Long-term outcomes of palliation for unresectable colorectal cancer obstruction in patients with good performance status: endoscopic stent versus surgery.

Background: In patients with unresectable colorectal cancer (CRC) obstruction, choosing whether to perform self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) or palliative surgery is challenging, especially in those with good performance status. We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of SEMS with those of palliative surgery in patients with unresectable CRC obstruction.

Methods: This retrospective study comprised 114 patients with unresectable CRC obstruction who underwent SEMS placement (n = 73) or palliative surgery (n = 41).

Prospective, randomized comparison of same-day dose of 2 different bowel cleanser for afternoon colonoscopy: picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and citric acid versus polyethylene glycol.

For afternoon colonoscopy, same-day administration of sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, and citric acid (PM/Ca) is recommended. However, few studies have evaluated the bowel-cleansing efficacy and safety of this regimen. The aim of this study was to compare the bowel-cleansing efficacy, side effects, and patient's tolerability of a same-day split administration of PM/Ca with polyethylene glycol (PEG) for afternoon colonoscopy.

C-reactive protein as a prognostic indicator for rebleeding in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background: In patients with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, rebleeding after an initial treatment is observed in 10-20% and is associated with mortality.

Aim: To investigate whether the initial serum C-reactive protein level could predict the risk of rebleeding in patients with acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Methods: This was a retrospective study using prospectively collected data for upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Novel Germline Mutation of BRCA1 Gene in a 56-Year-Old Woman with Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

We report a case of a 56-year-old woman with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with a BRCA1 gene mutation. Evidence is mounting that there is a large increase in the risk for hematologic malignancies among patients with genetic changes in the BRCA pathways. The genomic analysis demonstrated a frameshift mutation in the BRCA1 gene: 277_279delinsCC (Phe93fs).

Combination of gemcitabine and carboplatin as first line treatment in elderly patients or those unfit for cisplatin-based chemotherapy with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary tract.

Purpose: Although cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard of care for advanced transitional cell carcinoma, tolerability is a challenging issue in unfit patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, toxicity, and tolerability of the combination of gemcitabine and carboplatin in unfit patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma.

Methods: Thirty-one patients who had advanced transitional cell carcinoma and one of the following clinical features were evaluated: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status equal or greater than 2, age older the 75 years or estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 60 ml/min.