A Case of Oxycodone-related Respiratory Depression Induced by Tumor Lysis Syndrome

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a metabolic disorder that is caused by acute lysis of massive tumor cells. We report a case with opioids-related severe respiratory depression induced by TLS. A 39-year-old man received chemotherapy for mycosis fungoides. Two hours after administration of chemotherapeutic agents, his renal function worsened, and he was diagnosed with TLS by laboratory and clinical findings. Moreover, he showed severe respiratory depression and pinpoint pupils, and become drowsy. These symptoms were attributed to oxycodone that had been administered to treat his tumor-related cutaneous pain, and were improved by injection of anti-opioids agent naloxone. In this case, we consider that the clearance of oxycodone was disrupted by renal dysfunction caused by TLS, leading to enhancement of the effects of oxycodone.

Research progress of neoadjuvant intraperitoneal-systemic chemotherapy for conversion therapy of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

In China,peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer has main characteristics of high incidence,late staging and poor prognosis.However,the proposal of conversion therapy has brought hope to patients.Conversion therapy of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer is a novel concept,which aims at down-staging of the gastric cancer's primary lesion and effectively controlling the peritoneal metastases at the same time through valid chemotherapy and other means.Then the surgeons strive for performing radical gastrectomy and lymph node dissection (D2) to prolong survival time of the patients with advanced gastriccancer and improve their life quality.Systemic chemotherapy is the core of the methods of conversion therapy,while the local intraperitoneal chemotherapy can be used as a supplement.Neoadjuvant intraperitoneal-systemic chemotherapy (NIPS) is the most promising technique as conversion therapy due to the comprehensive advantages of the systemic chemotherapy and local intraperitoneal chemotherapy.In recent years,there were many clinical studies reporting NIPS for conversion therapy of peritoneal metastasis in gastric cancer.Therefore,this paper systematically reviews experiences of clinical application in order to provide references for clinical practice of conversion therapy in gastric cancer.

Clinical Observation of Appatinib Combined with Systemic Chemotherapy for Liver Metastasis of Gastroenteropancreatic Neu- roendocrine Neoplasm / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE： To observe the efficacy and safety of apatinib combined with systemic chemotherapy for hepatic metastasis of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms （GEP-NEN）. METHODS： Totally 60 patients with GEP-NEN in Hubei Provincial Tumor Hospital from Jan. 2016 to Jan. 2018 were randomly divided into systemic chemotherapy group， apatinib group and combination group， with 20 patients in each group. Systemic chemotherapy group was given Etoposide injection 80 mg/m2，once a day d1-5， intravenously+Cisplatin for injection 20 mg/m2，once a day d1-5，intravenously， every 3 weeks for a cycle. Apatinib group was given Apatinib mesylate tablets 0.5 g， once a day. Combination group received treatment as systemic chemotherapy group+apatinib group. All three groups were treated continuously for 3 months. The clinical efficacies of 3 groups were observed. The serum levels of tumor markers （CEA， NSE， CgA and CA19-9） before and after treatment， survival situation after treatment and the occurrence of ADR during treatment were also observed. RESULTS： The objective remission rate， disease control rate， median overall survival and survival rate of combination group were significantly higher or longer than those of systemic chemotherapy group and apatinib group. Median progression-free survival and the incidence of ADR were significantly shorter or lower than systemic chemotherapy group and apatinib group （P＜0.05）. After treatment， the levels of CEA， NSE， CgA and CA19-9 in 3 groups were significantly lower than before treatment， and combination group was significantly lower than systemic chemotherapy group and apatinib group （P＜0.05）. There was no statistical significance in above indexes between systemic chemotherapy group and apatinib group （P＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS： Apatinib combined with systemic chemotherapy for liver metastasis of GEP-NEN is effective and safe， which can improve the level of serum tumor markers， prolong the survival time of patients and improve survival rate.

Supervivencia del cáncer de próstata resistente a la castración en la práctica clínica y el papel del tratamiento / Survival of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer in Clinical Practice and the Role of Treatment

Resumen Objetivo: Evaluar en un contexto de práctica clínica la ventaja de supervivencia para pacientes con cáncer de próstata resistente a castración (CPRC) tratado activamente con diversos tratamientos que incluyen acetato de abiraterona (AA) y prednisona con o sin docetaxel. Material y método: Se analiza la supervivencia de pacientes con CPRC y se compara un grupo tratado con AA y prednisona (n = 33) con un control histórico formado por pacientes consecutivos tratados una década antes en la misma institución exclusivamente con retirada de antiandrógeno y medidas paliativas (n = 31). Se analizan variables clínico-patológicas predictivas de pronóstico en la población activamente tratada. Se evalúa la respuesta global a AA y el intervalo libre de progresión radiológica. Resultados: La supervivencia cáncer específica a 2 años fue 79% para pacientes tratados activamente y 17,2% para control (log-rank, p < 0,0001). Cinco de 13 pacientes con AA post-docetaxel (38,5%) recibieron después de AA quimioterapia de segunda línea (4 cabazitaxel y 1 vinorelbina) y 1 (7,7%) hormonoterapia con enzalutamida. Tres de 20 pacientes tratados con AA sin quimioterapia (15%) recibieron enzalutamida y solo 1 (5%) fue tratado con docetaxel. Los pacientes de menor edad (<65años; p = 0,02) y sin metástasis al diagnóstico (p = 0,04) tuvieron mejor pronóstico. Aquellos de PSA más alto (>45ng/ml; p = 0,09) y patrón de Gleason 5 en la biopsia se comportaron de manera más desfavorable. Globalmente el 75,8% tuvieron respuesta a AA (80% pre- y 69,2% post-quimioterapia; p = 0,1) y el 52,4% estuvieron libre de progresión radiológica al año (47,9% pre y 49,8% post-quimioterapia; log-rank, p = 0,3). Conclusión: El tratamiento de pacientes con CPRC prolonga la expectativa de supervivencia en un entorno de práctica clínica y es posible identificar factores predictivos de pronóstico en estos pacientes.

Abstract Purpose: To assess, in a clinical practice context, the survival advantages of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) actively treated with several treatments that include abiraterone acetate (AA) and prednisone, with or without docetaxel. Material and Methods: An analysis was performed on patient survival with CRPC, and was compared to a group treated with AA and prednisone (n = 33), with a historical control treated exclusively with anti-androgen withdrawal and palliative measures (n = 31). In the population actively treated, variables predictive of prognosis were analysed, as well as an evaluation of the overall response to AA and radiographic progression-free survival. Results: Cancer-specific survival at 2 years was 79% for patients actively treated and 17.2% for control group (P<.0001). Five (38.5%) of 13 patients treated with AA post-docetaxel received second-line chemotherapy after AA (4 cabazitaxel, 1 vinorelbine), and one (7.7%) enzalutamide. Three (15%) of 20 patients treated with AA without chemotherapy received enzalutamide and 1(5%) docetaxel. The younger patients (<65yrs; P=.02) without metastases at diagnosis (P=.04) had better prognoses. Patients with higher PSA levels (>45 ng/ml; P=.09) and a Gleason pattern 5 in the biopsy had less favourable outcomes. There was a 75.8% over response to AA (80% preand 69.2%post-chemotherapy; P=.1), and 69.2%post-chemotherapy; P=.1), and 52.4% were radiographic progression-free at 1 year of treatment (47.9% pre- and 49.8% post-chemotherapy; P=.3). Conclusion: Treatment of CRPC patients extends survival expectations in a clinical practice setting and prognostic predictors can be identified in these patients.

A pilot study of gemcitabine and paclitaxel as third-line chemotherapy in metastatic urothelial carcinoma / Journal of Rural Medicine

<p><b>Background:</b> We evaluated the effectiveness of gemcitabine and paclitaxel therapy in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma for whom two lines of sequential chemotherapy had been unsuccessful.</p><p><b>Methods:</b> A total number of 105 patients who had previously received first-line chemotherapy consisting of gemcitabine and cisplatin or carboplatin, were treated with second-line gemcitabine and docetaxel therapy between June 2006 and May 2015. Of these patients, 15 with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status of 0 or 1 were administered gemcitabine and paclitaxel as third-line treatment from 2013 after failure of the second-line therapy. For each 21-day cycle, gemcitabine (1000 mg/m²) was administered on days 1, 8, and 15, and paclitaxel (200 mg/m²) on day 1. Patients were assessed for each cycle and any adverse events were noted. Furthermore, a Short Form Health Survey questionnaire was used to assess each patient’s quality of life.</p><p><b>Results:</b> Third-line gemcitabine and paclitaxel treatment cycles were undertaken for a median of four times (range 2–9). The disease control rate was 80.0%. After second-line gemcitabine and docetaxel therapy was completed, median progression-free survival and median overall survival were determined as 9.8 and 13.0 months, respectively. The only prognostic factor for overall survival, as determined by univariate and multivariate analyses, was third-line gemcitabine and paclitaxel therapy. Neutropenia (66.7%) and thrombocytopenia (53.3%) were noted as the grade 3 treatment-related toxicities. After two cycles of third-line gemcitabine and paclitaxel therapy, the pre- and post-treatment quality of life scores did not differ significantly.</p><p><b>Conclusions:</b> Results demonstrate that third-line combination therapy using gemcitabine and paclitaxel is a feasible option for metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients.</p>

Survival status and prognostic factors of leptomeningeal metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma / 肿瘤

Objective: To investigate the survival status and prognostic factors of patients with leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) from lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: The survival rate and prognostic factors of 65 patients with LM from lung adenocarcinoma, who had complete follow-up data, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The median survival time of the 65 patients was 7.4 months,and the 1-year survival rate was 6.2% (4/65). Univariate analysis demonstrated that gender, age, smoking history, timing of LM and whether in combination with brain metastasis had no significant correlations with overall survival (all P > 0.05); while the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) score, ventriculo-peritoneal (V-P) shunt, epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) targeted therapy, systemic chemotherapy (SC), whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), clinical signs of LM and EGFR gene status were associated with the overall survival (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that EGFR gene status, ECOG PS score, SC and V-P shunt were independent prognostic factors of the prognosis of patients with LM from lung adenocarcinoma (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: The overall prognosis of patients with LM from lung adenocarcinoma is poor. The prognosis of patients with LM bearing EGFR mutation is relatively good. EGFR-TKI targeted therapy, SC and V-P shunt can prolong the survival time and improve the prognosis of patients with LM metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma.

Interpretation of the American Thyroid Association 2012 guidelines for management of patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare but highly lethal form of thyroid cancer.The original ATC guidelines were published by American Thyroid Association in 2012.The guidelines recommend that once the diagnosis of ATC has been verified,rapid evaluation and establishment of treatment goals are imperative,and a multidisciplinary management is required.Radical surgical resection and high doses of external beam radiotherapy are important factors associated with prolonged survival.

Treatment outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma patients with high-risk vascular invasion: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Invasion of major hepatic vessels in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) generally prohibits the surgical treatment. Objective: Analyze outcomes of non-surgical approaches in this group of HCC. Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of 648 HCC admitted to King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital between January 2003 and December 2005 was carried out to select only patients who had unresectable HCC with vascular invasion and hepatic functions-Child-Pugh class-A. Vascular invasion was defined as involvement of portal vein, inferior vena cava (IVC), or their branches identified by imaging techniques. Non-surgical treatments were either transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or systemic chemotherapy (SCT) in addition to general supportive care. Treatment outcomes of the patients were analyzed. Results: Out of 71 unresectable HCC patients enrolled, 57patients were treated with TACE, while 14 received SCT. In the TACE group, 39 (68%), 7 (12%) and 11 (19%) patients had portal vein, IVC, and both vessels invasion, respectively. In the SCT group; 11 (78%), 1 (7%) and 2 (14%) had invasion of portal vein, IVC, and both vessels, respectively. Median overall survival in both groups was 158 days. Univariate analysis demonstrated that AFP level <1000 ng/mL, tumor size <10 cm, and SCT treatment significantly influenced survival. Additional multivariate analysis confirmed that diameters of tumor, and SCT were independent prognostic factors for good survival. A survival analysis showed longer survival in the SCT group than that of TACE (210 vs. 149 days, p=0.03) group. Conclusion: Survival of HCC patients with major vessels invasion was better when treated with SCT compared to TACE. Future prospective study in larger populations to test the hypothesis is warranted.