Patterns of acute oncology admissions: an exploratory analysis of over 7000 patient episodes.

Background: Following the National Chemotherapy Advisory Group report, calling for better management of patients with cancer admitted acutely to hospital, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, with Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network, implemented an acute oncology service (AOS) for the region's seven acute trusts.

Study Design: We prospectively collected data on all referrals from March 2010 to December 2012, seen by the seven local teams within the cancer network.

Results: Over 7000 patient-episodes were analyzed.

Potential anticancer properties of bisphosphonates.

Bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, which is increased when cancer cells invade bone, and are used in the treatment of metastatic bone disease to reduce the risk of skeletal-related events. In addition, preclinical studies have shown that bisphosphonates, especially potent nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates, have direct anticancer actions. Anticancer activity includes induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of invasion, in addition to synergistic activity with chemotherapy agents, antiangiogenic properties, and modulating effects on the immune system.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG)--a potential new role in the regulation of endothelial cell phenotype and tumour angiogenesis?

The progression of cancer depends on the establishment of a tumour blood supply, and therefore tumour angiogenesis has been identified as a major target for new anticancer agents. Recent reports have suggested that osteoprotegerin (OPG) is involved in the control of endothelial cell survival through the inhibition of the activity of tumour necrosis factor- (TNF) related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). The role of OPG in human tumour development and angiogenesis is currently unknown.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression by breast cancer cells in vitro and breast tumours in vivo--a role in tumour cell survival?

In addition to its role in bone turnover, osteoprotegerin (OPG) has been reported to bind to and inhibit Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL). TRAIL is produced in tumours by invading monocytes, inducing apoptosis in neoplastic cells sensitive to this cytokine. OPG production by tumour cells would therefore be a novel mechanism whereby cancer cells evade host defences and gain a growth advantage.

Combined effects of zoledronic acid and doxorubicin on breast cancer cell invasion in vitro.

The bisphosphonate zoledronic acid and the cytotoxic drug doxorubicin induce synergistic levels of apoptosis in breast cancer cells. As zoledronic acid and doxorubicin have been shown to reduce cell invasion and migration, we have investigated if these drugs also act synergistically on breast cancer invasion in vitro. MCF7 cells were treated with 0.

Sequence- and schedule-dependent enhancement of zoledronic acid induced apoptosis by doxorubicin in breast and prostate cancer cells.

We investigated whether the combination of zoledronic acid and doxorubicin induced apoptosis of breast and prostate cancer cell lines, and if synergistic interaction was present. We investigated whether the levels of cell death altered depending on the sequence in which the drugs were administered and the possible mechanism of action responsible for the increased cell death following combined treatments. Breast and prostate cancer cells were treated with zoledronic acid alone, doxorubicin alone, or drugs in sequence (doxorubicin before, after, or with zoledronic acid), and the levels of apoptotic death were determined by evaluation of nuclear morphology.