Strobilanthes crispus bioactive subfraction inhibits tumor progression and improves hematological and morphological parameters in mouse mammary carcinoma model.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Locally known as 'pecah batu', 'bayam karang', 'keci beling' or 'batu jin', the Malaysian medicinal herb, Strobilanthes crispus (S. crispus), is traditionally used by the local communities as alternative or adjuvant remedy for cancer and other ailments and to boost the immune system. S. crispus has demonstrated multiple anticancer therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo. A pharmacologically active fraction of S. crispus has been identified and termed as F3. Major constituents profiled in F3 include lutein and ß-sitosterol. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, the effects of F3, lutein and ß-sitosterol on tumor development and metastasis were investigated in 4T1-induced mouse mammary carcinoma model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tumor-bearing mice were fed with F3 (100 mg/kg/day), lutein (50 mg/kg/day) and ß-sitosterol (50 mg/kg/day) for 30 days (n = 5 each group). Tumor physical growth parameters, animal body weight and development of secondary tumors were investigated. The safety profile of F3 was assessed using hematological and histomorphological changes on the major organs in normal control mice (NM). RESULTS: Our findings revealed significant reduction of physical tumor growth parameters in all tumor-bearing mice treated with F3 (TM-F3), lutein (TM-L) or ß-sitosterol (TM-ß) as compared with the untreated group (TM). Statistically significant reduction in body weight was observed in TM compared to the NM or treated (TM-F3, TM-L and TM-ß) groups. Histomorphological examination of tissue sections from the F3-treated group showed normal features of the vital organs (i.e., liver, kidneys, lungs and spleen) which were similar to those of NM. Administration of F3 to NM mice (NM-F3) did not cause significant changes in full blood count values. CONCLUSION: F3 significantly reduced the total tumor burden and prevented secondary tumor development in metastatic breast cancer without significant toxicities in 4T1-induced mouse mammary carcinoma model. The current study provides further support for therapeutic development of F3 with further pharmacokinetics studies.

Acute renal failure and hypercalcemia as onset in splenic lymphoma.

Hypercalcemia is a rare metabolic disorder in course of B cell lymphoma. The mechanism of hypercalcemia in patients with malignancy may include the increased extrarenal production of vitamin D from tumoral cells or neighboring macrophages, i-PTH or PTHrP from tumoral cells. In this case we reported a 34 years old caucasian woman with acute renal failure and hypercalcemia as onset of splenic lymphoma in absence of abnormal levels of serum vitamin D and PTHrP. Because of dramatic recovery of renal function and hypercalcemia after splenectomy, we can speculate that main mechanism of hypercalcemia is related to vitamin D production from neighboring lymphoma macrophages.

Pure hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach with spleen and lymph-node metastases.

The authors report a rare case of hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach, presenting initially with spleen and lymph node metastases.

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma proposals for a revision of diagnostic, staging and therapeutic criteria.

Since the initial description of splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) in 1992, an increasing number of publications have dealt with multiple aspects of SMZL diagnosis, molecular pathogenesis and treatment. This process has identified multiple inconsistencies in the diagnostic criteria and lack of clear guidelines for the staging and treatment. The authors of this review have held several meetings and exchanged series of cases with the objective of agreeing on the main diagnostic, staging and therapeutic guidelines for patients with this condition. Specific working groups were created for diagnostic criteria, immunophenotype, staging and treatment. As results of this work, guidelines are proposed for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, staging, prognostic factors, treatment and response criteria. The guidelines proposed here are intended to contribute to the standardization of the diagnosis and treatment of these patients, and should facilitate the future development of clinical trials that could define more precisely predictive markers for histological progression or lack of response, and evaluate new drugs or treatments.