Clinical Medicine & Research最新文献

{"title":"The Harm We Cause: Spotlighting the Detrimental Consequences of Malicious Envy in Academic Medicine.","authors":"Jamiu O Busari","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2075","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Phenomenon:</b> In academic medicine and healthcare, individuals may encounter peers or superiors who obstruct, hinder, or undermine their professional advancement. This phenomenon, termed <i>Career Sabotaging</i> (CS), reflects a form of malicious envy that occurs regardless of a subject's efforts toward career growth or promotion. Prompted by real-world experiences, this paper examines the conceptual understanding and defining components of CS.<b>Approach:</b> An open-source online survey was conducted over 2 months with 109 anonymous respondents. The 18-item questionnaire observed whether CS was a recognized phenomenon in academia and medicine. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data.<b>Findings:</b> Of the respondents, 87 (79.8%) were familiar with CS; 81 (74.3%) had personally experienced it, and 92 (84.4%) had observed it in peers. Most reported incidents occurred in non-academic professional workplaces (43.3% and 37%, respectively). The observations corroborated the description of the phenomenon of Career Sabotage.<b>Insights:</b> The findings provide preliminary support that many professionals recognize and label a pattern of career obstruction as CS. The survey did not investigate whether those who reportedly experienced CS were disproportionately targeted by ethnicity, gender, age, ability, or sexual orientation. These questions and more should form part of future inquiry in understanding CS.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13061305/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147366677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.","authors":"Min Huang, Quingfang Cao, Fengyi Zhang, Weiju Tang, Xiaojing Yu, Fan Xu, Xiechuan Weng","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2011","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To evaluate the symptoms improvement of major depressive disorder (MDD) by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and SinoMed (a biomedical literature service system managed by the Institute of Medical Information [IMI] and Library of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences [CAMS]) library databases were searched. A total of 12 studies involving 1318 patients were included. It was found that the Hamilton Depression rating scale (HAMD) score decreased after TMS (-4.47, 95% CI: -7.10 to -1.84, <i>P</i> < 0.00001). It showed a decreased grade of Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) after TMS treatment (-2.72, 95% CI: -4.75 to -0.70, <i>P</i>=0.0004) compared to the control. The difference in the Involvement-Detachment scale (IDS) score was not statistically significant between the groups (-2.40, 95% CI: -7.42 to 2.62, <i>P</i>=0.05). The Clinical Global Impression (CGI) score decreased after TMS treatment (-1.12, 95% CI: -2.43 to -0.20, <i>P</i> < 0.00001) compared to the control group. The HAMD, MADRS, and CGI scores showed an improvement trend after TMS treatment, indicating TMS has a therapeutic effect on major depression.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"24 1","pages":"35-41"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13061302/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Histological Predictors of Anastomotic Stenosis in Esophageal Substitution Surgery.","authors":"Vania Cazares-García, Francisco-Rafael Higuera-Hidalgo, Agustin Etchegaray-Donde, Alan-de-Jesus Martinez-Salas, Ana Alfaro-Cruz, Ernesto Roldan-Valadez","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2041","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> To evaluate histopathological markers of inflammation and tissue repair in esophageal specimens obtained during substitution surgery and determine their association with postoperative anastomotic stenosis.<b>Design:</b> Retrospective cross-sectional study.<b>Setting:</b> Tertiary care referral center (Clínica de Tracto Digestivo Superior, Hospital General de México \"Dr. Eduardo Liceaga\").<b>Participants:</b> Sixteen adults undergoing esophageal substitution for benign disease between January 2012 and January 2022. Inclusion required complete clinical records and native esophageal histology; cases with malignancy or missing histology were excluded.<b>Methods:</b> Archived slides from the proximal esophageal margin were reviewed with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome. A semi-quantitative score assessed neutrophilic infiltration, lymphocytic infiltration, collagen deposition, and granulation tissue across mucosa, submucosa, and muscularis (range 0-18), classifying profiles as low risk (≤15) or high risk (≥16). Patients were grouped by presence (CEA) or absence (SEA) of postoperative stenosis. Statistical comparisons used Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U, with medians (IQR) and exact p-values.<b>Results:</b> Median total histological scores were higher in CEA than SEA (18 [17-18] vs 12 [9-15]; <i>P</i>=0.014). All stenosis cases were high-risk, whereas 92.3% of non-stenosis cases were low-risk (<i>P</i>=0.007). Individual inflammatory markers were not statistically different between groups; however, collagen deposition and granulation tissue appeared more severe among CEA patients. No meaningful differences in demographic or operative variables were observed.<b>Conclusion:</b> In this exploratory study, a composite histopathological score identified patients at increased risk of postoperative anastomotic stenosis. The approach may support risk stratification and surveillance in gastrointestinal reconstructive surgery and warrants external validation.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"24 1","pages":"20-27"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13061303/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between Metastatic Cancer, Chemotherapy, and Suicide Risks: An Analysis Across 700 U.S. Trauma Centers.","authors":"Abdul R Shour, Heather X Rhodes, David Puthoff, Adedayo A Onitilo","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.1990","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.1990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Purpose:</b> We explored the association between metastatic cancer, chemotherapy, and the risk for suicide attempts (suicide injuries) in adult trauma patients.<b>Methods:</b> We conducted a retrospective analysis of the Trauma Quality Program Participant Use File (2017-2019), comprising 27,474 patients from 700 U.S. Trauma Centers. Self-harm/suicide injury (compared to controls) was the dependent variable; presence of metastatic cancer and current chemotherapy were the key independent variables. We adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, method of payment, facility levels, and discharge year (Model 1), and Model 1 plus trauma type, injury location, stay length, comorbidities, Injury Severity Score, and Glasgow Coma Scale (Model 2). We employed chi-square analysis, Fisher's exact test, and unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression using Stata v18, setting statistical significance at <i>P</i>≤0.05.<b>Results:</b> Of 27,474 patients, 249 (0.91%) reported suicide injuries. Significantly higher attempts were noted among patients with metastatic cancer (201 out of 249; 80.72%) and those not receiving chemotherapy (184 out of 249; 73.90%), <i>P</i><0.001. Metastatic cancer was associated with higher odds of suicide injuries (unadjusted OR:2.252, 95%CI: 1.642-3.089; adjusted OR in Model 1:1.925, 95%CI:1.302-2.848). Chemotherapy was associated with lower odds of suicide injuries (unadjusted OR:0.408, 95%CI:0.307-0.541; adjusted OR in Model 1:0.444, 95%CI:0.311-0.636). However, neither metastatic cancer nor chemotherapy was significantly associated with suicide injuries in adjusted Model 2, suggesting the crucial role of other factors in influencing this risk.<b>Conclusion:</b> Patients with metastatic cancer exhibited notable prevalence of suicide injuries. Findings suggested metastatic cancer was associated with higher odds, and chemotherapy with lower odds, of suicide injuries. Multifaceted factors were associated with suicide risk beyond the presence of metastatic cancer or chemotherapy status, underscoring the importance of mental health assessments and interventions in oncology care, particularly for those with advanced cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"24 1","pages":"9-19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13061301/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking the Mysteries: Stroke-like Episodes in Sturge-Weber Syndrome.","authors":"Saima Nazish, Sarah Al-Ameri, Modhi Alkhalidi, Omar Alghamdi","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2016","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) is a rare neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by facial port-wine birthmarks and associated eye and meningeal angiomatosis. Its neurological manifestations include intellectual disability, seizures, and stroke-like episodes (SLEs), often misdiagnosed as stroke. We report a case of SWS presenting with left-sided weakness. Cranial computerized tomography revealed SWS-related venous anomalies, while digital cerebral angiogram confirmed proliferative angiopathy of the distal middle cerebral artery (MCA) with proximal MCA spasm, resolved by intra-arterial verapamil. Despite initial symptom resolution, electroencephalography (EEG) revealed electroclinical seizures. The patient was treated with anti-seizure medications (ASMs) and aspirin, achieving full recovery. SLEs in SWS can result from vascular malformations or postictal phenomena, with ischemia-related events often complicated by vasospasm and altered hemodynamics. Our case highlights the importance of multimodal imaging and video EEG in distinguishing SLE etiologies in SWS, which can guide timely intervention with ASMs and aspirin to reduce recurrence and improve prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"24 1","pages":"42-45"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13061300/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dysautonomia in Long COVID is Prevalent and Could Explain the Frequency of Symptoms.","authors":"Leonardo Tamariz, Irina Rozenfeld, Rafael Iglesias, Elizabeth Bast, Santiago Avecillas, Lina Shehadeh, Nancy Klimas, Ana Palacio","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2054","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Long COVID presents with a variety of symptoms, some of which could be related to autonomic dysfunction. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of autonomic dysfunction in long COVID patients.<b>Methods:</b> We conducted a cross-sectional study and included all consecutive patients enrolled in several clinical research studies. We performed the following autonomic dysfunction markers: heart rate variability, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure changes during NASA Lean Test, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and a Composite-Autonomic-Symptom-Score (COMPASS)-31 scale. We used linear regression to calculate the contribution of each dysautonomia measure on symptom burden as measured by the modified COVID-19 Yorkshire scale.<b>Results:</b> We included 100 patients for this study. Our sample population had a mean age of 56+/-11 years, included 53% minorities, and 32% were women. Dysautonomia, as defined by an abnormal COMPASS-31, was seen in 82% (95% confidence interval [CI] 72-89) of our study population, while cardiovascular resting dysautonomia, as represented by an abnormal heart rate variability, was seen in 60% (95% CI 48-70) of our study population. Orthostatic hypotension was observed in 12% of our study population, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) was found in 10% of our study population. In our adjusted analysis, we found that the beta coefficient for the COMPASS-31 score (0.37) was significant on changes in a self-reported long COVID symptom burden. The orthostatic intolerance and gastrointestinal domains of the COMPASS-31 were associated with the highest long COVID symptom burden.<b>Conclusion:</b> Dysautonomia is common in long COVID patients and contributes to the overall symptoms seen in long COVID. Identifying dysautonomia has important diagnostic and therapeutic implications.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"24 1","pages":"28-34"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13061304/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acephalgic Migraine Presenting as Episodic Fatigue and Nausea: A Case Report.","authors":"Daniel G Oliveira","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2030","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acephalgic migraine (AM), or migraine aura without headache, is a subtype of migraine, characterized by transient neurological symptoms without the accompanying headache phase. Its diagnosis remains challenging due to varied clinical presentation and the tendency to misattribute symptoms to other neurological, psychiatric, or systemic disorders. This case report describes a female patient, age 38 years, presenting with episodic, incapacitating fatigue, nausea, and cognitive dysfunction, initially leading to an extensive but inconclusive diagnostic workup. Partial symptom relief with ondansetron, but not with metoclopramide, suggested involvement of migraine-associated pathways. A detailed history revealed a family history of migraine and specific triggers, including dietary and hormonal factors. A therapeutic trial with triptans led to dramatic symptom resolution, supporting an AM diagnosis. Retrospectively, the patient was able to identify additional aura symptoms, reinforcing the diagnosis. This case underscores the diagnostic challenge of AM and migraine aura variants. It also highlights the pivotal role of careful history-taking, patient-physician communication, and clinical reasoning in the evaluation of atypical symptom presentations. Clinician awareness of migraine spectrum disorders is essential to prevent misdiagnosis, reduce unnecessary testing, and improve patient outcomes. Further research is needed to refine diagnostic criteria and optimize management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"23 4","pages":"165-171"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782119/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145935614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intersection of Metastatic Cancer, Chemotherapy, and Reported Physical Abuse/Assault-Related Trauma: A Nationwide Analysis.","authors":"Abdul R Shour, Heather X Rhodes, David Puthoff, Rohit Sharma, Adedayo A Onitilo","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.1989","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.1989","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Purpose:</b> We explored the complex relationship between the presence of metastatic cancer and undergoing cancer chemotherapy in adults with moderate to severe trauma and risk of reported physical abuse/assault-related trauma as defined in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Programs Participant (ACS-TQP) dataset. We analyzed how these specific health conditions are associated with vulnerability to assault-related trauma, addressing a significant knowledge gap in existing literature.<b>Methods:</b> We utilized retrospective data from the ACS-TQP from 2017-2019 (N=27,531). The outcome was the report of physical abuse/assault-related trauma (no/yes). We focused on adults (aged ≥ 18 years) diagnosed with moderate to severe physical trauma (Injury Severity Scale: 9-75) who either had metastatic cancer (exposure) or were currently receiving chemotherapy (intervention), adjusting for predisposing factors and need for care factors based on Anderson's Model of Health Service Utilization. We used descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact test, chi-square analysis, and logistic regression using Stata.v18, with a statistical significance of P≤0.05.<b>Results:</b> We found 0.19% of 27,531 overall patients reported assault-related trauma, with 16,261 (0.16%) among those with moderate to severe trauma. Among these, a substantial majority with metastatic cancer reported assault-related trauma compared to those without metastatic cancer (84.62% vs. 15.38%; P value: 0.040). Patients receiving chemotherapy reported less frequent assault-related trauma than those not receiving it (26.92% vs. 73.08%; P value = 0.045). In the adjusted model, patients with metastatic cancer had significantly higher odds of reporting assault-related trauma than those without metastatic cancer (OR:7.847; 95% CI: 1.021-60.337; P<0.05). Chemotherapy was associated with a lower adjusted odds of assault-related trauma (OR 0.31, 95% CI: 0.08-1.14), but this did not reach statistical significance.<b>Conclusion:</b> In this large trauma cohort, metastatic cancer was associated with higher odds of assault-related trauma, while chemotherapy showed a reduced risk only in unadjusted analyses. Our findings highlight the higher vulnerability of patients with metastatic cancer and support further investigation into potential protective associations with active treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"23 4","pages":"137-150"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145935573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Voriconazole-induced Hypoglycemia in a Non-diabetic Patient: A Rare Cause.","authors":"Govind R Patel, Vikram Singh","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2015","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Voriconazole-induced hypoglycemia in non-diabetic patients has rarely been reported. We describe a non-diabetic man, aged 50 years, without hepatic or renal dysfunction who developed severe prolonged hypoglycemia about 28 hours after initiating therapeutic dose of intravenous (IV) voriconazole therapy for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. He required continuous IV infusion of dextrose solutions to maintain euglycemia. He recovered from hypoglycemia after discontinuation of voriconazole. Higher than normal plasma insulin (30.4 μU/mL) as well as C-peptide (10.04 ng/mL) levels were observed, which reached normal levels after he recovered from hypoglycemia. The temporal association between voriconazole administration and hypoglycemia occurrence led to probability that it was voriconazole-induced. The voriconazole trough level (8.9 μg/mL) checked during the hypoglycemia episode was elevated. The mechanism of hypoglycemia may be strongly attributed to insulinemia resulting from high voriconazole concentration. There is a possibility of genetic polymorphisms in the hepatic cytochrome P450 2C19 isoenzyme in this patient, which altered the voriconazole metabolism, causing high trough levels associated with hypoglycemia. This case suggests that voriconazole has a propensity to alter glucose homeostasis in the absence of liver and kidney dysfunction, and it may induce hypoglycemia without drug over dosage or drug interaction that clinicians should be vigilant about.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"23 4","pages":"172-175"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782115/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145935568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serum Squamous Cell Carcinoma Markers: A Case-Control Study for Cervical Cancer.","authors":"Bukola Catherine Oshikanlu, Anthonia Chima Sowunmi, Muhammad Y Habeebu, Adeyemi O Dada, Adisa R Oyesegun, Adeniyi A Adenipekun, Abbas A Abdus-Salam, Adewunmi O Alabi, Bolanle C Adegboyega, Eben Adepitan Aje, Adedayo Onitilo, Abdul Shour","doi":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2033","DOIUrl":"10.3121/cmr.2025.2033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> To determine whether serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) is predictive of treatment response in patients with squamous cell cervical carcinoma (SCC) undergoing chemoradiation therapy, and to establish the mean normal serum SCC-Ag level in age-matched, apparently healthy female controls.<b>Methods:</b> Patients with histologically confirmed cervical SCC scheduled for concurrent chemoradiation were recruited (75 cases, alongside 75 age-matched apparently healthy controls, N = 150). Blood samples were collected before treatment and 6 weeks post-external beam radiotherapy to assess serum SCC-Ag levels, which were correlated with tumor stage and grade. Age-matched apparently healthy controls were also phlebotomized at baseline and 12 weeks later to determine normal SCC-Ag levels. Serum SCC-Ag was analyzed using Alinity i SCC reagent and analyzer (Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, USA). The manufacturer's reference value for SCC-Ag is ≤1.5 ng/ml. Treatment response was assessed via pre- and post-treatment abdominopelvic computed tomography scans and classified as either complete or partial response. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v22.0, and logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of treatment response. A <i>P</i> value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.<b>Results:</b> The mean age was 55.1 ± 11.6 years for cases and 55.5 ± 11.4 years for controls. Among cervical cancer patients, the median pre-treatment SCC-Ag level was 7.4 ng/ml, and post-treatment was 1.2 ng/ml, both significantly higher than in controls (0.4 ng/ml and 0.5 ng/ml, respectively). Vaginal bleeding was the most common symptom (94.7%), and 68% presented with locally advanced disease. SCC histology was confirmed in 94.7% of cases, and 61% showed either complete or partial treatment response. Median SCC-Ag levels were significantly associated with disease stage (<i>P</i><0.001) but not with tumor grade (<i>P</i>=0.159). Logistic regression identified tumor size as a significant predictor of treatment response, while pre-treatment SCC-Ag and SCC-Ag reduction rate were not.<b>Conclusion:</b> Serum SCC-Ag levels were normal among all healthy controls and some patients with prior treatment. SCC-Ag correlated with disease stage but was not predictive of treatment response in patients undergoing chemoradiation. Tumor size was the only significant predictor of treatment response.</p>","PeriodicalId":47429,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Medicine & Research","volume":"23 4","pages":"129-136"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12782117/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145935599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}