Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy
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Although medical treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma has included cytokine therapies such as interferon and interleukin-2, the treatment system has been revolutionized with the emergence of molecular target medicine. A vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor for the target molecule are the mainstream, but the efficacy of inhibitors of an alternate pathway has been established. It seems that even newer molecular target medicine will be introduced in the future, but the optimal medicine based on the individual condition must be provided in renal cell carcinoma cases.
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Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most frequent mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. Now, there is widespread scientific and clinical interest in GIST because of identifying in principal pathogenetic defects and development of a specific molecular inhibitor of GIST. GISTs have a gain-of-function mutation in the c-kit protooncogene. ⋯ Imatinib (gleevec) is an oral agent that selectively inhibits c-Kit, whose efficacy proves that a specific inhibitor can counteract the effects of a genetic defect responsible for cancer. Although STI571 was first applied to GIST, it has already revolutionized the treatment of patients with metastases. Now so many molecular target agents are under development in clinical trials.
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To provide effective and safe cancer treatment, the medical staff must form a team with patients and their family. Pharmacists have to be responsible for verifying chemotherapy prescription orders, mixing of anticancer drugs, management of adverse drug reactions, patient education, while providing drug information and participation in palliative care. To promote pharmacists who have acquired advanced knowledge and skills, The Japanese Society of Hospital Pharmacists started and educational program and established the certification of board-certified oncology pharmacy specialists (BCOPS) and board-certified pharmacists in oncology pharmacy (BCPOP). As of November 2007, 56 pharmacists were qualified as BCOPS.
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Apr 2008
[Usefulness of perospirone for the prevention of nausea related to opioid administration].
In our department, prochlorperazine, a D2 receptor antagonist, was previously administered to prevent nausea related to the introduction of opioids. However, we always had to consider extrapyramidal symptoms. Since August 2006, perospirone has been administered to all patients who have commenced oral opioid therapy, to prevent nausea. In this study, we investigated its usefulness in the prevention of nausea. ⋯ These results suggest the usefulness of perospirone for the prevention of nausea related to the intro- duction of opioids.
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Apr 2008
[Long- and short-term survivors after chemotherapy among patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer in our hospital].
Since S-1 was approved in 1999, the response rate and the disease control rate of this chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer has been improved. Aa a result, we can plan for chemotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer, because the median survival time (MST) with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer was over 20 months. ⋯ In patients with only recurrent gastric cancer, the interval from surgery to recurrence is a significant prognostic factor. We thus show the results of chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer in our hospital and the characteristic findings in long- and short-term survivors for chemotherapy, and discuss effective planning of chemotherapy for each patient with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.