Modified FOLFIRINOX compared to Gemcitabine & nab-Paclitaxel in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma - results of a match-pair analysis

Background & objectives: FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GN) are the most commonly used regimens in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). As there is limited data on comparison of these two regimens, the present study was aimed to compare survivals and tolerance for both regimens through a match-pair analysis. Methods: The data of 350 patients with metastatic and locally advanced PDAC, treated between January 2013 and December 2019, were retrieved. A 1:1 matching, using age and performance status, without replacement was performed by using nearest neighbour matching method. Results: A total of 260 patients (130 modified FOLFIRINOX and 130 GN) were matched. The median overall survival (OS) was 12.98 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 7.257-8.776 months] in modifications of FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) cohort and 12.06 months (95% CI 6.690-8.88 months) in GN group (P=0.080). The incidence of grade 3 and 4 infections, diarrhoea, oral mucositis, and fatigue was higher with mFOLFIRINOX. Patients who received second line therapy had improved OS as compared to those who did not (14.06 vs. 9.07 months, P<0.001). Interpretation & conclusions: GN and mFOLFIRINOX appear to have similar survival outcomes in an unselected match paired patient population with advanced PDAC. A markedly increased incidence of non-myelosuppressive grade 3 and grade 4 side-effects and lack of survival improvements suggest a need for nuanced use of the mFOLFIRINOX regimen. Administration of second-line chemotherapy improves OS in patients with advanced PDAC.

In vitro release of paclitaxel derivative liposome by paddle membrane binding assay / 中国药科大学学报

@#The in vitro release is an important index to evaluate the quality of liposome formulation.Currently, there is no evaluation method for the in vitro release of liposome in pharmacopoeia of various countries, which leads to the lack of unified standard and safety guarantee for the quality evaluation of liposome formulation.Taking the self-made paclitaxel derivative liposomes as an example, the paddle membrane binding method established by optimizing external release conditions was used to simulate the complete release of paclitaxel derivative drugs in 12 hours under physiological conditions.The results showed that using 0.5% SDS-HEPES as the release medium and a dialysis bag with a molecular weight cutoff of 1 000 kD to release the liposome solution met the requirements and had discrimination ability, providing a reference for the development of drug-loaded liposomes release methods in vitro.

Efficacy of Bevacizumab Combined with Paclitaxel and Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Advanced Metastatic Cervical Cancer and Its Effect on T Lymphocyte Subsets and Tumor Markers / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To investigate the efficacy of bevacizumab combined with paclitaxel and platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced metastatic cervical cancer and its effect on T lymphocyte subsets and tumor markers. Methods Sixty patients with advanced metastatic cervical cancer (treated in our hospital) were randomly divided into control (30 cases) and treatment (30 cases) groups. All patients were given radiotherapy; the control group received paclitaxel and platinum-based chemotherapy, whereas the treatment group received the same with added bevacizumab. The pain conditions (visual analog score (VAS)) and quality of life (Karl Fischer quality of life (KPS)), clinical efficacy, T lymphocyte subset levels (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+), tumor markers (carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and squamous epithelial carcinoma-associated antigen (SCCA)) and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results The VAS score, serum CA125, CEA, SCCA, and CD8+ level were significantly reduced in both groups after treatment (P < 0.05), and it significantly decreased in the treatment group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). KPS score, CD3+, and CD4+ levels significantly increased after treatment in the two groups (P < 0.05), and compared with the control group, the treatment group significantly increased (P < 0.05). Moreover, the total effective rate (66.67%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (40.00%) (P < 0.05), and no significant difference existed in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion Bevacizumab combined with paclitaxel and platinum-based chemotherapy can effectively reduce the pain and improve the immune function and quality of life of patients with advanced metastatic cervical cancer. This chemotherapy is also safe and effective.

Effects of paclitaxel on Müller cells in retina / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the effects of antitumor drug paclitaxel(PTX)on the proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, cell morphology, and related protein expression of Müller cells, and to evaluate its potential toxicity to the retina.METHODS:Müller cells were cultured in vitro and divided into two groups: control group(normal medium)and PTX group. Retinal Müller cells were treated with different concentrations of PTX(0.005, 0.05, 0.5 and 5mg/L)for varying durations(12, 24, 36, 48 and 72h). The CCK8 method was used to assess the effects of different concentrations of PTX and treatment duration on the proliferation Müller cells. Flow cytometry was employed to investigate the impact of different concentrations of PTX on Müller cells apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Immunofluorescence was used to observe morphological changes in Müller cells. The effects of PTX on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and aquaporins were analyzed by Western blot and qRT-PCR.RESULTS: PTX exhibits the ability to inhibit the proliferation of Müller cells when cultured in vitro. The efficacy of this inhibition was found to be dependent on both the concentration of the drug and the duration of the stimulation. Higher concentrations of the drug and longer stimulation times resulted in a weaker ability of the cells to proliferate. Additionally, PTX also induces apoptosis in Müller cells, with increased drug concentrations and longer stimulation times leading to higher apoptosis rates. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrates that PTX arrests Müller cells in the G2-M phase of the cell cycle. Moreover, there is a distinct change in cell morphology, with a shift from the typical appearance characterized by clear and slender fibrous structures to a rounder morphology, accompanied by a significant decrease in cell numbers. Further, our findings reveal that there is a transient increase in the expression of cytoinflammatory factors following drug treatment compared to the control group. However, discontinuation of drug stimulation can alleviate this heightened expression. In treated cells, the expression of the CA XIV protein is upregulated compared to the control group, while the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)is downregulated(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05). Additionally, the levels of inflammatory factors in the PTX group are significantly higher than those in the control group(P&#x0026;#x003C;0.05), suggesting that PTX has the potential to disrupt the retinal barrier function.CONCLUSION: PTX affects the proliferation and apoptosis of Müller cells, with the effects dependent on stimulation duration and drug concentration. In addition, PTX blocks the Müller cell cycle at the G2-M phase and alters cell morphology, leading to a transient upregulation of inflammatory factors and affecting the integrity of the retinal barrier. These findings indicate the potential toxicity of the antitumor drug PTX to the retina.

Expressions of STMN1, BubR1, bcl-2 and Bad in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their relationship with chemotherapy effect of paclitaxel-containing regimen / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the correlation between the expression levels of STMN1, BubR1, bcl-2 and Bad and the chemotherapy effect of paclitaxel-containing regimen in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods:The clinical data of ESCC patients who received paclitaxel-containing chemotherapy at Fenyang Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University from September 2016 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 59 cases received maintenance chemotherapy and 27 cases received surgery after 3 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The expression levels of STMN1, BubR1, bcl-2 and Bad in tumor tissues before chemotherapy were detected by immunohistochemistry. The imaging efficacy after 3 courses of chemotherapy and pathological efficacy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated. The imaging efficacy, pathological efficacy and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared between the high expression group and the low expression group of each protein.Results:The proportion of patients with stage Ⅳ (46.3%, 19/41), the proportion of patients with low differentiation (22%, 9/41) and the incidence of lymph node metastasis (95.1%, 39/41) in STMN1 high expression group were higher than those in STMN1 low expression group (17.8%, 8/45; 4.4%, 2/45; 64.4%, 29/45), and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The proportion of patients with stage Ⅳ in Bad high expression group was lower than that in Bad low expression group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). In the evaluation of imaging efficacy, the chemotherapy sensitivity rates in STMN1 and BubR1 high expression groups (29.3%, 12/41; 37.9%, 22/58) were lower than those in STMN1 and BubR1 low expression groups (75.6%, 34/45; 85.7%, 24/28), and the chemotherapy sensitivity rate of patients in Bad high expression group (65.9%, 27/41) was higher than that in Bad low expression group (42.2%, 19/45), and the difference was statistically significant (all P < 0.05). There was no statistical correlation between bcl-2 expression and chemotherapy sensitivity rate ( P > 0.05). In the evaluation of pathological efficacy, the proportion of patients with tumor regression grade (TRG) score 0-1 after neoadjuvant therapy in STMN1 high expression group (27.3%, 3/11) was lower than that in STMN1 low expression group (75.0%, 12/16), and the difference was statistically significant ( P = 0.022). There were no statistical differences in the proportions of patients with TRG score 0-1 after neoadjuvant therapy between high and low expression groups of BubR1, bcl-2 and Bad (all P > 0.05). The PFS rate was 15.2% (9/59) for patients received maintenance chemotherapy, and the median PFS time was 6 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that PFS in STMN1 low expression group was better than that in STMN1 low expression group ( χ2 = 12.90, P < 0.001). PFS in BubR1 low expression group was better than that in BubR1 high expression ( χ2 =12.04, P < 0.001). PFS in Bad high expression group was better than that in Bad low expression group ( χ2 =9.69, P = 0.004). There was no statistical difference in PFS between high and low bcl-2 expression groups ( χ2 =1.43, P = 0.320). Conclusions:ESCC patients with low expression of STMN1, low expression of BubR1 and high expression of Bad have better chemotherapy effect after receiving paclitaxel-containing regimen, but there is no correlation between bcl-2 expression and chemotherapy efficacy.

Differences in therapeutic effect and prognosis of different molecular subtypes of invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast treated with nab-paclitaxel / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To explore the differences in therapeutic effect and prognosis of different molecular subtypes of breast invasive lobular carcinoma treated with nab-paclitaxel, so as to provide a basis for the selection of clinical drugs for breast cancer.Methods:The data of 180 patients with advanced invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast who were treated in Handan Central Hospital and the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2017 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including 34 cases of Luminal A type, 92 cases of Luminal B type, 21 cases of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression type, and 33 cases of triple-negative type. The patients were treated with nab-paclitaxel, and the clinical curative effect was evaluated according to the solid tumor response evaluation criteria version 1.1 after 1 year of treatment, and the objective response rate (ORR) (calculated as complete remission + partial remission) and clinical benefit rate (CBR) (calculated as complete remission + partial remission + stable disease) were calculated; the occurrence of adverse reactions during the treatment was recorded. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) curves for each subtype of patients, and the log-rank method was used to test them.Results:The differences in ORR and CBR among patients with the four subtypes of Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2 overexpression, and triple-negative were statistically significant (all P < 0.001), with the triple-negative type having the lowest ORR and CBR [21.2% (7/33) and 63.6% (21/33)] and the Luminal A type having the highest ORR and CBR [70.6% (24/34) and 100.0% (34/34)]. The ORR and CBR of Luminal B type were 45.7% (42/92) and 90.2% (83/92), and the HER2 overexpression type was 38.1% (8/21) and 90.5% (19/21). The differences in the incidence of myelosuppression, numbness of limbs, joint and muscle pain among the four subtypes were statistically significant (all P < 0.05), with the triple-negative type having the highest incidence of all of the above adverse reactions. The PFS and OS of triple-negative subtype were worse than those of Luminal A, Luminal B and HER2 overexpression subtypes, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Conclusions:The clinical response and prognosis of patients with different molecular subtypes of invasive lobular carcinoma is significantly different after nab-paclitaxel intervention, among which the prognosis of patients with triple-negative type is the worst, and the clinical medication can be guided according to the pathological test results.

Study on the mechanism of Taohong siwu decoction improving peripheral nerve injury induced by paclitaxel in rats / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of Taohong siwu decoction （THD） improving peripheral nerve injury induced by paclitaxel （PTX） in rats. METHODS The effects of THD （1 g/mL drug-containing serum） and PTX （0.1 μmol/L） alone or in combination on the proliferation rate of Schwann cells line RSC96 as well as the expressions of lysosomal-associated membrane protein-2 （LAMP2）， autophagy marker protein yeast Atg 6 homolog （Beclin1）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）， protein kinase B （Akt）， and mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） were investigated， and then compared with autophagy promoter rapamycin and autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine （3-MA）. The effects of high-dose and low-dose THD on the expressions of myelin basic protein （MBP） and myelin protein zero （MPZ）， S100 calcium-binding protein （S100）， LAMP2， Beclin1， PI3K， Akt and mTOR were tested at the end of the experiment. RESULTS After treatment of THD+PTX， the proliferation rate of RSC96 cells was significantly higher than those treated with PTX alone. After treatment of THD+PTX or THD+ 3-MA， the protein expressions of LAMP2 and Beclin1 in RSC96 cells were significantly higher than those treated with PTX or 3- MA alone， while the protein expressions of PI3K， Akt and mTOR were significantly lower than those treated with PTX or 3-MA alone （P＜0.05）. Compared with model group， the protein expressions of MBP， MPZ， S100， LAMP2 and Beclin1 in sciatic nerve of rats were increased significantly in THD high-dose and low-dose groups， while the protein expressions of PI3K， Akt and mTOR were significantly decreased （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS THD may activate Schwann cell autophagy by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/ mTOR signaling pathway， thereby improving peripheral nerve injury caused by PTX.

Study on mechanism of interfering with LncRNA expressing to reduce paclitaxel resistance in non-small cell lung cancer cells / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To study the mechanism of interfering with long non-coding RNA nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase-antisense RNA1 （LncRNA NNT-AS1） expressing to reduce paclitaxel （TAX） resistance in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） cells. METHODS NSCLC TAX-resistant cell line （A549/TAX） was constructed， and the expressions of LncRNA NNT-AS1 in normal， parental， and drug-resistant cells were observed. The targeting relationship of microRNA-582-5p （miR-582- 5p） with LncRNA NNT-AS1 and high mobility group box2 （HMGB2） was verified. A549/TAX cells were cultured in vitro to observe the effects of interfering with LncRNA NNT-AS1 alone or interfering with LncRNA NNT-AS1 and miR-582-5p on the expressions of LncRNA NNT-AS1 and miR-582-5p， the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2， cell viability， clone formation and apoptosis. The effects of interfering with LncRNA NNT-AS1 on tumor growth and the expression of miR-582-5p and the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2 in tumor tissue were observed in nude mice. RESULTS Compared with normal cells， LncRNA NNT-AS1 was highly expressed in parental and drug-resistant cells （P＜0.05）， showing an increasing trend. It was validated that miR-582-5p had a targeting relationship with LncRNA NNT-AS1 and HMGB2. After interfering with the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1， the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1 and the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2， cell viability and the number of cloned cells in A549/TAX cell， decreased significantly， while the expression of miR-582-5p and the apoptotic rate increased significantly （P＜0.05）； simultaneously interfering with the expression of miR-582-5p could reverse above changes （P＜ 0.05）. Interfering with the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1 in tumor cell could significantly reduce tumor volume and tumor weight of nude mice bearing tumors； at the same time， the expression of miR-582-5p was up-regulated significantly and the mRNA and protein expressions of HMGB2 were down-regulated significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Interfering with the expression of LncRNA NNT-AS1 may alleviate TAX chemotherapy resistance in NSCLC through targeted up-regulation of miR-582-5p and down-regulation of HMGB2.

Clinical efficacy of paclitaxel and carboplatin with versus without bevacizumab in treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of paclitaxel and carboplatin with or without bevacizumab in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods    The databases including PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP and CBM were searched from inception to October 2022 to collect randomized controlled trials of the clinical efficacy of paclitaxel and carboplatin with or without bevacizumab for the treatment of NSCLC. RevMan 5.4 software was used for meta-analysis. Results    Eight randomized controlled trials were enrolled, involving a total of 1 724 patients. Meta-analysis showed that for the treatment of NSCLC, the disease control rate, overall response rate, 1-year survival rate, and 2-year survival rate were higher in the trial group (paclitaxel and carboplatin combined with bevacizumab) than those in the control group (paclitaxel and carboplatin) (P<0.05); however, the incidences of the adverse reactions, such as leukopenia, hemorrhage, proteinuria and hypertension, etc, were higher in the trial group than those in the control group (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between the trial group and the control group in the incidences of fatigue, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia or hyponatremia, etc (P>0.05). In addition, the median progression-free survival and overall survival were longer in the trial  group than those in the control group. Conclusion    For the treatment of NSCLC, paclitaxel and carboplatin combined with bevacizumab is superior in terms of disease control, overall response and prolonging patient survival, etc, but will be associated with more adverse reactions.

Effect of SMAC Gene on Sensitivity of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells to Paclitaxel and Cell Viability Based on caspase-3/Bcl-2/Bax Signaling Pathway / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To investigate the effect of the SMAC gene on paclitaxel sensitivity and cellular activity in lung adenocarcinoma cells based on the caspase-3/Bcl-2/Bax signaling pathway. Methods A paclitaxel-resistant cell line A549/Taxol was established for lung adenocarcinoma, and the cells were divided into four following groups: pcDNA-NC (transfected with pcDNA-NC blank vector), pcDNA-SMAC (transfected with pcDNA-SMAC vector), siRNA-NC (transfected with siRNA-NC empty virus vector), and siRNA-SMAC groups (transfected with siRNA-SMAC lentiviral vector). The SMAC mRNA expression in cells was detected by qRT-PCR; cell sensitivity was detected by MTT; cell proliferation ability was detected by cloning assay; cell invasion ability was detected by Transwell; apoptosis ability was detected by flow cytometry assay; and caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression in cells were detected by Western blot analysis. Results The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly lower in A549 cells compared with BEAS-2B cells (P < 0.05). The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly higher in the pcDNA-SMAC group than that in the pcDNA-NC group cells (P < 0.05). The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly lower in the cells of the siRNA-SMAC group (P < 0.05) than that in the siRNA-NC group. The SMAC mRNA expression was significantly lower in the cells of the siRNA-SMAC group (P < 0.05) than in the siRNA-NC group. Compared with the pcDNA-NC group, the cell IC50, cell clone number, cell invasion ability, and Bcl-2 protein and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were significantly lower in the pcDNA-SMAC group, the cell resistance index reversal was 2.51-fold, and the apoptosis ability and caspase-3, as well as Bax protein expression, were significantly higher (P < 0.05). Compared with the siRNA-NC group, cell IC50, cell clone number, cell invasion ability, and Bcl-2 protein and Bcl-2/Bax ratio were significantly higher in the siRNA-SMAC group, and apoptosis ability and caspase-3 and Bax protein expression were significantly lower (P < 0.05). Conclusion High expression of SMAC increases paclitaxel sensitivity, inhibits cell growth and invasion, promotes apoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells, and has a regulatory effect on the caspase-3/Bcl-2/Bax signaling pathway.

Cost-utility analysis of sintilimab combined with chemotherapy in first-line treatment of advanced，recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of sintilimab combined with chemotherapy than single-use chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of advanced， recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） from the perspective of health system of our country， and provide reference for rational use of drug in clinic. METHODS Based on ORIENT-15 study data， TreeAge Pro 2011 software was used to establish a three-state Markov model of non-progressive survival （PFS）， disease progression and death for cost-utility analysis. The model period was 3 weeks， the research time limit was 10 years， and the discount rate was 5%. The main outputs of the model were total cost， quality-adjusted life year （QALY） and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER）. The 1-3 times of China’s GDP per capita in 2021 was taken as the threshold of willing- ness to pay （WTP）. The uncertainty of the parameters was analyzed by single factor sensitivity analysis and probability sensitivity analysis， and the cost-effectiveness of the two schemes was discussed under three situations： different discount rates， comparison with other similar treatment schemes and charitable drug donation schemes. RESULTS The results of basic analysis showed that compared with chemotherapy plan alone， the ICER of sintilimab combined with chemotherapy was 64 208.75 yuan/QALY， which was less than WTP threshold. The results of single factor sensitivity analysis show that PFS state utility value， cycle cost of sintilimab and discount rate had relatively great influence on the results. Probability sensitivity analysis showed that when WTP≥120 000 yuan， the economic probability of sintilimab combined with chemotherapy plan was 100%. The results of situational analysis showed that sintilimab combined chemotherapy was more cost- effective than single-use chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Sintilimab combined with chemotherapy is more cost-effective than single-use chemotherapy in the first-line treatment of advanced， recurrent or metastatic ESCC.

Chinese expert consensus of albumin-bound paclitaxel in the treatment of breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor of women, which seriously threatens women's health. Albumin-bound paclitaxel is the basic chemotherapy drug for breast cancer treatment. We can promote reasonable clinical medication and improve patients' quality of life by standardizing chemotherapy plans, rationally optimizing treatment strategy and managing adverse reactions of albumin-bound paclitaxel. In order to standardize the clinical application of albumin-bound paclitaxel in breast cancer, Chinese Medical Doctor Association Oncologist Branch Breast Cancer Group and International Medical Exchange Branch of China Anti-Cancer Association consulted guidelines and the latest evidence-based evidences and formulated Chinese expert consensus of albumin-bound paclitaxel in the treatment of breast cancer to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The consensus mainly introduces the clinical application strategies and evidence-based evidences of albumin-bound paclitaxel in advanced therapy, neoadjuvant therapy and adjuvant therapy of breast cancer. Among them, the regimens containing albumin-bound paclitaxel are the better recommended regimens for preoperative neoadjuvant and advanced rescue therapy of breast cancer. However, there is little evidence in adjuvant therapy, so it is recommended to use albumin-bound paclitaxel cautiously. We also invited breast cancer clinical experts to vote on some controversial issues, including but not limited to the usage and dosage of albumin-bound paclitaxel, combined medication and management of peripheral neuropathy, and formed consensus recommendations for the reference of breast cancer clinical workers.

A real-world study on the efficacy and safety analysis of paclitaxel liposome in advanced breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To explore the application and efficacy of paclitaxel liposome in the treatment of advanced breast cancer among Chinese population in the real world. Methods: The clinical characteristics of patients with advanced breast cancer who received paclitaxel liposome as salvage treatment from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2019 in 11 hospitals were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome was progression free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcome included objective response rate (ORR) and safety. The survival curve was drawn by Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox regression model were used for the multivariate analysis. Results: Among 647 patients with advanced breast cancer who received paclitaxel liposome, the first-line treatment accounted for 43.3% (280/647), the second-line treatment accounted for 27.7% (179/647), and the third-line and above treatment accounted for 29.1% (188/647). The median dose of first-line and second-line treatment was 260 mg per cycle, and 240 mg in third line and above treatment. The median period of paclitaxel liposome alone and combined chemotherapy or targeted therapy is 4 cycles and 6 cycles, respectively. In the whole group, 167 patients (25.8%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with capecitabine±trastuzumab (TX±H), 123 patients (19.0%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome alone (T), and 119 patients (18.4%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with platinum ± trastuzumab (TP±H), 108 patients (16.7%) were treated with paclitaxel liposome combined with trastuzumab ± pertuzumab (TH±P). The median PFS of first-line and second-line patients (5.5 and 5.5 months, respectively) were longer than that of patients treated with third line and above (4.9 months, P<0.05); The ORR of the first line, second line, third line and above patients were 46.7%, 36.8% and 28.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that event-free survival (EFS) and the number of treatment lines were independent prognostic factors for PFS. The common adverse events were myelosuppression, gastrointestinal reactions, hand foot syndrome and abnormal liver function. Conclusion: Paclitaxel liposomes is widely used and has promising efficacy in multi-subtype advanced breast cancer.

Ginsenoside Rg_3 based liposomes target delivery of dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer / 中国中药杂志

Ginsenoside Rg_3, an active component of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), was used as the substitute for cholesterol as the membrane material to prepare the ginsenoside Rg_3-based liposomes loaded with dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel. The effect of the prepared drug-loading liposomes on triple-negative breast cancer in vitro was evaluated. Liposomes were prepared with the thin film hydration method, and the preparation process was optimized by single factor experiments. The physicochemical properties(e.g., particle size, Zeta potential, and stability) of the liposomes were characterized. The release behaviors of drugs in different media(pH 5.0 and pH 7.4) were evaluated. The antitumor activities of the liposomes were determined by CCK-8 on MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells. The cell scratch test was carried out to evaluate the effect of the liposomes on the migration of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells. Further, the targeting ability of liposomes and the mechanism of lysosome escape were investigated. Finally, H9c2 cells were used to evaluate the potential cardiotoxicity of the preparation. The liposomes prepared were spheroid, with uniform particle size distribution, the ave-rage particle size of(107.81±0.01) nm, and the Zeta potential of(2.78±0.66) mV. The encapsulation efficiency of dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel was 57.76%±1.38% and 99.66%±0.07%, respectively, and the total drug loading was 4.46%±0.71%. The accumulated release of dihydroartemisinin and paclitaxel from the liposomes at pH 5.0 was better than that at pH 7.4, and the liposomes could be stored at low temperature for seven days with good stability. Twenty-four hours after administration, the inhibition rates of the ginsenoside Rg_3-based liposomes loaded with dihydroartemisinin(70 μmol·L~(-1)) and paclitaxel on MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells were higher than those of the positive control(adriamycin) and free drugs(P<0.01). Compared with free drugs, liposomes inhibited the migration of MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells(P<0.05). Liposomes demonstrated active targeting and lysosome escape. In particular, liposomes showed lower toxicity to H9c2 cells than free drugs(P<0.05), which indicated that the preparation had the potential to reduce cardiotoxicity. The findings prove that ginsenoside Rg_3 characterized by the combination of drug and excipient is an ideal substitute for lipids in liposomes and promoted the development of innovative TCM drugs for treating cancer.

Morphine counteracts the effects of paclitaxel in triple-negative breast cancer cells

Background & objectives: Several studies have provided evidence that opioids may play a role in cancer recurrence and metastasis. Multiple research data indicate that morphine can act as a proliferative or suppressive agent on tumour cells depending on the applied concentration. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate whether the presence of clinically relevant concentrations of morphine has any effect on the efficacy of paclitaxel, a widely used chemotherapeutic drug, on the viability and apoptosis of human triple-negative breast cancer cell line. Methods: MDA.MB.231 cells were treated with paclitaxel in the presence or absence of morphine and examined for cell proliferation by the MTT assay. In addition, the effect of morphine on paclitaxel- induced apoptosis was investigated by flow cytometric assay and by the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels with quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR. Results: Morphine significantly increased the proliferation of breast cancer cells at low concentrations (0.1-2.5 ?M) but higher concentrations showed cytotoxic effect. Pre-treatment with 0.1 or 1 ?M of morphine decreased the paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity, the proportion of apoptotic cell, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 mRNA expressions. Interpretation & conclusions: Our data suggest that morphine promotes breast cancer cell viability at clinically relevant plasma concentrations and reduces the apoptotic effect of paclitaxel. This interaction may be very important in clinical settings; however, more studies are needed to explore the plausible mechanisms of interaction and to correlate such findings through in vivo animal studies as well as clinically.

A prospective comparative study of concurrent chemoradiation in advanced carcinoma cervix patients with weekly cisplatin vs. weekly cisplatin and paclitaxel

Background: Cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiation is the standard treatment for carcinoma cervix. However, there is a need to explore alternative chemotherapeutic agents to further improve the treatment outcome. In this study, weekly paclitaxel and cisplatin-based chemoradiation was compared with weekly cisplatin-based chemoradiation in terms of disease control and toxicity profile. Materials and Methods: Sixty-four patients with FIGO stage IB2-IIIB squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were divided (by simple random sampling) into two groups: control arm patients who received radiotherapy (50 Gy in 25 fractions over 5 weeks) with concurrent weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m 2 ) and study arm patients received same radiation dose with weekly cisplatin (30 mg/m2 ) and paclitaxel (40 mg/m2 ). After that, all patients received brachytherapy 21 Gy/three fractions, one fraction/week. All patients were followed up weekly during treatment, then 4–6 weeks after treatment completion, and thereafter monthly for at least 6 months. Results: The overall treatment response (complete+ partial response) was numerically higher in the cisplatin- containing control arm, but not significant (93% vs. 80%, P-value = 0.406). High-grade early rectal (60% vs. 25%, P-value = 0.014) and acute gastrointestinal toxicity (66% vs. 6%, P-value <0.001) were significantly higher in the cisplatin and paclitaxel-containing arm. Hematological, renal, late rectal, and bladder toxicities were also numerically higher in the study arm, but not statistically significant. Conclusion: There was no significant benefit of weekly paclitaxel and cisplatin as an alternative to weekly cisplatin-based chemoradiation in the treatment of carcinoma cervix.

Rapamycin and Paclitaxel Affect Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells-Derived Foam Cells Viability and Proliferation

Abstract Introduction: Drug-eluting stents (DES) coated with rapamycin or paclitaxel as antiproliferative substances significantly reduced the incidence of clinical restenosis and had fewer side effects after percutaneous coronary intervention. However, DES coated with rapamycin or paclitaxel still cause restenosis due to abnormal tissue growth which remained a therapeutic problem, particularly in certain subgroups, possibly due to drug concentrations. This study examined the impact of different concentrations of rapamycin and paclitaxel on cytokine, cell viability and proliferation in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC)-derived foam cells. Methods: The foam cell model was established in vitro by incubating HASMC with 20 µg/mL oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) for 48 hours. Subsequently, foam cells were treated with different concentrations (0.01 µg/mL, 0.1 µg/mL, 0.5 µg/mL, 1 µg/mL, 5 µg/mL and 10 µg/mL) of rapamycin or paclitaxel for 48 hours, to measure cytokine, cell viability and proliferation by ELISA and MTT, respectively. Finally, viability and proliferation were measured by MTT after the foam cells were treated with 1 µg/mL rapamycin or paclitaxel combined with cytokine antibody for 48 hours. Results: After incubation of HASMC with ox-LDL, the ratios of cholesterol ester and total cholesterol increased significantly (55.29%) (P<0.01). Lipid staining with Oil Red O showed many lipid vacuoles and red dye particles in the cells. Meanwhile, cell viability and proliferation significantly increased compared with the control. This indicated that HASMC had been transformed into foam cells (P<0.01) while rapamycin or paclitaxel concentrations ≥0.1 µg/mL can significantly decrease the foam cell proliferation (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and 1 µg/mL of rapamycin or paclitaxel appeared the most effective concentration. As for cytokines, rapamycin or paclitaxel concentrations ≥1 ug/mL could significantly increase the level of inflammatory cytokines IL-6 (P<0.05 or P<0.01), which was enhanced with the increase of drug concentration. However, rapamycin or paclitaxel concentrations ≥1 µg/mL could significantly reduce the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-35 and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) (P<0.05 or P<0.01), which decreased with the increase of drug concentration. In addition, rapamycin or paclitaxel combined with anti-IL-1β, anti-IL-6, anti- TNF-α or anti-IL-35 had no significant effect on foam cell proliferation compared to the drug alone. However, rapamycin or paclitaxel combined with anti-IL-10 or anti-TGF-β can significantly enhance foam cell proliferation (P<0.01). In addition, there was no difference in the effects of the same concentrations of rapamycin and paclitaxel on foam cells. Conclusion: Although rapamycin or paclitaxel can reduce foam cell proliferation, too high or too low concentrations could decrease effectiveness. In particular, a high dose can induce foam cells to increase inflammatory cytokines secretion, reduce anti-inflammatory cytokines secretion, and thus affect the inhibiting proliferation. For rapamycin- and paclitaxel-eluting stents, this conclusion may explain the clinical observation of in-stent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. DES coated with an appropriate concentration of rapamycin or paclitaxel may, at least to some extent, contribute significantly to reducing incidence of late in-stent restenosis.

Reestenosis de stents liberadores de paclitaxel frente a stents convencionales

RESUMEN Introducción: La reestenosis de los stents liberadores de paclitaxel utilizados en Cuba no ha sido estudiada. Objetivo: Evaluar la reestenosis de los stents liberadores de paclitaxel y los convencionales. Métodos: Se incluyeron 64 pacientes con reestenosis de stent, de un estudio prospectivo previo; en 318 pacientes seguidos por 3 años luego de intervención coronaria percutánea; 25 con stent liberador de paclitaxel y 39 stent metálico convencional. Se consideró reestenosis como nueva lesión ≥ 50 % de la luz del vaso con isquemia demostrada. Se describió el tiempo de aparición, patrón angiográfico y alternativa de revascularización. Resultados: La reestenosis en el grupo de stents liberadores de paclitaxel fue 15,7 % con tiempo medio de supervivencia sin reestenosis de 32,4 meses vs. 24,5 % en stents convencionales, con supervivencia sin reestenosis de 29,8 meses, (p= 0,047). En el grupo de stents liberadores de paclitaxel predominó el patrón IB, (30,3 %) y stent convencional el III (28,3 %). En el 28,0 % del grupo de stents liberadores de paclitaxel, se recurrió a la cirugía de revascularización vs. 5,1 % en el grupo de stent convencional. Conclusiones: El stent liberador de paclitaxel logra una supervivencia libre de reestenosis superior y más perdurable que el stent convencional. La reestenosis en los de stents liberadores de paclitaxel es focal, con mayor frecuencia de nueva revascularización por cirugía y en los stents convencionales es mayormente difusa.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The restenosis of the paclitaxel-eluting stents used in Cuba has not been studied. Objective: To evaluate the restenosis of paclitaxel-eluting stents and conventional stents. Methods: 64 patients with stent restenosis were included, from a previous prospective study; in 318 patients followed up for 3 years after percutaneous coronary intervention; 25 with a paclitaxel-eluting stent and 39 conventional metal stent. Restenosis was considered as a new lesion ≥ 50 % of the vessel lumen with proven ischemia. The time to onset, angiographic pattern and alternative revascularization were described. Results: Restenosis in the group with paclitaxel-eluting stents was 15.7 % with a mean survival time without restenosis of 32.4 months vs. 24.5 % in conventional stents, with restenosis-free survival of 29.8 months, (p = 0.047). In the group with paclitaxel-eluting stents, the IB pattern predominated (30.3 %) and the conventional stent III (28.3 %). In 28.0 % of the paclitaxel-eluting stent group, revascularization surgery was used vs. 5.1 % in the conventional stent group. Conclusions: The paclitaxel-eluting stent achieves a superior and more durable restenosis-free survival than the conventional stent. Restenosis in paclitaxel-eluting stents is focal, with a higher frequency of revascularization by surgery, and in conventional stents it is mostly diffuse.

Low-dose paclitaxel modulates the cross talk between the JNK and Smad signaling in primary biliary fibroblasts

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the occurrence of benign bile duct stricture and the target of low-dose paclitaxel in the prevention of benign bile duct stricture. METHODS: Under the stimulation of transforming growth factor beta 1, the expression of collagen type I and connective tissue growth factor were detected on isolated primary fibroblasts. The phosphorylation levels of JNK and Smad2L were detected using Western blot. The effect of low-dose paclitaxel on the transforming growth factor beta 1-induced inhibition of type I collagen and connective tissue growth factor expression and JNK and Smad2L phosphorylation was also observed. RESULTS: Transforming growth factor beta 1 induced the secretion of type I collagen and connective tissue growth factor as well as JNK phosphorylation in biliary fibroblasts. The JNK inhibitor or siRNA-Smad2 inhibited the transforming growth factor beta 1-induced secretion of type I collagen and connective tissue growth factor. Low-dose paclitaxel inhibited the expression of type I collagen induced by transforming growth factor beta 1 and may inhibit the secretion of collagen in biliary fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: The activation of JNK/Smad2L induced by transforming growth factor beta 1 is involved in the occurrence of benign bile duct stricture that is mediated by the overexpression of type I collagen and connective tissue growth factor, and low-dose paclitaxel may inhibit the phosphorylation of JNK/Smad2L.

Determination of paclitaxel prodrug in SD rat plasma by LC-MS/MS and its application in preclinical pharmacokinetic studies / 药学学报

A fast and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of prodrug of paclitaxel (Pro-PTX) and paclitaxel (PTX) in rat plasma was developed. The plasma samples were subjected to protein precipitation with acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid), and then separated by LC with an Ultimate AQ-C18 column (50 mm × 3.0 mm, 3 μm) and acetonitrile-1 mmol·L-1 ammonium formate (containing 0.1% formic acid) as the mobile phase. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scanning mode was used to detect the ion responses m/z 983.4→415.2 (Pro-PTX), m/z 854.4→286.1 (PTX) and m/z 808.3→527.2 (Docetaxel, internal standard) by using a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization source and positive ion mode. The method validation results show that the linear ranges of Pro-PTX and PTX in plasma were 2.00-500 ng·mL-1 (r > 0.99) and 4.00-1 000 ng·mL-1 (r > 0.99), the lower limit of quantification was 2.00 ng·mL-1 and 4.00 ng·mL-1, respectively; the quality control samples with low, medium and high concentrations of Pro-PTX and PTX were within the batch, the relative standard deviation (RSD) between batches were all less than 9%; the relative deviation (RE) was within the range of ± 9%; In the stability test, both Pro-PTX and PTX in plasma were stable under various storage conditions. The method was sensitive, specific, and reproducible, and was suitable for the pharmacokinetic study of Pro-PTX in rats. Animal experiments were approved by the Ethics Committee of Laboratory Animal Management and Animal Welfare, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (No.: 00003552).