Network Meta-analysis of oral Chinese patent medicine for adjuvant treatment of primary liver cancer / 中国中药杂志

Network Meta-analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different oral Chinese patent medicines combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) in the treatment of primary liver cancer. Randomized controlled trials of oral Chinese patent medicines for primary liver cancer were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library and EMbase databases from inception to May 2020. According to the Cochrane recommendation standard, the quality of the included articles was evaluated, and the data were analyzed by RevMan, R software and GeMTC software. A total of 10 kinds of oral Chinese patent medicines and 68 RCTs were included. Network Meta-analysis results showed that: as compared with TACE alone, 10 kinds of oral Chinese patent medicines combined with TACE showed advantages in effective rate, 1-year survival rate, 2-year survival rate, KPS score improvement rate and reduced adverse reaction incidence. In the pairwise comparison of oral Chinese patent medicines, the results showed that Cidan Capsules were superior to Jinlong Capsules and Xihuang Pills in 1-year survival rate. According to the probabi-lity ranking results: Shenyi Capsules and Ganfule were more obvious in improving the effective rate; Cidan Capsules and Shenyi Capsules were more effective in improving the 1-year survival rate; Pingxiao Capsules and Shenyi Capsules had better efficacy in improving 2-year survival rate; Huaier Granules and Shenyi Capsules had better efficacy in improving the quality of life; Huisheng Oral Liquid and Ganfule were more effective in reducing the incidence of adverse reactions(such as nausea, vomiting and leukocytosis). The current evidence showed that oral Chinese patent medicine combined with TACE was superior to TACE alone in efficacy and safety. In terms of the effective rate, 1-year survival rate, 2-year survival rate, KPS score improvement rate and reduced adverse reaction incidence, the optimal treatment measures were Shenyi Capsules, Cidan Capsules, Pingxiao Capsules, Huaier Granules and Huisheng Oral Liquid in turn. However, due to the limitations of the research, the current level of evidence is not high, and clear conclusions and evi-dence strength still need to be further verified and improved by high-quality researches.

Study of uncertainty in illness among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma intending to undergo transcatheter artery chemoembolization / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To describe uncertainty in illness of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma intending to undergo transcatheter artery chemoembolization (TACE) and to identify the related factors. Methods A descriptive and correlative design was used. By convenience sampling, 95 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were recruited from Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center in this study. Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale was used to assess uncertainty in illness and information needs of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma intending to undergo TACE and the demographic questionnaire and Information Needs Assessment Scale were used to measure demographic data, disease and treatment characteristics and information needs of patients. Results The level of uncertainty in illness in most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma intending to undergo TACE was middle (77.61±9.15) points. The mean score of indeterminacy subscale was (50.16 ± 6.16) points. Uncertainty in illness of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma intending to undergo TACE was affected by the degree of education background, domicile, family economic status, way to pay for the medical expenses, course of diseases, how many times he (she) used to undergo assisted treatments and the level of information needs. Conclusions The level of uncertainty in illness in most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma intending to undergo TACE was middle and it is important to assess patients′uncertainty in illness at clinical work and to take effective interventions to content patients′information needs to decrease the level of uncertainty.

The efficacy of preoperative transcatheter artery chemoembolization correlates with outcome after orthotopic liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective To investigate the efficacy of preoperative transcatheter artery chemoembolization (TACE) correlates with outcome after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Sixty-seven patients with HCC underwent TACE before OLT. In all the patients, there were 52 males and 15 females with age ranging from 34 to 67 years old (average 48). Sixty-one patients met the Milan' standard, and 6 patients exceeded Milan' standard. Classic OLT was done in 62 patients and pigyback liver transplantation was done in 5 patients. Immunosuppression regimen after operation included Tacrolimus (or Ciclosporin,Sirolimus), mycophynolate, steroid hormone. The efficacy of TACE was assessed according to histological findings after OLT. Tumor recurrence rate of 1-and 2-year tumor recurrence rate, and 1-and 2-year survival rate in different groups with different responses to preoperative TACE were compared. Results Tumor necrosis rate was greater than 50% in 50 patients and new tumor nodi occurred in 2 patients. Tumor necrosis rate after TACE was 73. 77%. Tumor necrosis rate was less than 50% in 17 patients and new tumor nodi occurred in 7 patients. Forty-eight patients had satisfactory efficacy after TACE and no new tumor nodi occurred, 1-and 2-year tumor recurrence rate was 2. 08/ (1/48) and 6. 25% (3/48) respectively, and 1- and 2-year survival rate was 97. 92% (47/48) and 95. 83% (46/48) respectively. Nineteen patients had worse efficacy after TACE and new nodi occurred, 1- and 2-year tumor recurrence rate was 36. 84% (7/19) and 57. 89% (11/19), and 1-and 2-year survival rate was 73.68% (14/19) and 47. 37% (9/19) respectively. There were statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.05). Conclusion TACE provides good local control in preoperatively diagnosed HCC, but its impact is limited in lesions not detected preoperatively. Patients with satisfactory efficacy after TACE before OLT had a good prognosis. The response to preoperative TACE may predict long-term outcome after LT.