Comparison of Tolerability Between 2-Weekly and 3-Weekly Docetaxel Regimen in Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The tolerability of 2-weekly docetaxel at 25-35 mg/m2 for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate its tolerability compared to 3-weekly docetaxel at 60-75 mg/m2 in patients with CRPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, data were compared with respect to efficacy and safety between 2-weekly and 3-weekly docetaxel regimens in patients with CRPC. RESULTS: Time to treatment failure and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate did not differ significantly between the two regimens. Compared to 3-weekly administration, incidence of severe leukopenia and febrile neutropenia was significantly lower (p<0.05), and relative dose intensity was significantly higher (p<0.05) for the 2-weekly schedule. Docetaxel dosage and PSA response were identified as independent risk factors for severe leukopenia. CONCLUSION: Two-weekly treatment seems better tolerated than three-weekly treatment in Japanese patients with CRPC.

Palonosetron on Days 1 and 5 Versus Granisetron Daily (Days 1-5) in Germ Cell Tumour Therapy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting during bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) treatment is important for maintaining treatment intensity. The effects of palonosetron and granisetron were compared in BEP chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The administration of palonosetron on days 1 and 5 (Pal method) and granisetron daily (days 1-5, Gra method) were compared in terms of their efficacy and cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: Additional rescue antiemetic agents were used in 15 of 32 and 30 of 30 cycles in the Pal and Gra method groups, respectively (p<0.05). The complete response rate, defined as no vomiting and no rescue agent usage, in each cycle, was 50% and 0% in the Pal and Gra method groups, respectively (p<0.05). The average cost of antiemetic agents in a cycle was 50,759 and 54,555 yen in the Pal and Gra method groups, respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The Pal method may be the standard method in BEP.

Metastasectomy Improves Survival in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma.

Metastatic urothelial carcinoma is one of the most fatal urological malignancies. Cisplatin-based systemic chemotherapy is the standard treatment for metastatic urothelial carcinoma, and there is little evidence to support metastasectomy. The aims of the study were to evaluate the efficacy of metastasectomy and to investigate the prognoses of the patients. The study included 436 patients with urothelial carcinoma who were treated at our hospital. Of these, we included and retrospectively analyzed 29 patients who received curative treatment for the primary tumor and had been treated for metastases. Seven of these patients underwent metastasectomy. In a multivariate analysis, a serum C-reactive protein level before treatment for metastasis of <1 mg/dl and metastasectomy were independent significant predictors of both better progression-free survival and better overall survival. Metastasectomy may be considered a potential treatment for patients with metastases from urothelial carcinoma.

Treatment Outcome of Low-dose Interleukin-2 Therapy in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most fatal urological malignancies. Approximately 30% of patients with RCC have metastasis at initial diagnosis and another 30% have metastasis after radical nephrectomy. Immunotherapy using interferon-α (IFN-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been the main treatment for metastatic RCC (mRCC) patients, with this therapy being still occasionally recommended. The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose IL-2 and to investigate the prognosis of the patients. Study subjects included 37 patients who were clinically diagnosed with mRCC and received low-dose IL-2 therapy between December 1999 and October 2014. We investigated the relationship between prognosis and clinical features. The median overall survival (OS), that was calculated from the first use of cytokine therapy, was 19.8 months, while the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.82 months. PFS was prolonged in patients who received IL-2 as first-line therapy or second-line therapy following IFN-α therapy. IL-2 therapy should be used as a first- or second-line therapy following IFN-α therapy. IL-2 may have a lower response if it is used after molecular-targeted therapy or other treatments.

Brain microsomal fatty acid elongation is increased in abcd1-deficient mouse during active myelination phase.

The dysfunction of ABCD1, a peroxisomal ABC protein, leads to the perturbation of very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) metabolism and is the cause of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. Abcd1-deficient mice exhibit an accumulation of saturated VLCFAs, such as C26:0, in all tissues, especially the brain. The present study sought to measure microsomal fatty acid elongation activity in the brain of wild-type (WT) and abcd1-deficient mice during the course of development. The fatty acid elongation activity in the microsomal fraction was measured by the incorporation of [2-(14)C]malonyl-CoA into fatty acids in the presence of C16:0-CoA or C20:0-CoA. Cytosolic fatty acid synthesis activity was completely inhibited by the addition of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). The microsomal fatty acid elongation activity in the brain was significantly high at 3 weeks after birth and decreased substantially at 3 months after birth. Furthermore, we detected two different types of microsomal fatty acid elongation activity by using C16:0-CoA or C20:0-CoA as the substrate and found the activity toward C20:0-CoA in abcd1-deficient mice was higher than the WT 3-week-old animals. These results suggest that during the active myelination phase the microsomal fatty acid elongation activity is stimulated in abcd1-deficient mice, which in turn perturbs the lipid composition in myelin.