Anticancer research
-
Anticancer research · Jun 2009
Combination of PI3K/mTOR inhibition demonstrates efficacy in human chordoma.
Chordomas are rare tumors of the axial skeleton for which surgical resection remains the most reliable means of cure. PI-103 is a inhibitor of PI3K/AKT and mTOR activation. This study aims to determine whether the PI3K/mTOR pathway was active in chordomas and whether their inhibition could lead to decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis. ⋯ The PI3K/AKT and mTOR signaling pathway is constitutively activated in chordoma. PI-103 decreases proliferation and induces apoptosis in the UCH-1 via inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR pathway.
-
Anticancer research · May 2009
Comparative StudyComparison of robotic-assisted versus retropubic radical prostatectomy performed by a single surgeon.
To compare perioperative outcomes between patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) and patients undergoing retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) performed by a single surgeon in Taiwan. ⋯ RALP is minimally invasive with less blood loss and lower transfusion rates than RRP. RALP had greater incidence of neurovascular bundle preservation and faster convalescence than RRP.
-
Anticancer research · May 2009
Lymph-vascular space involvement and outer one-third myometrial invasion are strong predictors of distant haematogeneous failures in patients with stage I-II endometrioid-type endometrial cancer.
The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the predictive value of different clinicopathological variables (patient age, tumour size, FIGO grade, myometrial invasion, lymph-vascular space involvement [LVSI], invasion margins, peri-tumour phlogistic infiltrate and mitotic activity) for the risk of distant haematogenous recurrences in patients with endometrioid-type stage Ib-II endometrial cancer. Between August 1990 and April 2005, 259 patients had undergone laparotomy, peritoneal washing, total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, with or without pelvic +/- para-aortic lymphadenectomy for endometrioid-type endometrial cancer. Thirty-six (13.9%) patients had developed recurrent disease after a median time of 17 months (range, 2-128 months). ⋯ On univariate analysis, a higher incidence of FIGO grade 3 (50% versus 10%, p=0.0114), outer one-third myometrial invasion (91.7% versus 35.0%, p=0.0051) and LVSI (75.0.% versus 20.0%, p=0.0022) was found in the patients who had developed distant haematogeneous metastases compared to the recurrence-free women. Multivariate analysis showed that LVSI (p=0.0264) and deep myometrial invasion (p=0.0345) were independent predictive variables for the risk of distant haematogeneous failure. Patients with these pathological findings should be enrolled in randomised trials designed to assess the role of adjuvant chemotherapy alone or combined with sequential and/or concomitant external pelvic irradiation.
-
Anticancer research · May 2009
Clinical outcomes of unrelated donor umbilical cord blood transplantation for 30 adults with hematological malignancies.
Umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) has increasingly been used as a therapeutic option for adult patients for whom allogeneic stem-cell transplantation is not indicated, due to the availability of cord blood. However, myeloablative conditioning regimens are associated with significant mortality, and high relapse rates in reduced-intensity regimens may result in a poor rate of disease-free survival for those with advanced stages of hematological malignancies. Therefore, it remains unknown whether CBT is a truly effective option for such adults with high-risk disease, as well as for those with standard-risk disease. ⋯ Although from a retrospective study, these results suggest that unrelated donor CBT could be safe and effective for adult patients with standard-risk disease who cannot find a suitable HLA-matched volunteer marrow or peripheral blood donor.
-
Anticancer research · Mar 2009
Long-term outcome of immunotherapy for patients with refractory pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most fatal human cancers, with a 5-year survival rate of <5% . Although new chemotherapies have been used for pancreatic cancer, the outcome is still poor. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the outcome of immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients and revealed the potential of immunotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer treatment. ⋯ Our results suggest that immunotherapy utilizing DC vaccination may prolong the survival of refractory pancreatic cancer patients.