[A feasibility study of oxaliplatin (L-OHP) in combination with infusional 5-FU/l-LV (FOLFOX4 regimen) for advanced colorectal cancer].

This trial was performed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the FOLFOX4 regimen in Japanese patients with ACRC until the end of the third cycle according to the regulation of the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. Thirty-nine patients received FOLFOX4 and 38 patients were evaluable for safety analysis. Thirty-four patients completed all three cycles, 18 of whom did not need dose reduction or prolongation of administration.

Phase I trial of neoadjuvant preoperative chemotherapy with S-1 and irinotecan plus radiation in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Purpose: To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose (RD) of irinotecan combined with preoperative chemoradiotherapy with S-1 in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: We gave preoperative radiotherapy (total dose, 45 Gy) to 23 patients with locally advanced (T3/T4) rectal cancer. Concurrently, S-1 was given orally at a fixed dose of 80 mg/m2/day on Days 1-5, 8-12, 22-26, and 29-33, and irinotecan was given as a 90-min continuous i.

Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: review of global and Japanese status.

Gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the world. In Japan, it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death. Standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer has not been established and prognosis remains poor worldwide.

Irinotecan and S-1 neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy in patients with advanced rectal cancer.

We performed preoperative chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced cases of rectal cancer without distant metastasis. The methods for drug administration and irradiation were as follows: oral administration of S-1 at 80 mg/m2/day on days 1-5, 8-12, 22-26, and 29-33, with periods of 5 days on drug and 2 days off drug and intravascular administration of CPT-11 for 120 minutes on days 1, 8, 22, and 29, at doses of 60 mg/m2/day in Case 1 and 70 mg/m2/day in Case 2. The radiation dosage was a fractionated exposure of 1.

Relationship between expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in tumor tissue from gastric cancers and chemotherapy effects: comparison between S-1 alone and the combination of S-1 plus CDDP.

Background: We have reported that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in gastric cancers might be a selective marker between 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and a combination of 5-FU plus cisplatin (CDDP). In this study, the relationship between VEGF expression and effects of S-1 with and without CDDP is investigated.

Methods: The subjects were 44 patients treated with S-1 (40 mg/m2, twice daily, days 1-28, repeated every 6 weeks) and 24 patients treated with S-1 plus CDDP (S-1 40 mg/m2, twice daily, days 1-21, CDDP, 60 or 70 mg/m2, day 8, repeated every 5 weeks).

[Therapeutic strategy for type 4 gastric cancer from the clinical oncologist standpoint].

Type 4 gastric cancer has a poor prognosis compared with other types of advanced gastric cancer because of the high incidence of peritoneal metastasis which causes intestinal obstruction, hydronephrosis, or obstructive jaundice. Surgical treatment is often only palliative, and systematic chemotherapy is considered to be important for long survival. S-1 showed a higher response rate for undifferentiated-type adenocarcinoma, and S-1 alone or its combination regimens demonstrated greater anti-tumor effects and longer survival time for gastric linitis plastica compared with conventional 5-FU regimens in our historical control study (response rate: S-1/non S-1 57.

Narrow band imaging for detecting superficial oral squamous cell carcinoma: a report of two cases.

We present two cases of superficial squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth, which were coincidentally detected by narrow band imaging (NBI) combined with magnifying gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIE) during gastrointestinal evaluation. We successfully removed the lesions using laser assisted with NBI combined with magnifying GIE. Because NBI combined with magnifying GIE shows a well-demarcated brownish area and scattered foci of microvascular proliferation, it may play an important role in the management of superficial squamous cell carcinoma in the oral cavity.

A case of suspected S-1 induced interstitial pneumonia.

A 37-year-old female with advanced gastric cancer and liver metastases was treated with S-1. Since the patient noticed a transient cough and low-grade fever in the middle of the third course of treatment, administration of S-1 was discontinued. Her symptoms resolved in three days, and the fourth course was started again.

[A case of long-term survival of 3-years 4 months after combination chemotherapy of MTX, 5-FU and low-dose CDDP (MFP) for type 4 gastric cancer with pleuritis, peritoneal dissemination and Krukenberg tumor].

A 41-year-old woman presented to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of our hospital because of abdominal distension and irregular genital bleeding. Computed tomography and ultrasonography of the abdomen revealed bilateral ovarian tumors, massive ascites, and bilateral pleural effusion. Type IV advanced gastric cancer was diagnosed on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Optimal dose-finding study of bi-weekly paclitaxel in unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Background: Tri-weekly and weekly regimens of paclitaxel have been reported to be effective in unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. The present study was conducted to determine the optimal dose of bi-weekly paclitaxel and evaluate safety and antitumor effect.

Patients And Methods: The study included patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor variant III gene expression in metastatic colorectal cancer.

Purpose: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) variant type III (variously called EGFRvIII, de2-7 EGFR, or triangle upEGFR) has an in-frame deletion of the extracellular domain and is found in numerous types of human tumors. Because EGFRvIII has been reported to be tumor specific and has oncogenic potential, it is being investigated as a potential therapeutic target, but to our knowledge, there is only 1 previous report about EGFRvIII by immunohistochemistry in colorectal cancer. Our aim was to indicate the frequency of gene expressions of EGFRvIII and EGFR in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Pharmacodynamic studies of gefitinib in tumor biopsy specimens from patients with advanced gastric carcinoma.

Purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is highly expressed in some gastric cancers and is implicated in cancer cell growth and proliferation. The objective of this study was to assess the in situ biologic activity of the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib in gastric tumor samples in a phase II study.

Methods: Patients with previously treated stage IV adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction were randomly assigned to receive gefitinib (250 or 500 mg/d).

A phase II study of combined chemotherapy with methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, and low-dose cisplatin (MFP) for histologically diffuse-type advanced and recurrent gastric cancer (KDOG9501).

Background: Histologically diffuse-type gastric cancer is well known to have a poor prognosis and is often complicated with abdominal and pleural effusions. We evaluated the efficacy of a low dose of cisplatin combined with methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (MFP therapy) in diffuse-type advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: The study group comprised 47 patients.

[Clinical development of S-1 (TS-1) for advanced gastric cancer].

The 5-FU plus cisplatin containing regimen like FP, ECF and DCF, is considered to be the most effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer in the United States, Europe, and Korea. In Japan, oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 (TS-1) is currently considered to be the first candidate as the standard drug for advanced gastric cancer. S-1 based combination therapies with other promising drugs like cisplatin, irinotecan and taxanes, are expected to yield good results.

[A gastric stromal tumor (GIST) with a prolonged partial response to a reduced dose of imatinib mesilate].

A 78-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of tarry stools. A gastric stromal tumor with liver metastasis was diagnosed. Treatment with imatinib mesilate was begun in a dose of 400 mg daily.

TS-1 as first-line therapy for gastric linitis plastica: historical control study.

Gastric linitis plastica (LP) is usually found as an advanced gastric cancer and has a poor prognosis. No sufficiently effective chemotherapy has been reported. In recent years, TS-1 has yielded a high response rate for advanced gastric cancers and favorable treatment results have also been suggested for gastric LP.

Phase II study of a 4-week capecitabine regimen in advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine in chemotherapy-naive patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. An open-label multicenter phase II study was conducted for previously untreated patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. Oral capecitabine 828 mg/m2 twice daily was given on days 1-21 every 4 weeks.

Available options in chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: the current developments in Japan.

Although techniques for early diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer have been established, standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer has not. 5-Flourouracil (5-FU) plus cisplatin containing regimens, including 5-FU plus cisplatin, epirubicin plus cisplatin and 5-FU, and docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-FU, are considered to be the most effective regimens for advanced gastric cancer in US, Europe and Korea. In Japan, oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 is currently considered to be the first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer.

A Japanese phase I study of continuous oral capecitabine in patients with malignant solid tumors.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the tolerability and pharmacokinetics of capecitabine, given twice daily for 6 weeks without interruption, and to identify the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the suggested phase II schedule.

Methods: The initial dose of capecitabine was 251 mg/m2 twice daily, without interruption, and a dose escalation schedule was planned according to a modified Fibonacci scheme. Patients received oral capecitabine twice daily for at least 6 weeks unless grade 3 or 4 toxicity was observed.

Use of the restriction enzyme EcoRI for pulsed-field gel electrophoretic analysis of Helicobacter pylori.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoretic (PFGE) analysis of Helicobacter pylori isolates is not commonly employed because of the inability to compare the typing with other typing systems. We adapted the PFGE analysis for H. pylori by using EcoRI and slightly modified our laboratory methods to improve the typing of isolates (typeability was 97%).

Long-term survival and prognostic factors in patients with metastatic gastric cancers treated with chemotherapy in the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) study.

Background: The long-term survival of patients after chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer remains unclear. The aim of this analysis was to investigate prognostic factors for patients with metastatic gastric cancer treated by chemotherapy, and to identify the characteristics of long-term survivors.

Methods: Six hundred and forty three patients were enrolled in four phase II studies and one phase III study by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group between January 1985 and April 1997.

Efficacy and tolerability of cancer pain management with controlled-release oxycodone tablets in opioid-naive cancer pain patients, starting with 5 mg tablets.

Background: We conducted an open-label, dose titration study to assess the efficacy and tolerability of controlled-release oxycodone in the therapy of cancer pain management, starting with a newly developed 5 mg tablet every 12 h.

Methods: Twenty-two Japanese cancer patients with pain who had not been taking opioid analgesics over the previous 2 weeks were enrolled. The length of time and the dose needed to attain stable and adequate pain control were evaluated in addition to the assessment of analgesic efficacy and safety during the study period.

[Combination chemotherapy of TS-1 +cisplatin for inoperable gastric cancer].

There is no chemotherapy considered to be standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer worldwide, and there is no consensus as to whether combination or single agent therapy is preferred. In the phase I portion, a dose-escalation study of cisplatin (CDDP) combined with TS-1, new oral dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase inhibitory fluoropyrimidine, was performed to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), recommended dose (RD), dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), and objective response rate (RR) in advanced gastric cancer (AGC). TS-1 was given orally at 40 mg/m2 bid for 21 consecutive days following a 2-week rest.