Haploidentical hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia in first relapse after complete remission by standard induction chemotherapy

Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of haploidentical hematopoietic stem - cell transplantation ( Haplo - PBSCT) for acute myeloid leukemia in first relapse after complete remission by standard induction chemotherapy. Methods Eighty - nine cases of AML in first relapse after complete remission by standard DA

PhaseⅡstudy of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with raltitrexed and cisplatin in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective:For locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma(LA-NPC)patients,high incidences of distant metastases and severe treatment related toxicities are the main obstacles needed to be overcome.Raltitrexed,a specific thymidylate synthase inhibitor with a convenient administration schedule,has an acceptable and manageable toxicity,and possesses radio-sensitizing properties.To investigate the efficacy and safety of raltitrexed and cisplatin induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy(IC+CCRT)in patients with LA-NPC,a phaseⅡclinical study was conducted.Methods:Sixty eligible patients with LA-NPC were enrolled into this study.A raltitrexed-cisplatin combination was used as part of an IC+CCRT regimen.Raltitrexed-cisplatin IC was given once every 3 weeks(q3 w)for two cycles,followed by raltitrexed-cisplatin based CCRT q3 w for two cycles.Intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT)was given for all enrolled patients.Results:All patients were included in survival analysis according to the intent-to-treat principle.The objective response rate(ORR)3 months after treatment was 98%.The 2-year overall survival(OS)rate was 92%.The median relapse-free survival(RFS)time was 30.5[95%confidence interval(95%CI),28.4-32.3]months.The 2-year RFS rate was 85%.The 2-year local failure-free survival(LFFS)rate was 97%and the 2-year distant metastasis-free survival(DMFS)rate was 88%.Acute toxicities were mostly grade 2 and 3 reactions in bone marrow suppression,gastrointestinal side effect and oropharyngeal mucositis.Only two patients occurred grade 4 acute toxicities,one was bone marrow suppression and the other was dermatitis radiation.Conclusions:The combination of raltitrexed and cisplatin has a comparable efficacy to those in standard firstline therapy.

Predictive value of tumor volume reduction rates before and after induction chemotherapy in determining the radiosensitivity and prognosis of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas

Objective This study investigated the predictive value of tumor volume reduction rates(TVRRs) before and after induction chemotherapy in determining the radiosensitivity and prognosis of patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinomas(NPCs). Methods The clinical data of 172 patients with locally advanced primary NPCs who were treated from January 2009 to December 2012 were collected. Tumor regression was evaluated based on the results of the computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging studies. Data about the tumor diameters before and after induction chemotherapy and after radiotherapy as well as the survival times of the patients were obtained. Results All 172 patients had NPCs. After radiotherapy, the TVRR in patients without residual tumor cells was higher than that in patients with residual tumor cells after induction chemotherapy(median values: 47.7% and 15.1%, respectively), and the 5-year survival rates were 80.3% and 45.6%, respectively. Neck lymph node metastasis was observed in 161 of 172 patients, and the TVRRs were similar(median values: 46.8% in 161 patients without residual tumor cells and 11.1% in 161 patients with residual tumor cells). The 5-year survival rate of the 161 patients without residual tumor cells was 84.5%, and that of patients with residual tumor cells was 37.3%. As shown by the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve, the area under the curve(AUC) of the ROC curve for TVRRs in patients with primary NPCs but without residual tumors was 0.851, whereas that for TVRRs in patients with neck lymph node metastasis but without residual tumors was 0.784. This result indicates that TVRR has a high diagnostic performance. The univariate Cox regression analysis showed that clinical stage, TVRR in primary NPCs, neck lymph node metastatic lesions before and after induction chemotherapy, presence or absence of residual tumor cells in primary NPCs, and neck lymph node metastatic lesions after radiotherapy were significantly correlated to overall survival(OS). Results of the multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that clinical stage and presence or absence of residual tumor cells in the lymph nodes after radiotherapy were the independent prognostic factors of OS.Conclusion The TVRR after induction chemotherapy may be an effective predictive indicator of the treatment efficacy of radiotherapy in patients with NPC.

Comparative study of induction chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of limited-disease small cell lung cancer with ipsilateral pleural effusion

Objective:The aim of the study was to explore the effects and side effects of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy for limited-disease small cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC) patients with ipsilateral pleural effusion.Methods:From January 2005 to May 2009,52 LD-SCLC patients with ipsilateral pleural effusion were treated with induction chemotherapy first.The regimen was taken as follows:etoposide 100 mg iv,d1-d5,cisplatin 25 mg/m2 iv,d1-d3 or CBP AUC 4 iv,d1.Three-week therapy was a cycle.According to pleural effusion status after 2-4 cycles induction chemotherapy,patients got disappearance of pleural effusion after chemotherapy were underwent thoracic radiotherapy (TRT;50 Gy/25 fraction) or same chemotherapy regimen;patients without disappearance or with increasing of pleural effusion after chemotherapy were given same chemotherapy regimen.Therapeutic effect was evaluated every two cycles according to RECIST 1.0 and side-effects were evaluated every cycle according to NCI-CTC AE Grades.All patients were followed up,and the median follow-up time was 26 months.Results:The response rate of patients was 80.7% (42/52) after induction chemotherapy and 34 patients got disappearance of pleural effusion.The median survival time,1-and 2-year survival rates were 15.4 months,76.9% (40 /52) and 38.5% (20 /52) respectively.The median survival time,1-and 2-year survival rates of patients with pleural effusion remission received chest radiotherapy (A group,n=20),patients with pleural effusion remission received chemotherapy (B group,n=14) and patients without pleural effusion remission received chemotherapy (C group,n=18) were 21.5 months,14.4 months,12.5 months,80.0%,64.3%,55.6% and 35%,21.4%,11.1%,respectively.Main side effects were grades 1-2,including myelosuppression,fatigue,nausea and vomiting.No therapeutic related death was occurred.Conclusion:Induction chemotherapy plus chemoradiotherapy has shown better effect in prolonging survival of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with ipsilateral pleural effusion than chemotherapy alone.The patients with decreased ipsilateral pleural effusion may receive benefit from subsequent TRT.

Successful treatment for esophageal carcinoma with lung metastasis by induction chemotherapy followed by salvage esophagectomy: Report of a case

We here report a case of a 51-year-old man with lung metastasis from esophageal carcinoma that was initially treated by combination chemotherapy consisting of fluorouracil and nedaplatin. Because metastatic disease disappeared, salvage esophagectomy was performed. Although chest wall recurrence developed at the thoracotomy wound, prolonged survival of 48 months was achieved by local tumor resection and additional chemotherapy. This combination chemotherapy is regarded as a promising and considerable treatment for metastatic esophageal carcinoma.

Clinical analysis of preoperative induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine combined with cisplatin for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Objective:The purpose of this study was to assess the curative effect and adverse reaction of preoperative induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine combined with cisplatin for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods:This prospective randomized controlled trial included 115 patients with locally advanced NSCLC were randomly divided into experimental and control groups and were treated from January 2007 to January 2010.The experimental group of 63 cases was treated with two cycles of induction chemotherapy before operation,radical surgery had been performed about three weeks after completion of chemotherapy,followed by received two cycles of chemotherapy.And the control group(52 cases) was treated at first with radical surgery,then treated with four cycles of chemotherapy.Two groups of the cases received routine thoracic radiotherapy with a total dose of 45 Gy.One cycle of gemcitabine combined with cisplatin regimen included gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on day 1 and day 8 and cisplatin 25 mg/m2 on day 1,day 2 and day 3 by intravenous infusion,with 21 days as one cycle.The tumor recurrence was evaluated by chest CT and abdominal B-ultrasound.Efficacy and toxicity results were compared by two groups.Results:All patients were followed up for three months to two years.The surgical stage of the experimental group reduced,two-years disease-free survival and postoperative recovery in the experimental group were better than in the control group,the difference was statistical significant.Toxicity and side effect after chemotherapy were mainly bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal reactions,other complications included thrombocytopenia,leukopenia,anemia,liver and kidney dysfunction were no significant difference in two groups.Conclusion:Preoperative induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine combined with cisplatin for locally advanced lung cancer can reduce the surgical staging and extend the postoperative disease-free survival.

Liver Function Tests in Patients of Acute Leukemia before and after Induction Chemotherapy

Background: Patients of acute leukemia require careful assessment of liver function prior to start chemotherapy to determine which drugs may be appropriate or to be modified. Post chemotherapy abnormalities of liver function tests may be due to drugs or due to disease process itself. Objective: To evaluate the status of liver function in acute leukemia patients before and after induction chemotherapy. Methodology: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2017 to December 2017 on fifty (50) newly diagnosed patients of acute leukemia who fulfilled the selection criteria. Blood samples for serum total bilirubin, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were collected before chemotherapy (Day 1) and after induction chemotherapy on 14th day and 30th day. Serum ALT and AST were measured by kinetic method and serum total bilirubin was measured by DMSO method. Data were analyzed and compared by statistical tests. Result: In this study, the mean level of serum total bilirubin before chemotherapy at day 1 was 0.89 ± 0.64 mg/dl. It was significantly (p Conclusion: It is concluded that serum total bilirubin, ALT and AST increase in response to chemotherapeutic drugs during treatment of acute leukemia.

Time Elapsed from AML Diagnosis to Induction Chemotherapy Affects Overall Survival

We aimed to study the effect of elapsed time from AML diagnosis to treatment (TDT) on OS in a group of patients from public Hospital in Brazil. 41 AML (23 M, 18 F, 41 yrs, 18 - 84 yrs, from 2001 to 2004). There were 38 de novo AML and 3 secondary, median TDT was 6 days (range 1 - 82 d);the young ones?were treated earlier than old ones (TDT 4 days vs 11, p = 0.07). Longer TDT (>10 d) was associated with worse CR rates (p = 0.02) and OS (p = 0.04). When patients were categorized into TDT from 1 - 4 d (I) vs >5 (II), those from I presented better OS than II (p = 0.004). When TDT was longer than 7 days OS decreased even more. Hb was higher in patients with TDT I vs II (8.3 vs 7.5 g/dL, p = 0.03) but WBC (p = 0.34) and platelet count (p = 0.75) were not different. Patients with TDT of 10 d were younger than TDT > 10 d (median age 41 vs 70 yrs, p = 0.001). The OS was 15.1% in 2 yrs and 8.6% in 7 yrs. Our data suggest longer TDT, when analyzed continuously, predicted for lower CR rates and OS rates.

Perioperative chemotherapy improves survival of patients with locally advanced diffuse gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Whether patients with diffuse gastric cancer,which is insensitive to chemo-therapy,can benefit from neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy has long been controversial.AIM To investigate whether perioperative chemotherapy can improve survival of patients with locally advanced diffuse gastric cancer.METHODS A total of 2684 patients with locally advanced diffuse gastric cancer from 18 population-based cancer registries in the United States were analyzed.RESULTS Compared with surgery alone,perioperative chemotherapy improved the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.Before stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting(IPTW),the median overall survival(OS)times were 40.0 months and 13.0 months(P<0.001),respectively.After IPTW,the median OS times were 33.0 months and 17.0 months(P<0.001),respectively.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not improve the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer compared with adjuvant chemotherapy after IPTW.After IPTW,the median OS times were 38.0 months in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group and 42.0 months in the adjuvant chemotherapy group(P=0.472).CONCLUSION Patients with diffuse gastric cancer can benefit from perioperative chemotherapy.There was no significant difference in survival between patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and those who received adjuvant chemotherapy.

Evaluating the effect and mechanism of Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction combined with FLOT regimen neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the patients with locally advanced gastric cancer:protocol for a prospective,double-arm,randomized controlled clinical trial

Background:Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plays a vital role in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer(GC),however,optimizing its effectiveness remains an important research focus.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),a promising adjunctive therapy,has shown enhanced clinical outcomes when combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.Therefore,this study is designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy FLOT in the treatment of advanced GC.Methods:This study is a prospective,double-arm,randomized controlled trial.It involves a total of 260 patients diagnosed with advanced GC,who will be randomly assigned to two groups-a TCM treatment group and a control group,each comprising 130 patients.All patients will receive standard FLOT chemotherapy,and patients in the TCM treatment group will additionally receive TCM treatment with Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction.After four cycles of chemotherapy,GC D2 radical surgery will be performed.The primary objective is to evaluate the postoperative pathological response rate of the tumor.The secondary objectives include evaluating the perioperative nutritional status,the efficacy of TCM syndrome,and adverse events associated with both chemotherapy and surgery.Discussion:Currently,no trials have investigated the impact of TCM in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the preoperative treatment in patients with advanced GC.Accordingly,it is imperative to conduct this prospective study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of this regimen,meanwhile providing high-level clinical evidence for TCM combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and introducing an innovative regimen for preoperative comprehensive treatment of GC.

Initial outcome of induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy and concurrent weekly paclitaxel for stage Ⅲ non-small cell lung cancer

Objective： The aim of our study was to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of induction chemotherapy （ICT） followed by three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy （3D CRT） and concurrent weekly paclitaxel on unresectable non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods： Stage III NSCLC patients with favorable conditions were treated with 2 to 4 cycles of carboplatin （AUC = 5-6, dl） combined with paclitaxel （175 mg/m〈 dl）, then followed by weekly paclitaxel （40 mg/m2） and concurrent 3D CRT within 3-4 weeks. The prescription dose was given as high as possible under the condition that V20 〈 31% and spinal cord dose 〈 50 Gy. Results： Thirty-one patients were enrolled. ICT was well tolerated. During the concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the treatment of 3 patients was ended ahead of the schedule because of severe pulmonary and heart toxicities; the treatment of 2 patients was delayed for 7 and 12 days because of fatigue. Myelosuppression was mild （16/31）： all were grade 1-2 except 1 was grade 3. Lymphocytopenia was more obvious （29/31, grade 3 in 21）. Three patients developed grade 3 radiation-induced esophagitis, and 2 developed grades 3-4 radiation-induced pneumonitis. Two developed grade 3 esophageal stricture. No grades 3-4 pulmonary fibrosis was observed. The overall response rate was 74.1%. The 1-, 2-, 3-year overall survival rates were 74.2%, 41.9%, and 34.6%, respectively, with the median survival time of 18.5 months. The 1-, 2-, 3-year local progression-freely survival rates were 64.5%, 32.3%, and 20.5%, respectively, with the median local progression-freely survival time of 14.3 months. Conclusion： The program of ICT followed by weekly paclitaxel and 3D CRT is accomplished in most of the favorable stage III NSCLC patients. The toxicity is tolerable, and the response rate is inspiriting.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with anti-angiogenesis agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)has been proven to be an ideal choice for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(uHCC).HAIC-based treatment showed great potential for treating uHCC.However,large-scale studies on HAIC-based treatments and meta-analyses of first-line treatments for uHCC are lacking.AIM To investigate better first-line treatment options for uHCC and to assess the safety and efficacy of HAIC combined with angiogenesis inhibitors,programmed cell death of protein 1(PD-1)and its ligand(PD-L1)blockers(triple therapy)under real-world conditions.METHODS Several electronic databases were searched to identify eligible randomized controlled trials for this meta-analysis.Study-level pooled analyses of hazard ratios(HRs)and odds ratios(ORs)were performed.This was a retrospective single-center study involving 442 patients with uHCC who received triple therapy or angiogenesis inhibitors plus PD-1/PD-L1 blockades(AIPB)at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2018 to April 2023.Propensity score matching(PSM)was performed to balance the bias between the groups.The Kaplan-Meier method and cox regression were used to analyse the survival data,and the log-rank test was used to compare the suvival time between the groups.RESULTS A total of 13 randomized controlled trials were included.HAIC alone and in combination with sorafenib were found to be effective treatments(P values for ORs:HAIC,0.95;for HRs:HAIC+sorafenib,0.04).After PSM,176 HCC patients were included in the analysis.The triple therapy group(n=88)had a longer median overall survival than the AIPB group(n=88)(31.6 months vs 14.6 months,P<0.001)and a greater incidence of adverse events(94.3%vs 75.4%,P<0.001).CONCLUSION This meta-analysis suggests that HAIC-based treatments are likely to be the best choice for uHCC.Our findings confirm that triple therapy is more effective for uHCC patients than AIPB.

Efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and its combination strategies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma:A network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND With the rapid progress of systematic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),therapeutic strategies combining hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)with systematic therapy arised increasing concentrations.However,there have been no systematic review comparing HAIC and its combination strategies in the first-line treatment for advanced HCC.AIM To investigate the efficacy and safety of HAIC and its combination therapies for advanced HCC.METHODS A network meta-analysis was performed by including 9 randomized controlled trails and 35 cohort studies to carry out our study.The outcomes of interest comprised overall survival(OS),progression-free survival(PFS),tumor response and adverse events.Hazard ratios(HR)and odds ratios(OR)with a 95% confidence interval(CI)were calculated and agents were ranked based on their ranking probability.RESULTS HAIC outperformed Sorafenib(HR=0.55,95%CI:0.42-0.72;HR=0.51,95%CI:0.33-0.78;OR=2.86,95%CI:1.37-5.98;OR=5.45,95%CI:3.57-8.30;OR=7.15,95%CI:4.06-12.58;OR=2.89,95%CI:1.99-4.19;OR=0.48,95%CI:0.25-0.92,respectively)and transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)(HR=0.50,95%CI:0.33-0.75;HR=0.62,95%CI:0.39-0.98;OR=3.08,95%CI:1.36-6.98;OR=2.07,95%CI:1.54-2.80;OR=3.16,95%CI:1.71-5.85;OR=2.67,95%CI:1.59-4.50;OR=0.16,95%CI:0.05-0.54,respectively)in terms of efficacy and safety.HAIC+lenvatinib+ablation,HAIC+ablation,HAIC+anti-programmed cell death 1(PD-1),and HAIC+radiotherapy had the higher likelihood of providing better OS and PFS outcomes compared to HAIC alone.HAIC+TACE+S-1,HAIC+lenvatinib,HAIC+PD-1,HAIC+TACE,and HAIC+sorafenib had the higher likelihood of providing better partial response and objective response rate outcomes compared to HAIC.HAIC+PD-1,HAIC+TACE+S-1 and HAIC+TACE had the higher likelihood of providing better complete response and disease control rate outcomes compared to HAIC alone.CONCLUSION HAIC proved more effective and safer than sorafenib and TACE.Furthermore,combined with other interventions,HAIC showed improved efficacy over HAIC monotherapy according to the treatment ranking analysis.

Local dose-dense chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer via minimally invasive implantation of 3D printed devices

Dose-dense chemotherapy is the preferred first-line therapy for triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC),a highly aggressive disease with a poor prognosis.This treatment uses the same drug doses as conventional chemotherapy but with shorter dosing intervals,allowing for promising clinical outcomes with intensive treatment.However,the frequent systemic administration used for this treatment results in systemic toxicity and low patient compliance,limiting therapeutic efficacy and clinical benefit.Here,we report local dose-dense chemotherapy to treat TNBC by implanting 3D printed devices with timeprogrammed pulsatile release profiles.The implantable device can control the time between drug releases based on its internal microstructure design,which can be used to control dose density.The device is made of biodegradable materials for clinical convenience and designed for minimally invasive implantation via a trocar.Dose density variation of local chemotherapy using programmable release enhances anti-cancer effects in vitro and in vivo.Under the same dose density conditions,device-based chemotherapy shows a higher anticancer effect and less toxic response than intratumoral injection.We demonstrate local chemotherapy utilizing the implantable device that simulates the drug dose,number of releases,and treatment duration of the dose-dense AC(doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide)regimen preferred for TNBC treatment.Dose density modulation inhibits tumor growth,metastasis,and the expression of drug resistance-related proteins,including p-glycoprotein and breast cancer resistance protein.To the best of our knowledge,local dose-dense chemotherapy has not been reported,and our strategy can be expected to be utilized as a novel alternative to conventional therapies and improve anti-cancer efficiency.

Efficacy of chemotherapy containing bevacizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer according to programmed cell death ligand 1

BACKGROUND Bevacizumab,an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)monoclonal antibody,inhibits angiogenesis and reduces tumor growth.Serum VEGF-C,lactate dehydrogenase,and inflammatory markers have been reported as predictive markers related to bevacizumab treatment.Programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1)could act upon VEGF receptor 2 to induce cancer cell angiogenesis and metastasis.AIM To investigate the efficacy of bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer(CRC)according to the expression of PD-L1.METHODS This analysis included CRC patients who received bevacizumab plus FOLFOX or FOLFIRI as first-line therapy between June 24,2014 and February 28,2022,at Samsung Medical Center(Seoul,South Korea).Analysis of patient data included evaluation of PD-L1 expression by the combined positive score(CPS).We analyzed the efficacy of bevacizumab according to PD-L1 expression status in patients with CRC.RESULTS A total of 124 patients was included in this analysis.Almost all patients were treated with bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI or FOLFOX as the first-line chemotherapy.While 77%of patients received FOLFOX,23%received FOLFIRI as backbone first-line chemotherapy.The numbers of patients with a PD-L1 CPS of 1 or more,5 or more,or 10 or more were 105(85%),64(52%),and 32(26%),respectively.The results showed no significant difference in progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)with bevacizumab treatment between patients with PDL1 CPS less than 1 and those with PD-L1 CPS of 1 or more(PD-L1<1%vs PD-L1≥1%;PFS:P=0.93,OS:P=0.33),between patients with PD-L1 CPS less than 5 and of 5 or more(PD-L1<5%vs PD-L1≥5%;PFS:P=0.409,OS:P=0.746),and between patients with PD-L1 CPS less than 10 and of 10 or more(PD-L1<10%vs PD-L1≥10%;PFS:P=0.529,OS:P=0.568).CONCLUSION Chemotherapy containing bevacizumab can be considered as first-line therapy in metastatic CRC irrespective of PD-L1 expression.

Shenqi Fuzheng injection alleviates chemotherapy-induced cachexia by restoring glucocorticoid signaling in hypothalamus

Chemotherapy-induced cachexia(CIC)is a debilitating condition characterized by weight loss,muscle atrophy,and anorexia[1].While peripheral mechanisms of cachexia have been extensively studied,the involvement of the central nervous system(CNS)in CIC is often overlooked.Chemotherapeutic drugs cause stress responses and inflammation,which may impact the hypothalamus and disrupt systemic energy and neuroendocrine functions.Understanding hypothalamic roles in regulating these processes can provide insights into CIC's mechanisms and aid in developing novel therapies.

Screening of Myocardial Cardiotoxicity Induced by Anticancer Chemotherapy and the Importance of Global Longitudinal Strain

Introduction: The improvement of survival in patients with cancer and the expansion of therapeutic options have led to the emergence of a new profile of cardiotoxicity, specifically associated with antimitotic agents. Our study aimed to assess the incidence of chemotherapy-induced myocardial toxicity in patients with cancer. Patients and Methods: We conducted a looking-forward longitudinal cohort study including all patients admitted to the Cardiology departments of Aristide le Dantec Hospital and Dalal Jamm National Hospital Centre for apre-chemotherapy check-up. The included patients did not undergo any pre-existing cardiopathy. Results: Over a period of two years ranging from January 2019 to December 2021, a total of 37 patients were included in the study. Notably, there was a female predominance (92%) with an average age of 49.7 years ± 13.69. Breast cancer accounted for 70% of the neoplasms. Laboratory findings revealed moderate anemia in 19 patients (51%). At inclusion, the left ventricle (LV) was of normal size (LV diastole at 44.46 ± 4.97 mm). The systolic function of the left ventricle was normal in all patients, with an average ejection fraction (EF) of 63.1% ± 5.80 and a mean global longitudinal strain (GLS) of −20.4% ± 2.58. The most commonly used agents were anthracyclines. During follow-up, 3 patients (8.1%) developed clinical symptoms of left heart failure, and LV dysfunction on echocardiography was observed in 5 (13.5%) patients, with a significant decrease in EF Conclusion: The incidence of cardiac toxicity is not negligible, hence the importance of early screening. Strain imaging is an essential tool that should be performed as part of the assessment before chemotherapy and re-evaluated during treatment.

Construction of a novel six-gene signature to predict tumour response to induction chemotherapy and overall survival in locoregionally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma

Locoregionally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers(LA-LHCs)are traditionally treated with surgery followed by postoperative radiotherapy,which impairs speech and swallowing functions and reduces the quality of life.^(1,2)The use of induction chemotherapy(IC)as a larynxpreserving approach for LA-LHCs has been verified and refined.^(3)However,the short-term tumor response to IC varies,non-responders usually show poor survival and little benefit.

Nutritional Supplement Ocoxin® Combined with Gemcitabine-Based Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Background: the quality of life (QoL) of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with its limited survival, can be affected by chemotherapy-induced toxicity. The main objective was to evaluate the effect of introducing ocoxin oral solution (OOS) in combination with standard therapy on quality of life. Methods: Thirty patients were enrolled in an exploratory, prospective, single-centre clinical trial in the oncology department of “Hermanos Ameijeiras” University Hospital in Havana, Cuba. Quality of life was measured using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire and toxicity was assessed using the NCI-CTC-AE classification version 5.0. Results: There was stability in the scores over time for overall QoL and the functional scale criteria, while in terms of symptoms, fatigue, pain and loss of appetite were reduced. No grade 3 - 4 adverse events (AEs) were recorded, and only 14.9% of toxicities were classified as grade 2, and these were considered to be unrelated to OOS. Biochemical and nutritional parameters were normalised at 12 months compared to the baseline values. Conclusions: This clinical study is the first report of the use of OOS in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, and demonstrates that it is able to maintain optimal quality of life with reduced severity of toxicity during and after combination treatment with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

Effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy vs chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of esophageal adenocarcinoma:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant therapy is an essential modality for reducing the clinical stage of esophageal cancer;however,the superiority of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(nCT)or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT)is unclear.Therefore,a discussion of these two modalities is necessary.AIM To investigate the benefits and complications of neoadjuvant modalities.METHODS To address this concern,predefined criteria were established using the PICO protocol.Two independent authors performed comprehensive searches using predetermined keywords.Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant differences between groups.Potential publication bias was visualized using funnel plots.The quality of the data was evaluated using the Risk of Bias Tool 2(RoB2)and the GRADE approach.RESULTS Ten articles,including 1928 patients,were included for the analysis.Significant difference was detected in pathological complete response(pCR)[P<0.001;odds ratio(OR):0.27;95%CI:0.16-0.46],30-d mortality(P=0.015;OR:0.4;95%CI:0.22-0.71)favoring the nCRT,and renal failure(P=0.039;OR:1.04;95%CI:0.66-1.64)favoring the nCT.No significant differences were observed in terms of survival,local or distal recurrence,or other clinical or surgical complications.The result of RoB2 was moderate,and that of the GRADE approach was low or very low in almost all cases.CONCLUSION Although nCRT may have a higher pCR rate,it does not translate to greater long-term survival.Moreover,nCRT is associated with higher 30-d mortality,although the specific cause for postoperative complications could not be identified.In the case of nCT,toxic side effects are suspected,which can reduce the quality of life.Given the quality of available studies,further randomized trials are required.