Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) affects up to 80% of patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy. This painful condition significantly impairs quality of life and often necessitates dose reduction or discontinuation of chemotherapy, negatively impacting overall survival. Currently, duloxetine is the only pharmacological treatment recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of various pharmacological interventions in CIPN treatment, providing substantial evidence for clinical practice and future research.

Targeted therapies are promising treatment options for fit patients with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, there is a lack of data on their relative efficacy and safety. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the relative efficacy and safety of first-line targeted therapies (including venetoclax [VEN], obinutuzumab [OBI], ibrutinib [IBR], and other options) for physically fit patients with untreated CLL.

The persistent drug resistance observed in lung cancer necessitates innovative strategies to improve therapeutic outcomes. This review investigates the potential of combining metformin (Met) and cisplatin (Cis) to overcome drug resistance and enhance treatment efficacy. Cis's limitations, including drug resistance and adverse effects, coupled with Met's established safety profile, form the backdrop for this exploration.

In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown significant efficacy in treating various malignancies and have become a key therapeutic approach in cancer treatment. However, while ICIs activate the immune system, they can also induce immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Due to the variability in the frequency and severity of irAEs, clinical management faces a significant challenge in balancing antitumor efficacy with the risk of irAEs. Predicting and preventing irAEs during the early stages of treatment has become a critical research focus in cancer immunotherapy. This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of peripheral blood cell counts for irAEs.

Exercise can improve the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Traditional pairwise meta-analyses of exercise interventions can only identify the difference in effect between an exercise intervention and usual care. It is necessary to conduct network meta-analyses to establish evidence on the comparative effectiveness of all relevant exercise intervention strategies.

Antibody-drug conjugates are novel effective therapies for metastatic breast cancer. Nevertheless, their toxicity profile can significantly affect patients' quality of life over time.

Anthracycline-based chemotherapy, such as Doxorubicin (DOX), often induces cardiotoxicity in cancer patients, which compromises their health and quality of life.

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NIT) has been endorsed by clinical guidelines for the management of DNA mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability-high (dMMR/MSI-H) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Nonetheless, the therapeutic efficacy of NIT in mismatch repair-proficient/microsatellite stable (pMMR/MSS) non-metastatic rectal cancer (RC) remain pending matters. Therefore, a meta-analysis was carried out to assess the efficacy and safety of NIT in patients with non-metastatic pMMR/MSS RC.

IntroductionThis study aims to evaluate the effect of bevacizumab treatment on the incidence of hypertension in patients with ovarian cancer.MethodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases was conducted until August 2024. We included only randomized clinical trials that compared ovarian cancer patients treated with Bevacizumab to those treated with other therapies. The primary outcome was the relative risk (RR) of developing hypertension, stratified by grade. Statistical analyses were performed using a random-effects model to account for heterogeneity between studies. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on hypertension severity (grade ≥2 and grade ≥3) and disease stage. Sensitivity analyses and publication bias assessments were also performed.ResultsA total of 11 randomized trials were included, comprising 5212 patients. The meta-analysis revealed that patients receiving Bevacizumab had a significantly higher risk of hypertension compared to controls (RR = 2.91, 95% CI: 1.65-5.16, P = 0.0002). Subgroup analysis showed that the risk of grade ≥2 hypertension was 1.68 times higher (95% CI: 0.92-3.07), and grade ≥3 hypertension was 5.10 times higher (95% CI: 2.46-10.55) in the Bevacizumab group. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these findings, and no significant publication bias was detected.ConclusionBevacizumab treatment in ovarian cancer significantly increases the risk of hypertension, particularly severe hypertension (grade ≥3). These findings underscore the need for vigilant blood pressure monitoring and management in patients receiving Bevacizumab to mitigate cardiovascular complications and optimize treatment outcomes.

To evaluate the role of carboplatin-based chemotherapy in patients diagnosed with malignant gonadal germ cell tumors (GCTs), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane library, and Web of Science. Randomized controlled trials or cohort studies on gonadal GCTs between January 1, 1970 and April 26, 2023 were enrolled. The treatment failure rate and mortality rate were the primary outcomes. Subgroup analysis based on the primary tumor site and dose of carboplatin was also conducted. In total, 8 studies with 1,409 patients were included. Compared to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, carboplatin-based chemotherapy had an increased treatment failure rate (odds ratio [OR]=2.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.61-3.08; p<0.001), but similar overall survival outcomes (OR=1.68; 95% CI=0.61-4.61; p=0.315). Subgroup analysis revealed that carboplatin-based chemotherapy did not increase the risk of treatment failure and death in ovarian GCT, while a higher risk of treatment failure and a similar risk of death were observed in testicular GCT. Patients treated with high-dose carboplatin calculated 400 or 600 mg/m² (area under the curve=7.9) obtained similar failure-free survival to the cisplatin group (OR=0.84; 95% CI=0.40-1.73; p=0.629). Compared to the cisplatin group, milder nausea and vomiting, nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, and more severe myelosuppression were observed in the carboplatin group. In conclusion, carboplatin-based chemotherapy achieves a comparable overall survival outcome to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in gonadal GCT patients, suggesting that carboplatin is a candidate substitute for cisplatin. The efficacy of carboplatin is dose-dependent. High-dose carboplatin can obtain better therapeutic effects with more tolerable toxicities than cisplatin.

Cannabis is commonly used among patients with cancer for palliative benefit. As the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer therapy increases, there is concern about potential interactions between ICIs and cannabis. Preclinical studies suggest that cannabis leads to immunosuppression, which could impair the function of ICIs. However, only a few clinical studies have investigated this relationship. The goal of this review is to synthesize reported immunomodulatory effects of cannabis in patients with and without cancer in order to better understand whether these preclinical findings translate to the clinical space.

The clinical efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGFs), corticosteroids, and their combined treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME) has been substantiated by numerous studies. However, it remains uncertain whether the therapeutic benefits of the combined treatment with corticosteroids and anti-VEGFs is superior to those of anti-VEGF monotherapy. Consequently, we conducted a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of combined treatment with dexamethasone or triamcinolone and anti-VEGF versus anti-VEGF monotherapy in DME treatment.

PD-1 inhibitors have shown promising efficacy in enhancing OS and AEs as second-line therapies for patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, there remains no clear consensus on which PD-1 inhibitor provides the best balance between efficacy and safety. To address this key issue in the second-line treatment of ESCC, we conducted a network meta-analysis (NMA) with a focus on OS benefits, particularly in patients with different levels of PD-L1 expression.

Niraparib is approved as a maintenance treatment for ovarian cancer due to its potential to prolong progression-free survival. However, its widespread use is challenged by concerns about its safety profile. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the safety profile of niraparib in ovarian cancer treatment.

To evaluate the efficacy of the otoprotective transtympanic application of N-acetylcysteine in preventing chemotherapy-induced ototoxicity in patients subjected to platinum-based chemotherapy.

The clinical course and therapeutic outcomes of pediatric and adult gliomas vary. Dabrafenib plus trametinib is a new therapeutic option for the management of gliomas. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of co-administration of dabrafenib and trametinib in pediatric and adult gliomas.

Despite ongoing advances and introducing innovative therapeutic approaches for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), relapses are common, with low overall survival rates. G protein-coupled receptor, class C, group 5, and member D (GPRC5D) has been expressed in several myeloma cell lines and has demonstrated encouraging outcomes results in in-vitro studies as a potential target for immunotherapies.

Numerous studies have explored the role of acupuncture-related treatments in alleviating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and improving the quality of life for patients with cancer, resulting in mixed findings. This umbrella review aimed to synthesize existing systematic reviews (SRs) to deliver an updated assessment of the certainty of evidence concerning the effects of acupuncture-related treatments on CIPN and quality of life among a diverse group of patients with cancer.

The growing incidence of chronic diseases such as cancer and the emergence of drug-resistant microorganisms constitute one of the greatest health challenges of the 21st century. Therefore, it is critical to search for new therapeutic alternatives. Moringa oleifera is a plant well known for the properties of its phytocomponents and its role has been analyzed in a variety of fields, from medicine to biotechnology.

The utilization of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer immunotherapy frequently leads to the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), making it generally not recommended for patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis on safety and efficacy of ICIs in cancer patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases to provide further insights. PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched until December 20, 2024. The main summary measures used were pooled rate and risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidential interval (CI), which were analyzed using R statistic software. A total of 52 articles were included in the study. When cancer patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases received ICIs treatment, the overall incidence was 0.610 (95% CI: 0.531-0.686) for any grade irAEs, 0.295 (95% CI: 0.248-0.343) for flares, 0.325 (95% CI: 0.258-0.396) for de novo irAEs, 0.238 (95% CI: 0.174-0.309) for grade ≥3 irAEs, and 0.143 (95% CI: 0.109-0.180) for discontinuation due to immunotoxicity. Compared with those without autoimmune diseases, cancer patients with autoimmune diseases experienced a higher risk of any-grade irAEs (RR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.12-1.35) and discontinuation due to immunotoxicity (1.40, 95% CI: 1.11-1.78). However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the incidence of grade ≥3 irAEs, objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) between the two groups. During ICIs treatment, irAEs are common among cancer patients with autoimmune diseases, but severe irAEs is relatively low. ICIs are effective in this population, but should be strictly monitored when used to avoid immunotoxicity.