverse efect of obesity on human condition.

The promises and challenges of patient-derived tumor organoids in drug development and precision oncology

In the era of precision medicine,cancer researchers and oncologists are eagerly searching for more realistic,cost effective,and timely tumor models to aid drug development and precision oncology.Tumor models that can faithfully recapitulate the histological and molecular characteristics of various human tumors will be extremely valuable in increasing the successful rate of oncology drug development and discovering the most efficacious treatment regimen for cancer patients.Two‐dimensional(2D)cultured cancer cell lines,genetically engineered mouse tumor(GEMT)models,and patient‐derived tumor xenograft(PDTX)models have been widely used to investigate the biology of various types of cancers and test the efficacy of oncology drug candidates.However,due to either the failure to faithfully recapitulate the complexity of patient tumors in the case of 2D cultured cancer cells,or high cost and untimely for drug screening and testing in the case of GEMT and PDTX,new tumor models are urgently needed.The recently developed patient‐derived tumor organoids(PDTO)offer great potentials in uncovering novel biology of cancer development,accelerating the discovery of oncology drugs,and individualizing the treatment of cancers.In this review,we will summarize the recent progress in utilizing PDTO for oncology drug discovery.In addition,we will discuss the potentials and limitations of the current PDTO tumor models.

Brazilian questionnaire of competencies of oncology nurses:Construction and test of content validation

Objective: This study aimed to describe construction and content validation of the Brazilian Questionnaire of Competencies of Oncology Nurses.Methods: The methodological research was constructed based on the literature and observation in Brazilian hospitals searching to identify local evidence in the nursing practice.After,the construction of the 30 items distributed in eight sub-dimensions of competencies,the instrument was tested the content validation by 7 experts and 61 oncology nurses.Item responses were analyzed through content validity index and Cronbach's α were used in this test pilot.Results: The content validity index of the scale was 0.90,and the content validity index of each item was 0.80-1.00.The mean of items varied between 4.98 (standard deviation =0.13) and 4.70 (standard deviation =0.53).The Cronbach's α of the instrument was 0.77.The Cronbach's α if each item was excluded ranged from 0.78 to 0.74,indicating consistency between items.Conclusion: The instrument is concise and clear,resulting in a valid content on test pilot in conducting a self-assessment the oncology nurses.It can be used to facilitate decision-making by identifying subdimensions that require attention in nursing education to improve patient care.

Watson for Oncology在乳腺癌治疗中的应用与思考

目的:本研究旨在分析Watson for Oncology在中国乳腺癌辅助诊治中的应用与医生MDT诊治的一致性,以及差异的可能原因。方法:于2017年1月至2018年1月收治早期乳腺癌患者92例和晚期乳腺癌患者40例。由乳腺癌MDT团队确定的治疗方案为医院方案;根据患者的基本情况,采用Watson for Oncology 17.10版给予的治疗方案为Watson方案,评估两者方案的一致性并解析差异的可能原因。结果:医院方案与Watson方案一致共计101例,占76.51%。其中早期和晚期乳腺癌方案一致分别为73例和28例,分别占79.35%和70.00%。医院方案在Watson方案中的绿色推荐方案49例,占37.12%;橙色考虑方案52例,占39.39%;粉色不推荐方案26例,占19.70%;医院方案另有5例方案不在Watson方案中,占3.79%。Watson方案与医院方案在组织学Ⅲ期的患者中一致率最高,达到95.00%,三阴性乳腺癌无论早期还是晚期都表现出最高的一致率,分别为86.67%和100%。早期Luminal A和晚期HER2阳性型的医院方案在Watson绿色推荐方案占比较低,仅27.27%和0%。早期乳腺癌差异原因包括中低危复发风险的11例患者应用紫杉醇联合环磷酰胺(TC方案)和2例患者应用表柔比星联合环磷酰胺(EC方案),而Watson方案推荐为阿柔比星+环磷酰胺序贯紫杉醇(AC-T方案)和CMF方案(国内很少应用的方案)。HER2阳性不一致的是Watson推荐CMF+曲妥珠单抗方案,而医院方案考虑心脏毒性小而治疗疗效与AC-TH相似的TCb H方案。晚期不一致原因是CDK4/6抑制剂未在国内上市应用等。结论:医院方案和Watson方案在中国乳腺癌患者的辅助治疗和晚期一线治疗中一致性较好,但组织学分期和分子分型影响医院方案与Watson方案的一致率,需要实现本地化优化辅助治疗方案。

Imaging evaluation of the liver in oncology patients:A comparison of techniques

The liver is commonly affected by metastatic disease.Therefore,it is essential to detect and characterize liver metastases,assuming that patient management and prognosis rely on it.The imaging techniques that allow non-invasive assessment of liver metastases include ultrasonography,computed tomography(CT),magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),positron emission tomography(PET)/CT,and PET/MRI.In this paper,we review the imaging findings of liver metastases,focusing on each imaging modality’s advantages and potential limitations.We also assess the importance of different imaging modalities for the management,follow-up,and therapy response of liver metastases.To date,both CT and MRI are the most appropriate imaging methods for initial lesion detection,follow-up,and assessment of treatment response.Multiparametric MRI is frequently used as a problem-solving technique for liver lesions and has evolved substantially over the past decade,including hardware and software developments and specific intravenous contrast agents.Several studies have shown that MRI performs better in small-sized metastases and moderate to severe liver steatosis cases.Although state-of-the-art MRI shows a greater sensitivity for detecting and characterizing liver metastases,CT remains the chosen method.We also present the controversial subject of the"economic implication"to use CT over MRI.

Developing a tool for nurses to assess risk of infection in pediatric oncology patients in China:a modified Delphi study

Infections are identified as the most common preventable cause of death in pediatric oncology patients. Assessing and stratifying risk of infections are essential to prevent infection in these patients. To date, no tool can fulfill this demand in China. This study aimed to develop a nursing work-based and Chinese-specific tool for pediatric nurses to assess risk of infection in oncology patients. This research was a modified Delphi study. Based on a literature review, a 37-item questionnaire rating on a 0-5 scale was developed. Twenty-four experts from 8 hospitals in 6 provinces of China were consulted for three rounds. Consensus for each item in the first round was defined as： the rating mean was 〉 3 and the coefficient of variation （CV） was 〈 0.5. Consensus for each item in the second round was defined as CV 〈 0.3. Consensus among experts was defined as： P value of Kendall＇s coefficient of concordance （W） 〈 0.05. After three rounds of consultation, a two-part tool was developed： the Immune Status Scale （ISS） and the Checklist of Risk Factors of Infection （CRFI）. There were 5 items in the ISS and 14 in the CRFI. Based on the ISS score, nurses could stratify children into the low-risk and high-risk groups. For high-risk children, nurses should screen risk factors of infection every day by the CRFI, and twice weekly for low-risk children. Further study is needed to verify this tool＇s efficacy.