Evaluation of voriconazole therapeutic drug monitoring in malignant hematology patients.

Introduction: Malignant hematology (MH) patients are susceptible to invasive fungal infections due to prolonged neutropenia and immunosuppressive therapies, which may require voriconazole therapy. Although voriconazole therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is common, evidence describing this practice is limited. The primary objective of this study was to describe the current practice of voriconazole TDM in MH patients at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM).

Evaluation of a patient self-medication program in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Introduction: Patients admitted for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) are discharged with multiple new medications. At our institution, a new patient Self Medication Program (SMP) was implemented on the allo-HSCT units. An SMP allows patients to practice self-administration of medications in a controlled environment before discharge.

Safety of two-hour intermittent intravenous infusions of tacrolimus in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation unit.

At our institution, tacrolimus is used as a second-line agent for the prevention and treatment of graft-versus-host-disease in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) unit after patients have experienced a serious or intolerable adverse event to cyclosporine. As per our standard practice, tacrolimus is administered via 2-h intermittent IV infusions (IIVs) every 12 h rather than continuous IV infusion. Shorter infusion times are cautioned due to concerns of higher rates of nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity and infusion-related reactions, although there is a paucity of data to support this claim.

Pharmacist's Role in Improving Medication Safety for Patients in an Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Ambulatory Clinic.

Background: Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), supported by complex drug regimens, are vulnerable to drug therapy problems (DTPs) at interfaces of care after discharge from hospital and may benefit from timely pharmacy interventions and education.

Objective: To determine the effect on medication safety of, as well as potential barriers to, incorporating a pharmacist in the multidisciplinary team of an allo-HCT clinic.

Methods: Two pharmacists rotated to attend the allo-HCT clinic of a tertiary care, university-affiliated cancer centre between January and June 2010 (coverage for 1 of 3 clinic days per week).

[The proliferating ability inhibited by energy controllable steep pulse in breast cancer cell line and its mechanism].

This was a study aimed to observe the proliferating ability inhibited by energy controllable steep pulse (ECSP) and to detect the expression of gene with relation to the proliferating ability of the tumor in breast cancer cell line; the possible mechanisms were also addressed. Human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 was treated with ECSP; the apoptosis and the expression of tumor suppressor gene--Rb genes and E2F1 genes in ECSP group and control group were detected by TUNEL staining and Reverse Transcripitional PCR respectively. ECSP was found to inhibit the proliferating ability of breast cancer cells markedly, the cell amount in ECSP group decreased and the TUNEL positive cells increased obviously, compared to control; 24 hours after treatment the expression of Rb genes mRNA increased, whereas the expression of E2F1 mRNA decreased.