[Evaluation of efficacy of 1 year after completing the 2-year specific sublingual immunotherapy treatment course in allergic rhinitis]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of treatment at 1 year after completing the 2-year specific sublingual immunotherapy in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods: A retrospective analysis of 124 patients with AR who were allergic to dust mite and treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University since 2012 was performed. All patients achieved sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for 2 years and had a regular follow-up over 1 year. Efficacy evaluation index such as VAS score, total nasal symptom score and total medication score were compared between the time of SLIT for 2 years, and 1 year after termination of SLIT. Paired t test was used for the comparison of scores. Results: Compared with those before treatment, the VAS score, total nasal symptom score and total medication score at the time of SLIT for 2 years were significantly decreased in all patients with AR [(9.40±5.96) vs (24.78±6.36), (4.53±2.06) vs (9.51±2.02), (0.42±0.87) vs (3.02±0.41), t value was 17.627, 24.600, 5.331, respectively, all P<0.01]. Compared with 2 years SLIT treatment, VAS score and total nasal symptom score were significantly increased than 1 year after termination of immunotherapy [(12.52±6.92) vs (9.40±5.96), (5.30±2.36) vs (4.53±2.06), t=5.199, 3.744, respectively, all P<0.01], but the total medication score showed no significant difference [(0.34±0.84) vs (0.42±0.87), t=-1.043, P>0.05]. Conclusions: The symptoms after 2 years SLIT in patients with AR have been well controlled. One year after the termination of SLIT, there is a certain rebound in symptoms, 2 years SLIT may not be the ideal treatment cycle for AR.

[Prognosis and risk factors of 1 791 patients with breast cancer treated with breast-conserving surgery based on real-world data]

Objective: To investigate the overall efficacy of early breast cancer after breast-conserving treatment. To analyze risk factors affecting local regional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM) and survival. Methods: 1 791 breast cancer patients treated with breast-conserving surgery were retrospectively analyzed. The inclusion criteria were pathologic diagnosis of invasive breast cancer without supraclavicular and internal mammary node metastasis, T1-2N0-3M0, and no neoadjuvant therapy. Univariate analysis of survival was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and log rank test. Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis. Results: The median follow-up time was 4.2 years. For all patients, the 5-year LRR, DM, disease-free survival(DFS) and overall survival(OS) rates were 3.6%, 4.6%, 93.0% and 97.4%, respectively. The LRR rates of patients with Luminal A, Luminal B1, Luminal B2, HER-2 over-expressed and triple-negative breast cancer were 2.0%, 6.1%, 5.9%, 0 and 10.0%, while the DM rates were 3.2%, 6.7%, 8.3%, 4.8% and 7.3%, respectively. Among the N0 patients, axillary dissection was performed in 689 cases and sentinel lymph node biopsy in 652 cases. The 5-year LRR rates were 3.3% and 3.2% (P=0.859), and the OS rates were 98.2% and 98.3% (P=0.311) respectively, which showed no statistically significant. There were 1 576 patients that underwent postoperative radiotherapy. Postoperative radiotherapy significantly reduced the 5-year LRR compared with surgery alone (2.5% vs 12.9%). The 5-year LRR rates of patients who received conventional fractionated radiotherapy and hypo-fractionated radiotherapy were 2.7% and 3.1%, respectively. But the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.870). Multivariate analysis showed that age, lymphovascular invasion, pathological T staging, postoperative radiotherapy, ER/PR status and endocrine therapy were independent factors of LRR in breast cancer patients (all P<0.05). Histological grade and pathological N staging were independent factors of DM (all P<0.05). The age, lymphovascular invasion, pathological T and N staging, postoperative radiotherapy, ER/PR status and endocrine therapy were independent factors for DFS (all P<0.05). Histological grade, pathological N staging, ER/PR status and endocrine therapy were factors for OS (all P<0.05). Conclusions: With contemporary standard treatment, the recurrence rate of early breast cancer after breast conserving treatment is less than 10%. Node-negative patients after sentinel lymph node biopsy did not need axillary dissection. The overall utilization of radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery is satisfactory. Hypofractionated radiotherapy is as effective as conventional fractionated radiotherapy. Local regional recurrence and distant metastasis have different risk factors.

SET1A-Mediated Mono-Methylation at K342 Regulates YAP Activation by Blocking Its Nuclear Export and Promotes Tumorigenesis

YAP, a key effector of Hippo pathway, is activated by its translocation from cytoplasm to nucleus to regulate gene expression and promote tumorigenesis. Although the mechanism by which YAP is suppressed in cytoplasm has been well-studied, how the activated YAP is sequestered in the nucleus remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that YAP is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein and its nuclear export is controlled by SET1A-mediated mono-methylation of YAP at K342, which disrupts the binding of YAP to CRM1. YAP mimetic methylation knockin mice are more susceptible to colorectal tumorigenesis. Clinically, YAP K342 methylation is reversely correlated with cancer survival. Collectively, our study identifies SET1A-mediated mono-methylation at K342 as an essential regulatory mechanism for regulating YAP activity and tumorigenesis.

[Clinical characteristics and treatment strategies for early-stage primary gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma]

Objective: Primary gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PG-DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of extranodal origin. Most patients with PG-DLBCL had localized disease (stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ) at presentation, and will achieve complete response (CR) after induction chemotherapy. However, there has been little consensus regarding whether optimal treatment is provided by chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus radiotherapy, nor the treatment outcome from the addition of rituximab in localized-stage PG-DLBCL. Methods: Patients with Stage ⅠE and ⅡE PG-DLBCL were retrospectively analyzed. Patients have not undergone surgery, have received at least 3 cycles of R-CHOP or CHOP-like chemotherapy as initial therapy, and achieved CR or partial response (PR) were enrolled. Results: A total of 91 patients were studied. The median age was 51 years, included 47 males and 44 females. Fifty-two patients were at Stage ⅠE and 39 at Stage ⅡE, 64 (70.3%) patients received R-CHOP-like regimens, and 27 (29.7%) received CHOP-like regimens, the median chemotherapy cycle was 6 (3-8). Among the 91 patients, 80 (87.9%) patients achieved CR from induction chemotherapy, 11(12.1%) was evaluated PR. Of CR patients, 48 patients (60%) underwent consolidating radiotherapy and 32 patients (40%) did not receive radiotherapy; all PR patients received salvage radiotherapy. CR patients with and without radiation therapy had 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates of 96.4% and 96.7%, respectively (χ(2) = 0.546, P=0.46); 7/11 (63.6%) PR patients achieved CR after radiotherapy, with a median follow-up of 41 months, they were all disease free. For patients treated with R-CHOP or CHOP-like regimens, the 4-year PFS was 93.2% and 89.7%, respectively (χ(2)=0.096, P=0.757). Conclusions: Consolidation radiotherapy failed to improve the outcome for early-stage PG-DLBCL, while for PR patients, salvage radiotherapy increased CR rate and improved survival. The addition of rituximab to CHOP did not improve the efficacy.

[Study on the efficiency of tertiary public hospitals and its influencing factors in Beijing]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the comprehensive technical efficiency of the tertiary public hospitals in Beijing between 2006 and 2015 and explore its influencing factors, so as to propose corresponding policy suggestions.

METHODS

The data envelopment analysis was employed to evaluate the comprehensive technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency of the tertiary public hospitals in Beijing. Malmquist index model was used to analyze the changes of the above three dynamic efficiencies. Finally, randomeffect panel tobit model was utilized to analyze the influencing factors of the comprehensive technical efficiency.

RESULTS

The average comprehensive technical efficiency and pure technical efficiency of the tertiary public hospitals in Beijing were relatively high, and they had respectively increased from 0.44 and 0.51 in 2006 to 0.62 and 0.68 in 2015, and the highest proportion of two kinds of efficiency values was between 0.5 and 0.8. Most of the scale efficiency values distributed between 0.8 and 1.0, and the majority of hospitals were in a state of decreasing returns to scale. The total factor productivity of hospitals had been increasing at an average rate of 5.78% per year due to the double progress of technical efficiency and technology at annual rates of 3.77% and 1.94% respectively, further decomposing technological efficiency change, and the pure technical efficiency change increased at the speed of 3.21% per year, and the annual average rate of progress in scale efficiency was only 0.53%. The comprehensive technical efficiency was positively correlated with the turnover rate of beds, annual visits per doctor, the ratio of doctors to nurses, and negatively correlated with the number of beds, the ratio of outpatients to inpatients, the proportion of medical technical personnel, and the proportion of drugs.

CONCLUSION

Future health policies should strictly control the scale of tertiary public hospitals, pay attention to the innovation and application of hospital technology, change the hospital internal management level and management model, promote refined management, and achieve sustainable development.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence after breast conservation therapy]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of the ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) after breast conserving surgery. Methods: From 1999 to 2013, 63 women with IBTR after breast conserving surgery were retrospectively reviewed. All patients had adequate information on tumor location both at first presentation and at recurrence, with or without regional recurrence or distant metastasis. The histologic changes between true local recurrence and elsewhere recurrence groups were compared. The local recurrence, the overall survival after IBTR (IBTR-OS), the disease-free survival after IBTR (IBTR-DFS) were also compared. Results: All patients had undergone lumpectomy, including 38 cases with additional axillary lymph node dissection and 13 cases with sentinel lymph node biopsy. There were 11.3% (7/63) cases received neoadjuvant systemic therapy, 68.3% (43/63) had adjuvant radiotherapy, 60.3% (38/63) underwent adjuvant chemotherapy and 47.6% (30/63) received hormonal therapy. Forty-five cases (71.4%) had recurrence in the same quadrant, and 18 cases (28.6%) had elsewhere recurrence. Compared with histology at presentation, 10.3% of the patients (6/58) had different ones at recurrence and 28.9% of patients (13/45) had different molecular subtypes. The conversion rate of estrogen receptor status (33.3% vs 9.5%, P=0.012) and progesterone receptor status (56.3% vs 19.0%, P=0.005) in patients with elsewhere recurrence was significantly higher than that in patients with same quadrant recurrence. Fifty-nine cases had undergone surgery after IBTR, with 48 cases of secondary breast-conserving surgery and 11 cases of salvage mastectomy. The median time to IBTR of same quadrant recurrence and elsewhere recurrence groups were 26 months and 62 months (P=0.012), respectively. There were 84.4% and 44.4% cases who had local recurrence within 5 years after breast conserving surgery, respectively. Of all cases, the overall 5-year IBTR-OS and 5-year IBTR-DFS rates were 79.4% and 60.4%, respectively. There were no significant differences in 5-year IBTR-OS (77.4% vs. 83.6%, P=0.303) or 5-year IBTR-DFS (60.0% vs. 62.8%, P=0.780) between same quadrant recurrence and elsewhere recurrence groups. Univariate analysis showed that pN0-1 (P<0.001), luminal subtype (P=0.026), adjuvant endocrine therapy (P=0.007) at first presentation, recurrent tumor < 3 cm (P=0.036) and having surgery after IBTR(P=0.002) were favorable factors of IBTR-OS. pN0-1 (P<0.001) at first presentation, recurrent tumor stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ (P<0.001) and having surgery after IBTR(P=0.001) were favorable factors of IBTR-DFS. There was no significant difference between second breast-conserving surgery and salvage mastectomy in IBTR-OS and IBTR-DFS (P>0.05). Conclusions: The IBTR after breast conserving surgery mainly occurred at the original quadrant. Second breast-conserving surgery did not affect patient's prognosis. There were significant differences in biological features between the same quadrant recurrence and elsewhere recurrence, requiring different therapeutic strategies in the future.

[Structural change of the corpus callosum fibers in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder: two-year follow-up]

Objective: To conduct a follow-up investigation of structural changes of the corpus callosum fibers of toddlers (2 to 5 years of age) with autism spectrum disorder(ASD) and to explore the associations with clinical symptoms. Method: In this prospective randomized controlled study, ASD children who were diagnosed in the Child Mental Health Research Center, Nanjing Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from May 2011 to November 2012 were included in the ASD group, and developmentally delayed children were included in the control group (DD group). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from the two groups were obtained at two age levels: 2-3 years of age, and 4-5 years of age. Region of interest analysis was applied to assess characteristic values of total area and sub-regions of corpus callosum: the fraction anisotropy (FA), the mean diffusivity (MD), the radial diffusivity (RD) and the axial diffusivity (AD). All children were assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC). The characteristic values of total area and sub-regions of corpus callosum of ASD group at two age levels were analyzed by paired sample t test; the characteristic values of total area and sub-regions of corpus callosum of ASD group and DD group were analyzed by independent-sample t test; the correlations between FA values of the total area and sub-regions of corpus callosum and ADI-R or ATEC scores were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Result: Forty cases meeting inclusion criteria were enrolled in ASD group, and 31 eligible cases were enrolled in the control group. Four children in the ASD group were lost to follow-up, and 5 children in the control group were lost to follow-up. Longitudinal comparison between the two age subgroups of ASD patients showed that the FA values of the total corpus callosum increased (0.499 55±0.027 59 vs. 0.505 83±0.086 64, t=4.88, P<0.05), but MD values, RD values and AD values of the total corpus callosum area decreased (0.000 89±0.000 03 vs. 0.000 81±0.000 14, 0.000 61±0.000 04 vs. 0.000 55±0.000 09, 0.001 43±0.000 03 vs. 0.001 38±0.000 03, t=9.31, 7.90, 8.66, P<0.05 for all comparisons). In the area of corpus callosum genu, FA and AD values increased (t=5.59, 8.48, P<0.05 for both comparisons), but MD and RD values decreased (t=12.67, 11.28, P<0.05 for both comparisns). In the area of corpus callosum body, FA and RD values increased(t=5.46, 8.48, P<0.05 for both comparisons), but MD and AD values decreased (t=8.08, 6.22, P<0.05 for both comparisons). In the area of corpus callosum splenium, MD, RD and AD values decreased (t=6.81, 4.44, 5.51, P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Among the participants 2 to 3 years of age, there were no significantly differences in FA values of total area and sub-regions of corpus callosum between ASD group and the DD group (P > 0.05 for all comparisons); as compared with the DD group, ASD group had higher AD values of total area and splenium of corpus callosum (0.001 43±0.000 03 vs. 0.001 40±0.000 04, 0.001 34±0.000 03 vs. 0.001 32±0.000 04, t=1.56, 1.14, P < 0.05 for both comparisons); ASD group had lower AD values but higher RD and MD values of corpus callosum genu (t=0.07, 0.55, 0.07, P < 0.05 for all comparisons); ASD group had lower RD values of corpus callosum body (t=0.07, P < 0.05). Among the participants 4 to 5 years of age, as compared with the DD group, ASD group had higher FA value of total corpus callosum area(0.505 83±0.086 64 vs. 0.483 77±0.099 30, t=8.56, P < 0.05), lower RD value of total corpus callosum(0.000 55±0.000 09 vs. 0.000 56±0.000 12, t=14.44, P < 0.05), lower RD values of corpus callosum body (t=2.20, P < 0.05), higher FA values (t=3.35, P < 0.05) but lower AD values of corpus callosum splenium (t=2.20, P < 0.05). A correlation analysis between FA values of total area and sub-regions of corpus callosum and clinical variables showed that the FA values of total area and splenium of corpus callosum in ASD group at 2 to 3 years of age were negatively correlated with the scores of language skills in ATEC (r=-0.35,-0.36, P < 0.05 for both comparisons). And after two years, FA values of total corpus callosum were positively correlated with the scores of social communication in ATEC (r=0.34, P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between FA values of sub-regions of corpus callosum and the scores of ATEC (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). There was no significant correlation between FA values of total area and sub-regions of corpus callosum and the scores of ADI-R (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion: The fiber structure of corpus callosum was still in the process of maturing during the age of 2 to 5 years; however, compared with DD group, ASD group had more extensive structural abnormalities of the corpus callosum fibers as age increased, and the structural abnormalities had correlation with the core symptoms of ASD. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-OPC-17011995.

S-1 chemotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy after D1/D2 lymph node dissection in patients with node-positive gastric cancer: a phase I/II study

BACKGROUND

This phase I/II clinical trial investigated S-1 administered with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) as adjuvant therapy for node-positive gastric cancer. Patients had undergone radical resection and D1/D2 lymph node dissection.

METHODS

In phase I, patients received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy of IMRT (45 Gy in 25 fractions) with concurrent S-1 administered on a dose-escalation schedule to determine the recommended dose (RD). In phase II, the safety and efficacy of the RD of S-1 combined with IMRT were assessed.

RESULTS

We consecutively enrolled 73 patients (56 men; median age, 53 years; range, 29-73 years) and the phase I portion of the study included 27 patients. The RD of S-1 administered concomitantly with IMRT was 80 mg m^-2 day^-1 orally, twice daily. The phase II analysis included 52 patients (46 new patients plus 6 from phase I). 8 patients (15.4%) developed grade 3 or 4 toxicities. There were 21 recurrence events and 15 deaths (1 bowel obstruction, 14 gastric cancer). Three-year disease-free survival and overall survival were 62.2% (95% confidence interval (CI), 48.5-75.9) and 70.0% (95% CI, 56.3-83.7), respectively. The median time to recurrence was 17.5 months (range, 3.8-42.0). The median time from recurrence to death was 7.0 months (range, 1.5-28.7).

CONCLUSIONS

S-1 combined with IMRT adjuvant chemoradiotherapy is safe and efficacious for advanced gastric cancer.

[Cost-effectiveness of multiple screening modalities on breast cancer in Chinese women from Shanghai]

Objective: To determine the most cost-effective modality for breast cancer screening in women living in Shanghai. Methods: A Markov model for breast cancer was redeveloped based on true effect which was derived from a project for detection of women at high risk of breast cancer and an organized breast cancer screening program conducted simultaneously in Minhang district, Shanghai, during 2008 to 2012. Parameters of the model were derived from literatures. General principles related to cost-effectiveness analysis were used to compare the costs and effects of 12 different screening modalities in a simulated cohort involving 100 000 women aged 45 years. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was used to determine the most cost-effective modality. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate how these factors affected the estimated cost-effectiveness. Results: The modality of biennial CBE followed by ultrasonic and mammography among those with positive CBE was observed as the most cost-effective one. The costs appeared as 182 526 Yuan RMB per life year gained and 144 386 Yuan RMB per quality adjusted life-year (QALY) saved, which were within the threshold of 2-3 times of local per capita Gross Domestic Product. Results from sensitivity analysis showed that, due to higher incidence rate of breast cancer in Shanghai, the cost per QALY would be 64 836 Yuan RMB lower in Shanghai than the average level in China. Conclusion: Our research findings showed that the biennial CBE program followed by ultrasonic and mammography for those with positive CBE results might serve as the optimal breast cancer screening modality for Chinese women living in Shanghai, and thus be widely promoted in this population elsewhere.

[Risk-adapted postmastectomy radiotherapy based on local-regional recurrence for T1-2N1M0 breast Cancer]

Objective: To establish a risk-adapted postmastectomy radiotherapy strategy based on local-regional recurrence for intermediate-risk breast cancer (T1~2N1M0 stage). Methods: A total of 2413 patients with T1-2N1M0 breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Of them, 588 patients (24.4%) received postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT), while 1 825 (75.6%) patients did not. A comprehensive comparative study was performed by using multivariable and propensity score-matched (PSM) analyses. Results: The median follow-up time was 67.0 months, the 5-year local region recurrence free-survival (LRRFS), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 93.8%, 85.7% and 93.3%, respectively. The 5-year local region recurrence (LRR) was 6.1%. For patients without PMRT, multivariable analysis indicated that age, tumor localization, molecular subtype, pathologic T stage and number of positive lymph node were independent factors for LRRFS (all of P<0.05). Patients with T1-2N1 breast cancer were classified into low-risk group (0-1 risk factor, 768 patients), intermediate-risk group (2 risk factors, 690 patients) and high-risk groups (≥3 risk factors, 544 patients) based on the five independent factors mentioned above. The 5-year LRRFS, DFS and OS were significantly different among the three groups (P<0.001). In low- and intermediate-risk groups, there were no significant differences in LRRFS, DFS and OS of patients who received PMRT or not (P>0.05). In high-risk group, the DFS of patients received PMRT or not were 79.8% and 74.4%, respectively (P=0.127), the OS of them were 86.8% and 87.1%, respectively (P=0.174), and the LRRFS were 93.3% and 84.3%, respectively (P=0.002). After PSM adjustment, no significant differences in LRRFS, DFS and OS were observed between PMRT-received subgroup and no PMRT subgroup of low-risk group (P>0.05). In intermediate-risk group, the LRRFS of patients received PMRT or not were 95.2% and 91.0%, respectively (P=0.037). However, in the high-risk group, the LRRFS, DFS and OS of patients received PMRT were 93.3%, 79.7% and 86.6%, respectively, while those of patients did not receive PMRT were 78.5% (P<0.001), 69.5% (P=0.038) and 85.7% (P=0.080), respectively. Conclusions: The local-regional recurrence risks of patients with pT1-2N1 breast cancer are viable and risk-adapted PMRT is available for them. Better prognoses can be achieved by the patients of intermediate and high-risk group. More samples on this subject are needed to validate the results.

[Preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI can reduce the rate of tumor-positive resection margins after breast conserving surgery in patients with early non-mass breast carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the value of preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in reducing the rate of tumor-positive resection margins after breast conserving surgery in patients with early non-mass breast carcinoma. Methods: Seventy-two patients with early non-mass breast carcinoma received ultrasonographic and mammographic examination and subsequently underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI examination before breast conserving surgery. The control group consisted of 74 patients who had early non-mass breast carcinoma. They only received ultrasonographic and mammographic examination and didn't undergo contrast-enhanced MRI examination. The comparison of the rate of tumor-positive resection margins between two groups was performed. The MRI findings that had the significant influence on the rate of tumor-positive resection margins were analyzed using Logistic regression model. Results: In 28 patients (28/72, 38.9%), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI could correct or supplement the ultrasonographic and mammographic findings and resulted in the reasonable change of surgical program. The preoperative MRI examination group (n=30) had lower rate of tumor-positive resection margins than control group for invasive ductal carcinoma (23.3% vs 40.0%, P=0.02), but there was no significant difference (21.4% vs 26.9%, P=0.10) between two groups for ductal carcinoma in situ (n=28). The preoperative MRI examination group (n=14) had lower rate of tumor-positive resection margins than control group for the other pathologic types of breast carcinoma (14.3% vs 38.9%, P=0.02). The statistical analysis on the basis of Logistic regression model showed that some main MRI findings, including change surrounding the tumor, distance between tumor and nipple and tumor size, had the significant influence on the rate of tumor-positive resection margins. Conclusion: Preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI significantly increased the accuracy of resection margins evaluation, and greatly reduced the rate of tumor-positive resection margins after breast conserving surgery in patients with early non-mass breast carcinoma.