[Effect of chronic periodontitis on quality of life and severity in patients with bronchiectasis].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of chronic periodontitis on the quality of life and severity of the disease in patients with bronchiectasis. METHODS: A total of 80 bronchiectasis patients admitted to The Fourth Hospital of Changsha between April 2021 and April 2023 were randomly selected. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had moderate to severe chronic periodontitis: bronchiectasis with periodontitis group (n=45) and bronchiectasis without periodontitis group (n=35). The Qualify of Life Questionnaire for Bronchiectasi(QoL-B) was used to assess patients' quality. The severity of the disease was assessed using the Bronchiectasis Severity Index (BSI), and serum levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6(IL-6) were detected. SPSS 20.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: The QoL-B score of bronchiectasis with periodontitis group was significantly lower than that of bronchiectasis without periodontitis group, and the BSI score was significantly higher than that of bronchiectasis without periodontitis group(P＜0.05). The levels of hs-CRP, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in bronchiectasis with periodontitis were significantly higher than those in bronchiectasis without periodontitis group(P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic periodontitis shows significant adverse effects on both quality of life and disease severity in patients with bronchiectasis, which may be related to the common mechanism of inflammatory response between the two kinds of diseases.

The value of exponential apparent diffusion coefficient value in predicting progression-free survival in patients with FIGO stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ cervical cancer / 实用放射学杂志

Objective To explore the correlation between exponential apparent diffusion coefficient(eADC)value before radical hysterectomy and postoperative clinical results in patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO)stageⅠ/Ⅱ cervical cancer,and to find MR quantitative indicators for predicting the prognosis of patients with early stage cervical cancer.Methods Patients with FIGO stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ cervical cancer who underwent surgical treatment were retrospectively collected.All patients underwent MRI plain scan and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)scan before surgery.Baseline parameters included age,menopause,stage,tumor size,pathological differentiation and type,lymph node involvement,and postoperative adjuvant therapy.MR parameters included mean apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCmean),normalized apparent diffusion coefficient(nADC),eADC,SIDWI,and SIT2.Baseline and MRI parameters associated with recurrence were determined by Cox regression analysis.Results The progression-free survival(PFS)in the low eADC group was longer than that in the high eADC group(P=0.010).Univariate analysis showed that ADC,nADC and eADC were associated with recurrence(P<0.05).In multivariate analysis,only eADC[hazard ratio(HR)3.610;95%confidence interval(CI)1.467-8.886;P=0.005]was associated with recurrence.Conclusion Preoperative eADC is associated with PFS in patients with surgically treated FIGO stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ cervical cancer and is helpful in evaluating the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.

Relationship between perioperative nutrition risk and venous thromboembolism in patients with hip fracture / 天津医药

Objective To investigate the relationship between perioperative nutritional risk and venous thromboembolism(VTE)in patients with hip fracture.Methods A total of 379 patients with unilateral hip fracture due to fall or sprain who underwent elective surgery were selected and divided into the non-VTE group(246 cases)and the VTE group(133 cases)according to whether or not VTE occurred during perioperative period.Basic information,surgical and anesthesia records,nutritional risk related indicators,inflammatory indicators and outcome indicators of patients were collected.Multiple Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent influencing factors of perioperative VTE.Receiver operating characteristics(ROC)curves were used to assess the ability to discriminate independent factors,and DeLong test was used to compare area under the curve(AUC).Results Compared with the non-VTE group,the proportion of patients in the VTE group was older,complicated with hypertension,the time to visit hospital more than 2 days,received(hollow/intramedullary nail)internal fixation,perioperative blood transfusion,ASA gradeⅢtoⅣ,and higher nutritional risk screening Table(NRS)-2002 scores on admission and higher postoperative neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio(NLR).Nutritional prognosis index(PNI),hemoglobin(Hb)and prealbumin(PA)at admission and after operation were lower in the VTE group than those in the non-VTE group(P＜0.01).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that PNI was decreased,NRS-2002 scores and PA were increased,and the time of visit hospital was>2 days after internal fixation.American College of Anesthesiologists(ASA)gradesⅢ-Ⅳwere independent risk factors for perioperative VTE of hip fracture(P＜0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC(95%CI)of NRS-2002 at admission was 0.739(0.692-0.783),and that of PNI at admission was 0.720(0.672-0.765),both of which were better than other influencing factors(P＜0.01).Conclusion NRS-2002 and PNI are good predictors of perioperative VTE in patients with hip fracture.

Application of optimized hippocampus-avoidance prophylactic cranial irradiation in limited-stage small cell lung cancer / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To analyze the treatment efficacy, safety and dose parameters of optimized hippocampus-avoidance prophylactic cranial irradiation (HA-PCI) in limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) and explore the corresponding dosimetric parameters under the condition of narrowing the hippocampus avoidance region as hippocampus region plus 2 mm in three dimensions.Methods:Clinical data of patients with LS-SCLC receiving HA-PCI (hippocampus avoidance region defined as hippocampus region plus 2 mm in three dimensions) in Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from August 2014 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Dose parameters of HA-PCI and adverse events were analyzed using descriptive statistics analysis. Changes of neurocognitive function, such as mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Hopkins verbal learning test-revised (HVLT-R) scores, were evaluated by analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and intracranial PFS (iPFS) were calculated using Kaplan-Meier method. The cumulative incidence of local-regional recurrence (LRR), extracranial distant metastases (EDM), and locoregional recurrence (LR) were investigated under competing risk analysis. Results:A total of 112 patients were included, the median follow-up time was 50 months (95% CI: 45.61-54.38). The median volume of hippocampus was 4.85 ml (range: 2.65-8.34 ml), with the average dose ≤9 Gy in 106 patients (94.6%), ≤8 Gy in 92 patients (82.1%). The median volume of hippocampus avoidance area was 15.00 ml (range: 8.61-28.06 ml), with the average dose ≤12 Gy in 109 patients (97.3%), ≤10 Gy in 101 patients (90.2%). The 2-year cumulative LRR, EDM, LR rates were 16.9%, 23.2% and 28.5%, respectively. The 5-year cumulative LRR, EDM, LR rates were 23.2%, 26.9% and 33.3%, respectively. The 2-year iPFS, PFS and OS rates were 66.1% (95% CI: 57.9%-75.4%), 53.6% (95% CI: 45.1%-63.7%) and 80.4% (95% CI: 73.3%-88.1%), respectively. The most common grade I-Ⅱ adverse events were nausea (33.9%) and dizziness (31.3%), and only 1 patient developed grade Ⅲ nausea and dizziness. MMSE ( n=57) and HVLT-R tests ( n=56) showed no significant decline. Conclusions:Optimized HA-PCI can achieve similar dose limitation with favorable efficacy and light toxicity. No significant decline is observed in short-term neurocognitive function in evaluable patients.

Application value and research progress in thoracic radiotherapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterized by rapid proliferation and high propensity for local recurrence and widespread metastasis, which yields extremely poor prognosis. Approximately 2/3 of patients present with extensive-stage disease (ES-SCLC) at initial diagnosis. For ES-SCLC, the combination platinum-based chemotherapy has been the standard regimen for the past few decades. In the era of chemotherapy, multiple studies have shown the benefit of thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) for patients who responded to chemotherapy. However, with the first-line treatment of ES-SCLC shifting into the immune era, as well as the advances in diagnostic imaging modality and radiation technology, the benefit of TRT has caused a widespread controversy. In this article, the value of TRT for ES-SCLC and the latest progress in the radioimmunotherapy combination mode for ES-SCLC were reviewed.

Environmental contamination related to the first patient with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection and the infection status of pa-tients in the intensive care unit in Tibetan areas / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To investigate the environmental contamination related to first patient with carbapenem-re-sistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)infection and the infection status of relevant patients in a newly established intensive care unit(ICU)of a hospital in Tibetan area,and analyze the transmission risk.Methods From the ad-mission in ICU of a patients who was first detected CRAB on November 15,2021 to the 60th day of hospitalization,all patients who stayed in ICU for＞48 hours were performed active screening on CRAB.On the 30th day and 60th day of the admission to the ICU of the first CRAB-infected patient,environment specimens were taken respectively 2 hours after high-frequency diagnostic and therapeutic activities but before disinfection,and after disinfection but before medical activities.CRAB was cultured with chromogenic culture medium.Results Among the 13 patients who were actively screened,1 case was CRAB positive,he was transferred from the ICU of a tertiary hospital to the ICU of this hospital on November 19th.On the 40th day of admission to the ICU,he had fever,increased frequency for sputum suction,and CRAB was detected.The drug sensitivity spectrum was similar to that of the first case,and he also stayed in the adjacent bed of the first case.64 environmental specimens were taken,and 9 were positive for CRAB,with a positive rate of 14.06％,8 sampling points such as the washbasin,door handle and bed rail were positive for CRAB after high-frequency diagnostic and therapeutic activities.After routine disinfection,CRAB was detected from the sink of the washbasin.Conclusion For the prevention and control of CRAB in the basic-level ICU in ethnic areas,it is feasible to conduct risk assessment on admitted patients and adopt bundled prevention and con-trol measures for high-risk patients upon admission.Attention should be paid to the contaminated areas(such as washbasin,door handle,and bed rail)as well as the effectiveness of disinfection of sink of washbasin.

Activin and Hepatocyte Growth Factor Promotes Colorectal Cancer Stemness and Metastasis through FOXM1/SOX2/CXCR4Signaling

Background/Aims@#Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are believed to drive tumor development and metastasis. Activin and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are important cytokines with the ability to induce cancer stemness. However, the effect of activin and HGF combination treatment on CSCs is still unclear. @*Methods@#In this study, we sequentially treated colorectal cancer cells with activin and HGF and examined CSC marker expression, self-renewal, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. The roles of forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) and sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), two stemness-related transcription factors, in activin/HGF-induced aggressive phenotype were explored. @*Results@#Activin and HGF treatment increased the expression of CSC markers and enhanced sphere formation in colorectal cancer cells. The tumorigenic and metastatic capacities of colorectal cancer cells were enhanced upon activin and HGF treatment. Activin and HGF treatment preferentially promoted stemness and metastasis of CD133 + subpopulations sorted from colorectal cancer cells. FOXM1 was upregulated by activin and HGF treatment, and the knockdown of FOXM1 blocked activin/HGF-induced stemness, tumorigenesis, and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells.Similarly, SOX2 was silencing impaired sphere formation of activin/HGF-treated colorectal cancers. Overexpression of SOX2 rescued the stem cell-like phenotype in FOXM1-depleted colorectal cancer cells with activin and HGF treatment. Additionally, the inhibition of FOXM1 via thiostrepton suppressed activin/HGF-induced stemness, tumorigenesis and metastasis. @*Conclusions@#Sequential treatment with activin and HGF promotes colorectal cancer stemness and metastasis through activation of the FOXM1/SOX2 signaling. FOXM1 could be a potential target for the treatment of colorectal cancer metastasis.

Comparison of oral sodium phosphate tablets and polyethylene glycol lavage solution for colonoscopy preparation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Objective: To systematically compare the bowel cleaning ability, patient tolerance and safety of oral sodium phosphate tablets (NaPTab) and oral polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution (PEGL) to inform clinical decision making. Methods: PubMed, Embase, CBM, WanFang Data, CNKI, and VIP databases were searched for studies that used randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the roles of NaPTab and PEGL in bowel preparation before colonoscopy. Two reviewers independently screened the studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias in the included papers. A meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: A total of 13 RCTs were eligible for inclusion, including 2,773 patients (1,378 and 1,395 cases in the NaPTab and PEGL groups, respectively). Meta-analysis revealed no significant difference in the cleansing quality of the NaPTab and PEGL groups [RR 1.02, 95% CI (0.96-1.08), P = 0.46]. The incidence of nausea was lower in the NaPTab group than in the PEGL group [RR 0.67, 95% CI (0.58-0.76), p < 0.00001]. Patients rated the taste of NaPTab higher than PEGL [RR 1.33, 95% CI (1.26-1.40), P < 0.00001]. Willingness to repeat the treatment was also higher in the NaPTab group than in the PEGL group [RR 1.52, 95% CI (1.28-1.80), P < 0.00001]. Both serum potassium and serum calcium decreased in both groups after the preparation; however, meta-analysis revealed that both minerals decreased more in the NaPTab group than in the PEGL group [MD = 0.38, 95% CI (0.13-0.62), P = 0.006 for serum potassium and MD = 0.41, 95% CI (0.04-0.77), P = 0.03 for serum calcium]. Meanwhile, serum phosphorus increased in both groups after the preparation; however, levels increased more in the NaPTab group than in the PEGL group [MD 4.51, (95% CI 2.9-6.11), P < 0.00001]. Conclusions: While NaP tablets and PEGL were shown to have a similar cleaning effect before colonoscopy, NaP tablets had improved patient tolerance. However, NaP tablets had a strong effect on serum potassium, calcium, and phosphorus levels. For patients with low potassium, low calcium, and renal insufficiency, NaP tablets should be prescribed with caution. For those at high-risk for acute phosphate nephropathy, NaP tablets should be avoided. Given the low number and quality of included studies, these conclusions will require additional verification by large high-quality studies. Systematic review registration: 10.37766/inplasy2023.5.0013, identifier: NPLASY202350013.

Analysis of risk factors of radiation-induced toxicity in limited-stage small cell lung cancer treated with hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiotherapy / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To compare the incidence of radiation-related toxicities between conventional and hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and to explore the risk factors of hypofractionated radiotherapy-induced toxicities. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from consecutive limited-stage SCLC patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from March 2016 to April 2022. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups according to radiation fractionated regimens. Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE, version 5.0) was used to evaluate the grade of radiation esophagus injuries and lung injuries. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with radiation-related toxicities in the hypofractionated radiotherapy group. Results: Among 211 enrolled patients, 108 cases underwent conventional IMRT and 103 patients received hypofractionated IMRT. The cumulative incidences of acute esophagitis grade ≥2 [38.9% (42/108) vs 35.0% (36/103), P=0.895] and grade ≥ 3 [1.9% (2/108) vs 5.8% (6/103), P=0.132] were similar between conventional and hypofractionated IMRT group. Late esophagus injuries grade ≥2 occurred in one patient in either group. No differences in the cumulative incidence of acute pneumonitis grade ≥2[12.0% (13/108) vs 5.8% (6/103), P=0.172] and late lung injuries grade ≥2[5.6% (6/108) vs 10.7% (11/103), P=0.277] were observed. There was no grade ≥3 lung injuries occurred in either group. Using multiple regression analysis, mean esophageal dose ≥13 Gy (OR=3.33, 95% CI: 1.23-9.01, P=0.018) and the overlapping volume between planning target volume (PTV) and esophageal ≥8 cm(3)(OR=3.99, 95% CI: 1.24-12.79, P=0.020) were identified as the independent risk factors associated with acute esophagitis grade ≥2 in the hypofractionated radiotherapy group. Acute pneumonitis grade ≥2 was correlated with presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, P=0.025). Late lung injuries grade ≥2 was correlated with tumor location(P=0.036). Conclusions: Hypofractionated IMRT are tolerated with manageable toxicities for limited-stage SCLC patients treated with IMRT. Mean esophageal dose and the overlapping volume between PTV and esophageal are independently predictive factors of acute esophagitis grade ≥2, and COPD and tumor location are valuable factors of lung injuries for limited-stage SCLC patients receiving hyofractionated radiotherapy. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these results.

Monte Carlo simulation of photoneutron for a 15 MV medical linear accelerator / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To study the photoneutron radiation field caused by photonuclear reaction during the operation of high energy medical linac.Methods:Monte Carlo was used to simulate the photoneutron pollution of Clinic 2300CD medical electron accelerator in 15 MV X-ray mode. The photoneutron spectrum at different positions of the head and the variation in neutron ambient dose equivalent in different irradiation fields were investigated, and the dose distribution of photoneutron on the isocenter plane and the dose attenuation in the water model were analyzed.Results:When the collimator was closed, the average photoneutron energy at the lower surface of target, primary collimator, flattening filter and multi-leaf collimator was 1.08, 1.20, 0.35 and 0.30 MeV, respectively. The neutron ambient dose equivalent at the isocenter first increased and then decreased with the irradiation field expanding, reaching the maximum in about 30 cm × 30 cm irradiation field. With the increase in the depth of the measuring point in water phantom, the neutron fluent first increased and then decreased, while the neutron dose gradually decreased. In different irradiation fields, the photoneutron dose rate was almost close to the background when the depth of the water was 20 cm.Conclusions:By exploring the photoneutron spectrum and dose distribution characteristics of the high energy medical linac head, as well as the dose deposition mechanism of photoneutron in water phantom, this study provides data support for further research on the additional dose and secondary cancer effects on patients caused by photoneutron pollution from the high energy medical linac.

Establishment and preliminary application of the Mini-FERO form for formative evaluation in the standardized training for radiation oncology resident physicians / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To establish the first Mini-Formative Evaluation of Radiation Oncology (Mini-FERO) scale in China and evaluate its preliminary application value in the standardized training for radiation oncology resident physicians.Methods:Based on the educational curriculum and examination requirements for the standardized training for radiation oncology resident physicians, as well as the standardized Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) scale commonly used in clinical practice, the Mini-Formative Evaluation of Radiation Oncology (Mini-FERO) scale was developed to facilitate the standardized training for resident physicians in the field of radiation oncology. In this prospective study, a randomization method using a random number table was employed to select a cohort of 26 resident physicians who completed their rotations in Department of Radiation Oncology at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from March 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. The Mini-FERO scale was administered in the initial, middle, and final stages during the rotation period. The differences in evaluation scores before and after the assessments were analyzed by paired t-test. Furthermore, participating resident physicians and supervising teachers provided satisfaction ratings, and a comprehensive evaluation of the Mini-FERO scale was conducted. Results:The average scores of the three examinations of 26 resident physicians demonstrated a successive improvement, with individual performance in each assessed category also showing progressive enhancement. The second evaluation exhibited a more pronounced score increase compared to the first evaluation, with a mean improvement of (1.43±1.02) points ( t=7.13, P<0.001); while the third evaluation had a mean improvement of (0.41±0.50) points ( t=4.07, P<0.001) compaired to the second evaluation, with a mean difference of (1.02±1.15) points between the two ( t=4.53, P<0.001). The average time required for the assessments was (34.31±24.46) min. Overall satisfaction ratings from the evaluated resident physicians for the Mini-FERO scale were (8.42±0.85) points, and supervising teachers reported an overall satisfaction rating of (8.45±0.85) points. The satisfaction rate was 96% (25/26). Conclusions:In this study, the Mini-FERO scale was successfully developed and validated in the context of clinical teaching practice for radiation oncology resident physicians. The Mini-FERO scale is proven to be a feasible tool for assessing the gradual improvement of resident physicians throughout their learning process in the field of radiation oncology. Importantly, it offers the advantages of short assessment time, thereby avoiding additional burden on supervising teachers. The adoption of the Mini-FERO scale addresses current limitations of lacking of formative evaluation in the standardized training for radiation oncology resident physicians.

Application of bortezomib plus highdose melphalan pretreatment regimen during autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of bortezomib plus highdose melphalan (L-phenylalanine nitrogen mustard) (Bor-HDM) pretreatment regimen for multiple myeloma (MM) with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT).Methods:From August 2008 to December 2021, the relevant clinical data were retrospectively reviewed for 58 MM patients undergoing MM transplantation.The conditioning regimens were Bor-HDM (n=36) and HDM (n=22). Non-hematopoietic adverse reactions, hematopoietic reconstruction time, remission rate post-ASCT and minimal negative rate of residual disease (MRD) on flow cytometry within 3 months post-ASCT and survivals were analyzed.Results:In Bor-HDM and HDM groups, median time of neutrophil engraftment was 12(8-30) and 11(8-29) day and median time of platelet reconstitution 16(8-33) and 16(7-32) day respectively.There was no significant inter-group difference ( P=0.890, P=0.638). In Bor-HDM group, the most common non-hematological adverse reactions were nausea (n=21, 58.0%) and diarrhea (n=11, 30.6%). There was no transplant-related death.Complete remission (CR) rate was (25/36, 69.4%) versus (9/22, 40.9%). The inter-group difference was statistically significant ( P=0.032). Median follow-up period was 29.0(2.0-91.0) vs. 20.5(5.0-114.0) month, 3-year progression-free survival(PFS)62.1% vs. 39.7% and 3-year overall survival(OS) 83.8% vs. 62.5%.There were relapse (n=10 vs.10) and death (n=6 vs. 7). Median PFS in Bor-HDM and HDM groups was non-attained and 27 months( P=0.047) and median OS time non-attained and 40 months respectively ( P=0.282). Multivariate analysis revealed that CR was an independent risk factor for PFS ( HR=28.896, 95% CI: 6.130-136.198, P<0.001). Non-CR was an independent risk factor for OS ( HR=3.843, 95% CI: 1.334-11.071, P=0.013; HR=28.595, 95% CI: 6.273-130.355, P<0.001). Conclusions:Bor-HDM pretreatment regimen of ASCT is both safe and efficacious for MM patients.

Phase II trial of hippocampal avoidance whole-brain irradiation with simultaneous integrated boost for treatment of brain metastases of lung cancer / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hippocampal avoidance whole-brain irradiation with simultaneous integrated boost in the treatment of brain metastases of lung cancer.Methods:Forty lung cancer patients with brain metastases who received whole-brain radiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost and hippocampal avoidance in Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2014 to 2020 were enrolled in this study. Brain MRI, survival follow-up and evaluation of side effects were performed before radiotherapy and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after radiotherapy, respectively. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and changes in cognitive function were analyzed. Continuous data were described as Mean ± SD. Categorical data were described by frequency and composition ratio or percentage. Survival analysis was conducted by Kaplan-Meier method. Influencing factors of survival were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox's regression analyses.Results:A total of 40 patients were enrolled in the study. The median follow-up time was 14.2 months and the median OS, PFS and intracranial PFS of all patients were 14.8 months, 6.7 months and 14.8 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that male gender and newly diagnosed stage Ⅳ disease were associated with worse OS and PFS, respectively. The Hopkins verbal learning test-revised (HVLT-R) scores at baseline and 1, 3 and 6 months after radiotherapy were 21.94±2.99, 20.88±3.12, 20.03±3.14, and 19.78±2.98, respectively. The HVLT-R score at 6 months after radiotherapy was decreased by approximately 9.8% compared with the baseline. No grade 3 or above toxic and side effect occurred in the entire cohort.Conclusion:Hippocampal avoidance whole-brain irradiation with simultaneous integrated boost is a safe and effective treatment for brain metastases of lung cancer, which is expected to reduce the impact of radiotherapy on cognitive function.

Risk factors of hemorrhagic cystitis after allo-HSCT and therapeutic effects of early transfusion of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy and risk factors of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) infusion at an early stage (i.e.gross hematuria) for hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).Methods:The relevant clinical data were retrospectively reviewed for 300 patients undergoing allo-HSCT from January 2016 to July 2021.According to the presence or absence of HC, they were assigned into two groups of HC (n=89) and non-HC (control, n=211). According to whether or not receiving an infusion of UCMSCs, 51 patients of HC degree Ⅱ-Ⅳ were divided into two groups of UCMSC infusion and non-infusion.The risk factors of HC after allo-HSCT were analyzed by χ2 test.Logistic regression was employed for multivariate analysis of P<0.05.Mann-Whitney U test was utilized for statistically analyzing the duration of gross hematuria and urinary tract irritation symptoms and evaluating the clinical efficacy of UCMSCs infusion for HC. Results:Among them, 89 (29.67%) developed HC post-allo-HSCT.Clinical grades were Ⅰ (n=38, 42.70%), Ⅱ (n=36, 40.45%), Ⅲ (n=13, 14.61%) and Ⅳ (n=2, 2.25%). The median occurrence time was 29 (21.5-35.0) days post-allo-HSCT.In univariate analysis, age ≤30 years, haploid transplantation, antithymocyte globulin (ATG), acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), CMV-DNA positive pretreatment significantly boosted the risk of HC ( P<0.05). In multivariate analysis, aGVHD was an independent risk factor for HC ( OR=10.281, 95% CI: 1.606-65.813, P=0.014). Among 89 HC patients, 38 grade Ⅰ patients were complete remission(CR). Among 51 patients of grade Ⅱ-Ⅳ HC, the outcomes were CR (n=48) and non-remission(NR)(n=3). And 24/51 of them received UCMSCs plus conventional treatment.The duration of gross hematuria was shorter in UCMSCs infusion group than that in UCMSCs non-infusion group [12(9-17) vs 17(12.0-26.5) day] and the difference was statistically significant ( P=0.045). And the duration of urinary tract irritation symptoms was shorter in UCMSCs infusion group than that in UCMSCs non-infusion group [18(11-30) vs 27(18.0-35.5) days] and the difference was statistically significant ( P=0.048). Conclusions:Indicated for post-ALLO-HSCT HC, infusion of UCMSCs may significantly shorten the course of disease.Age ≤30 years, haploid transplantation and preconditioning with positive ATG, aGVHD and CMV-DNA may boost the risks of HC post-allo-HSCT.And aGVHD is an independent risk factor for HC after allo-HSCT.

Prognostic value of pretreatment body mass index in patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer after chemoradiotherapy / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To explore the effect of pretreatment body mass index (BMI) on the prognosis of patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after chemoradiotherapy.Methods:The clinical data of 711 patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated with radiotherapy, sequential chemoradiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy from January 2013 to December 2017 in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College were retrospectively analyzed. Radiotherapy was performed with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and the chemotherapy regimens were paclitaxel+carboplatin, pemetrexed+cisplatin or etoposide+cisplatin. The effects of pretreatment BMI and other clinical factors on overall survival (OS) of patients were analyzed. Survival analysis was performed by using Kaplan-Meier method; univariate and multivariate analyses were performed by using Cox proportional hazards model.Results:According to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended BMI grouping method for Asian, the median OS time of low BMI group (<18.5 kg/m 2, 23 cases), normal BMI group (18.5-23.9 kg/m 2, 293 cases) and high BMI group (≥24.0 kg/m 2, 395 cases) was 17 months (95% CI 11-29 months), 29 months (95% CI 22-36 months) and 30 months (95% CI 27-34 months), respectively. OS in the low BMI group was poorer than that in the normal BMI group and high BMI group ( χ2 = 11.20, P = 0.004). Maximally selected rank statistics was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of BMI for prediction of survival as 21.31 kg/m 2, according to which patients were divided into low BMI group (BMI<21.31 kg/m 2, 130 cases) and high BMI group (BMI≥21.31 kg/m 2, 581 cases), the median OS time of the two groups was 20 months (95% CI 17-27 months) and 32 months (95% CI 28-35 months), respectively. OS in the low BMI group was poorer than that in the high BMI group ( χ2 = 12.30, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥ 65 years old, male, Karnofsky score < 80 points, low BMI, smoking, histological type of squamous cell carcinoma and radiotherapy alone were independent risk factors for OS (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:For patients with unresectable locally advanced NSCLC who received chemoradiotherapy, those with low pretreatment BMI have poor prognosis.

Safety of thoracic radiotherapy followed by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor after induction therapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the safety and tolerance of sequential thoracic radiotherapy combined with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) after induction systemic therapy.Methods:ES-SCLC patients from a phase I trial and a real-world study were enrolled for those who received thoracic radiotherapy after induction systemic treatment (chemotherapy/chemotherapy combined with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors) and consolidated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. These two studies were both approved by the Ethics Committee of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital (Clinical Trials.gov number, NCT03971214, NCT04947774).Results:Between January 2019 and March 2021, a total of 11 patients with ES-SCLC were analyzed, aged 52-73 years, with a median age of 62 years. Among them, five patients (45.5%) received induction chemotherapy and six patients (54.5%) received chemotherapy combined with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor, and then all received intensity-modulated thoracic radiotherapy after evaluation of systemic treatment efficacy. Two patients developed treatment-related grade G3-5 toxicity (18.2%, 1 treatment-related pneumonitis and 1 radiation esophagitis). G 1-G 2 hematologic toxicity, pneumonia, and anorexia were common mild toxicities. Only one patient (9.1%) terminated immunotherapy due to immune-related pneumonitis. During a median follow-up time of 12.5 months (range: 3.5-16.4 months), the median disease progression-free survival and overall survival was 7.4 months (95% CI: 6.9-8.0 months) and 14.6 months (95% CI: 9.0-20.2 months), respectively. Conclusions:Sequential thoracic radiotherapy followed by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor is safe and feasible in patients with ES-SCLC after induction therapy. Given that both thoracic radiotherapy and immunotherapy benefits the ES-SCLC in survival, this comprehensive treatment modality warrants further investigation.

Simultaneous integrated boost vs. routine IMRT in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer: an open-label, non-inferiority, randomized, phase 3 trial / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective:Simultaneous integrated boost radiation technique in limited-stage small cell lung cancer is lack of evidence. This prospective study aims to evaluate whether the simultaneous integrated boost is as efficacious and safe as conventional fractionated radiotherapy.Methods:Patients diagnosed with treatment-naive and confirmed limited-stage SCLC were eligible. Participants were randomly assigned (1: 1) to receive simultaneous integrated boost radiotherapy (PGTV 60.2 Gy/2.15 Gy/28F, PTV 50.4 Gy/1.8 Gy/28F) or conventional fractionated radiotherapy (PTV 60 Gy/2 Gy/30F). The primary endpoint was 2-year progression-free survival, and the secondary endpoints were 2-year overall survival, 2-year local-regional recurrence-free survival and toxicity.Results:Between February 2017 and July 2019, 231 patients were enrolled. We analyzed 216 patients whose follow-up time was more than 2 years or who had died, among whom 106 patients in the conventional fractionated radiotherapy group and 110 patients in the simultaneous integrated boost radiotherapy group. The median follow-up time was 37 months (95% CI: 35.2-38.7). The 2-year progression-free survival rates were 45.2% vs. 38.2%( HR=1.22, 95% CI: 0.87-1.72, P=0.2). The 2-year overall survival rates were 73.5% vs. 60.9%( HR=1.35, 95% CI: 0.90-2.04, P=0.14). The 2-year local-regional recurrence-free survival rates were 68.7% vs. 69.9%( HR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.62-1.56, P=1.0). Multivariate analysis showed that early radiotherapy yielded better 2-year progression-free survival, overall survival and local-regional recurrence-free survival than delayed radiotherapy in two groups ( HR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.18-2.41, P=0.003; HR=1.72, 95% CI: 1.09-2.70, P=0.018; HR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.01-2.73, P=0.046). Tumor staging was an influencing factor of overall survival (stage Ⅲ vs. stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ, HR=3.64, 95% CI: 1.15-11.57, P=0.028). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were myelosuppression (21.7% vs. 15.4%, P=0.83), radiation pneumonitis (4.7% vs. 2.7%, P=0.44) and radiation esophagitis (3.8% vs. 1.8%, P=0.51). Conclusions:Simultaneous integrated boost radiotherapy yields equivalent efficacy and toxicities to conventional fractionated radiotherapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Early radiotherapy can enhance clinical prognosis.

A deep learning-based dual-omics prediction model for radiation pneumonitis.

PURPOSE: Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is the main source of toxicity in thoracic radiotherapy. This study proposed a deep learning-based dual-omics model, which aims to improve the RP prediction performance by integrating more data points and exploring the data in greater depth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bimodality data were the original dose (OD) distribution and the ventilation image (VI) derived from four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT). The functional dose (FD) distribution was obtained by weighting OD with VI. A pre-trained three-dimensional convolution (C3D) network was used to extract the features from FD, VI, and OD. The extracted features were then filtered and selected using entropy-based methods. The prediction models were constructed with four most commonly used binary classifiers. Cross-validation, bootstrap, and nested sampling methods were adopted in the process of training and hyper-tuning. RESULTS: Data from 217 thoracic cancer patients treated with radiotherapy were used to train and validate the prediction model. The 4DCT-based VI showed the inhomogeneous pulmonary function of the lungs. More than half of the extracted features were singular (of none-zero value for few patients), which were eliminated to improve the stability of the model. The area under curve (AUC) of the dual-omics model was 0.874 (95% confidence interval: 0.871-0.877), and the AUC of the single-omics model was 0.780 (0.775-0.785, VI) and 0.810 (0.804-0.811, OD), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The dual-omics outperformed single-omics for RP prediction, which can be contributed to: (1) using more data points; (2) exploring the data in greater depth; and (3) incorporating of the bimodality data.

Selection and appraisement of nucleic acid aptamers for castration resistant prostate cancer cells based on Cell-SELEX / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To screen nucleic acid aptamers that can specifically recognize castration-resistant prostate cancer （CRPC） cells by Cell-SELEX. 【Methods】 For Cell-SELEX selection， CRPC cell lines C4-2 were used as positive control cells， while androgen-dependent prostate cancer cell lines LNCap were used as negative control cells. The 5’end of the upstream primers was labeled with FITC， and the 5’end of the downstream primers was labeled with biotin. Single-stranded DNA （ssDNA） collected from each round of screening was used as template for PCR amplification and purification. The biotin-streptavidin magnetic bead separation was used to isolate PCR product for the next round of screening. The process of Cell-SELEX was analyzed by flow cytometry. ssDNA products of the last round were collected for PCR amplification， purification， cloning and DNA sequencing. The secondary structure of selected DNA aptamers was predicted. Dissociation constants of the two aptamers were calculated. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy were used to evaluate selective binding of aptamers to CRPC cells and tissues. 【Results】 The binding rate of DNA products to CRPC cells gradually increased with the increase of selection cycles， reaching the highest in the last round. DNA structure prediction analysis showed that the secondary structure of aptamers CRPC-1 and CRPC-2 was mainly stem-loop structure. Flow cytometry analysis and confocal images showed that both CRPC-1 and CRPC-2 could specifically target C4-2 cells. In addition， immunohistofluorescence assay showed that CRPC-1 could specifically target CRPC tissues. 【Conclusion】 Cell-SELEX can be used to screen aptamers that specifically target CRPC cells and tissues， which provides experimental basis for early screening and targeted diagnosis of CRPC. It is of significance for treatment plan adjustment and prognosis improvement of prostate cancer.

Monitoring results of individual doses to medical radiation workers in Jiangxi province from 2014 to 2018 / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective:To analyze the levels of individual doses to radiation workers receiving medical radiation exposure in hospitals in Jiangxi province, so as to provide reference for radiation protection.Methods:The radiation workers of different types in medical institutions in Jiangxi were investigated from 2014 to 2018, involving diagnostic radiology, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and interventional radiology. Statistical analyses were made of the individual doses to medical radiation workers in the province.Results:The total number of monitored workers were 23 833 with average annual individual effective dose of 0.316 mSv. NR1 and NR5, the ratios of the number of workers receiving annual individual doses exceeding 1 and 5 mSv to the total monitored workers were 4.32% and 0.10%, respectively. During the five-year period, the average annual individual effective dose showed a upward and then downward trend, with peak appearing in 2017. A total of 17 909 diagnostic radiologists were monitored, accounting for 75.14% of the total number of monitored workers. The average annual individual effective dose received by workers was 0.329 mSv, the highest, in interventional radiology, followed by diagnostic radiology 0.318 mSv, nuclear medicine 0.283 mSv, and radiotherapy 0.269 mSv, respectively. There were statistically significant differences among radiation workers of different types ( χ2=489.39, P<0.001). Conclusions:The average annual individual effective dose to the radiation workers in medical institutions in Jiangxi province meets the relevant national standards, but with an upward trend in nuclear medicine. The higher levels of individual doses to radiation workers are seen in primary and secondary hospitals. It should be strengthen the oversight of radiation workers in nuclear medicine and in primary and secondary hospitals.