Anticancer research
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Anticancer research · Jul 2007
A phase II trial of weekly irinotecan in cisplatin-refractory esophageal cancer.
This study investigated the efficacy and toxicity of weekly single-agent irinotecan in patients with metastatic disease relapsing after cisplatin-based chemotherapy. ⋯ Single-agent irinotecan has moderate activity in cisplatin-refractory esophageal cancer.
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Anticancer research · Jul 2007
Predictive value of thymidylate synthase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase expression in tumor tissue, regarding the efficacy of postoperatively administered UFT (tegafur+uracil) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
UFT (tegafur + uracil) has been reported to be effective as an adjuvant in postoperative chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a randomized prospective study. Thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) expression were investigated in resected tumors and the relationship between their expression and clinical factors in NSCLC patients was examined. ⋯ The oral administration of UFT after surgery might improve the survival of NSCLC patients when TS levels in tumor tissues are low. Immunohistochemical evaluation of TS and DPD expression may be useful for predicting the efficacy of UFT after complete resection in NSCLC.
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Anticancer research · Jan 2007
Antitumor efficacy of the cytotoxic RNase, ranpirnase, on A549 human lung cancer xenografts of nude mice.
The cytotoxic RNase, ranpirnase (ONCONASE, ONC), may have promising therapeutic implication as an alternative for cisplatin for the treatment of lung cancer, due to inhibition of protein synthesis by t-RNA cleavage. ⋯ ONC significantly inhibited tumor growth of A549 NSCLC cells in both in vitro and in vivo studies. This investigation suggests important potential clinical uses of ONC for the treatment of NSCLC cancer patients.
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Anticancer research · Jan 2007
ROS mediates baicalin-induced apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells through the expression of the Gadd153 and mitochondrial-dependent pathway.
Chemotherapy agents, particularly those that can induce apoptosis, are the major intervening strategy in the treatment of leukemia. In this study, we investigated the effects of baicalin (a compound obtained from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and S. rivularis Benth Labiateae) on the viability, induction of apoptosis and associated mechanism in human leukemia HL-60 cells. ⋯ Baicalin was found to induce apoptosis in HL-60 cells through multiple pathways.
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Anticancer research · Jan 2007
Modulatory effects of heparin on cellular accumulation and cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in MRP1-overexpressing HL60/doxo cells.
The overexpression of multidrug resistance protein (MRP1), associated with high levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH), is a well characterized mechanism of multidrug resistance (MDR) in several malignancies. Various chemosensitizers have been used in vitro to modulate the MRP1 activity, but the high toxicity limits their clinical application. Unfractionated heparin (UFH), is frequently used to prevent thrombo-embolic complications in cancer patients. This in vitro study aimed to elucidate the potential role of UFH as a sensitizer in anticancer clinical chemotherapy. ⋯ Our results demonstrate that UFH modulates MRP1-mediated MDR in HL60/doxo cells expressing high MRP1 levels. These findings suggest a potential clinical application of heparin as an adjuvant to overcome MRP1-mediated drug resistance in cancer patients.