Treatment of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors Associated Adverse Skin Reactions by Zhiyang Pingfu Liquid: a Clinical Study / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the curative effect of Zhiyang Pingfu Liquid (ZPL) in treating epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) associated adverse reactions of the skin.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All 54 patients with pathologically confirmed malignant tumor had EGFRIs induced adverse reactions of the skin to various degrees. ZPL was externally applied for them all, once or twice per day, 14 days consisting of one therapeutic course. Changes of adverse skin reactions, time for symptoms relief, adverse skin reaction types suitable for ZPL were observed before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EGFRIs associated skin adverse reactions were improved to various degrees after they used ZPL. The shortest symptoms relief time was 1 day while the longest was 12 days, with an average of 6.93 days and the median time 7 days. Compared with before treatment, itching, rash/scaling, acne/acneform eruptions were obviously improved (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ZPL could alleviate EGFRls associated adverse skin reactions, especially showed better effect on itching, rash/scaling, acne/acneform eruptions.</p>

Effect of Shengjiang Xiexin Decoction on the Repair of Damaged Rat Intestinal Mucosa after Irinotecan Chemotherapy / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of Shengjiang Xiexin Decoction (SXD) on the intestinal mucosal and functional cells of rats after irinotecan (CPT-11) chemotherapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 24 healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats were divided into three groups, the normal control group, the CPT-11 group, the SXD combined CPT-11 group according to random digit table, 8 in each group. CPT-11 was injected at the daily dose of 150 mg/kg to rats in the CPT-11 group and the SXD combined CPT-11 group from the caudal vein on the 4th day, once daily for 2 successive days to duplicate delayed diarrhea model. Equal volume of normal saline was injected to rats in the normal control group from the caudal vein. SXD at 2 g/mL (10 g/kg body weight) was administered to rats in the SXD combined CPT-11 group by gastrogavage for 9 successive days. Deionized water was administered to rats in the CPT-11 group and the normal control group. Diarrhea was observed at 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, and 108 h to calculate the incidence rate of diarrhea. Meanwhile, scoring for diarrhea was performed by referring methods of Akinobu Kurita. Rats were killed on day 10, ileum, cecum, and colon tissues were collected and fixed in 10% formalin solution. HE staining was performed. Intestinal mucosa injuries were graded under light microscope according to the criterion of Chiu's score. The expressions of goblet cells and Paneth cells were observed by PAS stain. Enteroendocrine cells were observed by immunohistochemical CgA staining. Positive cells were counted and cumulative optical density (IOD) analyzed by Image-Pro-Plus 6.0.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No diarrhea occurred in rats of the normal control group at each time point. The incidence rate of diarrhea was 75.0% (6/8) at 48 h, 100.0% (8/8) at 60 h, 100.0% (8/8) at 72 h, 87.5% (7/8) at 84 h, 75.0% (6/8) at 96 h, and 75.0% (6/8) at 108 h in the CPT-11 group. The incidence rate of diarrhea was 25.0% (2/8) at 48 h, 50.0% (4/8) at 60 h, 12.5% (1/8) at 72 h, 0.0% (0/8) at 84 h in the SXD combined CPT-11 group. Compared with the same group at 60 h, scores for diarrhea at 48, 84, 96, and 108 h obviously decreased in the CPT-11 group, and scores for diarrhea at 48, 72, 84, 96, and 108 h obviously decreased in the SXD combined CPT-11 group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the same group at 72 h, scores for diarrhea at 84, 96, and 108 h obviously decreased in the CPT-11 group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared with the normal control group, scores for diarrhea increased in the CPT-11 group at each time point (P < 0.01); grading of ileum, cecum, and colon mucosal tissues increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); expressions of ileum and cecum mucosal epithelial goblet cells obviously decreased (P < 0.05); the number and expressions of ileum and cecum mucosal epithelial Paneth cells increased (P < 0.01). Expressions of ilium endocrine cells increased, while those of cecum and colon endocrine cells decreased in the CPT-11 group (P < 0.01). Compared with the CPT-11 group, scores for diarrhea were obviously lowered (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), grading of ileum, and cecum mucosal tissues decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); expressions of ileum, cecum, and colon mucosal epithelial goblet cells obviously increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the number and expressions of ileum cecum mucosal epithelial Paneth cells increased (P < 0.05); expressions of cecum and colon endocrine cells increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) in the SXD combined CPT-11 group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SXD played roles in preventing and treating CPT-11 induced delayed diarrhea by improving CPT-11 chemotherapy induced apoptosis and necrosis of intestinal mucosal and functional cells.</p>

Taxol based chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of taxol-based chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer (AGC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-nine patients with AGC treated with taxol-based protocols: taxol plus 5-fluouracil 17 patients, taxol plus cisplatin 10 patients, taxol plus epirubicin 2 patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Twenty-six patients were evaluated for clinical response. There was no complete response, PR 10 (34.5%), SD 12 (41.4%), PD 4 (13.8%). The total response rate was 34.5%. The clinical beneficial response rate was 72.4% (21/29). Median time to progression (mTTP) was 5.8 months and median overall survival time was 9.3 months. The main side effects were: suppression of bone marrow in 26 patients (89.7%), alopecia in 25 (86.2%), myodynia and arthrodynia in 23 (79.3%). There was no death during the treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Taxol-based chemotherapy is an effective and well tolerated regimen in the treatment of AUC, which can relieve suffering and improve quality of life of the patients. It can be used as the second-line therapy for relapsed advanced gastric cancer.</p>