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Purpose: In recent years, docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (TPF)-based induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has been commonly applied for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). However, whether TPF+CCRT regimen is the best choice for LA-NPC remains unclear. This meta-analysis aims to elucidate and compare the efficacy and toxicity of TPF+CCRT versus CCRT alone for LA-NPC. Methods: Two investigators independently and systematically searched relevant studies available on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science published before January 7, 2021. Data were extracted from eligible studies for assessing their qualities, and calculating pooled hazard ratios (HR), odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using Review Manager software 5.3 (RevMan 5.3). Results: Five studies involving 759 LA-NPC patients were analyzed in the meta-analysis. Compared to CCRT alone, TPF-based IC plus CCRT significantly improved overall survival (OS) (HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.35–0.81, P = .003), progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46–0.86, P = .004), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.39–0.86, P = .008), and locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS) (HR 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43–0.90, P = .01). In addition, TPF-based IC plus CCRT mainly increased risks of grade 3/4 acute hematological toxicity and non-hematological toxicities like leukopenia (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 0.42–8.03, P = .42), neutropenia (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 0.23–13.82, P = .58), thrombocytopenia (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 0.53–5.81, P = .35), febrile neutropenia (OR = 2.76, 95% CI: 0.07–101.89, P = .58), vomiting (OR = 18.94, 95% CI: 0.99–362.02, P = .05) and dry mouth (OR = 2.23, 95% CI: 0.22–22.57, P = .50), which were uncomplicated and manageable. Conclusions: TPF + CCRT is superb than CCRT alone for the management of LA-NPC. However, TPF+CCRT increases the incidences of grade 3/4 acute hematological toxicity and some non-hematological toxicities.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Background: Though studies have shown association between C-reactive protein (CRP) level and the risk of ovarian cancer (OC), there have been some inconsistencies. The current metaanalysis was conducted to study the relationship between CRP and OC. Patients and methods: Three electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for prospective studies of OC from inception till May 2018. Relative risk (RR) was summarized using random-effects model, and the results of sensitivity, subgroup analyses, and publication biases were also calculated. Results: A total of 13 cohorts involving 1,852 OC patients were included for the final meta-analysis. The summary RRs indicated that high CRP was associated with an increased risk of all invasive OC (RR:1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.03–1.80; P = .032), while moderate CRP showed no significant impact on the risk of all invasive OC compared with low CRP (RR:1.17; 95% CI:0.97–1.41; P = .107). High (RR: 1.42; 95% CI: 0.85–2.37; P = .183) or moderate (RR: 1.29; 95% CI: 0.94–1.77; P = .119) CRP levels showed little or no effect on serous OC. Similarly, no significant differences for the comparisons of high versus low (RR: 1.82; 95% CI: 0.27–12.42; P = .540) or moderate versus low (RR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.31–1.69; P = .455) CRP levels for the risk of mucinous OC were observed. Moreover, high (RR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.13–2.54; P = .471) or moderate (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.44–1.47; P = .484) CRP levels were not associated with the risk of endometrioid OC compared with low CRP levels. Conclusion: High CRP levels were associated with increased risk of invasive OC. The risk of other OC types with CRP levels showed no association.

Rationale:The biological behavior and clinical features of ovarian metastasis from breast cancer remain unclear; diagnosis and treatment of this condition are challenging.Patient concerns:We reported three cases of ovarian metastasis from breast cancer in Chinese women aged 44, 46, and 30 ye

Background:To investigate the efficacy of acellular dermal matrix in penis augmentation (ADMPA) for premature ejaculation (PE).Methods:A total of 39 patients treated with ADM in penis augmentation from June 2014 to December 2017 were evaluated. Detailed evaluations on PE were conducted befor

The aim of the study was to explore the correlation between rs7903146 and rs290487 polymorphisms in transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene and diabetic nephropathy (DN) in Chinese Han population.Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to determine genotypes of TCF7L2 polymorphisms in 90 patients with DN and 96 diabetes patients without DN. The linkage disequilibrium (LD) and haplotype analysis were performed with haploview software. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was assessed in the control group based on the genotype distributions of TCF7L2 polymorphisms. The genotype, allele, and haplotype distribution differences between the case and control groups were analyzed by chi-squared test, and odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to indicate the relative risk of DN.People carrying TT genotype of rs7903146 were more easily to be attacked by DN than CC genotype carriers (P = .02, OR = 4.26, 95% CI = 1.12-16.24). Meanwhile, T allele also showed 1.85 times risk to suffer from DN compared with C allele (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.02-3.10). However, there was no significant difference in genotypes and alleles frequencies of rs290487 between 2 groups. The strong LD existed between the 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotype T-T (rs7903146-rs290487) increased the susceptibility to DN (OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.31-5.25).TCF7L2 rs7903146 polymorphism may be associated with the susceptibility to DN in Chinese Han population, but rs290487 is not. Additionally, haplotype is also a risk factor for DN.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common complication in patients with diabetic mellitus (DM). Growing evidences have demonstrated that the polymorphisms of angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) showed significant association with DN onset, but no consensus has been achieved yet. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to combine the findings of previous researches for a more comprehensive conclusion. Methods: Eligible publications were identified through electronic databases. The intensity of the correlation between AGTR1 A1166C polymorphism and DN susceptibility was evaluated through calculating pooled odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Heterogeneity among included studies was examined with Q test. When P-value less than .05, significant heterogeneity presented, random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled ORs, otherwise, the fixed-effects model was used. Stratification analyses were also performed based on ethnicity and the type of DM. Results: Seventeen eligible articles were finally included in the present meta-analysis. The analysis results showed that AGTR1 A1166C polymorphism was significantly related to increased risk of DN under CC versus AA (OR = 1.723, 95% CI = 1.123–2.644), CC + AC versus AA (OR = 1.179, 95% CI = 1.004–1.383), CC versus AA + AC (OR = 1.662, 95% CI = 1.112–2.486), and C versus A (OR = 1.208, 95% CI = 1.044–1.397) genetic models. Additionally, a similar result was also found in Asian and T2DM (type 2 diabetic mellitus) groups after subgroup analyses of ethnicity and DM type. Conclusion: AGTR1 A1166C polymorphism may increase the susceptibility to DN, especially in Asians and T2DM population.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma (aSTS) typically have a poor prognosis. Patients progressing to doxorubicin-based regimen have limited therapeutic options. Monotherapy with cytotoxic drugs appears to have only modest activity in the second-line setting. The purpose of this phase II study was to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination regimen with gemcitabine, vincristine, and cisplatin (GVP) as a salvage treatment for patients with aSTS. Eligible patients were female with 18∼75 years old, and had aSTS that had progressed after 1 prior anthracyclines-based chemotherapy regimen. Patients were treated with 1,000 mg/m2 gemcitabine intravenously (IV) on days 1 and 8, 1.4 mg/m2 (max 2 mg) vincristine IV on day 1 and 25 mg/m2 cisplatin IV on days 1 through 3 every 21 days until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or up to 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), over response rate (ORR) and safety. This trial was registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (no. NCT01192633). A total of 26 patients with a median age 47 years (21–72) were recruited. ORR was 23.1% [1 complete response and 5 partial responses]. The median PFS and OS were 4.8 (95% CI, 0.1–9.5) months and 15.0 (95% CI, 6.1–23.9) months, respectively. Grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities included neutropenia (34.6%), leukopenia (23.1%), thrombocytopenia (11.5%) and anemia (3.8%). No febrile neutropenia and grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicities occurred. The most frequent non-hematologic toxicities were nausea/vomiting (50.0%), fatigue (30.8%), and fever (11.5%). We conclude that GVP regimen is effective with a favorable safety profile as the second-line chemotherapy in aSTS patients, which warrants further investigation in a phase III study.