Zoledronic acid concurrent with either high- or reduced-dose palliative radiotherapy in the management of the breast cancer patients with bone metastases: a phase IV randomized clinical study

Introduction

In this prospective study, the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy combined with zoledronic acid was evaluated.

Materials and methods

Breast cancer patients with painful bone metastases were randomized to either high- or reduced-dose radiotherapy. All patients received zoledronic acid (4 mg) every 28 days from the beginning of radiotherapy. Analgesic and pain scores in addition to visual analog score (VAS) for treatment satisfaction and whole-body bone scintigraphy were evaluated.

Results and conclusion

No significant differences could be found in analgesic or pain scores and bone scintigraphy results between the groups. Our results suggest that reduced-dose radiotherapy produces similar response rates and response durations when used concomitantly with zoledronic acid.     

Resveratrol, a Red Wine Constituent Polyphenol, Protects Gastric Tissue Against the Oxidative Stress in Cholestatic Rats

This experimental study was designed to determine the effects of resveratrol on the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) in gastric tissue after bile duct ligation (BDL). Swiss albino rats were divided into three groups: Group 1, sham (n = 7); Group 2, BDL (BDL only group; n = 7); and Group 3, BDL plus resveratrol (n = 7). Animals in the resveratrol group were treated with 10 mg/kg resveratrol (i.p.) once a day throughout 28 days. In the resveratrol group, levels of MDA and NO in gastric tissue were significantly lower than in the BDL-only group (P < 0.001). The level of GSH in the resveratrol group was significantly higher than in the BDL-only group (P < 0.001). The present study demonstrates that intraperitoneal administration of resveratrol maintains antioxidant defenses and reduces oxidative gastric damage. This effect of resveratrol may be useful to preserve gastric tissue under oxidative stress due to cholestasis.     

Estrogen Receptor Alpha Expression and Liver Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b: A Clinicopathological Study

Background:

Hepatic damage due to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b infection varies widely.

Objectives:

We aimed to investigate whether estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) plays a role in liver fibrosis in patients infected with HCV genotype 1b.

Patients and Methods:

All the consecutive patients who received the same standard treatment protocol for HCV genotype 1b were subdivided into two subgroups according to their fibrosis scores as fibrotic stages < 2 in mild fibrosis group and fibrotic stages ≥ 2 in advanced fibrosis group, depending on the presence of septal fibrosis. ERα was stained in liver biopsy specimens. Demographics and clinical properties were compared between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to predict advanced fibrosis.

Results:

There were 66 patients in the mild fibrosis group and 24 in the advanced fibrosis group. Among the mild and advanced fibrosis groups, 65.1% and 50%were female, respectively (P = 0.19). There was an inverse correlation between ERα and fibrotic stage (r: -0.413; P < 0.001). Age, platelet counts, neutrophil counts, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and ERα were statistically significant in the univariate analysis. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, ERα expression continued to be an independent predicting factor of liver fibrosis in patients infected with chronic HCV genotype 1b (OR: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.018-0.586; P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

ERα expression in liver was inversely correlated with liver fibrosis among patients infected with chronic HCV genotype 1b.