Efficacy of the end-of-life nursing care continuing education program for nurses in general wards in Japan.

This study aimed to examine effectiveness of the End-of-life nursing care continuing education program for general ward nurses. A nonrandomized, before-after trial was conducted. The program was implemented for 25 nurses.

Can gradual dose titration of ketamine for management of neuropathic pain prevent psychotomimetic effects in patients with advanced cancer?

Background: Ketamine is often used to manage neuropathic pain in patients with cancer. However, it occasionally causes psychotomimetic effects such as vivid dreams, nightmares, illusions, hallucinations, and altered body image.

Objective: To examine whether gradual dose titration of ketamine for management of neuropathic pain prevents psychotomimetic effects in patients with advanced cancer.

An observational study of insomnia and nightmare treated with trazodone in patients with advanced cancer.

Patients with cancer often experience insomnia. Nightmares are also a strong factor that interferes with the maintenance of comfortable and satisfying sleep. However, the prevalence and standard treatment of nightmares in patients with cancer have not been established yet.

Effect of green tea extract on reactive oxygen species produced by neutrophils from cancer patients.

Background/aim: Oxidative stress in cancer patients has been demonstrated to be partly mediated by neutrophils. Although it is reported that natural antioxidants, such as green tea extract, reduce oxidative stress, there is limited evidence of their effects in cancer patients. This study aimed to determine the effect of green tea extract on reactive oxygen species produced by neutrophils from cancer patients.

WT1 peptide vaccine stabilized intractable ovarian cancer patient for one year: a case report.

Unlabelled: We report on Wilms tumor (WT1) peptide immunotherapy in a patient with intractable ovarian cancer patient over an extended period.

Case Report: Immunotherapy using WT1 peptide has been undergoing clinical trials for gynecological cancer. We used WT1 peptide vaccination to treat a 53-year-old woman suffering from ovarian cancer with peritoneal dissemination.

WT1 expression correlates with angiogenesis in endometrial cancer tissue.

Background: No direct comparison has been made of the relationship between the expression of Wilms' tumor gene WT1 within tumor cells and angiogenesis in vivo.

Materials And Methods: A series of 70 endometrial cancer patients who had undergone a curative resection was studied by immunohistochemistry to determine the correlation between WT1 expression, angiogenesis (proliferation of endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, PECAM-1/CD31) and angiogenic growth factor (vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF).

Results: A strong association was found between WT1 expression score and mean vascular density (p<0.

Can anti-infective drugs improve the infection-related symptoms of patients with cancer during the terminal stages of their lives?

Background: Appropriate use of anti-infective drugs is essential in clinical practice. No evidence-based guidelines or protocols have been published on the appropriate use of anti-infective drugs in patients receiving palliative care as yet.

Methods: The medical records, which included the demographic data of patients, anti-infective drug use, bacteriologic findings, symptoms, and hematologic findings were reviewed retrospectively to determine the potential factors that contribute to symptom improvement of patients in terminal phase.

Correlation between WT1 expression and cell proliferation in endometrial cancer.

Background: The Wilms' tumor gene WT1 is overexpressed in endometrial cancer. Although recent studies have revealed that WT1 is a new prognostic factor, it remains unclear whether WT1 plays a pathophysiological role including cell proliferation.

Patients And Methods: A series of 70 endometrial cancer patients who had undergone a curative resection was studied by immunohistochemistry to determine the correlation between WT1 expression and cell proliferation (proliferating cell nuclear antigen; PCNA).

Immunohistochemical detection of WT1 protein in endometrial cancer.

Background: The Wilms' tumor gene WT1 is overexpressed in various kinds of solid tumors. However, it remains unclear whether WT1 plays a pathophysiological role in endometrial cancer.

Patients And Methods: A series of 70 endometrial cancer patients who had undergone a curative resection was studied to determine the correlation between WT1 expression, clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis.

High-dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid) therapy in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, ascorbate) has a controversial history in cancer treatment. Emerging evidence indicates that ascorbate in cancer treatment deserves re-examination. As research results concerning ascorbate pharmacokinetics and its mechanisms of action against tumor cells have been published, and as evidence from case studies has continued to mount that ascorbate therapy could be effective if the right protocols were used, interest among physicians and scientists has increased.

Measurement of electron density in dual-energy x-ray CT with monochromatic x rays and evaluation of its accuracy.

Information on electron density is important for radiotherapy treatment planning in order to optimize the dose distribution in the target volume of a patient. At present, the electron density is derived from a computed tomography (CT) number measured in x-ray CT scanning; however, there are uncertainties due to the beam hardening effect and the method by which the electron density is converted from the CT number. In order to measure the electron density with an accuracy of +/-1%, the authors have developed dual-energy x ray CT using monochromatic x rays.

Expression of NLRP7 (PYPAF3, NALP7) protein in endometrial cancer tissues.

Background: Nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing family, pyrin domain-containing 7 (NLRP7) (pyrin-containing apoptotic protease activating factor-1-like protein 3; PYPAF3, NACHT domain-, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing 7; NALP7) has been thought to contribute to innate immunity and inflammation. Although expression of NLRP7 in human seminoma tissues and several cancer cell lines has been demonstrated, the pathophysiological and prognostic importance in cancer tissues has not been defined.

Materials And Methods: A series of 70 endometrial cancer cases that had undergone curative resection was studied to determine the correlation between NLRP7 expression and clinico-pathological characteristics in human endometrial cancer tissue.

Dose distribution of a 125 keV mean energy microplanar x-ray beam for basic studies on microbeam radiotherapy.

A multislit collimator was designed and fabricated for basic studies on microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) with an x-ray energy of about 100 keV. It consists of 30 slits that are 25 microm high, 30 mm wide, and 5 mm thick in the beam direction. The slits were made of 25 microm-thick polyimide sheets that were separated by 175 microm-thick tungsten sheets.

Dosimetry for a microbeam array generated by synchrotron radiation at SPring-8.

A microbeam array was formed with a multi-slit collimator (MSC) for research on radiation therapy (MRT). Kodak EDR2 film was used to measure the dose distribution of the microbeam array. The calibration curve of optical density of the film with respect to a dose was established using a standard Farmer chamber and (60)Co gamma-ray source.

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression correlates with apoptosis and angiogenesis in endometrial cancer tissue.

Background: Recent experimental studies have indicated that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) suppresses tumor-cell apoptosis and induces intratumoral angiogenesis.

Patients And Methods: A series of 70 endometrial cancer cases that had undergone a curative resection was studied to determine the correlation between COX-2 expression, apoptosis and angiogenesis in human endometrial cancer tissue. Tissue specimens were evaluated for COX-2, single-strand DNA (ssDNA, apoptosis) and CD31 (angiogenesis) by immunohistochemistry.

Expression of Tn and sialyl-Tn antigens in endometrial cancer: its relationship with tumor-produced cyclooxygenase-2, tumor-infiltrated lymphocytes and patient prognosis.

Background: Although many tumors arising from epithelial tissues produce mucins, little is known regarding the biological significance of mucins in cancer. Recent researches have revealed that mucins produced by cancer cells play a critical role in the initial induction of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, the consequence of abnormal glycosylation and overexpression of mucins includes suppression of the host-immune function.

Effect of lectins on the transport of food factors in caco-2 cell monolayers.

The effect of three plant lectins, soybean lectin (SBA), Japanese jack bean lectin (CGA), and wheat germ lectin (WGA), on the transport of various food factors, such as isoflavones, quercetin, dipeptides, and calcium ions, were investigated by use of an intestinal tract model, Caco-2 cell monolayers. The lectins increased the isoflavone transport but had no effect on aglycon transport. SBA increased the transport of quercetin glycosides, whereas CGA and WGA had no effect.

Multiple roles of cyclooxygenase-2 in endometrial cancer.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a critical role not only in maintenance of the endometrium during the menstrual cycle, but also in the progression of endometrial cancer. The role of COX-2 in tumor growth and development is complex and multifaceted. This review presents evidence for the expression of COX-2 being linked to angiogenesis, tumor cell apoptosis, tumor cell growth, metastasis and local immunosuppression in cancer progression.

Role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) in advanced gastric carcinoma: the impact on FasL-mediated counterattack.

Background: Exactly what role does tumor-derived Fas ligand (FasL) play in cancer: maintaining the immune privilege site or inducing a pro-inflammatory effect? One possible hypothesis is that tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) act as the mediator that enables apoptosis of anti-tumor immune cells without FasL-related inflammation. We have evaluated the tumor FasL expression and TAM along the tumor margin and/or in cancer stroma, and their impact on the infiltration of immune-competent cells into the tumor nest.

Patients And Methods: Tissue specimens from consecutive 84 advanced gastric carcinoma patients, who had undergone a curative resection, were evaluated for TAM (CD68+ cells), tumor FasL expression and immune status (CD8 + T cells).

Role of cyclooxygenase-2 in immunomodulation and prognosis of endometrial carcinoma.

Although there are several hypotheses explaining the mechanisms of immune-privileged status of malignant tumor, the exact pathway has yet to be explored. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 plays a vital role in prognosis of cancer patients in terms of contribution to neoangiogenesis and apoptosis inhibition; however, the impact of COX-2 in immunomodulation has not been reported. We have evaluated the expression of COX-2 and its impact on infiltration of immune-competent cells into the tumor cell nest in endometrial carcinoma.

Correlation of histological localization of tumor-associated macrophages with clinicopathological features in endometrial cancer.

Background: To clarify the pathophysiological role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), we performed clinicopathological analysis of CD68+ cells in 70 cases of human endometrial cancer.

Materials And Methods: Using immunohistochemistry for CD68, we classified CD68+ cells into four groups: (a) those infiltrated into cancer cell nests or in close contact with cancer cells (nest TAM); (b) those in necrosis in the tumor center (hot-spot TAM); (c) those infiltrated into cancer stroma (stroma TAM); and (d) those distributed along the invasive margin of a tumor (Margin TAM).

Results: The aggregation of nest TAM related to high relapse-free survival rate after surgery.

Tumor-associated macrophages: foe or accomplice of tumors?

Macrophages are predominantly involved in the immune and inflammatory processes of solid tumors. Macrophages infiltrated into a tumor have an ambivalent relationship with the tumor, because they are innately very flexible and adaptable depending on the microenvironment of the tissue and the tissue-derived factors. The relationship between tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and a tumor is extremely complicated and has not yet been clearly elucidated.

[Fundamental Study on Heavy Ion CT Using Pencil Beam Scanning Method].

The feasibility of heavy ion computed tomography was investigated. A cylindrical polyethylene sample of 50 mm in diameter was used to establish the pencil beam scanning method and estimate the performance of the system. The sample was irradiated with carbon ions of 290 MeV/u and 400 MeV/u, and helium ions of 150 MeV/u.

Electron density measurement with dual-energy x-ray CT using synchrotron radiation.

Monochromatic x-ray computed tomography (CT) at two different energies provides information about electron density of human tissue without ambiguity due to the beam hardening effect. This information makes the treatment planning for proton and heavy-ion radiotherapy more precise. We have started a feasibility study on dual energy x-ray CT by using synchrotron radiation.