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Introduction Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are a frequent cause of healthcare-associated infections, increasing healthcare costs and decreasing the quality of life for critically and chronically ill patients such as those with cancer. These infections are largely preventable and have been significantly reduced throughout the United States. However, further reduction of CLABSI requires continued innovation in preventive strategies.Areas covered We provide an overview of the recent medical literature on catheter-related infections among cancer patients, discussing epidemiology, risk factors, and pathogenesis of CLABSI with a focus on the newest and current preventive measures. The data discussed here were retrieved mainly from clinical trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews published in the English language using a MEDLINE database search from 1 January 1990 until the end of December 2019.Expert opinion The growing impact of CLABSI on the healthcare setting and mortality and morbidity rates in cancer patients calls for novel technologies for preventing central line-related infections. Advances in antimicrobial lock therapy are not limited to salvage therapy but have also provided a novel and promising prophylactic approach to CLABSI. Also, the use of antimicrobial-coated catheters with chlorhexidine-impregnated dressings, along with the application of insertion and maintenance bundles, is an effective and cost-effective approach for preventing central line-related infections.A double-blind placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial was conducted on 41 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Participants were randomly allocated to receive either a cranberry supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks. Both groups were assigned to follow a weight loss diet. At the end of the study, alanine aminotransferase and insulin decreased significantly in both groups (p  .05). It seems that 288 mg of cranberry extract might improve managing NAFLD, which is equivalent to 26 g of dried cranberry.Introduction Colorectal cancer (CRC), the third-most common malignancy, has high morbidity and mortality. Oral nanotherapeutics have emerged as a promising strategy to improve the therapeutic outcomes and alleviate the adverse effects of drugs in CRC treatment.Areas covered In this review, we introduce the beneficial features of oral drug administration for CRC therapy, and further address the three basic elements of nanotherapeutics, namely, therapeutic agents, carrier materials, and targeting ligands. selleck compound In addition, we also discuss the potentials of the new emerging technologies (e.g., immunotherapy, gene editing and microbiota manipulation) in the treatment of CRC.Expert opinion Orally delivered targeted nanotherapeutics represent a promising strategy toward the efficient treatment of CRC. Although the current oral nanotherapeutics exert better therapeutic outcomes than the traditional drug formulations, their application has been restricted by drug resistance, tumor metastasis, and biosafety. Therefore, it is necessary to exploit new nanotherapeutics in the aspects of their three basic elements, and combine the new emerging technologies to those nanotherapeutics for CRC treatment.Introduction The administration of chemotherapy before (neoadjuvant), rather than after surgery (adjuvant) in early breast cancer has been considered an optional strategy for patients with operable breast cancer. We reviewed this concept considering recent results in the field.Areas covered Herein, the authors cover neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without biologics in triple-negative and HER2-positive operable breast cancer with a focus on rates of complete pathological remission (pCR) in the breast and axilla. The impact of the CREATE X and KATERINE randomized clinical trials of post-surgical treatments in patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is also discussed.Expert opinion The CREATE X and KATERINE clinical trials show for the first time and with methodological strengths that, in TNBC and HER2-positive breast cancer patients, post-surgical capecitabine and T-DM1, respectively, can improve prognosis when the disease persists after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Therefore, the role of pCR as a treatment endpoint and a guide for further treatment decisions is now demonstrated. On account of these results, neoadjuvant chemotherapy becomes not an option, but rather the preferred treatment strategy for more and more TNBC and HER2-positive breast cancer patients in clinical practice.Objective This study was designed to determine the fatality rate of suspected cyclopeptide-containing mushroom ingestions reported to the National Poison Data System (NPDS).Background Although silibinin reportedly improves survival in suspected cyclopeptide-containing mushroom ingestions, the greater than 20% untreated fatality rate that is often cited is based on decades-old data. An ongoing open-label silibinin trial will likely use historical cases as comparators. A recent single poison control center (PCC) study showed a fatality rate of 8.3%. This study was designed to validate those findings in the NPDS.Methods This study was an 11-year (1/1/2008-12/31/2018) retrospective review of suspected cyclopeptide-containing mushroom ingestions reported to NPDS. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were the same as the ongoing silibinin trial Age >2-years-old; history of eating foraged mushrooms; gastrointestinal symptoms within 48 h of mushroom ingestion; and aminotransferases above the upper limit of normal within be considered the current standard for historical controls in the United States.Introduction Patients with lumbar disc herniation and associated sciatica are often referred for lumbar discectomy. The surgical defect in the annulus fibrosus is typically left unrepaired after lumbar discectomy. Patients with large postsurgical annular defects (≥6 mm width) have a higher risk of symptom recurrence and reoperation compared to those with small defects. In these high-risk patients, a treatment gap exists due to the lack of effective treatments for durable annulus fibrosus repair.Areas covered This article highlights the therapeutic need and summarizes the clinical results of a bone-anchored annular closure device (Barricaid) that was designed to fill the treatment gap in patients with large postsurgical annular defects. Clinical results were summarized by means of a systematic review with meta-analysis of two randomized and two nonrandomized controlled studies.Expert opinion Professional societal recommendations and clinical study results support the adoption of bone-anchored annular closure for use in properly selected patients undergoing lumbar discectomy who are at high-risk for reherniation due to a large postsurgical defect in the annulus fibrosus.