Low dose-intensity docetaxel monotherapy for patients with anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer in poor physical status / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a weekly schedule of low dose-intensity docetaxel monochemotherapy for patients with anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in poor physical status.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty MBC patients who were previously exposed to anthracycline treatment received docetaxel alone at a dose of 30 mg/m2 on D1, D8 and D15, repeated every 4 weeks for a maximum of 6 cycles.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 30 evaluable patients, 2 (6.7%) achieved a complete response, and 9 (30.0%) a partial response, with an overall objective response rate of 36.7% (95% CI: 20.5%-53.9%). The most common adverse event was hematologic toxicity. After an average follow-up of 15.0 months, the median time to progression (TTP) was 8. 5 months and the median overall survival (OS) had not reached yet at the end of follow-up.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The weekly low dose-intensity docetaxel monochemotherapy is effective and well-tolerated in patients with anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer in poor physical status.</p>

Down-regulation of TopI by RNA interference reduces the drug-sensitivity of small cell lung cancer cell lines to topotecan / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expressions of TopI gene in small cell lung cancer cell line H446, and explore the influence of TopI on the chemosensitivity of the cell line to topotecan (TPT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Western blot was performed to detect the TopI expression in H446 cells. Lipofectamine 2000 was used for the transient transfection of H446 cells by siRNA, and the transfection efficacy was detected. TopI mRNA was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR and TopI protein was detected by Western blot to selected effective siRNA. The drug-sensitivity to topotecan (TPT) was evaluated by MTT assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TopI gene was expressed in H446 cells. Lipofectamine 2000 mediated the siRNA effectively (88.67%). Compared with its parental cells, RT-PCR results showed that TopI mRNAs in transfected cells were reduced by (95.7 +/- 1.6)%, (90.8 +/- 1.6)%, (96.1 +/- 2.7)% and (96.3 +/- 1.8)%, respectively, and decreased significantly at protein level. By MTT assay, the inhibition rate of TPT to H446 cells transfected by siRNA was lower than that of control group at same concentrations (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>siRNAs can silence the expression of TopI and decrease the drug-sensitivity of H446 cells to TPT.</p>

Expression and significance of DNA topoisomerase I (topo I) in small cell lung cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression and its significance of DNA topoisomerase I (Topo I) in small cell lung cancer (SCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Topo I expression was detected by immunohistochemical S-P technique on 50 cases of SCLC and 12 cases of normal lung tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total positive rate of Topo I in normal lung tissue was 25.0% (3/12) and 78.0% (39/50) in SCLC. The expression of Topo I does not correlate with age, gender, smoking, tumor size and tumor site (P > 0.05), but significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and clinical stage (P <0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>High Topo I expression is a rationale indication of Topo I inhibitor treatment of malignancies. It should be possible to predict anti-tumor drug sensitivity by assessment of Topo I expression and help to improve the therapeutic efficacy for cancer patients.</p>

Expression and significance of integrin alpha5, beta1 and E-CD in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between the expressions of integrin alpha5 beta1 and E-CD, and clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of integrin alpha5 beta1 and E-CD were analyzed in 53 NSCLC and 12 control specimens by immunohistochemical assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of integrin alpha5 beta1 was significantly higher in NSCLC (58.5%) than that in normal lung tissue (16.7%), and also positively related with pathological characteristics (P = 0.021), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.006), and clinical stage (P = 0.002). The 3-year survival rate in NSCLC group was significantly lower than that in control group (22.3% vs 40.6% , P = 0.041). The positive expression of E-CD in NSCLC and control group was 32.1% and 91.7%, respectively, and negatively correlated with pathological characteristics (P = 0.010) and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.002). The 3-year survival rate in control group was 19.9%, lower than that in NSCLC group (41.2%, P > 0.05), but the difference is not significant.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The overexpression of integrin alpha5 beta1 may contribute to lymph node metastasis and play an inverse role, while E-CD may be a beneficial prognostic factor in patients with NSCLC.</p>

Effectiveness and safety of rhIL-11 in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effectiveness, safety and possible mechanism of recombinate human interleukin 11 (rhIL-11) in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-four patients (totally 76 cycles) with chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia received subcutaneous injection of rhIL-11 at the dose of 25 microg.kg(-1).d(-1) for 4 to 16 days. Serum IL-11 level was measured by ELISA, and IL-11 R alpha expression was detected by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean baseline platelet count before chemotherapy was (135.0 +/- 54.3) x 10(9)/L for the 1st cycle and (259.4 +/- 64.5) x 10(9)/L for the 2nd cycle. The time to administer rhIL-11 was 7 to 16 days (median 12 days) in the 1st cycle and 4 to 10 days (median 6 days) in the 2nd, respectively (P < 0.05). The duration of post-chemotherapy platelet count below 50 x 10(9)/L was 7 to 13 days (median 10 days) for the 1st cycle and 3 to 8 days (median 5 days) for the 2nd, respectively (P < 0.05). Platelet count reached 300 x 10(9)/L or above in 30 chemotherapy cycles. The maximum platelet count was found to appear at D10 to D 17 (median D14), and negatively correlated with the pre-chemotherapy serum IL-11 level after administration of rhIL-11. Major adverse reactions included edema, headache, muscle and joint pain.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>rhIL-11 is effective and safe for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia, with a relatively slow but sustained effect on the recovery of platelet count. Pre-chemotherpy serum IL-11 level might predict the efficacy of rhIL-11.</p>