Overview of Drug Transporters in Human Placenta

The transport of drugs across the placenta is a point of great importance in pharmacotherapy during pregnancy. However, the knowledge of drug transport in pregnancy is mostly based on experimental clinical data, and the underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of drug transporters in the human placenta. We only refer to human data since the placenta demonstrates great diversity among species. In addition, we describe the experimental models that have been used in human placental transport studies and discuss their availability. A better understanding of placental drug transporters will be beneficial for the health of pregnant women who need drug treatment and their fetuses

Pathological Examinations and Cancer Drugs

The aging rate of the Tokushima prefecture is reaching globally top levels, while its cancer morbidity rate also rises. Malignant tumors can develop from almost any site in the body. Each tumor has unique, individual growth speeds. In pathological examination, a histological name is determined as ditailedly as possible to clarify the growth pattern and the treatment strategy of the tumor. Malignant tumors can be lethal, but according to one study they hardly require prolonged nursing care. Histological diagnosis requires the following procedures : tumor identification, surgical dissection, fixing, dehydration, paraffin embedding, thin sectioning, staining, sealing, labeling and microscopic observation. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded blocks, which help in the indication of molecular targeted drugs are generated through these processes. Since many targeted therapies block the EGFR-RAS-MAPK pathway, it is potentially one of the main mechanisms of cancer growth. Our most urgent needs include appropriate explanations about variety and “draggability” of the cancers and cultivating patients’ “will to live.” To maintain the dignity of cancer patients, we must assemble a fully developed cancer team that includes active pathologists in each local community

Predicting Therapeutic Effects using PET/CT

This study investigated the usefulness of [18F]-3’-deoxy-3’-fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) and [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging for predicting the therapeutic efficacy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) irradiation at an early stage after radiation treatment. Mice were xenografted with the human lung adenocarcinoma line A549 or large cell lung cancer line FT821. Tumour uptake of 18F-FLT and 18F-FDG was imaged using PET/CT before and 1 week after irradiation. In A549 tumours, 18F-FLT uptake was significantly decreased, and 18F-FDG uptake was unchanged post-irradiation compared with pre-irradiation. In FT821 tumours, uptake of both 18F-FLT and 18F-FDG uptake was substantially decreased post-irradiation compared with pre-irradiation. In both xenografts, tumour volumes in the irradiated groups were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group. 18F-FLT is expected to contribute to individual NSCLC therapy because it accurately evaluates the decrease in tumour activity that cannot be captured by 18F-FDG. 18F-FDG may be useful for evaluating surviving cells without being affected by the inflammatory reaction at an extremely early stage, approximately 1 week after irradiation. Combined use of 18F-FLT and 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging may increase the accurate prediction of radiotherapy efficacy, which may lead to improved patient outcomes and minimally invasive personalised therapy

2002年以前日本人胃のHIP

Gastric hamartomatous inverted polyp （g-HIP） is rare gastric elevated lesion forming endophytic growth pattern which etiology remains unknown. G-HIP is said to be associated with gastric cancer and gastritis. We systematically reviewed Japanese g-HIP’s clinicopathological features reported before２００２. Japanese g-HIP amount to２０lesions,１８patients ; ７（３８．９％）were males and １１（６１．１％）were females. The mean age of patients was ６０．２ years old. The mean size of the lesions was２１．７millimeter. No of the polyp shape was Yamada type IV７, Yamada type I/flat elevation ６, Yamada type III ４ and Yamada II ３, respectively. The site of the lesions was Body１１, Cardia３, Fornix３and Antrum１, respectively. In１２described cases, accompanied lesion was Gastritis, Carcinoma, GCP, Hyperplastic polyp, GIST and remnant stomach due to ulcer. Of the submucosal shaped（Yamada type I/flat elevation）g-HIP,５０％ has GCP and６２．５％ has gastric cancer. The common feature of g-HIP was pyloric gland-like mucous gland proliferation and cystic dilatation in the H. pylori era of Japan