Background: This prospective observational study estimated the effect of prognostic factors, particularly continued smoking during therapy, on survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving gemcitabine-platinum. Further, prognostic factors were used to build a survival model to improve prognosis prediction in naturalistic clinical settings.Methods: Eligibility criteria included: Stage IIIB/IV NSCLC, no prior chemotherapy, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 or 1. A Cox regression model was constructed and validated by randomizing patients into two datasets (Construction [C]:Validation [V]; 3:1 ratio). Country, disease stage, hypercalcemia, “N” factor, weight reduction, performance status, and superior vena cava obstruction were pre-defined variables forced into the model. Continued smoking was tested with adjustment for these variables.Results: One thousand two hundred and fourteen patients (C=891 and V=323) were enrolled. The final predictive model, established in the Construction dataset, identified four significant (p≤0.05) and independent predictors of survival, which were disease stage, performance status, gemcitabine-platinum regimen, and T-stage. Smoking during therapy was not significantly associated with survival (Hazard Ratio [95% CI]: 0.955 [0.572, 1.596], p=0.8618; versus never smokers).Conclusions: Although continued smoking during therapy was not significantly associated with shorter survival, the model developed in this study forms an evidence-based approach to assessing prognosis in advanced stage NSCLC.
Systemic sclerosis (Ssc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease of unknown origin, characterized by progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs.Immune reactions taking part in Ssc pathogenesis may contribute to cancer development; therefore patients with risk factors for this disease require observation for a neoplastic process. On the other hand, symptoms of Ssc may be a mask of various cancers. Differentiating between the idiopathic form of Ssc and scleroderma-like paraneoplastic syndrome often causes a lot of difficulties.The article presents two cases of Ssc at the beginning of the disease after 60 years of age. The first case was diagnosed as Ssc, whereas in the second case the defined diagnosis was scleroderma-like syndrome in the course of colorectal cancer. This paper presents an analysis of differential diagnostic procedures which were performed and led to the final diagnosis, mentions types of cancers co-occurring with Ssc and suggests a screening scheme for cancer development in patients with a diagnosis of Ssc.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy-risk factor for children development. The negative effects of alcohol consumption by pregnant women is well known in the scientific literature. Alcohol consumption is recognized as a risk factor for FAS, FAE, ARBD and ARND. This article deals with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The term Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) describes children with a characteristic facial phenotype, growth deficiency, central nervous system damage and neurobehavioral deficits. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a range of disabilities caused by gestational exposure of the fetus to alcohol. Children with FAS display characteristics such as extreme hyperactivity, aggressiveness, poor judgment, speech and language difficulties. FAS to skrót, o którym jeszcze nie wszyscy mieli okazję usłyszeć i poznać jego znaczenie. fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), czyli alkoholowy zespół płodowy dotyczy najmniejszych i najbardziej bezbronnych, bo dzieci będące jeszcze w łonie matki. Gdy matka spożywa alkohol w czasie ciąży, szkodzi dziecku. Alkohol uszkadza komórki nerwowe, mózg oraz inne narządy rozwijającego się płodu. Niniejszy artykuł jest próbą ukazania, czym jest syndrom FAS i z jakimi trudnościami muszą zmagać się dzieci nim dotknięte. Wypływa również z potrzeby rozpowszechniania wiedzy na temat szkodliwości spożywania alkoholu przez kobiety w czasie ciąży.
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