News & Updates

Among patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC), treatment with a sequential chemoradiotherapy (SCRT) regimen is noninferior to the induction chemotherapy (IC) plus concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) protocol in terms of 3-year failure-free survival (FFS), results of a phase III trial have shown.

Pfizer recently hosted an event in Singapore to mark the approval of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, the first oral protease inhibitor for COVID-19 approved by the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore. The event brought together experts to share the latest insights on the critical importance of COVID-19 treatment for high-risk patients and strategies to protect the nation against future pandemics. Professor Christian Sandrock, Director of Critical Care and Vice-Chair for Quality and Safety at UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, US, discussed the next steps in managing COVID-19 during the endemic phase, re-evaluating clinical priorities. Dr Leong Choon Kit, a Family Physician at Mission Medical Clinic, Singapore, emphasized the role of primary care as the first line of defence in future pandemics. Dr Asok Kurup, an Infectious Disease Physician at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore, highlighted the crucial role of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in COVID-19 treatment.

The investigational antidepressant mirtazapine appears no better than placebo at alleviating severe, intractable breathlessness from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or interstitial lung disease (ILD), as shown in the phase III BETTER-B trial.

In patients who are undergoing a surgical procedure for lung cancer, perioperative exercise interventions using wearable devices may help increase physical activity and improve dyspnoea after the procedure when compared with usual care, according to a study.

In the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) appears to minimize COPD-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations, as shown in a study.