Pandemic aspect of dexamethasone: Molecular mechanisms and clinical application.

The rapid spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in many countries has caused inconvenience in conducting daily life activities, and even deaths. Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid applied in clinical medicine since 1957, especially in immune therapy fields. Herein, we present the characteristics of Dexamethasone, from molecular mechanisms such as genomic and nongenomic pathways by cellular signal regulations, to clinical applications in various phases of the disease.

Factors affecting recurrence in node-negative advanced gastric cancer.

Background And Aim: Prognostic factors of lymph node-negative gastric adenocarcinoma after curative resection have been discussed. Recurrent pattern of advanced lymph node-negative gastric cancer after curative resection has rarely been described.

Methods: Recurrent sites and correlated clinicopathological factors of 372 patients with lymph node-negative advanced gastric adenocarcinoma that underwent R0 resection from 1988 to 2005 were analyzed.

miR-21 microRNA expression in human gastric carcinomas and its clinical association.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that have been shown to be aberrantly expressed in many human carcinomas. Of these miRNAs, miR-21 appears to be important in tumorigenesis given its up-regulation in almost all types of human cancer examined. However, its association with the clinicopathological features of human gastric cancer has yet to be addressed.

Survival predictors in patients with node-negative gastric carcinoma.

Background: Presence or absence of nodal metastasis influences outcome of gastric cancer patients. This study gives insight into survival predictors and clinicopathological features of node-negative gastric adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Between 1988 and 1999, 689 gastric cancer patients without other cancer or gastrectomy for benign disease who underwent curative resection were enrolled in this study.

Lymph node metastasis as a single predictor in patients with Borrmann type I gastric cancer.

Background/aims: Borrmann type I gastric cancers are rare. Its clinicopathological features have never been reported.

Methodology: A total of 33 patients with Borrmann type I gastric cancer was evaluated.

Preliminary report of transpedicle body augmenter vertebroplasty in painful vertebral tumors.

Study Design: Transpedicle body augmenter vertebroplasty of painful vertebral tumor was retrospectively evaluated.

Objective: Transpedicle body augmenter vertebroplasty was designed to treat spinal tumor with intractable pain refractory to conservative management, deformity, biomechanical impairment, and neural deficits.

Summary Of Background Data: Chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiation therapy cannot restore spinal stability.

Transpedicle body augmenter in painful osteoporotic compression fractures.

Osteoporotic compression fractures (VCFs) can result in progressive kyphosis and chronic pain. Polymethylmethacrylate has been used for augmentation of VCFs; however, there are cement complications, and long-term fracture healing is unknown. The transpedicle body augmenter (TpBA), a porous titanium spacer, has been reported as an internal support to reconstruct the vertebral body combining short segment fixation in burst fracture.

Multiple primary cancers in patients with gastric cancer.

Background/aims: Some gastric cancer patients have multiple primary cancers (MPC). We evaluate the current status of MPC with gastric cancer.

Methodology: 2,109 gastric cancer patients treated between 1987 and 2002 were analyzed.

Comprehensive breast cancer adjuvant digital summary.

Background: Patients with breast cancer often fail to recall the details of their original diagnosis and adjuvant therapy with the passage of time. Subsequent follow-up and treatment at a later time and a different institution wastes valuable time and effort to retrieve the original data.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five consecutive patients with breast cancer of all stages admitted for adjuvant/neoadjuvant treatment and surgical excision were entered on study.

PTPN3 and PTPN4 tyrosine phosphatase expression in human gastric adenocarcinoma.

Background: Degenerated PCR primers, designed according to the consensus tyrosine phosphatase catalytic motifs, were used in order to amplify expressed protein-tyrosine phosphatase molecules from human gastric cancer-derived cells. From such profiles, more than twenty different types of tyrosine phosphatase were identified from gastric cancer tissue. A non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase, PTPN4, was found to be expressed in a tumor-tissue profile with only low frequency.

Another option to treat Kümmell's disease with cord compression.

The efficiency of short-segment fixation with transpedicle body augmenter (a titanium spacer with bone-ingrowth porous surface, TpBA) to treat Kümmell's disease with cord compression (stage III) was retrospectively evaluated. No laminectomy or instrumentation reduction was done. Inclusion criteria included Frankel CDE, single-level within T10-L2.

Protein tyrosine-phosphatase expression profiling in gastric cancer tissues.

Protein phosphorylation is an important regulatory mechanism involved in signal transduction and cancers. In comparison to the extensive tyrosine-kinase oncogenesis research, there are only relatively few studies of protein tyrosine-phosphatase expression in cancers. The expression profile for tyrosine-phosphatases was investigated in gastric cancers using RT-PCR and molecular cloning.

High CD40 expression in gastric cancer associated with expanding type histology and liver metastasis.

Background/aims: We have previously reported higher serum TNF-alpha levels in some gastric cancer patients. The status of its receptor (CD40 expression) in gastric cancer tissue and their clinical relevance is worthy of study.

Methodology: The expression of CD40 was examined immunohistochemically in 32 gastric carcinoma specimens and graded as high and low expressions according to the proportion of stained tumor cells.

Effects of COX-2 inhibitor on growth of human gastric cancer cells and its relation to hepatocyte growth factor.

It is known that hepatocyte growth factor binding to its receptor regulates gastric cancer progression and metastasis. HGF was found to up-regulate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 gene and increases prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in gastric mucosa cells. Overexpression of COX-2 and increased PG secretion have also been found to be involved in the regulation of growth and metastasis of gastric cancer.

Prognostic implications of the expression of erbB2, topoisomerase II alpha and thymidylate synthase in metastatic gastric cancer after fluorouracil-based therapy.

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to ascertain the expression of erbB2 in relation to topoisomerase II alpha (T2 alpha) and thymidylate synthase (TS) markers in 30 consecutive metastatic gastric cancer patients with a specimen available for study.

Methods: All patients had been entered on consecutive chemotherapeutic clinical trials that were all 5-fluorouracil based. The specimens were evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridization to ascertain erbB2 and T2 alpha gene amplification, and by immunohistochemical staining for T2 alpha and TS protein expression.

Arg tyrosine kinase expression in human gastric adenocarcinoma is associated with vessel invasion.

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the prevalent cancer types in the Far East region. In order to discover new prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for gastric cancer progression, we have used degenerated PCR primers designed to amplify all expressed protein tyrosine kinase molecules from human cancer tissues. In previous studies, we have shown the clinical significance of arg tyrosine kinases in a colorectal cancer progression model.

Incidence and factors associated with recurrence patterns after intended curative surgery for gastric cancer.

Recurrence after curative resection for gastric cancer remains high. We examined its incidence and factors related to recurrence pattern, while trying to avoid the interaction of various factors. A total of 611 gastric cancer patients after resection for curative intent (1988-1995) were analyzed.

Clinical significance of AXL kinase family in gastric cancer.

Background: We have used degenerated PCR primers designed according to the consensus kinase motifs in order to amplify expressed protein tyrosine kinase molecules from human gastric cancers. From such kinase expression profiles, we have identified more than fifty different tyrosine and serine/threonine kinases from two matched pairs of gastric cancer tissue and normal mucosa. In previous studies, we have shown the clinical significance of two tyrosine kinases identified in gastric cancer, tie-1 and mkk4.

Palliative MEFLEP therapy in advanced pancreatic cancer: excellent response in a patient with Her-2/neu amplification.

Introduction: Patients with pancreatic cancer often present initially in advanced disease with many compromising factors, and yet they may still be responsive to chemotherapy.

Aims: The response of 23 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer to continuous infusion therapy was investigated.

Methodology: From September 1995 to February 1998, 23 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, many with compromising factors, were treated with a MEFLEP regimen: biweekly 24-hour infusions of etoposide, 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, epirubicin, and cisplatin, all given through an infusion pump, plus megestrol acetate, 160 mg/d, taken daily.

Phase II and pharmacokinetic study of GL331 in previously treated Chinese gastric cancer patients.

Purpose: A phase II and pharmacokinetic study was designed to assess the efficacy and toxicity profile of an epidophyllotoxin analogue, GL331, in previously treated Chinese gastric cancer patients, with concurrent pharmacokinetic evaluation of the drug's metabolism.

Material And Methods: GL331 was given at 200 mg/m(2) as a daily 3-h infusion for 5 days every 4 weeks.

Results: Enrolled in the study were 15 patients.