BackgroundLung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Traditional Chinese Medicine combining EGFR-TKIs in treatment of NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations.Material/MethodsThis study involved 153 advanced-stage NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations. Patients were divided into a Control group (administered EGFR-TKI, n=61) and an Experimental group (administered Traditional Chinese Medicine combining EGFR and TKI, n=92). Progression-free survival (PFS) was evaluated for exon 19 deletion and/or 21 deletion patients. Disease control rate (DCR) was assessed to observe therapeutic effects. Adverse effects, including rashes, diarrhea, ALT/AST increase, dental ulcers, and onychia lateralis, were also evaluated.ResultsTCM combining EGFR-TKI (90.11%) demonstrated no DCR improvement compared to single EGFR-TKI (83.33%) (p>0.05). Median PFS (mPFS) of TCM combining EGFR-TKI (13 months) was significantly longer compared to that in the single EGFR-TKI group (8.8 months) (p=0.001). For 19DEL mutant NSCLC, the mPFS (11 months) in TCM combining EGFR-TKI was significantly longer compared to single EGFR-TKI (8.5 months) (p=0.007). The mPFS of L858 mutant NSCLC patients in EGFR-TKI combining CTM (14 months) was significantly longer compared to single EGFR-TKI (9.5 months) (p=0.015). TCM combining EGFR-TKI was more inclined to prolong mPFS of NSCLC with exon 21 deletion. TCM combining EGFR-TKI illustrated no additional adverse effects in NSCLC patients (p=0.956).ConclusionsApplication of Traditional Chinese Medicine prolonged progression-free survival and enhanced therapeutic effect in NSCLC patients harboring EGFR mutations receiving EGFR-TKI treatment. Meanwhile, adjunctive Chinese medicine combining EGFR-TKI in NSCLC with EGFR mutations caused no adverse effects.

PURPOSEThe aim was to study the masking ability of high-translucency monolithic zirconia and provide guidance in selecting resin luting cements in order to mask discolored substrates.MATERIALS AND METHODS160 high-translucency zirconia specimens were divided into 32 groups depending on their thickness and shades. Using five shades of try-in paste, the specimens were luted onto the sub strates (Co-Cr, precious-metal, opaque porcelain-sintered Co-Cr, opaque porcelain-sintered precious-metal, and 5M3-shade zirconia). All CIELAB color parameters were measured and statistically analyzed.RESULTSZirconia shade and thickness and try-in paste shade affected CIELAB color parameters (P=.000) in different substrates groups, and there were interactions among these factors (P=.000). All five try-in paste shades can be chosen to achieve ΔE values of zirconia with 1.2 – 1.5 mm for masking dark-tooth-like 5M3-shade and zirconia with 1.5 mm for masking precious-metal groups < 2.6. Only suitable try-in paste shades were used, can ΔE values that less than 2.6 be achieved when applied translucent monolithic zirconia with 0.7–1.0 mm for masking dark-tooth-like 5M3-shade and zirconia with 0.7 – 1.2 mm for masking precious-metal groups.CONCLUSIONChoosing suitable resin cement shades is necessary for high-translucency monolithic zirconia to achieve ideal masking ability (ΔE < 2.6) on the dark-tooth.

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