Associations Between Phthalate, Eosinophil, and Aeroallergen Sensitization in Schoolchildren

Background@#Phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are endocrine-disrupting chemicals and may cause immunological disorders in children. Therefore, according to the region, we investigated urinary phthalates and BPA levels and the relationship between urinary phthalate, aeroallergen sensitization, and eosinophil count during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. @*Methods@#In total, 203 schoolchildren (134 residential and 69 industrial) aged 7–10 years were enrolled between July 2021 and July 2022. The BPA, metabolites of four high-molecularweight phthalates (Σ4HMWP) and three low-molecular-weight phthalates (Σ3LMWP), were measured in the urine samples. Total eosinophil count and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were also measured along with the skin prick test. @*Results@#The two groups had no differences in terms of BPA. The industrial group had significantly more plastic container usage, and there was a difference in the Σ3LMWP (P < 0.001) between the two groups but no difference in the Σ4HMWP (P = 0.234). The quartiles of urinary Σ4HMWP and Σ3LMWP (P < were not associated with the total eosinophil count, vitamin D level, or TEWL. After adjusting for cofactors, the quartiles of urinary Σ4HMWP and Σ3LMWP were significantly associated with total eosinophil count (P < 0.001) but not with aeroallergen sensitization or vitamin D. @*Conclusion@#Exposure to phthalates was significantly associated with eosinophil count but not with aeroallergen sensitization or vitamin D. Therefore, reducing the use of plastic containers may effectively prevent exposure to phthalates and reduce Th2 cell-mediated inflammation in children.

Diagnostic Value of Combining Tumor and Inflammatory Markers in Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND: Despite major advances in lung cancer treatment, early detection remains the most promising way of improving outcomes. To detect lung cancer in earlier stages, many serum biomarkers have been tested. Unfortunately, no single biomarker can reliably detect lung cancer. We combined a set of 2 tumor markers and 4 inflammatory or metabolic markers and tried to validate the diagnostic performance in lung cancer. METHODS: We collected serum samples from 355 lung cancer patients and 590 control subjects and divided them into training and validation datasets. After measuring serum levels of 6 biomarkers (human epididymis secretory protein 4 [HE4], carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA], regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted [RANTES], apolipoprotein A2 [ApoA2], transthyretin [TTR], and secretory vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 [sVCAM-1]), we tested various sets of biomarkers for their diagnostic performance in lung cancer. RESULTS: In a training dataset, the area under the curve (AUC) values were 0.821 for HE4, 0.753 for CEA, 0.858 for RANTES, 0.867 for ApoA2, 0.830 for TTR, and 0.552 for sVCAM-1. A model using all 6 biomarkers and age yielded an AUC value of 0.986 and sensitivity of 93.2% (cutoff at specificity 94%). Applying this model to the validation dataset showed similar results. The AUC value of the model was 0.988, with sensitivity of 93.33% and specificity of 92.00% at the same cutoff point used in the validation dataset. Analyses by stages and histologic subtypes all yielded similar results. CONCLUSIONS: Combining multiple tumor and systemic inflammatory markers proved to be a valid strategy in the diagnosis of lung cancer.

Diagnostic Value of Combining Tumor and Inflammatory Markers in Lung Cancer

In Table 2 and 3, cutoff values of RANTES, ApoA2, TTR, Svcam-1 (and sensitivity and specificity values accordingly) were wrongly marked.

The Study on Active and Environmental Tobacco Smoke in Biological Samples among High School Students in Korea / 한국역학회지

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the active and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in biological samples (plasma, saliva and urine) among high school students in Korea. METHODS: Study samples were from 99 nonsmoker or smoking volunteers from high school in Kyungki-do in 2000. ETS was defined as the having smokers of their family members or their friends. Urinary samples were extracted with ethyl ether at pH 10.5, and the extract was injected in GC-NPD. Plasma or saliva was extracted with methylene chloride at pH 10.5 and the quantification was performed with GC-MS (SIM). Peak shapes and quantitation of nicotine and cotinine were excellent, with linear calibration curves over a wide range of 1 to 3000 ng/mL. RESULTS: The results are as followings1. The prevalence of smoking among study subjects were 18.2% among males and 6.1% among females. A 69.7% of total subjects among both males and females were exposed at ETS. 2. The primary metabolite cotinine of nicotine was good indicator of ETS exposure in nonsmokers. Salivary cotinine was found to be highly correlated to the concentration of cotinine in plasma (r=0.9480). 3. Urine cotinine was increased among those with smokers in their family members, while salivary or blood cotinine was increased among with smoking friends. 4. Blood cotinine was highly correlated with salivary cotinine, but it was relatively poorly correlated with urine cotinine. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the results show how the students in high school in Korea suffer from secondhand smoke. It appeared that salivary cotinine was easy to collect and best way to predict the ETS among adolescents

Chemotherapy with Five-Day Continuous Infusion of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) Plus Cisplatin for Advanced Gastric Cancer; Significance of 5-FU Concentration Monitoring / 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: To investigate the therapeutic effects and toxicities of 5-day continuous infusion of 5-FU plus cisplatin FP chemotherapy in advanced gastric adendegrees Carcinoma and to elucidate the relationship between the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and therapeutic outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with previously untreated advanced stomach cancer were treated with FP chemotherapy. Plasma concentrations of 5-FU were measured using gas chro matography method for 5 days. Correlation of PK parameters of 5-FU with clinical outcome after FP chemotherapy was studied. RESULTS: Response rate of FP chemotherapy was 46% (95% C.I.: 30~62%). There was a wide range of difference in the concentration and area under the curve (AUC) of 5-FU from patient to patient. We could find significant differences in AUC of 5-FU between the responders and the non-responders (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We could confirm that FP chemotherapy was effective and tolerable for the treatment of advanced stomach cancer. The monitoring of plasma 5-FU concentration after chemotherapy and the adjustment of subsequent 5-FU dose seems to be necessary to improve the treatment outcome of FP chemotherapy.

A Phase 2 Trial of Verapamil for Reversal of Drug Resistance in Refractory Non - Hodgkin's Lymphoma / 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Drug resistance is one of the major obstacles to treatment of cancer. Multidrug resistance (MDR) caused by overexpression of p-glycoprotein (Pgp) in cancer cell membrane is a well-known mechanism of drug resistance in in vitro system and was reported to be a significant mechanism of resistance in non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL). Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, is proven in vitro to overcome the MDR caused by Pgp. We performed a phase II trial of verapamil in patients with NHL refractory to EPOCH regimen (etoposide, prednisolone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin) to overcome the MDR caused by Pgp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Verapamil was administered via intravenous route from 1 hour before to 12 hour after the 96-hour infusion of etoposide, doxorubicin, and vincristine which were known to be substrates of Pgp in EPOCH regimen. The dose of verapamil was 0.15 mg/Kg in bolus and 0.2 mg/Kg/hr in infusion at the beginning and escalated by 0.05 mg/Kg/hr every 24 hours if there was no dose-limiting toxicities such as 2nd or 3rd degree AV block, hypotension, or congestive heart failure. Plasma verapamil concentrations were measured every 24 hour by gas chromatography. Mdrl expression level in tumor tissues was measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS: From Feb. to Nov. 1994, 14 patients were treated with this protocoL However, poor tolerability and no response in these patients led to early closure of the study at this 1st stage of patient accrual according to Gehans method. Among 14 patients, 12 experienced 2nd or 3rd degree AV block and/or hypotension and required temporary cessation of infusion and reduction of verapamil dose. However, there was no congestive heart failure or treatment-related death. The peak concentrations of verapamil were 0.29-1.94 pM (mean 0.93 pM) and mean concentrations during the 4-day infusion were 0.22-1.21 pM (mean 0.6 pM). Mdrl expression levels measured in 6 patients were 0.99-14.43 U (median 4.39). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that verapamil in this dose and schedule was neither tolerable nor effective for the reversal of drug resistance in NHL patients.