Small endoscopic sphincterotomy combined with endoscopic papillary large-balloon dilation 1 1 3 SummaryBackground To compare the effectiveness and safety of the combination of endoscopic papillary large-balloon dilation (EPLBD) and small endoscopic sphincterotomy (SEST) with either EST or EPLBD alone in the treatment of large bile duct stones.Methods A total of 127 patients with large bile duct stones were enrolled and randomly divided into four treatment groups (the SEST + EPLBD group, the EPLBD + SEST group, the EST group, and the EPLBD group) in a 1:1:1:1 ratio. Evaluation variables included the success rates of complete stone removal, complete stone removal without the use of endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy (EML), and complete stone removal in one session, as well as the occurrence of short-and long-term postoperative complications. ResultsThe overall rate of stone clearance was quite similar among the four treatment groups. There was no significant difference in the rate of complete stone removal without the use of EML among these groups. However, the combination treatment groups required relatively fewer sessions than did the EPLBD group. The incidence rates of short-and long-term complications were relatively lower in the two combination groups than in the EST and EPLBD groups.Conclusions A combination of SEST and EPLBD appears to be safe and effective for patients with large bile duct stones. This combination may have potential safety advantages in comparison with EST or EPLBD alone.

Background The goal of this study was to establish and validate two nomograms for predicting the long‐term overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) in lip squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Methods This study selected 4175 patients who were diagnosed with LSCC between 2004 and 2015 in the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database. The patients were allocated randomly to a training cohort and validation cohort. Variables were selected using a backward stepwise method in a Cox regression model. Based on the predictive model with the identified prognostic factors, nomograms were established to predict the 3‐, 5‐, and 8‐year survival OS and CSS rates of LSCC patients. The accuracy of the nomograms was evaluated based on the consistency index (C‐index), while their prediction accuracy was evaluated using calibration plots. Decision curve analyses (DCAs) were used to evaluate the performance of our survival model. Results The multivariate analyses demonstrated that age at diagnosis, marital status, sex, race, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, surgery status, and radiotherapy status were risk factors for both OS and CSS. The C‐index, area under the time‐dependent receiver operating characteristic curve, and calibration plots demonstrated the good performance of the nomograms. DCAs of both nomograms further showed that they exhibited good 3‐, 5‐, and 8‐year net benefits. Conclusions We have developed and validated LSCC prognosis nomograms for OS and CSS for the first time. These nomograms can be valuable tools for clinical practice when clinicians are helping patients to understand their survival risk for the next 3, 5, and 8 years.

Background: The aim of this study is to estimate the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma from 1990 to 2017. Methods: We collected detailed information on nasopharyngeal carcinoma from 1990 to 2017 based on data from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2017. The global incidence, mortality, and DALYs attributable to nasopharyngeal carcinoma was reported, as well as the age-standardized rates (ASRs).

Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs with a covalently closed loop. circRNAs affect the progression of diverse cancers. Nonetheless, circ_0001806 expression and function in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are undefined. Methods qRT-PCR was executed to examine circ_0001806, miR-1182 and NOVA2 mRNA expression levels in NSCLC tissues and cells. CCK-8, EdU, cell scratch test and Transwell assay were conducted to examine the viability, multiplication, migration and invasion of NSCLC cell lines H1650 and HCC827. The binding sites between circ_0001806 and miR-1182, miR-1182 and NOVA2 mRNA were predicted by the circular RNA Interactome and TargetScan databases, and the dual-luciferase reporter gene experiment was employed for verification. Western blot was implemented to examine NOVA2 expression. Results Circ_0001806 expression in NSCLC tissues and cell lines was substantially augmented, while miR-1182 expression was markedly decreased. Circ_0001806 facilitated the multiplication, migration and invasion of H1650 and HCC827 cells, while miR-1182 exerted the opposite effect. Circ_0001806 indirectly enhanced NOVA2 expression by specifically down-modulating miR-1182. Conclusion Circ_0001806 augments NOVA2 expression by targeting miR-1182 to enhance the multiplication, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells.