Medicine
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Comparative Study
Comparison of clinical outcome between stereotactic body radiotherapy and radiofrequency ablation for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a novel noninvasive treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Whether its efficacy is comparable to radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a recommended therapy for unresectable HCC, is unknown. The present study aims to compare the clinical outcome between SBRT and RFA for patients with unresectable HCC. ⋯ There was no statistical significant difference between groups (P = .576). SBRT can achieve similar short and long-term clinical outcome as RFA for unresectable HCC. Future prospective clinical study is needed to justify its role in patients with HCC.
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Throughout the clinical course of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), aspergillosis infection remains a significant determinant of treatment outcomes and survival. To emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate application of integrated therapeutic approaches, we present a case of AML patient who survived through angioinvasive aspergillosis infection causing diaphragmatic rupture with bowel perforation and cerebral aspergillosis during active AML treatment. ⋯ Our case highlights the importance of timely integrated intervention and adequate underlying disease control in treatment of invasive aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. Such rigorous efforts can save even the most seemingly dismal case.
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Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are rare entities representing 1% to 3% of all malignant pancreatic neoplasms. Current guidelines recommend a combination of streptozocin (STZ) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for patients with metastatic well-differentiated pNETs requiring systemic therapy. The highest median progression-free survival rate reported in previous studies for this combination was 23 months (95% confidence interval 14.5-31.5). However, it remains unclear for how long this regimen can be safely administered. ⋯ In patients with metastatic G2 pNETs achieving disease control, STZ/5-FU can be safely administered.
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To review our experience with endoscopic coblation-assisted and partial arytenoidectomy (ECPA) in treating idiopathic bilateral vocal cord paralysis (BVCP). A retrospective analysis of thirty-three infants (19 boys and 14 girls, aged 1-10 months) with idiopathic BVCP undergoing ECPA was performed. The therapeutic process and outcomes (surgical success, swallowing function, and voice) were reviewed. ⋯ The surgical success rates of BVCP alone and BVCP+ other airway abnormalities were 95.6% and 70.0%, respectively. During the follow-up, five infants had slight difficulty swallowing, 12 infants had partial or complete recovery movement of at least one vocal cord with satisfactory voice outcome, and five infants had early granuloma formation, which disappeared spontaneously. ECPA appears to be a promising alternative to tracheostomy and initial management in infants with idiopathic BVCP who are free of other airway abnormalities.
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Common bile duct (CBD) stone is a commonly encountered disease that is associated with various clinical presentations ranging from the mild form of biliary colic to the severe complication of acute cholangitis. Recently, diabetes mellitus (DM) has been linked to the development of biliary diseases; however, no data regarding the association of DM with acute cholangitis development in the setting of CBD stone exist. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether DM represents a risk factor for acute cholangitis in patients with CBD stone. ⋯ On univariate analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, P < .0001), male gender (OR 1.54, P = .04), and DM (OR 1.92, P = .002) were associated with acute cholangitis development, and on multivariate logistic regression analysis, the correlation was preserved for DM (OR 1.93, 95% confidence interval 1.26-2.96, P = .002). DM showed a significant association with acute cholangitis development among patients with CBD stone. Identification of bile duct stones in diabetic patients is of paramount importance since early diagnosis and treatment might prevent further life-threatening complications.