OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of anlotinib combined with penpulimab versus sorafenib as first- line treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma （uHCC） from the perspective of China’s healthcare system. METHODS Based on data from the APOLLO study， a partitioned survival model was established with a 21-day model cycle to simulate patient survival status over 10 years under anlotinib combined with penpulimab regimen or sorafenib monotherapy. Quality-adjusted life year （QALY） was used as the core evaluation parameter to assess the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER） of different treatment regimens. Using 3 times China’s per capita gross domestic product （GDP） in 2024 （287 247 yuan/QALY） as the willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold， cost-utility analysis was performed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the treatment regimens. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to validate the robustness of the baseline analysis conclusion. Scenario analysis was performed to consider the impact of anlotinib and penpulimab assistance programs on the results； the price reduction of penpulimab to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the combination regimen was examined under varying WTP thresholds （specifically， 1， 2， and 3 times China’s per capita GDP in 2024）. RESULTS The baseline analysis revealed that the ICER of anlotinib combined with penpulimab regimen relative to the sorafenib regimen was 338 611.20 yuan/QALY， which exceeded the WTP threshold set in this study. Univariate sensitivity analysis indicated that the utility value of progression free survival and penpulimab price significantly influenced the baseline analysis results. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis validated the robustness of the baseline results. The results of scenario analysis indicated that when considering the assistance programs for anlotinib and penpulimab， the obtained ICER values were all below the WTP threshold set at 3 times China’s per capita GDP in 2024. When the price of penpulimab was reduced by 58%， 35%， and 13%， the ICER values were below the WTP threshold， which was 1， 2 and 3 times the per capita GDP of China in 2024， respectively. CONCLUSIONS From the perspective of China’s healthcare system， anlotinib combined with penpulimab regimen for first-line treatment of uHCC lacks cost-effectiveness compared to sorafenib regimen. However， this conclusion would be reversed if the anlotinib and penpulimab assistance programs are taken into account or if the price of penpulimab is reduced by more than 13% and above.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of amivantamab combined with lazertinib （hereinafter referred to as “AL”） regimen as first-line treatment for EGFR -mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） from the perspective of China’s healthcare system. METHODS A partitioned survival model was established based on updated data from the MARIPOSA study， with a 10-year time horizon and 28-day cycles. The primary outcome index was quality adjusted life year （QALY）， and the willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold was set at three times China’s per capita GDP in 2024 （287 247 yuan/QALY）. Cost-utility analysis was used to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER） of AL regimen versus osimertinib monotherapy regimen as first-line treatment for EGFR -mutated advanced NSCLC. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to test model robustness. Scena rio analyses were conducted to explore the impact of utility values for different health states on the outcomes and determine the required price reductions of amivantamab and lazertinib to achieve cost-effectiveness. RESULTS Compared with the osimertinib monotherapy regimen， the ICER for the AL regimen as first-line treatment for advanced EGFR -mutated NSCLC was 2 062 096.15 yuan/QALY， significantly exceeding the WTP threshold established in this study. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed that the utility value of progression-free survival state and the price of amivantamab were the primary factors influencing the ICER. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that the AL regimen only became cost-effective when the WTP threshold was set at 2 050 000 yuan/QALY. Scenario analysis indicated that altering the utility value still rendered the AL regimen non-cost-effective. When amivantamab （350 mg） prices decreased by 80%， 85%， and 90% respectively， lazertinib （80 mg） prices would need to decrease by 95.97%， 40.63%， 5.29%， respectively. This would enable the AL regimen’s ICER to consistently fall within the WTP threshold established in this study. CONCLUSIONS At the WTP threshold established in this study， the AL regimen does not demonstrate cost-effectiveness for first-line treatment of advanced EGFR -mutated NSCLC compared to the osimertinib monotherapy regimen. Significant price reductions for both drugs would be required to alleviate the financial burden on patients.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of culmerciclib combined with fulvestrant as second-line treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive（HR+）/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative （HER2–） locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer， within the context of the Chinese healthcare system. METHODS A partitioned survival model was established based on the CULMATE-1 study， with a simulation time horizon set at 15 years and a cycle length of 28 days. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER） of culmerciclib combined with fulvestrant versus fulvestrant monotherapy as second-line treatment for HR+/HER2– breast cancer was calculated. One-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to assess the robustness of the model. Meanwhile， scenario analysis of culmerciclib price reduction was conducted； the required price reduction and price to reach the willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold in this study were calculated. RESULTS The results of the base-case analysis indicated that， compared with the fulvestrant monotherapy regimen， culmerciclib combined with fulvestrant yielded an additional 0.823 quality-adjusted life year （QALY）， with a corresponding ICER of 371 696.26 yuan/QALY， which exceeded the WTP threshold （199 330 yuan/QALY）. The results of the univariate sensitivity analysis indicated that the cost of culmerciclib， the discount rate， the utility values for progression disease and progression free survival status were significant factors influencing the ICER； both the univariate sensitivity analysis and the probabilistic sensitivity analysis validated the robustness of the model results. Scenario analysis indicated that when the price of culmerciclib was reduced by 30%， 55% and 85% respectively， the corresponding ICER values fell below 3， 2， and 1 times China’s per capita GDP in 2025， with the probability of cost-effectiveness being 3.00%， 94.90%， 100%. When the cost of culmerciclib （60 mg） was reduced by 52.6% to 50.96 yuan， the ICER value met the WTP threshold established in this study. CONCLUSIONS When the WTP threshold is set at twice China’s per capita GDP in 2025， second-line treatment with culmerciclib combined with fulvestrant for HR+/HER2– locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer does not exhibit cost-effectiveness advantage over fulvestrant monotherapy. Therefore， a reasonable price reduction is required to alleviate the financial burden on patients.

Background/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) following total hepatectomy is a life-saving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC recurrence after LT hinders the effectiveness of the procedure. The objective of this study is to develop a pre-operative risk stratification model based on a liquid biopsy. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study of 260 HCC patients from three centers, including clinical data, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma, as well as whole-exome, single-nucleus RNA, and spatial transcriptomics from matched tumor and non-tumor tissues. Results: We identified cfDNA-derived copy number alteration (CNA) signatures associated with post-transplant recurrence. By integrating cfDNA-derived CNA profiles with single-cell transcriptomic data, we traced recurrence-associated cfDNA to a distinct subpopulation of malignant cells within the primary tumor. These cells were embedded in a pro-metastatic microenvironment of specialized endothelial subtypes and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Notably, most recurrence-associated lesions were detectable in cfDNA prior to liver transplantation (LT). Building on these insights, we developed the ZJU Criteria based on CNA fragments and tumor markers, a pre-LT risk prediction tool that integrates conventional clinical factors with cfDNA-derived CNA signatures, and validated it using internal and independent external cohorts. Conclusion Our findings suggest that post-transplant recurrence commonly originates from advanced subclones that emerge late during tumor evolution. The ZJU Criteria provides an accurate, non-invasive strategy that significantly improves pre-LT risk stratification and clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.

Objective To explore the characteristics and correlation between perivascular spaces (PVS) and diffusion tensor image analysis along perivascular spaces (DTI-ALPS) index in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on a total of 118 participants, including cognitive normal (CN) healthy controls and aMCI patients, recruited from the Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from September 2020 to September 2022. All participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). An automatic segmentation algorithm was used to quantify PVS metrics in the brain, and DTI-ALPS index was calculated based on DTI. Differences in DTI-ALPS index and PVS metrics between the CN and aMCI groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent factors influencing aMCI. Correlation analysis was performed to assess relationships among DTI-ALPS index, PVS metrics, and cognitive scores. Results A total of 80 CN healthy controls and 38 aMCI patients were included. The DTI-ALPS index was significantly lower in the aMCI group compared with the CN group (1.28±0.18 vs 1.37±0.21, P＝0.018), while differences in PVS metrics between groups were not statistically significant. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that DTI-ALPS index was an independent factor affecting aMCI (OR＝0.097, 95%CI 0.011–0.833, P＝0.033). Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between DTI-ALPS index and MMSE score (r＝0.210, P＝0.023) as well as PVS length in the centrum semiovale (r＝0.216, P＝0.019). Conclusions The DTI-ALPS index may serve as an imaging biomarker for identifying early cognitive impairment, and patients with aMCI exhibit abnormal DTI-ALPS indices, suggesting that brain glymphatic system dysfunction may occur prior to morphological changes.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of onradivir versus oseltamivir in the treatment of influenza A in adults from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system. METHODS Based on data from a phase Ⅲ clinical trial （NCT04683406）， a decision tree model was constructed to simulate the efficacy and cost of using onradivir versus oseltamivir in treating adult patients with influenza A， with a cycle length of 5 days and a simulation period of 29 days. The two drug prices correspond to the median listing prices published by Yaozhi Network and the national negotiated prices. Patient characteristics and influenza utility values were derived from the phase Ⅲ clinical trial of onradivir， and medical costs and complication utility values were sourced from published literature. Quality-adjusted life year（QALY） was used as an effect indicator， and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio（ICER） of onradivir versus oseltamivir was calculated， using China’s per capita disposable income in 2025 （43 377 yuan） as the willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the results. One-way and probabilistic analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the results. RESULTS Compared with the oseltamivir regimen， the onradivir regimen yielded an incremental 0.000 67 QALY with direct medical cost savings of 12.41 yuan， thus being a dominant strategy. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that the utility values on day 15 of oseltamivir treatment， the incidence of influenza pneumonia in the oseltamivir group and the costs of the two drugs significantly affected the results. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that at the pre-specified WTP threshold， onradivir had a 70.6% probability of being cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS At a WTP threshold set at the 2025 per capita disposable income of China， compared with oseltamivir， onradivir can improve the health outcomes of adult patients with influenza A and reduce costs， demonstrating greater cost-effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-utility of benmelstobart combined with anlotinib and chemotherapy as first-line treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer （ES-SCLC） from the perspective of China’s healthcare system. METHODS Based on the data from the ETER 701 study， a partitioned survival model was constructed with a cycle of 3 weeks to simulate the total cost， quality-adjusted life years （QALY）， and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER） over 10 years for patients with ES- SCLC treated with benmelstobart plus anlotinib and chemotherapy， or chemotherapy alone. One-way sensitivity analysis and probability sensitivity analysis were performed to verify the robustness of the simulation results. The willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold was set at 3 times the per capita gross domestic product （GDP） of China in 2023， which amounted to 268 074 yuan/QALY. RESULTS Compared with chemotherapy alone， benmelstobart combined with anlotinib and chemotherapy gained 0.438 QALY more at the cost of 403 505.55 yuan more， with an ICER of 922 031.37 yuan/QALY， which was higher than the WTP threshold set in this study. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that benmelstobart’s cost and utility value of the progression-free survival state had a greater impact on the ICER value； probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the model； only when the price of benmelstobart was reduced by 75.4%， the combined regimen would be cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS The first-line treatment of ES-SCLC with benmelstobart combined with anlotinib and chemotherapy is not cost-effective from the perspective of China’s healthcare system at present.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of sacituzumab tirumotecan （ST） versus chemotherapy treatment physician’s choice （TPC） as second-line and later-line treatment for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer （mTNBC） from the perspective of China’s healthcare system. METHODS A partitioned survival model was constructed based on the OptiTROP-Breast 01 trial， with a cycle length of 4 weeks and a time horizon of 10 years， applying a 5% discount rate. Quality adjusted life year （QALY） and costs were used as outcome measures， and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER） of ST versus TPC for second-line and later-line treatment of mTNBC was calculated. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to validate the robustness of the base-case results. RESULTS At a willingness-to-pay threshold （WTP） of 3 times China’s 2024 per capita gross domestic product （GDP） （287 247 yuan/QALY）， patients receiving ST gained incremental utility （0.42 QALY） at a higher cost， yielding an ICER of 205 562.07 yuan/QALY， which was lower than WTP， indicating that ST was more cost-effective compared to TPC. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed that key factors influencing the ICER included the utility value of progression-free survival and the price of ST. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis showed that the base-case results were robust. CONCLUSIONS From the perspective of China’s healthcare system， at a WTP of 3 times China’s per capita GDP， ST is more cost-effective than TPC as second-line and later-line treatment for mTNBC.

Background China is a major coal producer and consumer country in the world. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a primary factor endangering the occupational health of coal miners. Research on the disease burden of CWP and its changing trend is significant for disease prevention & control and associated policies. Objective To analyze the disease burden of CWP in China from 1990 to 2021 and its changing trend, and predict the disease burden from 2022 to 2035. Methods Using the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) database of 2021, numbers ofincident cases, prevalent cases, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) as well as crude and age-standardized rates of CWP in China were retrieved. Linear regression model was used to calculate the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of the age-standardized rates. Joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the temporal trend of disease burden and the disease burden of different sexes and age groups, and Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was used to forecast the trend of CWP disease burden. Results In 1990, the incident, prevalent, and deaths cases of CWP in China were 3266, 18872, and 1561, respectively, and the DALYs of CWP were 44614.718 person-years. In 2021, the incident, prevalent, and deaths cases of CWP were 3446, 23975, and 1229, respectively, and the DALYs of CWP were 29610.754 person-years. From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs rates of CWP in China all showed a downward trend, with the EAPCs of −3.121%, −2.532%, −4.018%, and −4.268%, respectively. The disease burden of CWP in China was mainly concentrated in the male population. The annual average percent change analysis indicated that each standardized rate showed a fluctuating downward trend in different periods. The BAPC model showed that from 2022 to 2035, the age-standardized rates of CWP in China would continue to decline steadily. In 2035, the age-standardized incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs rates of CWP would be reduced to 0.10 per 100000, 0.74 per 100000, 0.03 per 100000, and 0.74 per 100000, respectively. Conclusion The disease burden contributed by CWP in China generally show a downward trend from 1990 to 2021, and it is expected that the age-standardized rates will continue to decline steadily from 2022 to 2035.

Objective:To analyze the learning curve of TiRobot-assisted lumbar pedicle screw fixation (LPSF) by cumulative sum (CUSUM) test method.Methods:The clinical data of 50 patients who underwent TiRobot-assisted LPSF from January 2020 to December 2022 in Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. CUSUM analysis and learning curve fitting were performed with robot usage time as the main indicator with the time for each step refined (robot registration time, path planning time and guide wire placement time), to select the best learning curve fitting model with the R2 value closest to 1. Using the turning point of the learning curve as the boundary, the learning curve was divided into two stages as learning stage and maturity stage, and then the observation indexes were compared between the two stages. Results:All 50 patients successfully completed the surgery without perioperative complications, with a total of 244 pedicle screws implanted. The total robot usage time and robot registration time showed a gradually decreasing trend with the increase of case number, and the learning curves were successfully fitted and reached their peaks at the seventeenth and thirteenth cases respectively. The entire learning process was divided into learning stage (17 cases) and maturity stage (33 cases) based on the turning point of the learning curve of total robot usage time. The path planning time and guide wire placement time did not show significant changes with the increase in the case number. The total robot usage time, robot registration time and the intraoperative blood loss in the learning stage were significantly higher than those in the maturity stage: (35.35 ± 1.58) min vs. (30.61 ± 0.43) min, (20.83 ± 1.56) min vs. (14.94 ± 0.29) min and 400 (150, 500) ml vs. 200 (110, 300) ml, the guide wire placement time of per screw was significantly lower than that in the maturity stage: 2.00 (1.83, 2.34) min/screw vs. 2.33 (2.13, 2.69) min/screw, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05 or <0.01). There were no statistical difference in the path planning time, path planning time of per screw, guide wire placement time and the accuracy of screw placement between two stages ( P>0.05). Conclusions:TiRobot-assisted LPSF is a new technology with safety and effectiveness, and it has a relatively short learning curve. To achieve technological maturity, at least 17 surgeries are required with accumulated experience, and the robot registration is the main step of the learning process. After reaching maturity stage, the robot usage time is significantly shortened and intraoperative trauma is significantly reduced while the relatively high screw placement accuracy is ensured.