Therapeutic advances in functional gastrointestinal disease: irritable bowel syndrome.

Reported prevalence rates of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are between 8% to 20% in the US general population with an average medical expenditure of US$1.35 billion direct and US$205 million indirect costs. Current pathophysiologic theories are based on abnormalities of both the brain and gut, thus setting a new stage for current and future therapeutic approaches.

APO2 ligand/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand in prostate cancer therapy.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the USA. Many anti-tumor agents against prostate cancer cells have been developed, but their unacceptable systemic toxicity to normal tissues usually limits their use in the clinic. Apo2 ligand (Apo2L), also called Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), is one of several members of the TNF gene superfamily that induces apoptosis through engagement of death receptors.