• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1341-1347
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• 2012

Introduction: Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) can be divided into germinal centre (GC-DLBCL) and post germinal centre (post GC-DLBCL) groups by applying immunohistochemical antibodies. As these subgroups respond differently to chemotherapy, it is possible at diagnosis to select a poor prognostic subgroup for aggressive treatment. Objective: To determine the frequencies of GC-DLBCL and post GC-DLBCL in patients by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and the clinical response after six cycles of chemotherapy. Subjects and Methods: In this descriptive study conducted in AFIP and CMH, Rawalpindi and NORI, Islamabad, from September 2010 to September 2011, a total of 75 pretreatment cases of DLBCL diagnosed during the study period were included. Cases were segregated in to GC-DLBCL and post GC-DLBCL groups according to results of immunohistochemistry markers CD10, BCL6 and MUM1. Immediate clinical response was assessed after 6 cycles of chemotherapy. Response was divided into complete response, partial response, stable disease or relapse or progression. Results: The mean age was $54.2{\pm}15$. Males were 53 (70.7%). Forty (53.3%) cases comprised the GC-DLBCL group; 25(62.5%) of them showed a complete response. Most patients of the post GC-DLBCL 19(54%) showed relapse/progression. Results of immediate clinical response in both prognostic subgroups were significant (p<0.05). Results regarding positivity with immunohistochemical antibodies CD10 (p 0.011), BCL6 (p 0.013) and MUM1 (p 0.000) regarding immediate clinical response were also significant. Conclusion: GC-DLBCL group shows better response to CHOP chemotherapy regimen. Immunohistochemistry should be used to further classify DLBCL as this can enable us to select aggressive group for aggressive treatment. This manuscript is important because the study is the first to becarried out exclusively in Pakistan or our part of the world.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5945-5950
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• 2014

Objectives: To retrospectively review the safety and clinical efficacy of bevacizumab concomitant with chemotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSNSCLC). Methods: Clinical data for 79 patients with NSNSCLC who received bevacizumab concomitant with chemotherapy in Chinese PLA General Hospital from April 28th 2009 to May 5th 2013 were retrospectively reviewed to analyze the clinical efficacy including disease control rate (DCR), overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score and the safety. Results: The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score was 0-2. By the final cutoff date (June 9, 2013), 54 (68.4%) patients had disease progression and 37 (46.8%) died. The ORR was 32.9% and the DCR was 83.5%. The ORR of the first-, second-, and third- or later-line treatments were 51.4%, 25.0% and 12.5%, while the DCR were 94.3%, 80.0% and 70.8%, respectively. The median OS (mOS) and PFS (mPFS) were 13.5 and 5.83 months, respectively. The mOS of patients with the first-, second-, and third- or later- line treatments were 16.2, 10.9 and 8.30 months, while the mPFS were 7.27, 5.90 and 5.17 months, respectively. Chemotherapy-related adverse events included myelosuppression, vomiting, hepatic dysfunction and renal dysfunction, while the common serious bevacizumab-related adverse events were thromboembolic problems, gastrointestinal perforation and reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome, which could be well managed. Conclusions: Bevacizumab concomitant with chemotherapy is effective and the related toxicity can be well tolerated in Chinese patients with NSNSCLC.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.53-58
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• 2013

Background: The autophagy is the major route for lysosomal degradation of misfolded protein aggregates and oxidative cell components. We hypothesized that rapamycin (autophagy enhancer) would prolong the survival of motor neuron and suppress the disease progression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: A total of 24 transgenic mice harboring the human G93A mutated SOD1 gene were used. The clinical status involving rotarod test and survival, and biochemical study of ALS mice model were evaluated. Results: The onset of symptoms was significantly delayed in the rapamycin administration group compared with the control group. However, after the clinical symptom developed, the rapamycin exacerbated the disease progression and shortened the survival of ALS mice model, and apoptosis signals were up-regulated compared with control group. Conclusions: Even though further detailed studies on the relevancy between autophagy and ALS will be needed, our results revealed that the rapamycin administration was not effective for being novel promising therapeutic strategy in ALS transgenic mice and exacerbated the apoptosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1693-1698
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• 2015

The heterogeneous nature of lung cancer has become increasingly apparent since introduction of molecular classification. In general, advanced lung cancer is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Activating alterations in several potential driver oncogenic genes have been identified, including EGFR, ROS1 and ALK and understanding of their molecular mechanisms underlying development, progression, and survival of lung cancer has led to the design of personalized treatments that have produced superior clinical outcomes in tumours harbouring these mutations. In light of the tsunami of new biomarkers and targeted agents, next generation sequencing testing strategies will be more appropriate in identifying the patients for each therapy and enabling personalized patients care. The challenge now is how best to interpret the results of these genomic tests, in the context of other clinical data, to optimize treatment choices. In genomic era of cancer treatment, the traditional one-size-fits-all paradigm is being replaced with more effective, personalized oncologic care. This review provides an overview of lung cancer genomics and personalized treatment.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.98-107
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• 2002

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is a chronic immune-mediated peripheral myelinopathy. The major clinical features include slowly progressive, painless, and asymmetric weakness, usually of distal limb muscle. Early in the course of the disease, weakness is not necessarily associated with muscle atrophy, owing to the initial primary involvement of peripheral myelin. Chronic progressive weakness is often associated with some degree of concurrent axonal loss and subsequent muscle atrophy. Sensory symptoms are usually mild or absent, and involvement of cranial and respiratory muscles is rare. The findings of multifocal motor conduction block, abnormal temporal dispersion, and focal conduction slowing at segments not at risk for common entrapment or compression injury, associated with normal sensory conduction studies along the same segments, are the hallmark electrophysiologic features of MMN. The slow progression and absence of upper motor neuron signs are the major clinical points that separate MMN from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The role of GM1 antibodies, found in high titers in 22~84% of MMN patients, remains uncertain. The contention that MMN is an autoimmune disorder is largely based on the often dramatic improvement in symptoms following the administration of intravenuos immunoglobulin or cyclophosphamide.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2015

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by progressive death of motor neurons in the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. Until now, many treatment strategies have been tested in ALS, but so far only Riluzole has shown efficacy of slightly slowing disease progression. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying ALS are multifactorial, with a complex interaction between genetic factors and molecular pathways. Other motor neuron disease such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and spinobulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) are also progressive neurodegenerative disease with loss of motor neuron as ALS. This common thread of motor neuron loss has provided a target for the development of therapies for these motor neuron diseases. A better understanding of these pathogenic mechanisms and the potential pathological relationship between the various cellular processes have suggested novel therapeutic approaches, including stem cell and genetics-based strategies, providing hope for feasible treatment of ALS.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.131-140
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• 2005

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome comprised of a number of symptoms and signs associated with congestion and/or hypoperfusion. Specific pharmacologic therapies have been developed to slow disease progression from early to more advanced stages. Once symptoms have developed, aggressive multimodality interventions are instituted to alleviate symptoms and improve clinical status and quality of life; especially in those patients that present symptoms. Recently, an evolving adjunctive therapeutic modality, that involves using implanted electrical devices: cardiac resynchronization with or without implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). has been used for management. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a proven treatment for selected patients with heart failure-induced conduction disturbances and ventricular dyssynchrony. When used in combination with stable, optimal medical therapy, CRT is designed to reduce symptoms and improve cardiac function by restoring the mechanical sequence of ventricular activation and contraction. This review summarizes the rationale, procedure, clinical trials, and clinical indications for CRT.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.454-463
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• 2021

Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) are radiologic abnormalities found incidentally on chest CT that are potentially related to interstitial lung diseases. Several articles have reported that ILAs are associated with increased mortality, and they can show radiologic progression. With the increased recognition of ILAs on CT, the role of radiologists in reporting them is critical. This review aims to discuss the clinical significance and radiologic characteristics of ILAs to facilitate and enhance their management.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.581-593
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• 2023

In the catheterization laboratory, the measurement of physiological indexes can help identify functionally significant lesions and has become one of the standard methods to guide treatment decision-making. Plaque vulnerability refers to a coronary plaque susceptible to rupture, enabling risk prediction before coronary events, and it can be detected by defining a certain type of plaque morphology on coronary imaging modalities. Although coronary physiology and plaque vulnerability have been considered different attributes of coronary artery disease, the underlying pathophysiological basis and clinical data indicate a strong correlation between coronary hemodynamic properties and vulnerable plaque. In prediction of coronary events, emerging data have suggested independent and additional implications of a physiology-based approach to a plaque-based approach. This review covers the fundamental interplay between coronary physiology and plaque morphology during disease progression with clinical data supporting this relationship and examines the clinical relevance of physiological indexes in prediction of clinical outcomes and therapeutic decision-making along with plaque vulnerability.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2022

Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation in the mucosal or submucosal layer of the colon. Previous studies have reported that obesity increases the prevalence of ulcerative colitis and aggravates the progression. This study was therefore undertaken to investigate whether curcumin inhibits the progression of ulcerative colitis caused by obesity. Mice were bred on a high-fat diet to induce obesity, and curcumin was administered with the high-fat diet to confirm the anti-inflammatory effect. To induce ulcerative colitis, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) was administered orally, and clinical symptoms of colitis were subsequently observed. For histological evaluation of curcumin, the colon, liver and abdominal fat tissue samples were prepared and analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Alcian blue-periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Our results confirm that consumption of curcumin resulted in decreasing the score of the disease activity index, and inhibited shortening of the colon length. In addition, inflammatory cell infiltration and mucosal damage were inhibited in the colon tissue of ulcerative colitis exacerbated by obesity. We further confirmed that exposure to curcumin significantly reduced the steatosis area of the liver and adipocytes of abdominal fat. In conclusion, we believe that curcumin can be applied as a therapeutic agent to treat ulcerative colitis, by inhibiting the progression of colitis caused by obesity.