Recurrent breast cancer at 21 years after resection detected by serum tumor markers and manifested as dermatomyositis

A 52-year-old Japanese woman developed dermatomyositis. She had undergone a standard radical mastectomy for left breast cancer 21 years earlier. Though no physical sign of recurrent breast cancer appeared clinically, levels of tumor markers were abnormally elevated. Therefore, tamoxifen and CAF therapy were given. Further, the clinical course of dermatomyositis almost paralleled the level of serum tumor markers and the clinical course of her recurrent breast cancer. These markers were useful for detecting the recurrence, following the metastatic disease, and monitoring her response to therapy.     

An infant with Costelio syndrome complicated with fatal hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

We report a 3-month-old girl with Costelio syndrome complicating fatal hypertrophic obstructive cardio-myopathy. She had typical findings of this syndrome, slight dyspnea and persistent wheezing. Doppler echocardiography revealed asymmetric septal hypertrophy and systolic anterior movement of the anterior mitral leaflet. There was grade 1 mitral regurgitation. Although once her heart failure had been controlled medically, she died suddenly following deterioration of her heart condition. Costelio syndrome can complicate fatal hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.     

Mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene predict prolonged survival after gefitinib treatment in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer with postoperative recurrence.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the relationship between mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene and the effectiveness of gefitinib treatment in patients with recurrent lung cancer after pulmonary resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We sequenced exons 18-21 of the EGFR gene using total RNA extracted from 59 patients with lung cancer who were treated with gefitinib for recurrent lung cancer. Gefitinib effectiveness was evaluated by both imaging studies and change in serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels. RESULTS: EGFR mutations were found in 33 patients (56%). Of these mutations, 17 were deletions around codons 746-750 and 15 were point mutations (12 at codon 858, three at other codons), and one was an insertion. EGFR mutations were significantly more prevalent in females, adenocarcinoma, and never-smokers. Gefitinib treatment resulted in tumor shrinkage and/or CEA decrease to less than half of the baseline level in 26 patients, tumor growth and/or CEA elevation in 24 patients, and gefitinib effect was not assessable in nine patients. Female, never-smoking patients with adenocarcinoma tended to respond better to gefitinib treatment. Gefitinib was effective in 24 of 29 patients with EGFR mutations, compared with two of 21 patients without mutations (P < .0001). Of note, del746-750 might be superior to L858R mutations for prediction of gefitinib response. Patients with EGFR mutations survived for a longer period than those without the mutations after initiation of gefitinib treatment (P = .0053). CONCLUSION: EGFR mutations were a good predictor of clinical benefit of gefitinib in this setting.     

Incidence of human parvovirus B19 DNA detection in blood donors

Summary. 1000 serum samples from blood donors were tested for human parvovirus B19 (B19) DNA by a nested PCR assay: six samples were positive for B19 DNA. The frequency was 1/167 (0-6%), considerably higher than previous surveys (0-004-0-03%). Five of the six samples were also positive for anti-B19 IgM, indicating an acute phase of infection. It is recommended to screen for B19 DNA in blood products to prevent transfusion mediated viral infection for those susceptible such as immunocompromised patients and pregnant women.     

Quantitative detection of metastasis-associated1mRNA and protein expression in breast cancer

Objective Understanding the mechanism of breast cancer metastasis will benefit those patients in need of aggressive treatment and avoid side effects caused by chemotherapy over treatment.Recently,a potential metastasis-associated gene and its product,the metastasis-associated 1 (MTA1),were identified; this gene has been found to be overexpressed in a variety of cancers.Methods In the present study,therefore,the level of expression of MTA1 mRNA has been assessed by LightCycler quantitative real-time RT-PCR in 160 cases of invasive carcinoma of the breast.MTA1 protein expression level was also detected by immunohistochemistry from available paired tissues of 154 cases.Associations between MTA1 mRNA and protein expression and clinicopathological factors were analyzed.Results It was found that MTA1 mRNA was expressed at significantly higher levels in patients with negative lymph node status,with ER and PgR positive and HER2 negative tumor.No difference was found between patient age,tumor size and histological grade groups.Patients with high levels of expression of MTA1 mRNA had a better prognosis than those with low expression.However,no difference was found between the protein level and clinicopathological factors.Univariate and multivariate prognostic analysis did not demonstrate that MTA1 mRNA was an independent prognostic factor for breast cancer.Conclusion In breast cancer,inconsistent with other tumor types,MTA1 gene expression is correlated with non-invasive clinicopathological factors and longer survival,which might suggest MTA1 gene is a tumor type specific metastasis associated gene.     

In vitro antimicrobial activity of gatifloxacin against 873 clinical isolates from respiratory tract, urinary tract and surgical infections during 1997-1998 in Japan

The in vitro activity of gatifloxacin was determined for 873 isolates from various infections during 1997-1998 in Japan. Gatifloxacin was active against streptococci, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, with MIC(90)s of 相似文献