The Past, Present, and Future of Perforator Flaps in Head and Neck Surgery.

A perforator is a vessel that travels through muscle and perfuses the skin. Perforator flaps require intramuscular dissection and can be used as pedicled or free flap. With improved understanding of microvasculature, they can be tailored to have multiple skin paddles, multiple components, or shaped to conform to any defect.

Abemaciclib plus a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor as initial therapy for HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer: final overall survival results of MONARCH 3.

Background: In MONARCH 2, the addition of abemaciclib to fulvestrant significantly improved both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) with disease progression on prior endocrine therapy. In MONARCH 3, the addition of abemaciclib to a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI) as initial therapy for HR+, HER2- ABC significantly improved PFS. Here, we present the prespecified final OS results for MONARCH 3.

Analysis of East Asia subgroup in Study 309/KEYNOTE-775: lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus treatment of physician's choice chemotherapy in patients with previously treated advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Objective: In the global phase 3 Study 309/KEYNOTE-775 (NCT03517449) at the first interim analysis, lenvatinib+pembrolizumab significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and objective response rate (ORR) versus treatment of physician's choice chemotherapy (TPC) in patients with previously treated advanced/recurrent endometrial cancer (EC). This exploratory analysis evaluated outcomes in patients enrolled in East Asia at the time of prespecified final analysis.

Methods: Women ≥18 years with histologically confirmed advanced, recurrent, or metastatic EC with progressive disease after 1 platinum-based chemotherapy (2 if 1 given in neoadjuvant/adjuvant setting) were enrolled.

An Integrative Clinical Model for the Prediction of Pathological Complete Response in Patients with Operable Stage II and Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Receiving Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The response to NAC, particularly the probability of a complete pathological response (pCR), guides the surgical approach and adjuvant therapy. We developed a prediction model using a nomogram integrating blood tests and pre-treatment ultrasound findings for predicting pCR in patients with stage II or III operable TNBC receiving NAC.

Long-Term Outcomes of Breast Cancer Patients Who Underwent Selective Neck Dissection for Metachronous Isolated Supraclavicular Nodal Metastasis.

We retrospectively enrolled 139 patients who developed metachronous isolated supraclavicular lymph node metastasis (miSLNM) from 8129 consecutive patients who underwent primary surgery between 1990 and 2008 at a single medical center. The median age was 47 years. The median follow-up time from date of primary tumor surgery was 73.

The association between low protein diet and body composition, muscle function, inflammation, and amino acid-based metabolic profile in chronic kidney disease stage 3-5 patients.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global burden in the world. Low protein diet (LPD) recommendation is suggested in CKD patients to avoid or defer dialysis initiation and slow down CKD progression. However, nutritional imbalance and protein energy wasting represent key worries.

The prognostic value of peripheral total and differential leukocyte count in renal progression: A community-based study.

Background: Systemic inflammation is related to chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Elevated peripheral leukocyte count may be a herald of increased systemic inflammation and subclinical disease. Inflammation plays an important role in renal progression.

Discrepancy of Breast and Axillary Pathologic Complete Response and Outcomes in Different Subtypes of Node-positive Breast Cancer after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Few studies have analyzed the discrepancy between breast pathologic complete response (B-pCR) and axillary node pCR (N-pCR) rates and their impact on survival outcomes in different intrinsic subtypes of early breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). We retrospectively reviewed B-pCR, N-pCR, and total (breast and axillary node) pCR (T-pCR) after NAC to assess the discrepancy and outcomes between 2005 and 2017. A total of 968 patients diagnosed with cT1-4c, N1-2, and M0 breast cancer were enrolled in the study.

Reconstruction of mandibular defects involving the central segment with fibula osteoseptocutaneous free flap following ameloblastoma resection: Patient-reported outcomes.

Objectives: Mandibular defects involving the central segment are challenging. This study analyzes the impact of defect extent and reconstruction method on quality of life (QOL) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Materials And Methods: Twenty-nine ameloblastoma patients received segmental mandibulectomy involving the C-segment and immediate fibula free flap reconstruction were recruited.

Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) versus trastuzumab in Chinese patients with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and HER2-targeted therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer in the phase 3 KATHERINE study.

Purpose: In the KATHERINE study (NCT01772472), patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC) and residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus HER2-targeted therapy who were treated with adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) had a 50% reduction in the risk of an invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) event compared to patients treated with adjuvant trastuzumab. In metastatic disease, T-DM1 has resulted in higher rates of thrombocytopenia in Asian versus non-Asian patients. Here, we report safety and efficacy in Chinese patients from KATHERINE.

DNA methylation marker for the triage of hrHPV positive women in cervical cancer screening: Real-world evidence in Taiwan.

Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary cervical cancer screening followed by reflex cytology if high-risk HPV is present (hrHPV+) is recently adopted in some countries. However, reflex cytology's sensitivity is variable, and a suitable triage approach for hrHPV+ remains controversial. Here, we compared the performance of three triage tools in hrHPV+ women.

Abemaciclib in combination with endocrine therapy for East Asian patients with HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer: MONARCH 2 & 3 trials.

This post hoc analysis of MONARCH 2 and MONARCH 3 assesses the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of abemaciclib in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) in East Asian patients with hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer. MONARCH 2 and MONARCH 3 are global, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 studies of abemaciclib/placebo + fulvestrant and abemaciclib/placebo + nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI, anastrozole or letrozole), respectively. The East Asian population comprised 212 (31.

Impact of Non-Calcified Specimen Pathology on the Underestimation of Malignancy for the Incomplete Retrieval of Suspicious Calcifications Diagnosed as Flat Epithelial Atypia or Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia by Stereotactic Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy.

Objective: Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) is considered a reliable alternative to surgical biopsy for suspicious calcifications. In most cases, the management of flat epithelial atypia (FEA) and atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) after VABB with residual calcifications requires surgical excision. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of pathology of non-calcified specimens on the underestimation of malignancy.

Increased financial burdens and lengths of stay in patients with healthcare-associated infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria in intensive care units: A propensity-matched case-control study.

Background And Objectives: Incidence rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) depend upon infection control policy and practices, and the effectiveness of the implementation of antibiotic stewardship. Amongst intensive care unit (ICU) patients with HAIs, a substantial number of pathogens were reported to be multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB). However, impacts of ICU HAIs due to MDRB (MDRB-HAIs) remain understudied.

Vitamin D deficiency, cardiothoracic ratio, and long-term mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Hemodialysis patients are a special group of patients with higher mortality rates. Hemodialysis patients with vitamin D deficiency {plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] below 20 ng/mL} are associated with even higher mortality rates. The prognostic importance of vitamin D deficiency in hemodialysis patients with different cardiothoracic ratios (CTRs) is still unclear.

Clinical Characteristics and Predictors of Mortality in Critically Ill Influenza Adult Patients.

Severe influenza is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the clinical outcomes of critically ill influenza patients. In this retrospective study, we enrolled critically ill adult patients with influenza at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan.

Impaired production of immune mediators in dengue virus type 2-infected mononuclear cells of adults with end stage renal disease.

Chronic kidney disease is an epidemiologically identified risk factor for development of severe dengue in dengue-affected patients. However, available data on the immune pathogenesis in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients affected by dengue is insufficient. We performed an in vitro study to evaluate the sequential immunological reactions and viral load in dengue virus type 2-infected mononuclear cells of patients with ESRD (n = 34) and in healthy controls (n = 30).

Determining the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors for the outcomes of Japanese encephalitis in adults: A multicenter study from southern Taiwan.

Background: In Southeast Asia, Japanese encephalitis (JE) is an important cause of viral encephalitis which may cause severe neurological sequelae. JE affects mostly children; therefore, clinical presentations and prognosis of adult JE patients are seldom addressed. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors for the outcome of adult JE patients.

The association between chronic musculoskeletal pain and clinical outcome in chronic kidney disease patients: a prospective cohort study.

Background And Objectives: Chronic musculoskeletal (MS) pain is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. The association of chronic MS pain and CKD progression has not yet been established.

Method: We conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate the association of chronic MS pain and CKD progression of pre-dialysis CKD patients.

Vitamin D deficiency in northern Taiwan: a community-based cohort study.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has become an important public health problem, however few studies have been conducted in subtropical countries, and the predictors of vitamin D deficiency in people with healthy renal function are unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in northern Taiwan.

Methods: The cross-sectional study was performed between August 2013 and August 2017, and included 3954 participants without chronic kidney disease (CKD) aged ≥30 years in northern Taiwan.