Assessment the effectiveness of hematopoietic growth factors on hepatic regeneration after partial hepatectomy in albino rats with induced bone marrow suppression

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of hematopoietic growth factors [erythropoietin and granulocyte colony stimulating factor] on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy and bone marrow suppression of rats and to investigate the role of hematopoietic stem cells in liver regeneration by assessment of CD 34+ hematopoietic stem cells marker in hepatic tissues. 36 adult male albino rats were used in this study and were divided into six groups each of 6 rats: the 1st is the control group, the 2nd is bone marrow suppression group, 3rd is subjected to partial hepatectomy, 4th is subjected to bone marrow suppression by benzene, then 70% partial hepatectomy, 5th is subjected to 70% partial hepatectomy with injection of Eprex and Neupogen at time of partial hepatectomy, then daily for 5 days post hepatectomy and the 6th group is subjected to bone marrow suppression by benzene first then 70% partial hepatectomy with injection of Eprex and Neupogen daily for 5 days post hepatectomy. Histological evaluation and immunohistochemical study for CD34+ cells in the hepatic tissues were assessed. There were no regenerative changes in both control and benzene treated groups. There were little regenerative changes in the group of partial hepatectomy after benzene treatment but in the groups that were treated with the hematopoietic growth factors. These regenerative changes were increased especially in the treated group after partial hepatectomy than treated group after partial hepatectomy and bone marrow suppression. Immunostaining of CD34 expression as marker of HSCs in liver sections showed the following; the normal group, benzene treated group and partially hepatectomized group after benzene treatment showed no expression, but partially hepatectomized group show focally positive expression. Both groups treated with hematopoietic growth factors either after partial hepatectomy or after partial hepatectomy and bone marrow suppression by benzene show diffusely positive expression. The present study had shown that Erythropoietin and Granulocyte colony stimulating factors stimulate regenerative process occurred in the liver after partial hepatectomy only and after partial hepatectomy with bone marrow suppression either by endogenous mechanisms or by mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells

Impact of gemcitabine and cisplatin with radiotherapy in locally advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder

The primary object of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Gemcitabine and Cisplatin along with radiotherapy in transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder. Patients and Twenty patients with locally advanced or metastatic TCC of urinary bladder were enrolled during the 22-months period from January, 1999 to October, 2000 and followed up till March 2002.Three patients received 4 cycles, five patients received 5 cycles and twelve patients received 6 cycles of Gemcitabine 1250mg / m2 on day 1 and day 8 and Cisplatin 80mg / m2 on day 1; administered every 3 weeks. No patient received prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. However, four patients received prior intravesical chemotherapy. All patients received radiotherapy after completion of chemotherapy regimen. Nineteen patients achieved complete response at the end of the treatment. The complete response rate was 95%. The confidence interval was at 95%, level of confidence ranged from 85% to 100%. Median duration of clinical benefit was 21 months. Six patients [30%] were documented neutropenia, three patients [15%] documented thrombocytopenia. No life threatening toxicity was observed. Gemcitabine and Cisplatin along with radiotherapy in locally or metastatic Transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder, exhibited pronounced response rate among all the patients. The toxicity profile remained extremely low and disease free survival enhanced. The above investigation may further be continued at a larger scale encompassing a wide band of subjects