[Evaluation of bronchial arterial infusion (BAI) for lung cancer with carcinomatous pleuritis].

Materials And Methods: Six high-risk patients of lung cancer with carcinomatous pleuritis to which BAI was done were examined. BAI was performed using CDDP (40-50 mg/m2) + CPT-11 (40-50 mg/m2). The therapeutic effects, side effects, a reduction of the symptoms and prognosis were examined.

[Evaluation of bronchial arterial infusion (BAI) for lung cancer with brain metastasis].

Materials And Methods: Seven high risk patients of lung cancer with brain metastasis to which BAI was done were examined. The standard systemic chemotherapy was not indicated in these cases due to the patients' systemic condition. BAI was performed using CDDP (40-80 mg/m2)+CPT-11 (40-60 mg/m2).

Prognostic predictors in breast cancer patients with postoperative 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy.

Thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) are enzymes involved in the metabolism of 5-fluorouracil (FU). To investigate the relationship of these activities with clinicopathological factors and survival, we measured TS (88 patients) and DPD (122 patients) activities in resected specimens of breast cancer by enzyme assay. Significant difference was found only in TS activity between tumors > or = 20 mm in diameter and those < 20 mm (p = 0.

[Evaluation of bronchial arterial infusion (BAI) for metastatic lung tumor from colorectal cancer].

Three cases of metastatic lung tumor from colorectal cancer with an ineffectual systemic chemotherapy were examined based on the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of bronchial infusion (BAI) as a symptomatic therapy. Two out of three cases were rectal cancer and the third case being ascending colon cancer. After the operations, each of the three cases showed a multiple lung metastases recurrence at the primary and metastatic lesions of the lung.

Unusual double primary neoplasia: adrenocortical and ureteral carcinomas in werner syndrome.

Adrenocortical and ureteral carcinomas were observed in a 50-year-old Japanese woman with Werner syndrome (MIM No. 27770). The syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by premature aging and an increased risk of rare cancers, which are often multiple.

[Successfully treated case with microscopic polyangiitis complicated severe varicella zoster virus infection including encephalitis and disseminated varicella zoster].

We report a case with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) complicated by varicella zoster encephalitis. A 60-year-old woman caught a common cold and had acute otitis media in April 1998. Proteinuria and hematuria with hyaline cast were noted at the routine medical check in May, and she was referred to our hospital because of high fever and chest pain.

[A case of systemic sclerosis complicated by Takayasu's arteritis].

We report a case of systemic sclerosis complicated by Takayasu's arteritis. A 68-year-old woman had been treated for hypertension since 1984. She also had Raynaud's phenomenon and noticed vertigo and dizziness.

Interferon therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with low HCV-RNA levels.

Background/aims: Interferon-alfa is widely used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, and has been thought to have a preventive effect on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatocellular carcinoma develops from chronic liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis C or liver cirrhosis. We studied the effect of interferon for liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma after treating hepatocellular carcinoma itself.

Intra-articular injection of hyaluronate (SI-6601D) improves joint pain and synovial fluid prostaglandin E2 levels in rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter clinical trial.

Objective: The relationship between clinicalfeatures and biochemical parameters of synovialfluid after serial intra-articular injections of sodium hyaluronate (SI-6601D) was investigated.

Methods: SI-6601D (sodium hyaluronate with an average molecular weight of 8.4 x 10(5); 25mg/2.

Elevation of serum hyaluronan level in Werner's syndrome.

Background: There is a well-established association between Werner's syndrome (WS) and hyperhyaluronic aciduria; however, to date hyaluronan (HA) in the serum has not been statistically linked with WS. Recently, the gene that causes WS has been defined as a DNA helicase on chromosome 8, and 19 different mutations in WS patients have been identified. It is not known whether the mutation type of the Werner helicase gene affects the levels of serum and urine HA in WS patients.

A novel treatment for refractory primary biliary cirrhosis?

Background/aims: Bezafibrate is naturally used for hyperlipidemia worldwide. In 1992 Day et al reported that the value of ALP and gamma-GTP in hyperlipidemia declined after administering bezafibrate orally. We conducted a study to investigate whether or not ALP and gamma-GTP in primary biliary cirrhosis which is characterized by the elevation of these enzymes improved after taking bezafibrate.

Werner's syndrome: from clinics to genetics.

Werner's syndrome (WS), a representative progeroid syndrome with chromosomal instability caused by the mutation of RecQ type DNA/RNA helicase, manifests skin changes similar to those observed in systemic sclerosis (SSc). In addition, patients with WS show a variety of the signs and symptoms of normal ageing at an early stage of their life; gray hair, alopecia, muscle atrophy, osteoporosis, cataracts, hypogonadism, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, malignancy, brain atrophy, and senile dementia. Although no direct evidence has been presented linking RecQ type DNA/RNA helicase dysfunction with the occurrence of premature ageing symptoms in WS, WS may give us a unique model to analyze the skin changes and the mechanisms of fibrosis in SSc.

[Evaluation of bronchial arterial infusion (BAI) for high risk lung cancer].

Materials And Methods: Seventeen lung cancer patients with advanced age, complications or severe symptoms from the tumor were examined. Standard systemic chemotherapy, irradiation or operation was not indicated in these cases due the patients' systemic condition. BAI was performed using CDDP (40-50 mg/m2) + ETP (70 mg/m2) or CPT-11 (40 mg/m2).

[Significance of thymidylate synthase (TS) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) activity in breast cancer tissue].

TS, DPD, uridine phosphorylase and thymidine phosphorylase are enzymes involved in the metabolism of the anticancer drug pyrimidine fluoride. In this study, levels of these enzymes were measured in 47 women with primary breast cancer. These enzyme levels were then compared to levels determined from breast cancer patients who received either preoperative chemotherapy or nothing, in order to determine whether they might predict clinical outcome.

[Werner syndrome].

WS has been associated with an excess of cancer of unusual types, especially sarcomas. Thyroid carcinoma, the most frequent epithelial cancer in WS, accounted for 14% of neoplasia in Japanese with WS. The ratio of epithelial to non-epithelial cancer was 1:1, as compared with 10:1 in the general adult population.

The role of vitamin D3 receptor mRNA in the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] exhibits effects on cell proliferation and differentiation.

Methodology: We examined the anti-proliferative effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 on human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (PLC/PRF/5, HCC-T) and the role of vitamin D receptors in modulating this effect. We also investigated the gene expression of vitamin D receptors in tissues from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Immunological diagnosis of Werner syndrome by down-regulated and truncated gene products.

Although immunological methods are widely used to diagnose various infectious diseases, they have rarely been employed to detect genetic diseases. In this study, we have established an immunoblot analysis system for the diagnosis of Werner syndrome (WS), a recessive genetic disorder causing premature aging and an enhanced risk of rare cancers. The method uses an immunoblot technique with specific monoclonal antibodies to WS gene product, and B-lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) transformed by Epstein-Barr virus; these cell lines express an increased level of normal WS gene product DNA helicase.

Novel therapeutic approach to primary biliary cirrhosis patients: anti-eosinophil strategy.

Background/aims: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of unknown cause. Morphologically, PBC is characterized by eosinophil infiltration into the portal tract in recent studies. Pranlukast, a new drug, is a leukotriene antagonist, which suppresses eosinophil infiltration in atopic dermatitis or asthma.

Epidural anesthesia during hysterectomy diminishes postoperative pain and urinary cortisol release.

Purpose: To examine the hypothesis that epidural anesthesia throughout lower abdominal surgery would depress both postoperative pain and cortisol release.

Methods: Forty adult patients undergoing abdominal total hysterectomy were studied. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups.

Hierarchical deterioration of body systems in Werner's syndrome: implications for normal ageing.

Normal human ageing is a complicated biological phenomenon. 'Werner's syndrome (WS)', caused by mutations of RecQ type DNA helicase, has been recognized as a top ranking 'segmental' progeroid syndrome. Patients with WS show a wide variety of clinical and biological manifestations in the four major self-assembly body systems (nervous, immune, connective tissue and endocrine-metabolic systems) similar to normal ageing at an early stage of their life, followed by death at an average age of 46.

Possible association between HLA antigens and the response to interferon in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Correlation between the major histocompatibility complex class I antigens (HLA-A, -B and -C) and the elimination from serum of hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C has not been understood. We analyzed HLA phenotypes and their relationship to the efficacy of interferon treatment. Of the 172 patients who were treated with 9 million units of interferon-alpha 2a three times a week for 6 months, 54 patients were responders and 118 patients were non-responders.

Analysis of helicase gene mutations in Japanese Werner's syndrome patients.

The profile of helicase gene mutations was studied in 89 Japanese Werner's syndrome (WRN) patients by examining the previously described mutations 1-4 as well as a new mutation found during this study, designated mutation 5. Of 178 chromosomes (89 patients), 89 chromosomes (50%) had mutation 4, 11 (6.2%) chromosomes had mutation 1, and two chromosomes (1.

Number of specific antibody-secreting cells in the peripheral blood among children with mycoplasma pneumonia.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-specific antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) in the peripheral blood were enumerated with an enzyme-linked immunospot assay in 12 children with mycoplasma pneumonia. Those cells were detected in the acute phases and declined in number in the convalescent stage. The maximum numbers of M.