Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is common in patients receiving moderately or highly emetogenic chemotherapy and is caused by the activation of peripheral and central nervous system pathways, with the neurokinin-1 receptor playing a central role in delayed CINV. Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists (NK1RAs) in combination with other antiemetic agents are recommended in international and Chinese guidelines for the prevention of acute and delayed CINV. Therefore, a summary of current data for NK1RAs would be of great clinical utility. This article summarizes the available clinical and real-world data on the use of NK1RAs in CINV prophylaxis, with a focus on evidence from China, where three NK1RAs, aprepitant, fosaprepitant and netupitant, are currently approved. NK1RAs have demonstrated efficacy and favorable safety in the prevention of acute and delayed CINV. Further research is required to determine the optimal use of these drugs and to identify strategies for CINV management in specific patient populations.
Humans ; Vomiting/prevention & control* ; Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists/therapeutic use* ; Nausea/prevention & control* ; Antiemetics/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects* ; Aprepitant/therapeutic use* ; Morpholines/therapeutic use*

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) discovered in December 2019, the disease has emerged as a global pandemic (Shi et al., 2020; World Health Organization, 2020). Several studies have shown a higher incidence of COVID-19, as well as related poor outcomes in patients with malignancies as compared with those without them (Liang et al., 2020; Tian et al., 2020). The impact of cancer on COVID-19 may be attri‑buted to the use of antitumor treatments that may disturb the host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection (Wang et al., 2020), while the current studies on this topic have drawn controversial conclusions. Some implied that anticancer treatments might elevate the risk of death (García-Suárez et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2020). On the contrary, others pointed out that this association is not significant (Brar et al., 2020; Lee et al., 2020a). Although previous systematic reviews have investigated this important issue (Wang and Huang, 2020), the heterogeneity of findings is obvious and the general conclusion has remained unclear. Considering this ambiguity, it is difficult for clinicians to make therapeutic decisions when facing patients with both cancer and COVID-19; therefore, a high-quality and accurate evaluation of the impact of anticancer treatments on COVID-19 patients is necessary. Accordingly, we conducted a pooled analysis with the original data of each patient for the first time to provide a comprehensive perspective into the association between anticancer regimens and the outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; COVID-19/complications* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms/therapy* ; SARS-CoV-2

Objective To study the expression of ALK protein in pulmonary adenocarcinoma as detected by Ventana immunohistochemistry, with correlation of clinicopathologic features. Methods Immunohistochemical study for ALK protein using Ventana ALK ( D5F3) kit was carried in 7 371 pulmonary adenocarcinoma samples.The clinicopathologic features were subsequently analyzed.Results ALK fusion protein was detected in 446 of the 7 371 lung adenocarcinoma samples studied ( 6.05%) .The ALK positivity rate in small biopsy samples was higher than that in surgical specimens [ 9.02% ( 153/1 696 ) versus 5.16%(293/5 675);P<0.01] .ALK fusion protein expression correlated with patient age, sample type and smoking history.ALK positivity rate in each age group increased with younger patient age.ALK positivity rate was 45.45%(10/22) in patients younger than 30 years old.The positivity rate of ALK fusion protein in adenocarcinoma in-situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinoma and invasive adenocarcinoma was 0, 0.48%(2/418) and 5.63% (291/5 165), respectively.The differences of ALK positivity rate amongst different subtypes had statistical significance ( P<0.01 ).Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma had highest ALK positivity rate, followed by invasive adenocarcinoma with predominantly solid pattern.Conclusions ALK fusion protein is more often found in young patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, especially in those younger than 30 years old.ALK fusion protein is rarely expressed in early-stage pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma and invasive adenocarcinoma with solid pattern have higher ALK positivity rate than other adenocarcinoma subtypes.

Objective To investigate the feasibility of ultrasound speckle tracking imaging(STI)in assessing left ventricular(LV)systolic and twist function in patients with heart transplantation.Methods Nine patients with heart transplantation and 10 subjects with normal LV function were examined by GE Vivid 7 with a M3S probe.Eighteen regional peak systolic strain and displacement in longitudinal,radial,circumferential,and 18 regional degree of rotation were measured respectively.Results The segmental regional peak systolic strain and displacement were less than those in subjects with normal LV function(P ＜0.05),but segmental regional degree of rotation was more than that in subjeets with normal LV function (P＜0.05).Conclusions STI may provide a noninvasive,simple and quick tool for evaluation of left ventricular systolic and twist function in patients with heart transplantation.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms and plasma homocysteine levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy (DR).

METHODSTotal of 208 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 57 controls were recruited into the study. MTHFR genetic C677T polymorphisms were determined by PCR-RFLP. Plasma total homocysteine levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection.

RESULTSThe frequencies of MTHFR TT homogeneous type, CT heterogeneous type and allele T (28.18%, 41.82%, 49.09%) were significantly higher in the type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy group than those without retinopathy (18.37%, 29.59%, 33.16%) and those of controls (17.54%, 28.07%, 31.58%). The presence of the T allele appeared to have a strong association with the development of diabetic retinopathy. The odds ratio was 1.94 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.31 - 2.88. Moreover, plasma homocysteine levels were remarkably higher in patients with TT or CT genotype than in patients with the CC genotype.

CONCLUSIONMTHFR gene C677T mutation associated with a predisposition to increased plasma homocysteine levels may be considered as a genetic risk factor for diabetic microangiopathy (such as DR) in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; etiology ; Female ; Genotype ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms and plasma homocysteine levels in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy (DR).

METHODSMTHFR genetic C677T polymorphisms were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Total plasma homocysteine levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection.

RESULTSThe frequencies of MTHFR T homogenetic type and CT heterogenetic type and allele T (28.18%, 41.82%, 49.09%) in type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy were significantly higher than those in diabetic patients without retinopathy (18.37%,29.59%,33.16%) or the normal controls (17.54%, 28.07%, 31.58%). Howerver, there were no significant differences in the frequency of MTHFR genotype and allele between the type 2 diabetic patients without retinopathy and the normal controls. The presence of T allele appeared to have a strong association with the development of diabetic retinopathy. The odds ratio was 1.94 and the 95% confidence interval was 1.31-2.88. Moreover, the plasma homocysteine levels in patients with TT or CT genotype were markedly higher than those in patients with CC genotype.

CONCLUSIONMTHFR gene C677T mutation associated with a predisposition to increase of plasma homocysteine may represent a genetic risk factor for diabetic retinopathy in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Adult ; Alleles ; DNA ; genetics ; metabolism ; Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific ; metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; blood ; complications ; genetics ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; blood ; etiology ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Middle Aged ; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-NH Group Donors ; genetics ; Point Mutation ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the role of polymorphism in the neurogenic differentiation factor 1(Neuro D) gene in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODSThe genotypes of codon 45 variant (GCC-->ACC) in the Neuro D gene were determined by mismatch PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay in 448 Chinese, including 124 subjects with normal glucose tolerance and 324 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The diabetic patients were divided into two groups cutting off with the age of 40 at onset.

RESULTSNo homozygote of the Ala45Thr variant was found in these subjects. The frequencies of AT heterozygous type were significantly higher in early-onset type 2 diabetic group than those in the control group and in the late-onset type 2 diabetic group (chi(2)=7.85, P=0.005; chi(2)=8.81, P=0.003). The frequencies of Thr45 allele in the early-onset type 2 diabetic group were significantly different from those of the control group (13.4% vs 5.2%, chi(2)=7.15, P=0.008) and the late-onset type 2 diabetic group (13.4% vs 5.8%, chi(2)=8.13, P=0.004). The presence of Thr45 allele was shown to have an association with early-onset type 2 diabetes (OR=2.52, 95% CI: 1.42-4.49). Furthermore, the subjects carrying the variant appeared to have lower serum concentration of C-peptide in diabetic group. However, the frequencies of polymorphism genotypes of Neuro D gene showed no difference between the late-onset type 2 diabetic group and the control group.

CONCLUSIONThe genetic polymorphism in the Neuro D is associated with the development of early-onset type 2 diabetes. The presence of Thr45 allele may represent a risk factor for early-onset type 2 diabetes among Chinese.

Alleles ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors ; DNA ; genetics ; metabolism ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; metabolism ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation, Missense ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Trans-Activators ; genetics