Optimizing the timing of 3.6 mg Pegfilgrastim Administration for Dose-Dense Chemotherapy in Japanese Patients with Breast Cancer

Perioperative dose-dense chemotherapy (DDCT) with pegfilgrastim (Peg) prophylaxis is a standard treatment for high-risk breast cancer. We explored the optimal timing of administration of 3.6 mg Peg, the dose approved in Japan. In the phase II feasibility study of DDCT (adriamycin+cyclophosphamide or epirubicin+cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel) for breast cancer, we investigated the feasibility, safety, neutrophil transition, and optimal timing of Peg treatment by administering Peg at days 2, 3, and 4 post-chemotherapy (P2, P3, and P4 groups, respectively). Among the 52 women enrolled, 13 were aged > 60 years. The anthracycline sequence was administered to P2 (n=33), P3 (n=5), and P4 (n=14) patients, and the taxane sequence to P2 (n=38) and P3 (n=6) patients. Both sequences showed no interaction between Peg administration timing and treatment discontinuation, treatment delay, or dose reduction. However, the relative dose intensity (RDI) was significantly different among the groups. The neutrophil count transition differed significantly among the groups receiving the anthracycline sequence. However, the neutrophil count remained in the appropriate range for both sequences in the P2 group. The timing of Peg administration did not substantially affect the feasibility or safety of DDCT. Postoperative day 2 might be the optimal timing for DDCT

Existence of a Neuropathic Pain Component in Patients with Osteoarthritis of the Knee

∙ The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2012 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licens

TGF-β Signaling in Gastrointestinal Cancers: Progress in Basic and Clinical Research

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily proteins have many important biological functions, including regulation of tissue differentiation, cell proliferation, and migration in both normal and cancer cells. Many studies have reported that TGF-β signaling is associated with disease progression and therapeutic resistance in several cancers. Similarly, TGF-β-induced protein (TGFBI)—a downstream component of the TGF-β signaling pathway—has been shown to promote and/or inhibit cancer. Here, we review the state of basic and clinical research on the roles of TGF-β and TGFBI in gastrointestinal cancers

Detection of glypiean-3 proteins for hepatocellular carcinoma marker using wireless-electrodeless quartz-crystal microbalance

Pure shear-wave resonances were excited and detected in 18- and 30-μm-thick electrodeless AT-cut quartz plates in liquids using line antennas contactlessly, achieving high-frequency quartz-crystal microbalances (QCMs). Their fundamental resonance frequencies (85 and 54 MHz) were monitored to study interactions in real time between human glypican-3 and an anti-glypican-3 antibody: glypican-3 is a prospective protein marker for hepatocellular carcinoma. Their affinity was determined by the Langmuir kinetics. This study demonstrates the high ability of the wireless-electrodeless QCM for detection of the protein markers and development of drugs for disorders.Hirotsugu Ogi, Toshinobu Omori, Kenichi Hatanaka, Masahiko Hirao and Masayoshi Nishiyama. Detection of glypiean-3 proteins for hepatocellular carcinoma marker using wireless-electrodeless quartz-crystal microbalance. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 2008, 47(5S), 4021. https://doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.47.4021