Association of nodular hyperplasia with resistance to cinacalcet therapy for secondary hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis patients

There have been few long-term prospective studies investigating the effect of cinacalcet on secondary hyperparathyroidism with or without nodular hyperplasia. We examined whether the effect of cinacalcet on secondary hyperparathyroidism differed between patients with or without nodular hyperplasia. Stable hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism resistant to conventional treatment received cinacalcet for 12 months. Based on ultrasonography findings, patients were divided into group S (gland < 500 mm(3) without nodular hyperplasia) and group L (gland ≥ 500 mm(3) with nodular hyperplasia). Serum levels of intact parathyroid hormone, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and cross-linked N-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen were measured. Thirty-one patients completed the study. The changes of parameters from the baseline did not differ significantly between the two groups after 6 months. However, the percentage reduction of each parameter was significantly smaller in group L compared with group S after 12 months. Nodular hyperplasia is associated with resistance to cinacalcet therapy in patients on chronic dialysis with secondary hyperparathyroidism.     

Scent test using Caenorhabditis elegans to screen for early-stage pancreatic cancer

Although early detection and diagnosis are indispensable for improving the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer, both have yet to be achieved. Except for pancreatic cancer, other cancers have already been screened through scent tests using animals or microorganisms, including Caenorhabditis elegans. While such a method may greatly improve the prognosis of pancreatic cancer, no studies have investigated the same, mainly given the difficulty of collecting suitable samples from patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer. In this study, we organized a nationwide study group comprising high-volume centers throughout Japan to collect patients with very-early-stage pancreatic cancer (stage 0 or IA). We initially performed an open-label study involving 83 cases (stage 0–IV), with subsequent results showing significant differences after surgical removal in stage 0–IA (×10 dilution: p < 0.001; ×100 dilution: p < 0.001). Thereafter, a blinded study on 28 cases (11 patients with stage 0 or IA disease and 17 healthy volunteers) was conducted by comparing very-early-stage pancreatic cancer patients with healthy volunteers to determine whether C. elegans could detect the scent of cancer for the diagnosis of early-stage pancreatic cancer. Preoperative urine samples had a significantly higher chemotaxis index compared to postoperative samples in patients with pancreatic cancer [×10 dilution: p < 0.001, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.845; ×100 dilution: p < 0.001, AUC = 0.820] and healthy volunteers (×10 dilution: p = 0.034; ×100 dilution: p = 0.088). Moreover, using the changes in preoperative and postoperative chemotaxis index, this method had a higher sensitivity for detecting early pancreatic cancer compared to existing diagnostic markers. The clinical application C. elegans for the early diagnosis of cancer can certainly be expected in the near future.     

Experimental verification of age-dependent cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats using dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography

Purpose  

The aim of this study was to investigate age-dependent cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats using dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT).     

A phase II study of 5-fluorouracil/L-leucovorin/oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) in Japanese patients with metastatic or unresectable small bowel adenocarcinoma

Background

Several studies have suggested that chemotherapy prolonged survival in patients with metastatic or recurrent small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA); however, there is still no standard chemotherapy regimen. Here, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/L-leucovorin (l-LV)/oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) protocol as a first-line therapy for patients with SBA.

Patients and methods

This was a multicenter, single-arm, open-label phase II study. Eligibility criteria included histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma, age 20–80 years, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) of 0–2. The primary endpoint was 1-year progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), overall PFS, and safety.

Results

Between April 2010 and November 2012, 24 patients were enrolled from 12 institutions. The median age of the patients was 63 years (range 31–79) and there was a male/female ratio of 18/6. The number of PS 0/1 patients was 17/7 and locally advanced/metastatic disease was seen in 2/22 patients, respectively. The primary tumor site was the duodenum in 14 patients (58%) and jejunum in 10 patients (42%). The median follow-up time was 14.7 months (3.7–40.3). The 1-year PFS was 23.3%. The ORR was 9/20 (45%). The median PFS and OS times were 5.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0–10.2) and 17.3 months (95% CI 11.7–19.0), respectively. Major grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (38%), anemia/peripheral neuropathy (25%), and stenosis (17%). There were no treatment-related deaths.

Conclusions

Although the primary endpoint was not met, mFOLFOX6 showed effective and good tolerance as a first-line treatment for SBA.

     

Malignant rhabdoid tumor of the liver: a case report with US and CT manifestation

A case of malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) of the liver in a 4-month-old boy with hepatomegaly was described with the help of US and CT findings. The boy had multiple liver tumors, and the liver parenchyma showed a diffuse heterogeneous appearance. Lymph node swelling was noted, although the alpha-fetoprotein concentration was not elevated. A diagnosis of MRT was confirmed pathologically. Twenty-seven cases of MRT of the liver with solitary tumors, multiple tumors, or diffuse infiltration have been reported in the English-language literature. Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in detecting metastasis because of the high frequency of distant metastasis in MRT of the liver.     

Distribution of Toxic Metals in Organs of Local Cattle, Sheep, Goat and Poultry from the West Bank, Palestinian Authority

Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure the concentrations of Cu, Cd, Pb, and Zn in muscles and internal organs (liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs) of cattle, sheep goat and poultry sampled from local markets in the West Bank, Palestinian Authority. Mean levels of metals (dry weight basis) during this study were as follows: Cd: 0.34–0.57 μg/g, Pb: 0.2–4.7 μg/g, Cr: 0.44–3.62 μg/g and Cu: 1.03–217.9 μg/g. Muscles and internal organs of each species were found to have statistically different metal levels. Generally, livers and kidneys were found to have the highest levels of metals and muscles the lowest levels. When compared to each other, the four animal groups either did not show any significant differences or no clear trends. Compared to results reported in the literature, our results were comparable to or less than most of the studies reported from clean sites in different countries.