Biomedical subjects

Kohei Akazawa

Publications and source records attributed to Kohei Akazawa.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Vascular endothelial growth factor-C and vascular endothelial growth factor-d messenger RNA expression in breast cancer: association with lymph node metastasis.

Lymph node metastasis is a major prognostic factor for patients with breast cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D are capable of stimulating lymphangiogenesis, and VEGF-C enhances lymphatic metastasis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether VEGF-C and VEGF-D messenger RNA (mRNA) expression is correlated with lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer. Total RNAs were isolated from 33 surgical specimens of breast cancer tissue and 7 samples of normal breast tissue. VEGF-C and VEGF-D mRNA expression was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. There was no correlation between VEGF-C mRNA expression and lymphatic invasion or lymph node metastasis. However, VEGF-D mRNA expression was decreased in cancer tissue, and it was inversely correlated with lymphatic invasion and the number of metastatic lymph nodes. An increased VEGF-C/VEGF-D ratio was also correlated with lymph node metastasis and the number of metastatic lymph nodes. Our results suggest that a decrease in VEGF-D mRNA or an increase in the VEGF-C/VEGF-D ratio may have an association with tumorigenesis and/or lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

A(-20)C polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene and progression of IgA nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: The M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene (AGT) is associated with an increased risk of primary hypertension, which may then lead to progressive renal disease. Recent studies showed that nucleotide substitution in the 5' upstream core promoter region of AGT affects the basal transcription rate of the gene. METHODS: To evaluate the role of AGT polymorphisms in the progression of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), we analyzed the association of A(-20)C and M235T polymorphisms with renal prognosis in histologically-proven IgAN patients using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: The incidence of hypertension during the course was associated with T235, but not with C(-20). The renal survival rate for 137 patients with creatinine clearance (C(Cr)) of 70 mL/min or greater at the time of renal biopsy, and follow-up time of two years or more was significantly lower in the patients with C(-20) (P = 0.008). The Cox proportional hazards regression model showed an increased hazard ratio (HR) for urinary protein (more than 2 g/day) of 28.3 (95% CI, 7.3 to 109.8; P < 0.001), hypertension at the time of renal biopsy of 4.6 (95% CI, 1.8 to 11.9; P = 0.002), and C(-20) of 3.6 (95% CI, 1.5 to 8.7; P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: This work provides evidence that the C(-20) polymorphism of AGT, a subset of T235 alleles, is associated with progression of renal dysfunction in IgAN.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Therapeutic value of lymph node dissection and the clinical outcome for patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: While the incidence of gastric cancer differs greatly between Japan and other countries, both diagnostic and treatment modalities for patients with gastric cancer have improved in Japan. What follows is an overview of the effects of lymph node dissection for such patients. METHODS: We analyzed data on 2152 Japanese men and women with gastric cancer who underwent surgical resection from 1965 to 1995 at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. We focused on time trends of surgical management, including lymph node dissection and postoperative outcome. RESULTS: In all cases of gastric cancer, the rate of early gastric cancer increased from 18% in the first 6-year period to 57% in the last 5-year period. Extensive lymph node dissections (D2 and D3) were performed more frequently in recent years. Due to early identification of the cancer and upgraded perioperative care, both postoperative morbidity and mortality rates 30 days after surgery have decreased greatly, even in aged patients. CONCLUSIONS: Early tumor detection, standardized surgical treatment, including routine lymph node dissection, and improved perioperative management have led to increased survival time among patients with this malignancy.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Gastrointestinal cancer and herpes zoster in adults.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Herpes zoster is associated with immunosuppression, and also has an increased risk of malignancy. The aim of this study is to determine whether patients with Herpes zoster are at a higher risk of occult malignancy and gastrointestinal diseases. METHODOLOGY: We examined 131 of 201 Japanese patients who showed evidence of Herpes zoster in the gastrointestinal tract including the large intestine using gastrointestinal endoscopy, total colonoscopy and CT scanning. RESULTS: Six of 131 patients (4.6%) with Herpes zoster, who had undergone all three examinations, had malignancies. This rate is significantly higher than the predicted rate (P < 0.05). Five of six patients had gastrointestinal or colon cancer. Previously, 17 of the 201 patients has been surgically treated for cancers (17/201 = 8.5%, predictable rate = 8.9%), eleven of these 17 patients had surgery for gastric cancer, or for colon cancer etc. We also diagnosed three patients to have cancers after an episode of Herpes zoster, out of the 140 patients who we examined as study prospects (3/140 = 2.1%, relative risks = 1.75). No significant increases in the malignant rates were observed before or after the onset of Herpes zoster. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are considered to support the policy to investigate patients with Herpes zoster for the presence of occult malignancies, though the rate of malignancy in such patients before or after episodes of Herpes zoster was not significantly different from that of the predictable rate.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of fluticasone propionate compared with beclomethasone dipropionate in bronchial asthma: improvement in compliance and symptoms by fluticasone.

Recent studies have shown that fluticasone propionate (FP) was more effective than beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) inhalation even at a dose reduced by twofold or more in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Here, we further compared the effectiveness of FP and BDP, including rates of drug compliance. Forty-two symptomatic patients were treated by BDP (1000 +/- 345; mean +/- SD; microgram/day) for 8 weeks, followed by FP at one-half the respective dose, and peak expiratory flow and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were investigated. In addition, the patients were asked about drug compliance and factors related to compliance (expressed using a visual analogue scale). Significant increases of peak expiratory flow (from 316 +/- 96 L/minute to 345 +/- 86 L/minute) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (from 1.7 +/- 0.5 L to 1.9 +/- 0.4 L) were found. Furthermore, significantly higher scores were obtained for compliance and various factors related to compliance. These data indicate that FP is more effective than a twofold higher dosage of BDP and that better compliance with the use of FP, probably because of improved various factors associated with FP compliance, contributes to FP efficacy.

Adult↗