Efficacy and Safety of Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Monotherapy Compared with Combination Therapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The effectiveness and safety of combination treatments such as chemoimmunotherapies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) remain controversial. Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) are an effective therapy for CLL/SLL patients. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of BTKis versus combination therapy in CLL/SLL patients. We searched the PubMed, Cochrane, Medline, and Embase databases through February 2023 for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Four RCTs (including 1510 patients) were found and met the inclusion criteria. Progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly improved with BTKis when compared to the combination therapy (hazard ratio (HR), 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.22-0.40), while a pooled analysis of overall survival did not favor single-agent BTKis over the combination therapy (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.67-1.15). We observed consistent benefits for PFS among patients with high-risk disease characteristics. Although there was no difference in complete response between the two arms (risk ratio (RR), 0.54; 95% CI, 0.20-1.46), BTKi use was related to a better overall response rate (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.04-1.16). The risk of grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) was comparable between the two arms (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.55-1.23). However, the risk of grade ≥3 AEs was significantly lower in the second-generation BTKi group than in the combination therapy group (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54-0.98). Overall, BTKis have superior efficacy compared to the combination regimens in patients with untreated or treated CLL/SLL without excess toxicity. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and determine the optimal therapy for managing patients with CLL/SLL.

Primary invasive ductal carcinoma of axillary accessory breast.

Primary accessory breast cancer is an extremely rare pathology, representing less than 1 % of all breast cancers, and it is found in more than 90 % of cases in the axilla. The diagnosis of accessory axillary breast cancer (AABC) is often late and at an advanced stage with an average delay of 40.5 months. Histological sampling and immunohistochemical results confirm the diagnosis. Most patients are diagnosed with stage II disease or higher, so it is considered to have a poor prognosis. There is no specific management for AABC; it follows the guidelines for orthotopic pectoral breast cancer. We therefore report the case of a 50-year-old woman diagnosed with grade II invasive ductal carcinoma found in accessory axillary breast, treated by wide local resection and sentinel lymph node dissection.

Rapid HIV testing and obstetrical characteristics of women with unknown HIV serostatus at time of labor and delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the obstetrical characteristics of women without prenatal care and/or undocumented human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serostatus who presented for delivery and to assess the usefulness of rapid HIV screening in these women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study design was a retrospective analysis. Demographics, labor, delivery characteristics, and pregnancy outcomes of women without prenatal care and/or unknown HIV serostatus were reviewed. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty parturients met the inclusion criteria: 15.2% presented at complete cervical dilation, 48.6% with cervical dilation of at least 5 cm, and 43.1% with ruptured membranes. Twenty-two percent of parturients delivered within 1 hour of admission, 47.6% delivered within 4 hours of admission, and 5.5% delivered prior to arrival to the hospital. With the lengthy admission process and procurement of zidovudine from the pharmacy requiring at least 1 hour at best, 27.5% would not have the benefit of intrapartum zidovudine treatment. Single Use Diagnostic System HIV-1 rapid test was reactive and confirmed in 7 women (2.5%). CONCLUSION: Rapid HIV screening is a useful tool for guiding immediate obstetrical management and coordinated care for the neonate. In some circumstances, the full benefit of rapid HIV detection will not be realized due to advanced labor, ruptured members, or delivery prior to arrival.

Hemorrhagic stroke after spinal anesthesia and minor surgery.

This report describes a case of hemorrhagic stroke that presented as an expressive aphasia after routine hernia repair under spinal anesthesia in an otherwise generally healthy middle-aged outpatient. Possible roles of preexisting migrainous headaches and perioperative ephedrine are discussed, but, as in most cases of perioperative stroke, the possibilities are numerous and the cause of the stroke difficult to determine.