Melatonin as a local regulator of human placental function.

Melatonin plays a critical role in a variety of mammalian reproductive processes not only acting on the central nervous system but also behaving as a peripheral physiologic regulator. To address the relevance of melatonin to the maintenance of pregnancy at the feto-maternal interface, we investigated the expression of two types of membrane melatonin receptors, MT1 and MT2, as well as arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) and hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT), the two enzymes required for the conversion of serotonin to melatonin, in the human placenta and the effect of melatonin on the release of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) from cultured human trophoblast cells. RT-PCR analysis and DNA sequencing revealed that transcripts of MT1, MT2, AA-NAT, and HIOMT were present in the first-trimester human placenta.

Complete remission of uterine endometrial cancer with multiple lung metastases treated by paclitaxel and carboplatin.

Endometrial cancer is believed to have a better prognosis than cervical cancer. However, this is not necessarily true for cases beyond International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III, and advanced endometrial cancer with distant metastases in particular has a poor prognosis. Moreover, there is no established therapy for advanced endometrial cancer.

Effectiveness of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for lymphedema following intrapelvic lymph node dissection: a preliminary report.

Although it is difficult in Western medicine to eliminate edema occurring in the lower extremities after intrapelvic lymph node dissection for malignant gynecologic tumors, we successfully treated or prevented this postoperative complication with moxibustion and acupuncture, initiated after the occurrence of lymphedema in 12 patients and as soon as possible after surgery in 12 others. An increase in deep body temperature with acupuncture or moxibustion was found to be essential for successful treatment.