Trifluridine/Tipiracil and Oxaliplatin as Induction Chemotherapy in Resectable Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma: A Phase II Study.

Background: Preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) followed by surgery for localized esophageal and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (EGAC) is a standard of care with a pathologic complete response (pCR) rate of 20%. We evaluated a novel combination of trifluridine/tipiracil with oxaliplatin as induction chemotherapy (IC) followed by CRT.

Methods: We enrolled patients with potentially resectable localized EGAC (T3, T4aN0, or node-positive disease) in this open-label, single-arm, multicenter, Phase II trial between January 2020 and October 2022.

Association of vaccine intention against COVID-19 using the 5C Scale and its constructs: a Pima County, Arizona cross-sectional survey.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy has been ranked as one of the top 10 threats to global health by the World Health Organization. The 5C model (Confidence, Calculation of risk, Complacency, Collective Responsibility, and Constraints) and an accompanying tool to measure vaccine hesitancy, summarize several significant explanatory variables, and move beyond the most common explanatory variable, Confidence.

Methods: From January to May 2021, we administered a cross-sectional survey among adults in Pima County, Arizona in collaboration with the local health department to assess psychological antecedents to (.

Red Flag Signs and Symptoms for Patients With Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), defined as a diagnosis at younger than age 50 years, is increasing, and so-called red flag signs and symptoms among these individuals are often missed, leading to diagnostic delays. Improved recognition of presenting signs and symptoms associated with EOCRC could facilitate more timely diagnosis and impact clinical outcomes.

Objective: To report the frequency of presenting red flag signs and symptoms among individuals with EOCRC, to examine their association with EOCRC risk, and to measure variation in time to diagnosis from sign or symptom presentation.

MicroRNA panels as diagnostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Circulating microRNAs (miRNA) have emerged as promising diagnostic biomarkers for several diseases, including cancer. However, the diagnostic accuracy of miRNA panels in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains inconsistent and there is still lack of meta-analyses to determine whether miRNA panels can serve as robust biomarkers for CRC diagnosis.

Methods: This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the clinical utility of miRNA panels as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of CRC.

Informal Providers-Ground Realities in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Nations: Toward Better Cancer Primary Care: A Narrative Review.

Purpose: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations are a group of eight countries with low to medium Human Development Index values. They lack trained human resources in primary health care to achieve the WHO-stated goal of Universal Health Coverage. An unregulated service sector of informal health care providers (IPs) has been serving these underserved communities.

Response to Toshihide Tsuda, Yumiko Miyano and Eiji Yamamoto [1].

Background: In August 2021, we published in Environmental Health a Toolkit for detecting misused epidemiological methods with the goal of providing an organizational framework for transparently evaluating epidemiological studies, a body of evidence, and resultant conclusions. Tsuda et al., the first group to utilize the Toolkit in a systematic fashion, have offered suggestions for its modification.

Association of Prediagnosis Obesity and Postdiagnosis Aspirin With Survival From Stage IV Colorectal Cancer.

Importance: The potential relationship between obesity and colorectal cancer (CRC) outcome is poorly understood in patients with late-stage disease. Increased body mass index may negate aspirin use for cancer prevention, but its role as a factor on the effectiveness of postdiagnosis aspirin use is unclear.

Objective: To evaluate how prediagnosis obesity and postdiagnosis aspirin use may be associated with overall survival in patients with late-stage colorectal cancer.

Correction: Zhang et al. Association between Body Mass Index and Immune-Related Adverse Events (irAEs) among Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Pan-Cancer Analysis. 2021, , 6109.

Subha Madhavan (S.M.) and Anas Belouali (A.

Hyperammonemia in lung transplant patients and its management: a review.

Objective: To synthesize the evidence for incidence, pathophysiology, etiology, and protocol-based management of hyperammonemia in lung transplant patients.

Background: Elevated ammonia levels are toxic to the brain, and hyperammonemia results in a potentially fatal complication for lung transplant recipients. The hallmark of this condition is ammonia production being way out of proportion to the degree of liver derangement.

Stressors and Information-Seeking by Dialysis and Transplant Patients During COVID-19, Reported on a Telephone Hotline: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Rationale & Objective: In early 2020, we activated a telephone hotline, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Kidney or Transplant Listening and Resource Center, to learn more about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the stress and information-seeking behaviors of dialysis and transplant patients.

Study Design: A mixed-methods study including semi-structured, qualitative interviews probing about emotional, health, and financial challenges experienced and quantitative surveys assessing depression and anxiety levels and information-seeking behaviors.

Setting & Participants: 99 participants (28 dialysis patients; 71 transplant patients), varying by race and ethnicity (Hispanic, 25.

Factors Associated with Health Inequalities in Infectious Disease Pandemics Predating COVID-19 in the United States: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Previous pandemics may offer evidence on mediating factors that contributed to disparities in infection and poor outcomes, which could inform the effort to mitigate potential unequal outcomes during the current COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review sought to examine those factors.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane to May 2020.

Advances in microfabrication technologies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Background: Tissue engineering provides various strategies to fabricate an appropriate microenvironment to support the repair and regeneration of lost or damaged tissues. In this matter, several technologies have been implemented to construct close-to-native three-dimensional structures at numerous physiological scales, which are essential to confer the functional characteristics of living tissues.

Methods: In this article, we review a variety of microfabrication technologies that are currently utilized for several tissue engineering applications, such as soft lithography, microneedles, templated and self-assembly of microstructures, microfluidics, fiber spinning, and bioprinting.

Findings of living donation experiences shared on a digital storytelling platform: A thematic analysis.

Objectives: To identify common experiences and emotional changes shared by living donors and kidney recipients about their living donation experiences on a digital storytelling platform.

Methods: 82 donors and 36 recipients submitted prompt-guided videos to the platform. Two coders analyzed transcripts for motivations, common themes, and emotions expressed.

Breast biopsy patterns and findings among older women undergoing screening mammography: The role of age and comorbidity.

Introduction: Limited evidence exists on the impact of age and comorbidity on biopsy rates and findings among older women.

Materials And Methods: We used data from 170,657 women ages 66-94 enrolled in the United States Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC). We estimated one-year rates of biopsy by type (any, fine-needle aspiration (FNA), core or surgical) and yield of the most invasive biopsy finding (benign, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive breast cancer) by age and comorbidity.

Association between Body Mass Index and Immune-Related Adverse Events (irAEs) among Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Pan-Cancer Analysis.

Evidence regarding the association between body mass index (BMI) and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) among cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is limited. Here, we use cross-sectional hospital-based data to explore their relationship. Pre-treatment BMI was treated as an ordinal variable (<25, 25 to ≤30, ≥30 kg/m).

Technology-based interventions for nursing home residents: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: A growing number of technology-based interventions are used to support the health and quality of life of nursing home residents. The onset of COVID-19 and recommended social distancing policies that followed led to an increased interest in technology-based solutions to provide healthcare and promote health. Yet, there are no comprehensive resources on technology-based healthcare solutions that describe their efficacy for nursing home residents.

Cost-Effectiveness of Screening Mammography Beyond Age 75 Years : A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Background: The cost-effectiveness of screening mammography beyond age 75 years remains unclear.

Objective: To estimate benefits, harms, and cost-effectiveness of extending mammography to age 80, 85, or 90 years according to comorbidity burden.

Design: Markov microsimulation model.

Mammography adherence in relation to function-related indicators in older women.

Prior studies of screening mammography patterns by functional status in older women show inconsistent results. We used Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium-Medicare linked data (1999-2014) to investigate the association of functional limitations with adherence to screening mammography in 145,478 women aged 66-74 years. Functional limitation was represented by a claims-based function-related indicator (FRI) score which incorporated 16 items reflecting functional status.

Engaging Patients with Late-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in Shared Decision Making about Treatment.

Few treatment decision support interventions (DSIs) are available to engage patients diagnosed with late-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in treatment shared decision making (SDM). We designed a novel DSI that includes care plan cards and a companion patient preference clarification tool to assist in shared decision making. The cards answer common patient questions about treatment options (chemotherapy, chemotherapy plus immunotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, clinical trial participation, and supportive care).

Gun violence incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic is higher than before the pandemic in the United States.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, gun violence (GV) in the United States (U.S.) was postulated to increase strain on already taxed healthcare resources, such as blood products, intensive care beds, personal protective equipment, and even hospital staff.