Inhibitory effect of ZD6474 combined with adriamycin on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the killing effect of ZD6474 combined with adriamycin (ADM) on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The inhibitory effects of ZD6474 and ADM alone and in combination on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells were assessed by MTT assay. The cell cycle and cell apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ZD6474 and ADM both significantly inhibited the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, showing a synergistic effect of their reactions in combined use (P<0.05). ZD6474 or ADM alone caused cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 and S phases, respectively. Combined use of the two drugs resulted in significant reduction of the M-phase cell percentage and cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 and S phases. The coadministration of the drugs significantly increased the apoptosis rate of the cells as compared with ZD6474 or ADM treatment alone (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ZD6474 and ADM show a synergistic effect in inhibiting the proliferation and inducing apoptosis of MCF-7 cells.</p>

Topical dimethyl sulfoxide and intralesional hyaluronidase administration for vinorelbine extravasation-induced rat skin injury / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effects of topical DMSO and intralesional hyaluronidase administration, used alone or in combination, on skin injury due to vinorelbine extravasation in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Skin injury due to vinorelbine extravasation was induced in the lower extremities of 30 SD rats, which were treated subsequently with topical DMSO, intralesional hyaluronidase, their combination, topical saline, and intralesional saline, with the rats without any treatment as the control. The wound area on 1, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24, 30 days and the time of healing were observed and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The wound area on 1, 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 days were significantly smaller in topical DMSO group than in topical saline and control groups (P<0.05), and so in intralesional hyaluronidase group than in intralesional saline and control groups (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between single agent (hyaluronidase and DMSO) treatment group and the combined treatment group. The healing time was significantly shorter in topical DMSO and intralesional hyaluronidase groups than in topical and intralesional saline groups and control group ( 24.9-/+3.2 and 21.9-/+3.0 days vs 29.8-/+2.6, 28.6-/+4.1 and 30.6-/+3.0 days, P<0.01), but comparable between the two single agent groups and combined treatment group (23.3-/+3.8 days).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Intralesional hyaluronidase and topical DMSO application are effective therapies for skin damage due to vinorelbine extravasation, and their combination does not improve the therapeutic effect.</p>

Killing effect of sequential Herceptin and adriamycin treatment on breast cancer cell line in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the killing effect of Herceptin and adriamycin sequentially applied on breast cancer cell line in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>BT-474 human breast cancer cells in exponential growth phase were treated with Herceptin alone, adriamycin alone and their sequential administration (Herceptin before adriamycin and vice versa), respectively. Under optical microscope, the morphological changes of the cells were observed before and after drug administration. The expression rate and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of HER-2/neu and cell death rate were detected by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Microscopically, the cells treated with different protocols all exhibited such changes as darkening and increase of cellular debris with irregular cell morphology. Flow cytometry revealed no significant difference in the expression rate of HER-2/neu in each group before and after treatment, but the MFI of HER-2/neu and death rate of the treated cells were significant different from those of the control group (P<0.05). The cell death rate of Herceptin-pretreated cells was significantly higher than that of adriamycin-pretreated ones (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Herceptin pretreatment enhances the killing effect of adriamycin on breast cancer cell line BT-474, which provides experimental evidence for designing clinical sequential biochemotherapy of breast cancer.</p>

Role of the cut-off value of serum neuron-specific enolase in differentiating small cell lung cancer from non-small cell lung cancer / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the cut-off value of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) level for distinguishing small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum NSE levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 137 patients with NSCLC or SCLC, and the best cut-off value was analyzed using ROC curve.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positivity rate of serum NSE was significantly higher in patients with SCLC than in those with NSCLC (P<0.01). The best cut-off value was 15.45 microg/L using ROC curve, which gave a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 65.7%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Serum NSE level may allow simple and cost-effective differentiation of SCLC and NSCLC.</p>

Effect of Herceptin combined with Taxol on patients with Her-2/neu overexpressing metastatic breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of recombinant humanized anti-Her-2/neu antibody (Herceptin) and Taxol for patients with Her-2/neu overexpressing metastatic breast cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty patients with Her-2/neu overexpressing metastatic breast cancer were investigated. Of the 60 cases, 22 were treated with Herceptin and Taxol and 38 with Taxol and doxorubicin.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total response rate (RR) of Herceptin and Taxol was 68.2%, and that of Taxol and doxorubicin was 44.7%. The RR of patients with Her-2/neu(+++) was 75%, while that of patients with Her-2/neu(++) was 50%. The major adverse effects were gastro-intestinal tract reactions, myopathy, bone marrow suppression and alopecia.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The treatment with Herceptin and Taxol is effective and safe for patients with Her-2/neu overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. The therapeutic effect is related to the degree of Her-2/neu overexpression.</p>