To understand the current status, categorical characteristics, and influencing factors of health literacy among family caregivers of cancer patients, providing evidence and guidance for enhancing caregivers' health literacy and caregiving capabilities to improve cancer patients' quality of life.

This study employed convenience sampling to select 287 family caregivers of cancer patients admitted to a tertiary-level Class A hospital in Weifang City between February and August 2025. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a demographic questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Cancer Caregiver Health Literacy Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Caregiver Sense of Efficacy Scale, and the Perceived Social Support Scale. Data analysis employed latent profile analysis of health literacy among family caregivers using Mplus 8.0 software, supplemented by descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis via SPSS 25.0 to explore factors influencing health literacy.

A total of 271 valid questionnaires were retrieved. The mean health literacy score among family caregivers of cancer patients was 134 (120, 153), indicating a moderate level. The dimension "Processing Health Information" had the lowest mean score of 12 (9, 12). The dimension "Understanding Patient Needs and Preferences" scored highest at 18 (18, 22). Based on latent profile analysis, family caregivers of cancer patients were categorized into three groups: low health literacy (49.8%), moderate health literacy (25.4%), and high health literacy (24.7%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR = 9.445, 95% CI: 1.646-54.196), educational attainment (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.003-0.777), occupation (OR = 0.116, 95% CI: 0.021-0.641), and other factors were significantly associated with health literacy categories among family caregivers of cancer patients (p < 0.05).

The overall health literacy level among family caregivers of cancer patients was moderate, with nearly half (49.8%) falling into the low health literacy group, though significant heterogeneity existed. Caregivers' health literacy was influenced by multiple factors, including age, educational attainment, economic status, self-efficacy, social support, and caregiving experience.

Antineoplastic drugs are effective for malignant tumours, but they frequently cause severe adverse drug reactions (ADRs), which seriously affect treatment continuity and patient prognosis. Post - marketing real - world safety monitoring is therefore critical.

We conducted a retrospective pharmacovigilance study using FAERS (FDA Adverse Event Reporting System) data covering the period from 2004 Q1 to 2025 Q4. Safety signals were detected via disproportionate analysis, and associations were identified through LASSO and multivariable logistic regression, followed by an analysis of time to onset (TTO) for haematotoxicity.

A total of 347, 248 reports involving 367 antitumour drugs were analysed. Female patients (46.51%) outnumbered males (38.73%), with a median age of 59 years; patients aged 18 - 64.9 years represented 34.79% of the cohort. Fatal or life - threatening events were recorded in 78, 824 cases (22.70%). The leading drugs by report frequency were lenalidomide (ROR (Reporting Odds Ratio) = 1.51), methotrexate (ROR = 2.98), and rituximab (ROR = 3.69). Most events (61.65%) emerged within the first month, and median TTO differ significantly by sex. Furthermore, WSP analysis revealed that 26 of the top 30 drugs followed an early failure pattern.

Our findings reveal a strong signal of haematological toxicity associated with antitumour agents, supporting enhanced routine monitoring to mitigate clinical risks. Nevertheless, confirmation through pharmacoepidemiological studies with rigorous causality assessment is required, owing to the inherent limitations of the FAERS spontaneous reporting system.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring favorable-risk genetic features at initial diagnosis (FR-AML) commonly achieves remission after chemotherapy, but the optimal post-remission strategy remains controversial. This study compared allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) with chemotherapy and explored prognostic factors.

We retrospectively analyzed 190 patients with FR-AML treated at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital between 2012 and 2022. Patients were stratified into the chemotherapy (n = 118) and allo-HSCT (n = 72) groups according to their post-induction treatment. Survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS), leukemia-free survival (LFS), cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), and non-relapse mortality (NRM), were assessed using Kaplan-Meier and competing-risk analyses. Multivariate Cox regression identified independent prognostic factors.

At 3 years, the allo-HSCT group had higher OS (86.0% vs. 61.3%, P < 0.0001) and LFS (59.2% vs. 49.3%, P = 0.039) than the chemotherapy group, with lower CIR (3.8% vs. 33.6%, P < 0.0001). Stratified analyses showed that allo-HSCT was associated with improved 3-year OS compared with chemotherapy alone in CR1-AML and R/R AML patients. In CR1-AML, the 3-year OS was 92.8% versus 73.6% (P = 0.0099), whereas in R/R AML, it was 73.5% versus 26.6% (P = 0.00015). By age, outcomes were comparable among patients aged <20 years, whereas allo-HSCT was associated with better survival in those aged 20-60 years. Among 66 transplanted patients with measurable residual disease (MRD) data, 3-year OS did not differ significantly between MRD-positive and MRD-negative groups (86.0% vs. 85.6%, P = 0.35).

Allo-HSCT was associated with improved survival and reduced relapse in FR-AML. This benefit extended beyond patients transplanted in CR1 to those who later develop R/R disease, in whom salvage allo-HSCT confers a marked survival advantage over chemotherapy. Deferred transplantation may remain feasible for selected patients when a suitable donor is available. Prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings and optimize post-remission treatment strategies in this population.

Negative histology (NH), defined as normal pituitary tissue without histopathological evidence of tumor despite clinical, biochemical and radiological or functional evidence of a pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET), is well described in Cushing's disease but poorly characterized in other subtypes. We assessed its prevalence, mechanisms, and clinical implications.

We retrospectively analyzed 651 patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery for a PitNET (1996-2023). Epidemiological analyses included the entire cohort; clinical and prognostic analyses were restricted to microadenomas of the three main functional subtypes (ACTH, PRL, GH).

NH occurred in 28.1% of ACTH-, 28.1% of PRL-, and 11.4% of GH-secreting tumors, and was strongly associated with microadenomas. Baseline and hormonal characteristics were similar between NH and PH cases, except for lower IGF-1 levels in GH NH tumors. At 6 weeks, remission rates were lower in NH for ACTH (60% vs. 93.2%, p < 0.01) and PRL (50% vs. 79.3%, p = 0.03), but similar in GH. In ACTH tumors, mislocalization accounted for 66.7% of unfavorable NH outcomes and may explain the excess of failures versus PH cases. Mislocalization was rare (6.7%) in PRL tumors and not reported in GH tumors.

NH is heterogeneous, arising from three mechanisms whose contributions vary by subtype. In ACTH tumors, mislocalization predominates and is associated with lower early remission. In PRL tumors, mislocalization is uncommon but may contribute to lower early remission. In GH tumors, NH likely reflects technical or histological limitations and carries a favorable prognosis.

Patients with advanced cancer often experience challenges related to life meaning, coping confidence, and death-related concerns, which may impair quality of life. This preliminary one-group quasi-experimental pre-post study examined whether meaning in life, terminal self-efficacy, and death anxiety changed after a multimedia-assisted narrative psychosocial intervention. The uncontrolled design was intended to identify preliminary within-participant signals and cannot establish intervention efficacy.

A one-group quasi-experimental pre-post study was conducted in three hospice care facilities. Of 50 recruited patients, 43 completed the 4-week program and post-intervention assessment. The intervention integrated weekly group storytelling sessions, individual interviews, daily educational dissemination, multimedia-supported reflection, and structured legacy-oriented activities. Outcomes were assessed using validated scales and analyzed with paired-samples t-tests, mean differences, 95% confidence intervals, Cohen's dz, and Holm-adjusted P values.

Meaning in life increased from 2.28 ± 0.65 to 2.70 ± 0.52 (mean difference = 0.42, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.51, dz = 1.49), and terminal self-efficacy increased from 2.38 ± 0.58 to 2.88 ± 0.47 (mean difference = 0.50, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.59, dz = 1.62). After scale-keying the T-DAS scores so that higher scores indicated greater death anxiety, death anxiety decreased from 3.11 ± 0.27 to 2.97 ± 0.29 (mean difference = -0.13, 95% CI -0.22 to -0.05, dz = -0.49). All Holm-adjusted P values for the three primary outcomes were < 0.01.

This preliminary one-group pre-post study observed favorable changes in meaning in life, terminal self-efficacy, and death anxiety following a multimedia-assisted narrative intervention. Because the study lacked a control group and used a small convenience sample, the findings should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating rather than evidence of intervention efficacy.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers, characterized by an extremely low survival rate once diagnosed. Over 90% of cases harbor activating KRAS mutations, which are associated with metabolic reprogramming and altered endocytic activity. New treatment modalities are urgently needed. Phospholipid-shelled, gas-filled nanobubbles (NBs) are promising ultrasound (US) contrast agents and drug delivery vehicles, with potential applications in pancreatic cancer. However, their mechanisms of cellular internalization and the resulting biological responses need to be better understood before they can be effectively utilized as theranostic agents. Here, we analyzed the internalization kinetics, endocytic pathways, acoustic responses, and cell-stress-related protein expression in perfluorocarbon-filled NBs in two pancreatic cancer cell lines: KRAS-mutant PANC-1 and KRAS wild-type BxPC-3 cells showed distinct NB uptake profiles. Flow cytometry demonstrated approximately 1.5-fold higher TR-NB uptake in PANC-1 cells compared with BxPC-3 cells, suggesting enhanced cellular association and/or intracellular retention. Higher NB signal in PANC-1 cells was accompanied by weaker and less punctate LysoTracker staining, whereas BxPC-3 cells displayed brighter, more granular acidic vesicles, suggesting differences in intracellular trafficking and compartmentalization. Pharmacological inhibition of endocytosis revealed that clathrin-mediated endocytosis contributes predominantly to uptake in BxPC-3, whereas macropinocytosis appears to play a greater role in PANC-1 cells. Upon US exposure, NBs exhibited strong initial acoustic activity that declined over time. Analysis of stress-response-associated protein expression revealed cell-specific differences: PANC-1 cells exhibited higher levels of FABP-1, HSP60, SOD2, Thioredoxin-1, and SIRT2, whereas BxPC-3 cells displayed increased COX-2 and PON-2. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that NB internalization and fate differ between PDAC subtypes, potentially reflecting cell type dependent variations in endocytic, lysosomal and adaptive pathways, underscoring the importance of developing cell-tailored nanocarrier designs to enhance delivery precision and therapeutic efficacy.

Counties in persistent poverty (PP) have higher cancer-related mortality rates. Intersectionality with race and rurality is present; individuals identifying as Black residing in rural PP counties have the highest cancer-related mortality rates. However, heterogeneity exists throughout counties (e.g., demographics). To date, few studies evaluated the effect of small-area PP residence on individual-level survival and intersectionality with race and rurality.

This retrospective cohort utilized Alabama Statewide Cancer Registry data of adults with breast, prostate, colorectal, or lung cancer. The exposure was NCI-designated 2010 census tract-level PP (tracts with ≥ 20% population below poverty line for ≥ 30 years) at diagnosis and the outcome was overall survival from date of diagnosis to death or end of follow-up. Associations were estimated via sequential Cox proportional hazards models first with PP as the only predictor then adjusting for demographics (age, race, sex [colorectal, lung]), demographics plus clinical characteristics (stage, subtype [breast], and first course treatment), and finally demographics, clinical characteristics, and social determinants (rurality, insurance status). We also performed a decomposition analysis of the association between PP and survival through race and rurality.

In the fully adjusted model, living in a PP-tract was associated with higher risk of death among those with breast (hazard ratio [95% CI]: 1.18 [1.09-1.27]), prostate (1.21 [1.11-1.31]), and lung cancer (1.09 [1.05-1.14]) compared to living in a non-PP-tract. Race and rurality were independently associated with higher risk of death across cancers. Individuals identifying as Black residing in a rural PP-tract had the highest magnitude of risk for all cancers.

Living in a PP-tract is associated with higher risk of death among patients with breast, prostate, and lung cancer in Alabama. This association is complicated by race and rurality. Multilevel interventions tailored to local context may help overcome adverse effects of social characteristics on cancer outcomes.

To systematically compare the effects of Baduanjin exercise, bedside cycle ergometer training, and balloon-blowing training on pulmonary function recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection for lung cancer.

This study is a prospective randomized controlled trial. From January, 2021 to June, 2022, 334 patients undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection for lung cancer were enrolled and randomly assigned to Baduanjin group (108 cases), bedside cycle ergometer training group (109 cases), and balloon-blowing training group (117 cases). All the patients received 12 weeks of assigned intervention. Systematic assessments of lung function, exercise tolerance, dyspnea level, pain intensity, immune function, aerobic capacity, quality of life, and patient engagement were conducted at postoperative day 1 (baseline), 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively.

At 12 weeks postoperatively, all observed indicators in the 3 groups showed significant improvement compared to the baseline levels (P<0.05). Baduanjin exercise resulted in the most pronounced improvements in immune function indicators (CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio, IgA, and IgG levels), pain intensity, dyspnea score, quality of life score, and treatment engagement, outperforming the other two trainings (P<0.05). The patients in bedside cycle ergometer group showed significantly more obvious improvements in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), 6-min walking distance, and peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak) than those in balloon-blowing training group (P<0.05), but these improvements did not differ significantly from those observed in Baduanjin group (P>0.05). Balloon-blowing training resulted in only limited overall improvements of the measured indicators.

Baduanjin, bedside cycle ergometer training and balloon-blowing training are all effective rehabilitation methods after video-assisted thoracoscopic radical resection for lung cancer. Personalized rehabilitation choices can be provided for patients based on their rehabilitation needs.

To investigate the effects of remimazolam administered during anesthesia induction on hemodynamics and postoperative renal function in patients undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN).

Clinical data of 265 renal tumor patients undergoing LPN between January, 2022 and December, 2024 were collected. The patients were divided into control group and remimazolam group (0.2 mg/kg for induction), and after propensity score matching (PSM), 65 patients in each group were included. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded before induction (T₀), immediately after induction (T₁), immediately after intubation (T₂), and 10 min after intubation (T₃). Renal function indicators at 24 h postoperatively and incidences of acute kidney injury (AKI) were recorded. Estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRsCr, eGFRCys-C, and eGFRdiff) were calculated using serum creatinine (sCr) and cystatin C (Cys-C). From 36 patients in control group and 41 patients in remimazolam group followed up for 3-12 months, eGFRsCr data were collected to evaluate the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and analyze its correlation with AKI.

After PSM and covariate adjustment, remimazolam group showed significantly smaller changes than control group in ΔMAP at T3 (-20.11±11.65 vs -13.54±12.75 mmHg, P<0.05), ΔHR at T2 (-3.78±11.18 vs 2.82±10.79 min^-1, P<0.05), and ΔHR at T3 (-10.85±15.54 vs -3.35±11.67 min^-1, P<0.05). The remimazolam group showed significantly higher postoperative Cys-C level than the control group [0.96 (0.96, 1.03) vs 0.91 (0.77, 1.01), P<0.05] but lower eGFRCys-C at 24 h (83.65±9.84 vs 94.83±20.92, P<0.05). eGFRdiff showed a significant negative shift in remimazolam group (18.55±17.06 vs 8.52±15.85, P<0.05). Other indicators did not differ significantly between the two groups. AKI showed a significant correlation with CKD following LPN (P<0.05).

Compared with propofol, remimazolam induction improves hemodynamic stability during anesthesia induction but does not reduce the incidences of postoperative AKI or CKD after LPN.

People with cancer are at increased cardiovascular risk due to treatment-related cardiotoxicity and shared risk factors. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (exCR) may mitigate these risks, but access to center-based programs is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness, safety, and adherence of home-based exCR in oncology populations.

Six databases were searched in January 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of home-based exCR in adults with cancer. Eligible interventions included structured aerobic and/or resistance exercise consistent with established CR guidelines. Primary outcomes were cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), adherence, and safety. Random-effects meta-analyses used standardized mean differences (SMDs).

Nine RCTs (632 participants) were included. Home-based exCR improved CRF (SMD 0.42; 95% CI 0.09-0.75; I²=62%) and HRQoL (SMD 0.63; 95% CI 0.05-1.22; I²=84%). TESTEX scores indicated generally good methodological and reporting quality (mean 10/15; range 7-13). Adherence exceeded 75% in most studies reporting this outcome, and dropout was 15.2%. Adverse-event reporting was inconsistent; no clear safety signal emerged, but evidence was insufficient for firm conclusions. Strength and fatigue findings were inconsistent.

Home-based exCR appears feasible and may improve CRF and HRQoL in people with cancer, offering an accessible alternative or complement to center-based rehabilitation. Incomplete adverse-event reporting limits safety conclusions. Future studies should evaluate full, multi-component CR models in oncology.