BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score on survival compared with the platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) in patients with resectable thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodsOne hundred eighty-five consecutive patients who underwent subtotal esophagectomy with curative intent for resectable thoracic ESCC were retrospectively reviewed. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analyses for 3-year overall survival (OS) as the endpoint were performed, and the maximal Youden indices were calculated to assess discrimination ability and to determine the appropriate cut-off values of CONUT, PLR, and NLR. The patients were then classified into high and low groups based on these cut-off values. Correlations between CONUT and other clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. Prognostic factors predicting overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsThe areas under the curve predicting 3-year OS were 0.603 for CONUT, 0.561 for PLR, 0.564 for NLR, and 0.563 for GPS. The optimal cut-off values were two for the CONUT score, 193 for PLR, and 3.612 for NLR. The high-CONUT group was significantly associated with lower BMI, high-PLR, high-NLR, and GPS1/2 groups. On univariate analysis, high-CONUT, high-PLR, high-NLR, and GPS 1/2 groups were significantly associated with poorer OS and RFS. Of these factors, multivariate analysis revealed that only the CONUT score was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR 2.303, 95 % CI 1.191–4.455; p = 0.013) and RFS (HR 2.163, 95 % CI 1.139–4.109; p = 0.018).ConclusionsThe CONUT score was an independent predictor of OS and RFS before treatment and was superior to PLR, NLR, and GPS in terms of predictive ability for prognosis in patients with resectable thoracic ESCC.

Quantitative analyses of hENT1, dCK, RRM1, and RRM2 mRNA levels using FFPE tissue samples and microdissected neoplastic cells from EUS-FNA cytologic specimens may be useful in predicting the gemcitabine sensitivity of patients with PDAC.

JPLT-2 protocol achieved satisfactory survival among children with non-metastatic hepatoblastoma. New approaches are needed for patients with metastatic diseases.

Preoperative PNI may have merit as a gauge of prognosis for patients with GC at stages 1 and 2, but PNI and postoperative morbidity showed no correlation in this setting.

Aim:We previously reported that glycemic control deteriorated in patients receiving atorvastatin, which is useful for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Pitavastatin has a strong lipid-lowering effect, comparable to that of atorvastatin, but it is unknown whether pitavastatin has an adverse influence on glycemic control. The aim of this study was to examine. The effects of three different statins (pravastatin, atorvastatin, and pitavastatin) on blood glucose and HbA1c levels in diabetic patients. Methods: We retrospectively compared glycemic control between groups receiving atorvastatin (10 mg/day, group A, n 99), pravastatin (10 mg/day, group Pr, n 85), and pitavastatin (2 mg/day, group Pi, n 95) from the start of treatment until 3 months later. Patients were excluded if the dosage of their antidiabetic drugs was changed, if their drug therapy was altered within 3 months before starting statin therapy, or if events occurred that could affect glycemic control such as hospitalization. Results: The subjects available for analysis were 74 patients from group A, 71 patients from group Pr, and 74 patients from group Pi. Arbitrary blood glucose levels increased from 147 51 mg/dL (mean SD) to 176 69 mg/dL in group A, but only changed minimally from 136 31 to 134 32 mg/dL in group Pr and from 155 53 to 154 51 mg/dL in group Pi. HbA1c increased from 7.0 1.1% to 7.4 1.2% in group A, while it was 6.9 0.9% versus 6.9 1.0% in group Pr, and 7.3 1.0% versus 7.2 1.0% in group Pi. There was no correlation between LDL-C and HbA1c (the change from baseline to 3 months) in any of the groups. Conclusion: The glycemic parameters only increased significantly in group A, suggesting that pitavastatin and pravastatin did not have an adverse influence on glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients. J Atheroscler

Preoperative SMI, measured in cross-section using CT, is a useful nutritional determinant that may predict OS and CSS in patients with GC who undergo gastrectomy. In our view, nutritional support for sarcopenic patients with stage I GC, aimed at retaining or adding skeletal muscle mass, may improve survival. Our analysis showed no relationship between preoperative SMI and postoperative complications.

Objective-To assess whether the concentrations of serum advanced glycation end products (AGE) in diabetic patients with obstructive coronary artery disease diVer from those in type 2 diabetic patients without obstructive coronary artery disease. Design-Serum AGE concentrations were measured in type 2 diabetic patients and in non-diabetic patients, both with and without obstructive coronary artery disease, and the relation between these values and coronary disease severity was evaluated. Results-Mean (SD) serum AGE concentrations were higher (p < 0.0125) in type 2 diabetic patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (5.5 (2.5) mU/ml, n = 30) than in patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (2.8 (0.5) mU/ml, n = 12), and higher than in nondiabetic patients with (3.4 (1.0) mU/ml, n = 28) and without (3.2 (0.4) mU/ml, n = 13) obstructive coronary artery disease. Serum AGE was associated with the degree of coronary arteriosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (single vessel: n = 13, 3.4 (0.9) mU/m; two vessel: n = 6, 5.7 (1.6) mU/m; three vessel: n = 11, 7.2 (2.5) mU/ ml). Serum AGE was positively correlated with serum mean four year HbA 1C (r = 0.46, p < 0.01), but not with recent serum HbA 1C (r = 0.24). The four groups did not diVer in the other coronary risk factors. Conclusions-Serum AGE concentrations may be associated with long term poor glycaemic control and reflect the severity of coronary arteriosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients. (Heart 2001;85:87-91)

EGFR inhibition in repairing airway epithelial cells modulated significant expression of genes involved in the airway microenvironment, prolonged inflammation, and potentiated acute lung injury.