[A project of the 6th chapter of the Oncology Research Group, Aichi Prefectural Society of Hospital Pharmacists: an attempt to make a pamphlet for patients undergoing LEED therapy, based on analysis of complications].

To date, medical guidance for patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy has mainly been with regard to individual medicines. Only a few reports have been available dealing with information on side effects by a regimen unit. Therefore, we accumulated information on side effects and made a pamphlet for patients with malignant lymphoma undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation after Melphalan (L-PAM), Cyclophosphamide (Endoxan), VP-16 (etoposide) and Dexamethasone (LEED)therapy, for the purpose of explanation for patients on pharmacist's rounds. This pamphlet consists of time schedule of anticancer therapy, harmful phenomena due to cancer chemotherapy and counterplans for such side effects. Easy-to-understand graphics are used to explain the appearance and duration of side effects by anticancer agents. This pamphlet will serve to improve comprehension and the attitude of patients toward cancer chemotherapy. The pamphlets will also be a useful tool to reassure patients on pharmacist's rounds.

A wide interindividual variability of urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to free cortisol in 487 healthy Japanese subjects in near basal condition.

The frequency distribution of CYP3A activity was investigated by measuring ratios of urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to free cortisol in 487 healthy subjects to determine whether a genetic polymorphism for this cytochrome enzyme exists in "native-born" Japanese persons. Spot urine samples (from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm) were collected for measurement of 6beta-hydroxycortisol and free cortisol by high-performance liquid chromatography with a CN column after extracting with a solid-phase column (Bond-Elut C18). The frequency distribution of the urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol to free cortisol was widely distributed among subjects but with no clear bimodality by a probit plot. Furthermore, the frequency distribution assessed on a new normal test variable plot indicated the possible existence of a CYP3A sexual dimorphism. Mean 6beta-hydroxycortisol levels were higher in women (n = 249) than in men (n = 238) by 1.7-fold, and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). These results show that a CYP3A genetic polymorphism in Japanese persons, based on 6beta-hydroxycortisol excretions, likely does not exist, but there appears to be a broad unimodal distribution of enzyme activity in the population.