N-Butyl-2-cyanoacrylate-based injectable and in situ-forming implants for efficient intratumoral chemotherapy

The local delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to tumor sites is an effective approach for achieving therapeutic drug concentrations in solid tumors. Injectable implants with the ability to form in situ represent one of the most promising technologies for intratumoral chemotherapy. However, many issues must be resolved before these implants can be applied in clinical practice. Herein, we report a novel injectable in situ-forming implant system composed of n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) and ethyl oleate, and the sol–gel phase transition is activated by anions in body fluids or blood. This newly developed injectable NBCA ethyl oleate implant (INEI) is biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic. INEI solidifies in several seconds after exposure to body fluids or blood, and the implant’s in vivo degradation time can be controlled. In addition, the pore sizes formed by the polymerization of NBCA can be decreased by increasing the NBCA concentration in the implants. Therefore, the drug retention/release time can be adjusted from a few weeks to several months by changing the concentration of NBCA in the implant formulation. Anti-tumor experiments in animal models showed that the average growth inhibition rate of xenografted human breast cancer cells by the paclitaxel-loaded INEI (40% NBCA) was 80%, and they also indicated that tumors in some of the mice were completely eliminated by just a single dosage injection. For the epirubicin-loaded INEI (50% NBCA), the average growth inhibition rate of xenografted human liver cancer cells was 58%. Thus, the chemotherapeutic drug-loaded INEIs exhibited excellent therapeutic efficacy for local chemotherapy.     

Influence of trastuzumab on epirubicin pharmacokinetics in metastatic breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Anthracycline cardiotoxicity is increased by the contemporaneous administration of trastuzumab. The mechanism by which it occurs is as yet unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether trastuzumab modifies the pharmacokinetics of epirubicin and its metabolites. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer were treated with epirubicin 75 mg/m(2) i.v. bolus followed by docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) in a 1-h infusion, every 3 weeks for six cycles, and trastuzumab (once at 4 mg/m(2), then 2 mg/m(2) weekly thereafter) in a 30-min infusion. Epirubicin pharmacokinetic data of seven patients were evaluated at the first cycle of therapy (baseline, with trastuzumab administered 24 h after epirubicin), and at the sixth cycle (i.e. 15 weeks after baseline, with trastuzumab administered immediately before epirubicin). RESULTS: No pharmacokinetic change in the parent compound epirubicin was detected. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC(0-24 h)) was 1230 +/- 318 [mean +/- standard deviation (SD)] at the first cycle and 1287 +/- 385 h. micro g/l at the sixth. The mean (+/-SD) maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) and the terminal elimination half-life at the first cycle (1303 +/- 490 micro g/l and 12.5 +/- 3.1 h, respectively) were similar to those obtained at the sixth cycle (1229 +/- 580 micro g/l and 11.5 +/- 2.9 h, respectively). Pharmacokinetic data of epirubicin metabolites evaluated at the first and sixth cycle of chemotherapy were superimposable without any statistical difference. CONCLUSION: Enhanced anthracycline cardiotoxicity related to trastuzumab administration was not linked to pharmacokinetic interferences with epirubicin and its metabolites.     

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity: Overview of studies examining the roles of oxidative stress and free cellular iron

The risk of cardiotoxicity is the most serious drawback to the clinical usefulness of anthracycline antineoplastic antibiotics, which include doxorubicin (adriamycin), daunorubicin or epirubicin. Nevertheless, these compounds remain among the most widely used anticancer drugs. The molecular pathogenesis of anthracycline cardiotoxicity remains highly controversial, although the oxidative stress-based hypothesis involving intramyocardial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has gained the widest acceptance. Anthracyclines may promote the formation of ROS through redox cycling of their aglycones as well as their anthracycline-iron complexes. This proposed mechanism has become particularly popular in light of the high cardioprotective efficacy of dexrazoxane (ICRF-187). The mechanism of action of this drug has been attributed to its hydrolytic transformation into the iron-chelating metabolite ADR-925, which may act by displacing iron from anthracycline-iron complexes or by chelating free or loosely bound cellular iron, thus preventing site-specific iron-catalyzed ROS damage. However, during the last decade, calls for the critical reassessment of this “ROS and iron” hypothesis have emerged. Numerous antioxidants, although efficient in cellular or acute animal experiments, have failed to alleviate anthracycline cardiotoxicity in clinically relevant chronic animal models or clinical trials. In addition, studies with chelators that are stronger and more selective for iron than ADR-925 have also yielded negative or, at best, mixed outcomes. Hence, several lines of evidence suggest that mechanisms other than the traditionally emphasized “ROS and iron” hypothesis are involved in anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and that these alternative mechanisms may be better bases for designing approaches to achieve efficient and safe cardioprotection.     

表阿霉素联合化疗方案治疗29例恶性肿瘤疗效观察

目的观察以表阿霉素为主的不同化疗方案对常见恶性肿瘤的疗效及其毒副作用。方法以表阿霉素为主的CEP、CEOP、TE、IEO方案治疗肺癌、非霍奇金淋巴瘤、晚期乳腺癌和横纹肌肉瘤，其中表阿霉素60mg/m^2分2天静脉注射，其他药物都为常规剂量。21～28天为1个治疗周期，治疗2～3个周期后评价疗效。结果全组29例中CR7例，PR13例，SD5例，PD4例，总有效率68．97％。主要不良反应为骨髓抑制，其次是脱发和消化道反应。对肝肾功能和心脏影响轻微。结论以表阿霉素为主的联合化疗方案对常见恶性肿瘤疗效佳，安全性好，患者能较好地耐受。     

5种抗肿瘤抗生素对人白血病细胞DNA嵌合能力的观察

采用琼脂糖电泳法观察５种抗癌药对白血病细胞ＤＮＡ的嵌合能力。结果发现表阿霉素同进口阿霉素在５０μｇ／ｍｌ浓度时可与ＤＮＡ发生嵌合效应；国产阿霉素在较高浓度（１００μｇ／ｍｌ）和柔红霉素需高浓度（２００μｇ／ｍｌ）才显示嵌合效应；而米托蒽醌在较低浓度（２５μｇ／ｍｌ）即可发生此作用。本实验体现了作用机制类同的抗肿瘤药物对ＤＮＡ嵌合能力的差异。     

A phase 2 study of gemcitabine and epirubicin for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma: a North Central Cancer Treatment Study, N0021

BACKGROUND: The North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) conducted a phase 2 study to evaluate the antitumor activity of the combination of gemcitabine and epirubicin in patients with pleural mesothelioma who received no more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen. METHODS: A total of 23 patients were accrued between August 2001 and April 2002 and received gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m(2) intravenously over 30 minutes weekly every 2 weeks and epirubicin at a dose of 90 mg/m(2) intravenously on Day 1 on an every-21-days cycle (high-dose patient group). Between August 2002 and April 2004, an additional 45 patients were treated at a reduced dose of gemcitabine of 750 mg/m(2) and epirubicin at a dose of 70 mg/m(2) with the same schedule (low-dose patient group). RESULTS: In the high-dose patient group, the confirmed response rate was 13% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 3-34%). The median survival was 9.3 months (95% CI, 7.4-10.7 months) and the median time to disease progression was 6.3 months (95% CI, 3.0-7.6 months). In the low-dose patient group, the confirmed response rate was 7% (95% CI, 0-28%). The median survival was 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.7-8.7 months) and the median time to disease progression was 4.2 months (95% CI, 2.7-5.6 months). Toxicity was moderate to severe. In the high-dose and low-dose groups, 87% and 60% of patients, respectively, experienced at least 1 adverse event of grade 4 or higher (according to National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria [version 2.0]). The quality of life remained similar from baseline to the end of the 2 cycles of treatment in the high-dose group but worsened in the low-dose group. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, the combination regimen of gemcitabine and epirubicin was found to demonstrate minimal antitumor activity against pleural mesothelioma.     

Pilot study of intravesical instillation of two new generation anthracycline antibiotics in prevention of superficial bladder cancer recurrence

Background Superficial bladder cancer accounts for 60%-70% of all bladder cancer cases in China, when treatment consists of only transurethral resection of the bladder tumor （TUR-BT）, recurrence and progresses in the bladder are observed in some patients. There are numerous reports of trials of intravesical instillation of anticancer agents with the objective of lowering this recurrence rate. The aim of this study was to compare the prophylactic efficacy and safety of epirubicin （EPI）, pirarubicin （THP） and hydroxycamptothecin （HCPT） in superficial bladder cancer.Methods This study enrolled a total of 189 patients who had been diagnosed with superficial bladder cancer during the period from 2004 through 2007 at Beijing Friendship Hospital. All patients were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups. Patients in group A received 29 doses of EPI 30 mg/30 ml, patients in group B received 29 doses of THP 30 mg/30 ml, and patients in group C received 29 doses of HCPT 30 mg/30 ml, over a period of 24 months.Results The recurrence-free rate in the 2 anthracycline treatment groups （A and B） were significantly better than that of the HCPT treatment group. In the safety evaluation, the incidences of pollakiuria, pain on urination, dysuria, hematuria,and contracted bladder were not significantly different between groups A and B, but some were significantly higher in groups A and B than that in group C.Conclusion The efficacy of EPI and THP was significantly better than HCPT in the prevention of bladder cancer recurrence.     

活性炭-表阿霉素混悬液对乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结转移的治疗作用

目的评价活性炭微粒-表阿霉素(Epi-CH)混悬液对乳腺癌腋窝淋巴结清扫和转移灶化疗的改进作用。方法60例II-III期乳腺癌病人随机分为两组,治疗组40例术前72h于瘤床或肿瘤周围腺体注射Epi-CH混悬液10mg,对照组20例注射表阿霉素水溶液10mg,术后清点腋窝淋巴结总数和黑染淋巴结数并计算腋窝淋巴结清除率。用高效液相色谱法检测治疗组黑染和未黑染淋巴结中表阿霉素的含量。光镜观察淋巴结组织变性坏死改变。结果治疗组平均每例清除淋巴结比对照组多4.04个(P<0.01)。治疗组中腋窝淋巴结的黑染率为86.9%(565/650);直径≤1.0cm淋巴结黑染率明显高于直径﹥1.0cm淋巴结黑染率(P<0.01);黑染淋巴结癌转移率与未黑染淋巴结转移率无显著性差异(P>0.05)。治疗组黑染淋巴结中表阿霉素的含量是未黑染淋巴结含量的14.3倍(P<0.01)。黑染淋巴结内癌细胞有明显的变性坏死改变。结论Epi-CH混悬液能增加手术清除的腋淋巴结数目,显著增加并维持表阿霉素在局部淋巴结中的高浓度。     

肝癌患者肝移植术前、术后化疗16例分析

目的:探讨肝癌患者肝移植术前、术后使用希罗达 表阿霉素的可行性、安全性及疗效。方法:回顾性研究16例原发性肝癌患者肝移植前后辅助化疗的临床资料。化疗方案为希罗达2500mg/(m·2d),口服,第1￣14天;表阿霉素20mg/m2,静脉滴注,第1￣2天,分析化疗时机、化疗方案、化疗药物的不良反应及近期疗效。结果:16例接受化疗患者存活时间均超过8个月,最长1例24个月;死亡3例,死亡原因为移植肝肿瘤复发和肝内转移及远处转移,化疗不良反应中,12例出现消化道反应,8例发生骨髓抑制,6例出现手足综合征,4例出现肝功能损害,均为轻中度。结论:肝癌患者肝移植术前、术后化疗联用希罗达 表阿霉素是可行的,不良反应可以耐受,可望延长患者存活时间。选择化疗时机可能对肿瘤复发和患者的生存率有影响。