Survival Outcomes of Calcium Channel Blocker Therapy in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Non-cancer drugs are currently being repurposed for cancer treatment. Mounting evidence highlights the influence of calcium channels on tumorigenesis and progression. Hence, inhibition of calcium signaling may be a promising cancer treatment strategy. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to examine whether calcium channel blockers (CCBs) affect the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective analysis. METHODS: In this study, conducted between January 2009 and June 2021, patients with NSCLC treated with erlotinib, or gefitinib for at least 1 week were enrolled and divided into 2 groups: CCBs-/EGFR-TKIs+ and CCBs+/EGFR-TKIs+, depending on whether they received CCB therapy. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined as the primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. RESULT: : The estimated median PFS and OS for the CCBs-/EGFR-TKIs+group were 7.70 and 12.17 months, respectively, and they were significantly different from those of the CCBs+/EGFR-TKIs+ group (10.43 and 18.07 months, respectively). CCB use was associated with improved PFS (adjusted hazard ratios [HR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61-0.98; P = .035) and OS (adjusted HR 0.66, 95% CI: 0.51-0.84; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Calcium channels have been implicated in cancer pathogenesis. Our findings revealed the potential additive anticancer effects of CCBs when used concomitantly with EGFR-TKIs. However, study limitations, including the retrospective nature and small number of patients, necessitate large-scale prospective studies on the therapeutic potential of CCB as an adjunctive therapy with EGFR-TKIs in patients with NSCLC.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Is Helpful for Survival Improvement in Patients With Multiple Myeloma in Taiwan: A Nationwide Retrospective Matched-Cohort Study.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that Chinese herbal medicine is beneficial for survival improvement in patients with multiple myeloma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort study to analyze patients with multiple myeloma diagnosed between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2012, through the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients who received Chinese herbal medicine therapy from the initial date of diagnosis of multiple myeloma to December 31, 2012, were included in the Chinese herbal medicine group. Patients who were not treated with Chinese herbal medicine during the same interval were categorized in the non-Chinese herbal medicine group. A Cox regression model was used to adjust for sex, age, comorbidities, and drug use. Hazard ratios were also compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 312 patients were identified after 1:1 propensity score matching. The patients had similar basic characteristics. A better survival status was found in the Chinese herbal medicine cohort (log-rank test, P < .0001). Finally, 49 patients in the Chinese herbal medicine cohort and 96 patients in the non-Chinese herbal medicine cohort died (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.35, 95% confidence interval = 0.24-0.51). The effect of survival improvement from Chinese herbal medicine in patients with multiple myeloma could be observed when prescriptions had the duration of ≥30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that patients with multiple myeloma could benefit from Chinese herbal medicine treatment, which could improve the survival rate in Taiwan. The findings offer important ideas for further study.

5-alpha-reductase inhibitor therapy postpones urine retention and prostate surgery in patients with prostate enlargement and a maximum uroflow rate of less than 15 ml/sec.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the risk of transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) and acute urine retention (AUR) in relation to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (5ARI) therapy. METHODS: We identified 22,687 patients who were newly diagnosed with PE and low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2011. We further classified study subjects who had moderate to severe LUTS and a maximum uroflow rate of less than 15ml/sec into three groups by their defined daily dose (DDD) of 5ARI used. The control group consisted of 7-28 cumulative DDD (cDDD) 5ARI users, while the short-term treatment group was 29-179cDDD 5ARI users, and the long-term treatment group was users of more than 180cDDD 5ARI. Each patient was monitored to identify those who subsequently developed TURP and AUR. RESULTS: TURP and AUR are detected in 5.6% of control group, 7.6% of short-term treatment group and 5.5% of long-term treatment group during 10-year follow up. Compared with the control group, there was no difference in the risk of TURP and AUR in the short-term and long-term treatment groups (HR = 1.41, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.62 and HR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.56, respectively). CONCLUSION: 5ARI therapy did not change the risk of TURP and AUR events in patients with PE, moderate to severe LUTS and a maximum uroflow rate of less than 15 ml/sec in 10 years of follow-up. But long-term 5ARI used can postpone AUR and TURP for 8.16 months.