Month: July 2024

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have brought transformative breakthroughs to the clinical treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer patients. The combination of CDK4/6 inhibitors and endocrine therapy has become the standard regimen for HR+/HER2- locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer. In the adjuvant treatment phase for early-stage breast cancer, CDK4/6 inhibitors have also shown positive results and have been approved for indications. The 2024 ASCO conference presented multiple advancements in the adjuvant treatment of HR+/HER2- early-stage breast cancer with CDK4/6 inhibitors. At the recent 5th Comprehensive Cancer Treatment Academic Conference of the Xinghai Medical Forum, Oncology Frontier invited Professor Yang Zhang from The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Professor Kejing Zhang from Xiangya Hospital of Central South University to elaborate on and discuss the research progress of CDK4/6 inhibitors in adjuvant therapy for HR+ early-stage breast cancer.

According to the World Health Organization, there are currently about 257 million chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients worldwide, with approximately 70 million HBV (hepatitis B virus) carriers in China, making it one of the countries with a high prevalence of chronic HBV infection. Due to factors such as viral characteristics, immune status, and environmental influences, domestic and international guidelines typically classify the natural history of chronic HBV infection into four phases: immune tolerance, immune active, immune control, and reactivation. Identifying these phases is crucial for predicting patient prognosis and guiding intervention strategies. However, recent studies have shown that a considerable number of chronic HBV infection patients cannot be categorized into any of these four phases based on existing guidelines or natural history criteria, leaving them in an indeterminate phase or gray zone, which is not covered by international and domestic clinical guidelines. Recently, at the 17th National Clinical Conference on Liver Diseases in 2024, Professor Peng Hu presented a report titled "Related Research on Indeterminate Phase of Chronic Hepatitis B." Hepatology Digest conducted an interview with Professor Peng Hu regarding CHB's indeterminate phase. Here is the summarized interview for our readers.

Liver fibrosis is the result of damage to the liver by pathogenic factors, leading to chronic, repeated abnormalities in liver function and the deposition of collagen and other proteins. It is a crucial factor influencing the prognosis of chronic liver disease and a necessary stage in the progression to cirrhosis. Recently, at the 25th National Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hepatobiliary Diseases organized by the Chinese Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Professor Jingtao Li from the Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine presented the latest clinical research advancements in the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The multi-component, multi-target therapeutic features of TCM, along with the significant efficacy of several representative drugs, provide strong scientific support for the application of TCM in combating liver fibrosis.