Subscription journal ISSN (Print) 0009-3157 - ISSN (Online) 1421-9794 This journal is no longer being updated because: the publisher no longer provides RSS feeds
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Abstract: Acute hepatitis E, one of the causes of acute liver injury, has been increasingly diagnosed in developed countries in recent years. Misdiagnosis of acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection as drug-induced liver injury (DILI) may lead to discontinuation of effective chemotherapy. Thus, viral hepatitis, including hepatitis E, must be ruled out in the diagnosis of DILI. A 78-year-old woman with lung adenocarcinoma and multiple bone metastases received maintenance therapy with pemetrexed + pembrolizumab for a year. Increased aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, indicating acute liver injury, were observed. Initially, DILI was suspected, and she was given medications to lower the levels of hepatic enzymes. She was later admitted to the hospital with the chief complaint of general malaise and anorexia. Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were markedly elevated (381 and 854 U/L, respectively). Acute HEV infection was diagnosed based on the detection of serum HEV immunoglobulin A antibodies. The patient received liver support therapy, and the serum hepatic enzymes recovered to normal levels. Chemotherapy was resumed without any subsequent relapse of hepatic enzyme elevation. When DILI is suspected during chemotherapy, exclusion of viral hepatitis is mandatory, which can be achieved by measuring markers of hepatitis viruses, including HEV, and examining the patient’s detailed medical history.
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Abstract: ABSTRACTBackgroundAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a life-threatening disease whose treatment is made difficult by a number of mutations or receptor overexpression in the proliferating cellular clones. Life expectancy of patients diagnosed with new, relapsed-refractory or secondary AML has been improved by drugs targeted at such moieties. Regrettably, however, clinical use of new AML drugs is complicated by pharmacokinetic interactions with other drugs the patient is exposed to. SummaryThe most relevant drug-drug interactions (DDI) with clinical implications build on competition for or induction/inhibition of CYP3A4, which is a versatile metabolizer of a plethora of pharmacological agents. Here we review DDI between AML drugs and the agents used to prevent or treat invasive fungal infections (IFI). The pathophysiology of AML, characterized by functionally defective white blood cells and neutropenic/immunosoppressive effects of concomitant induction chemotherapy, can in fact increase the risk of infectious complications, with IFI causing high rates of morbidity and mortality. Triazole antifungals, such as posaconazole, are strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 and may thus cause patient’s overexposure to AML drugs that are metabolized by CYP3A4. We describe potential strategies to minimize the consequences of DDI between triazole antifungals and targeted therapies for acute myeloid leukemia and the role that collaboration between clinical pharmacologists, hematologists and clinical or laboratory microbiologists may have in these settings. Key MessagesTherapeutic drug monitoring and clinical pharmacology stewardship could represent two strategies that best express multidisciplinary collaboration for improving patient management.
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Abstract: Introduction: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is the standard and curative treatment strategy for patients with hematologic malignancies. Recently, decitabine included regimens are investigated by several studies including ours, which may prevent relapse of primary malignant diseases. Methods: This study was to retrospectively evaluate a 7-day decitabine included regimen with reduced dose of idarubicin for patients with hematologic malignancies who underwent allo-HSCT. Results: A total of 84 patients were enrolled, including 24 cases in 7-day and 60 cases in 5-day decitabine groups, respectively. Patients conditioned with 7-day decitabine regimen showed accelerated neutrophil (12.05±1.97 versus 13.86±3.15; u = 9.309, P PubDate: Wed, 29 Mar 2023 08:16:51 +020
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Abstract: Introduction: Neoangiogenesis has a crucial role in Multiple Myeloma (MM) and Circulating Endothelial Cells (CECs) contribute to neovascularization by inducing tumor progression and metastasis and by repairing damage to bone marrow vasculature after stem cell transplantation (HSC). We recently proved in a national multicenter study, the possibility to reach a high level standardization in CEC count and analysis based on a polychromatic flow cytometry Lyotube (BD). Our study aimed at assessing the kinetics of CECs in patients with MM undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Au-HSCT).Methods: Blood samples for analysis were collected at different time points before (T0, T1) and after (T2, T3, T4) Au-HSCT. For each sample, 20 × 106 leukocytes were processed as already described (Lanuti 2016 e 2018) through a multistep procedure. CECs were eventually identified as 7-ADDneg/Syto16pos/CD45neg/CD34pos/CD146pos.Results:Twenty-six MM patients were enrolled in the study. Overall, we observed a constant increase of CECs values from T0 to T3 (day of neutrophil engraftment) followed by decrease at T4 (100 days after transplantation). Using the median value of CECs at T3 we could define a cut-off concentration of 618/mL, with patients with more infective complications having CECs above that value (9/13 vs 2/13; P = .005).Conclusion: CECs value may be a function of endothelial damage caused by conditioning regimen, as suggested by the increase of their level during the engraftment period. A more severe endothelial damage is reflected by the increase of infective complications in patients with higher CECs value at T3.
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Abstract: Chemotherapy PubDate: Tue, 07 Mar 2023 08:06:37 +010
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Abstract: (No abstract allowed for commentary) Chemotherapy PubDate: Tue, 07 Mar 2023 05:28:50 +010
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Abstract: Background: Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy resistance is a major cause of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Increasing evidence indicates that lncRNA BCAR4 is involved in the occurrence and development of various cancers. However, the effect of BCAR4 on CRC chemotherapy resistance remains unclear. Methods: Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of gene and protein, respectively. The role of BCAR4 in drug resistance was evaluated by cell viability and apoptosis experiments. Luciferase reporter assay and Western blot analysis confirmed the relationship between BCAR4, miR-483-3p, and RAB5C. Results: Luciferase reporter assay and Western blotting analysis confirmed the relationship among BCAR4, miR-483-3p, and RAB5C. The results showed that the expression levels of BCAR4 and RAB5C were increased in CRC tumor tissue. The expression levels of BCAR4 were increased in patients with chemotherapy resistance. Functional analysis showed that knockdown of BCAR4 reduced the expression levels of proteins related to stemness, decreased the activity of cells, and promoted apoptosis of CRC cells, while overexpression of RAB5C reversed these effects. Moreover, the results showed that BCAR4 promoted oxaliplatin resistance by inhibiting cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, BCAR4 sponged miR-483-3p and promoted the expression of RAB5C. Knockdown of BCAR4 reduced tumor size and enhanced cell sensitivity to oxaliplatin in vivo. Conclusion: The results suggested that BCAR4/miR-483-3p/RAB5C axis has the potential to be explored as a novel therapeutic target for CRC treatment. Chemotherapy PubDate: Thu, 19 Jan 2023 08:10:09 +010
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Abstract: Introduction: Trifluridine/tipiracil hydrochloride (FTD/TPI, Lonsurf®) is an oral antineoplastic agent that has been approved as late-stage chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. Its major mechanism of action is the dysfunction of tumoral DNA including DNA strand breaks and decreased replication. Fruquintinib (ELUNATE®) is a novel kinase inhibitor that selectively inhibits the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1, -2, and -3. In this study, we evaluated the antitumor activity of combination therapy with FTD/TPI and fruquintinib in vivo. Methods: The enhancement of the antitumor effects with FTD/TPI and fruquintinib combination, compared to the single drugs given alone was evaluated using two human colorectal cancer xenografts in nude mouse models. FTD/TPI (200 mg/kg) was orally administered for 5 consecutive days followed by 2 days of rest in a 7-day period. Fruquintinib (10 mg/kg) was orally administered consecutively for 2 and 3 weeks in SW48 and HCT 116 tumor-bearing models, respectively. After treatment with these agents, the microvessel density was evaluated by CD31 immunohistochemical analyses. Results: In both models, FTD/TPI and fruquintinib significantly inhibited tumor growth, and the activity of the combined treatment was significantly superior to that of either monotherapy. Body weight loss of greater than 20% was not observed in any group. A histochemical analysis showed nuclei enlargement, abnormal mitosis, and karyorrhexis in the FTD/TPI treatment group. The microvessel density in the HCT 116 tumors treated with FTD/TPI and fruquintinib was significantly lower than that in the control group. Conclusion: The combination of FTD/TPI and fruquintinib could be a promising treatment option for colorectal cancer. Chemotherapy PubDate: Mon, 09 Jan 2023 08:29:22 +010
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Abstract: Treatment of synchronous multiple primary cancers is clinically difficult. We report four cases of synchronous primary cancers, including advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLCs) highly positive for programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression and initially treated with pembrolizumab. Pembrolizumab was efficacious in 2 patients with NSCLC lesions, followed by chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer (case 1) and chemotherapy for gastric cancer (case 2). Both cancers in case 1 showed a complete response for 3 years, while progression of the accompanying gastric cancer resulted in mortality at 20 months in case 2. Both NSCLC and gastric cancer in case 3 failed to respond to pembrolizumab, but the accompanying laryngeal cancer in case 4 showed a complete response, and cytotoxic chemotherapy for NSCLC was continued for 18.0 months. Our clinical experience suggests that pembrolizumab is a useful therapeutic approach for patients with synchronous cancers, including NSCLC that highly expresses PD-L1. Chemotherapy PubDate: Wed, 28 Dec 2022 11:52:19 +010
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Abstract: Background: Allogeneic transplant is an effective salvage therapy in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) relapsed or refractory (R/R) to previous treatments. In recent years, immunotherapies (conjugated antibody and checkpoint inhibitors [CPI]) showed interesting results and were used as bridge therapies to allotransplant. Aim: The aim of this retrospective study in Lazio region was to evaluate the impact of these new therapies on outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) in comparison with standard chemotherapies used in the past. Methods: We selected all consecutive patients with diagnosis of HL transplanted in four hematology transplant units, and we collected data obtained from patients’ records concerning all the treatments before allo-SCT. Results: A total of 56 patients were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent allo-SCT for R/R HL. Seventeen patients (30%) received chemotherapy prior to allo-SCT (group B); they were treated between 2008 and 2015; and 39 patients (70%) received brentuximab vedotin (BV), CPI, or both before allo-SCT as a bridge to transplant (group A); they were treated between 2012 and 2020. Twenty-five patients were treated with BV alone, 2 with CPI alone, and 12 first with BV and then with CPI. No patient received concomitant BV and CPI. At 5 years from allo-SCT, overall survival (OS) was 59% and progression-free survival (PFS) was 65%. No statistical differences in OS or PFS were observed between patients in groups A and B. Relapse was significantly associated with a lower survival. The only factor associated with a reduced risk of relapse was development of any grade acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) (p #x3e; 0.02). Conclusions: This regional real-world experience shows the changes that have taken place in the last 10 years in R/R HL using new drugs to render a patient eligible for allo-SCT. This strategy appears to guarantee an impressive disease control with an increased risk of complications, for example, aGVHD, that appear to nullify this advantage at least in part. Chemotherapy PubDate: Thu, 22 Dec 2022 08:40:22 +010