The cost economics of early-stage lung cancer treatments is a key focus in the field of lung cancer. The primary treatment modalities for early-stage lung cancer include radiotherapy and thoracic surgery, each offering distinct advantages in therapeutic outcomes and costs. To better understand the cost-effectiveness of radiotherapy versus thoracic surgery for early-stage lung cancer, this paper reviews the progress of recent research on economic evaluations of these two treatment approaches.

The combination of thoracic radiotherapy and immunotherapy is increasingly widely used in clinical practice, which not only brings survival benefits but also increases the incidence of pneumonitis. The occurrence of pneumonitis affects the subsequent immunotherapy and can be life-threatening in severe cases. The occurrence and severity of pneumonitis after combination therapy depends on a variety of factors, including patient's age, physical strength, pulmonary function, race, combination therapy mode, radiotherapy dose parameters, type of immune checkpoint inhibitor, history of checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis or radiation pneumonitis, serum indexes and so on. At present, further research is needed to find out the influencing factors of the occurrence and severity of pneumonitis attributed to combined therapy, so as to better avoid, predict, identify and treat related pneumonitis in clinical practice.

Objective:To analyze the incidence, risk factors and occurrence time of radiation pneumonia (RP) and immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonia (CIP) in patients with lung cancer and lung metastatic cancer who received both thoracic radiotherapy and immunotherapy.Methods:The clinicopathological data of 137 patients with lung cancer and lung metastatic cancer receiving thoracic radiotherapy and at least one cycle of immunotherapy from January 2019 to January 2022 in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were retrospectively analyzed. The occurrence of RP and CIP was determined according to the clinical symptoms and thin-slice chest CT. The risk factors of symptomatic RP were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses of clinical data and treatment plan. The relationship between the occurrence time of symptomatic RP and the sequence of thoracic radiotherapy and immunotherapy was compared.Results:In the 137 patients with lung cancer and lung metastatic cancer who received both thoracic radiotherapy and immunotherapy, symptomatic RP was observed in 42 patients (30.7%) , including grade 2 RP in 33 patients (24.1%) , grade 3 RP in 6 patients (4.4%) , grade 4 RP in 1 patient (0.7%) , and grade 5 RP in 2 patients (1.5%) . The incidence of symptomatic RP was 40.0% (28/70) in patients who received thoracic radiation concurrent with immunotherapy and 20.9% (14/67) in non-synchronous patients, and the incidence of severe RP was 10.0% (7/70) and 3.0% (2/67) respectively. CIP was observed in 11 (8.0%) of 137 patients, including grade 2 CIP in 4 patients (2.9%) , grade 3 CIP in 6 patients (4.4%) , grade 5 CIP in 1 patient (0.7%) . There were 54.5% (6/11) of CIP patients with prior or concurrent symptomatic RP. Univariate analysis showed that smoking history ( χ2=9.85, P=0.002) , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) history ( χ2=31.34, P<0.001) , thoracic radiotherapy concurrent with immunotherapy ( χ2=5.88, P=0.015) , total radiotherapy dose ( χ2=8.57, P=0.003) were associated with symptomatic RP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that COPD history ( OR=9.96, 95% CI: 3.40-29.14, P<0.001) , thoracic radiotherapy concurrent with immunotherapy ( OR=2.84, 95% CI: 1.15-7.00, P=0.024) , and total radiotherapy dose ≥60 Gy ( OR=4.76, 95% CI: 1.68-13.50, P=0.003) were independent risk factors for symptomatic RP. RP occurred earlier in patients who received immunotherapy before thoracic radiotherapy [68.5 d (47.0 d, 101.8 d) ] than in patients who received immunotherapy after thoracic radiotherapy [117.5 d (79.0 d, 166.3 d) ], with a statistically significant difference ( Z=2.54, P=0.010) . Conclusion:The incidence of symptomatic RP is high in patients who receive both thoracic radiotherapy and immunotherapy. The history of COPD, thoracic radiotherapy concurrent with immunotherapy, and the total radiotherapy dose ≥60 Gy are independent influencing factors of symptomatic RP in patients with thoracic radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy. Symptomatic RP occurs earlier in patients who receive immunotherapy before thoracic radiotherapy than in patients who receive immunotherapy after thoracic radiotherapy.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of indwelling cutting with guidewire in treatment of difficult pancreatic duct stricture.Methods:A retrospective study was performed on the data of patients with chronic pancreatitis, who failed to implant pancreatic duct stent by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and whose narrow pancreatic duct only allowed the guidewire to pass through, in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from November 2017 to April 2019. The dilatation effect of guidewire indwelling on difficult pancreatic duct stenosis was studied. The duration of guidewire indwelling, the success rate of stent re-implantation, the level of postoperative amylase, recent complications, and follow-up results were analyzed.Results:A total of five patients received indwelling guidewire after failure of dilation of pancreatic duct stenosis during ERCP. After 2.4 days of mean indwelling time, all patients received re-ERCP. The narrow pancreatic duct was successfully expanded and the stent was placed. In terms of complications, only one patient suffered from acute pancreatitis after the first ERCP, and was improved after medical treatment.Conclusion:Guidewire indwelling is a new simple, safe, and effective method for dilatation of pancreatic duct stenosis, and has important clinical value in the management of difficult intubation of pancreatic duct in chronic pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of aromatase inhibitor letrozole in treatment of male children with disorders of sex development (DSD). METHODS: Clinical data of 12 male DSD children with a mean age of 14.6±2.5 years admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2014 to January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were treated with letrozole (1.25-2.5 mg, once a day) for 3 months or longer, and followed up for 0.5-2.5 years. Clinical manifestation and laboratory test findings were documented, and the efficacy and safety were evaluated. RESULTS: After half-year treatment, the blood luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone levels of patients increased (all < 0.05), and estrogen levels decreased from baseline ( < 0.05). After 1 year of treatment, the blood testosterone level was significantly higher ( < 0.05); the LH and FSH levels tended to increase and the estrogen level tended to decrease, but there was no significant statistical difference ( >0.05). Semen was routinely detected in 8 patients, and sperms were detected in semen of 3 patients with hypospadias. There were no significant changes in biochemical results after treatment, and no significant adverse event was observed during the treatment. CONCLUSIONS Letrozole can effectively increase testosterone levels in patients with disorders of sex development and promote spermatogenesis, it has no significant adverse effects in short-term administration.
Adolescent ; Child ; Disorders of Sex Development ; drug therapy ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Humans ; Letrozole ; therapeutic use ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Testosterone

Objective To discuss the clinical application of CT-guided localization of small pulmonary nodules (SPNs) by using double-hook-wire before the performance of video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) resection.Methods Before the performance of VATS resection,CT-guided localization by using doublehook-wire was carried out in 54 patients with SPNs (67 small pulmonary nodules in total) and CT-guided localization by using single-hook-wire was employed in 63 patients with SPNs(81 small pulmonary nodules in total).The location success rate and complication rate of the double-hook-wire technique and the singlehook-wire technique were calculated.Results The location success rate of CT-guided localization for SPNs by using double-hook-wire performed before VATS resection in 54 patients was 100％.The incidences of pneumothorax and hemorrhage were 29.6％ (16/54) and 48.1％ (26/54) respectively.In 63 patients receiving single-hook-wire technique,the location success rate for SPNs was 98.4％ (62/63).The incidences of pneumothorax and hemorrhage were 28.5％ (18/63) and 25.4％ (16/63) respectively.Conclusion CT-guided localization for SPNs by using double-hook-wire before VATS resection can reduce the risk of failure in positioning the hook-wire,and this technique is an important supplement for other localization techniques.

Objective To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of progressive liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods A total of 2 054 subjects who underwent health check up and were diagnosed as NAFLD in 9 institutions were included in the study.Blood routine and biochemical findings were collected to calculate aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI).Subjects were divided into three groups according to diagnostic threshold of liver fibrosis:APRI ＜0.43 group,APRI 0.43-0.53 group and APRI ≥ 0.54 group.The correlation between APRI and biochemical variables was analyzed,and the risk factors of progressive fibrosis were also analyzed.Results Among 2 054 subjects (male/female 1 598/456) there were 61 cases with APRI ≥ 0.98 (2.97％,progressive fibrosis),318 with APRI ≥0.54 (15.48％),1 475 with APRI ＜ 0.43 (71.81％),261 with APRI 0.43-0.53 (12.71％).Logistic stepwise regression analysis showed that TG (P =0.002,OR =1.095,95％CI:1.033-1.161),2 hPG(P =0.000,OR =1.103,95％ CI:1.058-1.151,BUN(P =0.034,OR =1.215,95 ％ CI:1.014-1.454) were risk factors,and H DL-C (P =0.034,OR =0.353,95 ％ CI:O.135-0.924) was a protective factor for the progression of fibrosis.Conclusion The progressive fibrosis in patients with NAFLD is closely associated to blood glucose and lipid metabolism disorder.

Interferon and nucleotide/nucleoside analogues are currently widely used in the management of chronic hepatitis B virus ( HBV) infections, but are facing problems such as poor sustained virologic response, low HBsAg clearance rate and a high risk of recurrence after drug withdraw.Exploring new target of anti-HBV agent has become a hot topic in recent years.This paper reviews the research progress on new anti-HBV targets and related drugs.

Objective To investigate the mRNA and protein expression levels of telomeric-repeat binding factor-1 (TRF1) and TRF2 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),and the relations between these gene expression levels and clinical data of SLE patients were explored.Methods According to disease activity,these SLE patients were divided into the active group (40 cases) and the stable group (67 cases).These patients were also grouped as renal damage group (46 cases) and renal damage-free group (61 cases) based on their renal conditions.Healthy individuals (41 cases) were also included as control.Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to study the mRNA expression of TRF1 and TRF2.The protein levels of TRF1 and TRF2 were measured by Western Blot (WB).Independent-Samples t test or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) in conjunction with the Least-Significant Difference method (LSD method) wasperformed if the data were in normal distributions;otherwise,the Kruskal-Wallis test was applied.Spearman's correlation analysis was also used for statistical analysis.Results The mRNA and protein expression levels of TRF1 and TRF2 in the PBMCs of the active group (TRF1:0.003 1±0.003 3;TRF2:0.010 5±0.064 8) and renal damage group (TRF1:0.002 3 ±0.002 6;TRF2:0.004 3 ±0.003 3) were significantly increased compared to the stable group (TRF1:0.001 2±0.001 1;TRF2:0.004 2±0.008 6),the renal damage-free group (TRF1:0.001 3±0.001 8;TRF2:0.003 4±0.007 2) and healthy (TRF1:0.001 2±0.003 0;TRF2:0.003 4±0.002 7) individuals respectively (P＜0.05).In SLE patients,the expression levels of TRF1 mRNA were correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=0.365,P＜0.05);the expression levels of TRF2 mRNA were correlated with SLEDAI score (r=0.270,P＜0.05),erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=0.304,P＜0.05),creatinine (r=0.258,P＜0.05) and 24-hour urinary protein (r=0.344,P＜0.05).Conclusion Altered expression of TRF1 and TRF2 might be involved in the pathogenesis of Systemic lupus erythematosus.The positive correlation between TRF2 and SLEDAI score,24-hour urinary protein suggest that TRF2 might be usedas a biomarker for disease activity or renal damage in

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features of acute hepatitis B (AHB) and acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) for differential diagnosis. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 96 AHB patients and 124 patients with acute exacerbation of CHB, who were admitted to the Public Health Clinical Center Affiliated to Fudan University from June to December, 2014. Comparison of continuous data between the two groups was made by Mann Whitney U test, while comparison of categorical data was made by chi-square test. ResultsThere were no significant differences in the age of onset and sex between the AHB group and the acute exacerbation of CHB group; the incidence was higher in males than in females. Sexual transmission and iatrogenic transmission were the main routes of transmission for AHB, while mother-to-child transmission was the main route of transmission for acute exacerbation of CHB. The sensitivity and specificity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level ≥1072 U/L for diagnosing AHB were 78.6% and 79.2%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of S/CO ≥13.6 in the anti-HBc-IgM test for diagnosing AHB were 94.5% and 89.3%, respectively. At week 2 after admission, the AHB group showed significantly greater decreases in levels of HBsAg, HBeAg, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA than the acute exacerbation of CHB group (P＜0.05). At week 8 after admission, the AHB group had significantly higher HBsAg clearance rate, anti-HBs seroconversion rate, HBeAg clearance rate, anti-HBe seroconversion rate, and HBV DNA clearance rate than the acute exacerbation of CHB group (P＜0.05). ConclusionIt is helpful for making the differential diagnosis between AHB and acute exacerbation of CHB to know the route of transmission, ALT level, anti-HBc-IgM test result (S/CO value), HBV DNA clearance rate, and the seroconversion rates of HBV markers.