Prognosis of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with TACE: A New Score Combining Alpha-Fetoprotein and Des-γ-Carboxy Prothrombin.

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant global health problem, requiring precise prognostic tools for optimal treatment stratification. This study aimed to develop a new risk prediction score, called AD score, based on the serum markers alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP), to offer an objective and accurate preoperative assessment of HCC in patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Patients And Methods: This was a retrospective study that included 295 HCC patients who were subjected to TACE (training set, n=147; testing set, n=148).

TGF-β1 inhibitor P144 protects against benign restenosis after esophageal stenting through TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway inhibition.

Background And Study Aims: Esophageal restenosis is a serious complication after esophageal stent placement, which influences the clinical prognosis of stent implantation and the patient's quality of life. TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway plays an important role in the development of the eosinophilic esophagitis and scar repair after skin trauma. However, the role of TGF-β1/Smads in the development of esophageal restenosis after esophageal stent placement remains unknown.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Plus Tyrosinkinase Inhibitors and PD-1 Inhibitors for Spontaneously Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in combination with tyrosinkinase inhibitors (TKI) and PD-1 inhibitors, versus TACE monotherapy for the treatment of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: This study included 104 patients with ruptured HCC receiving either combination therapy or TACE monotherapy at two centers between June 2015 and June 2022. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used at a 1:2 ratio to reduce bias between the two groups.

Epidemiological characteristics and temporal-spatial clustering analysis on human brucellosis in Jiangsu Province, 2006-2021.

The marked increase in the incidence rate of brucellosis is a serious public health concern in Jiangsu Province. However, its temporal and spatial distribution has not been studied in depth. The main purpose of this study is to depict the demographic, temporal and spatial distribution patterns and clustering characteristics of brucellosis cases in Jiangsu Province, China, from 2006 to 2021 to develop and implement effective scientific prevention and control strategies.

Acute Pancreatitis After Percutaneous Metallic Stent Insertion for Malignant Biliary Obstruction: A Retrospective 2-Center Study.

Background/aims: The current study investigated the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of acute pancreatitis after percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting for malignant biliary obstruction.

Materials And Methods: From March 2016 to May 2020, a total of 425 patients who underwent percutaneous transhepatic biliary stent- ing for malignant biliary obstruction were included in this 2-center study. After the procedure, we analyzed the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of acute pancreatitis.

Transarterial chemoembolization plus apatinib with or without camrelizumab for unresected hepatocellular carcinoma: A two-center propensity score matching study.

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with apatinib and camrelizumab with those of TACE as well as apatinib among patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: The data of patients with unresectable HCC (uHCC) who received TACE-apatinib-camrelizumab combination (TACE + AC group) and TACE-apatinib combination (TACE + A group) were collected from two centers between January 2018 and January 2022. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to diminish the bias between the two groups.

Survival prediction for patients with malignant biliary obstruction caused by pancreatic cancer undergoing biliary drainage: the COMBO-PaS model.

Background: Patients with pancreatic cancer-caused biliary obstruction (PC-BO) have poor prognosis, but we lack of tools to predict survival for clinical decision-making. This study aims to establish a model for survival prediction among patients with PC-BO.

Methods: A total of 172 patients with PC-BO treated with percutaneous biliary drainage were randomly divided into a training group (n = 120) and a validation group (n = 52).

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization alone versus combined with microwave ablation for recurrent small hepatocellular carcinoma after resection: a retrospective comparative study.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with microwave ablation (TACE-MWA) versus TACE alone for the treatment of recurrent small hepatocellular carcinoma (sHCC) after resection.

Materials And Methods: From June 2015 to January 2020, a total of 45 patients with recurrent sHCC (size ≤ 3 cm) treated by TACE-MWA or TACE were included in this study. The radiological response at 1-, 3-, 6-month after initial treatment [modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST)], progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and complications were evaluated.

Metallic stent placement versus catheter drainage for malignant bilioenteric anastomotic stricture.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare self-expandable metallic stent placement with catheter drainage for malignant bilioenteric anastomotic stricture in terms of efficacy and safety.

Materials And Methods: This study included 54 patients with malignant bilioenteric anastomotic stricture treated from March 2016 to February 2021. Twenty-seven patients underwent insertion of self-expandable metallic stent (Stent group); the remaining twenty-seven patients underwent internal-external catheter drainage (Catheter group).

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy following simultaneous metallic stent placement and iodine-125 seed strands for advanced cholangiocarcinoma causing malignant obstructive jaundice: a propensity score matching study.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) following the simultaneous placement of self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) and iodine-125 (I) seed strands for the management of advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients presenting with malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ).

Methods: Data from 74 patients with MOJ caused by advanced CCA treated with stent placement with I seed strands with or without HAIC between November 2015 and October 2020 were analysed retrospectively. Eighteen patients received 5 sessions of HAIC after SEMS placement with I seed strands (HAIC group), and 56 patients only underwent SEMS placement with I seed strands and served as controls (control group).

MicroRNA-32-5p inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis in lung adenocarcinoma by targeting SMAD family 3.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. MicroRNA (miRNA)-32-5p is as an important cancer-associated miRNA in different types cancer. To date, the role of miR-32-5p in the migration and invasion of NSCLC remains unknown.

The "Six-and-Twelve" Score for Recurrent HCC Patients Receiving TACE: Does it Still Work?

Background: A new prognostic model, the "six-and-twelve" (SAT) score, was suggested to be effective in selecting ideal transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) candidates from treatment naïve hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, whether the SAT score could also be applied in recurrent HCC patients with prior curative-intent treatments remains unknown. We aimed to validate and compare SAT focussing on these patients.

Percutaneous stent placement for malignant hilar biliary obstruction: side-by-side versus stent-in-stent technique.

Background: Currently, side-by-side (SBS) and stent-in-stent (SIS) are the two main techniques for stent deployment to treat hilar biliary obstructions. Previous studies comparing these two techniques are very limited, and thus, no consensus has been reached on which technique is better. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of SBS and SIS deployment via a percutaneous approach for malignant hilar biliary obstruction.

Transarterial chemoembolization with medium-sized doxorubicin-eluting Callisphere is safe and effective for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The study aimed to compare the tumor response to and complications of doxorubicin-eluting CalliSphere bead-transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) using small- and medium-sized beads in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent multiple rounds of oncology therapies. Sixty patients with intermediate stage HCC who had previously received multiple oncology therapies underwent DEB-TACE with CalliSpheres of 100-300 μm (small bead group, n = 34) or 300-500 μm (medium bead group, n = 26) in diameter between October 2016 and December 2018. Adverse events and the response rate of the index tumor based on the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors at 3 months post-TACE were compared between the groups.

Prognostic value of elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T levels in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy.

Our objective was to assess the impact of hs-cTnT elevation on functional outcome and mortality in AIS patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) in the anterior circulation 3 months after ET and explore factors affecting hs-cTnT elevation. A total of 143 consecutive AIS patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) in the anterior circulation following ET in a single stroke center were enrolled between January 2015 and November 2017. Hs-cTnT was quantitated on admission.

Study of Percutaneous Stent Placement with Iodine-125 Seed Strand for Malignant Biliary Obstruction.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of simultaneous placement of a self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) and iodine-125 seed strand in the management of malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ).

Materials And Methods: This study included 132 patients with MOJ treated from November 2015 to October 2017. Forty-five patients underwent insertion of SEMS with iodine-125 seed strands (Seeds group); the remaining 87 patients underwent SEMS placement alone (Control group).

Evaluation of a New Esophageal Stent for the Treatment of Malignant and Benign Esophageal Strictures.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the EGIS esophageal stent for treating malignant and benign esophageal strictures.

Materials And Methods: Data of 73 patients (mean age 63.0 ± 11.

Fluoroscopic-guided stent placement in failed tentative endoscopic approaches to malignant gastroduodenal obstructions.

Background Fluoroscopic or endoscopic placement of metallic stents is used as a safe, non-surgical, palliative treatment option for malignant gastroduodenal obstructions. However, endoscopic stent placement is not always feasible, due to the tight or tortuous stricture of the obstructed area and insufficient visualization of the stomach due to remnant food material. Purpose To assess the technical feasibility and clinical outcomes of fluoroscopic-guided stent placement in malignant gastroduodenal obstructions following the technical failure of endoscopic stent placement.

Identifying the optimal gene and gene set in hepatocellular carcinoma based on differential expression and differential co-expression algorithm.

The objective of this study was to identify the optimal gene and gene set for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) utilizing differential expression and differential co-expression (DEDC) algorithm. The DEDC algorithm consisted of four parts: calculating differential expression (DE) by absolute t-value in t-statistics; computing differential co-expression (DC) based on Z-test; determining optimal thresholds on the basis of Chi-squared (χ2) maximization and the corresponding gene was the optimal gene; and evaluating functional relevance of genes categorized into different partitions to determine the optimal gene set with highest mean minimum functional information (FI) gain (Δ*G). The optimal thresholds divided genes into four partitions, high DE and high DC (HDE-HDC), high DE and low DC (HDE-LDC), low DE and high DC (LDE‑HDC), and low DE and low DC (LDE-LDC).

Fluoroscopic removal of retrievable self-expandable metal stents in patients with malignant oesophageal strictures: Experience with a non-endoscopic removal system.

Objectives: To evaluate clinical outcomes of fluoroscopic removal of retrievable self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) for malignant oesophageal strictures, to compare clinical outcomes of three different removal techniques, and to identify predictive factors of successful removal by the standard technique (primary technical success).

Methods: A total of 137 stents were removed from 128 patients with malignant oesophageal strictures. Primary overall technical success and removal-related complications were evaluated.

Incidence and management of oesophageal ruptures following fluoroscopic balloon dilatation in children with benign strictures.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence and management of oesophageal ruptures following fluoroscopic balloon dilatation (FBD) in children with benign oesophageal strictures.

Methods: Sixty-two children with benign oesophageal strictures underwent FBDs. Oesophageal rupture was categorized as intramural (type 1), transmural (type 2), or transmural with free leakage (type 3).