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 explore the impact of number of positive regional lymph nodes (nPRLN) in N1 stage on the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods Patients with TxN1M0 stage NSCLC who underwent lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection from 2010 to 2015 were screened from SEER database (17 Regs, 2022nov sub). The optimal cutoff value of nPRLN was determined using X-tile software, and patients were divided into 2 groups according to the cutoff value: a nPRLN≤optimal cutoff group and a nPRLN>optimal cutoff group. The influence of confounding factors was minimized by propensity score matching (PSM) at a ratio of 1 : 1. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS) of patients. Results A total of 1316 patients with TxN1M0 stage NSCLC were included, including 662 males and 654 females, with a median age of 67 (60, 73) years. The optimal cutoff value of nPRLN was 3, with 1165 patients in the nPRLN≤3 group and 151 patients in the nPRLN>3 group. After PSM, there were 138 patients in each group. Regardless of before or after PSM, OS and LCSS of patients in the nPRLN≤3 group were superior to those in the nPRLN>3 group (P<0.001). N1 stage nPRLN>3 was an independent prognostic risk factor for OS [HR=1.52, 95%CI (1.22, 1.89), P<0.001] and LCSS [HR=1.72, 95%CI (1.36, 2.18), P<0.001]. Conclusion N1 stage nPRLN>3 is an independent prognostic risk factor for NSCLC patients in TxN1M0 stage, which may provide new evidence for future revision of TNM staging N1 stage subclassification.

Congenital blood group chimerism refers to the coexistence of two or more distinct blood types within an individual, resulting from the presence of hematopoietic cell populations with different genotypes. Consequently, red blood cells in such individuals may express different blood group antigens. Based on the timing and mechanism of formation, blood group chimerism can be classified as either congenital or acquired. Although congenital blood group chimerism is rare and involves complex mechanisms, it holds significant implications in transfusion medicine, transplantation, and obstetrics. This article reviews the formation mechanisms, detection methods, and clinical significance of congenital blood group chimerism in transfusion medicine. Particular emphasis is placed on the principles, advantages, and limitations of various detection techniques. Furthermore, the potential applications of these technologies in clinical diagnosis are discussed, providing a technical foundation for the development of precise transfusion strategies.

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.

Objective To establish an individualized nomogram model and evaluate its efficacy to provide a possible evaluation basis for the prognosis of lower third and abdominal part of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Methods Lower third and abdominal part of EAC patients from 2010 to 2015 were chosen from the SEER Research Plus Database (17 Regs, 2022nov sub). The patients were randomly allocated to the training cohort and the internal validation cohort with a ratio of 7∶3 using bootstrap resampling. The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine significant contributors to overall survival (OS) in EAC patients, which would be elected to construct the nomogram prediction model. C-index, calibration curve and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were performed to evaluate its efficacy. Finally, the efficacy to evaluate the OS of EAC patients was compared between the nomogram prediction model and TNM staging system. Results In total, 3945 patients with lower third and abdominal part of EAC were enrolled, including 3475 males and 470 females with a median age of 65 (57-72) years. The 2761 patients were allocated to the training cohort and the remaining 1184 patients to the internal validation cohort. In the training and the internal validation cohorts, the C-index of the nomogram model was 0.705 and 0.713, respectively. Meanwhile, the calibration curve also suggested that the nomogram model had a strong capability of predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of EAC patients. The nomogram also had a higher efficacy than the TNM staging system in predicting 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of EAC patients. Conclusion This nomogram prediction model has a high efficiency for predicting OS in the patients with lower third and abdominal part of EAC, which is higher than that of the current TNM staging system.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is characterized by high programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and abundant infiltration of non-malignant lymphocytes, which renders patients potentially suitable candidates for immune checkpoint blockade therapies. Palate, lung, and nasal epithelium clone (PLUNC) inhibit the growth of NPC cells and enhance cellular apoptosis and differentiation. Currently, the relationship between PLUNC (as a tumor-suppressor) and PD-L1 in NPC is unclear. Methods: We collected clinical samples of NPC to verify the relationship between PLUNC and PD-L1. PLUNC plasmid was transfected into NPC cells, and the variation of PD-L1 was verified by western blot and immunofluorescence. In NPC cells, we verified the relationship of PD-L1, activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), and β-catenin by western blot and immunofluorescence. Later, we further verified that PLUNC regulates PD-L1 through β-catenin. Finally, the effect of PLUNC on β-catenin was verified by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). Results: We found that PLUNC expression was lower in NPC tissues than in paracancer tissues. PD-L1 expression was opposite to that of PLUNC. Western blot and immunofluorescence showed that β-catenin could upregulate ATF3 and PD-L1, while PLUNC could downregulate ATF3/PD-L1 by inhibiting the expression of β-catenin. PLUNC inhibits the entry of β-catenin into the nucleus. Co-IP experiments demonstrated that PLUNC inhibited the interaction of DEAD-box helicase 17 (DDX17) and β-catenin. Conclusions PLUNC downregulates the expression of PD-L1 by inhibiting the interaction of DDX17/β-catenin in NPC.

Objective To explore the factors influencing the blood concentration of voriconazole in elderly hospitalized patients and inform the probability of attaining the target concentration in clinical practice.Methods Patients aged ≥65 years who were hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from January 2022 to December 2023 and underwent voriconazole blood concentration monitoring were enrolled.Their voriconazole blood concentrations and clinical data were collected.The patients were grouped according to the target effective concentration 0.5-5.0 mg/L of voriconazole recommended by the Chinese Pharmacological Society guidelines.Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors affecting the rate of achieving the target concentration.Results The 202 enrolled patients included 139 males and 63 females.A total of 244 voriconazole blood concentrations were available.The median age of the patients was 74(range:65-95)years.Voriconazole blood concentration ranged from 0.08 to 13.38 mg/L.The average concentration was(4.10±2.45)mg/L.The target effective blood concentration of voriconazole was achieved in 65.35％(132/202)of the patients.Logistic regression results showed that the dosage regimen,body weight,and hypoproteinemia(albumin＜25 g/L)were the main factors affecting voriconazole blood concentration.Conclusions The dosing regimen,body weight,and hypoproteinemia are the main influencing factors of voriconazole blood concentration.Relevant factors should be fully considered in clinical medication to ensure the safety and effectiveness of voriconazole.

Objective To explore surgical treatment efficacy for PAES.Methods A retrospective analysis was done on 12 PAES patients'surgery in our hospital from March 2018 to December 2023.Surgical plans included double popliteal artery exploration and repositioning with tendon transplantation,popliteal artery and vein release plus arterial thrombus removal,popliteal fossa exploration with popliteal artery release,and autologous vein patch angioplasty plus abnormal muscle bundle resection.Results Follow-up was 3 months to 5 years.11 patients had good affected limb skin temperature and blood supply,no symptom recurrence.One patient had left lower limb skin temperature decrease and pallor 2 years post-op(diagnosed as left popliteal fossa traumatic neuroma compressing popliteal artery),with blood supply restored after tumor removal.Conclusion Open surgery(tendon transplantation,vein patch)for PAES is effective.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of letermovir in preventing cytomegalovirus(CMV)infection after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT).METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted,enrolling patients who underwent allo-HSCT at the Department of Hematology,Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,from August 30,2022,to February 21,2024.Patients who initiated letermovir prophylaxis within 28 days post-transplantation were assigned to the experimental group(99 cases),while those who did not initiate letermovir within this period were assigned to the control group(18 cases).The incidence and clinical characteristics of CMV infection(including the number of CMV infection cases,the number of cases progressing to CMV disease,recurrent CMV disease,onset time of CMV infection,and treatment duration),immune function recovery within 120 days post-transplantation,and the occurrence of transplantation-related complications(including CD4+and CD8+T-cell recovery,Epstein-Barr virus infection,acute graft-versus-host disease,human herpesvirus 6 infection,and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders)and adverse events were recorded.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify factors influencing CMV infection.RESULTS A total of 117 patients were included,among whom 15 developed CMV infection,5 progressed to CMV disease,and 2 experienced recurrent CMV disease.The CMV infection rate in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P＜0.001),and the onset time of CMV infection was significantly delayed(P=0.014).The proportion of patients with CD4+T-cell counts≥200 cells/μL in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P=0.022).During the follow-up period,elevated creatinine levels were observed in 1 patient,and nausea and vomiting were observed in 2 patients.Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the use of high-dose corticosteroids was a risk factor for CMV infection(HR=6.230,95%CI of 1.255-30.926,P=0.025),while initiating letermovir within 28 days post-transplantation was a protective factor(HR=0.125,95%CI of 0.045-0.348,P＜0.001).CONCLUSIONS Early initiation of letermovir after allo-HSCT significantly reduces the CMV infection rate and delays the onset of infection,with favorable short-term safety.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of capecitabine metronomic chemotherapy combined with aromatase inhibitor(AI)versus AI monotherapy as first-line treatment for hormone receptor-positive(HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative(HER2-)metastatic breast cancer,thereby providing evidence-based support for clinical therapeutic decision-making and healthcare policy formulation.METHODS Based on the MECCA trial,a partitioned survival model was constructed using a 4-week cycle length to simulate outcomes over patients'lifetime.The model outputs included total costs,quality-adjusted life year(QALY),and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio(ICER).Sensitivity analyses were performed to validate the robustness of base-case results,while scenario analyses examined the cost-effectiveness of both treatment strategies under 10-year,20-year,and lifetime time horizons.RESULTS With the willingness-to-pay(WTP)threshold set at 1 times China's 2024 per capita gross domestic product(GDP)(95 749 yuan/QALY),patients receiving capecitabine metronomic chemotherapy combined with AI regimen gained incremental utility(0.66 QALYs)while incurring higher costs,with ICER of 27 684.85 yuan/QALY.Results of the one-way sensitivity analysis showed that factors with significant impacts on ICER included the cost discount rate,drug costs of the capecitabine metronomic chemotherapy combined with AI group,utility value in the progression-free survival state,follow-up costs,and treatment costs in the subsequent stable phase.Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that when the WTP threshold≥49 250 yuan/QALY,the capecitabine metronomic chemotherapy combined with AI regimen had a 100%probability of being cost-effective.Scenario analysis results demonstrated that capecitabine metronomic chemotherapy combined with AI regimen was more cost-effective than the AI alone regimen across 10-year,20-year,and lifetime study horizons.CONCLUSIONS Under the premise that the WTP threshold is set at 1 times China's per capita GDP in 2024,capecitabine metronomic chemotherapy combined with AI regimen is more cost-effective than the AI alone regimen as the first-line treatment for HR+/HER2-metastatic breast cancer.