Anticancer research
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Anticancer research · Mar 2011
Inhibition of c-ABL sensitizes breast cancer cells to the dual ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib (GW572016).
The dual kinase inhibitor lapatinib (Tykerb) has been applied for advanced breast cancer. However, the effectiveness in the clinic has been elusive and the development of novel approaches to enhance the responsiveness is needed. In this study, we test whether the non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl regulates the responsiveness of breast cancer cells to lapatinib and, if so, whether the combination treatment with lapatinib plus the c-ABL kinase inhibitor imatinib (STI571; Gleevec) can sensitize breast cancer cells to the treatment. ⋯ The responsiveness to lapatinib can be improved by targeting the function of c-ABL, suggesting that combination treatment of lapatinib plus imatinib can lead to significant gains in therapeutic benefit.
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Anticancer research · Mar 2011
Case ReportsHuman mammaglobin transcript amplification for differential diagnosis in a breast cancer metastatic to dura mater.
In breast cancer (BC), metastases to the central nervous system usually arise in women with advanced disease. Diagnosis of leptomeningeal (LM) metastasis is based on neurological symptoms, imaging studies and cytological detection of malignant cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, often these approaches are not sensitive enough to recognize leptomeninges involvement and subsequently to make a diagnosis of LM carcinomatosis. This study investigated the employment of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the human mammaglobin (hMAM) gene in a case of BC with cerebral metastases in which the involvement of the leptomeninges was in doubt. ⋯ RT-PCR for human mammaglobin mRNA of the CSF in BC patients with brain metastases may aid clinical determination of LM involvement and consequently the choice of the most effective therapy regimens for affected patients.
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Recently, metastasis associated with colon cancer 1 (MACC1) gene was identified by genome-wide search for differentially expressed genes in human colon cancer tissues and metastases. Previously, MACC1 expression was examined in colorectal carcinomas and gastric carcinomas and was found to show significant correlation with peritoneal dissemination. ⋯ These results suggest that MACC1 is more frequently expressed in vascular invasive HCC and may serve as a new parameter for the prognostic prediction of HCC.
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Anticancer research · Feb 2011
Case ReportsGastric cancer in a pregnant woman presenting with low back pain and bilateral erythematous breast hypertrophy mimicking primary inflammatory breast carcinoma.
This report describes the first case of a pregnant woman presenting low-back pain and breast pain associated with bilateral erythematous breast hypertrophy, proving to be the result of metastatic disease from a gastric carcinoma. A 30-year-old pregnant woman was admitted complaining of persistent severe low back pain, breast pain and concomitant bilateral erythematous breast hypertrophy, mimicking primary inflammatory breast carcinoma. ⋯ Pregnant women with gastric cancer may present symptoms that are considered common during pregnancy. Common symptoms that present warning characteristics, such as the persistent severe pain observed in the presented case, should be carefully investigated as they may be the only warning signs and symptoms of rare ominous conditions such as gastric cancer.
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Anticancer research · Jan 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialRandomized phase II study of paclitaxel and carboplatin or vinorelbine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
A randomized phase II trial was conducted to determine if two non-platinum protocols are able to yield a similar efficacy and toxicity profile as compared to two platinum-based doublets in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ The efficacy and toxicity profile of platinum-free combinations is comparable to that of platinum-based doublets.