Coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) Use as Therapy in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Poor Liver Function or Who Are Unfit for Standard Therapy.

Background: The majority of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are inoperable and results with conventional chemotherapy are dismal. Many end up with no treatment options and resort to alternative medicine. The authors report the use of Coriolus versicolor (CV) in advanced HCC patients with poor liver function or who were unfit to receive standard therapy.

Phase II study of trastuzumab in combination with S-1 and cisplatin in the first-line treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer.

Purpose: The use of trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the HER2 protein, in combination with 5-fluorouracil/platinum-based chemotherapy improves survival in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer. In addition, TS-one (S-1)/platinum is also used as a standard of care in Asian countries. However, little is known about the combination of S-1/cisplatin chemotherapy and trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer.

A call for action to improve access to care and treatment for patients with rare diseases in the Asia-Pacific region.

This article is a call for action to the relevant stakeholders to improve access to care and treatment for patients with rare diseases in the Asia-Pacific region by looking into three main areas: (a) developing legislative definitions to confer enforceable protection, (b) creating or strengthening policies by objectively measuring the impact brought about by rare diseases and establishing platforms to reach out to the rare disease community, and (c) fostering collaboration across sectors and countries. It is hoped that these suggested actions can catalyze discussions and progress in the region.

Roles of cancer registries in enhancing oncology drug access in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cancer registries help to establish and maintain cancer incidence reporting systems, serve as a resource for investigation of cancer and its causes, and provide information for planning and evaluation of preventive and control programs. However, their wider role in directly enhancing oncology drug access has not been fully explored. We examined the value of cancer registries in oncology drug access in the Asia-Pacific region on three levels: (1) specific registry variable types; (2) macroscopic strategies on the national level; and (3) a regional cancer registry network.

The impact of irritable bowel syndrome on health-related quality of life: a Singapore perspective.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder. The prevalence of IBS in Asian countries varies from 2.9% to 15.

To protect and defend: central nervous system prophylaxis in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Purpose Of Review: Despite remarkable advances in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of all histologic subtypes, nervous system involvement remains a dire complication associated with a rapid decline in quality of life, few good treatment options, and a short overall survival. In fact, these advances in treatment may be fueling an increase in the frequency of nervous system relapse. A better understanding of the epidemiology, diagnostic techniques, and options for prophylaxis of the central nervous system may be one of the best strategies for improving the outcome in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Risk factors for venous thromboembolism in Japan: a hospital-based case-control study.

Background: Previous studies suggest that Asians may be less likely to develop venous thromboembolism (VTE) than Caucasians. While inherited thrombophilias occur infrequently among Asians, the distribution of other VTE risk factors in these populations remains unclear.

Objective: To identify VTE risk factors in a Japanese population.

Prevalence of venous thromboembolism at a teaching hospital in Okinawa, Japan.

Limited data suggest that Asian Americans may have a lower risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) than Caucasians. However, the actual prevalence of VTE among Asians remains controversial, and has not been described in Japan. We studied all 131,060 patients hospitalized at a single medical centre in Japan (January 1987 - December 1999).