The cardiotoxicity and long-term efficacy of different doses of epirubicin in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer patients: A case control study

Abstract Objective： The aim of the study was to observe the cardiac toxicity caused by different doses of epirubicin in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer and to evaluate the long-term efficacy. Methods： The 180 cases of breast cancer patients received epirubicin based adjuvant chemotherapy. The patients were randomly assigned to high-dosage group （90 rag/m^2）, medium-dosage group （70 mg/m^2） and low-dosage group （50 rag/m^2）, the primary endpoint was cardiac toxicity. The secondary outcomes were the 5-year overall survival （OS） and 5-year disease-free survival （DFS）. Results： During chemo- therapy, the clinical symptoms such as palpitation, dyspnea and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea occurred in 6 patients with the high-dosage group, 4 patients with the medium-dosage group and 3 patients with the low-dosage group. The number of patients who had changed in electrocardiogram （ECG） was 7, 5 and 4 in three groups, respectively. The echocardiographic showed each group had only one case with LVEF 〈 50%, there was no significantly difference （P 〉 0.05）. In the three groups, the 5-year DFS rates were 73.3% （44/60） in high-dose group, 53.3% （32/60） in medium-dose group and 41.6% （25/60） in low dose group. The 5-year OS rates were 85.0% （51/60）, 68.3% （41/60） and 58.3% （35/60） in three groups, respectively. The differences were statistically significant （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion： The high-dose epirubicin in adjuvant chemotherapy with CEF （cyclophosphamide, epirubicin and fluorouracil） regimen could improve the 5-year OS rate and 5-year DFS rate on patients of breast cancer. The cardiotoxicity was mild-moderate and well tolerated.

Structural and optical properties of Dy^(3+):YAlO3 phosphors for yellow light-emitting diode applications

The spectroscopic properties of a series of Dy^(3+)single-doped and Dy^(3+)/Nd^(3+),Dy^(3+)/Tb^(3+),and Dy^(3+)/Tm^(3+)co-doped YAlO_(3)(yttrium aluminum perovskite,YAP)phosphors were investigated and compared through the measurements of optical absorption,emission spectra,and fluorescence decay curves.For the Dy^(3+)ion single-doped samples,the intensity of each absorption band increases with an increment in Dy^(3+)ion doping concentration,and the identified strong absorption peak at 447 nm indicates that Dy^(3+):YAP phosphors are suitable to be pumped by a blue laser diode(LD).For all co-doped samples,absorption peaks of Dy^(3+)ion along with some of the absorption bands of Nd^(3+),Tb^(3+),and Tm^(3+)ions are observed.Under 351 and 447 nm excitation,a prominent emission peak at 572 nm was obtained in all the samples,corresponding to Dy^(3+):^(4)F_(9/2)→^(6)H_(13/2)transition.Here,2 at%Dy^(3+):YAP phosphor exhibits the highest yellow emission intensity under 447 nm pumping.Among the three kinds of Dy^(3+)co-doped phosphors,Dy^(3+)/Tb^(3+):YAP phosphor possesses the dominant yellow emission.The fluorescence decay curves show exponential behaviour and are fitted well.The Commission International de L’Eclairage(CIE)chromaticity coordinates were calculated following the respective emission spectra,and it is found that all the coordinates locate in the yellow region.The energy transfer(ET)processes were investigated and the concentration quenching mechanism was discussed.The obtained results suggest that Dy^(3+)-activated YAP phosphors are good candidates for yellow LED applications.