Efficacy and safety of gemcitabine-oxaliplatin combined with huachansu in patients with advanced gallbladder carcinoma

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine-oxaliplatin (GEMOX) combined with huachansu (cinobufagin) injection treatment in patients with locally advanced or metastatic gallbladder carcinoma (GBC), and to assess the quality of life (QOL) of such patients. METHODS: Twenty-fi ve patients with locally advanced or metastatic GBC were treated with intravenous gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2) over 30 min on days 1 and 8, 2 h infusion of oxaliplatin (120 mg/m2) on day 1, and 2-3 h infusion of huachansu (20 mL/m2) on days -3-11, every 3-4 wk. Treatment was continued until occurrence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. QOL of patients was assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline, at the end of the fi rst, third and sixth chemotherapy cycles, and 1 mo after the treatment. RESULTS: Among the 25 patients with a median age of 64 years (range 42-78 years), 23 were evaluable in the study. A total of 137 cycles of therapy were performed and the median cycle was 5 (range 1-8) per patient. Out of the 23 patients whose response couldbe evaluated, 8 partial responses (PR) were observed (34.8%), while 7 patients (30.4%) demonstrated a stable disease (SD). The disease control rate was 65.2%. Progression of cancer was observed in 8 (34.8%) patients. The median progression-free and overall survival time was 5.8 mo (95% CI: 4.5-7.1 mo) and 10.5 mo, respectively. The therapy was well tolerated, with moderate myelosuppression as the main toxicity. Anemia grade 2 was seen in 16.0%, neutropenia grade 3 in 8.0% and thrombocytopenia grade 3 in 24.0% of patients, respectively. Non-hematologic toxicity ranged from mild to moderate. No death occurred due to toxicity. The QOL of patients was improved after chemotherapy, and the scores of QOL were increased by 10 to 20 points. CONCLUSION: GEMOX combined with huachansu (cinobufagin) injection is well tolerated, effective, thus improving the QOL of patients with advanced GBC.

Combined treatment of oxaliplatin and capecitabine in patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell cancer

AIM:To investigate the efficacy and side effects of the combined therapy of oxaliplatin and capecitabine in patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell cancer(ESCC) and the survival of the patients.METHODS:Sixty-four patients(median age of 63 years) with histological or cytological confirmation of ESCC received oxaliplatin 120 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1 and capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 orally twice daily on days 1 to 14 in a 21-d treatment cycle as palliative chemotherapy.Each patient received at least two cycles of treatment.The efficacy,side effects and patient survival were evaluated.RESULTS:The partial response(PR) rate was 43.8%(28/64).Stable disease(SD) rate was 47.9%(26/64),and disease progression rate was 15.6%(10/64).The clinical benefit rate(PR + SD) was 84.4%.The main toxicities were leukopenia(50.0%),nausea and vomiting(51.6%),diarrhea(50.0%),stomatitis(39.1%),polyneuropathy(37.5%) and hand-foot syndrome(37.5%).No grade 4 event in the entire cohort was found.The median progression-free survival was 4 mo,median overall survival was 10 mo(95% CI:8.3-11.7 mo),and the 1-and 2-year survival rates were 38.1% and 8.2%,respectively.High Karnofsky index,single metastatic lesion and response to the regimen indicated respectively good prognosis.CONCLUSION:Oxaliplatin plus capecitabine regimen is effective and tolerable in metastatic ESCC patients.The regimen has improved the survival moderately and merits further studies.

Alterations of serum cholinesterase in patients with gastric cancer

AIM: To understand the correlation of serum cholinesterase (CHE) activity with gastric cancer and to assess their clinical significance.METHODS: The velocity method was adopted to detect the activity of serum CHE in patients with gastric cancer and in patients with non-malignant tumor as controls.RESULTS: The serum CHE activity in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group with a very significant difference between the two groups (83.3:113.1,P = 0.0003). Age was significantly associated with the incidence of gastric caner.CONCLUSION: Serum CHE activity has a close relation with the incidence of gastric cancer.

TNF related apoptosis-inducing ligand and its receptors in ocular tumors

Most of the ocular tumors have poor prognosis, and they remain a difficult problem in the area of ophthalmology. With the rapid development of molecular biology and immunologic techniques and the deep research on ocular tumor related genes, it becomes possible to diagnose and treat malignant tumors from the molecular level. The tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) super family, is a promising candidate, either alone or in combination with established cancer therapies, since it can initiate apoptosis through the activation of their death receptors. The ability of TRAIL to selectively induce apoptosis of transformed, virus-infected or tumor cells but not normal cells promotes the development of TRAIL-based cancer therapy. Here, we will review TRAIL and its receptors' structure, function, mechanism of action and application in ocular tumors therapy.

Anti-angiogenesis effect of generation 4 polyamidoamine/vascular endothelial growth factor antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on breast cancer in vitro

Objective:To study the effects of the generation 4 polyamidoamine/vascular endothelial growth factor antisense oligodeoxynucleotide(G4PAMAM/VEGFASODN) compound on the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and its mRNA of breast cancer cells and on the inhibition of vascular endothelial cells. Methods:We examined the morphology of G4PAMAM/VEGFASODN compound and its pH stability,in vitro transfection efficiency and toxicity,and the expressions of VEGF and its mRNA. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay was used to detect the inhibitory function of the compound on vascular endothelial cells. Results:The compound was about 10 nm in diameter and was homogeneously netlike. From pH 5 to 10,it showed quite a buffered ability. The 48-h transfection rate in the charge ratio of 1:40 was 98.76%,significantly higher than that of the liposome group(P<0.05). None of the transfection products showed obvious toxicity on the cells. The expressions of both VEGF protein and its mRNA after G4PAMAM/VEGFASODN transfection decreased markedly. Conclusion:With a low toxicity,high safety,and high transfection rate,G4PAMAM/VEGFASODN could be a promising gene vector. Specifically,it inhibits VEGF gene expression efficiently,laying a basis for further in vivo animal studies.