Distribution and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria isolated from cancer hospital in 2013

Objective： To understand distribution and drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria from a specialized cancer hospital in 2013 in order to provide a basis for rational clinical antimicrobial agents. Methods： Pathogenic bacteria identification and drug sensitivity tests were performed with a VITEK 2 compact automatic identification system and data were analyzed using WHONET5.6 software.Results： Of the 1,378 strains tested, 980 were Gram-negative bacilli, accounting for 71.1%, in which Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the dominant strains. We found 328 Gram-positive coccus, accounting for 23.8%, in which the amount of Staphylococcus aureus was the highest. We identified 46 fungi, accounting for 4.1%. According to the departmental distribution within the hospital, the surgical departments isolated the major strains, accounting for 49.7%. According to disease types, lung cancer, intestinal cancer and esophagus cancer were the top three, accounting for 20.9%, 17.3% and 14.2%, respectively. No strains were resistant to imipenem, ertapenem or vancomycin.Conclusions： Pathogenic bacteria isolated from the specialized cancer hospital have different resistance rates compared to commonly used antimicrobial agents; therefore antimicrobial agents to reduce the morbidity and mortality of infections should be used.

Adherence to medication: A nation-wide study from the Children's Cancer Hospital, Egypt

AIM: To investigate adherence to medical regimen and predictors for non-adherence among children with cancer in Egypt. METHODS: We administered two study specific questionnaires to 304 parents of children diagnosed with cancer at the Children's Cancer Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, one before the first chemotherapy treatment and the other before the third. The questionnaires were translated to colloquial Egyptian Arabic, and due, to the high illiteracy level in Egypt an interviewer read thequestions in Arabic to each parent and registered the answers. Both questionnaires consisted of almost 90 questions each. In addition, a Case Report Form was filled in from the child's medical journal. The study period consisted of 7 mo(February until September 2008) and we had a participation rate of 97%. Descriptive statistics are presented and Fisher's exact test was used to check for possible differences between the adherent and non-adherent groups. A P-value below 0.05 was considered significant. Software used was SAS version 9.3 for Windows(SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, United States).RESULTS: Two hundred and eighty-one(90%) parents answered the second questionnaire, regarding their child's adherence behaviour. Approximately two thirds of the children admitted to their third chemotherapy treatment had received medical recommendations upon discharge from the first or second chemotherapy treatment(181/281, 64%). Sixty-eight percent(123/181) of the parents who were given medical recommendations reported that their child did not follow the recommendations. Two main predictors were found for non-adherence: child resistance(111/123, 90%) and inadequate information(100/123, 81%). In the adherent group, 20% of the parents(n = 12/58) reported trust in their child's doctor while 14 percent 8/58 reported trust in the other health-care professionals. Corresponding numbers for the non-adherent group are 8/123(7%) for both their child's doctor and other health-care professionals. Almost all of the parents expressed a lack of optimism towards the treatment(116/121, 96%), yet they reported an intention to continue with the treatment for two main reasons, for the sake of their child's life(70%)(P = 0.005) and worry that their child would die if they discontinued the treatment(81%)(P < 0.0001).CONCLUSION: Non-adherence to medical regimen is common among children diagnosed with cancer inEgypt, the main reasons being child resistance and inadequate information.

Combined Treatment Strategy and Outcome of High Risk Neuroblastoma: Experience of the Children’s Cancer Hospital-Egypt

Background: Neuroblastoma (NB) is remarkable for its wide spectrum of clinical behavior and biological characteristics in relation to outcome. The use of aggressive therapy, including autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and the addition of isoretionin (cis-Retinoic Acid/cis-RA), has increased survival rates of patients with advanced disease. Methods: Pediatric 271 newly diagnosed high risk NB patients were prospectively enrolled into the study. Patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy of alternating cycles: [cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine (CAdO)] and [etoposide, carboplatin]. Intensification courses of “ICE” (ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide) regimen were administered to patients with bone marrow (BM) residual infiltration. Whenever safely feasible, complete surgical resection or debulking of the primary tumor was attempted for patients achieving partial response. Eligible patients underwent HSCT, while radiation therapy to the primary and metastatic sites, as well as maintenance with cis-RA was given for 6 months. Results: The median age of our patients was 2.8 years with male to female ratio of 1.65:1. At 4 years, the overall and event free survivals were 33.7% and 23.3% for the entire group under study, with significantly higher rates (42.7% and 35.6%, respectively) for HSCT patients (n = 94;p 0.001). The outcome was also significantly correlated with response to induction therapy, pathological subtype, as well as other variables. Conclusion: Myeloablative therapy followed by stem cell rescue is regarded as the most important goal of high risk NB treatment to improve survival till present. Each of consolidation HSCT, post induction disease status, as well as international neuroblastoma pathology classification (INPC) subtype was an independent predictive variable of survival. A collaborative effort with an emphasis on biologic characteristics of aggressive disease and tailored therapy needs to be strengthened to further our understanding of this disease.

Iridium Implantation in T1 and T2 Cancers of Anterior Tongue: Report from B. P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Nepal

Early stage cancers of tongue are treated traditionally with a wide local excision or hemiglossectomy, but the preservation of normal speech and swallowing are hampered. Most of the patients are treated with external beam irradiation to achieve the best locoregional control as only a limited number of tongue cancers can be excised. Underdeveloped nations with finite resources are still dependent on cobalt based external beam radiotherapy and sometimes a Linear Accelerator with two dimensional planning. This treatment has many limitations, as the large radiation fields irradiate not only the tumor but also normal tissue. The sequalae include mucositis, dry mouth, teeth and gum injury, spinal cord damage and rarely mandibular necrosis. Intensity modulated radiotherapy, which can abrogate these side effects, is not available to these patients. Irradiation using implanted solid radioactive sources into the tumor tissue is a viable option in this context. This kind of treatment is termed as brachytherapy and if the implant is introduced into the tissue then it is interstitial brachytherapy. This report details our experience in interstitial implantation, planning, dosimetry and treatment. Diagnosed cancers of anterior 2/3rd of lateral border of tongue with T1 N0M0 or T2 N0M0 stages were subjected to Iridium implantation under general anesthesia. Orthogonal films were taken and planning done with brachyvision treatment planning system. High dose rate radiotherapy was delivered as per the prescription. Excellent local control of the tumor was achieved with no undue morbidity to the adjacent structures. The patients were asked to undergo regular follow up. Surgical salvage was advised in cases of nodal recurrence. Interstitial implantation is a treatment that can be safely administered in early stage cancers of the tongue. This has remarkable efficacy and is also a patient friendly procedure.

The Journey of SRS: An Initial Experience of Starting Sterotactic Radiosurgery Facility at Purbanchal Cancer Hospital—First in Nepal

Introduction: Radiotherapy (RT) is a vital cancer treatment modality for both curative and palliative purposes. Nepal is a developing country with a population of around 30 million people. Cancer affects 100 - 120 people out of every 100,000, and the figure is increasing. The number of radiation facility machines in the country is still countable in fingers. Purbanchal Cancer Hospital, Nepal is the first comprehensive cancer facility capable of performing stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Our facility has cutting-edge Varian Truebeam Linear Accelerators with millennium MLC, which makes SRS and SRT’S for intracranial lesions such as small benign and malignant tumors much easier. In addition to SRS, we are the pioneers of SBRT for lung using 4DCT, interstitial & intraluminal brachytherapy, RPM Gated & DIBH modalities in Nepal. Methods & Materials: The purpose of this study is to share our experience in establishing an SRS facility in the country, which includes training the RT team on the importance of process accuracy, patient selection, patient assessment, mould preparation, and describing image data acquisition, target, and organ at risk delineation on CT and MRI images, treatment planning process, and quality assurance. Results & Discussion: The plans for all SRS and SRT cases are based on target coverage, OAR sparing, hotspot inside the target, conformity index, heterogeneity index, and dose fall off. To select the final plan, we used strict passing criteria such as a conformity index Paddick (CIPaddick) more than 0.85, a falloff between 100% and 50% of less than 5.5 mm (maximum 6 mm in irregular targets), and a hotspot inside the target between 115 to 140 percent, as per clinical standards. In addition, we determined the CILomax and CIRTOG for each case. Passing criteria for verification plans are set as minimum of 95% for a 2% percentage dose difference (% DD) and a 2-mm distance to an agreement (DTA). We also gathered demographic data from patients treated in the first year, such as diagnosis, lesion size, dose fraction, heterogeneity index (HI), conformity index (CI) and gamma index. SRS/SRT treatment was successfully implemented, and over 40 patients were treated with positive clinical outcomes. Conclusion: SRS now has a wider range of alternatives, thanks to technology advancements in recent years. SRS’s dosimetric advantages have steadily been extended to extracranial locations. Purbanchal Cancer Hospital, Birtamode, Nepal established a comprehensive cancer facility with qualified workforce with the goal of providing high-quality treatment to the people of Nepal.

Mission of the National Cancer Center Hospital in Japan to promote clinical trials for precision medicine

Precision medicine is a growing field worldwide.Despite its potential benefit to many patients,several major obstacles must be overcome before precision medicine can be more widely used in clinical practice.The main obstacles are associated with the quality of samples used for genomic analysis。

Clinicopathological and therapeutic comparisons of esophageal cancer between China and the USA:a multicenter hospital-based study

Background:Esophageal cancer(EC)remains a global health challenge due to its poor prognosis.China and the United States of America(USA)represent two distinct epicenters of EC burden.Understanding the EC disparities in these two countries is vital for tailoring prevention strategies,optimizing treatment,and enhancing outcomes in both countries.Yet,there lacks a comprehensive comparison of EC characteristics between the two countries.Methods:In this multicenter,retrospective hospital-based study,we enrolled primary EC patients who received their initial treatment at one of 23 hospitals in China during 2016-2017.Using electronic medical records and cancer registration records,information on demographics,lifestyle,and clinicopathological characteristics(in-cluding tumor site,pathology,stage,metastases,differentiation,and treatment)were collected.Additionally,we compared these data with the clinicopathological information of invasive EC patients diagnosed in 2016-2017 from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database in the USA.Results:A total of 6,658 EC patients in China and 8,555 EC patients in the USA were included finally.85.5%(n=5,694)of EC were esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)in China,while esophageal adenocarcinoma(EAC)was prominent in the USA(58.9%,n=5,041).Among EC patients with known staging,the proportion of early stage was higher in China compared to the USA(48.3%vs.30.5%).Among ESCC patients,early-stage cases were higher in China than in the USA(49.8%vs.31.8%),while among EAC patients,late-stage cases were higher in China than in the USA(77.3%vs.68.5%)(all P<0.001).In China,EC mainly occurred in the middle third(60.2%)of the esophagus,whereas in the USA,it was more common in the lower third(59.9%)of the organ.Compared with EC patients with known metastatic status in the USA,China had fewer cases of lymph node metastases(51.4%vs.57.7%)and distant metastases(7.9%vs.33.8%).Regarding treatment,China had more surgical therapy(53.7%vs.22.6%),less radiotherapy(35.6%vs.53.3%),and less chemotherapy(46.7%vs.59.7%)compared to the USA.Conclusions:This study reveals notable disparities in EC between China and the USA,encompassing epidemi-ological,clinicopathological,and treatment dimensions.These findings provide insight for tailored strategies addressing regional variations in clinicopathological and therapeutic characteristics.

Sine oculis homeobox homolog family function in gastrointestinal cancer:Progression and comprehensive analysis

The sine oculis homeobox homolog(SIX)family,a group of transcription factors characterized by a conserved DNA-binding homology domain,plays a critical role in orchestrating embryonic development and organogenesis across various organisms,including humans.Comprising six distinct members,from SIX1 to SIX6,each member contributes uniquely to the development and differentiation of diverse tissues and organs,underscoring the versatility of the SIX family.Dysregulation or mutations in SIX genes have been implicated in a spectrum of developmental disorders,as well as in tumor initiation and progression,highlighting their pivotal role in maintaining normal developmental trajectories and cellular functions.Efforts to target the transcriptional complex of the SIX gene family have emerged as a promising strategy to inhibit tumor development.While the development of inhibitors targeting this gene family is still in its early stages,the significant potential of such interventions holds promise for future therapeutic advances.Therefore,this review aimed to comprehensively explore the advancements in understanding the SIX family within gastrointestinal cancers,focusing on its critical role in normal organ development and its implications in gastrointestinal cancers,including gastric,pancreatic,colorectal cancer,and hepatocellular carcinomas.In conclusion,this review deepened the understanding of the functional roles of the SIX family and explored the potential of utilizing this gene family for the diagnosis,prognosis,and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

Comprehensive influence of individualized nutrition support and nursing strategy on rehabilitation of patients with liver cancer after operation

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma ranks among the most prevalent malignant neoplasms.Surgical intervention constitutes a critical therapeutic approach for this condition.Nonetheless,postoperative recovery is frequently influenced by the patient's nutritional status and the quality of nursing care provided.AIM To examine the comprehensive impact of personalized nutritional support and nursing strategies on the postoperative rehabilitation of patients with liver cancer.METHODS In this study,a retrospective comparative analysis was conducted involving 60 post-operative liver cancer patients.The subjects were selected as subjects and divided into two groups based on differing nursing interventions,with each group comprising 30 patients.The control group received standard nutritional support and care,whereas the experimental group received individualized nutritional support and nursing strategies.The study aimed to evaluate the impact of individualized nutrition by comparing the rehabilitation indices,nutritional status,quality of life(QoL),and complication rates between the two groups.RESULTS The results showed that the recovery index of the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group 2 weeks after surgery,and the average liver function recovery index of the experimental group was 85.significantly higher than that of the control group(73.67±7.19).In terms of nutritional status,the serum albumin level and body weight stabilization rate of the experimental group were also significantly higher than those of the control group,which were 42.33±2.4 g/L and 93.3%,respectively,compared with 36.01±3.85 g/L and 76.7%of the control group.In addition,the average QoL score of the experimental group was 84.66±3.7 points,which was significantly higher than that of the control group(70.92±4.28 points).At the psychological level,the average anxiety score of the experimental group was 1.17±0.29,and the average depression score was 1.47±0.4,which were significantly lower than the 2.26±0.42 and 2.57±0.45 of the control group.This showed that patients in the experimental group were better relieved of anxiety and depression under the individualized nutrition support and nursing strategy.More importantly,the complication rate in the experimental group was only 10%,much lower than the 33.3%in the control group.CONCLUSION Personalized nutritional support and tailored nursing strategies significantly enhance the postoperative rehabilitation of liver cancer patients.Consequently,it is recommended to implement and advocate for these individualized approaches to improve both the recovery outcomes and QoL for these patients.

Evaluating the predictive value of endoscopic findings for residual colorectal cancer following neoadjuvant combination immunotherapy

BACKGROUND Endoscopy allows for the direct observation of primary tumor characteristics and responses after neoadjuvant treatment.However,reports on endoscopic evaluation following neoadjuvant immunotherapy remain limited.AIM To examine the predictive value of endoscopic findings of primary tumors for responses to neoadjuvant immunotherapy.METHODS This retrospective study,conducted at a tertiary center in China,evaluated 74 patients with colorectal cancer,including 17 with deficient mismatch repair(dMMR)and 15 with proficient mismatch repair(pMMR)tumors.Patients underwent neoadjuvant immunotherapy followed by surgery.Endoscopic findings before and after neoadjuvant immunotherapy were reviewed and compared with the pathology of the resected specimens.RESULTS In the pMMR group(n=57 evaluable patients),endoscopy identified 11/17 patients who achieved a complete response(CR),while misidentifying 1/40 patients with residual disease as CR(64.7%vs 2.5%,P<0.01).Conversely,22/40 patients with residual disease were accurately identified as achieving a partial response(PR),with 1/17 patients who achieved CR misclassified as PR(55.0%vs 5.9%,P<0.01).The sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy of endoscopic diagnosis for pathological CR were 64.7%,97.5%,and 87.7%,respectively.In the dMMR cohort,endoscopy classified 9/17 patients as CR and 2 of the remaining patients with residual tumors as PR(64.3%vs 66.7%,P=0.73).The method demonstrated 100%sensitivity and 82.4%accuracy in diagnosing pathological CR.CONCLUSION Endoscopic evidence of CR or PR was well correlated with postoperative pathological outcomes in the pMMR cohort.Despite endoscopic indications of tumor residue,a complete pathological response post-surgery was possible in the dMMR cohort.

Development and validation of a nomogram prediction model for overall survival in patients with rectal cancer

BACKGROUND Rectal cancer is prevalent and associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.AIM To develop a nomogram prediction model for overall survival(OS)in patients with rectal cancer by leveraging a comprehensive analysis of demographic,clinicopathological,haematological,and follow-up data to identify independent prognostic factors.METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study in China involving rectal cancer patients and applied Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to assess the significance of various variables as independent prognostic factors for OS.The identified factors were integrated into a nomogram model,which was evaluated for predictive accuracy via the C-index,area under the curve(AUC),calibration curve,and decision curve analysis(DCA).RESULTS Multivariate analysis revealed independent predictors of OS,including the Karnofsky performance status,age,sex,TNM stage,chemotherapy,surgery,targeted therapy,β2-microglobulin,lactate dehydrogenase,and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.The nomogram demonstrated a C-index of 0.80 for the training and validation cohorts,with AUC values indicating high predictive accuracy for 1-year,3-year,and 5-year OS.The calibration curves confirmed the model's excellent agreement with the observed survival rates,and DCA revealed the superior clinical utility of the nomogram over the TNM staging system.CONCLUSION In this study,a novel prognostic model that accurately predicts the OS of rectal cancer patients was developed.The model exhibited excellent discriminatory and calibration capabilities,thus offering a reliable tool for health care professionals to estimate patient survival.

Construction of a nomogram prediction model for early postoperative stoma complications of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Postoperative enterostomy is increasing in patients with colorectal cancer,but there is a lack of a model that can predict the probability of early complications.AIM To explore the factors influencing early postoperative stoma complications in colorectal cancer patients and to construct a nomogram prediction model for predicting the probability of these complications.METHODS A retrospective study of 462 patients who underwent postoperative ostomy for colorectal cancer in the Gastrointestinal Department of the Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital.The patients’basic information,surgical details,pathological results,and preoperative inflammatory and nutritional indicators were reviewed.We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression to analyze the risk factors for early postoperative stoma complications in colorectal cancer patients and constructed a nomogram prediction model to predict the probability of these complications.RESULTS Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that diabetes[odds ratio(OR)=3.088,95%confidence interval(CI):1.419-6.719],preoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy(OR=6.822,95%CI:2.171-21.433),stoma type(OR=2.118,95%CI:1.151-3.898),Nutritional risk screening 2002 score(OR=2.034,95%CI:1.082-3.822)and prognostic nutritional index(OR=0.486,95%CI:0.254-0.927)were risk factors for early stoma complications after colorectal cancer surgery(P<0.05).On the basis of these results,a prediction model was constructed and the area under the re-ceiver operating characteristic curve was 0.740(95%CI:0.669-0.811).After internal validation,the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the validation group was 0.725(95%CI:0.631-0.820).The calibration curves for the modeling group and validation group are displayed.The predicted results have a good degree of overlap with the actual results.CONCLUSION A previous history of diabetes,preoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy,stoma type,Nutritional risk screening 2002 score and prognostic nutritional index are risk factors for early stoma complications after colorectal cancer surgery.The nomogram prediction model constructed on the basis of the results of logistic regression analysis in this study can effectively predict the probability of early stomal complications after colorectal cancer surgery.

Expenditure and financial burden for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer in China:a hospital.based,multicenter,cross-sectional survey

Background: The increasing prevalence of colorectal cancer(CRC) in China and the paucity of information about relevant expenditure highlight the necessity of better understanding the financial burden and effect of CRC diagnosis and treatment. We performed a survey to quantify the direct medical and non-medical expenditure as well as the resulting financial burden of CRC patients in China.Methods: We conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional survey in 37 tertiary hospitals in 13 provinces across China between 2012 and 2014. Each enrolled patient was interviewed using a structured questionnaire. All expenditure data were inflated to the 2014 Chinese Yuan(CNY; 1 CNY = 0.163 USD). We quantified the overall expenditure and financial burden and by subgroup(hospital type, age at diagnosis, sex, education, occupation, insurance type, household income, clinical stage, pathologic type, and therapeutic regimen). We then performed generalized linear modeling to determine the factors associated with overall expenditure.Results: A total of 2356 patients with a mean age of 57.4 years were included, 57.1 % of whom were men; 13.9% of patients had stage I cancer; and the average previous-year household income was 54,525 CNY.The overall average direct expenditure per patient was estimated to be 67,408 CNY, and the expenditures for stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ disease were 56,099 CNY, 59,952 CNY, 67,292 CNY, and 82,729 CNY, respectively. Non-medical expenditure accounted for 8.3%of the overall expenditure. The 1-year out-of-pocket expenditure of a newly diagnosed patient was 32,649 CNY, which accounted for 59.9% of their previous-year household income and caused 75.0% of families to suffer an unmanageable financial burden. Univariate analysis showed that financial burden and overall expenditure differed in almost all subgroups(P < 0.05), except for sex. Multivariate analysis showed that patients who were treated in specialized hospitals and those who were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma or diagnosed at a later stage were likely to spend more,whereas those with a lower household income and those who underwent surgery spent less(all P < 0.05).Conclusions: For patients in China, direct expenditure for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC seemed catastrophic,and non-medical expenditure was non-ignorable. The financial burden varied among subgroups, especially among patients with different clinical stages of disease, which suggests that, in China, CRC screening might be cost-effective.

The influence of stage at diagnosis and molecular subtype on breast cancer patient survival: a hospital.based multi.center study

Background: Stage at diagnosis and molecular subtype are important clinical factors associated with breast cancer patient survival. However, subgroup survival data from a large study sample are limited in China.To estimate the survival differences among patients with different stages and various subtypes of breast cancer, we conducted a hospital-based multi-center study on breast cancer in Beijing, China.Methods: All resident patients diagnosed with primary, invasive breast cancer between January 1,2006 and December 31,2010 from four selected hospitals in Beijing were included and followed up until December 31,2015. Hospitalbased data of stage at diagnosis, hormone receptor status, and selected clinical characteristics, including body mass index(BMI), menopausal status, histological grade, and histological type, were collected from the medical records of the study subjects. Overall survival(OS) and cancer-specific survival(CSS) were estimated. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to evaluate the associations of stage at diagnosis and molecular subtype with patient survival.Results: The 5-year OS and CSS rates for all patients were 89.4% and 90.3%. Survival varied by stage and molecular subtype. The 5-year OS rates for patients with stage I, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and IV diseases were 96.5%, 91.6%, 74.8%, and 40.7%,respectively, and the corresponding estimates of 5-year CSS rates were 97.1%, 92.6%, 75.6%, and 42.7%, respectively.The 5-year OS rates for patients with luminal A, luminal B, HER2, and triple-negative subtypes of breast cancer were92.6%, 88.4%, 83.6%, and 82.9%, respectively, and the corresponding estimates of 5-year CSS rates were 93.2%, 89.1 %,85.4%, and 83.5%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that stage at diagnosis and molecular subtype were important prognostic factors for breast cancer.Conclusions: Survival of breast cancer patients varied significantly by stage and molecular subtype. Cancer screening is encouraged for the early detection and early diagnosis of breast cancer. More advanced therapies and health care policies are needed on HER2 and triple-negative subtypes.

Medical expenditures for colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment: A 10-year high-level-hospital-based multicenter retrospective survey in China, 2002-2011

Objective: Colorectal cancer(CRC) causes a substantial burden of disease in China and the evidence of economic burden triggered is fundamental for priority setting. The aim of this survey was to quantify medical expenditures and the time trends for CRC diagnosis and treatment in China.Methods: From 2012 to 2014, a hospital-based multicenter retrospective survey was conducted in 13 provinces across China. For each eligible CRC patient diagnosed from 2002 to 2011, clinical information and expenditure data were extracted using a uniform questionnaire. All expenditure data were reported in Chinese Yuan(CNY)using 2011 values.Results: Of the 14,536 CRC patients included, the average age at diagnosis was 58.2 years and 15.8% were stageI cases. The average medical expenditure per patient was estimated at 37,902 CNY [95 % confidence interval(95%CI): 37,282-38,522], and the annual average increase rate was 9.2% from 2002 to 2011(P for trend <0.001), with a cumulative increase of 2.4 times(from 23,275 CNY to 56,010 CNY). The expenditure per patient in stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ were 31,698 CNY, 37,067 CNY, 38,918 CNY and 42,614 CNY, respectively(P<0.001). Expenditure significantly differed within various subgroups. Expenses for drugs contributed the largest proportion(52.6%).Conclusions: These conservative estimates illustrated that medical expenditures for CRC diagnosis and treatment in tertiary hospitals in China were substantial and increased rapidly over the 10 years, with drugs continually being the main expense by 2011. Relatively, medical expenditures are lower for CRC in the earlier stages. These findings will facilitate the economic evaluation of CRC prevention and control in China.

Expenditure of hospital care on cancer in China, from 2011 to 2015

Objective: A solid understanding of levels and trends of spending on cancer is important to evaluate whether our healthcare resources were wisely spent and to prioritize future resources for cancer treatment and prevention. However, studies on economic burden of cancers in China are scant and the results are inconsistent. Methods: The Chinese hospital information database and nearly 350 million inpatient medical record data were used. As the ratios of cancer inpatient payments to total inpatient payments were mainly influenced by the grades and sites of hospitals, the estimates of payments of cancer inpatients in this study were stratified by hospital grades and provinces. Only the payments of cancer inpatients happened in grade 2, grade 3 and specialized cancer hospitals were included in the analyses. The total medical payments of cancers in China were estimated based on the ratios of outpatient payments to inpatient payments in specialized cancer hospitals. Results: From 2011 to 2015, the payments of cancer inpatients in China have increased by 84.1% and the total inpatient payments reached 177.1 billion RMB in 2015, accounting for 4.3% of the total health expenditure in China. Based on the ratio of outpatient payments to inpatient payments, the total payments on cancer treatments in China were estimated to be 221.4 billion RMB in 2015. Among different cancer types, the highest payments were the treatment of trachea, bronchus and lung cancer. The major cancer inpatient payments (67.1% in 2015) spent in grade 3 general hospitals and this ratio increased continually from 2011 to 2015. The expenditure of cancer treatments also varies by region with the major expenditure in the eastern region of China. Conclusions: This study estimated the total payments of cancer treatments in China and analyzed how the money was spent on cancer treatments in the recent 5 years, which would provide information for decision makings on the allocation of resources to service provisioning, prevention strategies, research funding, and assessing whether the economic burden of cancer is affordable to the governments.

A multicenter hospital-based diagnosis study of automated breast ultrasound system in detecting breast cancer among Chinese women

Objective： The automated breast ultrasound system（ABUS） is a potential method for breast cancer detection;however, its diagnostic performance remains unclear. We conducted a hospital-based multicenter diagnostic study to evaluate the clinical performance of the ABUS for breast cancer detection by comparing it to handheld ultrasound（HHUS） and mammography（MG）.Methods： Eligible participants underwent HHUS and ABUS testing; women aged 40–69 years additionally underwent MG. Images were interpreted using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System（BI-RADS）.Women in the BI-RADS categories 1–2 were considered negative. Women classified as BI-RADS 3 underwent magnetic resonance imaging to distinguish true-and false-negative results. Core aspiration or surgical biopsy was performed in women classified as BI-RADS 4–5, followed by a pathological diagnosis. Kappa values and agreement rates were calculated between ABUS, HHUS and MG.Results： A total of 1,973 women were included in the final analysis. Of these, 1,353（68.6%） and 620（31.4%）were classified as BI-RADS categories 1–3 and 4–5, respectively. In the older age group, the agreement rate and Kappa value between the ABUS and HHUS were 94.0% and 0.860（P〈0.001）, respectively; they were 89.2% and0.735（P〈0.001） between the ABUS and MG, respectively. Regarding consistency between imaging and pathology results, 78.6% of women classified as BI-RADS 4–5 based on the ABUS were diagnosed with precancerous lesions or cancer; which was 7.2% higher than that of women based on HHUS. For BI-RADS 1–2, the false-negative rates of the ABUS and HHUS were almost identical and were much lower than those of MG.Conclusions： We observed a good diagnostic reliability for the ABUS. Considering its performance for breast cancer detection in women with high-density breasts and its lower operator dependence, the ABUS is a promising option for breast cancer detection in China.

Contemporary trends on expenditure of hospital care on total cancer and its subtypes in China during 2008-2017

Objective:To describe the contemporary trends in total,inpatient,and outpatient expenditure on major subtypes of cancer in different classifications of hospitals in China's Mainland.Methods:Home page of Inpatient Medical Records(HIMRs)and Hospital Annual Reports(HARs)were used to estimate hospital care expenditure on cancer.Inpatient payments and their share of cancer were calculated with the top-down method.Kriging spatial interpolation methods were used at the county level and summed at the province level.Outpatient expenditure was estimated with inpatient expenditure and the ratios of outpatient to inpatient payments in specialized cancer hospitals,stratified by province.Total expenditure on cancer was the sum of both payments.Log-linear regression was applied to estimate annual percentage change(APC)of expenditure.Results:Total expenses for cancer of Chinese residents reached up to 304.84 billion Chinese Yuan(CNY)in2017,accounting for 5.8%of the total health expenses(THE).After adjusting for consumer price index(CPI),medical expenses for cancer have increased from 63.30 billion CNY in 2008 to 249.56 billion CNY in 2017[APC:15.2%,95%confidence interval(95%CI):13.4%-17.0%].The APC was slightly higher than THE around 2013,while was lower after 2013.During 2008-2017,the ratio of inpatient to outpatient costs for cancer decreased from4.3:1 to 3.8:1.The inpatient payments for cancer mainly happened in grade 3 general hospitals,East China,and among lung,colorectal,and stomach cancer;while the fastest increase was found in West China,and among thyroid,prostate,and colorectal cancer.Conclusions:During 2008-2017,the rapid growth trend of medical expenses for cancer has been effectively controlled with the continuous deepening of medical reform and improvements of residents’health care.More attention should be paid to potential increases of medical costs caused by technological progress and demand release.Socialized and multi-channel insurance financing modes should be explored in the future.

Experiences with the Use of Vaginal Dilator by Cervical Cancer Women Who Received Pelvic Radiotherapy at Cancer Diseases Hospital, Lusaka Zambia

Background: Cancer of the cervix is the commonest cancer in women seen at Cancer Diseases Hospital in Zambia and Pelvic Radiotherapy is the main treatment modality used on cervical cancer patients. Radiotherapy to the pelvis has a potential to causes vaginal stenosis but the stenosis can be prevented by regular sexual intercourse or use of vaginal dilators as recommended by cancer organizations. Despite the well-established benefits of vaginal dilators, there was reluctance by women to adopt this practice as seen by the number of survivors with vaginal stenosis at Cancer Diseases Hospital. The objective of this study was to explore experiences with the use of vaginal dilators by cervical cancer women who received Pelvic Radiotherapy. Methodology: A descriptive phenomenological design was used to explore experiences with the use of vaginal dilators by cervical cancer women. The study was conducted at Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka District of Zambia. Participants were identified and purposefully sampled during the follow up clinics, they were then followed for interviews into their homes in Lusaka and data saturation was attained after interviewing 22 participants. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Five themes from the study emerged on how women with cervical cancer experienced the use of vaginal dilator;such as uncomfortable dilators, pity for the husband, changed lifestyle, embarrassment and fear. Conclusion: It was acknowledged that the use of vaginal dilator was associated with negative experiences such as uncomfortable dilators, pity for the husband, changed lifestyle, fear and embarrassment. Therefore, this study recommends that Health care providers from CDH and other health institutions should give appropriate information to patients concerning the use of vaginal dilators and the Ministry of Health to provide vaginal dilators instead of 50 milliliter syringes currently in use.

Microbiome changes in esophageal cancer:implications for pathogenesis and prognosis

Esophageal cancer(EC)is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis.Various factors,including dietary habits,and antacid and antibiotic use,have been shown to influence the esophageal microbiome.Conversely,enrichment and diversity of the esophageal microbiome can also impact its function.Recent studies have revealed prevalent changes in the esophageal microbiome among patients with EC,thus suggesting the potential contribution of the esophageal microbiome to EC development.Additionally,distinct microbiome compositions have been observed in patients with different responses to radiotherapy and chemotherapy,indicating the role of the esophageal microbiome in modulating treatment outcomes.In this review,we have examined previous studies on the esophageal microbiome in healthy individuals and patients with EC or other esophageal diseases,with a focus on identifying microbial communities associated with EC pathogenesis and prognosis.Understanding the role of the microbiome in EC may aid in early detection and optimized treatment strategies,ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients.