Efficacy of acupuncture in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced cancer: a multi-center, single-blind, randomized, sham-controlled clinical research.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a common and distressing side effect. We conducted this clinical trial to compare the effectiveness of true acupuncture vs. sham acupuncture in controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) among patients with advanced cancer. METHODS: A total of 134 participants were randomly allocated into true acupuncture (TA) (n = 68) and sham acupuncture (SA) (n = 66) groups. Participants in both groups received acupuncture session twice on the first day of chemotherapy, and once consecutively on the following 4 days. The primary outcome was using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) to assess CINV. The secondary outcome measures were the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score (ECOG), Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). RESULTS: Compared to the SA group, the TA group didn't show significant improvement in complete response rates of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (all P > 0.05). However, the TA group could modestly reduce the severity of nausea (from day-3 to day-21, P < 0.05) or vomiting (from day-4 to day-21, P < 0.05), which is notably superior to the control group. Besides, TA promoted the nutritional status of patients with a significantly higher score comparing to the SA group on day 14 (21.82 vs.20.12, P = 0.003) and day 21 (22.39 vs. 20.43, P = 0.001). No apparent differences were found in anxiety and depression assessment between these groups. Participants in both groups were well tolerant of acupuncture therapy. There was no adverse event occurs in our study. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture as an adjunctive approach could alleviate the severity of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting compared to the sham control, even though the effect of acupuncture in preventing CINV occurring is relatively modest.

Effect of acupuncture in prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with advanced cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is one of the most common and distressing side effects in patients with cancer. The introduction and development of antiemetic drugs have significantly improved the ability of clinicians to control CINV, but it is not easy to translate to practical application, owing to financial issues, provider-related barriers, and patient factors. Nondrug therapies are needed to alleviate the symptoms of CINV. Acupuncture is an appropriate adjunctive treatment for CINV, but additional evidence is needed. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled prospective clinical trial. A total of 136 participants will be randomly allocated into the intervention group (verum acupuncture) or the control group (sham acupuncture) in a 1:1 ratio. All treatment will be given for 5 days. Participants in both groups will receive acupuncture sessions twice on the first day of chemotherapy and once consecutively on the following 4 days. Each session takes approximately 30 minutes. The primary outcome measure will be the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events to assess CINV. The secondary outcome measures will be the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Safety will be assessed at each visit. DISCUSSION: The results of this trial will provide clinical evidence for the effect and safety of acupuncture for CINV. TRIAL REGISTRATIONS: ISRCTN Registry identifier: ISRCTN13287728 ). Registered on 28 February 2015. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02369107 . Registered on 17 February 2015.

Identification of regulatory role of DNA methylation in colon cancer gene expression via systematic bioinformatics analysis.

Colon cancer arises from the accumulations of genetic and epigenetic changes. Currently, profiles of DNA methylation and gene expression of colon cancer have not been elucidated clearly. This articles aims to characterize the profile of DNA methylation and gene expression of colon cancer systemically, and acquire candidate genes potentially regulated by altered methylation for this disease.Data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Differentially methylated CpG sites (DMCs) and differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were calculated via COHCAP. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by DESeq2. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) package in R was applied for WGCNA.Data of 275 solid tumor tissues and 19 adjacent tumor tissues of colon cancer were obtained. A total of 1828 DMCs, including 1390 hypermethylated and 438 hypomethylated CpG sites, were identified between tumor and normal groups. A total of 789 DEGs, containing 435 upregulated genes and 354 downregulated genes were observed. It revealed that 8 DMRs-DEGs and 95 DMCs-DEGs pairs were significantly correlated. Furthermore, genes of yellow and brown modules from WGCNA were significantly correlated with tumor/normal status, and significantly enriched in peroxisome proliferator activated receptor signaling pathway, glutamatergic synapse, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. Genes in the above 2 modules were also significantly enriched in DMCs or DMRs-associated genes. Specifically, ADHFE1, HAND2, and GNAO1 were hypermethylated and downregulated in colon cancer, suggesting that the low expression levels of these genes may be regulated by DNA hypermethylation. In addition, the 3 genes were involved in brown module of WGCNA, indicating their important roles in colon cancer.The investigation of the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression may help to understand the effect of DNA methylation alteration on genes expression, especially gene co-expression network in the development of colon cancer. Genes such as ADHFE1, HAND2, and GNAO1 may be served as potential candidates for diagnosis and therapy targets in colon cancer.

[Oxymatrine Diminished the Side Population and Inhibited Wnt/p-catenin Signaling Pathway in MCF- 7 Breast Cancer Cells].

Objective To observe the effects of oxymatrine (OM) in inhibiting the proliferation and percentage of cancer stem cell like cell of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, and to study its molecular mechanism. Methods MCF-7 cells were taken as subject. Side population cells (SP) of cancer stem cell like cells rich in MCF-7 cells were isolated using side population (SP) method. The proliferation properties of SP cells and non-side population (non-SP) cells were detected by MTT assay. The proliferation and intervention of cisplatin (DDP) and OM at various concentrations were detected as well. The ex- pression levels of ß-catenin gene and protein were detected using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence technique. Results (1) OM in different concentrations had various inhibitions to the proliferation of subpopulations of MCF-7 cells. Of them, it had weakest inhibition on non-SP cells, weaker inhibition on unsorted cells, and strongest inhibition on SP cells. DDP in different concentrations had strongest inhibition on non-SP cells, weaker inhibition on unsorted cells, and weakest inhibition on SP cells. (2) SP cells accounted for 3. 1%, 1. 7%, and 0. 2% of the total cells after OM acted at 0. 25, 0. 50, 1. 00 mg/mL, respectively. The expression rate of phosphorylated ß-catenin was 42. 62% ±2. 62% after SP cells were ac- ted by OM, with statistical difference as compared with the blank control group [ (22. 8% ±1. 66%) ,P < 0. 01]. (3) Compared with SP cells without OM treatment, the expression of ß-catenin in OM treated SP cells was obviously reduced. Besides, they were specifically distributed under the cytomembrane, with nuclear translocation obviously reduced. Conclusion OM could intervene biological behaviors of cancer stem cell like cell of MCF-7 cells possibly through Inhibiting the activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Effects of the traditional Chinese medicine Yi Shen Jian Gu granules on aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms: a study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are widely used as an adjuvant endocrine treatment in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer. One of the main adverse effects of AIs is musculoskeletal symptoms, which leads to a lower quality of life and poor adherence to AI treatment. To date, no effective management of aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms (AIMSS) has been developed. METHODS/DESIGN: To determine whether the traditional Chinese medicine Yi Shen Jian Gu granules could effectively manage AIMSS we will conduct a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients experiencing musculoskeletal symptoms after taking AIs will be enrolled and treated with traditional Chinese medicine or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measures include Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and Modified Score for the Assessment and Quantification of Chronic Rheumatoid Affections of the Hands, which will be obtained at baseline and at 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks. DISCUSSION: The results of this study will provide a new strategy to help relieve AIMSS. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISCTN: ISRCTN06129599 (assigned 14 August 2013).

Some refinements and generalizations of I. Schur type inequalities.

Recently, extensive researches on estimating the value of e have been studied. In this paper, the structural characteristics of I. Schur type inequalities are exploited to generalize the corresponding inequalities by variable parameter techniques. Some novel upper and lower bounds for the I. Schur inequality have also been obtained and the upper bounds may be obtained with the help of Maple and automated proving package (Bottema). Numerical examples are employed to demonstrate the reliability of the approximation of these new upper and lower bounds, which improve some known results in the recent literature.

Yin-yang balance therapy on regulating cancer stem cells.

Researches have shown that cancer stem cells, regulated by the niche where they reside, are the roots of oncogenesis, relapse and metastasis. To date, very few treatments have targeted on cancer stem cells. The authors study that the regulated factors in the niche share the characteristics of yin-yang in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, which has confirmed its therapeutic effects in the prevention and treatment of cancer. So the authors presume that the mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine on the prevention and treatment of cancer may be related to the yin-yang balance of the niche of cancer stem cells.

Estrogen receptor of breast cancer stem cells depending on the original breast cancers.

There has been arguments about the estrogen receptor-α (from this point referred to as ER) of breast cancer stem cells (BrCSCs). Most investigations support the proposition that BrCSCs are ER(-), whereas some other studies indicate that BrCSCs are ER(+). We concluded that the ER expression of BrCSCs in ER(+) breast cancers is positive, while it is negative in ER(-) breast cancers. Therefore, we hypothesize that the ER expression of BrCSCs depends on the original breast cancers. It may provide a novel strategy for the therapy targeting BrCSCs.

[Clinical randomized controlled study on acupuncture for treatment of peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapeutic drugs].

OBJECTIVE: To seek the effective treatment for peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. METHODS: Sixty-four cases of peripheral neuropathy induced by Paclitaxel or Oxaliplatin were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and a medication group, 32 cases in each group. The acupuncture group was treated with therapeutic principle of dredging meridians and collaterals, tonifying qi and eliminating blood stasis, supplementing liver and kidney, nourishing blood and tendon. Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Zusanli (ST 36), Qihai (CV 6) and Quchi (LI 11) etc. were selected. The medication group was treated with intramuscular injection of Cobamamide. The neurotoxicity of two groups was compared with questionnaire of peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapeutic drugs before and after treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate for sensory nerve disorder of acupuncture group was 66.7% (20/30), which was superior to that of 40.0% (12/30) in medication group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture is more effective than Cobamamide for treatment of peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapeutic drugs, especially for moderate and severe sensory nerve disorder induced by paclitaxel.

[Progress on the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy by Chinese and Western medicine].

Among all the adverse reactions of anti-tumor drugs, the incidence of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy elevated gradually in recent years, but no trustworthy treatment by Chinese and Western medicine for it has been found so far. The related clinical and experimental reports published in the latest 10 years were reviewed in this paper.