Purpose: Retrospective study of 23 patients treated with conformal radiotherapy for a locally advanced bile duct carcinoma.
Patients And Methods: Eight cases were irradiated after a radical resection (R0), because they were N+; seven after microscopically incomplete resection (R1); seven were not resected (R2). A dose of 45 of 50 Gy was delivered, followed by a boost up to 60 Gy in R1 and R2 groups. Concomitant chemotherapy was given in 15 cases.
Results: Late toxicity included a stenosis of the duodenum, and one of the biliary anastomosis. Two patients died from cholangitis, the mechanism of which remains unclear. Five patients are in complete remission, six had a local relapse, four developed a peritoneal carcinosis, and six distant metastases. Actuarial survival rate is 75%, 28% and 7% at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively (median: 16.5 months). Seven patients are still alive with a 4 to 70 months follow-up. Survival is similar in the 3 small subgroups. The poor local control among R0N+ cases might be related to the absence of a boost to the "tumor bed". In R1 patients, relapses were mainly distant metastases, whereas local and peritoneal recurrences predominated in R2.
Conclusion: Conformal radiochemotherapy delivering 60 Gy represents a valuable palliative approach in locally advanced biliary carcinoma.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1278-3218(01)00144-5 | DOI Listing |
Viruses
January 2025
Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
Retroviral genome selection and virion assembly remain promising targets for novel therapeutic intervention. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Gag proteins of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) undergo nuclear trafficking, colocalize with nascent genomic viral RNA (gRNA) at transcription sites, may interact with host transcription factors, and display biophysical properties characteristic of biomolecular condensates. In the present work, we utilized a controlled in vitro condensate assay and advanced imaging approaches to investigate the effects of interactions between RSV Gag condensates and viral and nonviral RNAs on condensate abundance and organization.
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January 2025
Department of Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, Arak 38156-8-8349, Iran.
In the 21st century, thanks to advances in biotechnology and developing pharmaceutical technology, significant progress is being made in effective drug design. Drug targeting aims to ensure that the drug acts only in the pathological area; it is defined as the ability to accumulate selectively and quantitatively in the target tissue or organ, regardless of the chemical structure of the active drug substance and the method of administration. With drug targeting, conventional, biotechnological and gene-derived drugs target the body's organs, tissues, and cells that can be selectively transported to specific regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceutics
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, School of Health Sciences & Biomedical Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China.
Brain diseases pose significant treatment challenges due to the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Recent advances in targeting macromolecules offer promising avenues for overcoming these obstacles through receptor-mediated transcytosis (RMT). We summarize the current progress in targeting brain drug delivery with macromolecules for brain diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceutics
January 2025
CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6201-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
Monogenic disorders are a group of human diseases caused by mutations in single genes. While some disease-altering treatments offer relief and slow the progression of certain conditions, the majority of monogenic disorders still lack effective therapies. In recent years, gene therapy has appeared as a promising approach for addressing genetic disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceutics
December 2024
Department of Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
Liver fibrosis, a hallmark of chronic liver diseases, is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and scar tissue formation. Current antifibrotic nanomedicines face significant limitations, including poor penetration into fibrotic tissue, rapid clearance, and suboptimal therapeutic efficacy. The dense fibrotic ECM acts as a major physiological barrier, necessitating the development of a targeted delivery strategy to achieve effective therapeutic outcomes.
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