Impact of Diabetes on Oncologic Outcome of Colorectal Cancer Patients: Colon vs. Rectal Cancer

Background: To evaluate the impact of diabetes on outcomes in colorectal cancer patients and to examine whether this association varies by the location of tumor (colon vs. rectum). Patients and methods This study includes 4,131 stage I-III colorectal cancer patients, treated between 1995 and 2007 (12.5% diabetic, 53% colon, 47% rectal) in South Korea. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine the prognostic influence of DM on survival endpoints. Results: Colorectal cancer patients with DM had significantly worse disease-free survival (DFS) [hazard ratio (HR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00–1.37] compared with patients without DM. When considering colon and rectal cancer independently, DM was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.11–1.92), DFS (HR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.15–1.84) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.98–1.76) in colon cancer patients. No association for OS, DFS or RFS was observed in rectal cancer patients. There was significant interaction of location of tumor (colon vs. rectal cancer) with DM on OS (P = 0.009) and DFS (P = 0.007). Conclusions: This study suggests that DM negatively impacts survival outcomes of patients with colon cancer but not rectal cancer

Improving the Performance of Solution−Processed Quantum Dot Light−Emitting Diodes via a HfO_x Interfacial Layer

One of the major obstacles in the way of high−performance quantum dot light−emitting diodes (QLEDs) is the charge imbalance arising from more efficient electron injection into the emission layer than the hole injection. In previous studies, a balanced charge injection was often achieved by lowering the electron injection efficiency; however, high performance next−generation QLEDs require the hole injection efficiency to be enhanced to the level of electron injection efficiency. Here, we introduce a solution−processed HfOx layer for the enhanced hole injection efficiency. A large amount of oxygen vacancies in the HfOx films creates gap states that lower the hole injection barrier between the anode and the emission layer, resulting in enhanced light−emitting characteristics. The insertion of the HfOx layer increased the luminance of the device to 166,600 cd/m2, and the current efficiency and external quantum efficiency to 16.6 cd/A and 3.68%, respectively, compared with the values of 63,673 cd/m2, 7.37 cd/A, and 1.64% for the device without HfOx layer. The enhanced light−emitting characteristics of the device were elucidated by X−ray photoelectron, ultra−violet photoelectron, and UV−visible spectroscopy. Our results suggest that the insertion of the HfOx layer is a useful method for improving the light−emitting properties of QLEDs

Kaplan-Meier survival curve for disease-free survival in colorectal (A), colon (B) and rectal (C) cancer patients staged I to III by diabetes mellitus status.

<p>Kaplan-Meier survival curve for disease-free survival in colorectal (A), colon (B) and rectal (C) cancer patients staged I to III by diabetes mellitus status.</p

Impact of DM on outcome of overall survival of stage 1 to 3 colon cancer patients according to their BMI, TNM stage, age and site of cancer (proximal vs distal).

<p>DM: Diabetes mellitus, CI: Confidence Interval, BMI: Body mass index, MV: Multivariate, MV adjusted: Gender, BMI, TNM stage, family history of colorectal cancer (yes or no), Adjuvant therapy (No, Chemotherapy only, Radiation therapy only, Chemotherapy and radiation therapy together), the year of surgery,</p>?<p>216 case were not included due to missing BMI information,</p>*<p>31 cases were not included due to missing information on the site specific location (proximal vs distal).</p

Impact of diabetes mellitus on overall survival and disease-free survival of stage 1–3 colorectal cancer patients.

<p>HR: Hazard Ratio.</p><p>Multivariable adjustment for BMI, age, sex, family history of colorectal cancer (yes or no), TNM stage (1, 2, 3), Adjuvant therapy (No, Chemotherapy only, Radiation therapy only, Chemotherapy and radiation therapy together) and the year of surgery.</p

Subject characteristics.

<p>SD: Standard deviation, Number (%), DM: Diabetes Mellitus, * p<0.05 Significantly different compared with subjects who did not have DM.</p