International journal of clinical oncology
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Apr 2010
ReviewAlcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, and the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus: epidemiology, clinical findings, and prevention.
Both cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking are well-established risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and the relationship of dose to cancer risk has already been described. Furthermore, the synergistic effect of these two factors has been reported. Our case-control study revealed the odds ratio of ESCC to be 50.1 for those who were both heavy smokers and heavy drinkers in comparison to people who neither drank nor smoked. ⋯ Polymorphisms in acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) are reported to be a key event in deciding individual susceptibility to UADT cancer. Patients with inactive ALDH2, in whom facial flushing is usually observed after the drinking of alcohol, are at high risk for ESCC as well as multiple UADT cancers. For the early detection of the disease, effective follow up using endoscopy with Lugol staining or narrow band imaging endoscopy is strongly recommended for high-risk populations, such as smokers, heavy drinkers, people with experience of flushing after the drinking of alcohol, and patients with UADT cancer.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Feb 2010
Clinical TrialA prospective open-label trial of gabapentin as an adjuvant analgesic with opioids for Japanese patients with neuropathic cancer pain.
Neuropathic pain is regarded as one of the main causes of cancer pain refractory to standard opioid therapy in palliative care. The use of adjuvant analgesics for neuropathic cancer pain is largely empirical and the true efficacy of these adjuvant analgesics has been unknown. Gabapentin is one of the new promising anticonvulsant drugs as an adjuvant analgesic for neuropathic cancer pain. ⋯ Although gabapentin might be regarded as a promising new adjuvant analgesic for neuropathic cancer pain, our results indicated that the decrease in pain score was of minimal clinical benefit. Controlled trials with other adjuvant analgesics are needed.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Oct 2009
Cardiac safety of trastuzumab as adjuvant treatment for Japanese patients with early breast cancer.
Recently, randomized trials revealed that trastuzumab as adjuvant treatment was effective in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer patients. Safety information on adjuvant trastuzumab use in Japanese patients, especially cardiac toxicity data, is needed. ⋯ The incidence of cardiac events caused by trastuzumab treatment was low in our analysis. Adjuvant trastuzumab treatment for up to at least 1 year should be safe for Japanese breast cancer patients.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Aug 2009
ReviewThe role of chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with brain metastases from solid tumors.
Brain metastases are the most frequent cancer in the central nervous system, being ten times more common than primary brain tumors. Patients generally have a poor outcome with a median survival of 4 months after diagnosis of the metastases. Therapeutic options include surgery, stereotactic, radiosurgery, whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), and chemotherapy. ⋯ In this article we review important prognostic factors and challenges in using chemotherapy. We specifically review recent advances in the treatment of brain metastases from breast and lung cancer as well as melanoma. Future treatment advances will require a multidisciplinary approach integrating surgical, radiation, and chemotherapeutic options to improve neurological function and quality of life, rather than just focusing on survival endpoints.
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Int. J. Clin. Oncol. · Jun 2009
National structure of radiation oncology in Japan with special reference to designated cancer care hospitals.
The structure of radiation oncology in designated cancer care hospitals in Japan was investigated in terms of equipment, personnel, patient load, and geographic distribution, and compared with the structure in other radiotherapy facilities. ⋯ The Japanese structure of radiation oncology in designated cancer care hospitals was more mature than that in the other radiotherapy facilities in terms of equipment, although a shortage of personnel still exists. The serious understaffing problem in radiation oncology should be corrected in the future.