ABSTRACT
The pretreatment serum albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) has been used as a prognostic biomarker for various cancer types. However, the prognostic value of the AGR for prostate cancer, especially for metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) after maximal androgen blockade (MAB), remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the pretreatment serum AGR for mPCa treated with MAB. This retrospective study included 214 mPCa patients receiving MAB from October 2007 to March 2017. The correlation of the AGR with survival was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models. The cutoff value of the AGR was 1.45 according to the receiver operating characteristic curve. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that patients with a low AGR (<1.45) had poor outcomes in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Multivariate Cox analyses showed that the AGR was an independent predictor of PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.642; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.430-0.957; P = 0.030) and CSS (HR = 0.412; 95% CI: 0.259-0.654; P < 0.001). Furthermore, in a subset of 79 patients with normal serum albumin levels (≥40.0 g l-1), the serum AGR remained an independent predictor of CSS (P = 0.009). The pretreatment AGR was an independent prognostic biomarker for PFS and CSS in patients with mPCa receiving MAB. In addition, the AGR remained effective for the prediction of CSS in patients with normal albumin levels (≥40 g l-1). However, further prospective studies are needed to confirm our conclusions.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of venlafaxine, paroxetine and St. John's wort extract by comparing the changes of endogenous metabolites profile in rat serum. METHODS: These three drugs were employed to intervene in rats exposed to the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Serum samples from all of rats were collected for a 1H-NMR metabolomics analysis to find the differences of metabolic profile. RESULTS: The resulting metabolic profiles demonstrated that these three antidepressants have an obvious difference effect on the endogenous metabolites in serum of the CUMS rats. It was also shown that the differential metabolites could be reversed in different degree. Six metabolites could be callback by venlafaxine while 4 metabolites by paroxetine and five metabolites by St. John's wort extract, in which lactate, choline, N-acetyl glycoprotein could be regulated to normal by all these three drugs. CONCLUSION: The different drugs have difference regulation on the type and level of the endogenous metabolites, but also have similarities, which can provide a reference for the better understanding of the mechanism of antidepressant drugs.
ABSTRACT
The prognosis of locally advanced or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis after conventional treatment is dismal. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin on locally advanced or recurrent SCC of the penis. Between April 1999 and May 2011, we treated 5 patients with locally advanced penile SCC and 7 patients with recurrent disease with intraarterial chemotherapy. The response rate and toxicity data were analyzed, and survival rates were calculated. After 2 to 6 cycles of intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin, 1 patients with locoregionally advanced disease achieved a complete response, and 4 achieved partial response. Of the 7 patients with recurrent disease, 2 achieved complete response, 3 achieved partial response, 3 had stable disease, and 1 developed progressive disease. An objective tumor response was therefore achieved in 10 of the 12 patients. The median overall survival for the patients was 24 months (range, 10-50 months). Three out of 10 patients who responded were long-term survivors after intraarterial chemotherapy. Intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin may be effective and potentially curative in locoregionally advanced or recurrent penile SCC. The contribution of this therapy in the primary management of advanced or recurrent penile SCC should be prospectively investigated.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols , Therapeutic Uses , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Drug Therapy , Pathology , Cisplatin , Deoxycytidine , Disease Progression , Follow-Up Studies , Infusions, Intra-Arterial , Leukopenia , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Neoplasm Staging , Penile Neoplasms , Drug Therapy , Pathology , Survival RateABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Bladder recurrent disease is still a challenge in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). This controlled study aims to investigate the efficacy of early clipping of the distal ureter prior to nephroureterectomy (NU) to prevent bladder recurrence after UTUC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients with clinical diagnosis of UTUC were subjected to open trans-peritoneal NU and were randomly divided into two groups. One group received modified NU: clipping the distal ureter prior to NU; while the other group underwent traditional standard NU. Subsequent bladder recurrence was the primary endpoint.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>From January 2007 to December 2009, 85 eligible cases were enrolled in this study. Modified NU and standard NU were performed on 42 and 43 patients, respectively. Operation time ((215.73 ± 21.26) minutes vs. (220.19 ± 15.35) minutes), blood loss ((105.15 ± 11.32) ml vs. (110.12 ± 9.07) ml), transfusion event (11.20% vs. 9.78%), and the in-patient time (10.0 days vs 9.5 days) were not significant between the two groups. After a median follow-up of 28 months (5 - 60), six (14.3%) cases who received modified NU had bladder recurrence, which was significantly lower compared with 15 (34.9%) patients from the group that underwent standard NU (P = 0.026). In univariate and multivariate analysis, tumor grade (HR 4.33, 95%CI 2.66 - 6.30, P = 0.01) and operation type (HR 2.35, 95%CI 1.53 - 3.48, P = 0.041) were independent risk factors for subsequent bladder recurrence after UTUC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Clipping the distal ureter at the beginning of NU significantly reduces bladder recurrence after UTUC. It is reasonable to conclude that clipping the distal portion of ureter trans-peritoneal is an effective surgical procedure for the treatment of UTUC.</p>