A feasibility study of a peer discussion group intervention for patients with pancreatobiliary cancer and their caregivers.

Objectives: The purpose of this feasibility study was to examine the impacts of a peer discussion group intervention called "the pancreatobiliary cancer salon" on psychological distress among patients with pancreatobiliary cancer and their caregivers.

Methods: We recruited patients with pancreatic or biliary tract cancer and their caregivers. We conducted a within-group pre-post comparison study.

Efficacy and safety of osimertinib in a Japanese compassionate use program.

Background: Osimertinib is a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that targets the T790M mutation of EGFR. In 2016, AstraZeneca conducted a compassionate use program for osimertinib in Japan.

Methods: Eighteen consecutive patients with histologically proven non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and harboring the T790M EGFR mutation participated in the compassionate use program between 1 April and 25 May 2016, at the National Cancer Center Hospital.

Simultaneous optimization of limited sampling points for pharmacokinetic analysis of amrubicin and amrubicinol in cancer patients.

Aim: Limited sampling points for both amrubicin (AMR) and its active metabolite amrubicinol (AMR-OH) were simultaneously optimized using Akaike's information criterion (AIC) calculated by pharmacokinetic modeling.

Methods: In this pharmacokinetic study, 40 mg/m(2) of AMR was administered as a 5-min infusion on three consecutive days to 21 Japanese lung cancer patients. Blood samples were taken at 0, 0.

Phase I dose-finding and pharmacokinetic study of docetaxel and gefitinib in patients with advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: evaluation of drug-drug interaction.

Purpose: Docetaxel and gefitinib play key roles in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and their combination could be of interest. Both drugs are mainly metabolized by CYP3A4, and drug-drug interactions are a major concern. This phase I dose-finding study was designed to assess the tolerability and drug-drug interactions in this combination using full pharmacokinetic (PK) samplings.

Gender difference in hematological toxicity among lung cancer patients receiving amrubicin monotherapy.

Background: Severe hematological toxicity has been frequently observed during amrubicin monotherapy for patients with lung cancer despite the favorable anti-tumor response. The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify pretreatment factors associated with severe hematological toxicity.

Methods: The medical records of lung cancer patients treated with amrubicin monotherapy were reviewed, and univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.