Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of nedaplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) for advanced esophageal cancer. Methods Such databases as PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were searched from the date of their establishment to May 4th, 2012 to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about nedaplatin combined with 5-Fu versus cisplatin combined with 5-Fu for advanced esophageal cancer. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the quality of the included studies. Then meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.1 software. Results A total of 15 RCTs invloving 863 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis suggested that, compared with cisplatin combined with 5-Fu, nedaplatin combined with 5-Fu could improve short-term effects (RR=1.31, 95%CI 1.14 to 1.52, P=0.000 2) and reduce gastrointestinal reaction and renal function impairment, but it was associated with aggravated myelosuppression, increase of thrombocytopenia and leukopenia, and decrease of hemoglobin. There were no significant differences between the two groups in liver function impairment, diarrhea and peripheral neurovirulence. Conclusion Nedaplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil can increase short-term effects and reduce gastrointestinal reaction and renal function impairment. However, nedaplatin is associated with aggravated myelosuppression, so it should be applied in clinic with cautious. Nedaplatin combined with 5-fluorouracil can be used as a replacement chemotherapy regimen for advanced esophageal cancer, but the evidence about long-term effects and safety is still required. For the quality and quantity limitation of the included studies which decreases the level of evidence, so the conclusion of this systematic review only provides some references for clinical practice and research.
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of hyperthermia combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy (HRCT) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), so as to provide references for further clinical practice and research. Methods The databases such as The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were searched on computer from the date of their establishment to May 1st of 2011, and other sources as supplied were also retrieved to collect all the relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on comparing HRCT with non-HRCT. The quality of the included trials was assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook 5.1 for Systematic Review and the features of this study as well. Meta-analyses were conducted by using RevMan 5.1 software. Results A total of eight RCTs involving 546 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that: a) Total effective rate: The total effective rate of HRCT was higher than other non-HRCT therapies, and there were significant differences in HRCT compared with radio-chemotherapy, hyperthermia plus chemotherapy, and pure chemotherapy, the OR and 95%CI were 2.05 (1.18, 3.56), 3.41 (1.12, 10.38), and 6.11 (1.20, 31.16), respectively; and b) Safety evaluation: The incidence rates of radiation pneumonitis, radiation esophagitis and granulocytopenia were all lower in the HRCT group than that in the radio-chemotherapy group, but the significant differences were only found in the incidence rate of granulocytopenia (OR=0.34 (0.19, 0.59). Conclusion Compared with other therapies, HRCT tends to improve the clinical efficacy and safety for NSCLC, but this result needs to be proved by more clinical trials. HRCT is superior to the routine radio-chemotherapy in both efficacy and safety, but the relevant evidence for proving its long-term efficacy and safety is still required.
Objective To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of zoledronic acid combined with radiotherapy in treating bone metastasis of malignant tumor. Methods Such databases as PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library (Issue 10, 2012), CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were searched to collect randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on bone metastasis of malignant tumor from inception to October, 2012. References of included studies were also retrieved. Two reviewers independently screened studies according to exclusion and inclusion criteria, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality. Then, meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.1 software. Results Twenty nine trials were included involving 2 021 patients. The results of meta-analysis showed that, compared with the radiotherapy alone group, zoledronic acid combined with radiotherapy improved the effectiveness rate of pain relieving at the end of treatment (OR=3.08, 95%CI 2.30 to 4.12, Plt;0.000 01), the effectiveness rate of pain relieving two weeks after treatment (OR=3.39, 95%CI 2.52 to 4.56, Plt;0.000 01), the quality of life (OR=2.74, 95%CI 1.66 to 4.52, Plt;0.000 01) and the ability of movement (OR=2.96, 95%CI 2.16 to 4.05, Plt;0.000 01). Zoledronic acid combined with radiotherapy also reduced the incidence of new bone metastasis (OR=0.21, 95%CI 0.10 to 0.45, Plt;0.000 1) and the incidence rate of bone-related events (OR=0.17, 95%CI 0.03 to 0.92, P=0.04). The adverse reactions of zoledronic acid combined with radiotherapy such as fever (OR=11.92, 95%CI 6.31 to 22.48, Plt;0.000 01) and hypocalcaemia (OR=8.82, 95%CI 1.61 to 48.36, P=0.01), significantly increased. Conclusion Compared with radiotherapy alone, zoledronic acid combined with radiotherapy can relieve bone metastatic pain, effectively enhance patients’ ability of movement, improve quality of life, and decrease new bone metastasis and the occurrence of bone-related events.
Objective To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of radiotherapy (RT) combined with hyperthermia (HT) for locally-advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on RT plus HT vs. RT alone for locally-advanced NSCLC were searched in PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, VIP, CNKI, CBM and other electronic databases from inception to November 2011. Two reviewers independently screened studies according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data and assessed quality of the included studies independently. Then meta-analyses were performed using RevMan 5.0.2. Results A total of 9 RCTs involving 527 cases were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that compared with the RT alone group, the RT plus HT group could increase the total effective rate (OR=2.08, 95%CI 1.44 to 3.02, P=0.000 1) and the progression-free survival rate (OR=4.85, 95%CI 1.88 to 12.48, P=0.001). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the overall survival rate (OR=1.13, 95%CI 0.64 to 1.98, P=0.68), symptoms improve rate (OR=3.37, 95%CI 1.68 to 6.78, P=0.000 6), and other acute adverse reactions. Conclusion Current results of systematic review show that radiotherapy combined with hyperthermia can obviously increase the total effective rate and improve the progression-free survival rate for locally-advanced NSCLC, and doesn’t increase the incidence of adverse reaction. Therefore, radiotherapy combined with hyperthermia is a fairly reasonable and effective treatment method for locally-advanced NSCLC.