Background/Aim: The aim of this report was to evaluate the onset of grade≥3 neutropenia during the first-cycle in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with trifluridine/tipiracil and its relationship with clinical parameters of interest, such as overall survival (OS). Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients with mCRC, treated with trifluridine/tipiracil in third or later treatment lines in mCRC, at our Medical Oncology Unit between...
Background/Aim: Immune check point inhibitors (ICIs) are changing cancer treatment in several malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The introduction of these active new agents is associated with a relevant increase of costs and it is, therefore, important to create a balance between the costs of treatment and the added value represented by the improvement of the clinical parameters of interest such as overall survival (OS). This analysis was conducted to assess the pharmacological...
The Economic Impact of Biosimilars in Oncology and Hematology: The Case of Trastuzumab and Rituximab
Background/Aim: Biosimilar agents are biologic products that have no clinically meaningful differences in terms of quality, efficacy, safety and immunogenicity compared to an already approved reference biological product, with the potential to reduce the costs of biologics. Considering the increasing numbers of oncology biosimilars, it is important to calculate the economic impact of biosimilars in oncology and hemathology, considering trastuzumab and rituximab as examples, with their greatest budgetary...
We report the case of an 89-year-old male diagnosed with chronic-phase CML and expressing a rare e13a3 BCR-ABL1 fusion transcript. His cytogenetic analysis showed the t(9;22) translocation generating the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph), with a multiplex RT-PCR detecting an atypical fragment. Using two primers complementary to exon 10 of BCR and exon 4 of ABL1, a larger PCR product was observed, where after Sanger sequencing, an e13a3 BCR-ABL1 transcript was revealed. Given the diagnosis, the patient...
Background/Aim: Malignant melanoma is a rare disease in the pediatric population and there are no recommendations regarding its management in children, while the current standard of care in metastatic or unresectable melanoma in adult patients includes immunotherapy (anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies). Advances in the management of adults with melanoma offer the prospect of promising therapeutic options for children. Case Report: We describe a case of a 7-year-old patient with recurrent metastatic...
Background: Spindle cell oncocytoma (SCO) is a rare non-neuroendocrine neoplasm of the pituitary gland. In general, surgical excision and radiation therapy is performed. However, local recurrences are frequently seen, requiring repeated surgical and radio-oncological interventions. Thus, mutational analysis of the tumor and targeted therapy may represent a valuable therapy option in these patients. Case Report: A 38-year-old female patient with past medical history of 6 surgeries (two transsphenoidal...
Background/Aim: Platinum plus 5-fluorouracil (FP) is a first-line regimen of palliative chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (RM-ESCC). In this retrospective study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of S-1 monotherapy as a salvage line treatment for RM-ESCC, focusing on the reasons for discontinuation of prior FP. Materials and Methods: The subjects of this study had RM-ESCC and received S-1 after failure of FP. Results: Eleven patients were enrolled. Nine...
Background/Aim: Treatment with EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) shows a durable response against NSCLC harboring EGFR mutation; however, treatment resistance occurs within 1-1.5 years following first-line EGFR-TKIs [first- and second-generation (G) TKIs]. When resistant NSCLC exhibits T790M mutations, osimertinib is the standard therapy. However, intratumoral heterogeneity and clonal evolution may occur in NSCLC. Afatinib may overcome tumor heterogeneity, leading to T790M colonal purity. We aimed...
Background: The study aim was to evaluate the efficacy of wrapping oblate for prevention of everolimus-associated stomatitis in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Patients and Methods: Patients with mRCC prescribed everolimus after failure of vascular endothelial growth factor–tyrosine kinase inhibitor were enrolled. Patients were consecutively assigned to take everolimus covered with or without oblate. The primary end-points were the incidence of and time to grade 2 or more stomatitis. Additionally,...
Background/Aim: This study aimed to identify the survival benefit of intrahepatic tumour control by hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) or extrahepatic metastasis. Patients and Methods: Between 2010 and 2017, a total of 187 consecutive patients with advanced HCC were treated with HAIC. The survival outcomes and response rates to HAIC were analysed. Results: The intrahepatic objective response (OR) rate of...
Background/Aim: Abiraterone (AA) and enzalutamide (ENZ) were introduced in Taiwan since 2012 for the treatment of patients with post-docetaxel metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study aims to retrospectively compare the efficacy of the two regimens. Materials and Methods: The study cohort consisted of 77 mCRPC patients previously treated with docetaxel and subsequently with AA (n=63, the AA group) or ENZ (n=13, the ENZ group), all treated in our hospital. Clinical parameters...
Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of re-treatment with anti-programmed death (PD)-L1 antibody (atezolizumab) after anti-PD-1 antibody (nivolumab/pembrolizumab) treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 18 NSCLC patients who received atezolizumab after anti-PD-1 antibody treatment. Data on patient characteristics, number of cycles of anti-PD-1 antibody and atezolizumab, regimens between anti-PD-1 antibody and atezolizumab,...
Background/Aim: Previously, we showed that KBV20C cancer cells highly resistant to antimitotic drugs were sensitized by co-treatment with a repositioned drug fluphenazine. Materials and Methods: Considering that fluphenazine plays a role as a histamine receptor antagonist, we investigated low doses of 21 other histamine receptor antagonists (lidocaine, cimetidine, chlorpromazine, diphenhydramine, promethazine, ranitidine, famotidine, clemastine, chlorpheniramine, desloratadine, loratadine, cyproheptadine,...
Background/Aim: Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal cancer of the digestive system. IL-29 is a new member of the IFN family and well-known for its strong antiviral activity. However, its direct effect on pancreatic cancer is still unclear. This study was performed to investigate if IL-29 has any direct effect on Pan-48 pancreatic cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Clonogenic survival assay, cell proliferation, and caspase-3 activity kits were used to evaluate the effects of IL-29 on cell survival,...
Background/Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the apoptotic effects of phenformin, a therapeutic agent for diabetes, on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity was measured by the MTT and live/dead cell assay. Phenformin-induced apoptotic FaDu cell death and its associated cellular signaling pathways were investigated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, caspase-3 activity assay, fluorescence-activated cell...
Background/Aim: This study examined the potential role of natural triterpenoids lupeol, calenduladiol and heliantriol B2, and a set of 19 derivatives, as antiproliferative and antimetastatic agents against prostate cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Natural triterpenoids were isolated from Chuqiraga erinaceae. Analogs were obtained by transformations of lupeol and calenduladiol. The effects of compounds on PC-3 and LNCaP cells were determined using the MTT assay. Compounds with half-maximal inhibitory...
Background/Aim: Very few studies of anticancer activity of azulene amides led us to investigate the cytotoxicity of 21 N-alkylazulene-1-carboxamides introduced either with 3-methyl [1-7], 7-isopropyl-3-methyl [8-14] or 2-methoxy group [15-21]. Materials and Methods: Tumor-specificity (TS) was calculated by the ratio of mean 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) against three normal human oral mesenchymal cells to that against four human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. Potency-selectivity...
Background/Aim: This study aims to investigate whether the combination of oncolytic viruses with chemoradiotherapy or other therapies is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Materials and Methods: The anticancer effects of measles virus (MeV) in combination with nimotuzumab in the treatment of laryngeal cancer were evaluated in vitro and in nude mice inoculated with Hep2 tumors. MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to examine cell death. Results: Laryngeal cancer cells treated with MeV+nimotuzumab...
Background/Aim: Although adrenergic agonists have been used in dental treatments and oral surgery for general anesthesia, their cytotoxicity against human oral malignant and non-malignant cell has not been well- understood. The present study was undertaken to investigate the cytotoxicity of five adrenergic agonists against human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), glioblastoma, promyelocytic leukemia, and normal oral mesenchymal cells (gingival fibroblast, pulp cell, periodontal ligament fibroblast)...
Background: Platinum-based therapy represents the main pharmacological treatment for ovarian carcinoma. Since molecular targeting of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) affects factors that may modulate drug response, the aim of this study was to examine whether downstream targets of AXL RTK could be exploited to improve cell response to cisplatin. Materials and Methods: Inhibitors of p38 (SB203580) and of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (stattic) were employed in combination with...
Background/Aim: Recently, we demonstrated the ability of inhibitors of protein kinase 2 (casein kinase II; CK2) to enhance the efficacy of 5-fluorouracil, a thymidylate synthase (TYMS)-directed drug for anticancer treatment. The present study aimed to investigate the antileukemic effect of simultaneous inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), another enzyme involved in the thymidylate biosynthesis cycle, and CK2 in CCRF-CEM acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Materials and Methods: The influence...
Background: Lenvatinib has become an important treatment option for advanced thyroid cancer. Fistula and tumor-related bleeding are life-threatening adverse effects that are triggered by tumor shrinkage. The aim of this study was to evaluate basic parameters, such as time and tumor shrinkage level, and analyze patient characteristics that might be related to onset of complications. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of 16 patients who received lenvatinib for thyroid cancer treatment was...
Background/Aim: Both bevacizumab (BEV) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) have demonstrated anti-angiogenic effects, thereby causing hypertension and proteinuria. We hypothesized that anti-preeclamptic drugs that combat the action of sFlt-1 may reduce BEV's anti-tumor efficacy. Materials and Methods: 3D co-cultured human mini-tumors consisting of endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and cancer cells were developed. The influence of anti-preeclamptic drugs and BEV on the invasion of mini-tumors...
Background/Aim: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) originates from neuroendocrine branchial cells (15-20%). It is regarded as distinct from other lung cancers due to its biological and clinical features. In most cases of SCLC, surgery or radiotherapy alone is not an effective cure. The aim of our study was to examine the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy supported by electroporation (EP) on a resistant SCLC model, in vitro. Material and Methods: The multidrug resistant small lung cell line H69AR was used...
Background/Aim: Trabectedin is a DNA-damaging agent and has been approved for the treatment of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma. Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) was identified as a dominant determinant of the response to DNA-damaging agents. The aim of the study was to clarify the association between SLFN11 expression and the antitumor activity of trabectedin. Materials and Methods: The antitumor activity of trabectedin was evaluated under different expression levels of SLFN11 regulated by RNA interference...
Background/Aim: The study is directed to the effect of resveratrol on the redox-status and viability of leukemic and normal lymphocytes, as well as its ability to sensitize leukemic lymphocytes to anticancer drugs. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity was analyzed by trypan blue staining, apoptosis – by Annexin V test, and oxidative stress – by the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protein-carbonyl products. Results: Incubation of resveratrol in combination with the majority...
Background/Aim: Trifluridine (FTD) is a key component of the novel oral antitumor drug trifluridine/tipiracil that has been approved for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of DNA replication profile in FTD-treated colon cancer cells was performed. Materials and Methods: HCT-116 cells were exposed to BrdU or FTD and subjected to DNA immunoprecipitation. Immunoprecipitated DNA was sequenced; the density of aligned reads along the genome was calculated....
Background/Aim: This study investigated drugs able to sensitize P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-overexpressing resistant KBV20C cancer cells to vincristine or eribulin treatment and assessed their associated mechanisms of action. Materials and Methods: Eight tyrosine kinase inhibitors (lapatinib, gefitinib, imatinib, erlotinib, nilotinib, pazopanib, cediranib, and vandetanib) and one serine/threonine kinase inhibitor (selumetinib) were evaluated for their sensitizing effects on vincristine-resistant KBV20C...
Background/Aim: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a cancer-selective, cell-death-inducing agent with little toxicity to normal cells. However, various human cancers and cancer cell lines have been reported to be resistant to TRAIL. Molecular clarification of resistance mechanism is needed. Materials and Methods: Compound screening, proliferation assays, western blotting, and flow cytometry were used to examine the sensitizer activity of methyl transferase inhibitor...
Background/Aim: Fatty acid synthase (FASN) provides palmitate for cell membrane formation in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, however, palmitate is also available in the blood of CRC patients. The aim of this study was to examine whether orlistat, a FASN inhibitor, is able to attenuate CRC cell growth despite the availability of extracellular palmitate. Materials and Methods: Palmitate concentrations were measured in serum from CRC patients and healthy controls. HT-29 CRC cells were treated with orlistat...
Background/Aim: Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood; treatments with greater effectiveness are required for NB, especially in advanced cases. This study aimed at evaluating the combined effect of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor alectinib and histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat on NB cell lines harboring wild-type or mutated ALK. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity was examined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide...
Background: We examined treatment the efficacy and data on long-term outcomes in real-world Japanese patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 treated with 12-week sofosbuvir/ribavirin combination therapy. Patients and Methods: In a total of 86 patients who were treated with sofosbuvir/ribavirin, sustained virological response (SVR) rates and long-term-outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The adherence to this combination therapy was 98.8%. The rates of SVR at week 24...
Background: The oncogenic role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been intensively studied. However, its emerging role in drug resistance has not been fully addressed. Materials and Methods: This study systematically investigated the correlation of mRNA and protein expression of EGFR, as well as gene amplification and mutations with the log-transformed half-maximal inhibitory concentration (log10IC50) values obtained from the NCI panel of 60 human tumor cell lines against 83 standard...
Background/Aim: Pembrolizumab was approved as second-line treatment for patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (UC) in Japan. We performed a retrospective pilot study to assess the potency of pembrolizumab treatment in Japan. Patients and Methods: The medical records of 40 consecutive Japanese patients with metastatic UC who started pembrolizumab between January and October 2018 were reviewed and statistically analyzed to clarify the efficacy and safety of the drug. Results: The objective response...
Perampanel Inhibits Neuroblastoma Cell Proliferation Through Down-regulation of AKT and ERK Pathways
Background/Aim: Activation of AKT serine/ threonine kinase (AKT) predicts poor outcome in neuroblastoma, which highlights the potential of the AKT pathway as a promising target for neuroblastoma treatment. Several studies reported that blockade of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptors (AMPARs) reduces proliferation in glioblastoma or lung cancer by inhibiting AKT and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) pathways. In this study, we examined the effect of the AMPAR antagonist...
Background/Aim: Cervical cancer is considered poorly chemo-sensitive in women and its treatment remains unsatisfactory. Cyperus rotundus is used in Chinese medicine as a therapeutic agent for women's disease. The effects and molecular mechanisms of the ethanol extraction of C. rotundus (CRE) on cervical cancer remain unclear. We aimed to explore the mechanisms and genetic influence of CRE on cervical cancer. Materials and Methods: HeLa, human cervical cancer cells were treated with various doses...
Background/Aim: Nuclear receptors regulate the expression of cellular transporters, which may be contributing factors for cisplatin (CDDP) resistance. This study aimed to clarify whether nuclear receptor ligands could be potentially used as drugs to overcome CDDP resistance. Materials and Methods: Caspase-3 activity was measured using a fluorogenic substrate. mRNA levels were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Pregnane X receptor (PXR) showed an expression level change...
Background: Hormone therapy and chemotherapy are not effective for castrate-resistant prostate cancer, thus development of novel treatment strategies is required. Gene therapy involving transient high-copy transfection of interleukin (IL)-24 with an adenoviral vector can exert antitumor activity; however, the effects of stable IL-24 transfection are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of IL-24 overexpression in prostate cancer cells, in vitro. Materials and...
Background/Aim: The novel cytidine analog RX-3117, which is activated by uridine-cytidine kinase 2 (UCK2), shows encouraging activity in pancreatic and bladder cancer Phase IIa studies. In this study we highlight the potential role of UCK2 as a biomarker for selecting patients for RX-3117 treatment. Patients and Methods: The online genomics analysis and visualization platform, R2, developed by the Oncogenomics department at the AMC (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) was used for in silico UCK2-mRNA correlation...
Background/Aim: Cancer incidence and mortalities are growing worldwide, therefore research and development of more effective and less invasive treatments, such as photodynamic therapy, are needed. Herein, we investigated the methylene blue (MB) photoactivation effects in lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and lung adenocarcinoma cells (H-441). Materials and Methods: The reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the laser photoactivation of MB in aqueous solutions and cell cultures were measured with...
Heterocyclic rings are recognized as key components of many natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic molecules with a broad spectrum of biological activities. Among these molecules, the indole and imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole systems have recently been described as useful scaffolds for the design of anticancer agents. Herein the antitumor activity of a series of 3-(6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-2-yl)-1H-indoles, designed as hybrid structures, was assessed. Seven out of 10 compounds (1a-g)...
Background/Aim: The study focused on identifying the mechanisms or drugs that might sensitize resistant KBV20C human oral squamous carcinoma cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein (P-gp) to antimitotic drug treatment. Materials and Methods: Five HIV protease inhibitors (atazanavir, nelfinavir, darunavir, lopinavir, and ritonavir) were tested to identify drugs that could be used at a relatively low dose for sensitizing antimitotic drug-resistant KBV20C cells. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting, annexin...
Background/Aim: Cetrimonium bromide (CTAB), a quaternary ammonium surfactant, is an antiseptic agent against bacteria and fungi. However, the mechanisms by which its pharmacological actions affect epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, such as adenocarcinoma in SK-HEP-1 cells, have not been investigated. We, thereby, investigated whether CTAB inhibits cellular mobility and invasiveness of human hepatic adenocarcinoma in SK-HEP-1 cells. Materials and Methods:...
Background/Aim: Selenium-containing compounds are becoming new alternatives in experimental chemotherapy in order to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer. The main goal of this study was to determine whether combined treatment with new Se-compounds would increase the effect of conventional doxorubicin chemotherapy in breast cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: Se-compounds were evaluated regarding their cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effect on MCF-7 and ATP-binding cassette subfamily B...
Background/Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of DL-methadone on enhancing the action of the chemotherapeutic drugs cisplatin, doxorubicin, 5-fluoruracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel on head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. Materials and Methods: The chemotherapeutic drugs were applied alone or in combination with DL-methadone and cytotoxicity was analyzed by XTT assays. Expression of the μ-opioid receptor and the drug transporter p-glycoprotein were analyzed by qRT-PCR....
In Vitro Evaluation of Apoptotic Induction of Butyric Acid Derivatives in Colorectal Carcinoma Cells
Background/Aim: Butyric acid, a short chain fatty acid, plays an important role in the prevention of colon cancer. The aim of this study was to analyze the growth inhibitory and apoptotic effect of butyric acid derivatives in colorectal cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Human colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells, were treated with the IC50 concentration of sodium butyrate, indole-3-butyric acid, tributyrin and 2-amino-n-butyric acid. Comet assay, caspase-3 assay and cell-cycle analysis were used...
Background/Aim: Amentoflavone has been shown to be effective against a variety of cancer cells, but its role in bladder cancer remains unclear. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate whether amentoflavone may induce toxicity effect of bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: Herein, we evaluated amentoflavone effects in a human bladder cancer cell line TSGH8301 in vitro. Results: Amentoflavone caused significant cytotoxicity in TSGH8301 cells at a concentration as low as 200 μM. FAS/FASL-dependent...
Background/Aim: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a therapy-resistant neoplasm of the pleura. Standard chemotherapy consists of a combination of cisplatin (CPDD) and pemetrexed (PEM). The aim of this study was to assess whether inhibition of aerobic glycolysis by 2-deoxy-glucose (2DG) would enhance the effects of standard chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: MeT-5A, M14K, MSTO and ZL34 cell lines were used. Cell viability with 2DG and cell proliferation and spheroid formation with CPDD+PEM...
Background/Aim: Cytochrome P450 epoxygenase is a major enzyme involved in the metabolism of -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to produce biologically active -3 epoxy fatty acids (-3 epoxides). In general, all epoxy PUFAs including -3 epoxides are quickly metabolized/inactivated by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) to form diol products. The aims of this study were to determine the effect and mechanism of fat-1 transgene, and -3 PUFA combined with sEH gene knockout or inhibitor on inhibiting pancreatic...
Background/Aim: AKT, also known as protein kinase B (PKB), is an established therapeutic target in cancer and its inhibitors are increasingly designed. The anti-cancer potential of a compound class naphthoquinones has been constantly realized. The current work aimed to explore AKT1 inhibitors from 1,4-naphthoquionone derivatives. Materials and Methods: A library of 1,4-naphthoquionone derivatives was formed using similarity search and visual analysis. The library was used for virtual screening using...
Selective Wnt/{beta}-catenin Small-molecule Inhibitor CWP232228 Impairs Tumor Growth of Colon Cancer
Background/Aim: To explore the possibility of a selective small-molecule β-catenin inhibitor, CWP232228, as a potential therapeutic drug in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). Materials and Methods: The effect of CWP2228 on HCT116 cells was analysed in vitro via flow cytometry, western immunoblotting, and luciferase reporter assays. NOD-scid IL2Rgammanull mice were employed for an in vivo xenograft study to validate the in vitro studies. Results: CWP232228 treatment decreased the promoter activity...
Background/Aim: The liver is a frequent site for metastases of colorectal cancer. Approximately 15% of patients have hepatic metastases at the time of diagnosis and another 50% develop them over the course of their disease. Only 10-25% of patients are candidates for liver resection. The aim of this study was to assess the benefit of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-guided wire marking of disappearing colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) (radiological disappearance of metastases) before surgical...
Background/Aim: Amentoflavone has been implicated in reducing the metastatic potential of osteosarcoma (OS) cells in vitro. The aim of the present study was to verify the antitumoral efficacy and the potential mechanism of amentoflavone osteosarcoma progression inhibition in vivo. Materials and Methods: A U-2 OS osteosarcoma xenograft mouse model was used in this study. Mice were treated with a vehicle control or amentoflavone (100 mg/kg/day) for 15 days. Tumor growth, signal transduction, and expression...
Background: Breast matrix-producing carcinomas (MPCs) are rare, and usually triple-negative (TNBC; i.e. oestrogen receptor-, progesterone receptor-, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative). This study evaluated the clinical features, immunohistochemical profiles, and pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) of patients with MPCs. Patients and Methods: Five MPCs were identified among 247 patients with TNBC receiving anthracycline- and taxane-based NAC. Pathological response...
Background/Aim: Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are phytochemicals with potential cancer-preventative properties derived from the breakdown of glucosinolates that exist in cruciferous vegetables. Studies, to date, have demonstrated that various ITCs possess the ability to act as anticancer agents in different cancer types. This study investigated the anticancer properties of dietary ITCs (allyl-ITC, benzyl-ITC, phenylethyl-ITC) and synthetic (phenylbutyl-ITC and phenylhexyl-ITC) on liver and prostate carcinoma...
Background/Aim: There are few reports that verify the relationship between the therapeutic effects of flutamide and novel androgen receptor-targeted agents. We aimed to evaluate the benefits of flutamide as an alternative anti-androgen agent and its effects on the efficacy of novel androgen receptor-targeted agents. Patients and Methods: Patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer on novel androgen receptor-targeted agents without prior docetaxel therapy were included. Changes in prostate-specific...
Background/Aim: Despite intensive chemotherapy, the survival rates for high-risk neuroblastoma, most of which have MYCN amplification, remain low. Overexpression of N-myc oncoprotein promotes expression of cancer-associated properties. We recently found that combination of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) with the β1-integrin-activating peptide TNIIIA2 attenuated cancer-associated properties of neuroblastoma cells through N-Myc degradation. However, ATRA has serious side-effects and there are concerns...
Background/Aim: Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome, resulting from the reciprocal translocation involving chromosomes 9 and 22. About 5-10% of newly diagnosed patients in chronic-phase (CP) CML show complex additional chromosomal aberrations (ACA), that may involve one or more chromosomes in addition to 9 and 22. Data concerning the prognostic significance of ACA in CP-CML subjects at diagnosis are controversial. Furthermore, there is...
Background/Aim: This study aimed to investigate aclarubicin (ACR)-induced oxidative DNA damage and apoptosis. Materials and Methods: ACR-induced apoptosis was analyzed using HL-60 leukemia cells and HP100 cells, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-resistant cells derived from HL-60 cells. ACR-induced DNA damage was analyzed using plasmid DNA. Results: HL-60 cells were more sensitive to ACR than HP100 cells. In HP100 cells, DNA ladder formation and caspase-3/7 activity induced by ACR were suppressed or delayed...
Background/Aim: Patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models have patient-like clinical features and may be imaged, in case of some cancers, by passaging of the tumors through transgenic nude mice expressing red-fluorescent protein (RFP) where they stably acquire RFP expressing stroma. The aim of the present study was to quantify red fluorescent area and intensity in colon-cancer peritoneal metastases in PDOX models in non-transgenic nude mice after passage in RFP transgenic nude mice by non-invasive...
Aim: To develop several new derivatives aimed to complete the studies concerning the antiproliferative profile of the oxadiazole derivative MD77. Materials and Methods: The substitution pattern around the phenyl rings of this compound was analyzed through the synthesis of positional isomers and of analogues bearing different substituents at the para positions (2-12). Results: The results of the antiproliferative activity of these derivatives versus HCT-116 and HeLa cancer cell lines shed light on...
Current clinical failure to cure primary glioblastoma multiforme in virtually all adult patients is due to genetic aberrations, molecular heterogeneity, and clonal evolution of tumor stem and differentiated cells within the core tumor, leading to their migration, invasion and proliferation in normal surrounding and in distant cerebral tissue sites. These factors are the causes of targeted drug resistance, inadequate surgical removal, and inadequate radio-therapeutic interventions. Resolution of this...
Background/Aim: DOG1 is a calcium-activated chloride channel that has gained attention as a promising drug target due to its involvement in several processes essential for tumor development and progression. DOG1 is overexpressed in >95% of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The aim was to determine DOG1 inhibition antitumoral effects on GIST. Materials and Methods: Human GIST (GIST-T1 and GIST882) cell lines were used to study the effect of DOG1 inhibitors on chloride currents, viability,...
Vitamin B6 compounds, including pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and their phosphorylated forms, have been investigated with regard to their cancer preventive and therapeutic effects through epidemiological, in vivo, and in vitro studies. In particular, in vitro studies in cancer cells have evaluated the effects of several B6 vitamers such as pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxal-5’-phosphate, which is a bioactive form of vitamin B6. However, the anticancer activity and concentration...
The prognosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer remains poor despite the recent progress on modern chemotherapeutic regimens, such as FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. A better understanding of the altered signalling pathways and the importance of stroma and the immune environment in pancreatic cancer have led to the development of new clinical trials with promising results. In the present review, a general outline of current first- and second-line therapies is provided. Further, new therapeutic...
As part of the Pharmacology & Molecular Mechanisms (PAMM) Group, European Organization for Research and Treatment on Cancer (EORTC) 2019 winter Meeting Educational sessions, special focus has been placed on strategies to be undertaken to reduce the attrition rate when developing immune-oncology drugs. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been game-changing drugs in several settings over the past decade such as melanoma and lung cancer. However, during the last years a rising number of studies failing...
One aim of cell-based in vitro assays is to identify the best drug candidate to develop using the best tumor cell model. This is challenging in every anticancer drug discovery process. Briefly, we summarize the parameters to be taken into account when performing in vitro cell assays, in order to obtain reliable and reproducible results, which was fundamentally discussed by lecturers at the educational course on preclinical and early-phase clinical pharmacology studies, at the 40th Winter Meeting...
Background/Aim: PTP1B tyrosine phosphatase is involved in the development of many types of cancers, such as breast cancer or lung cancer. Therefore, PTP1B is a promising target for anticancer therapy. The purpose of this review was to present the studies on selected PTP1B inhibitors as a possible treatment and describe the latest trends of current research in this field. Materials and Methods: This literature review was performed using the PubMed database and the analysis of previous research studies...
Although modern anticancer drugs have made great progress in disease treatment, the occurrence of drug resistance often leads to treatment failure. Understanding the molecular basis of resistance mechanisms is important to determine prognosis and develop strategies for circumvention. In this context, subcellular vesicles released by cancer cells have been identified to mediate cellular resistance by various mechanisms. Such extracellular vesicles (EVs) can be subdivided into exosomes and ectosomes...
Overexpression of acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) results in increased cholesteryl ester levels and has been involved in a variety of cancer types. As a consequence, cholesterol metabolism has raised interest as a potential target for cancer treatment. Inhibition of ACAT results in suppression of proliferation in a range of cancer cell types both in vitro and in vivo. The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is being investigated, and the most important findings are presented in...
Vitamin D, or more precisely its active metabolite calcitriol (1,25-(OH)2D3), plays a fundamental role in bone metabolism and differentiation as well as in intestinal absorption of calcium and regulation of calcium-phosphate metabolism. Recent decades have brought about the discovery of the role of calcitriol in processes regulating cell differentiation, proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis. This creates the potential for numerous therapeutic applications of vitamin D in diseases associated...
For decades, glucans have been studied for their biological and immunological activities. The scientific community has mainly focused on immune reactions, but other areas, such as cholesterol levels and diabetic retinopathy, have shown the positive effects of glucan supplementation. However, the majority of studies focused on possible cancer suppression, where glucans showed clear and significant effects on numerous types of cancers, leading not only to clinical trials, but to approval as an official...
Progesterone induced blocking factor (PIBF) is a unique protein that is not present in normal cells, but is found predominantly in rapidly growing cells of the fetal placental unit or cancer cells. There is a larger "parent" form that is a nuclear protein involved in cell to cell regulation, allowing tumor cells to proliferate and invade tissues. The parent compound is cleaved into smaller intracytoplasmic isoforms that can suppress cellular immune response, especially, but not limited to natural...
The focus of this review is to describe the state-of-art in the development of innovative drug delivery systems for phthalocyanines as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT is a medical treatment combining photosensitizers (PSs) activated by visible light of a specific wavelength to selectively destroy targeted cells, tumor tissues and its surrounding vasculature. In the last decades, PDT has been under intense investigation, first as a promising alternative approach for improved cancer...
BS69 is encoded by a gene located on chromosome 10, in a region frequently deleted in human cancers and BS69 expression is often down-regulated in human cancers. In addition, BS69 acts as a transcriptional repressor via interaction with transcriptional factors associated with tumorigenesis, such as cellular homolog of the avian myeloblastosis viral oncoprotein, v-ets erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog 2 oncoprotein, MYC-associated protein X gene-associated protein. Overexpression of BS69...
In early 2000, the term ‘targeted therapy’ became popular and was used to indicate all types of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). However, the term targeted therapy had been used much earlier. Targeting tumor metabolism was already considered as targeted therapy, with methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil as the most successful examples. Hormone therapy is another successful type of targeted therapy. Imatinib was the first TKI for the fusion protein BCR–ABL and represented a breakthrough in the treatment...
Combination therapies are used in the clinic to achieve cure, better efficacy and to circumvent resistant disease in patients. Initial assessment of the effect of such combinations, usually of two agents, is frequently performed using in vitro assays. In this review, we give a short summary of the types of analyses that were presented during the Preclinical and Early-phase Clinical Pharmacology Course of the Pharmacology and Molecular Mechanisms Group, European Organization for Research and Treatment...
Hippo signaling is a key regulator of organ size, tissue hemostasis and regeneration. Dysregulation of the Hippo pathway has been recognized in a variety of human cancers, including pancreatic cancer. YES-associated protein (YAP) and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) are the two major downstream effectors of the Hippo pathway. YAP and TAZ have been found to promote pancreatic tumor development and progression, even in the absence of mutant Kirsten RAS (KRAS). Pancreatic cancer...
Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is an important antiangiogenic and antitumorigenic factor in a variety of cancer forms, including pancreatic cancer. PEDF is mainly secreted as a soluble monomeric glycoprotein. In human pancreatic cancer PEDF levels are decreased, both in the tissue and serum. The decrease is associated with increased tumor angiogenesis, fibrosis, inflammation, autophagy, occurrence of liver metastasis and worse prognosis. In murine models, loss of PEDF is sufficient to induce...
Background/Aim: Peroxiredoxin (Prx) V has been known as an antioxidant enzyme which scavenges intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Also, Prx V has been shown to mediate cell apoptosis in various cancers. However, the mechanism of Prx V-induced apoptosis in colon cancer cells remains unknown. Thus, in this study we analyzed the effects of Prx V in β-lapachone-induced apoptosis in SW480 human colon cancer cells. Materials and Methods: β-lapachone-induced apoptosis was analyzed by the MTT assay,...
The development of effective human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapies has been heralded as a significant milestone in breast cancer treatment, resulting in improvement of the outcome for those with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Despite these advantages, metastatic breast cancer is still regarded as an incurable disease. In heavily pretreated patients with increasingly limited options for palliative management, ensuring control of disease and maintenance of quality...
Background: Neuroblastoma is the main solid extracranial tumor of childhood. The amplification of N-myc oncogene (MYCN) and 1p deletion are the main molecular alterations. These features are what make treatment impossible, especially in high-risk patients with metastases. Materials and Methods: Our study investigated the processes undergone by CHP-212 neuroblastoma cells, after being treated with Casiopeínas® (Cas) IIgly, IIIEa, and IIIia for 2, 10, and 24 h. Results: At 2 h, all the treatments Ied...
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