[A case of non-small cell lung cancer in which complete response was achieved with chemotherapy including cisplatin, vinorelbine, mitomycin C, followed by additional cisplatin, etoposide and concurrent radiotherapy].

A 43-year-old man presented at our hospital with a complaint of cough and sputum. A plain chest X-ray and CT scan revealed a tumor shadow 8 cm in size in the right hilar and enlarged mediastinal lymph node. The tumor had invaded the superior vena cava. A tumor biopsy done under bronchoscopy revealed poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma (cT4N2M0). He was given three courses of a combination therapy consisting of cisplatin (80 mg/m(2)), vinorelbine (25 mg/m(2)) and mitomycin C (8 mg/m(2)). Additionally, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cisplatin 80 mg/m(2)+etoposide 100 mg/m(2), and 45 Gy) was performed. Right pneumonectomy was performed, because the primary tumor and the enlarged lymph node were markedly reduced in size, and a histological examination of the resected specimen revealed no detectable cancer cells.

Clostridium sordellii phospholipase C: gene cloning and comparison of enzymatic and biological activities with those of Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium bifermentans phospholipase C.

The gene encoding Clostridium sordellii phospholipase C (Csp) was cloned and expressed as a histidine-tagged (His-tag) protein, and the protein was purified to compare its enzymatic and biological activities with those of Clostridium perfringens phospholipase C (Cpa) and Clostridium bifermentans phospholipase C (Cbp). Csp was found to consist of 371 amino acid residues in the mature form and to be more homologous to Cbp than to Cpa. The egg yolk phospholipid hydrolysis activity of the His-tag Csp was about one-third of that of His-tag Cpa, but the hemolytic activity was less than 1% of that of His-tag Cpa. His-tag Csp was nontoxic to mice. Immunization of mice with His-tag Cbp or His-tag Csp did not provide effective protection against the lethal activity of His-tag Cpa. These results indicate that Csp possesses similar molecular properties to Cbp and suggest that comparative analysis of toxic and nontoxic clostridial phospholipases is helpful for characterization of the toxic properties of clostridial phospholipases.

[A case of vulval extramammary Paget's disease associated with pancreatic cancer that was successfully treated with chemotherapy].

We report the case of an 84-year-old woman with vulval extramammary Paget's disease associated with pancreatic cancer who was successfully treated. At first, biweekly low-dose FP (cisplatin 10 mg/body, 5-fluorouracil 250 mg/body) was administered by intravenous infusion. Next, we attempted a regimen of gemcitabine (1,000 mg/body) was administered weekly by intravenous infusion. As a result, the size of the pruritic lesion of the vulva was reduced more than 50%, and the serum level of CA19-9 decreased clearly. These treatments would be a valid option in certain cases of pancreas cancer and extramammary Paget's disease.