Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy
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Adjuvant chemotherapy targets micrometastases. If micrometastases are destroyed, patients with breast cancer will be cured. Currently, in Japan, standard breast cancer therapy is decided based on subtypes that are defined according to ER, PgR, HER2, and Ki-67 expression. We present here an outline of the recommended chemotherapy regimens based on evidence.
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Jan 2016
[Study of the Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy with UFT/LV or Capecitabine for Stage III Colorectal Cancer].
This study sought to compare UFT/LV with capecitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of stage III colorectal cancer. ⋯ There were no marked differences in treatment outcomes with UFT/LV or capecitabine when they were used as adjuvant chemotherapy for Stage III colorectal cancer, suggesting that a choice between these 2 agents can be made on the basis of avoiding adverse events.
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Gan To Kagaku Ryoho · Oct 2015
[Short-Term Outcome of TAS-102 for Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer].
We retrospectively analyzed 7 patients with refractory colorectal cancer treated with TAS-102 as salvage therapy. Subjects were 3 men and 4 women. The median age at initiation of TAS-102 was 71 years (range, 41-82 years). ⋯ The median treatment courses were 2 courses (range, 1-6 courses). The reason for discontinuation was hematological toxicity in 1 patient, patients' wish in 3 patients, disease progression in 2 patients, and worsening of general condition in 1 patient. The median survival time since the first administration of TAS-102 was 9 months.
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Targeted therapies and immunotherapies attack tumor cells through different mechanisms. In addition, these therapies exhibit quick and delayed effects, respectively, and therefore, these therapies are complementary. ⋯ Antitumor immune responses comprise several steps including dendritic cell activation, T cell activation, and dampening tumor-induced immunosuppression; targeted drugs that work at each step have been reported. Clinical trials of rational combinations of both therapies, while avoiding severe adverse events, will greatly advance cancer treatments in the near future.
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A Japanese proverb says that a balanced diet leads to a healthy body. However, the relation between healthy life and nutrition has not been established precisely and quantitatively. ⋯ In refractory cachexia (terminally cancer patients), we will judge the necessity of reduction of nutrition support, what it is called "gear-change", because the support is burden for the body. It is important to restrict the quantity of nutrition and to give medical treatment to retain bodily function in these patients.