Articles: disease.
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Review Case Reports
A novel treatment approach for a patient with advanced low rectal cancer: A case report and literature review.
In the treatment of low rectal cancer (LRC), preserving the anal sphincter is increasingly attracting the attention of colorectal surgeons. Many patients refused to perform a colostomy. Here, we report a case of LRC in a middle-aged woman and the clinical implications of the symptom, the treatment process of LRC, and the complications. ⋯ The preservation of anal sphincters has attracted more and more attention from colorectal surgeons. From the patient's perspective, the preservation of the anal sphincter was a key part of her treatment. We should try to meet the wishes of patients on the basis of curing the disease.
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Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis which causes potentially debilitating pain and loss of mobility. Biologics represent a highly effective treatment option in AS. Nonetheless, the choice of biologics often involves complex decision-making. ⋯ Analysis of the qualitative data highlighted three key aspects of the MCA; the usefulness of the MCA, the need to present concise and relevant content; and the importance of an intuitively designed tool. Overall, participants found the MCA to be potentially valuable in supporting the current unmet needs in clinical care and had expressed a willingness to use the MCA. The MCA had great potential in supporting shared decision-making by improving patients' knowledge on disease and treatment options, as well as clarifying patients' personal preferences and values in the management of AS.
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Primary pulmonary artery tumors (PPATs), originating from the pulmonary artery intima, are rare tumors characterized by pulmonary artery luminal occlusion and pulmonary hypertension. Diagnosis of this rare entity is a challenging dilemma with the need for a high expertise in the radiological and pathological identification of PPATs. computed tomographic pulmonary angiography of PPATs may show filling defects, which are easily misdiagnosed. ⋯ However, there is no unified understanding and standard for diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we discuss the status, diagnosis, and treatment of primary pulmonary artery tumors, as well as how clinicians can better understand and treat the disease.
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Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder has complex and diverse clinical manifestations, including the simplest abnormalities of calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone detected in blood, abnormalities of bone transformation and mineralization in bone, and calcification of blood vessels or other soft tissues detected on imaging. Patients with CKD-MBD combined low bone mineral density and fragility fractures are referred to as CKD-MBD with low bone mineral density. Vascular calcification refers to ectopic deposition of calcium phosphate in the blood vessel walls and heart valves. ⋯ Activation and alteration of the Wnt signaling pathway are central to the treatment of vascular diseases in uremia. Vitamin D supplementation can prevent secondary hyperparathyroidism, activate osteoblasts, relieve muscle weakness and myalgia, and reduce vascular calcification. Nutritional vitamin D may improve vascular calcification in uremia patients by regulating Wnt signaling pathway.
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S100 protein family, which represents 25 relatively small calcium binding proteins, is involved in many intracellular and/or extracellular processes, including differentiation, apoptosis, migration/invasion, Ca2+ homeostasis, inflammation, and tissue repair. As an important member, S100A4 was reported to have an abnormal expression in several lung diseases, such as lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), etc. For example, in lung cancer, S100A4 was demonstrated to be associated to metastatic tumor progression and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). ⋯ Various studies in recent years focused on the S100A4 function in lung diseases, showing researchers' interests on this protein. It is necessary to focuses on relative studies, and make a comprehensive understanding of S100A4 in common pulmonary diseases. By doing this, this paper provides a review of the evidence for S100A4 in lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, IPF and pulmonary hypertension.