Molecular subtypes of breast cancer emerging in young women in Taiwan: evidence for more than just westernization as a reason for the disease in Asia.

Background: In the past two decades, the incidence of breast cancer in young Taiwanese females has been rapidly increasing, approaching the risk level of western countries. As a first step to investigate the possible etiology, we examined the molecular subtypes of female breast cancer in Taiwan.

Methods: This study included 1,028 consecutive patients with breast cancer diagnosed in National Taiwan University Hospital between 2004 and 2006.

Prognostic significance of beta-catenin and topoisomerase IIalpha in de novo acute myeloid leukemia.

The Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is important for controlling self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells and its constitutive activation has recently been documented in a significant proportion of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases. Topoisomerase IIalpha (Topo IIalpha) is a marker of cell proliferation and a crucial target for anthracycline cytotoxicity, the mainstay of management employed in AML. We retrospectively investigated the prognostic roles of beta-catenin and topo IIalpha in a cohort of 59 patients with newly diagnosed AML by immunohistochemistry.

Effect of age on pulmonary metastases and immunotherapy in young and middle-aged mice.

Background: We used B16-F10 (B16) melanoma tumor cells and syngeneic C57BL/6 (B6) mice as a study model for pulmonary metastases, to better understand whether or not there exist differences in tumorigenicity and in the effectiveness of immunotherapy as a function of host age (1-, 3-, 12- and 24-month-old).

Methods: Intravenous injection of B16 melanoma cells were administered to B6 mice of different ages with/without interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-12 daily treatment. Tumor growth, splenocyte function, serum cytokines (IL-10, interferon-gamma, vascular endothelial growth factor) and survival were compared.

Phase II randomized study of daily gefitinib treatment alone or with vinorelbine every 2 weeks in patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung who failed at least 2 regimens of chemotherapy.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of adding chronic, intermittent, low-dose vinorelbine to gefitinib treatment for patients who had adenocarcinoma of the lung who failed>or=2 regimens of chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients were randomized into 2 arms: Oral gefitinib 250 mg daily (the G arm) or vinorelbine 15 mg/m2 as an intravenous infusion on Day 1 and oral gefitinib 250 mg daily on Days 2 through 14 every 2 weeks (the GV arm). From August 2004 to October 2005, 48 patients were enrolled.

Effects of paclitaxel and doxorubicin in histocultures of hepatocelular carcinomas.

Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Taiwan over the past two decades and liver cancer is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in Taiwan with a trend of increase in incidence. Therapeutic options and efficacy for liver cancer have been limited and the 5-year survival rate is less than 7% in the Unite States. The study was conducted to establish a histoculture system of human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) for biological and pharmacological studies and to determine the efficacy of anticancer drugs with the established HCC histocultures.

The sensitivity of human mesenchymal stem cells to ionizing radiation.

Purpose: Recent studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from bone marrow transplantation patients originate from the host. This clinical observation suggests that MSCs in their niches could be resistant to irradiation. However, the biologic responses of bone marrow MSCs to irradiation have rarely been described in the literature.

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.

Tumor beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase IV overexpression is closely associated with colorectal cancer metastasis and poor prognosis.

Purpose: To elucidate the significance of beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase IV (beta-1,4-GT-IV) in the clinical presentation and prognostication of colorectal cancer.

Experimental Design: Tissue lysates from paired tumor and nontumor tissues of a colon cancer patient were labeled separately with fluorescent dyes Cy5 and Cy3 for two-dimensional difference in-gel electrophoresis. Subsequent matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and immunoblot analyses identified a down-regulated level of beta-1,4-GT-IV in the tumor tissue.

Novel rapid tissue lysis method to evaluate cancer proteins: correlation between elevated Bcl-X(L) expression and colorectal cancer cell proliferation.

Aim: We optimized a rapid and efficient tissue lysis method using the MagNA Lyser (Roche, Germany). Using this novel method combined with immunoblot analysis, we investigated the correlation between abnormal Bcl-X(L) expression and clinicopathological characteristics in colorectal cancer.

Methods: Tissue samples from Sprague-Dawley rats were tested to determine optimal lysis conditions for use with MagNA Lyser.

erb-b2 amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization in breast cancer specimens read as 2+ in immunohistochemical analysis.

We conducted this study to ascertain the prevalence of erb-b2 gene amplification in breast cancer specimens read as 2+ in immunohistochemical analysis. Slides from patients with metastatic or recurrent breast cancer were eligible for fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) study if they were read as 2+ immunohistochemically for erb-b2 by a certified pathologist. The PathVysion kit (Vysis, Downers Grove, IL) was used for FISH studies.

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.

Impact of circulating free tumor cells in the peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients during laparoscopic surgery.

Despite widespread use of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal operations, its application for curative resection of colorectal cancer is still controversial. One of the major concerns is the impact of the laparoscopic procedure on dissemination of tumor cells. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of laparoscopic surgery on circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer patients.

Sequence-dependent effect of a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor on topoisomerase I inhibitor and 5-fluorouracil-induced cytotoxicity of colon cancer cells.

Selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have been found to induce anti-proliferative and apoptotic activity in many cancer cells. However, interaction between COX-2 inhibitors and other chemotherapeutic agents remains to be determined. We investigated the interactive effects of a selective COX-2 inhibitor, etodolac, in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or SN-38 (active metabolite of irinotecan) on colon cancer cell lines, HT29 and SW620, in simultaneous and sequential administration schedules.

Colon cancer cells with high invasive potential are susceptible to induction of apoptosis by a selective COX-2 inhibitor.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression has been shown to correlate with the invasiveness of colon cancer cells. To further investigate this positive correlation and its possible therapeutic implications, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, etodolac, was tested on three variants of HT-29 colon cancer cell lines, HT-29/Inv1, HT-29/Inv2 and HT-29/Inv3, with graded increases of in vitro Matrigel invasive potential and COX-2 expression levels. HT-29 variants with higher invasive potential were found to be more sensitive to etodolac by in vitro growth inhibition assays, the estimated LD(50) being 0.

A phase II trial of vinorelbine plus gemcitabine in previously untreated inoperable (stage IIIb/IV) non-small-cell lung cancer patients aged 80 or older.

Vinorelbine and gemcitabine are two active single agents with mild toxicity profiles that are used in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Whether or not very old NSCLC patients, such as those aged 80 years or older, should still be considered for chemotherapy is unknown, since their response to the treatment is also unknown. A phase II clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of vinorelbine plus gemcitabine in very old patients with inoperable (stage IIIb or IV) NSCLC.

A phase I study of weekly docetaxel, 24-hour infusion of high-dose fluorouracil/leucovorin and cisplatin in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Objectives: To determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of both docetaxel and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) when administered weekly in a regimen of docetaxel, 5-FU/leucovorin and cisplatin (DFLP) for 2 consecutive weeks every 3 weeks.

Patients And Methods: A total of 31 patients with chemo-naive, advanced adenocarcinoma of the stomach were enrolled in the study. Cisplatin and leucovorin dosages were fixed throughout the study at 30 and 300 mg/m2, respectively.

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.