Partial response of angiosarcoma of the scalp to sorafenib: association with decreased expression of vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors.

The prognosis of angiosarcoma remains very poor, even with combined, multimodal therapy. We report a case with partial response of angiosarcoma of the scalp to sorafenib, which is a new oral, molecular, targeted, multiple-kinase inhibitor. In addition, we confirmed, using immunohistochemistry, that sorafenib suppressed the expression of vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors on the angiosarcoma tumour cells, and decreased cell numbers by inhibiting cellular proliferation.

[Investigation of mites in the houses of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, and clinical improvements by mite elimination].

Seasonal variations related to mites were investigated by the Methylene Blue Agar (MBA) method in the houses of 157 AD patients living in Tokyo. Many mites were counted in the dust from carpets, Japanese straw mats (Tatami) and the floor under Tatami. In most places, the number of mites was found to increase in summer. In winter, however, mite levels increased in sofas and Japanese seat cushions. On the other hand, only small numbers of mites were found in mite-proof products. Based on the above data, were recommended mite elimination by various scientific techniques was recommended for 34 severe AD patients. Mite levels and clinical symptoms were again checked after one year and two years in the same seasons. In 17 of the 34 cases, mite elimination was carried out completely. In these cases, the ratio of mite decrease to less than 30% was 82%, and the ratio of improvement of clinical symptoms (remarkable improvement + improvement) was 88%. Almost complete cure was noted in 7 cases. On the other hand, in the remaining 17 cases, mite elimination was performed incompletely in 12 cases, and was hardly done at all in 5 cases. The ratio of mite decrease to less than 30% was 47%, and the ratio of improvement of clinical symptoms was 35%. Therefore, it was concluded that investigation of mite levels following mite elimination procedures is a most recommendable treatment for severe AD patients who are hypersensitive to house dust mites.

[Results of patch test using mite components in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. 1st report. "As is patch test" using crushed mites].

UNLABELLED: As is patch test using crushed live mites and crushed dried dead mites of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D.p.), Dermatophagoides farinae (D.f.), & Tryophagus ptrescentiae (T.p.) was performed on 49 AD patients and 18 control patients suffering from dermatitis other than AD. RESULTS: 1) with crushed dried dead mites all patients showed negative reactions but with live mites 11 among 49 AD patients were positive (22.4%); 2) female mites were more positive than males at the rate 8:1; 3) with cases positive to mites, (a) D.p. was positive in all 11 positive cases (100%), (b) D.f. was negative in 5 cases (0%), and (c) T.p. was positive in 2 cases among 4 (50%); 4) because of the pathological manifestations of spongiosis and the infiltration of histiocytes and lymphocytes, the possibility of contact allergy to mite elements was suggested, as a mechanism of atopic dermatitis.

[Result of "as is patch test" using mite elements in atopic dermatitis (AD) patient. 2nd report, "Mite lipid"].

The antigenicity of mite lipid was studied, taking atopic dermatitis as an allergic disease. Lipid was extracted from Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) and D. farinae (Df). It was tentatively designated a mite lipid antigen (Dp-L, Df-L), and then a patch test was performed. An extract from animal food (LC) and acetone were used as the controls. With only Dp-L, a positive reaction of more than one plus (+) of the ICDRG standard was noted in 3 out of 21 cases of AD. Histology of the above-mentioned positive cases revealed spongiosis and infiltration of small round cells in the upper dermis along with scattered eosinophiles. Leu 6 positive cells were noted frequently in the epidermis and dermis. The lipid components of Dp-L were made up mostly of phospholipid and triglycerides+, and lipoprotein was not contained. Judging from the findings above it appears necessary to study not only protein but also lipid in connection with the mite antigenicity++ in AD in the future.