Neonatal Death Rates: Lack of Equal Access to Hospital Obstetric Service and Intensive Therapy

Aim: To identify the association between access to obstetric and neonatal hospital service and neonatal death rates. Method: Quantitative and retrospective research retrieved from Declaration of Live Newly-born Children;Declaration of Death;Investigation Chart on Municipal Child Mortality, between 2000 and 2009, at the Nucleus of Information on Mortality Rates. The population studied comprised 537 neonatal deaths and mothers with residence in the municipality, and investigated by the work team of the Committee for the Investigation of Mother-Child Deaths. Data were analyzed in Epi Info 2002? computer program and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences? was used. Chi-square Test and Fischer’s Exact Test were applied at p < 0.05. Results: 63.7% of 537 neonates were born in hospitals with maternities and neonatal intensive therapy unit;60.7% weighed ≤1.500 grams;76.7% had a pregnancy age of ≤36 weeks;73% died of asphyxia in the 1st minute and 73.5% died during the perinatal period. Throughout the ten years of analysis, access to hospital obstetric service without NITU reduced death rate from 25% in 2000 to 6.8% in 2009. There was a significant statistical association between place of delivery and maternal socio-demographic variables (maternal age bracket p = 0.028;schooling p = 0.000;family income p = 0.000);occupation p = 0.000) and neonatal variables (race/skin color p = 0.007;type of delivery p = 0.000;weight at birth p = 0.000;pregnancy age p = 0.000 and Apgar Score 1st minute p = 0.000 and Apgar Score 5th minute p = 0.007). Conclusion: Although the municipal government provides obstetric services and specialized neonatal care, this right is not extensive to all;gaps at different levels in mother-child care should be identified to reduce neonatal deaths.

Effect of Intensive Therapy of Multiple Factors Intervention on Vascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes

The effects of intensive versus regular therapy on incidence and progress of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes were compared. During a follow-up of 3 years, 96 cases of diabetes mellitus were randomized to intensive and regular therapy groups. HbA 1c goal was same in the two groups, but the goal of blood pressure (Bp) and lipid was more strict in the intensive therapy group than in the regular therapy group. There was statistically significant difference in the incidence and progression of vascular complications between the two groups. Logistic stepwise-regression analysis (odds ration, OR) showed that there was significant difference in the progression of nephropathy (OR 0.24, 95 % CI 0.12-0.76), retinopathy (OR 0.38, 95 % CI 0.16-0.88), peripheral neuropathy (OR 0.42, 95 % CI 0.22-0.86) and autonomic neuropathy (OR 0.29, 95 % CI 0.12-0.86) between the two groups (P<0.01). It was concluded that intensive blood glucose controlling could retard diabetic vascular complications. Intensive therapy of multiple factors interventions (controlling Bp, regulating blood lipid, improving microcirculation) could decrease various risk factors for diabetic vascular complications.

Individualized intensive insulin therapy of diabetes: Not only thegoal, but also the time

Intensive insulin therapy has been extensively used to control blood glucose levels because of its ability to reduce the risk of chronic complications of diabetes.According to current guidelines,intensive glycemic control requires individu-alized glucose goals rather than as low as possible.During intensive therapy,rapid blood glucose reduction can aggravate microvascular and macrovascular complications,and prolonged overuse of insulin can lead to treatment-induced neuropathy and retinopathy,hypoglycemia,obesity,lipodystrophy,and insulin antibody syndrome.Therefore,we need to develop individualized hypoglycemic plans for patients with diabetes,including the time required for blood glucose normalization and the duration of intensive insulin therapy,which deserves further study.

Effect of sustained intensive therapy with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis:a 5-year real-world consecutive study

Background:Intensive therapy with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs(DMARDs)has been reported to improve the outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis(RA).However,real-world study on the effect of intensive therapy on RA sustained remission is still lacking.This study aimed to investigate the outcome of sustained intensive DMARD therapy(SUIT)for RA in a real-world 5-year consecutive cohort.Methods:Based on a consecutive cohort of 610 out-patients with RA,remission of RA was assessed in 541 patients from 2012 to 2017,by dividing into SUIT,non-SUIT,and intermittent SUIT(Int-SUIT)groups.Changes in the disease activity scores were evaluated by 28-joint disease activity score based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate(DAS28-ESR),28-joint disease activity score based on C-reactive protein(DAS28-CRP),and clinical deep remission criteria(CliDR).Cumulative remission rates between different groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and predictive factors of sustained remission were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:The remission rates of the SUIT group decreased from 12.0%(65/541)to 5.6%(20/359)based on DAS28-ESR,from 14.0%(76/541)to 7.2%(26/359)based on DAS28-CRP,and from 8.5%(46/541)to 3.1%(11/359)based on CliDR,respectively,with a gradually decreasing trend during the 5 years.The SUIT regimen led to a significantly higher cumulative remission rate than non-SUIT regimen based on DAS28-ESR(39.7%vs.19.5%,P=0.001),DAS28-CRP(42.0%vs.19.6%,P=0.001),and CliDR(24.5%vs.8.7%,P=0.001).The cumulative remission rates of patients treated with SUIT regimen were significantly higher than those treated with Int-SUIT regimen based on DAS28-ESR(39.7%vs.25.7%,P=0.043)and CliDR(24.5%vs.14.2%,P=0.047),but there was no significant difference between the two groups based on DAS28-CRP(42.0%vs.27.4%,P=0.066).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the use of SUIT regimen was an independent favorable predictor according to different remission definitions(for DAS28-ESR:odds ratio[OR],2.215,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.271–3.861,P=0.005;for DAS28-CRP:OR,1.520,95%CI:1.345–1.783,P=0.002;for CliDR:OR,1.525,95%CI:1.314–1.875,P=0.013).Conclusion:Sustained intensive treatment of RA is an optimal strategy in daily practice and will lead to an increased remission rate.

Influence of Intensive Insulin Therapy on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Severe Trauma

The influence of early-stage intensive insulin therapy on the plasma levels of vascular en- dothelial growth factor （VEGF） and the related parameters in patients with severe trauma and the clini- cal implication were investigated. Sixty-four cases of severe trauma （injury severity score 〉20） with stress hyperglycemia （blood glucose 〉9 mmol/L） were randomly divided into intensive insulin therapy group and conventional therapy group. ELISA method, radioimmunoassay and density gradient grada- tion one-step process were used to determine plasma VEGF, endothelin-1 （ET-1）, and the number of circulating endothelial cells （CECs） at the day of 0, 2, 3, 5 and 7 after admission. Simultaneously, the changes of CRP concentration in plasma were monitored to evaluate inflammatory response. The results showed that plasma levels of observational indexes in patients receiving early-stage intensive insulin therapy were all significantly lower than those in conventional therapy groups 2, 3, 5 and 7 days after admission [for VEGF （ng/L）, 122.2±23.8 vs. 135.9±26.5, 109.6±27.3 vs. 129.0±18.4, 88.7±18.2 vs. 102.6±27.3, 54.2±26.4 vs. 85.7±35.2, P〈0.05, 0.01, 0.05, 0.05 respectively; for ET-1 （ng/L）, 162.8±23.5 vs. 173.7±13.2, 128.6±17.5 vs. 148.8±22.4, 96.5±14.8 vs. 125.7±14.8, 90.7±16.9 vs. 104.9±22.5, P〈0.05, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01 respectively; for CRP （mg/L）, 23.2±13.8 vs. 31.9±16.5, 13.6±17.3 vs. 23.5±18.4, 8.7±10.2 vs. 15.6±13.3, 5.2±9.4 vs. 10.7±11.2, all P〈0.05; for CECs （/0.9 μL）, 10.9±5.6 vs. 13.9±6.2, 8.5±4.9 vs. 11.3±5.3, 6.3±6.4 vs. 9.4±5.7, 4.8±7.1 vs. 7.8±4.8, all P〈0.05]. It was concluded that intensive insulin therapy could antagonize the endothelium injury after trauma and reduce inflammation response quickly, which was one of important mechanisms by which intensive insulin therapy improves the prognosis of trauma patients.

Clinical Effects of Intensive Insulin Therapy Treating Traumatic Shock Combined with Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome

The therapeutic effects of intensive insulin therapy in treatment of traumatic shock combined with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome （MODS） were investigated. A total of 114 patients with traumatic shock combined with MODS were randomly divided into two groups： control group （n=56） treated with conventional therapy, and intensive insulin therapy group （n=58） treated with conventional therapy plus continuous insulin pumping to control the blood glucose level at range of 4.4-6.1 mmol/L. White blood cells （WBC） counts, prothrombin time （PT）, serum creatinine （SCr）, alanine aminotransferase （ALT）, serum albumin and PaO2 were measured before and at the day 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 after treatment. The incidence of gastrointestinal dysfunction, the incidence of MODS, hospital stay and the mortality were also observed and compared. After intensive insulin therapy, the WBC counts, SCr, ALT and PT were significantly reduced （P0.05）, but the level of serum albumin was significantly increased （P0.05） at the day 3, 5, 7 and 14. In the meantime, the PaO2 was significantly elevated at the day 3, 5 and 7 （P0.01） after intensive insulin therapy. The incidence of gastrointestinal dysfunction, the incidence of MODS, the length of hospital stay and the mortality were markedly decreased （P0.01）. The results suggest early treatment with intensive insulin therapy is effective for traumatic shock combined with MODS and can decrease the length of hospital stay and the mortality.

Effect of intensive vs conventional insulin therapy on perioperative nutritional substrates metabolism in patients undergoing gastrectomy

AIM: To investigate the effect of intensive vs conventional insulin therapy on perioperative nutritional substrates metabolism in patients undergoing radical distal gastrectomy. METHODS: Within 24 h of intensive care unit management, patients with gastric cancer were enrolled after written informed consent and randomized to the intensive insulin therapy (IIT) group to keep glucose levels from 4.4 to 6.1 mmol/L or the conventional insulin therapy (CIT) group to keep levels less than 10 mmol/L. Resting energy expenditure (REE), respiratory quotient (RQ), resting energy expenditure per kilogram (REE/kg), and the lipid oxidation rate were monitored by the indirect calorimeter of calcium citrate malate nutrition metabolism investigation system. The changes in body composition were analyzed by multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis. Blood fasting glucose and insulin concentration were measured for assessment of Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. RESULTS: Sixty patients were enrolled. Compared with preoperative baseline, postoperative REE increased by over 22.15% and 11.07%; REE/kg rose up to 27.22 ± 1.33 kcal/kg and 24.72 ± 1.43 kcal/kg; RQ decreased to 0.759 ± 0.034 and 0.791 ± 0.037; the lipid oxidation ratio was up to 78.25% ± 17.74% and 67.13% ± 12.76% supported by parenteral nutrition solutions from 37.56% ± 11.64% at the baseline; the level of Ln-HOMA-IR went up dramatically (P < 0.05, respectively) on postoperative days 1 and 3 in the IIT group. Meanwhile the concentration of total protein, albumin and triglyceride declined significantly on postoperative days 1 and 3 compared with pre-operative levels (P < 0.05, respectively). Compared with the CIT group, IIT reduced the REE/kg level (27.22 ± 1.33 kcal/kg vs 29.97 ± 1.47 kcal/kg, P = 0.008; 24.72 ± 1.43 kcal/kg vs 25.66 ± 1.63 kcal/kg, P = 0.013); and decreased the Ln-HOMA-IR score (P = 0.019, 0.028) on postoperative days 1 and 3; IIT decreased the level of CRP on postoperative days 1 and 3 (P = 0.017, 0.006); the total protein and albumin concentrations in the IIT group were greater than those in the CIT group (P = 0.023, 0.009). Postoperative values of internal cell fluid (ICF), fat mass, protein mass (PM), muscle mass, free fat mass and body weight decreased obviously on postoperative 7th day compared with the preoperative baseline in the CIT group (P < 0.05, respectively). IIT reduced markedly consumption of fat mass, PM and ICF compared with CIT (P = 0.009 to 0.026). CONCLUSION: There were some benefits of IIT in decreasing the perioperative insulin resistance state, reducing energy expenditure and consumption of proteins and lipids tissue in patients undergoing gastrectomy.

Intensive Insulin Therapy Has No Effect on Mortality and Morbidity in Cardiac Surgery Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Optimal glycemic control in cardiac surgery patients remains a laudable but confusing practice. Existing studies have primarily employed two maintenance strategies using either intensive insulin therapy (IIT) (maintain glucose p = 0.628), ICU LOS (MD = -0.073 days, 95% CI = -0.324 to 0.178;p = 0.568), or hospital LOS (MD = 0.269, 95% CI = -2.158 to 2.696;p = 0.828). No difference in AF rates (RR = 0.887, 95% CI = 0.681 to 1.155;p = 0.375) or deep sternal infection (RR = 0.985, 95% CI = 0.357 to 2.720;p = 0.977) were observed. Conclusion: IIT targeting blood sugar levels of 80 - 120 mg/dl have no effect on perioperative outcomes in cardiac surgery patients. IIT is associated with similar mortality, ICU LOS, hospital LOS, AF rates, and deep sternal infection rates compared to more liberal glycemic strategies. IIT should not replace CIT as the standard of care in cardiac surgery patients.

Effects of intensive control of blood glucose and blood pressure on microvascular complications in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes mellitus

AIM: To evaluate the effects of intensive control of blood glucose and blood pressure on microvascular complications in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes by comparing the therapeutic effects of intensive and standard treatment in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes. METHODS: A total of 107 patients with type Ⅱ diabetes were randomly assigned into intensive and standard treatment groups. Patients in the intensive treatment group received preterax (perindopril/ indapamide) to control blood pressure, and gliclazide (diamicron) MR to control blood glucose. Patients in the standard treatment group received routine medications or placebo. Urinary microalbumin (UMA), urinary creatinine (UCR), the UMA/ UCR ratio, and visual acuity were monitored according to the study design of the ADVANCE trial. Direct ophthalmoscopy and seven-field stereoscopic retinal photography were used to examine the fundi at baseline,and repeated after 5 years of treatment. RESULTS: The characteristics of patients in both groups were well balanced at baseline. After 5 years of treatment, visual acuity was found to be decreased in the standard group (P=0.04), but remained stable in the intensive group. The severity of diabetic retinopathy had not progressed in patients in the intensive group, but had deteriorated in the standard group (P=0.0006). The UMA/UCR ratio was not obviously changed in patients in the intensive group, whereas it was significantly increased in the standard group (P=0.00). CONCLUSION: Intensive control of blood glucose and blood pressure can decrease the incidence or slow the progression of microvascular complications in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes, and maintain stable vision.

Role of radiation therapy in gastric adenocarcinoma

Outcomes in patients with gastric cancer in the United States remain disappointing, with a five-year overall survival rate of approximately 23%. Given high rates of local-regional control following surgery, a strong rationale exists for the use of adjuvant radiation therapy. Randomized trials have shown superior local control with adjuvant radiotherapy and improved overall survival with adjuvant chemoradiation. The benefit of adjuvant chemoradiation in patients who have undergone D2 lymph node dissection by an experienced surgeon is not known, and the benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy in addition to adjuvant chemotherapy continues to be defined. In unresectable disease, chemoradiation allows long-term survival in a small number of patients and provides effective palliation. Most trials show a benefit to combined modality therapy compared to chemotherapy or radiation therapy alone. The use of pre-operative, intra-operative, 3D conformal, and intensity modulated radiation therapy in gastric cancer is promising but requires further study. The current article reviews the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of resectable and unresectable gastric carcinoma, focusing on current recommendations in the United States.

Helical tomotherapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy:New therapeutic arms in the breast cancer radiotherapy

AIM To analyse clinical and dosimetric results of helical tomotherapy(HT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy(VMAT) in complex adjuvant breast and nodes irradiation.METHODS Seventy-three patients were included(31 HT and 42 VMAT). Dose were 63.8 Gy(HT) and 63.2 Gy(VMAT) in the tumour bed, 52.2 Gy in the breast, 50.4 Gy in supraclavicular nodes(SCN) and internal mammary chain(IMC) with HT and 52.2 Gy and 49.3 Gy in IMC and SCN with VMAT in 29 fractions. Margins to particle tracking velocimetry were greater in the VMAT cohort(7 mm vs 5 mm).RESULTS For the HT cohort, the coverage of clinical target volumes was as follows: Tumour bed: 99.4% ± 2.4%; breast: 98.4% ± 4.3%; SCN: 99.5% ± 1.2%; IMC:96.5% ± 13.9%. For the VMAT cohort, the coverage was as follows: Tumour bed: 99.7% ± 0.5%, breast: 99.3% ± 0.7%; SCN: 99.6% ± 1.4%; IMC: 99.3% ± 3%. For ipsilateral lung, Dmean and V20 were 13.6 ± 1.2 Gy, 21.1% ± 5%(HT) and 13.6 ± 1.4 Gy, 20.1% ± 3.2%(VMAT). Dmean and V30 of the heart were 7.4 ± 1.4 Gy, 1% ± 1%(HT) and 10.3 ± 4.2 Gy, 2.5% ± 3.9%(VMAT). For controlateral breast Dmean was 3.6 ± 0.2 Gy(HT) and 4.6 ± 0.9 Gy(VMAT). Acute skin toxicity grade 3 was 5% in the two cohorts.CONCLUSION HT and VMAT in complex adjuvant breast irradiation allow a good coverage of target volumes with an acceptable acute tolerance. A longer follow-up is needed to assess the impact of low doses to healthy tissues.

Perioperative insulin therapy using a closed-loop artificial endocrine pancreas after hepatic resection

Postoperative hyperglycemia is common in critically ill patients, even in those without a prior history of diabetes mellitus. It is well known that hyperglycemia induced by surgical stress often results in dysregulation of liver metabolism and immune function, impairing postoperative recovery. Current evidence suggests that maintaining normoglycemia postoperatively improves surgical outcome and reduces the mortality and morbidity of critically ill patients. On the basis of these observations, several large randomized controlled studies were designed to evaluate the benefit of postoperative tight glycemic control with intensive insulin therapy. However, intensive insulin therapy carries the risk of hypoglycemia, which is linked to serious neurological events. Recently, we demonstrated that perioperative tight glycemic control in surgical patients could be achieved safely using a closed-loop glycemic control system and that this decreased both the incidence of infection at the site of the surgical incision, without the appearance of hypoglycemia, and actual hospital costs. Here, we review the benefits and requirements of perioperative intensive insulin therapy using a dosed-loop artificial endocrine pancreas system in hepatectomized patients. This novel intensive insulin therapy is safe and effectively improves surgical outcome after hepatic resection.

Complete response to radiation therapy of orbital metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is increasing in the United States,and 50%-75%o patients with HCC will develop metastatic disease Orbital metastases from HCC are extremely rare.We report the case of a 52-year-old male with known metastatic HCC,who presented with severe proptosis and diplopia.An orbital mass was identified on magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and confirmed to have hypermetabolic activity on positron emission tomography/computed tomography.He received a palliative course of external beam radiation therapy to the right orbit.Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)was used to allow sparing of critical norma tissues in close proximity to the tumor.One month after completion of IMRT to 58 Gray in 30 fractions delivered over 6 wk,the patient had a complete clinical,radiologic(MRI)and symptomatic response The patient continues to have local control in the orbi 1.7 years after therapy completion.All critical norma structures were kept below the tolerance dose using IMRT,and no toxicities were observed.

Treatment of Massive Low-Grade Chondrosarcoma of Nasal Septum with Helical Tomotherapy: A Case Report

Chondrosarcomas are malignant bone tumors which develop as a cartilaginous differentiation of primary mesenchymal cells and the second most frequently seen malignant tumor of the bone after osteosarcoma. These malignancies are slowly growing non-epithelial tumors with unknown etiology and most frequently seen during the 4 decades of life. They are frequently localized on pelvis, ribs and long bones. Nasal septum CSs are very rarely seen malignancies. They originate from septal mucosa or cartilage and it is difficult to make a diagnosis unless they reach a certain size. A few cases of CSs with nasal septum have been reported in the literature. In cases of CSs, surgery is the gold standard treatment modality;however in surgically unresectable cases or close to margins, radiotherapy plays a significant role in primary and adjuvant treatment. Based on the position of the tumor in head and neck and extremely closeness of the tumor to vital organs as optic nerve, chiasm and brain, image guided-intensity modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT) becomes very effective and reliable modalities and may be a favorable treatment alternative.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer with bulky lymph node metastasis:Five case reports

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(NACRT)has not been accepted as a general therapy for gastric cancer because of its localized effect and toxicity for radiosensitive organs.However,if radiation therapy could compensate for the limited or inadequate treatment choices available for elderly patients and/or those at high risk,the available therapeutic options for advanced gastric cancer might increase.From this perspective,we present our experiences of five patients with advanced gastric cancer in whom we used NACRT therapy with interesting results.CASE SUMMARY We admitted five patients with clinical Stage III gastric cancer and bulky lymph node metastasis or adjacent organ invasion at the time of diagnosis.A total of 50 Gy of preoperative intensity modulated radiation therapy was delivered to the patients in doses of 2.0 Gy/d,together with a regimen of concomitant chemotherapy comprising two courses of oral tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil(S-1;65 mg/m2 per day)for three consecutive weeks followed by two weeks of rest,starting at the same time as radiotherapy.All patients underwent no residual tumor resection and a pathological complete response of the primary tumors was achieved in two patients.The incidence of hematological toxicity was low,although the digestive toxicities of anorexia and diarrhea developed in three of the five patients,necessitating termination of radiation therapy at 30 Gy and S-1 at three weeks.However,even 30 Gy of irradiation and half the dose of S-1 resulted in sufficient downstaging,indicating that even a reduced amount of NACRT could confer considerable effects.CONCLUSION Slightly reduced NACRT might be useful and safe for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.

Prostate specific antigen bounce after intensity-modulated radiation therapy in an Asian population

Objective:Serum prostate specific antigen(PSA)is commonly used to evaluate treatment response after definitive radiation therapy(RT).However,PSA levels can temporarily rise without a clear reason,termed“PSA bounce”,and often engender great anxiety for both patients and physicians.The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors that predict“PSA bounce”after intensity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT),and the relevance to biochemical failure and cancer recurrence in an Asian population.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed 206 patients who received IMRT for prostate cancer from 2004 to 2012 in the National Cancer Centre Singapore.These patients were followed up with regular PSA monitoring.We defined“PSA bounce”as a rise of 0.1 ng/mL,followed by two consecutive falls.Patients with biochemical failure(PSA nadir t 2 ng/mL)were further evaluated for cancer recurrence.Results:Sixty-one patients(29.6%)experienced“PSA bounce”,at a median time of 16 months and lasted for 12 months.Age remained the most consistent predictor of the incidence,duration and extent of“PSA bounce”.Other contributory factors included baseline PSA,Gleason score and PSA nadir.Hormonal therapy and prostate volume did not affect this phenomenon.Sixteen patients(7.8%)developed biochemical recurrence,at median time of 32 months,of which 11 were confirmed to have metastatic disease.The median follow-up time was 71 months.

Proton beam therapy of periorbital sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma: Two case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Sinonasal malignancies are rare but demanding due to complex anatomy,usually late diagnosis,and inconsistent therapy strategy based on multimodality approaches.Squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)is the most common histology,with poorer prognosis.In the setting of orbital invasion,an orbital exenteration may be required.However,in case of primary rejection of disfiguring surgery or unresectable disease,proton beam therapy(PBT)should be largely considered,allowing for better sparing of neighboring critical structures and improved outcomes by dose escalation.CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old male presented with a recurrent SCC in the nasal septum abutting frontal skull base and bilateral orbits at 7 mo after primary partial nasal amputation.Because of refusal of face-deforming surgery and considerable adverse effects of conventional radiotherapy,the patient underwent a PBT by hyperfractionated accelerated scheme,resulting in complete response and moderate toxicities.After 2 years,a nasal reconstruction was implemented with satisfactory appearance and recurrence-freedom to date.Another patient with an initially extended sinonasal SCC,invading right orbit and facial soft tissue,declined an orbital exenteration and was treated with a normofractionated PBT to the gross tumor and elective cervical lymphatics.The follow-up showed a continuous tumor remission with reasonable late toxicities,such as cataract and telangiectasia on the right.Despite T4a stage and disapproval of concurrent chemotherapy owing to individual choice,both patients still achieved outstanding treatment outcomes with PBT alone.CONCLUSION PBT enabled orbit preservation and excellent tumor control without severe adverse effects on both presented patients with locally advanced sinonasal SCC.

Clinical study on concurrent and sequential therapy of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with NP regimen chemotherapy in the treatment of middle and advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of concurrent and sequential therapy for middle and advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) useing IMRT combined with NP regimen chemotherapy. Methods: Eighty patients with middle and advanced stage NSCLC were randomized into two groups. Forty patients were underwent sequential therapy and other 40 patients were underwent concurrent therapy. IMRT was used in radiotherapy and NP regimen of vinorelbine+cispatin (NP) was used in chemotherapy. Results: (1) The overall response (CR+PR) rate was 75% in concurrent group and 45% in sequential group (P<0.05); (2) The treatment courses were 84 days and 140 days for concurrent group and sequential group respectively (P<0.05); (3) One-year survival rate in concurrent group was 72.4% and 52.3% in sequential group respectively; (4) The toxic effects can be tolerable by all of patients. Conclusion: The concurrent chemo-radiotherapy has better overall re- sponse, one-year survival rate and shorter treatment course than the sequential chemo-radiotherapy, so it is a better method for the treatment of middle and advanced stage NSCLC, but the long term survival rate will be studied.

Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy for Re-Irradiation of Bulky Loco-Regional Recurrent Breast Cancer: A Case Report

Patients with recurrent breast cancer to chest wall, who had previous irradiation, are difficult to manage and have limited options. Several reports described the use of photon therapy, hyperthermia, and brachytherapy. This is a case report of a 72-year-old female with Stage IIIA (pT3N1M0) invasive ductal carcinoma of the right breast status post modified radical mastectomy. The patient developed recurrence to the chest wall and one internal mammary lymph node one year later. She received 3-D conformal photon radiation therapy for this recurrence. Two years later, she had progression of the recurrence at the right chest wall and axillary and internal mammary lymph nodes. She was treated with intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) for a total of 6600 cGy in 33 fractions. However, four months later, she was found to have biopsy-proven isolated metastatic disease at her right bicep, which was again treated with IMPT for a dose of 6000 cGy in 20 fractions. Proton beam therapy was used in this case to spare dose to the brachial plexus, heart and lung while optimally irradiating the recurrent tumors. At last follow up, the patient is alive and has been disease free for 39 months. This report describes the technique and dosimetry for this unique case, which also reviewed recent series of re-irradiation using proton beam.

Visual function and morphological changes in the macular area of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after intensive insulin therapy

Background Intensive insulin therapy has been found to lessen the progress of diabetic retinopathy （DR） to some extent,while it has also been implicated to be responsible for decrease of DR.We investigated visual function and morphological changes in the macular area in short-term follow-up of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after intensive insulin therapy.Methods This was a prospective clinical study of nonproliferative DR patients （102 eyes,120 patients） undergoing intensive insulin therapy.The Contrast Glare Tester （Takagi CGT-1000） was used to examine contrast sensitivity （CS） and Heidelberg Retina Tomograph （HRT） Ⅱ and Stratus Model 3000 OCT were used to observe the changes of morphology in the macular area.Follow-up times were pre-intensive therapy,3 and 6 months post-intensive therapy.Results CS at low and middle frequencies was higher at 3 and 6 months post-therapy compared with pre-therapy （P 〈0.05）.Significant differences in CS at low frequency were found between 6 and 3 months post-therapy （P 〈0.05）.Macular edema index was lower in the first,second,and third rings of the macular area after intensive therapy compared with pre-therapy （P 〈0.05）.Compared with 3 months post-therapy,the macular edema index was lower in the first,second,and third rings of the macular area at 6 months post-therapy （P 〉0.05）.No significant differences in the thickness of the first,second,and third rings of the macular area were detected between 3 and 6 months post-therapy and pre-therapy （P〉0.05）.Conclusion CS and macular edema indexes were significantly improved in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy patients after intensive insulin therapy,but thickness of the macular area was unchanged.