Scalp cooling therapy for chemotherapy-induced hair loss in patients with breast or gynecological cancers-an Asian tertiary institution experience.

Purpose: Scalp cooling therapy (SCT) improves chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA), but there are few published data about its efficacy in an Asian-predominant population. We report our tertiary institution experience of SCT in patients with breast or gynaecological cancers undergoing chemotherapy.

Methods: The Paxman scalp cooling system was employed for eligible women with breast or gynaecological cancers receiving anthracycline or taxane-based chemotherapy.

State-of-the-Art Management of Colorectal Cancer: Treatment Advances and Innovation.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health challenge, ranking among the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent advancements in molecular characterization have revolutionized our understanding of the heterogeneity within colorectal tumors, particularly in the context of tumor sidedness. Tumor sidedness, referring to the location of the primary tumor in either the right or left colon, has emerged as a critical factor influencing prognosis and treatment responses in metastatic CRC.

Mental health outcomes of multiracial individuals: A systematic review between the years 2016 and 2022.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that multiracial individuals are at high risk for mental health problems. Systematic and ongoing synthesis of literature is necessary to understand mental health among multiracial individuals.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of scholarly articles published during the years 2016-2022.

Therapeutic comparison in psychological capital.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate and compare the therapeutic outcomes of psychological capital between narrative therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and play therapy in the context of hikikomori.

Methods: This study included 502 hikikomori. Correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the three forms of therapy and psychological capital, while one-way ANOVA and independent samples -tests were performed to determine the differences in the outcomes of psychological capital between the three forms of therapies.

Understanding the life experiences of elderly in social isolation from the social systems perspective: using Hong Kong as an illustrating example.

Aim: The elderly in social isolation often referred to as older people who experience social alienation with little social support from their family, peers, and community suffer from a poor quality of life and well-being. Since their life experiences are affected by a range of factors from different levels, this study seeks to investigate their current life situations and experiences from a social systems perspective.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted to enrich the understanding of their current life situations and experiences and to generate corresponding practice implications.

Young people's perceptions of the challenges and opportunities during the Mainland China-Hong Kong convergence.

Since the handover of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from Britain to China in 1997, convergence between Mainland China and Hong Kong has gradually emerged. During this process, young people have engaged in demonstrations to express their dissatisfaction with government policies and limited socio-economic progression. However, the underlying reasons for their dissatisfaction have not been fully investigated.

Use of theatresports to promote positive education among youth participants.

Background: Due to the scarcity of research on the benefits of theatresports for youth, this study examined the outcomes of theatresports as a means to implement positive education in youth work settings.

Methods: To this end, qualitative research was conducted with 92 participants in a theatresports program. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the participants' experiences of the program, using the framework of positive education.

Clinical relevance of PD-1 positive CD8 T-cells in gastric cancer.

Background: We evaluated the relevance of PD-1CD8 T-cells in gastric cancer (GC) including prognostic significance, association with chemotherapy and immunotherapy sensitivity and correlations with the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Methods: Discovery cohort: GC samples were evaluated for AE1/3, CD8, PD-1, Ki-67 and Granzyme-B expression with fluorescence-based multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC). Validation cohorts: we analyzed bulk RNAseq GC datasets from TCGA, the "3G" chemotherapy trial and an immunotherapy phase 2 trial.

Real-world outcomes from use of CDK4/6 inhibitors in the management of advanced/metastatic breast cancer in Asia.

Background: Oestrogen receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) negative breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed BC subtype. Combinations of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) with anti-oestrogen therapy have led to improved survival compared with anti-oestrogen therapy alone for advanced/metastatic BC. The evaluation of CDK4/6i in the real-world facilitates treatment planning, insights into the incidence of drug toxicities, dose modifications including dose delays (DDs) and dose reductions (DRs) and improves prognostic accuracy in subgroups, for example geriatric patients, who are under-represented in clinical trials.

Real-world experience of consolidation durvalumab after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Durvalumab consolidation is associated with improved survival following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Given the heterogeneity of stage III NSCLC patients, in this study we evaluated the efficacy and safety of durvalumab in the real-world setting.

Method: Unresectable stage III NSCLC patients were retrospectively studied: one cohort received CCRT, another had CCRT-durvalumab.

Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change for Mentorship in Nurse Anesthesia Programs.

Student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) undergo enormous stress related to the lifestyle changes that are necessary to commit to full-time training in nurse anesthesia programs (NAPs). Mentorship and mentoring initiatives have proved to provide positive support to enhance SRNA wellness. This interventional study was conducted to assess the status of mentorship and mentorship initiatives in NAPs and to understand and analyze the specific constructs of organizational change from the perspective of nurse anesthesia program directors toward mentorship after viewing an educational online video regarding the topics of stress of an SRNA, mentorship and formalized mentorship programs.

Outcomes of a Phase II Study of Intraperitoneal Paclitaxel plus Systemic Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin (XELOX) for Gastric Cancer with Peritoneal Metastases.

Background: Adding intraperitoneal paclitaxel (IP-PTX) to paclitaxel/5-fluoropyrimidine has shown promising results in patients with gastric cancer peritoneal metastases (GCPM) but has not been studied with standard-of-care platinum/fluoropyrimidine combinations. Our goal to was evaluate IP-PTX with capecitabine/oxaliplatin (XELOX) in GCPM.

Methods: Forty-four patients with GCPM received IP PTX (40 mg/m, Days 1, 8), oral capecitabine (1000 mg/m twice daily, Days 1-14) and intravenous oxaliplatin (100 mg/m, Day 1) in 21-day cycles.

Serial Tumor Molecular Profiling of Newly Diagnosed HER2-Negative Breast Cancers During Chemotherapy in Combination with Angiogenesis Inhibitors.

Background: Breast cancers are heterogeneous with variable clinical courses and treatment responses.

Objective: We sought to evaluate dynamic changes in the molecular landscape of HER2-negative tumors treated with chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic agents.

Patients And Methods: Newly diagnosed HER2-negative breast cancer patients received low-dose sunitinib or bevacizumab prior to four 2-weekly cycles of dose-dense doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide.

Clinical characteristics and genetic testing outcome of suspected hereditary peripheral nerve sheath tumours in a tertiary cancer institution in Singapore.

Background: Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (PNST) are a diverse group of mostly benign tumours uncommon in the general population. About 5-10% of PNSTs are hereditary, predominantly arising from germline variants in NF1, NF2, SMARCB1, or LZTR1 gene.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical characteristics and genetic testing results of patients referred to the NCIS Adult Cancer Genetics Clinic for suspected hereditary PNST.

An Innovative Model of Positive Education with Traditional Chinese Moral Values: An Evaluation of Project Bridge.

Project Bridge, as a new, contextualized positive education program, is designed to enhance university students' character strengths and moral development, resulting in the promotion of their psychological wellbeing. Taking into account the differences between Western and Chinese cultures, the project integrated both Western and Asian concepts and values in the delivery of university education that would likely bring about optimal outcomes. In the evaluation, mixed methods were applied to demonstrate the outcomes of this newly developed positive education program.

Phase Ib/II Dose Expansion Study of Lenvatinib Combined with Letrozole in Postmenopausal Women with Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer.

Purpose: RET is an estrogen response gene with preclinical studies demonstrating cross-talk between the RET and estrogen receptor (ER) pathways. We investigate the role of lenvatinib, a multikinase inhibitor with potent activity against RET, in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: Patients with advanced ER+/HER2- breast cancer were treated with lenvatinib plus letrozole in a phase Ib/II trial.

Immunohistochemistry study of tumor vascular normalization and anti-angiogenic effects of sunitinib versus bevacizumab prior to dose-dense doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy in HER2-negative breast cancer.

Purpose: Tumor angiogenesis controlled predominantly by vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor (VEGF-VEGFR) interaction plays a key role in the growth and propagation of cancer cells. However, the newly formed network of blood vessels is disorganized and leaky. Pre-treatment with anti-angiogenic agents can "normalize" the tumor vasculature allowing effective intra-tumoral delivery of standard chemotherapy.

An Inquiry into the Relationship between Drug Users' Psychological Situations and Their Drug-Taking Behaviour.

In view of the research gap whereby few studies have investigated the inner psychological situations underlying continuous drug use, this study used the Soulmate Scale to investigate the relationship between soulmate experience and drug-taking behaviour. Overall, 276 participants took part in this study. Results showed that soulmate experience was negatively related to drug-taking behaviour, which means that being psychologically attached to drugs and receiving comfort from them encourages dependency and a higher level of difficulty in quitting drugs.

Patterns and predictors of trajectories for subjective quality of life in patients with early psychosis: Three-year follow-up of the randomized controlled trial on extended early intervention.

Objective: Subjective quality of life is an important outcome of psychotic disorders. However, longitudinal course of subjective quality of life in the early illness stage is under-studied. We aimed to investigate the patterns and baseline predictors of subjective quality of life trajectories over 3 years in early psychosis patients, utilizing growth mixing modeling analysis, in the context of a 3-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial comparing 1-year extension of early intervention with step-down psychiatric care for first-episode psychosis.

Inflexibility in Reasoning: Comparisons of Cognitive Flexibility, Explanatory Flexibility, and Belief Flexibility Between Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder.

Inflexibility in reasoning has been suggested to contribute to psychiatric disorders, such as explanatory flexibility in depression and belief flexibility in schizophrenia. However, studies tended to examine only one of the flexibility constructs, which could be related to each other, within a single group of patients. As enhancing flexibility in thinking has become one of the psychological treatment goals across disorders, this study aimed to examine three constructs of flexibility (cognitive flexibility, explanatory flexibility, and belief flexibility) in two psychiatric groups.

Guidance on the clinical understanding and use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: Hong Kong Consensus Statements.

Aims: There is increasing evidence showing the importance of long-acting injectable antipsychotics in the management of schizophrenia, especially in terms of improving patient medication compliance. A panel of experienced clinicians in Hong Kong mapped out a set of consensus statements with an aim to facilitate the understanding and use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics among local physicians.

Methods: Eight discussion areas regarding long-acting injectable antipsychotics were selected by the chairman of the consensus group.

Low-Dose Nivolumab in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Real-World Experience.

Background: The approved doses of the single agent nivolumab - an anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody - for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are 3 mg/kg and a 240-mg flat dose, despite efficacy shown at lower doses in earlier CheckMate trials. In view of financial constraints, the minimum dose of nivolumab required for efficacy remains a critical area of inquiry.

Methods: A retrospective review of RCC patients receiving single-agent anti-PD-1 treatment was conducted.

Drugs as Soulmates: The Construction and Validation of a 12-Item Soulmate Scale to Measure Substance Addiction and Loneliness.

Substance users use substances to tackle psychological stress, frustrations, poor social support and poor-quality relationships. Such experience resembles seeking a soulmate for receiving comfort, a sense of security and satisfaction to relieve feelings of loneliness. Against this backdrop, the study aims to develop a Soulmate Scale to measure substance use and loneliness.