1.Protective Effect of Bushen Zhuyun Prescription on Abortion Rats with Kidney Deficiency-Corpus Luteum Inhibition Syndrome via ERα/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathwa
Changyue SONG ; Siyu LI ; Fengyu HUANG ; Mingzhu QI ; Daiyue DING ; Shuangfei DENG ; Heqiao LI ; Jinghong XIE ; Guohua WANG ; Chen ZANG ; Hong XU ; Xiaohui SU ; Xiangying KONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(24):107-116
ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of Bushen Zhuyun prescription (BSZY) on abortion rats with kidney deficiency-corpus luteum inhibition syndrome. MethodsAn abortion rat model with kidney deficiency-corpus luteum inhibition syndrome was constructed. Pregnant mice aged 8-10 weeks were randomly divided into a control group (Control), a model group (Model), low-dose BSZY (BSZY-L), medium-dose BSZY (BSZY-M), and high-dose BSZY (BSZY-H) groups (2.57, 5.14, 10.28 g·kg-¹), and a Zishen Yutai Pill (ZSYT) group (1.575 g·kg-¹). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to evaluate histopathological changes in ovarian and decidual tissue of rats in each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to measure levels of estrogen (E₂), progesterone (P), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in serum. The candidate targets of BSZY were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Platform (TCMSP) and Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCMIP) v2.0 databases, while disease targets for recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) were retrieved from GeneCards, DrugBank, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), and Therapeutic Target Database (TTD). The intersection targets were identified by the Venny 2.1.0 platform. Pathway enrichment analysis was conducted based on the Metascape database to predict the potential mechanisms of BSZY. Additionally. Western blot was used to verify the effects of BSZY on the expression of estrogen receptor (ERα), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (Akt) and explore its protective mechanism on RSA rats. ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group exhibited significantly decreased uterine, ovarian, and embryonic wet weights (P<0.05, P<0.01), with an abortion rate of 57.18%. The ovarian tissue showed varying degrees of reduction in primordial follicles, primary follicles, mature follicles, and corpora lutea, along with a large number of atretic follicles. The endometrium was thinner, and decidual tissue exhibited cellular edema and disorganized arrangement. In contrast, compared with the model group, the BSZY groups at all doses and the ZSYT group demonstrated increased uterine, ovarian, and embryonic wet weights, along with a reduced abortion rate. The number of primordial follicles, primary follicles, mature follicles, and corpora lutea increased, while atretic follicles decreased. The endometrium thickened, and decidual tissue displayed normal cellular structure with tight arrangement. Additionally, the model group showed significantly decreased levels of E₂, P, PRL, and FSH in serum (P<0.05, P<0.01), along with a decreasing trend in LH level. In contrast, the BSZY groups at all doses exhibited significantly elevated levels of E₂, P, LH, PRL, and FSH in serum (P<0.05, P<0.01). Network pharmacology predictions suggested that BSZY may exert protective effects against abortion in rats by activating the ERα/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Western blot results confirmed that BSZY significantly upregulated the expression of ERα, PI3K, and p-Akt proteins (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionBSZY has a protective effect on the abortion rats with kidney deficiency-corpus luteum inhibition syndrome, possibly by activating the ERα/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to reduce ovarian apoptosis and regulate endocrine function, thereby lowering the abortion rate.
2.A photodynamic nanohybrid system reverses hypoxia and augment anti-primary and metastatic tumor efficacy of immunotherapy.
Haitao YUAN ; Xiaoxian WANG ; Xin SUN ; Di GU ; Jinan GUO ; Wei HUANG ; Jingbo MA ; Chunjin FU ; Da YIN ; Guohua ZENG ; Ying LONG ; Jigang WANG ; Zhijie LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):3243-3258
Photodynamic immunotherapy is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the dysfunctional tumor vasculature results in tumor hypoxia and the low efficiency of drug delivery, which in turn restricts the anticancer effect of photodynamic immunotherapy. In this study, we designed photosensitive lipid nanoparticles. The synthesized PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles could produce type I/II reactive oxygen species (ROS) by electron or energy transfer through PFBT under light irradiation. Moreover, this nanosystem could alleviate tumor hypoxia and promote vascular normalization through Roxadustat. Upon irradiation with white light, the ROS produced by PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles in situ dysregulated calcium homeostasis and triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress, which further promoted the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, enhanced antigen presentation, and stimulated an effective adaptive immune response, ultimately priming the tumor microenvironment (TME) together with the hypoxia alleviation and vessel normalization by Roxadustat. Indeed, in vivo results indicated that PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles promoted M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, recruited more natural killer cells, and augmented infiltration of T cells, thereby leading to efficient photodynamic immunotherapy and potentiating the anti-primary and metastatic tumor efficacy of PD-1 antibody. Collectively, photodynamic immunotherapy with PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles efficiently program TME through the induction of immunogenicity and oxygenation, and effectively suppress tumor growth through immunogenic cell death and enhanced anti-tumor immunity.
3.Design and validation of a multimodal model integrating text and imaging data for intelligent assessment of psychological stress in college students.
Huirong XIE ; Chaobin HU ; Guohua LIANG ; Hongzhe HAN ; Mu HUANG ; Qianjin FENG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(11):2504-2510
OBJECTIVES:
We propose a multimodal model integrating social media text and image data for automated assessment of psychological stress in college students to support the development of intelligent mental health services in higher education institutions.
METHODS:
Based on deep learning technology, we designed an evaluation framework comprising a text sentiment modeling module, an image sentiment modeling module, and a multimodal fusion prediction module. Text sentiment features were extracted using Bi-LSTM, and image semantic cues were extracted via U-Net. A feature concatenation strategy was used to enable cross-modal semantic collaboration to achieve automatic identification of 3 psychological stress levels: mild, moderate, and severe. We constructed a multimodal annotated dataset using social platform data from 1577 students across multiple universities in Guangdong Province. After data cleaning, 252 samples were randomly selected for model training and testing.
RESULTS:
In the 3-classification task, the model demonstrated outstanding performance on the test set, and achieved an accuracy of 92.86% and an F1 score of 0.9276, exhibiting excellent stability and consistency. Confusion matrix analysis further revealed the model's ability to effectively distinguish between different pressure levels.
CONCLUSIONS
The multimodal psychological stress assessment model developed in this study effectively integrates unstructured social behavior data to enhance the scientific rigor and practical applicability of psychological state recognition, and thus provides support for developing intelligent psychological service systems.
Humans
;
Stress, Psychological/diagnosis*
;
Students/psychology*
;
Universities
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Social Media
;
Deep Learning
4.Expert consensus on the treatment of oral diseases in pregnant women and infants.
Jun ZHANG ; Chenchen ZHOU ; Liwei ZHENG ; Jun WANG ; Bin XIA ; Wei ZHAO ; Xi WEI ; Zhengwei HUANG ; Xu CHEN ; Shaohua GE ; Fuhua YAN ; Jian ZHOU ; Kun XUAN ; Li-An WU ; Zhengguo CAO ; Guohua YUAN ; Jin ZHAO ; Zhu CHEN ; Lei ZHANG ; Yong YOU ; Jing ZOU ; Weihua GUO
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):62-62
With the growing emphasis on maternal and child oral health, the significance of managing oral health across preconception, pregnancy, and infancy stages has become increasingly apparent. Oral health challenges extend beyond affecting maternal well-being, exerting profound influences on fetal and neonatal oral development as well as immune system maturation. This expert consensus paper, developed using a modified Delphi method, reviews current research and provides recommendations on maternal and child oral health management. It underscores the critical role of comprehensive oral assessments prior to conception, diligent oral health management throughout pregnancy, and meticulous oral hygiene practices during infancy. Effective strategies should be seamlessly integrated across the life course, encompassing preconception oral assessments, systematic dental care during pregnancy, and routine infant oral hygiene. Collaborative efforts among pediatric dentists, maternal and child health workers, and obstetricians are crucial to improving outcomes and fostering clinical research, contributing to evidence-based health management strategies.
Humans
;
Pregnancy
;
Female
;
Infant
;
Consensus
;
Mouth Diseases/therapy*
;
Pregnancy Complications/therapy*
;
Oral Health
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Infant, Newborn
;
Delphi Technique
;
Oral Hygiene
5.Time-specific study on the efficacy of stems and leaves of Arachis hypogaea L. targeting glycine/serine metabolism for insomnia treatment.
Yin WANG ; Yuling HUANG ; Guohua WANG ; Ting JIANG ; Shuwen GENG ; Hongzhan XU ; Tingting ZHOU ; Wenjing ZHANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(11):101288-101288
Image 1.
6.Establishment and evaluation of a canine vertebral augmentation puncture model under fluoroscopic guidance
Haotian WANG ; Jia LIU ; Jian HUANG ; Junqiang QI ; Guohua XU
Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica 2024;32(3):355-361
Objective To establish a fluoroscopic percutaneous vertebral augmentation model in dogs by measuring and analyzing canine spinal anatomy.We also assessed the effectiveness and safety of this modeling method by postoperative radiological analysis.Methods Morphological measurements were taken in six dogs,aged approximately 12~24 months,and the following parameters of the lumbar vertebrae were determined:height of the L1~L7 vertebrae,width of the vertebral base,distance from the upper edge of the intervertebral disc to the narrowest part of the vertebra,distance from the vertical line of the spinous process to the upper edge of the intervertebral disc,and vertical distance from the midpoint of the transverse process to the lower edge of the intervertebral disc.These measurements were obtained to clarify the anatomical characteristics of the canine vertebrae and determine the optimal location,direction,and depth for bone-cement injection.A percutaneous vertebral augmentation model was subsequently established in the L4,L5,and L6 vertebrae of six healthy Beagle dogs,weighing 20~25 kg.The dogs were euthanized 4 weeks post-surgery and examined radiologically.Primary observations included the surgical duration,postoperative distribution of the implanted bone cement,and integrity of the vertebral canal and anterior edge of the vertebrae.Results Anatomical observation of the canine vertebrae revealed that the vertebral height increased gradually from L1~L5 and then decreased from L5~L7.The width of the vertebral base increased consistently from L1~L7.The distance from the vertical line of the spinous process to the upper edge of the intervertebral disc showed an increasing trend from L1~L7(1.9~4.0 mm).The distance between the midpoint of the base of the transverse process and the lower edge of the intervertebral disc increased gradually from L1~L5(4.7~6.9 mm).There was no significant difference in the distance between the midpoint of the base of the transverse process and the lower edge of the intervertebral disc in the L4,L5,and L6 segments among the dogs(P=0.925).The midpoint of the root of the transverse process of the spine was taken as the puncture point,and the insertion direction and horizontal plane were at an angle of 20°~30°,with a head tilt of 5°~15° and a puncture depth of 1.2~1.5 cm.If the puncture was directed towards the caudal side of the vertebra,the angle of the needle tail was 30°~35°,with a penetration depth of 1.5~1.8 cm.This technique allowed the successful construction of a canine vertebral puncture surgical model.A total of 15 canine vertebral puncture surgical models were successfully created,with an average surgery time of 22.7±4.6 min(15~30 min)per vertebral segment.During surgery,one vertebral segment experienced spinal cord injury result ing in paralysis of the hind limbs and bowel and bladder incontinence.Two vertebral cortical bones fractured,but there were no deaths due to anesthesia or infection.Four weeks post-surgery,micro-computed tomography-based three-dimensional reconstructions consistently showed bone cement distributed within the trabecular bone of the canine vertebrae,with newly formed bone tissue enveloping the implanted material.There was no leakage,and no complications such as damage to the vertebral canal or the anterior wall of the vertebrae.Conclusions A safe and reliable canine vertebral augmentation puncture model can be successfully established based on the anatomy of the canine lumbar vertebrae(L4~L6)and using the midpoint of the base of the transverse process as a bony landmark.
7.Comparison of artificial reconstruction and reconstruction using artificial intelligence in coronary artery volume rendering
Hui YAN ; Yahong BAO ; Guohua SHENG ; Kairong HUANG ; Yong LI ; Haihua GENG
Chinese Journal of Medical Physics 2024;41(5):657-660
Objective To explore artificial reconstruction vs artificial intelligence reconstruction in coronary artery volume rendering(VR).Methods A total of 110 coronary heart disease(CHD)patients were enrolled in the study,and underwent computed tomography arteriography.Artificial reconstruction(artificial group)and artificial intelligence reconstruction(intelligent group)were conducted in coronary artery VR.The image quality of VR and curved planar reconstruction(CPR),the diagnosis coincidence rate of arterial stenosis,and vascular reconstruction score were compared between two groups.Results The VR image quality of intelligent group was significantly higher than that of artificial group,with excellence rate of 90.91%vs 80.00%;and intelligent group scored higher than artificial group in CPR image quality(P<0.05).The differences in the diagnostic coincidence rates of arterial vessels(RCA,LAD,LCX)with no stenosis,slight stenosis,moderate stenosis,and vascular occlusion between two groups were trivial(P>0.05),while the two groups differed significantly in the diagnosis coincidence rates of mild stenosis and severe stenosis(P<0.05).The mean total score,the median value of the 3 main branches+posterior descending branch+intermediate branch+diagonal branch+blunt margin branch,and the median value of the other vascular branches were all significantly increased in intelligent group as compared with artificial group(P<0.05).Conclusion Artificial intelligence reconstruction has higher application value than artificial reconstruction in coronary artery VR.
8.Multicenter retrospect analysis of early clinical features and analysis of risk factors on prognosis of elderly patients with severe burns
Qimin MA ; Wenbin TANG ; Xiaojian LI ; Fei CHANG ; Xi YIN ; Zhaohong CHEN ; Guohua WU ; Chengde XIA ; Xiaoliang LI ; Deyun WANG ; Zhigang CHU ; Yi ZHANG ; Lei WANG ; Choulang WU ; Yalin TONG ; Pei CUI ; Guanghua GUO ; Zhihao ZHU ; Shengyu HUANG ; Liu CHANG ; Rui LIU ; Yongji LIU ; Yusong WANG ; Xiaobin LIU ; Tuo SHEN ; Feng ZHU
Chinese Journal of Burns 2024;40(3):249-257
Objective:To investigate the early clinical characteristics of elderly patients with severe burns and the risk factors on prognosis.Methods:This study was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 124 elderly patients with severe burns who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the 12 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, including 4 patients from the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 5 patients from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 22 patients from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 5 patients from Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, 27 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 9 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 10 patients from Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 9 patients from Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, 12 patients from the 924 th Hospital of PLA, 6 patients from Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, 4 patients from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, and 11 patients from Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. The patients' overall clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, inhalation injury, causative factors, whether combined with underlying medical diseases, and admission time after injury were recorded. According to the survival outcome within 28 days after injury, the patients were divided into survival group (89 cases) and death group (35 cases). The following data of patients were compared between the two groups, including the basic data and injuries (the same as the overall clinical characteristics ahead); the coagulation indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen; the blood routine indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as white blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit; the organ function indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, urea, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, electrolyte indexes (potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in blood), uric acid, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide; the infection and blood gas indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, pH value, oxygenation index, base excess, and lactate; treatment such as whether conducted with mechanical ventilation, whether conducted with continuous renal replacement therapy, whether conducted with anticoagulation therapy, whether applied with vasoactive drugs, and fluid resuscitation. The analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns. Results:Among 124 patients, there were 82 males and 42 females, aged 60-97 years, with body mass index of 23.44 (21.09, 25.95) kg/m 2, total burn area of 54.00% (42.00%, 75.00%) total body surface area (TBSA), and full-thickness burn area of 25.00% (10.00%, 40.00%) TBSA. The patients were mainly combined with moderate to severe inhalation injury and caused by flame burns. There were 43 cases with underlying medical diseases. The majority of patients were admitted to the hospital within 8 hours after injury. There were statistically significant differences between patients in the 2 groups in terms of age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and inhalation injury, and PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, INR, white blood cell count, platelet count, urea, serum creatinine, blood glucose, blood sodium, uric acid, myoglobin, and urine volume within the first 24 hours of injury (with Z values of 2.37, 5.49, 5.26, 5.97, 2.18, 1.95, 2.68, 2.68, 2.51, 2.82, 2.14, 3.40, 5.31, 3.41, 2.35, 3.81, 2.16, and -3.82, respectively, P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in whether conducted with mechanical ventilation and whether applied with vasoactive drugs (with χ2 values of 9.44 and 28.50, respectively, P<0.05). Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, serum creatinine within the first 24 hours of injury, and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury were the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns (with odds ratios of 1.17, 1.10, 1.10, 1.09, and 1.27, 95% confidence intervals of 1.03-1.40, 1.04-1.21, 1.05-1.19, 1.05-1.17, and 1.07-1.69, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions:The elderly patients with severe burns had the injuries mainly from flame burns, often accompanied by moderate to severe inhalation injury and enhanced inflammatory response, elevated blood glucose levels, activated fibrinolysis, and impaired organ function in the early stage, which are associated with their prognosis. Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and serum creatinine and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury are the independent risk factors for death within 28 days after injury in this population.
9.Reassessment of practice of Chinese surgeons since introduction of the watch and wait strategy after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer
Minghe ZHAO ; Tingting SUN ; Lin WANG ; Yonglin HUANG ; Xingyu XIE ; Yun LU ; Guohua ZHAO ; Aiwen WU
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2024;27(4):383-394
Objective:To investigate perspectives and changes in treatment selection by Chinese surgeons since introduction of the watch-and-wait approach after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire distributed through the "Wenjuanxing" online survey platform. The survey focused on the recognition and practices of Chinese surgeons regarding the strategy of watch-and-wait after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer and was disseminated within the China Watch-and-Wait Database (CWWD) WeChat group. This group targets surgeons of deputy chief physician level and above in surgical, radiotherapy, or internal medicine departments of nationally accredited tumor-specialist or comprehensive hospitals (at provincial or municipal levels) who are involved in colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment. From 13 to 16 December 2023, 321 questionnaires were sent with questionnaire links in the CWWD WeChat group. The questionnaires comprised 32 questions encompassing: (1) basic physician characteristics (including surgical volume); (2) assessment methods and criteria for clinical complete response (cCR); (3) patients eligible for watch-and-wait; (4) neoadjuvant therapies and other measures for achieving cCR; (5) willingness to implement watch-and-wait and factors influencing that willingness; (6) risks and monitoring of watch-and-wait; (7) subsequent treatment and follow-up post watch-and-wait; (8) suggestions for development of the CWWD. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis, with intergroup comparisons conducted using the χ 2 or Fisher's exact probability tests. Results:The response rate was 31.5%, comprising 101 responses from the 321 individuals in the WeChat group. Respondents comprised 101 physicians from 70 centers across 23 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions nationwide, 85.1% (86/101) of whom represented provincial tertiary hospitals. Among the respondents, 87.1% (88/101) had implemented the watch-and-wait strategy. The approval rate (65.6%, 21/32) and proportion of patients often informed (68.8%, 22/32) were both significantly higher for doctors in oncology hospitals than for those in general hospitals (27.7%, 18/65; 32.4%, 22/68) (χ 2=12.83, P<0.001; χ 2=11.70, P=0.001, respectively). The most used methods for diagnosing cCR were digital rectal examination (90.1%, 91/101), colonoscopy (91.1%, 92/101), and rectal T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (86.1%, 87/101). Criteria used to identify cCR comprised absence of a palpable mass on digital rectal examination (87.1%, 88/101), flat white scars or new capillaries on colonoscopy (77.2%, 78/101), absence of evident tumor signals on rectal T2-weighted sequences or T2WI low signals or signals equivalent to the intestinal wall (83.2%, 84/101), and absence of tumor hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted imaging with no corresponding hypointensity on apparent diffusion coefficient maps (66.3%, 67/101). As for selection of neoadjuvant regimen and assessment of cCR, 57.4% (58/101) of physicians preferred a long course of radiotherapy with or without induction and/or consolidation capecitabine + oxaliplatin, whereas 25.7% (26/101) preferred immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy and concurrent radiotherapy. Most (96.0%, 97/101) physicians believed that the primary lesion should be assessed ≤12 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. Patients were frequently informed about the possibility of achieving cCR after neoadjuvant therapy and the strategy of watch-and-wait by 43.6% (44/101) of the responding physicians and 38.6% (39/101) preferred watch-and-wait for patients who achieved cCR or near cCR after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. Capability for multiple follow-up evaluations (70.3%, 71/101) was a crucial factor influencing physicians' choice of watch-and-wait after cCR. The proportion who patients who did not achieve cCR and underwent surgical treatment was lower in provincial tertiary hospitals (74.2%, 23/31) than in provincial general hospitals (94.5%, 52/55) and municipal hospitals (12/15); these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=7.43, P=0.020). The difference between local recurrence and local regrowth was understood by 88.1% (89/101) of respondents and 87.2% (88/101) agreed with monitoring every 3 months for 5 years. An increase in local excision or puncture rates to reduce organ resections in patients with pCR was proposed by 64.4% (65/101) of respondents. Conclusion:Compared with the results of a previous survey, Chinese surgeons' awareness of the watch-and-wait concept has improved significantly. Oncologists in oncology hospitals are more aware of the concept of watch-and-wait.
10.Reassessment of practice of Chinese surgeons since introduction of the watch and wait strategy after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer
Minghe ZHAO ; Tingting SUN ; Lin WANG ; Yonglin HUANG ; Xingyu XIE ; Yun LU ; Guohua ZHAO ; Aiwen WU
Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery 2024;27(4):383-394
Objective:To investigate perspectives and changes in treatment selection by Chinese surgeons since introduction of the watch-and-wait approach after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire distributed through the "Wenjuanxing" online survey platform. The survey focused on the recognition and practices of Chinese surgeons regarding the strategy of watch-and-wait after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer and was disseminated within the China Watch-and-Wait Database (CWWD) WeChat group. This group targets surgeons of deputy chief physician level and above in surgical, radiotherapy, or internal medicine departments of nationally accredited tumor-specialist or comprehensive hospitals (at provincial or municipal levels) who are involved in colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment. From 13 to 16 December 2023, 321 questionnaires were sent with questionnaire links in the CWWD WeChat group. The questionnaires comprised 32 questions encompassing: (1) basic physician characteristics (including surgical volume); (2) assessment methods and criteria for clinical complete response (cCR); (3) patients eligible for watch-and-wait; (4) neoadjuvant therapies and other measures for achieving cCR; (5) willingness to implement watch-and-wait and factors influencing that willingness; (6) risks and monitoring of watch-and-wait; (7) subsequent treatment and follow-up post watch-and-wait; (8) suggestions for development of the CWWD. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis, with intergroup comparisons conducted using the χ 2 or Fisher's exact probability tests. Results:The response rate was 31.5%, comprising 101 responses from the 321 individuals in the WeChat group. Respondents comprised 101 physicians from 70 centers across 23 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions nationwide, 85.1% (86/101) of whom represented provincial tertiary hospitals. Among the respondents, 87.1% (88/101) had implemented the watch-and-wait strategy. The approval rate (65.6%, 21/32) and proportion of patients often informed (68.8%, 22/32) were both significantly higher for doctors in oncology hospitals than for those in general hospitals (27.7%, 18/65; 32.4%, 22/68) (χ 2=12.83, P<0.001; χ 2=11.70, P=0.001, respectively). The most used methods for diagnosing cCR were digital rectal examination (90.1%, 91/101), colonoscopy (91.1%, 92/101), and rectal T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (86.1%, 87/101). Criteria used to identify cCR comprised absence of a palpable mass on digital rectal examination (87.1%, 88/101), flat white scars or new capillaries on colonoscopy (77.2%, 78/101), absence of evident tumor signals on rectal T2-weighted sequences or T2WI low signals or signals equivalent to the intestinal wall (83.2%, 84/101), and absence of tumor hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted imaging with no corresponding hypointensity on apparent diffusion coefficient maps (66.3%, 67/101). As for selection of neoadjuvant regimen and assessment of cCR, 57.4% (58/101) of physicians preferred a long course of radiotherapy with or without induction and/or consolidation capecitabine + oxaliplatin, whereas 25.7% (26/101) preferred immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy and concurrent radiotherapy. Most (96.0%, 97/101) physicians believed that the primary lesion should be assessed ≤12 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. Patients were frequently informed about the possibility of achieving cCR after neoadjuvant therapy and the strategy of watch-and-wait by 43.6% (44/101) of the responding physicians and 38.6% (39/101) preferred watch-and-wait for patients who achieved cCR or near cCR after neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. Capability for multiple follow-up evaluations (70.3%, 71/101) was a crucial factor influencing physicians' choice of watch-and-wait after cCR. The proportion who patients who did not achieve cCR and underwent surgical treatment was lower in provincial tertiary hospitals (74.2%, 23/31) than in provincial general hospitals (94.5%, 52/55) and municipal hospitals (12/15); these differences are statistically significant (χ 2=7.43, P=0.020). The difference between local recurrence and local regrowth was understood by 88.1% (89/101) of respondents and 87.2% (88/101) agreed with monitoring every 3 months for 5 years. An increase in local excision or puncture rates to reduce organ resections in patients with pCR was proposed by 64.4% (65/101) of respondents. Conclusion:Compared with the results of a previous survey, Chinese surgeons' awareness of the watch-and-wait concept has improved significantly. Oncologists in oncology hospitals are more aware of the concept of watch-and-wait.

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