Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy
-
Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · May 2009
[The progress of second-line chemotherapy and molecular targeting agents in gastric cancer].
According to the results of Japanese phase III trials recently reported such as JCOG 9912 and SPIRITS, there was a remarkable improvement in median survival time compared to the previous phase III study(JCOG 9205). Many newer agents were used, such as taxane and irinotecan, which were absent during JCOG 9205. Using these agents as a second- line treatment may lead to improved survival. ⋯ On the other hand, molecular targeting agents that have shown activity in other tumor types such as trastuzumab, bevacizumab, cetuximab, and lapatinib are under investigation in global randomized control trials. In these trials, patients from Japan and Korea account for more than half of the enrollees. The number of international studies is increasing, and the role of east Asian countries will be more important in this field.
-
Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Apr 2009
[Examination about the influence for daily life that nail and skin disorders induced by docetaxel in patients with breast cancer].
Docetaxel is one of the most important chemotherapeutic agents for the breast cancer patients. However, it has also experienced as toxicities causing nail diformation and skin trouble, and is considered as adverse elements other than edema and neurotoxicity. It is expected to have tremendous influence on women's daily life-decrease in quality of life. ⋯ Skin impediments have found most during the second and the third courses; the contents include discomfort towards their beauty and housework. Influence to their daily life that the patients feel do not necessarily match the contents that doctors have recognized. In conclusion, this investigation evidenced that the troubles on quality of life such as nail and skin troubles, should be paid more attention, as well as major side effects such as edema, neutropenia, and neurotoxicity.
-
Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis is a serious complication leading to a fatal outcome in patients with gastric cancer. We tried to treat leptomeningeal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer with intrathecal chemotherapy using methotrexate (MTX)and cytosine arabinoside(Ara-C). We described and discussed the therapeutic strategy. ⋯ The survival of the intrathecal chemotherapy group was from 39 to 367 days, whereas the survival of the conservative treatment group was from 10 to 31 days. The intrathecal chemotherapy improved not only survival but also clinical symptoms dramatically. Intrathecal chemotherapy is thus recommended for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis from gastric cancer.
-
Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Apr 2009
[Circumventing resistance to imatinib therapy in chronic myeloid leukemia].
In the emergence of resistance to imatinib, ABL-kinase inhibitor has become a significant problem despite the remarkable clinical results achieved with this drug in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. The most common cause of imatinib resistance is the selection of leukemic clones with point mutation in the ABL-kinase domain. Persistent disease is another therapeutic challenge and may in part, be due to the inability of imatinib to eradicate primitive stem cell progenitors. A multitude of novel agents have been developed and shown efficacy in overcoming imatinib resistance.