Biomedical subjects

Minako Kobayashi

Publications and source records attributed to Minako Kobayashi.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Modified pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil, UFT, and taxotere (docetaxel) for advanced gastric cancer.

The efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric carcinoma is controversial. Moreover, a standard regimen for such chemotherapy has not been clearly established. Pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy (PMC), a combination of infused 5-fluorouracil and oral uracil-tegafur, has been proven to be highly effective for the treatment of colorectal carcinoma. We report two patients with advanced gastric carcinoma successfully treated with PMC and infused taxotere (TXT; docetaxel). Preoperative treatment with PMC and TXT significantly decreased the depth of wall penetration of the tumor in one patient and reduced the size of the tumor in the other patient. In both patients, there were significant chemotherapeutic effects on the primary tumor and on regional lymph nodes pathologically. Preoperative PMC plus TXT produced primary tumor downstaging, leading to improved resectability. The responsiveness of metastatic cancer cells in the regional lymph nodes suggested the possibility of nodal downstaging by this regimen.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

PubMed2003

Expression of alpha-amylase isozymes in rat tissues.

Gene expressions of alpha-amylase isozymes in rat tissues were analyzed by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), followed by EcoRI digestion. This procedure is based on evidence that an RT-PCR product from mouse pancreas RNA is sensitive to EcoRI, but not the product from the salivary gland or liver RNAs. The method was applied to the analysis of alpha-amylase expression in rat liver after partial hepatectomy, in which a potent expression of pancreas type isozyme was observed. However, no expression of the pancreatic isozyme in the regenerating liver was found. We also analyzed the expression of alpha-amylase gene in several additional rat tissues. In intestine, stomach, testis and skeletal muscle, the corresponding PCR products were amplified, but few were detected in heart or spleen. Intestine and stomach expressed a pancreatic isozyme of alpha-amylase. Analyses of the alpha-amylase activity and protein indicated the presence of the enzyme in those tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis also indicated that the amylase proteins were specifically present in epithelial cells of rat intestinal mucosa. This is a convenient method for identification of alpha-amylase isozyme mRNA in rodent tissues.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Vascular endothelial growth factor as an age-dependent prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in maintaining constant tumor growth in wasted elderly patients, in whom oxygen and glucose supply are often unable to meet the demands of the body. METHODS: Tissue concentrations of VEGF in 70 gastric carcinomas and 70 normal mucosas were determined. The expression of VEGF was evaluated immunohistochemically. RESULTS: The net balance between the concentration of VEGF in the cancer and normal mucosa (VEGF Ca/N ratio: the cancer tissue VEGF concentration divided by normal mucosa VEGF concentration) increased with age and was associated with disease progression only in elderly patients. VEGF Ca/N ratio increased in response to systemic hypo-oxygenation and nutritional depletion only in elderly patients. CONCLUSIONS: The systemic-local regulating mechanism of VEGF production may play an important role in the constant growth of tumor cells, especially in elderly gastric cancer patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

A restriction endonuclease assay for expression of human alpha-amylase isozymes.

BACKGROUND: The alpha-amylase isozymes can be detected separately by electrophoresis; however, sometimes the identification is difficult because of their microheterogeneity. In the present study, we tried to establish a convenient method for the detection of alpha-amylase isozyme expression. METHODS: The procedure is based on three different restriction sites presented in those genes; a PstI site in both AMY 2A and 2B genes, a HaeII site in both AMY 1 and 2A genes, and a BamHI site in AMY 2B gene. After amplification from total tissue RNAs by RT-PCR with primers that were able to cover each exon, the products were cleaved with corresponding restriction endonucleases. RESULTS: This method was applied to human samples from the parotid gland, liver (non-hepatoma), hepatoma and white blood cells (WBCs). The results indicated that the parotid gland and hepatoma (also liver) clearly expressed AMY 1 and AMY 2B genes, respectively. However, AMY 2B gene was also expressed apparently in WBCs, which produced salivary-type isozyme of the alpha-amylase, although the amylase protein was not able to identify for the hepatic isozyme. CONCLUSIONS: The method presented here might be convenient and useful for the determination of alpha-amylase isozyme expression in humans.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

PubMed2002

[A case of multiple liver metastases from colon cancer successfully treated with modified pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy using Leucovorin].

A 51-year-old man underwent right hemicolectomy due to ascending colon cancer with multiple liver metastases. Administration of modified pharmacokinetic modulating chemotherapy (PMC) using Leucovorin (intravenous infusion of 5-FU, 600 mg/m2/24 hours; oral administration of UFT, Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Tokyo, Japan, 400 mg/day; and Isovorin, Wyeth Lederle Co., Tokyo Japan, 250 mg/body) was started postoperatively. Two months of modified PMC produced a drastic tumor reduction without any adverse reactions such as diarrhea or myelosuppression observed. At present the patient continues to tolerate the chemotherapy and is being followed as an outpatient clinic. This case suggests the usefulness of modified PMC using Leucovorin for progressive recurrent colon cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

5-FU improves p27-related poor prognosis in patients with Astler-Coller B2-C colorectal carcinoma.

p27kip1 induces cell cycle arrest at the G1-S transition. To investigate the effect of UFT on the prognosis of colorectal cancer with respect to p27kip1 expression, survival curves of patients with p27kip1 overexpression (group A) and without p27kip1 expression (group B) were evaluated following chemotherapy using UFT (tegafur and uracil). Although there was no significant overall survival difference between group A and B patients, the patients without p27kip1 expression had a significantly lower survival rate when they did not receive UFT treatment. UFT, 5-FU masked compound may improve the p27-related poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Fatal and non-fatal complications after surgical resection for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We divided overall complications after surgical resection for gastric cancer into fatal and non-fatal, and examined them in view of risk factors. Next we examined the meaning of dividing complications into two groups. METHODOLOGY: Records of 331 patients who underwent gastrectomies for cancer between 1992 and 2003 were used. Any postoperative overall complications were divided into fatal and non-fatal according to the association with mortality. RESULTS: Leakage and respiratory complication were defined as fatal complications. Tumor size (cm) (OR=1.14, 95% CI 1.05-1.25, p=0.003) and patient age (OR=1.06, 95% CI 1.06-1.10, p=0.007) were shown to be risk factors for fatal complications. Total gastrectomy (vs. distal gastrectomy) was a risk factor for non-fatal complications (OR= 1.63, 95% CI 0.99-2.7, p=0.05). Extended lymphadenectomy was a further possible risk factor for non-fatal complications (OR=1.71, 95% CI 0.98-3.0, p=0.06). On the other hand, intra-operative blood loss (mL) was only a risk factor for overall complications (OR=1.001, 95% CI 1.0-1.001, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Independent risk factors for fatal complications and those for non-fatal complications did not include that for overall complications. To divide overall complications into fatal or non-fatal was useful for finding the real reason for complications. We could not prepare preventive measures for complications until analyzing the divided groups.

Aged↗