Cross-sectional study of therapy-related expectations/concerns of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma and physicians in Japan.

Objective: To achieve patient-centricity in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treatment, it is essential to clarify the differences in perspectives between patients and physicians. This cross-sectional analysis of a web survey aimed to clarify the differences in expectations and concerns between mRCC patients and physicians regarding systemic mRCC therapy in Japan.

Methods: Surveys from 83 patients and 165 physicians were analyzed.

Financial Toxicity in Japanese Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Information on the financial toxicity experienced by Japanese patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is lacking, even though Japan has its own unique public health insurance system. Thus, a web-based survey was conducted to evaluate the financial toxicity experienced by Japanese mRCC patients using the COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST) tool. This study enrolled Japanese patients who underwent, or were undergoing, systemic therapy for mRCC.

Effectiveness of an online support program to help female cancer patients manage their health and illness: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The aim of the trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions provided by online support program apps, adopting health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) scores as indicators.

Methods: The design is as an open, randomized, parallel-group trial with longitudinal data collection. The subjects will be female cancer patients receiving treatment in a Japanese National Cancer Hospital.

Neurolytic celiac plexus block reduces occurrence and duration of terminal delirium in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Purpose: WHO's three step ladder sometimes cannot provide adequate pain relief for pancreatic cancer. Some patients develop terminal delirium (TD). The aim of this study was to test if the addition of a celiac plexus block (CPB) to pharmacotherapy could reduce the incidence of TD.

[Long-term follow-up of patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Japan].

The number of hematopoietic stem cell transplantations and recipients with late complications from transplantation are both increasing; therefore, we investigated the status of the long-term follow-up system for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation survivors in Japan using a mail questionnaire; 100 of 194 institutions replied. The median examination time for each patient was 12.5 min.

Low-dose gabapentin as useful adjuvant to opioids for neuropathic cancer pain when combined with low-dose imipramine.

Purpose: Painful neuropathic conditions of cancer pain often show little response to nonopioid and opioid analgesics but may be eased by antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Although gabapentin is effective in the treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with cancer, some patients experience intolerable side effects sufficient to warrant discontinuation. The aim of this study was to see whether low-dose gabapentin is effective in treating cancer-related neuropathic pain when combined with low-dose imipramine.

Neutralizing monoclonal antibody to human connective tissue growth factor ameliorates transforming growth factor-beta-induced mouse fibrosis.

Skin fibrotic disorders such as systemic sclerosis (SSc) are characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and are understood to develop under the influence of fibrogenic growth factors. To better understand the detailed mechanisms of persistent fibrosis in SSc, we have previously established an animal model of skin fibrosis induced by exogenous application of growth factors. In this model, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) transiently induced subcutaneous fibrosis and serial injections of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) after TGF-beta caused persistent fibrosis.

Antigen specificity of antihistone antibodies in connective tissue disease patients with anti-U1RNP antibodies.

To determine the prevalence of antibodies to individual histone components in collagen disease patients with anti-U1RNP antibodies. Serum samples were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) showed similar levels and patterns of antihistone antibody (AHA) reactivities to individual histones: IgG responses to H2B or H3 and IgM responses to H2B were highest.

Clinical evaluation of anti-aminoacyl tRNA synthetase antibodies in Japanese patients with dermatomyositis.

Objective: To investigate the distribution of anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (anti-ARS) antibodies among patients with autoimmune diseases, and to analyze the clinical features of patients with dermatomyositis (DM) with anti-ARS antibodies.

Methods: Serum samples from 315 patients with autoimmune diseases or related disorders who had visited Kanazawa University Hospital or affiliated facilities were assessed for anti-ARS antibodies by immunoprecipitation. In particular, the association between anti-ARS antibodies and clinical features was investigated in detail in patients with DM.

Scleroderma renal crisis in a patient with anticentromere antibody-positive limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis.

We have encountered a 68-year-old Japanese woman with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis who developed de novo onset of accelerated hypertension and renal dysfunction; thus we diagnosed scleroderma renal crisis. Anticentromere antibody alone was identified, and not anti-DNA topoisomerase I antibody, anti-RNA polymerase antibodies, anti-Th/To antibodies, or antiribonucleoprotein antibodies, even with use of immunoprecipitation assay. She was successfully treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.

The efficacy of self-administered stretching for finger joint motion in Japanese patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of self-administered stretching of each finger in Japanese patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Forty-five patients with SSc (32 with diffuse cutaneous SSc and 13 with limited cutaneous SSc) were given instructions on self-administered stretching and were directed to perform it every day. Individual fingers were maintained in a stretched position using the opposite hand for 10 seconds and this was repeated 3-10 times.

Nutritional support for patients suffering from intestinal graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Patients who exhibit gastrointestinal (GI) involvement due to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) are often recommended to withhold oral intake (NPO) to avoid further damage to the GI mucosa. However, it is possible that continuing oral intake could be beneficial in many patients compared to total parenteral nutrition (TPN).

Objective: The primary objective of this prospective study was to evaluate whether programmed step-ladder oral dieting (enteral nutrition; EN) is feasible and beneficial for these patients.

c-Ski inhibits the TGF-beta signaling pathway through stabilization of inactive Smad complexes on Smad-binding elements.

c-Ski inhibits transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling through interaction with Smad proteins. c-Ski represses Smad-mediated transcriptional activation, probably through its action as a transcriptional co-repressor. c-Ski also inhibits TGF-beta-induced downregulation of genes such as c-myc.

Transforming growth factor-beta signaling is differentially inhibited by Smad2D450E and Smad3D407E.

A missense mutant of Smad2, Smad2D450E, that was not phosphorylated by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling, was identified in colorectal cancer. Previously, we constructed a mutant Smad3, Smad3D407E, which has an Asp to Glu mutation in the corresponding position of Smad2D450. Smad3D407E was not phosphorylated by the constitutively active form of the TGF-beta type I receptor, and inhibited the phosphorylation of co-expressed wild-type Smad2 and Smad3.

SB-431542 and Gleevec inhibit transforming growth factor-beta-induced proliferation of human osteosarcoma cells.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) has growth-stimulating effects on mesenchymal cells and several tumor cell lines. The signaling pathway for this effect is, however, not well understood. We examined how TGF-beta stimulates proliferation of MG63 human osteosarcoma cells.