Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors show a differential ability to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of colon adenocarcinoma cells

AbstractAlthough the influence of selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors on the proliferation of colon adenocarcinoma cells have been the subject of much investigation, relatively little research has compared the effects of different COX-2 inhibitors. Celecoxib strongly suppressed the proliferation of COX-2 expressing HT-29 cells at 10–40 μM. NS-398 and nimesulide also inhibited cell proliferation, whereas rofecoxib, meloxicam, and etodolac did not. Only celecoxib induced apoptosis of HT-29 cells, as detected on the basis of DNA fragmentation, TUNEL positivity, and caspase-3/7 activation. DNA fragmentation was also increasd in COX-2 non-expressing cell lines (SW-480 and HCT-116) by exposure to celecoxib for 6–24 h. All six COX-2 inhibitors suppressed the production of prostaglandin E2 by HT-29 cells, suggesting that the pro-apoptotic effect of celecoxib was unrelated to inhibition of COX-2. Inactivation of Akt might explain the differential pro-apoptotic effect of these selective COX-2 inhibitors on colon adenocarcinoma cells

Photodynamic Therapy With YAG-OPO Laser for Early Stage Lung Cancer

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizing Photofrin is proving to be effective for the treatment of early stage lung cancers. The effect of PDT utilizing YAG-OPO laser as new light source was evaluated in 26 patients (29 lesions) with early stage lung cancers. YAG-OPO laser is solid state tunable laser which is easy to change wavelength between 620 and 670 nm exciting various kinds of photosensitizers. Moreover, YAG-OPO laser is more reliable, smaller and has less consumables than argon-dye laser or excimer-dye laser. As the result of PDT with YAG-OPO laser, complete remission (CR) was obtained in 82.6% of the 29 lesions, partial remission (PR) in 13.8% and no change (NC) was obtained in 3.4%. We conclude that PDT utilizing YAG-OPO laser is efficacious in the treatment of early stage lung cancers and can achieve complete remission

Fish oil-enriched nutrition combined with systemic chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer patients with cancer cachexia

Despite recent advances in chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer, a crucial factor related to poor prognosis is reduced tolerance to chemotherapy induced by cancer cachexia. Fish oil (FO)-derived eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) modulates inflammation in patients with various malignancies; however, the impact of FO-enriched nutrition as a combined modality therapy on clinical outcomes remains controversial. We systemically analysed chronological changes in biochemical and physiological status using bioelectrical impedance analysis in 128 gastrointestinal cancer patients provided with or without FO-enriched nutrition during chemotherapy. Furthermore, we evaluated the clinical significance of FO-enriched nutrition and clarified appropriate patient groups that receive prognostic benefits from FO-enriched nutrition during treatment of gastrointestinal cancer. The control group showed significant up-regulation of serum CRP) levels and no significant difference in both skeletal muscle mass and lean body mass. In contrast, the FO-enriched nutrition group showed no changes in serum CRP concentration and significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and lean body mass over time. Furthermore, high CRP levels significantly correlated with reduced tolerance to chemotherapy, and FO-enriched nutrition improved chemotherapy tolerance and prognosis, particularly in gastrointestinal cancer patients with a modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) of 1 or 2. We conclude that FO-enriched nutrition may improve the prognosis of patients with cancer cachexia and systemic inflammation (i.e., those with a mGPS of 1 or 2)

21セイキ ノ カンドウミャク インターベンション

Coronary intervention has come to achieve good results with the use of new devices, such as Rotablator (ROTA), new directional coronary atherectomy (DCA), and a special guide wire, even for lesions in which good results were not obtained with plain old balloon angioplasty. In the present study, we evaluated the initial results in patients who underwent ROTA procedures, coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion (CTO), and new DCA procedures in our hospital between January and December 2001. (1) There were 99 patients who underwent ROTA, with an average age of 68±12 years, a lesion length of 15.9±9.9 mm, a reference vessel diameter of 2.7±0.6 mm, and a success rate of 98%. Among these 99 patients, there were 82 patients (83%) with B2 or C type lesion, which is difficult to treat. (2) There were 61 patients with CTO who underwent coronary intervention, with an average age of 63±9 years, an occlusion length of 22.8±13.3 mm, a reference vessel diameter of 2.6±0.7 mm, and a success rate of 82%. (3) There were 5 patients who underwent DCA for ostial lesion of left anterior desending artery and the target lesion was successfully dilated in all these patients. These results indicated that new devices for coronary intervention have made it possible to treat a wider range of lesions, but restenosis still remains to be solved. In Europe and the U.S.A., restenosis is reported to have been drastically reduced by drug eluting stents, which are expected to be introduced in Japan in the future

Cervical Fistula Caused by Submandibular Sialolithiasis

In oto-rhino-laryngology, cases of submandibuillar sialolithiasis are common. Submandibular sialoadentis with sialolith may cause severe complications such as deep neck abscess and sepsis. We introduce a rare case of a cervical fistula with abscess caused by submandibular sialolith. The patient had diabetes. We performed drainage of the left submandibular gland that included a Wharton duct stone and abscess by an external skin incision approach. Submandibular sialoadentis due to sialolith would likely progress to neck abscess and the formation of a neck skin fistula; moreover, the condition can be worsen by the coexistence of diabetes. This neck abscess with skin fistula could have caused potentially fatal complications such a carotid artery rupture or sepsis. In such cases the infected source should be carefully removed as soon as possible

A Case of Nasopharyngeal Tuberculosis with Cervical Lymph Node Tuberculosis Suspected of Cervical Malignant Disease at the First Examination

A case of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis with cervical lymph node tuberculosis is reported. The patient was a 20-year-old female immigrant from Vietnam and cook apprentice. Her chief complaint was left neck swelling with pain for three months. She was diagnosed with left neck lymphadenitis at a previous hospital, which suspected malignant lymphoma and referred her to our hospital. At the time of the first visit, she had left lymph swelling with tenderness and granuloma-like masses in the nasopharynx. PET-CT showed accumulations in both the swollen left neck lymph and nasopharynx. The diagnosis of this case would appear to be nasopharyngeal cancer with left and neck lymph node metastasis or nasopharyngeal tuberculosis with cervical lymph node tuberculosis in addition to malignant lymphoma. Based on some examinations (biopsy, bacteria culture, and imaging), it was diagnosed as nasopharyngeal tuberculosis with cervical lymph node tuberculosis. Therefore, she was treated with anti-tuberculosis agent in respiratory medicine

A Case of Retropharyngeal Abscess with Spondylitis Causing Tetraplegia

We report a case of retropharyngeal abscess with spondylitis causing tetraplegia. At a previous hospital, administration of antibiotics improved the inflammation findings. However, magnetic resonace imaging showed a remaining retropharyngeal abscess. This patient showed a disturbance of consciousness under this therapy. Therefore, he was admitted to our hospital and underwent a drainage operation. At 1 day after this operation, he recovered from the disturbance of consciousness