We investigated p53 overexpression and the proliferative activity of the primary lesion as well as the clinicopathological features of 75 patients with gastric cancer invading the submucosa (sm cancer), of whom 14 (18.7%) had lymph node metastasis. Among the clinicopathologic features studied, only lymphatic invasion by the primary tumor was related to lymph node metastasis. There was no relationship between immuno-histochemical staining for p53 protein or Ki-67 and lymph node metastasis. The p53-positive rate was 35.7 and 57.1% in patients with and without metastasis, respectively, while the mean Ki-67 labeling index was 38.9 and 38.1%, respectively. Our results suggest that p53 mutation or the proliferative activity of sm cancer do not influence lymph node metastasis, even though p53 mutation may enhance the proliferative activity and metastatic potential of advanced gastric cancer.

A liposome-entrapped liposome form of Adriamycin (Lip-ADM) has been demonstrated to cause less myocardial and gastrointestinal toxicity than free ADM. In the present study, Lip-ADM prepared by the remote loading method was administered to 3 patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver via a reservoir with the catheter located in the proper hepatic artery. The primary tumor was gastric cancer in 2 patients and sigmoid colon cancer in 1. Lip-ADM was administered at doses of 10, 20 or 50 mg per time. The total ADM dose was 170, 490, and 760 mg, respectively. No severe adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, alopecia or cardiotoxicity, were observed in any of the patients. Although mild leukocytopenia (2,800/µl) was observed in 1 patient, anemia or thrombocytopenia did not occur. The survival time was respectively 6,15, and 17 months from the start of Lip-ADM administration. A partial response was obtained in 1 patient and stable disease in 1 patient. Administration of Lip-ADM via a reservoir appears to be a useful treatment for patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver, since the low toxicity of this preparation allows an increase of the total dose of ADM.

No abstract

No abstract

release kinetics of b-FGF was a function of the ionic nature and degree of swelling of the hydrogels. Laser Doppler Perfusion Imaging (LDPI) was employed to quantify the degree of angiogenesis induced by the b-FGF releasing hydrogel scaffolds. The left femoral artery of a mouse was ligated, excised and the gel scaffolds were implanted adjacent to the site of excision. LDPI scans were performed on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 following ligation, and the extent of angiogenesis was calculated by comparing the Doppler perfusion ratio of the treatment groups versus the non-ligated controls. b-FGF releasing hydrogels induced a pronounced angiogenic effect in comparison to control groups that lacked b-FGF. Moreover, the anionic, gelatin-PLG hydrogels, which had a higher degree of swelling at physiological pHs than the cationic, gelatin-PLL hydrogels, released about 30% more of b-FGF over a period of two weeks. Consequently, the gelatin-PLG gels induced the highest angiogenic effect with a Doppler perfusion ratio of 0.608 Ϯ0.0166 versus a ratio of 0.528 Ϯ0.0057 for the b-FGF releasing gelatin-PLL hydrogels (pϽ 0.001, Figure 1). The ease of preparing ionic hydrogels with tunable physical properties (i.e. charge density, swellability), could offer promising alternative strategies for the controlled delivery of angiogenic factors in ischemic regions.

Mutation of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene results in incidence or development of polyps and colorectal cancer. It has been reported that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit cell growth, cause cell cycle arrest, and induce apoptosis. The aims of this study are to investigate chemopreventive effects of piroxicam and elucidate its mechanism. All APC(delta474) mice have intestinal polyps. Thirty-five APC(delta474) mice were divided into three groups: 0.005% solution of piroxicam in tap water was given for P group (n = 15) and 0.001% solution for P' group (n = 5), and water without piroxicam for C group (n = 15) from 4 weeks of age to 12 weeks, respectively. All mice were sacrificed at the 12th week after birth. Hematoxylin-eosin staining for number and size of polyps, immunohistochemical staining for cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), TUNEL method, and Western blot analysis of COX-2 and VEGF were performed. Polyps were divided into two types of large polyps of >or=300 microm in diameter and small polyps of <300 microm. The number of large polyps in P group decreased significantly compared with C group (p <.0001), but without significant difference in small polyps. There were no significant differences in PCNA index in both of large and small polyps among the three groups. Apoptotic index of polyps in P group increased more than those in C group (p <.05). There was immunohistochemically no significant difference in COX-1 positivity of normal intestinal epithelia and adenomas among three groups. Both numbers of VEGF-positive cells and COX-2 positive cells in the stroma of the small intestine were significantly downregulated in P group (p <.05). COX-2 expression was inhibited in dose-dependent manner without significant difference. There were no significant differences in VEGF expression between P' and C groups. In conclusion, piroxicam suppressed the development of large polyps in APC(delta474) mice by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting VEGF expression in interstitial cells of polyps.

No abstract