[Equalization of breast cancer chemotherapy at general hospital( II )-evaluation of safety in FEC and TC regimens].

The safety of epirubicin (75 mg/m(2)), 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m(2)) plus cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m(2)) (FEC75 therapy) and docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)) plus cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m(2)) (TC therapy) every three weeks as neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy was evaluated. Six or 9 patients received FEC75 or TC therapy, respectively. The nadir of white blood cells and neutrocyte counts in FEC75 and TC therapy were after 11-15 days and 8-11 days of chemotherapy, respectively. On the other hand, those of monocyte and reticulocyte counts were after 8-11 and 4-8 days for FEC75 and TC therapy, respectively. This suggests that there is a lag time in these parameters for the evaluation of myelosuppression in each chemotherapy regimen, resulting in the prediction of the degree of myelotoxicity by these profiles. Although 2 patients who received TC therapy encountered febrile neutropenia, the symptoms were improved by quinolones, and so granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was not needed. In addition, remarkable non-hematological side effects were not observed, and, therefore, almost all chemotherapy was performed as scheduled. From these results, FEC75 and TC therapy are considered to be safe.

Regulation of dendrite formation of Purkinje cells by serotonin through serotonin1A and serotonin2A receptors in culture.

Serotonergic fibers and receptors appear in the rat cerebellum during early postnatal development. In the present study, we investigated the actions of serotonin (5-HT) and its receptors in the dendrite formation of Purkinje cells in organotypic cultures of anterior and posterior lobes of the cerebellum at postnatal day 7. In anterior lobes after 4 days in vitro (4DIV), the dendritic areas and branchings of Purkinje cells were increased by the treatment of 2 microM 5-HT, but decreased by 20 microM 5-HT. In posterior lobes after 4DIV, the dendritic areas of Purkinje cells were increased by 5-HT (2, 20 and 200 microM). In contrast, 5-HT treatment decreased dendritic areas of Purkinje cells in both anterior and posterior lobes after 7DIV. Next, we determined the actions of specific 5-HT receptors in mediating the effects of 5-HT by treatment with selective 5-HT receptor agonists. In anterior lobes after 4DIV, dendritic areas of Purkinje cells were increased by a 5-HT1A receptor agonist (8-OH-DPAT), whereas decreased by a 5-HT2A receptor agonist (DOI). The present study suggested that the dendrite formation of Purkinje cells is promoted by 5-HT through 5-HT1A receptors, but inhibited by 5-HT through 5-HT2A receptors.

[Appropriate administration schedule of D-penicillamine for pediatric Wilson's disease patients based on urinary copper excretion].

The purpose of this study was to increase the amount of copper excreted resulting from the administration of D-penicillamine(DP) in pediatric Wilson's disease(WD) patients. By measuring the urinary copper excretion after adjusting the administration schedules, the appropriate timing for DP administration was investigated. The subjects were three brothers with pediatric WD. The initial daily dose of DP was 5 mg/kg/day, and gradually increased to the maintenance dose of 20 mg/kg/day. Until the maintenance daily dose was reached, DP was administered 2 h after the morning and evening meal. After reaching the maintenance daily dose of DP, the appropriate timing for taking DP was investigated in both the morning and evening. Three schedules of DP administration were compared: 2 h after meals; 30 min before meals (with fasting); and 1 h before the morning and 1.5 before the evening meal (direction 1). The resulting urinary copper excretion on each dosing schedule was compared. Little difference was found in urinary copper excretion on the first two schedules, i.e., 2 h after meals and 30 min before meals. When DP was administered 30 min before meals, urinary copper excretion [microgram/day] was 1173 in the first brother, 918 in the second, and 875 in the third. When DP was administered according to direction 1, however, urinary copper excretion was increased significantly to 1701 in the first brother, 2701 in the second, and 3808 in the third. It is known that the efficiency of urinary copper excretion with DP administration depends on the maintenance of chelating ability after absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Our results indicate that the excretion was lower when DP was administered 2 h after or 30 min before meals (with fasting), as recommended in the package insert. Thus to achieve better copper excretion efficiency, direction 1 is recommended for WD patients.