8. Research by U.S. scientists shows that depression causes more harm to human health than some chronic diseases.

6. Sorafenib can extend the survival of patients with advanced liver cancer. An evidence-based medicine report by the American Society of Clinical Oncology shows that sorafenib can significantly prolong the survival of liver cancer patients. Sorafenib is a monoclonal targeted therapy drug approved by the U.S. FDA, expected to have a groundbreaking impact on liver cancer treatment.

7. Latest information released by U.S. scientists indicates that middle-aged individuals adopting a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A healthy lifestyle means abstaining from smoking and alcohol, exercising regularly, eating a light diet, consuming more vegetables, and maintaining regular sleep schedules.

8. Research by U.S. scientists shows that depression causes more harm to human health than some chronic diseases.

9. Obesity is spreading globally. The World Health Organization randomly selected 168,000 people from 63 countries worldwide and assessed them according to abdominal obesity standards, revealing that 60% of men and 50% of women are overweight or obese.

10. A U.S. research team proposes converting human skin cells into embryonic stem cells.

March 5, 2008: Rifapentine

This drug is a long-acting rifamycin derivative, currently mainly used for extended treatment of tuberculosis, generally taken once a week. Recent research results show that rifapentine can completely replace rifampicin and rifadin; moxifloxacin can completely replace isoniazid. Moxifloxacin, also known as Bayfuluo, is a fourth-generation quinolone antibacterial drug. The first generation of quinolones was norfloxacin, the second was ciprofloxacin, the third was levofloxacin, and the fourth is moxifloxacin (Bayfuluo). Bayfuluo is 0.4g per tablet, taken once daily, and is currently the best newly emerging anti-tuberculosis drug.

March 5, 2008: Fentanyl Transdermal Patch

Since July 2005, when the FDA issued recommendations on the rational and safe use of fentanyl transdermal patches, numerous cases of fentanyl poisoning have been reported worldwide over the past three years. Therefore, the U.S. FDA recently recommended that this patch be used only for patients with severe cancer pain, and the duration of use should not exceed one week.

March 5, 2008: SFDA Emergency Notice

① Concurrent use of ceftriaxone and calcium-containing solutions can lead to the death of newborns and infants. ② Infants under two years old may die if they use ephedrine or phenylephrine. ③ Infants taking ephedrine, diphenhydramine, or chlorphenamine maleate may experience adverse reactions.

March 7, 2008: Tibolone

Due to ovarian function decline in postmenopausal women, estrogen and progesterone levels drop, leading to hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings; bone loss and vaginal dryness may also occur. Traditional estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy has certain side effects and may even cause irregular vaginal bleeding, making it difficult for patients to adhere to the treatment.

Tibolone is an estrogen activity regulator. Unlike traditional hormone replacement therapy, this drug exists in the peripheral bloodstream in the form of sulfate, which lacks hormonal activity, and only generates estrogen-active substances upon reaching the bone marrow, uterus, and vulva, thus causing no harm to other organs. Its advantages include improving quality of life, enhancing vaginal moisture, and preventing osteoporosis.

March 14, 2008: Current Status of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) Treatment

HCC ranks fifth in cancer incidence and second in mortality.

1. Interventional Therapy

Interventional therapy includes transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), percutaneous ethanol injection, radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, laser ablation, argon-helium cryoablation.

TACE is currently the most widely used interventional therapy. Interventional therapy can reduce tumor volume to some extent and potentially prolong patient survival, but evidence-based medicine proves that the five-year survival rate remains below 10%. In recent years, with the development of tumor angiogenesis theory, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has received increasing attention. Numerous experimental studies show that overexpression and activation of VEGF are key factors in the development of malignant tumors. During TACE, embolization can easily cause hypoxia in liver tissue, thereby upregulating VEGF and potentially activating its activity, leading to new metastatic foci. Trials have shown that most patients undergoing liver intervention (TACE) exhibit increased VEGF levels, though some patients’ VEGF levels remain unchanged. Therefore, for HCC patients, measuring VEGF levels might be an effective indicator for evaluating whether interventional therapy is appropriate. Recently, Italian scholars pointed out that serum VEGF levels are correlated with cancer growth and prognosis, suggesting that it should be used as an important indicator for assessing cancer prognosis.

2. Molecular Targeted Drugs

In 2007, the U.S. FDA approved sorafenib for market release. This drug is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor that can extend the survival of advanced HCC patients by 44%. Using sorafenib can greatly reduce the incidence of new tumors after TACE.

March 14, 2008: Current Status of Surgical Treatment for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Surgical treatment for HCC includes liver resection (lesion removal and hepatic lobectomy), liver transplantation, and minimally invasive liver resection. Although early surgery can achieve a five-year survival rate of 50%–70%, early diagnosis is actually quite difficult, accounting for only one-third of all liver cancer patients. Advanced HCC relies on liver transplantation, but the selection criteria for transplantation are extremely strict. For example, the Milan criteria (single tumor diameter ≤5cm or three tumors with diameters <3cm) are too stringent for most liver cancer patients, making the indications for liver transplantation overly narrow.

March 14, 2008: Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT)

Previously, androgen deprivation therapy was referred to as castration therapy. Recently, a report by a professor at the University of Birmingham in the U.S. states that combining radiotherapy with ADT can reduce the mortality rate of prostate cancer patients. The method involves three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy plus ADT.

March 14, 2008: 21-Gene Test Can Predict Prognosis of Hormone-Dependent Breast Cancer

Hormone-dependent breast cancer refers to cases where ER or PR is positive, or either is positive, and the 10-year recurrence risk with tamoxifen alone is only about 15%. Currently, all dependent patients undergo postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, resulting in at least 85% of patients receiving overtreatment. Professor Paik in the U.S. studied CMF (cyclophosphamide + methotrexate + fluorouracil) or MF (methotrexate + fluorouracil) regimens versus RS (recurrence score), concluding that for hormone-dependent breast cancer, at least 50% of postoperative chemotherapy is unnecessary. The 21-gene test can determine which hormone-dependent patients benefit from chemotherapy.

March 18, 2008: Oxidative Effects—The Vicious Cycle Diabetes Cannot Escape

High blood sugar, high uric acid, and high free fatty acids in diabetes can lead to massive production of free radicals in the body, triggering oxidative effects. These effects can cause insulin resistance and promote the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

March 18, 2008: Drug-Induced Liver Damage

Currently, drug-induced liver damage and related diseases are on the rise. Chemotherapy drugs, antithyroid drugs, anti-coronary heart disease drugs, and antihypertensive drugs in Western medicine can all cause liver damage; traditional Chinese medicines such as leigongteng, shanhaitang, hehuangpi, fanshaye, guanzhong, douchi, bohe, diyu, etc., also have certain damaging effects on the liver, so they should be used cautiously in clinical practice.

March 20, 2008: Criteria for Remission in Acute Leukemia

1. Complete Remission (CR)

Bone marrow cell classification shows less than 5% blast cells. Blood routine: Hb >100g/L, WBC 10×10^9^/L, PLT >100×10^9^/L. No symptoms.

2. Partial Remission (PR)

Bone marrow cell classification shows less than 20% blast cells. Blood routine and symptoms do not meet the above criteria.

3. No Remission (NR)

Blast cells do not meet the above criteria.

March 21, 2008: Further Discussion on Cardiac Interventional Therapy

The application of drug-eluting stents marks a milestone in breakthroughs in cardiac intervention. It is considered the third revolution in interventional cardiology. Currently, cardiac intervention and surgery are increasingly complementary. Research on biological stem cells is thriving, with a long way to go. In addition, capillary regeneration in hibernating myocardium is also one of the development directions for heart disease treatment; research on vascular endothelial growth factor for cardiovascular diseases is also underway. Early detection of vulnerable plaques is an effective way to maintain the achievements of intervention and extend the period of prevention of coronary heart disease. Currently, this technology is developing rapidly, and vascular ultrasound using virtual histology techniques has made considerable progress.

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement involves placing a pre-shaped artificial valve on a stent and then inserting it into the body via a percutaneous approach. This procedure currently faces challenges such as difficulty in delivery, difficulty in positioning, complex operation, and low success rate.

March 24, 2008: Gastrointestinal Neurosis

Clinically, it is common to see patients with very obvious gastrointestinal symptoms, yet endoscopic examinations yield negative results. Such patients have previously been labeled with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome or allergic colitis. Recently, the China Medical Forum Newspaper published a paper by Professor Hou Xiaohua from Union Hospital of Wuhan University. The article states that such patients are mostly caused by “visceral hypersensitivity.” Recently, the author has also frequently observed in clinical practice that some patients develop severe gastrointestinal reactions to traditional Chinese medicine, possibly belonging to the hypersensitive group.

March 31, 2008: Metabolic Syndrome (MS)

Metabolic syndrome has been proposed for more than ten years. It arises from progressive damage to multiple organs caused by high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, high uric acid, and high blood viscosity. The key characteristic of this syndrome is insulin resistance (IR). Insulin resistance leads to hyperfunction of the pancreas, resulting in increased sympathetic nervous system activity, vasospasm, thickening of vessel walls, and elevated blood pressure, ultimately forming MS.

April 7, 2008: Gene Therapy Brings Hope for Treating Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

PD commonly affects people over 50, and currently there is no effective treatment. Professor Michael G. from the Department of Neurosurgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital–Weill Cornell Medical Center

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Kaplitt used adenovirus as a vector to deliver the glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) gene into the thalamus, achieving therapeutic efficacy in treating Parkinson's disease.

April 1, 2008: Sorafenib treatment for HCC marks the dawn of a new era

Currently, systemic chemotherapy for advanced liver cancer mainly employs two drugs: pirarubicin and mitoxantrone. The former can only extend treatment duration by 3 weeks (according to a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial); the latter has a response rate of only 10%–25%. However, both drugs can cause life-threatening adverse reactions.

Sorafenib, as a targeted therapy drug, can extend patients' survival by 44%, specifically about 2.8 months. Although this benefit may seem insignificant to pessimistic patients, it is indeed encouraging for the overall progress in HCC treatment; moreover, clinical trials have shown that its side effects are not different from those of the control group, ensuring its safety.

April 11, 2008: Sorafenib (Nexavar) treatment for renal cell carcinoma

Sorafenib can significantly prolong progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). It was approved by the U.S. FDA in December 2005, becoming the world's first FDA-approved targeted therapy for advanced renal cancer. Its PFS is markedly higher than that of the control group; overall survival (OS) and tumor marker test results are also significantly better than the control group.

April 11, 2008: New developments in acute stroke treatment

Recombinant human activated coagulation factor VII (rhFVIIa) can significantly inhibit hematoma expansion, attracting widespread attention. However, recent results from international multi-center large-sample trials on acute stroke have been disappointing, leading some to say that recombinant human activated coagulation factor VII is both a rising star and a shooting star.

April 14, 2008: Understanding hepatitis C

From 1992 to 1995, a national seroepidemiological survey on viral hepatitis showed that the HBV infection rate in China was 57.6%, the HBV carrier rate was 9.75%, and the HCV infection rate was 3.2%. Over the past decade, the HBV infection rate in China has decreased significantly due to the widespread administration of the hepatitis B vaccine, while the prevalence of HCV has shown an increasing trend.

A liver disease research report from Peking University indicates that the incidence of cirrhosis after 10 and 20 years of HCV infection is 9.23% and 17.81%, respectively, which is higher than relevant data from abroad. In terms of age of onset: the cirrhosis rates for patients under 20, 21–30, 31–40, and over 40 are 2.63%, 8.6%, 13.7%, and 19.64%, respectively, demonstrating that as the duration of viral infection increases and age advances, the incidence of cirrhosis gradually rises.

Since 1992, China has strengthened blood transfusion management and implemented strict screening of blood donors, resulting in a significant reduction in HCV infections transmitted through blood transfusions compared with the past. However, a portion of HCV cases still occur, indicating that HCV transmission is not solely via blood transfusion. Further research is needed to confirm this claim. The incidence of HCV in Gansu Province is 2%–3%.

April 14, 2008: A re-examination of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Due to differences between Eastern and Western regions, the Asia-Pacific Consensus on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) has emerged.

① Alarm symptoms: dysphagia, difficulty swallowing, hematemesis, melena, weight loss, anemia, high incidence of gastric cancer or family history.

② Basic symptoms: epigastric pain or discomfort, reflux symptoms (acid regurgitation, heartburn, belching), effective treatment with proton pump inhibitors.

April 16, 2008: Changes in the 2008 Asia-Pacific Guidelines for Chronic Hepatitis B Treatment

① For HBeAg-positive patients: if ALT is more than 2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) and HBV DNA is more than 2 × 10^4 IU/mL, antiviral treatment should be administered.

② For HBeAg-negative patients: if HBV DNA is more than 10^5 IU/mL, it is changed to more than 10^3 IU/mL, and antiviral treatment should be given.

③ During treatment, follow-up visits should be conducted every 3–6 months, along with monitoring for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

April 25, 2008: Future interventional therapies will take the form of a "three-headed beast"

Professor Martin B. Leon, Chairman of the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference in the United States and affiliated with Columbia University Medical Center, stated at the 2008 China Interventional Cardiology Conference that future cardiac interventions will advance beyond guidewires, balloons, and drug-eluting stents to include diagnosis and treatment of vulnerable plaques and vascular regeneration, selective stent implantation, and treatment of congenital and structural heart diseases in adults.

May 22, 2008: Significant decline in the incidence of hepatitis B among Chinese people

Recent results from the 2006 national seroepidemiological survey on hepatitis B show that the HBsAg carrier rate in the general population has dropped from 9.75% in 1992 to 7.18%, a decrease of 2.57%; moreover, the decline is more pronounced among younger age groups, with an estimated reduction of nearly 8 million pediatric hepatitis B cases in China.

May 29, 2008: Classification of malignant lymphoma

Malignant lymphoma is generally divided into Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). HL is further classified based on cell origin into lymphocytic type, nodular sclerosis type, mixed type, and lymphocyte-depleted type. NHL is classified according to cell origin as follows:

1. B-cell type ① Indolent lymphomas: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma (gastric mucosa-associated, non-gastric mucosa-associated, intranodal, splenic), Waldenström macroglobulinemia, and low-grade mantle cell lymphoma. ② Aggressive lymphomas: large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma. ③ Highly aggressive lymphomas: lymphoblastic lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, AIDS-related lymphoma.

2. T-cell type: peripheral T-cell lymphoma and mycosis fungoides.

June 1, 2008: Chemotherapy combined with radiofrequency ablation