The management of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection now involves regular and appropriate monitoring of viral activity,disease progression,and treatment response.Traditional HBV infection biomarkers are limited in their ...The management of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection now involves regular and appropriate monitoring of viral activity,disease progression,and treatment response.Traditional HBV infection biomarkers are limited in their ability to predict clinical outcomes or therapeutic effectiveness.Quantitation of HBV core antibodies(qAnti-HBc)is a novel non-invasive biomarker that may help with a variety of diagnostic issues.It was shown to correlate strongly with infection stages,hepatic inflammation and fibrosis,chronic infection exacerbations,and the presence of occult infection.Furthermore,qAnti-HBc levels were shown to be predictive of spontaneous or treatment-induced HBeAg and HBsAg seroclearance,relapse after medication termination,re-infection following liver transplantation,and viral reactivation in the presence of immunosuppression.qAnti-HBc,on the other hand,cannot be relied on as a single diagnostic test to address all problems,and its diagnostic and prognostic potential may be greatly increased when paired with qHBsAg.Commercial qAnti-HBc diagnostic kits are currently not widely available.Because many methodologies are only semi-quantitative,comparing data from various studies and defining universal cut-off values remains difficult.This review focuses on the clinical utility of qAnti-HBc and qHBsAg in chronic hepatitis B management.展开更多
Hepatocellular carcinoma common cause of cancer death （HCC） is the third most worldwide （1）. Most patients present with intermediate or advanced disease that is not amenable to curative treatment, and the median s...Hepatocellular carcinoma common cause of cancer death （HCC） is the third most worldwide （1）. Most patients present with intermediate or advanced disease that is not amenable to curative treatment, and the median survival in this group is 6-8 months （2）. Several studies and well- designed randomized trials have shown a positive effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization （TACE） on patient outcome and survival （3-8）. As nicely described in the present article from Wring et al., assessment of tumor response is of extreme importance in patients undergoing locoregional treatments of liver cancer （9）. Early assessment of the effectiveness of TACE and monitoring of tumor response are paramount to the identification of treatment failure, guidance of future therapy, and determination of the interval for repeat treatment.展开更多
In the last two decades, great efforts have been made in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer(m CRC) due to the approval of new target agents for cytotoxic drugs. Unfortunately, a large percentage of patients...In the last two decades, great efforts have been made in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer(m CRC) due to the approval of new target agents for cytotoxic drugs. Unfortunately, a large percentage of patients present with metastasis at the time of diagnosis or relapse after a few months. The complex molecular heterogeneity of this disease is not completely understood; to date, there is a lack of predictive biomarkers that can be used to select subsets of patients who may respond to target drugs. Only the RAS-mutation status is used to predict resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents in patients with m CRC. In this review, we describe approved targeted therapies for the management of metastatic m CRC and discuss new candidate targets on the horizon.展开更多
Prostate cancer(PCa)screening remains one of the most controversial topics in clinical and public health.Despite being the second most common cancer in men worldwide,recommendations for screening using prostate-specif...Prostate cancer(PCa)screening remains one of the most controversial topics in clinical and public health.Despite being the second most common cancer in men worldwide,recommendations for screening using prostate-specific antigen(PSA)are unclear.Early detection and the resulting postscreening treatment lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of otherwise indolent cases.In addition,several unwanted harms are associated with PCa screening process.This literature review focuses on the limitations of PSA-specific PCa screening,reasons behind the screening controversy,and the novel biomarkers and advanced innovative methodologies that improve the limitations of traditional screening using PSA.With the verdict of whether or not to screen not yet unanimous,we hope to aid in resolution of the long-standing debate.展开更多
文摘The management of hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection now involves regular and appropriate monitoring of viral activity,disease progression,and treatment response.Traditional HBV infection biomarkers are limited in their ability to predict clinical outcomes or therapeutic effectiveness.Quantitation of HBV core antibodies(qAnti-HBc)is a novel non-invasive biomarker that may help with a variety of diagnostic issues.It was shown to correlate strongly with infection stages,hepatic inflammation and fibrosis,chronic infection exacerbations,and the presence of occult infection.Furthermore,qAnti-HBc levels were shown to be predictive of spontaneous or treatment-induced HBeAg and HBsAg seroclearance,relapse after medication termination,re-infection following liver transplantation,and viral reactivation in the presence of immunosuppression.qAnti-HBc,on the other hand,cannot be relied on as a single diagnostic test to address all problems,and its diagnostic and prognostic potential may be greatly increased when paired with qHBsAg.Commercial qAnti-HBc diagnostic kits are currently not widely available.Because many methodologies are only semi-quantitative,comparing data from various studies and defining universal cut-off values remains difficult.This review focuses on the clinical utility of qAnti-HBc and qHBsAg in chronic hepatitis B management.
文摘Hepatocellular carcinoma common cause of cancer death （HCC） is the third most worldwide （1）. Most patients present with intermediate or advanced disease that is not amenable to curative treatment, and the median survival in this group is 6-8 months （2）. Several studies and well- designed randomized trials have shown a positive effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization （TACE） on patient outcome and survival （3-8）. As nicely described in the present article from Wring et al., assessment of tumor response is of extreme importance in patients undergoing locoregional treatments of liver cancer （9）. Early assessment of the effectiveness of TACE and monitoring of tumor response are paramount to the identification of treatment failure, guidance of future therapy, and determination of the interval for repeat treatment.
文摘In the last two decades, great efforts have been made in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer(m CRC) due to the approval of new target agents for cytotoxic drugs. Unfortunately, a large percentage of patients present with metastasis at the time of diagnosis or relapse after a few months. The complex molecular heterogeneity of this disease is not completely understood; to date, there is a lack of predictive biomarkers that can be used to select subsets of patients who may respond to target drugs. Only the RAS-mutation status is used to predict resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents in patients with m CRC. In this review, we describe approved targeted therapies for the management of metastatic m CRC and discuss new candidate targets on the horizon.
文摘Prostate cancer(PCa)screening remains one of the most controversial topics in clinical and public health.Despite being the second most common cancer in men worldwide,recommendations for screening using prostate-specific antigen(PSA)are unclear.Early detection and the resulting postscreening treatment lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of otherwise indolent cases.In addition,several unwanted harms are associated with PCa screening process.This literature review focuses on the limitations of PSA-specific PCa screening,reasons behind the screening controversy,and the novel biomarkers and advanced innovative methodologies that improve the limitations of traditional screening using PSA.With the verdict of whether or not to screen not yet unanimous,we hope to aid in resolution of the long-standing debate.
