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Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved for monotherapy and combined therapy with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in China since 2018. The number of patients receiving ICIs has significantly increased in recent years, and the collection and analysis of this data are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of their clinical outcomes and adverse effects. The effects of ICIs may vary among different ethnic groups, and there is a lack of such data in the Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence rate of various types of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of ICIs in cancer survivors with different types of cancer and explore the associated risk factors. Demographic data, cancer type, dosage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Score (ECOG-PS), and details of irAEs were collected from 120 participants who underwent ICI treatment. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the patient population characteristics, while t-tests and Chi-square tests assessed associations between variables. Multiple logistic regression evaluated the relationships between independent variables and the likelihood of experiencing irAEs. The results indicated that the occurrence of less severe G1 and G2 irAEs was 25%, while more severe G3 to G5 irAEs accounted for 5.8% of the total. Among the irAEs, skin toxicity had the highest incidence rate (14.2%), followed by gastrointestinal toxicity (6.7%), and endocrine toxicity had the lowest incidence rate of 2.5%. The multiple logistic regression model revealed that patients with ECOG-PS ≥ 2 are over five times more likely to experience irAEs compared to those with lower ECOG-PS (OR: 5.03, 95% CI: 1.05–24.17). Additionally, patients with cancer stage IV have 11.47 times the odds of experiencing irAEs (OR: 11.47, 95% CI: 1.05–24.17). In conclusion, a substantial proportion of patients receiving ICIs experienced irAEs. Patients with an ECOG-PS score of ≥ 2 and advanced cancer stage are at increased risk for these events, necessitating close monitoring by healthcare professionals. The identification of skin and gastrointestinal toxicities as the most common irAEs revealed the need for targeted education for the patients and their carers to recognise and manage these issues. Furthermore, our findings, in conjunction with existing literature, may guide future research on predictive modelling for high-risk patients receiving ICIs.

The global nursing shortage poses challenges to healthcare accessibility, clinical outcomes, and patient safety. Researchers have explored factors that influence nursing attrition, and the Nurses’ Perceived Professional Benefits (NPPB) is one such factor that has gained attention. This cross-sectional study aims to assess the NPPB among registered nurses in Macao, a multicultural city with a unique healthcare system. A 33-item online questionnaire was used to collect data from 279 nurses. The questionnaire measured NPPB across 5 dimensions: positive occupational perception, personal enhancement, recognition from family and friends, decent nurse-patient relationships, and team belongingness. This study indicated that Macao nurses had a moderate level of NPPB. Nurse-patient relationships, income, and job stability received the most positive responses, while team belongingness received the lowest scores. These findings suggest that improvements are needed in team building, providing more opportunities for specialized training, and offering more career advancement opportunities.

The factors affecting nursing job satisfaction and burnout have been widely studied, but the research results vary in nations with different cultures and organization schemes. The healthcare system of Macao is unique, which tends to be a combination of that of Chinese and Portuguese. This study aimed to assess the factors influencing job satisfaction and burnout and to investigate their associations with demographic characteristics. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 345 randomly selected nurses registered with the Health Bureau of Macao Special Administrative Region who agreed to participate in this study voluntarily. This study employed two questionnaires using eight subscales (28 items) and five subscales (49 items) to describe job satisfaction and burnout, respectively. The demographic variables of age, highest education level, monthly income, type of working organization, and role were associated with job satisfaction. Whereas marital status was the only demographic variable associated with burnout. Professional development opportunities and childcare support were the main reasons for job dissatisfaction and coping strategies was the major issue for burnout. No significant correlation was found between job satisfaction and burnout. Health organizations may provide solutions focusing on these factors to enhance the job satisfaction of nurses and reduce burnout.

Hedyotis diffusa Willd (HDW) injection is a clinically approved herbal medicine for various cancer therapies in China. This study aims to investigate HDW injection on endometrial cancer (EC), which is currently not an indication of HDW. Cytotoxicity and flow cytometric analysis were employed to study the inhibition and apoptosis of EC cells under various concentrations of HDW injection, cisplatin, and their combination. In silico docking simulations were used to predict the binding affinities between the phytochemicals of HDW and the EC therapeutic target, A3 adenosine receptors (A3ARs). FAF-Drugs 4 was used to study the drug-like properties of the phytochemicals. The HDW injection inhibited the growth and caused apoptosis of EC cells. HDW and cisplatin produced more potent inhibition effects than their individual use. The phytochemicals 5-demethylsinensetin, 5-demethylnobiletin and 5-hydroxy-6,7,3,4- quatermethoxyflavonoid obtained the highest docking score with acceptable drug-like properties for oral administration. The HDW injection and the in silico identified A3ARs inhibitors have a high potential for further investigations to develop an effective and safe EC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]