Publications by authors named "Nakano J"
Background: Cachexia is a poor prognostic factor in many advanced cancers. Cachexia diagnostic criteria of the European Palliative Care Research Collaboration (EPCRC) may underestimate cachexia in Asians; therefore, new criteria have been proposed by the Asian Working Group for Cachexia (AWGC). We compared both criteria to determine differences in diagnostic rates and their association with lung cancer prognosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as measured with the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) or Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12) and mortality risk in patients with diverse types of cancer.
Methods: A literature search was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Scopus databases to collect articles published before December 2022. Of these, observational studies that examined the association between HRQOL and mortality risk in patients with various cancer types were extracted.
Article Synopsis
- Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can spread to unusual sites, with a rare case reported of metastasis to the area behind the seminal vesicles in a 44-year-old male patient with clear cell RCC.
- After identifying the metastases during follow-up post-surgery, the patient underwent a unique treatment combining immune-oncology therapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (IO-TKI) that effectively reduced the lesions.
- The subsequent laparoscopic surgery removed all metastases, which were confirmed as clear cell RCC, and no further disease progression was observed two months after the operation, showcasing this treatment's potential for atypical metastatic cases.
Article Synopsis
- This study examines how various muscle strengths and tongue pressure relate to exercise capacity in patients with oesophageal cancer, aiming to improve preoperative management through targeted prehabilitation strategies.
- Data from 29 patients showed significant links between respiratory muscle strength and handgrip/lower limb strength, while tongue pressure did not correlate with these strengths but was related to dysphagia and nutritional status.
- The findings suggest that effective prehabilitation should include exercise, nutritional support, and swallowing training, particularly for patients struggling with food intake, as indicated by tongue pressure assessments.
Objectives: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and prognosis, and the significant factors associated with physical activity in patients with advanced or recurrent lung cancer.
Methods: This retrospective, observational study enrolled 50 outpatients with lung cancer who received chemotherapy. Patients were evaluated for physical function, physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form), and nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form [MNA-SF]).
Since the 1970s, the utility of nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) in diagnosing rheumatological disorders such as systemic sclerosis has been well established. Further studies have also shown that NFC can detect non-rheumatic diseases such as diabetes, glaucoma, dermatitis, and Alzheimer disease. In the past decade, nailfold capillary morphological changes have also been reported as symptoms of unhealthy lifestyle habits such as poor diet, smoking, sleep deprivation, and even psychological stress, all of which contribute to slow blood flow.
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- This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated how global quality of life (QOL) affects mortality risk in cancer patients, analyzing various cancer types and the timing of QOL assessments.
- The research found that better global QOL is linked to lower mortality risk, with a significant hazard ratio (1.06) across most cancer types except for melanoma and pancreatic cancer.
- The study emphasizes the need to assess and improve QOL at all stages of cancer treatment since pretreatment QOL had the most significant impact on survival rates.
Article Synopsis
- * Out of the seven studies analyzed, a significant association was found between overall QoL and mortality risk, with specific QoL aspects (physical, emotional, role, cognitive, and social) also linked to mortality.
- * The research highlighted the importance of assessing QoL before and after treatment as a predictor of life expectancy, recommending ongoing QoL evaluations to enhance patient care and outcomes.
Background: Although many studies have explored the correlation between quality of life and survival, none have reported this relationship for specific cancers assessed at distinct time points. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the impact of pretreatment Global Quality of Life (QOL) and functioning QOL, including physical, social, role, emotional, and cognitive QOLs, on mortality risk in patients with lung cancer.
Methods: A literature search was conducted across the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, and PubMed databases for articles published between their inception and December 2022.
Article Synopsis
- This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the impact of quality of life (QOL) on mortality in breast cancer patients, addressing a controversial area of research.
- Among the 119,061 articles reviewed, six studies were included in the analysis, revealing that physical, emotional, and role QOL metrics significantly correlated with increased mortality risk.
- The findings highlight that post-treatment physical QOL is particularly crucial for survival outcomes, suggesting its importance as a factor in patient care and prognosis.
Objectives: Valve-sparing aortic root replacement requires expertise to predict repair results and prevent secondary aortic clamping for valve repair or replacement secondary to aortic valve insufficiency. Thus, intraoperative evaluation of the aortic valve using diastolic pressure at the aortic root may be helpful. The goal of this retrospective study was to compare the early and mid-term results of aortic valve repair with those of valve-sparing aortic root replacement using intraoperative endoscopic evaluation.
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- - Prurigo is a skin condition that causes itchy papules, plaques, and nodules, classified into acute/subacute and chronic types, with various clinical forms and causes.
- - Chronic prurigo shares immunological traits with atopic dermatitis, involving cytokines like IL-4 and IL-31, and requires accurate diagnosis to differentiate from similar skin conditions for effective treatment.
- - Treatments range from antihistamines and topical steroids to more advanced options like dupilumab and JAK inhibitors, which can improve quality of life but may have side effects, particularly in older patients.
Introduction: Post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect (PIVSD) is a life-threatening mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Delayed elective surgical repair can be considered in patients who respond well to aggressive heart failure therapy. Impella has been reported as a bridge to allow the deferment of surgery for PIVSD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound (MRI-US)-guided fusion biopsy in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (CSPC) and analyze the clinical features of patients highly suspected of having prostate cancer (PCa) but shown to be negative in target biopsies (TB) among patients with prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 4 or 5 lesions on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) evaluations.
Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all patients who underwent MRI/transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided fusion biopsies at our institution between April 2018 and April 2022. All patients with at least one PI-RADS 3 or higher lesion and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤20 ng/ml were enrolled in our study and subjected to TB in the region of interest (ROI).
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates factors contributing to cancer cachexia, a condition that negatively affects survival in lung cancer patients.
- Out of 76 patients analyzed, 42 (55.2%) were found to have cachexia, with significant implications on their survival rates.
- Key independent factors for cachexia included poor nutritional status and low levels of physical activity, suggesting that addressing these aspects could improve patient outcomes.
Background: With the development of kidney-sparing surgery and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, ureteroscopic biopsy (URSBx) has become important for the management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 744 patients with UTUC who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU), stratified into no ureteroscopy (URS), URS alone, and URSBx groups. Intravesical recurrence-free survival (IVRFS) was examined using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Introduction: Prostate biopsy is commonly performed using a transrectal ultrasound probe through a transrectal or transperineal approach. However, this is not possible for patients without a rectum.
Case Presentation: A 75-year-old male was referred to our hospital because of an elevated prostate-specific antigen and a suspicious prostate lesion (PIRADS 5) in the left peripheral zone.
Relationship between nailfold capillaroscopy parameters and the severity of diabetic retinopathy.
Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol
March 2024
Purpose: To determine whether non-invasive measurements of the nailfold capillaries (NCs) are associated with the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods: Eighty-three eyes of 83 patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled. Sixty-three age-matched non-diabetic subjects served as controls.
Background: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects the risk of falls and physical function in patients with cancer.
Methods: A literature search was conducted in the CINAHL, Scopus, and PubMed databases for articles published from January 1950 to April 2022. Seven review authors retrieved studies using predetermined eligibility criteria, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality.
Article Synopsis
- * Results showed that 37% of patients who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy experienced pathological downstaging, while those receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had significantly lower recurrence-free and cancer-specific survival rates.
- * The findings suggest that neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be a more effective treatment option for high-risk patients compared to adjuvant chemotherapy.
Article Synopsis
- This study aimed to explore how different clinical factors affect physical function in patients recovering from soft tissue sarcoma surgeries, using both subjective and objective measures.
- A total of 90 patients were grouped by tumor location and evaluated through the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score and the timed up-and-go test (TUGT) at various points in their recovery.
- Results showed no significant differences in physical function related to tumor location, but the removal of quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscles was linked to poorer postoperative mobility, suggesting targeted rehabilitation strategies may improve recovery outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- * Conducted with 54 patients, the research found a significant correlation between TUGT results and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score, with a specific threshold of 3.7 seconds indicating acceptable recovery.
- * The findings suggest that TUGT is a valuable tool for objectively monitoring postoperative recovery in these patients, potentially aiding in the design of individualized rehabilitation programs.
Article Synopsis
- - Knee rotationplasty (KRP) is a surgery option for patients with malignant tumors near the knee, aimed at preserving knee function instead of opting for above-knee amputation.
- - A case study of a 37-year-old man with synovial sarcoma showed that after KRP, muscle strength in the reconstructed knee improved over 12 months, along with physical function and quality of life.
- - The patient started physical therapy immediately after surgery, leading to gradual improvements in mobility and daily activities, highlighting the benefits of KRP for post-surgical recovery.
Article Synopsis
- Advances in early diagnosis and treatment have led to an increasing number of cancer survivors, who often face physical and psychological complications from their condition and treatment.
- Engaging in physical exercise is a proven effective way to manage these complications and can even improve the health outlook for cancer survivors, with established guidelines recommending moderate to vigorous aerobic and resistance training.
- Despite the benefits and guidelines, many cancer survivors struggle to commit to regular exercise, highlighting the need for enhanced outpatient rehabilitation programs and community support to encourage active lifestyles.