Objective: This study aims to investigate the associations between genetic variations of pyroptosis pathway related key genes and adverse events (AEs) of postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with rectal cancer. Methods: DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood which was collected from 347 patients before CRT. Sequenom MassARRAY was used to detect the genotypes of 43 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (htSNPs) in eight pyroptosis genes, including absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), caspase-1 (CASP1), caspase-4(CASP4), caspase-5 (CASP5), caspase-11 (CASP11), gasdermin D (GSDMD), gasdermin E (GSDME) and NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3). The associations between 43 htSNPs and AEs were evaluated by the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by unconditional logistic regression models, adjusted for sex, age, clinical stage, tumor grade, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), surgical procedure, and tumor location. Results: Among the 347 patients with rectal cancer underwent concurrent CRT with capecitabine after surgery, a total of 101(29.1%) occurred grade ≥ 2 leukopenia. rs11226565 (OR=0.41, 95% CI: 0.21-0.79, P=0.008), rs579408(OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.03-2.29, P=0.034) and rs543923 (OR=0.63, 95% CI: 0.41-0.98, P=0.040) were significantly associated with the occurrence of grade ≥ 2 leukopenia. One hundred and fifty-six (45.0%) had grade ≥ 2 diarrhea, two SNPs were significantly associated with the occurrence of grade ≥ diarrhea, including CASP11 rs10880868 (OR=0.55, 95% CI: 0.33-0.91, P=0.020) and GSDME rs2954558 (OR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.01-2.31, P=0.050). In addition, sixty-six cases (19.0%) developed grade ≥2 dermatitis, three SNPs that significantly associated with the risk of grade ≥2 dermatitis included GSDME rs2237314 (OR=0.36, 95% CI: 0.16-0.83, P=0.017), GSDME rs12540919 (OR=0.52, 95% CI: 0.27-0.99, P=0.045) and NLRP3 rs3806268 (OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.03-2.22, P=0.037). There was no significant difference in the association between other genetic variations and AEs of rectal cancer patients (all P>0.05). Surgical procedure and tumor location had great impacts on the occurrence of grade ≥2 diarrhea and dermatitis (all P<0.01). Conclusion: The genetic variants of CASP4, CASP11, GSDME and NLRP3 are associated with the occurrence of AEs in patients with rectal cancer who received postoperative CRT, suggesting they may be potential genetic markers in predicting the grade of AEs to achieve individualized treatment of rectal cancer.
Humans ; Pyroptosis ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Gasdermins ; Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects* ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Caspases/metabolism* ; Diarrhea/chemically induced* ; Leukopenia/genetics* ; Genetic Variation ; Dermatitis

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between Chinese medical constitutions and chemotherapy-induced leucopenia (CIL) of primary breast cancer patients.

METHODSTotally 306 breast cancer patients undergoing adjunctive chemotherapy for the 1st time, and effective 291 breast cancer patients were recruited in this study.Nine Basic Constitutional Scale was used before first chemotherapy. Chinese medical constitutions were classified and quantitatively scored. The highest grading for any item of adverse reactions in each case during the whole chemotherapy course was recorded after chemotherapy. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS16.0.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in CIL between different chemotherapy regimens and various Chinese medical constitutions of breast cancer patients (P > 0.05). Yang deficiency constitution is one risk factor for CIL. The higher the score of yang deficiency constitution, the more severe the CIL.

CONCLUSIONSYang deficiency constitution was correlated with the degree of CIL. The higher the score of yang deficiency constitution, the greater the risk of III-IV grade CIL in breast cancer patients.

Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Yang Deficiency

OBJECTIVETo assess the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese herbal medicine (TCHM) for chemotherapy-induced leucopenia in patients with malignant tumor.

METHODSChinese database (CNKI, VIP, CBM, Wanfang Database) and English database (Medline, Cochrane Library) were retrieved with the deadline of September 2013. Participants were cancer patients confirmed by pathology waiting for chemotherapy. We included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) testing chemotherapy plus TCHM vs. chemotherapy plus placebo, chemotherapy alone, conventional treatment, or TCHM plus chemotherapy combined with conventional treatment vs chemotherapy combined with conventional treat ment. The primary outcomes were WBC count, leucopenia incidence, and adverse reactions. Assessments of methodological quality, including randomization, allocation, concealment, blindness, dropping-out, loss of follow-ups were also conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5. 2 Software provided by Cochrane Collaboration.

RESULTSEighty-seven RCTs (involving 8 468 patients) were included. All these studies were published in Chinese. Of these only two papers were of high quality. Methods of randomization, scheme concealment, blindness, dropping-out, loss of follow-up, samples estimation were not accurately reported in the rest RCTs. The pooled results of WBC count showed that chemotherapy combined with TCHM was generally better than chemotherapy alone [MD =0. 64 x 109/L (0.41, 0.88), P < 0.01]. Auxiliary treatment of Compound Ejiao Syrup, Diyu Shengbai Tablet, Chinese compounds for invigorating Pi and supplementing Shen during the chemotherapeutic course could elevate peripheral blood WBC counts, and decrease the incidence of leucopenia.

CONCLUSIONChinese herbal medicine might have potential effects in preventing the occurrence of leucopenia, which need to be confirmed by launching higher quality clinical trials.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of cisplatin and capecitabine combination (XP) therapy for patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) progressing after anthracycline and taxane treatment.

METHODSTwenty-nine metastatic TNBC patients were prospectively enrolled to receive capecitabine (1, 000 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14) and cisplatin (75 mg/m(2) on day 1) , repeated every 3 weeks.

RESULTSWith a median of 6 cycles of XP, all 29 patients were evaluable for response, including 18 PR (62.1%), 6 SD (20.7%), 5 PD (17.2%) and no CR. The response rate was 62.1%. Patients with earlier stage at diagnosis (stage I to IIIA), longer post-operative disease free survival (>2 years) and less metastatic sites (≤ 3) obtained significantly higher response rate than patients with later stage at diagnosis (stage IIIB to IV), shorter post-operative disease free survival (≤ 2 years) and more metastatic sites (>3). The leading side effects were grade 1/2 gastrointestinal and hematological toxicities. Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia (34.5%), leukocytopenia (31.0%), anemia (6.9%), thrombocytopenia (3.4%), nausea/vomiting (20.7%), stomatitis (3.4%), and hand-foot syndrome (3.4%).

CONCLUSIONCisplatin and capecitabine combination therapy is an active and well-tolerated doublet treatment in metastatic TNBC patients progressing after anthracycline and taxane treatments.

Anthracyclines ; administration & dosage ; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic ; administration & dosage ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Bridged-Ring Compounds ; administration & dosage ; Capecitabine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Hand-Foot Syndrome ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Prospective Studies ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate efficacies of three commonly used oral drugs including Berbamine Hydrochloride Tablet (B), Qijiao Shengbai Capsule (Q), and Leucogen Tablet (L) (by single drug, two drugs or three drugs) combined with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for treat ment of chemotherapy related leukocytopenia in mice.

METHODSTotally 156 Kunming male mice were divided into the normal control group (A, n=24), the model group (B, n=24), the G-CSF group (C, n =24), the G-CSF+Q group (D, n=12), G-CSF+ B (E, n=12), the G-CSF+L group (F, n=12), the G-CSF + Q + B group (G, n=12), the G-CSF + Q + L group (H, n=12), the G-CSF + L + B group (I, n=12), and the G-CSF + L + Q + B (J, n=12). Mouse models of chemotherapy related leukocytopenia were established by intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (CTX). A G-CSF group was set up as a positive control. Mice were treated by a single oral drug, a single oral drug combined with G-CSF, and two or three drugs combined with G-CSF respectively, and the death rate calculated. Hemocytes [such as white blood cells (WBC) and its classification, red blood cells (RBC), platelet (PLT), hemoglobin (Hb)] were calculated by hematology analyzer. Mice were anatomized and important organs weighed. Organ indices were calculated.

RESULTSThere was no statistical difference in the mortality rate among all groups (P > 0.05). Compared with Group B, WBC was elevated in all other groups (P < 0.01). WBC and PLT were elevated most in Group J, Hb and RBC were also increased at the same time (P < 0.05, P < 0. 01). Compared with Group B, RBC increased in Group E, F, G, I, and J (P < 0.01); Hb obviously increased in Group C, E, F, H, I, and J (P<0.01). Compared with Group B and D, the promotion of erythroid hematopoiesis by G-CSF could be elevated in any group contained drug B and L (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The spleen index of model mice could be significantly improved in Group C, D, and G (P < 0.01). The thymus index of model mice could be significantly improved in Group H (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe best scheme to treat mice with chemotherapy related leukopenia or decreased three blood series was to administrate three commonly oral drugs combined with G-CSF. Authors speculated that G-CSF and Q might have a certain effect on CTX induced immune inhibition.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Blood Platelets ; Cyclophosphamide ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Erythrocyte Count ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor ; metabolism ; Hematopoiesis ; Hemoglobins ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Male ; Mice ; Pharmaceutical Preparations

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of advanced urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (AUCB).

METHODSThe clinicopathological data of 117 patients with AUCB admitted in our hospital from 1998 to 2009 were reviewed. All patients received first-line chemotherapy. The survival rate was calculated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test.

RESULTSThe median age of all patients was 56 years and the male-to-female ratio was 3.33:1. Their 6-, 12-, 24-, 36- and 60-month survival rates were 90.3%, 61.3%, 32.3%, 24.2% and 8.1%, respectively. In the first-line chemotherapy regimen, the effectiveness rate of gemcitabine + platinum drugs was 49.3% (37/75), the median progression-free survival(PFS) was 7.9 months and overall survival (OS) was 18.7 months. The effectiveness of cyclophosphamide + epirubicin + platinum drug regimen was 45.5% (10/22), Median PFS was 7.1 months and OS was 15.3 months. The effectiveness of paclitaxel + platinum drug regimen was 47.1% (8/17), median PFS was 6.5 months and OS was 13.7 months. Among them, the effectiveness rate of the gemcitabine + cisplatin regimen in 67 patients was 47.8%, the median PFS was 7.0 months and OS was 15.3 months. In the 13 patients who received paclitaxel + carboplatin regimen, the effectiveness rate was 53.8%, median PFS was 7.7 months and OS was 16.0 months. The major side effects were leucopenia and thrombocytopenia, mostly were tolerable, of grade I to II.

CONCLUSIONSIn advanced unresectable and metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, GC regimen is recognized as a standard first-line chemotherapy, with a higher effectiveness and tolerable side effects. Taxane and molecular targeted drugs may further improve the therapeutic effect of the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinomas of the bladder in the future.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; secondary ; Carboplatin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Cyclophosphamide ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Disease-Free Survival ; Epirubicin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Liver Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; secondary ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; secondary ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Paclitaxel ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Thrombocytopenia ; chemically induced ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Urothelium ; pathology

OBJECTIVEThis study investigates the efficacy and tolerability of capecitabine plus thalidomide in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who previously underwent gemcitabine-based therapy.

METHODSSixty-one patients with unresectable or metastatic PC who had progressed on single-agent Gem or a Gem-containing regimen were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group (31 patients) was treated with capecitabine alone, and another group was treated with capecitabine plus thalidomide. Capecitabine was administered orally twice a day at a dose of 1, 250 mg/m(2) for 14-day followed by 7-day rest and oral thalidomide 100 mg was given daily without interruption until disease progression or occurrence of unacceptable toxicity.

RESULTSThe PFS was 2.8 months (95%CI 2.4 - 3.2) vs. 3.1 months (95%CI 2.6-3.6, P < 0.05) and the OS was 6.1 months (95%CI 5.3 - 6.9) vs. 6.3 months (95%CI 5.2 - 7.4, P = 0.426). In the capecitabine alone group, one patient experienced a partial response (PR), 10 patients showed stable disease (SD) and 20 patients had progressive disease (PD). The another group, two patients experienced a partial response (PR), 11 patients SD, and 17 patients PD. The disease control rates were 35.5% and 43.3%, respectively. The major adverse reaction in the two groups was grade 3 diarrhea.

CONCLUSIONCapecitabine plus thalidomide regimen is marginally effective and well tolerated in the second-line setting in patients with gemcitabine-refractory advanced pancreatic cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Capecitabine ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate ; Thalidomide ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Drug Chronotherapy ; Female ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nausea ; chemically induced ; Neoplasm Staging ; Neutropenia ; chemically induced ; Remission Induction ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects

The prognosis of locally advanced or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis after conventional treatment is dismal. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin on locally advanced or recurrent SCC of the penis. Between April 1999 and May 2011, we treated 5 patients with locally advanced penile SCC and 7 patients with recurrent disease with intraarterial chemotherapy. The response rate and toxicity data were analyzed, and survival rates were calculated. After 2 to 6 cycles of intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin, 1 patients with locoregionally advanced disease achieved a complete response, and 4 achieved partial response. Of the 7 patients with recurrent disease, 2 achieved complete response, 3 achieved partial response, 3 had stable disease, and 1 developed progressive disease. An objective tumor response was therefore achieved in 10 of the 12 patients. The median overall survival for the patients was 24 months (range, 10-50 months). Three out of 10 patients who responded were long-term survivors after intraarterial chemotherapy. Intraarterial chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin may be effective and potentially curative in locoregionally advanced or recurrent penile SCC. The contribution of this therapy in the primary management of advanced or recurrent penile SCC should be prospectively investigated.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; Deoxycytidine ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; Disease Progression ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infusions, Intra-Arterial ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Penile Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy and side effects of induction chemotherapy with vinorelbine plus cisplatin (NP) or docetaxel plus cisplatin (TP) combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in treating locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

METHODSFrom January 2005 to December 2009, 146 patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated in our department were randomized into NP group (76 patients) or TP group (70 patients). Both groups received two cycles of induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy. After three weeks of induction chemotherapy, the patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The chemotherapy was recycled every three weeks. Two groups were treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

RESULTSThe short-term efficacy of NP group was similar to that of TP group. The 3-year overall survival rates, disease-free-survival rates, locoregional relapse-free survival rates and distant metastasis-free survival rates in the NP and TP groups were 84.2% and 82.9%, 71.1% and 74.3%, 89.5% and 91.4%, 81.6% and 77.1%, respectively (P > 0.05). The occurrence rates of leucopenia, anemia and acute mucositis were significantly higher in the TP group than those in the NP group (P < 0.05). The gastrointestinal toxicity, dermatitis and liver toxicity were similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe efficacy of NP regimen induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemordiotherapy for advanced NPC is similar to that of TP regimen. The toxicity of the NP regimen is lower than that of NP regimen, tolerable, and with a good compliance.

Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; therapeutic use ; Bone Neoplasms ; secondary ; Carcinoma ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Cisplatin ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Induction Chemotherapy ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; etiology ; Liver Neoplasms ; secondary ; Lung Neoplasms ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucositis ; chemically induced ; etiology ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; pathology ; therapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Neoplasm Staging ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Remission Induction ; Survival Rate ; Taxoids ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Vinblastine ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; analogs & derivatives ; Young Adult