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We performed a meta-analysis to investigate the association between pretreatment body mass index (BMI) and prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Case–control and cohort studies were searched from PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and CNKI databases. Pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival (OS) or distant metastasis-free survival (DMSF) were used to estimate the prognostic value. Bias in the included studies was evaluated using funnel plots. The results showed that compared with normal weight patients, the estimated HR of OS was 1.54 (95% CI: 1.25–1.90; P < 0.05) for underweight, 0.63 (95% CI: 0.48–0.83; P < 0.05) for overweight, and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.41–1.08; P = 0.102) obese patients. We also found that compared with normal-weight patients, the estimated HR of DMFS was 1.63 (95% CI: 1.38–1.92; P < 0.05) for underweight, 0.83 (95% CI: 0.61–1.13; P = 0.244) for overweight, and 0.60 (95% CI: 0.39–0.92; P < 0.05) for patients with obesity. BMI is an independent prognostic factor for NPC survival. Being underweight before treatment was associated with poorer OS and DMFS in patients with NPC. Neither overweight nor obesity before treatment has an unfavorable effect on NPC survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To systematically review the effect of invigorating Pi and detoxification (Jianpi Jiedu, (JPJD)) herbs in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients receiving chemotherapy. Methods. Three English and four Chinese databases were searched. Literature was screened by EndNote X7 and data were analyzed by RevMan 5.2. Results. This review comprised 12 randomized clinical studies of 701 patients. The results showed that JPJD herbs improved the therapeutic effect on Chinese medicine symptoms [risk ratio (RR) = 1.59; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35~1.88] and Karnofsky performance score [RR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.52~2.82] for advanced CRC patients receiving chemotherapy, lowered the Chinese medicine symptoms’ score [weighted mean difference = −2.44; 95% CI: −3.23~−1.64], reduced the incidence of nausea and vomiting [RR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.11~0.49], improved platelet at toxicity grades III-IV [odds ratio = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12~0.74] and I–IV [RR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.51~0.82], and improved white blood cell at toxicity grades III-IV [RR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.23~0.58] and I–IV [RR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.60~0.79]. However, the results showed no significant effect on tumor response. Conclusion. JPJD herbs can improve quality of life, relieve symptoms, and reduce adverse events of advanced CRC patients receiving chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutrients related to one-carbon metabolism were previously shown to be significantly associated with the risk of cancer. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate potential relationships between one-carbon metabolic factors and renal cell cancer (RCC) risk. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through March 2015 for observational studies of quantitative RCC risk estimates in relation to one-carbon metabolic factors. The relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) measured the relationship between one-carbon metabolic factors and RCC risk using a random-effects model. Results: Of the 463 citations and abstracts identified by database search, seven cohorts from five observational studies reported data on 133,995 individuals, and included 2,441 RCC cases. Comparing the highest with the lowest category, the pooled RRs of RCC were 0.72 (95%CI: 0.52–1.00; P = 0.048) for vitamin B12. In addition, an increase in folic acid supplementation of 100 μg/day was associated with a 3% lower risk of RCC (RR, 0.97; 95%CI: 0.93–1.00; P = 0.048). Similarly, an increase of 5 nmol/L of vitamin B2 was associated with a reduced risk of RCC 0.94 (95%CI: 0.89–1.00; P = 0.045). Sensitivity analyses suggested that a higher serum vitamin B6 might contribute to a reduced risk of RCC (RR, 0.83; 95%CI: 0.77–0.89; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Higher levels of serum vitamin B2, B6, B12, and folic acid supplementation lowered the risk of RCC among the study participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]