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INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Surgical or endoscopic treatments play an essential role in the management of achalasia. The probability of adverse events in the performance of said treatments is a relevant aspect, when establishing the risk-benefit balance. The present study aimed to establish the association between serious adverse events and the performance of those procedures, in adult patients with achalasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systemic search of randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials, retrospective cohorts, and cases series on adult patients with achalasia that underwent laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM), peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), or endoscopic balloon dilation, that reported serious adverse events, was carried out on the Medline, CENTRAL, and EBSCO databases. Serious adverse events were defined as: death at 30 days, Clavien-Dindo grade III or higher classification, esophageal or gastric perforation, pneumothorax, mucosal tear, leakage, emphysema, pneumonia, and chest pain. The methodology included the PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews. RESULTS: Thirty-five studies were found that reported information on 1,276 patients that underwent POEM, 5,492 that underwent LHM, and 10,346 that underwent endoscopic balloon dilation. The proportions of adverse events for the three techniques were 3.6, 4.9, and 3.1%, respectively. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The 3 therapeutic interventions evaluated had similar proportions of adverse events. There were few reports of death at 30 days as an outcome and the lack of standardization in reporting adverse events in the studies analyzed was prominent.

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The Asociación Mexicana de Hepatología A.C. carried out the Consensus on the Management of Complications of Cirrhosis of the Liver in Pediatrics to provide physicians with useful information for treating said complications. A group of pediatric gastroenterologists and experts in nutrition, nephrology, and infectious diseases participated and reviewed the medical literature. The Delphi method was applied to obtain the level of agreement on the statements that were formulated. The statements were sent to the participants to be analyzed and voted upon, after which they were discussed in virtual sessions, and the final versions were produced. The aim of the consensus results was to issue indications for the management of pediatric patients with liver cirrhosis, to prevent or control complications.

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Resumen Introducción: La osteonecrosis de los maxilares asociada a medicamentos (OMAM) se define como la presencia de hueso necrótico expuesto de los maxilares en pacientes con historia de tratamiento farmacológico antirresortivo o antiangiogénico. Se describen diferentes estadios se severidad, con tratamiento conservador para estadios 0 y I, y tratamiento médico-quirúrgico para II-III. Objetivo: Describir los factores desencadenantes, opciones de tratamiento médico-quirúrgico y resultados en pacientes con OMAM estadios II-III. Material y Método: Estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo, de pacientes diagnosticados con OMAM estadios II y III que requirieron manejo médico-quirúrgico en la Red de Salud UC-Christus entre los años 2007 y 2018. Resultados: Todos los pacientes presentaron historia de tratamiento con bifosfonatos intravenosos. La mayoría de los registros de seguimiento de pacientes estuvo disponible para su análisis. El tratamiento consistió en aseo quirúrgico, decorticación y secuestrectomía. Se reportó disminución de la sintomatología con resolución parcial en la mitad de los casos y cierre completo de la exposición ósea en los restantes. Conclusión: Sugerimos que el tratamiento médico-quirúrgico en pacientes con OMAM en etapas II y III es efectivo en términos de disminución de sintomatología y control de infección. Sin embargo, es necesario realizar nuevos estudios prospectivos, con mayor cantidad de pacientes y tiempo de seguimiento.

Abstract Introduction: Medication-associated osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) is defined as the presence of exposed necrotic bone of the jaws in patients with a history of antiresorptive or antiangiogenic drug treatment. Different stages of severity are described, with conservative treatment for stages 0 and I, and medical-surgical treatment for II-III. Aim: To describe the triggers, medical-surgical treatment options and outcomes in patients with stage II-III MRONJ. Material and Method: Retrospective, descriptive study of patients diagnosed with MRONJ stages II and III that required medical-surgical management in the UC-Christus Health Network between 2007 and 2018. Results: All patients had a history of treatment with intravenous bisphosphonates. Most of the patient follow-up records were available for analysis. Treatment consisted of surgical grooming, decortication, and sequestrectomy. A decrease in symptoms was reported with partial resolution in half of the cases, and complete closure of bone exposure in the remainder. Conclusion: We suggest that medical-surgical treatment in patients with MRONJ in stages II and III is effective in terms of reducing symptoms and controlling infection. However, it is necessary to carry out new prospective studies, with a greater number of patients and follow-up time.

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INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Even though the term hepatocellular carcinoma designates the most common type of primary liver cancer, the disease has a high level of heterogeneity due to its etiology, geographic variation, behavior, and association with specific genetic alterations. The aim of the present study was to establish, through a cluster analysis, the clinical characteristics that enable homogeneous conglomerates to be defined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An exploratory cluster analysis was developed utilizing the K-means method for sub-classifying 119 cases of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Sixty-two of those patients met the inclusion criteria, as well as none of the exclusion criteria. For the cluster analysis, an n-dimensional space was defined, in which n was equal to the number of variables included in the study (n = 17). The spatial coordinates corresponded to any possible magnitude between the minimum and maximum values of the variables analyzed (age, sex, tumor volume, AFP, AST, DB, Alb, Na, INR, Cr, HBV, HCV, OH, NASH, cirrhosis, multiple tumors, and neotumor). RESULTS: Four patterns with homogeneous clinical characteristics were identified, in which age at presentation, history of hepatitis B virus infection, altered liver profile with cholestatic dominance, and low albumin levels were associated with an apparently worse outcome. CONCLUSIONS: How heterogeneity in hepatocellular carcinoma could be reduced was shown through utilizing an unsupervised learning method to define specific subgroups, in whom known pathophysiologic mechanisms could better explain tumor behavior and define the determining prognostic factors related to the subgroups.

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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Even though the term hepatocellular carcinoma designates the most common type of primary liver cancer, the disease has a high level of heterogeneity due to its etiology, geographic variation, behavior, and association with specific genetic alterations. The aim of the present study was to establish, through a cluster analysis, the clinical characteristics that enable homogeneous conglomerates to be defined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An exploratory cluster analysis was developed utilizing the K-means method for sub-classifying 119 cases of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Sixty-two of those patients met the inclusion criteria, as well as none of the exclusion criteria. For the cluster analysis, an n-dimensional space was defined, in which n was equal to the number of variables included in the study (n = 17). The spatial coordinates corresponded to any possible magnitude between the minimum and maximum values of the variables analyzed (age, sex, tumor volume, AFP, AST, DB, Alb, Na, INR, Cr, HBV, HCV, OH, NASH, cirrhosis, multiple tumors, and neotumor). RESULTS: Four patterns with homogeneous clinical characteristics were identified, in which age at presentation, history of hepatitis B virus infection, altered liver profile with cholestatic dominance, and low albumin levels were associated with an apparently worse outcome. CONCLUSION: How heterogeneity in hepatocellular carcinoma could be reduced was shown through utilizing an unsupervised learning method to define specific subgroups, in whom known pathophysiologic mechanisms could better explain tumor behavior and define the determining prognostic factors related to the subgroups.

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Neoplasic transformation is a continuous process that occurs in the body. Even before clinical signs, the immune system is capable of recognizing these aberrant cells and reacting to suppress them. However, transformed cells acquire the ability to evade innate and adaptive immune defenses through the secretion of molecules that inhibit immune effector functions, resulting in tumor progression. Hormones have the ability to modulate the immune system and are involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Hormones can control both the innate and adaptive immune systems in men and women. For example androgens reduce immunity through modulating the production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. Women are more prone than men to suffer from autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis and others. This is linked to female hormones modulating the immune system. Patients with autoimmune diseases consistently have an increased risk of cancer, either as a result of underlying immune system dysregulation or as a side effect of pharmaceutical treatments. Epidemiological data on cancer incidence emphasize the link between the immune system and cancer. We outline and illustrate the occurrence of hormone-related cancer and its relationship to the immune system or autoimmune diseases in this review. It is obvious that some observations are contentious and require explanation of molecular mechanisms and validation. As a result, future research should clarify the molecular pathways involved, including any causal relationships, in order to eventually allocate information that will aid in the treatment of hormone-sensitive cancer and autoimmune illness.

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INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score has previously been shown to be useful for nutritional assessment and the prediction of several inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential use of the CONUT score as a method for nutritional screening and predicting severity in ulcerative colitis (UC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 60 patients diagnosed with UC. Demographic, clinical, and biochemical patient characteristics were collected from their clinical records, and disease severity was assessed using the Truelove and Witts scale (TWS). The risks for malnutrition were evaluated through the nutritional risk index and the CONUT score. RESULTS: More than 90% of the UC patients presented with malnutrition risk, according to the scores analyzed. Patients with a high (>6points) CONUT score presented with moderate-to-severe activity on the TWS. A higher CONUT score was also associated with an increase in C-reactive protein (CRP) (P=.002) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P=.009). The data analysis was performed utilizing the SPSS version 19 program. CONCLUSIONS: The CONUT score could be a promising tool for evaluating nutritional status in UC patients and predicting UC severity.

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Resumen Introducción: La osteonecrosis de los maxilares asociada a medicamentos (OMAM) es una patología que involucra la exposición necrótica de hueso maxilar o mandibular, relacionada al uso de fármacos antirresortivos y antiangiogénicos, con una prevalencia de 0,94%-13% en pacientes oncológicos y con osteoporosis que hacen uso de ellos. Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de osteonecrosis de los maxilares en pacientes en tratamiento con bifosfonatos intravenosos (BFIV) en el Centro del Cáncer de la Red de Salud UC-Christus, Santiago de Chile. Material y Método: Se analizaron los datos de pacientes que recibieron tratamiento de bifosfonatos intravenoso entre marzo y septiembre de 2016, con seguimiento por los equipos tratantes. Se consideró para la extracción de datos el género, edad, diagnóstico primario, bifosfonato intravenoso utilizado, tiempo de seguimiento, presencia de metástasis óseas y diagnóstico de OMAM. Resultados: Se obtuvo una muestra de 143 pacientes, con una relación hombre:mujer de 1:2; promedio de edad de 63,2 años; 78% de ellos fueron tratados con ácido zoledrónico y un 22% con pamidronato. Del total de pacientes un 1,4% (n = 2) desarrolló OMAM. Ambos casos con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama en tratamiento con ácido zoledrónico, lo que corresponde al 1,8% de los pacientes en tratamiento con este fármaco. Conclusión: Si bien la OMAM es una patología infrecuente, esta se presenta con alta morbilidad y es de manejo complejo. La prevención y tratamiento de focos infecciosos odontogénicos de pacientes antes, durante o después del tratamiento con BFIV es fundamental para prevenir su desarrollo.

Abstract Introduction: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a disease involving exposition of necrotic maxillary and mandibular bone and it's related to antiresorptive and antiangiogenic drugs, with a prevalence that variates from 0,94%-13% in oncologic and osteoporosis patients treated with them. Aim: To determine the prevalence of MRONJ in patients that underwent treatment with intravenous bisphosphonates (IVBP) at Centro del Cancer de la Red de Salud UC-CHRISTUS of Santiago, Chile. Material and Method: Data from patients who received intravenous bisphosphonate treatment between March and September 2016 were analyzed, with follow-ups by their treating teams. Data extraction considered gender, age, primary diagnosis, intravenous bisphosphonate used, follow up time, bone metastases and diagnosis of MRONJ. Results: A sample of 143 patients was obtained with a men:women ratio of 1:2; an average age of 63,2 years, 78% of the patients were treated with zoledronic acid and 22% of the patients with pamidronate. From the total number of patients,1.4% (n = 2) developed MRONJ, both cases had breast cancer as primary diagnosis and in treatment with zoledronic acid, which corresponds to 1.8% of patients being treated with this drug. Conclusion: Although MRONJ is an infrequent disease, it presents high morbidity and complex management. Prevention and treatment of odontogenic infectious foci in patients before, during and after treatment with IVBP drugs is fundamental to prevent this pathology.

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INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and impact of gene-expression assays (GEAs) on treatment decisions in a real-world setting of early-stage breast cancer (ESBC) patients. METHODS: This is a regional, prospective study promoted by the Council Health Authorities in Madrid. Enrolment was offered to women with estrogen receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, node-negative or micrometastatic, stage I or II breast cancer from 21 hospitals in Madrid. Treatment recommendations were recorded before and after knowledge of tests results. An economic model compared the cost-effectiveness of treatment, guided by GEAs or by common prognostic factors. RESULTS: 907 tests (440 Oncotype DX® and 467 MammaPrint®) were performed between February 2012 and November 2014. Treatment recommendation changed in 42.6% of patients. The shift was predominantly from chemohormonal (CHT) to hormonal therapy (HT) alone, in 30.5% of patients. GEAs increased patients' confidence in treatment decision making. Tumor grade, progesterone receptor positivity and Ki67 expression were associated with the likelihood of change from CHT to HT (P < 0.001) and from HT to CHT (P < 0.001). Compared with current clinical practice genomic testing increased quality-adjusted life years by 0.00787 per patient and was cost-saving from a national health care system (by 13.867€ per patient) and from a societal perspective (by 32.678€ per patient). CONCLUSION: Using GEAs to guide adjuvant therapy in ESBC is cost-effective in Spain and has a significant impact on treatment decisions.

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