Shanghai First People's Hospital

Lung cancer remains one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies worldwide, characterized by high mortality rates due to its aggressive nature, metastatic potential, and drug resistance. Despite advancements in conventional therapies, their efficacy is often limited by systemic toxicity, poor tumor specificity, and the emergence of resistance mechanisms. Nanomedicine has emerged as a promising approach to address these challenges, leveraging the unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials to enhance drug delivery, reduce off-target effects, and enable combination therapies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the applications of nanomaterials in lung cancer treatment, focusing on advancements in chemotherapy, phototherapy, and immunotherapy. Key strategies include the development of stimuli-responsive nanoparticles, active targeting mechanisms, and multifunctional platforms for co-delivery of therapeutic agents. Notable successes, such as liposomal formulations and polymeric nanoparticles, highlight the potential to overcome biological barriers and improve therapeutic outcomes. However, significant challenges remain, including limited tumor penetration, immunogenicity, scalability in manufacturing, and regulatory complexities. Addressing these limitations through innovative design, advanced manufacturing technologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration will be critical to translating nanomedicine from bench to bedside. Overall, nanomedicine represents a transformative frontier in lung cancer therapy, offering the potential to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

The nervous system is the dominant regulatory system in the human body. The traditional theory is that tumors lack innervation. However, an increasing number of studies have shown complex bidirectional interactions between tumors and the nervous system. Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer. With the rise of tumor neuroscience, the role of nervous system imbalances in the occurrence and development of CRC has attracted increasing amounts of attention. However, there are still many gaps in the research on the interactions and mechanisms involved in the nervous system in CRC. This article systematically reviews emerging research on the bidirectional relationships between the nervous system and CRC, focusing on the following areas: (1) Effects of the nervous system on colon cancer. (2) Effects of CRC on the nervous system. (3) Treatment of CRC associated with the nervous system.

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of budesonide/formoterol reliever and maintenance therapy compared with salmeterol/fluticasone plus salbutamol as reliever therapy for asthma patients ≥12 years from the societal perspective in China.

A Markov model was developed with three health states (non-exacerbation, exacerbation, and death) with a lifetime horizon. The exacerbation rates were obtained from a prospective cohort study conducted in Chinese asthma patients. Healthcare resources utilization data were estimated based on current clinical asthma management guidelines. Asthma-related mortality, cost input and utility values were derived from public database and literature. Model robustness was assessed with one-way sensitivity and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Compared with salmeterol/fluticasone plus salbutamol, budesonide/formoterol reliever and maintenance therapy led to fewer exacerbation events (13.6 vs. 15.9) and 0.0077 quality-adjusted life years (QALY) gain at an additional cost of ¥196.38 over lifetime. The base case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was ¥25,409.98 per QALY gained. The variables that had most impact on the model output included drug costs and medication adherence. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of ¥257,094/QALY (3 times of gross domestic product per capita in China in 2022), the probability of budesonide/formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy being cost-effective versus salmeterol/fluticasone plus as-needed salbutamol was 83.00%.

From the societal perspective, budesonide/formoterol reliever and maintenance therapy is likely to be a cost-effective option compared with salmeterol/fluticasone plus as-needed salbutamol for Chinese asthma patients ≥12 years.