Role of high ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 expression as a prognostic factor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in Southeast Asia and Taiwan is high due to epidemiological factors. Cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy is an important treatment strategy with excellent outcomes for patients with NPC. However, the outcomes for patients who are refractory to cisplatin-based therapy are poor.

Age as a modifier of the effects of chemoradiotherapy with infusional 5-fluorouracil after D2 dissection in gastric cancer.

Adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard care for patients with resected advanced gastric cancer, but its survival benefits remain undetermined in patients undergoing D2 lymph node dissection (D2 dissection). We evaluated safety and efficacy of adjuvant CCRT with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) versus chemotherapy alone in 110 gastric cancer patients with D2 dissection treated in Taiwan between January 2009 and January 2013. All the 71 patients receiving adjuvant CCRT were treated with daily infusional 5-FU and radiotherapy.

How to design the control group in randomized controlled trials of acupuncture?

In evidence-based medicine, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the preferred method for evaluating the efficacy of interventions. In regard to acupuncture RCTs, the most difficult issues are the design of the control group and implementation of the principle of "double-blinding." We compared the advantages and limitations associated with different control group designs in acupuncture RCTs, to assist researchers in this field.

Effect of auricular acupressure on peri- and early postmenopausal women with anxiety: a double-blinded, randomized, and controlled pilot study.

We tested effects of auricular acupressure on peri- and early postmenopausal women with anxiety (PPWA). Fifty PPWA were randomly assigned to the auricular acupressure group (AG) or the sham group (SG). After 3 meals and before sleep every day for 4 weeks, the AG received auricular acupressure on the bilateral ear shenmen and subcortex points for 3 min per point on alternating ears.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma with pericardial metastasis.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is prevalent in Taiwan and is characterized by a high frequency of nodal metastasis. The most common organs with distal metastases are the bones, lungs, and liver, with extremely rare cases to the pericardium. Herein, we report a rare case with NPC who presented with dyspnea and orthopnea.

Successful allogeneic stem cell transplantation for an adult with refractory anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) expression exists in approximately 60% of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) cases. Compared with the ALK-negative cases, ALK-positive cases are usually characterized by a good response to chemotherapy and a good prognosis. In the relapsed or refractory ALCL cases, high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation has been widely used as a salvage therapy.

Circumscribed choroidal hemangioma in a Chinese patient treated using transpupillary thermotherapy: a case report.

We describe the first case of a Chinese patient with circumscribed choroidal hemangioma (CCH) effectively managed using transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT). A 57-year-old man had an elevated orange-red subretinal mass with a base of 5 x 5 mm superior to the optic disc, along with serous macular detachment in the left eye. Ultrasonography depicted a mass 3 mm thick with acoustic solidity and high internal reflectivity.