Search

The reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin with aromatic aldehyde and malononitrile (or ethyl cyanoacetate) gave two kinds of 4-hydroxycoumarin derivatives (1–6) and their structures were characterized via IR, 1H NMR, HRMS, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The in vitro anticancer activity of the synthesized products was studied and evaluated, in which four human lung cancer cells (A549, NCI-H1299, H1650 and PC9) were used in the screening tests. The results showed that compared with compounds 1–3, compounds 4–6 with ethyl ester group exerted rather potent activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Seven hundred and eighty-seven patients with N3 NPC were retrospectively reviewed. • We balanced the baseline of variables using PSM method. • The HR of treatment method was 0.54 for DMFS. • High-risk patients could benefit from the use of IC or adjuvant metronomic chemotherapy. To explore the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus CCRT alone in patients diagnosed with N3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A total of 787 patients with newly diagnosed N3 NPC treated with IC + CCRT or CCRT alone were included. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint. We balanced variables using propensity score matching (PSM). Kaplan–Meier curves with log-rank tests were applied to evaluate the survival condition of each group. Independent prognostic factors were identified using the Cox regression analysis. PSM assigned 228 patients to IC + CCRT and CCRT alone groups. Survival analysis for the matched data set showed that IC + CCRT achieved better survival outcomes compared with CCRT alone, and significant difference was observed in 5-year PFS [74.8% (95%CI 69.2 ∼ 80.9%) vs 65.4% (95%CI 59.4 ∼ 72.0%), P = 0.008], 5-year OS [(77.4%(95%CI 71.9 ∼ 83.3%) vs66.3%(95%CI 60.3 ∼ 72.9%), P = 0.005)] and 5-year distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS)[(81.8%(95%CI 76.7 ∼ 87.2%) vs72.4%(95%CI 66.7 ∼ 78.7%), P = 0.007)] between the two treatment groups. In multivariate analysis, IC + CCRT remained an independent protective factor for PFS (adjusted HR, 0.603; 95% CI, 0.433–0.841; P = 0.003), OS (adjusted HR, 0.568; 95% CI, 0.406–0.793; P < 0.001), and DMFS (adjusted HR, 0.541; 95% CI, 0.364–0.805; P = 0.002). More chemotherapy should be considered in patients with N3 NPC because of its ability to improve survival time. This could be from the use of IC or adjuvant metronomic chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To outline the appropriate diagnostic methods and therapeutic options for acquired bronchobiliary fistula (BBF)., Methods: Literature searches were performed in Medline, EMBASE, PHMC and LWW (January 1980-August 2010) using the following keywords: biliobronchial fistula, bronchobiliary fistula, broncho-biliary fistula, biliary-bronchial fistula, tracheobiliary fistula, hepatobronchial fistula, bronchopleural fistula, and biliptysis. Further articles were identified through cross-referencing., Results: Sixty-eight cases were collected and reviewed. BBF secondary to tumors (32.3%, 22/68), including primary tumors (19.1%, 13/68) and hepatic metastases (13.2%, 9/68), shared the largest proportion of all cases. Biliptysis was found in all patients, and other symptoms were respiratory symptoms, such as irritating cough, fever (36/68) and jaundice (20/68). Half of the patients were treated by less-invasive methods such as endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage. Invasive approaches like surgery were used less frequently (41.7%, 28/67). The outcome was good at the end of the follow-up period in 28 cases (range, 2 wk to 72 mo), and the recovery rate was 87.7% (57/65)., Conclusion: The clinical diagnosis of BBF can be established by sputum analysis. Careful assessment of this condition is needed before therapeutic procedure. Invasive approaches should be considered only when non-invasive methods failed.