The Role of Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The main aim of this study was to investigate comprehensively the clinical effect of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) on patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The following electronic databases were searched for eligible articles published from inception to July 2020: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library. The main final indicators were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and progression-free survival (PFS).

Probiotics and synbiotics show clinical efficacy in treating gestational diabetes mellitus: A meta-analysis.

Background: This study performed a systematic and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to explore the efficacy of probiotic- and symbiotic-based supplements in the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics/synbiotics in GDM treatment, following a systematic search in Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EBSCO databases for articles published up to July 2020.

Results: In total, 12 RCTs comprising 894 participants, were analyzed.

Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Therapy in Improving Long-Term Survival of Patients with Resectable Rectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: The impact of neoadjuvant therapy on long-term prognosis of patients with resectable rectal cancer is currently unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the long-term prognosis of patients with resectable rectal cancer following treatment with neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods: Four major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library) were searched to identify relevant articles published between January 2000 and July 2020.

HIFU for the treatment of gastric cancer with liver metastases with unsuitable indications for hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation: a prospective and propensity score-matched study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in gastric cancer with liver metastasis (GCLM) patients who were contraindicated for either hepatectomy or radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Methods: This is a prospective, observational study on GCLM patients with 1-3 liver metastases. The primary gastric lesions were thoroughly resected and any case that exhibited extra-hepatic metastasis was excluded.

Regulatory Network Analysis of Mutated Genes Based on Multi-Omics Data Reveals the Exclusive Features in Tumor Immune Microenvironment Between Left-Sided and Right-Sided Colon Cancer.

Left-sided colon cancer (LCC) and right-sided colon cancer (RCC) have distinct characteristics in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Although existing studies have shown a strong association between gene mutations and TIME, whether the regulatory mechanisms between gene mutations and TIME are different between RCC and LCC is still unclear. In this study, we showed the fractions of CD8+ T cells were higher while those of regulatory T cells were lower in RCC.

SGLT-2i and Risk of Malignancy in Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Currently, the association between sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT-2i) and malignancy risk has yet to be fully elucidated. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the relationship between SGLT-2i and malignancy risk in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to August 2020 related to T2D patients treated with SGLT-2i vs.

The role of FOLFIRINOX in metastatic pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.

Background: The prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) is extremely poor, and most patients with metastatic PC still receive palliative care. Here, we report the efficacy and safety of FOLFIRINOX (oxaliplatin, irinotecan, leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil) in the treatment of metastatic PC.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases for articles that described efficacy and safety of FOLFIRINOX in patients with metastatic PC, from January 1996 to July 2020.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy increases the 5-year overall survival of patients with resectable cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cervical cancer is a global health challenge in women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is a recent prospect for alternative cervical cancer treatments. This study investigated the efficacy of NACT against resectable cervical cancer based on the medium and long-term survival of patients with the disease.

Maintenance Long-Term Multiple Cycles Treatment with Docetaxel in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Report of Three Cases.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common types of malignancy, most patients with PCa will eventually progress to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), which has a poor prognosis. Since 2004, chemotherapy has been approved by the FDA as the first-line treatment for mCRPC, and docetaxel-based regimens have been shown to improve both the patients' symptoms and overall survival (OS). 10 cycles of docetaxel therapy are usually given to patients with mCPRC, but there is still no consensus on the optimal number of treatment cycles.

High-intensity focused ultrasound alone or combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with unsuitable indications for hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation: a phase II clinical trial.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) alone or combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but were contraindicated for hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

Methods: Patients between 20 and 80 years of age with 1-3 foci of HCC were selected. Included patients have had primary or recurrent liver lesions with no evidence of extra-hepatic metastasis prior to the study.

Medical evaluation and pharmacotherapeutical strategies in management of urolithiasis.

Treatment of urolithiasis depends on several important factors which include stone location, size, composition, and patient symptoms. Although significant advancements have been made in the surgical management of urolithiasis in the last decade, pharmacotherapy which can prevent the formation of new stones and decrease the recurrence of urolithiasis has not experienced the same level of success. Currently, urolithiasis is regarded as a complicated syndrome that is determined by numerous factors, and any treatment plan for urolithiasis should be individualized while considering any potential damage arising from stone-forming factors.

The effect of vitamin D on the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: There has been a lot of controversies about the correlation between vitamin D and colorectal cancer (CRC). In this meta-analysis, we purposed to explore the relationship between vitamin D and the incidence of CRC/the prognosis of CRC.

Methods: A systematic search for articles in databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, EBSCO and Cochrane Library) was terminated in April 2020.

The Efficacy and Safety of Additional Anti-HER2-Targeting Drugs in the Treatment of HER2-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: HER2-positive breast cancer patients account for one-fifth of the total breast cancer population. Besides, more anti-HER2-targeting drugs have appeared clinically.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of additional anti-HER2 (Human Epidermal growth Factor Receptor 2)-targeting drugs in the treatment of HER2-positive advanced breast cancers.

Differences in the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on gut hormones: systematic and meta-analysis.

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) procedures are becoming more popular in the world of bariatric surgery.

Objectives: This study investigates how LSG and LRYGB affect gut hormones and examines their differences.

Setting: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Clinical significance of peripheral blood-derived inflammation markers in advanced gastric cancer after radical resection.

Background: The prognostic significance of peripheral blood-derived inflammation markers in patients with gastric cancer (GC) has not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between systemic inflammatory markers and GC prognosis.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort study involving 598 patients was conducted to analyze the prognosis of GC based on systemic inflammatory markers.

Network analysis of targets showing the potential oncogenic role of in colorectal cancer.

Background: is a member of the Kruppel-like factor, subfamily of zinc finger proteins that are involved in cancers. functions as a transcription factor and regulates the diverse protein-coding genes (PCGs) in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulated by in CRC are currently unknown.

Multi-omics Data Analyses Construct TME and Identify the Immune-Related Prognosis Signatures in Human LUAD.

Lung cancer has been the focus of attention for many researchers in recent years for the leading contribution to cancer-related death worldwide, in which lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological type. However, the potential mechanism behind LUAD initiation and progression remains unclear. Aiming to dissect the tumor microenvironment of LUAD and to discover more informative prognosis signatures, we investigated the immune-related differences in three types of genetic or epigenetic characteristics (expression status, somatic mutation, and DNA methylation) and considered the potential roles that these alterations have in the immune response and both the immune-related metabolic and neural systems by analyzing the multi-omics data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) portal.

The efficacy and safety of the addition of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors to therapy for ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy and tolerability of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in patients with ovarian cancer.

Methods: The meta-analysis searched the PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane libraries from inception to February 2020 to identify relevant studies. And the main results of this study were long-term prognosis and treatment-related adverse events.

HIFU for the treatment of difficult colorectal liver metastases with unsuitable indications for resection and radiofrequency ablation: a phase I clinical trial.

Background: The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) but were contraindicated for resection and radiofrequency ablation.

Methods: Patients between 20 and 80 years of age with 1-3 liver metastases from colorectal cancer were selected. Included patients have had their primary lesions removed with no evidence of extrahepatic metastasis prior to the study.

Advantages of retrograde flexible ureteroscopy in determining the etiology of painless hematuria originating from the upper urinary tract.

The present study investigated the use of retrograde flexible ureteroscopy (RFU) in the discrimination of the etiology of hematuria that originates from the upper urinary tract (UUT). The present study collected retrospective data for patients who presented with hematuria and cystoscopy-detected bleeding from the UUT between June 2006 and August 2018 in Ningbo First Hospital. All patients accepted RFU to determine the etiology of hematuria.

Comparison of tenofovir versus entecavir on reducing incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aim: Studies had shown that tenofovir (TDF) and entecavir (ETV) are widely used as the first-line therapy to inhibit hepatitis B virus replication, which can reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, but it was unclear which nucleos(t)ide analogue was most effective. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis and a systematic review to compare the incidence of HCC in CHB patients who are either on TDF or ETV.

Methods: For this study, the following databases were searched for clinical trials published from its inception until November 2019: PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library.

A meta-analysis of the medium- and long-term effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Background: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) are two representative bariatric surgeries. This study aimed to compare the effects of the LSG and LRYGB based on high-quality analysis and massive amount of data.

Methods: For this study databases of PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Medline, and Cochrane Library were searched for articles published until January 2019 comparing the outcomes of LSG and LRYGB.

Progresses in pharmaceutical and surgical management of premature ejaculation.

Objective: Premature ejaculation (PE) is regarded as one of the most common male sexual dysfunctions. This review introduced several pharmaceutical and surgical methods for the management of PE. The definition, etiology, behavioral, and psychological therapy of PE were also discussed.

Genome-wide identification of the essential protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNAs for human pan-cancer.

Motivation: Genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 system has been a democratized gene editing technique and widely used to investigate gene functions in some biological processes and diseases especially cancers. Aiming to characterize gene aberrations and assess their effects on cancer, we designed a pipeline to identify the essential genes for pan-cancer.

Methods: CRISPR screening data were used to identify the essential genes that were collected from published data and integrated by Robust Rank Aggregation algorithm.

SSeCKS promoted lipopolysaccharide-sensitized astrocytes migration via increasing β-1,4-galactosyltransferase-I activity.

Astrocytes migration is essential in the formation of the glial scar during the injury response process of the central nervous system (CNS) especially during inflammation. Integrin β1 is part of the extracellular matrix receptors in the CNS and it has been reported that integrin β-deficient astrocytes randomly migrate into wounds. Previous studies have found that β-1,4 Galactosyltransferase-I (β-1,4-GalT-I) enhanced the β-1,4-galactosylation of integrin β1.