Capecitabine maintenance therapy for XT chemotherapy-sensitive patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Objective： To investigate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine maintenance therapy（MT） after initial capecitabine plus docetaxel（XT） chemotherapy in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer（m TNBC）.Methods： Fifty-five m TNBC patients treated with XT chemotherapy between May 2007 and June 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. When initial disease control was achieved by the combination chemotherapy, capecitabine was continued for 32 patients（MT）, while 23 patients remained without any treatment（nonMT）. We compared progression-free survival（PFS） and safety of both groups.Results： The median PFS of 55 patients was 8.1 months, overall median PFS time of 32 patients in the capecitabine MT group and 23 in the non-MT group was 10.1 vs. 6.7 months（P=0.032）, respectively. When compared PFS time of maintenance treatment, single-agent capecitabine prolonged PFS by 7.1 months, for non-MT patients, the PFS without any treatment was 3.1 months, and this between-group difference was statistically significant（P=0.003）. Adverse events, including of hematologic toxicity, gastrointestinal toxicities, hand-foot syndrome and abnormal liver function were not significantly different between two groups.Conclusions： After initial disease control was achieved with the XT combination chemotherapy, capecitabine MT can significantly prolong PFS time with a favorable safety profile in m TNBC patients.

Music therapy is a potential intervention for cognition of Alzheimer’s Disease:a mini-review

Alzheimer’s Disease(AD)is a global health issue given the increasing prevalence rate and the limitations of drug effects.As a consequent,non-pharmacological interventions are of importance.Music therapy(MT)is a nonpharmacological way with a long history of use and a fine usability for dementia patients.In this review,we will summarize different techniques,diverse clinical trials,and the mechanisms of MT as it is helpful to the cognition in AD,providing reference for future research.Many articles have demonstrated that MT can reduce cognitive decline especially in autobiographical and episodic memories,psychomotor speed,executive function domains,and global cognition.MT is a promising intervention for strategy of dementia especially of AD and it must be started as early as possible.However,more evidences with prospective,randomized,blinded,uniform and rigorous methodological investigations are needed.And we should consider to combine MT with other cognitive stimulations such as dance,physical exercise,video game,art and so on.