Metronomic chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting: results of two parallel feasibility trials (TraQme and TAME) in patients with HER2+ and HER2− locally advanced breast cancer

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has practical and theoretical advantages over adjuvant chemotherapy strategy in breast cancer (BC) management. Moreover, metronomic delivery has a more favorable toxicity profile. The present study examined the feasibility of neoadjuvant metronomic chemotherapy in two cohorts [HER2+ (TraQme) and HER2− (TAME)] of locally advanced BC. Twenty patients were prospectively enrolled (TraQme, n=9; TAME, n=11). Both cohorts received weekly paclitaxel at 100 mg/m2 during 8 weeks followed by weekly doxorubicin at 24 mg/m2 for 9 weeks in combination with oral cyclophosphamide at 100 mg/day (fixed dose). The HER2+ cohort received weekly trastuzumab. The study was interrupted because of safety issues. Thirty-six percent of patients in the TAME cohort and all patients from the TraQme cohort had stage III BC. Of note, 33% from the TraQme cohort and 66% from the TAME cohort displayed hormone receptor positivity in tumor tissue. The pathological complete response rates were 55% and 18% among patients enrolled in the TraQme and TAME cohorts, respectively. Patients in the TraQme cohort had more advanced BC stages at diagnosis, higher-grade pathological classification, and more tumors lacking hormone receptor expression, compared to the TAME cohort. The toxicity profile was also different. Two patients in the TraQme cohort developed pneumonitis, and in the TAME cohort we observed more hematological toxicity and hand-foot syndrome. The neoadjuvant metronomic chemotherapy regimen evaluated in this trial was highly effective in achieving a tumor response, especially in the HER2+ cohort. Pneumonitis was a serious, unexpected adverse event observed in this group. Further larger and randomized trials are warranted to evaluate the association between metronomic chemotherapy and trastuzumab treatment.

In Vivo and In Vitro evaluation of the efficacy of a peracetic acid-based disinfectant for decontamination of acrylic resins

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficácia antimicrobiológica de um desinfetante à base de ácido peracético na descontaminação de resinas acrílicas termicamente ativada, quimicamente ativada e polimerizada em forno de microondas. Placas de resina foram contaminadas in vivo por meio do uso intraoral por 10 voluntários durante 7 noites e corpos-de-prova de resina foram contaminados in vitro por meio do contato com microrganismos conhecidos: Bacillus subtilis e Bacillus stearothermophilus. Os espécimes contaminados foram imersos em desinfetante à base de ácido peracético a 0,2% (Sterilife®; Lifemed) durante 5 ou 10 min e então colocados no meio de cultura BHI. Após incubação a 37°C for 48 h, o crescimento bacteriano foi avaliado por meio análise da turvação do meio de cultura. Todos os espécimes imersos em ácido peracético por 5 ou 10 min não apresentaram turvação do meio de cultura, enquanto os espécimes contaminados e colocados diretamente no meio de cultura (grupo controle) apresentaram turvação. Concluiu-se que a imersão em ácido peracético por pelo menos 5 min foi eficaz na desinfecção de resinas acrílicas termicamente ativada, quimicamente ativada e polimerizada em forno de microondas contaminadas tanto com saliva humana quanto com Bacillus subtilis ou Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Evaluation of a Bacillus stearothermophilus tube test as a screening tool for anticoccidial residues in poultry

A Bacillus stearothermophilus var. calidolactis C953 tube test was evaluated for its ability in detecting the residue of selected anticoccidial drugs in poultry, specically sulfamethazine, furazolidone, and amprolium. Various concentrations of each drug were injected into chicken liver and kidney tissues and these tissues were tested to determine the drug detection limits for each drug. The detection limit was defined as the drug concentration at which 95% of the test results were interpreted as positive. The limits of detection in liver tissue were 0.35 microgram/ml for furazolidone, 0.70 microgram/ml for sulfamethazine and 7.80 microgram/ ml for amprolium. In kidney tissues, they were 0.30 microgram/ml for furazolidone, 0.54 microgram/ml for sulfamethazine, and 7.6 microgram/ml for amprolium. It was concluded that this tube test could be used to screen for the residue of these three drugs in poultry.