Radiation recall after capecitabine in a patient with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case report

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Efficacy and safety of afatinib in Chinese patients with EGFR-mutated metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously responsive to first-generation tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKI) and chemotherapy: comparison with historical cohort using erlotinib

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Secular trends of salted fish consumption and nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a multi-jurisdiction ecological study in 8 regions from 3 continents

Background: Despite salted fish being a classical risk factor of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC), whether secular trends in salted fish consumption worldwide accounted for changes in NPC rates were unknown. The relationship between vegetable and cigarette consumption to NPC risk worldwide were also largely uncertain. We investigated the longitudinal trends in standardised NPC incidence/mortality rates across 8 regions and their associations with secular trends in salted fish, vegetable and tobacco consumptions. Methods: Age standardised mortality rate (ASMR) and age standardised incidence rate (ASIR) of NPC were obtained from the WHO cancer mortality database and Hong Kong Cancer Registry. Per capita consumption of salted fish, tobacco and vegetables in Hong Kong and 7 countries (China, Finland, Japan, Portugal, Singapore, United Kingdom and United States) were obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO) and Hong Kong Trade and Census Statistics. Pearson correlation and multivariate analysis were performed to examine both crude and adjusted associations. Results: There were markedly decreasing trends of NPC ASIR and ASMR in Hong Kong over the past three decades, which were correlated with corresponding secular changes in salted fish consumption per capita (Pearson r for 10 cumulative years : ASIR = 0.729 (male), 0.674 (female); ASMR = 0.943 (male), 0.622 (female), all p 0.05). However, there were no clear or consistent patterns in relations between NPC ASIR and ASMR with salted fish consumption across 7 regions in 3 continents. Conclusions: Our results do not support the notion that changes in salted fish consumption had played an important role in explaining secular trends of NPC rates in Hong Kong and worldwide. Further studies should explore other lifestyle and genetic factors. However, our findings do support the potentially protective effects of vegetable consumption against NPC.published_or_final_versio

Predictors of treatment outcome in patients treated with radical chemoradiotherapy for stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Proffered SessionBACKGROUND: Chemoradiation has been well established as standard treatment for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Previous studies have shown that the tumour size as well as its metabolic activity predict treatment outcome after definitive treatment for early-stage disease. We would like to investigate if there are any clinical and metabolic predictors of treatment outcome for stage III NSCLC after chemoradiation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 56 consecutive patients (46 males and 10 females) treated with radical concurrent chemoradiation for their stage IIIA (n=21) and IIIB (n=35) (AJCC 7th edition) unresectable non-small cell lung cancer between July 2006 to February 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. 42 patients had positron emission tomography with integrated computed tomography (PET-CT) scan performed at diagnosis. Of which 14 patients also had PET-CT scan after induction chemotherapy and before concurrent chemoradiation. All received concurrent chemoradiation +/- induction ...postprin

Comparison of post-treatment plasma EBV DNA with nasopharyngeal biopsy in patients after radical (chemo) radiotherapy for non-metatatic nasopharyngeal cancer

This journal suppl. entitled: Proceedings of the American Society for Radiation Oncology 56th Annual Meeting, ASTRO's 56th Annual Meeting ... 2014Oral Scientific SessionPURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): Random nasopharyngeal biopsy after completion of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for non-metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is routinely practiced in Hong Kong to confirm local remission. Plasma EBV DNA is proven an accurate marker for NPC. We carried out a prospective study comparing the correlation between post-IMRT nasopharyngeal biopsy and EBV DNA, to investigate if EBV DNA can substitute biopsy to confirm local remission. MATERIALS/METHODS: Patients with non-metastatic NPC treated with definitive (chemo) IMRT diagnosed between January 2011 and March 2013 were recruited. After baseline workup ...postprin

Correlation of PD-L1 Expression of Tumor Cells with Survival Outcomes after Radical Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Non-Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

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Metronomic oral cyclosphosphamide as third-line systemic treatment or beyond in patients with inoperable locoregionally advanced recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma

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Metastasis-suppressing <i>NID2</i>, an epigenetically-silenced gene, in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

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Diagnostic yield of array CGH in patients with autism spectrum disorder in Hong Kong

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Design, synthesis and biological characterization of novel inhibitors of CD38

Human CD38 is a novel multi-functional protein that acts not only as an antigen for B-lymphocyte activation, but also as an enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of a Ca 2+ messenger molecule, cyclic ADP-ribose, from NAD +. It is well established that this novel Ca 2+ signaling enzyme is responsible for regulating a wide range of physiological functions. Based on the crystal structure of the CD38/NAD + complex, we synthesized a series of simplified N-substituted nicotinamide derivatives (Compound1-14). A number of these compounds exhibited moderate inhibition of the NAD + utilizing activity of CD38, with Compound4 showing the highest potency. The crystal structure of CD38/Compound4 complex and computer simulation of Compound7 docking to CD38 show a significant role of the nicotinamide moiety and the distal aromatic group of the compounds for substrate recognition by the active site of CD38. Biologically, we showed that both Compounds4 and 7 effectively relaxed the agonist-induced contraction of muscle preparations from rats and guinea pigs. This study is a rational design of inhibitors for CD38 that exhibit important physiological effects, and can serve as a model for future drug development. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.postprin