Anticancer research
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To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) in non-small cell (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and compare this marker with other known serum markers in lung cancer. ⋯ ProGRP is a useful marker in SCLC, with diagnostic performance better than that of NSE and demonstrating association with survival in NSCLC and SCLC limited to univariate analysis.
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Anticancer research · Aug 2009
Review Case ReportsA novel K-ras mutation in colorectal cancer. A case report and literature review.
Activating mutations in the K-ras oncogene mainly occur in codons 12 and 13 and may be predictive of response to drugs directly linked to the K-ras signaling pathway, such as panitumumab and cetuximab. ⋯ This study is the first report of a novel K-ras truncating mutation in a patient with metastatic colorectal cancer and is also suggestive for the evaluation of alternative pathways to better identify individuals who are likely to benefit from targeted therapies.
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Anticancer research · Aug 2009
Methylnaltrexone, a peripherally acting opioid receptor antagonist, enhances tumoricidal effects of 5-Fu on human carcinoma cells.
Methylnaltrexone, a novel peripherally acting opioid receptor antagonist, is used to treat opiate-induced constipation in cancer patients. Its effects on the activities of chemotherapeutic agents, however, have not been evaluated. In this study, the effect of methylnaltrexone on the action of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was tested in three human cancer cell lines. ⋯ At its therapeutic concentrations for opioid-induced constipation, methylnaltrexone does not attenuate and in fact may enhance the tumoricidal activity of 5-FU. Enhanced 5-FU activity may be attributed to the distinct pathways of 5-FU and methylnaltrexone, an effect that could give methylnaltrexone a complementary role in the treatment of cancer with chemotherapeutic agents.
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Anticancer research · Aug 2009
Induction of severe cataract and late renal dysfunction following total body irradiation: dose-effect relationships.
Severe cataract and renal dysfunction are late effects following myeloablative total body irradiation (TBI) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with hematological malignancies. The aim of the study was to determine radiation dose-response relationships for these late effects. ⋯ To prevent severe cataract, fractionated TBI should be applied to keep the BED <40 Gy. Only when single-dose TBI cannot be avoided should eye shielding be applied. To prevent late renal toxicity, fractionated TBI is recommended, but kidney shielding remains necessary for almost all myeloablative TBI regimens.
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Anticancer research · Jun 2009
Improvement of biodistribution and therapeutic index via increase of polyethylene glycol on drug-carrying liposomes in an HT-29/luc xenografted mouse model.
Liposomes modified with a high concentration of polyethylene glycol (PEG) could significantly prolong the retention time of the carried drug in the circulation, thus improving the drug accumulation in the tumor. In this study, 6 mol% rather than 0.9 mol% PEGylated liposomes (100 nm in diameter) encapsulated with indium-111 were used in a human colorectal carcinoma HT-29/luc tumor-bearing mouse model for comparing the PEGylation effect. Pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, passive-targeted assay, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and tumor growth measurements were used for the spatial and temporal distribution, tumor localization and therapeutic evaluation of the drug. ⋯ Gamma scintigraphy at 48 h post injection also demonstrated more distinct tumor uptake with 6 mol% PEG (111)In liposomes as compared to that of 0.9 mol% PEGylated liposomes (p<0.01). BLI and in vivo tumor growth tracing showed that growth in tumor volume could largely be inhibited by 6 mol% PEG (111)In liposomes. The results suggest that 6 mol% PEGylated liposomes might be a more suitable liposomal carrier for drug delivery than 0.9 mol% PEGylated liposomes, not only by reducing the drug accumulation in the RES or its related organs, but by prolonging drug circulation and eventually enhancing the targeting efficiency in the tumor to reach a better therapeutic index.