• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.273-280
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• 2024

Cancer cells metastasize to distant organs by altering their characteristics within the tumor microenvironment (TME) to effectively overcome challenges during the multistep tumorigenesis. Plasticity endows cancer cell with the capacity to shift between different morphological states to invade, disseminate, and seed metastasis. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a theory derived from tissue biopsy, which explains the acquisition of EMT transcription factors (TFs) that convey mesenchymal features during cancer migration and invasion. On the other hand, adherent-to-suspension transition (AST) is an emerging theory derived from liquid biopsy, which describes the acquisition of hematopoietic features by AST-TFs that reprograms anchorage dependency during the dissemination of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The induction and plasticity of EMT and AST dynamically reprogram cell-cell interaction and cell-matrix interaction during cancer dissemination and colonization. Here, we review the mechanisms governing cellular plasticity of AST and EMT during the metastatic cascade and discuss therapeutic challenges posed by these two morphological adaptations to provide insights for establishing new therapeutic interventions.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2012

Purpose: Most terminally ill cancer patients die from cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome. This study evaluated a prognostic role of plasma leptin levels in terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: This study enrolled 69 terminally ill cancer patients who were aged above 20 years old from July 2009 to July 2010. For univariate analysis, an association between leptin levels and patient's characteristics or other variables was examined using Spearman's correlation analysis, Wilcoxon's rank-sum test or Kruskal-Wallis test, as appropriately. For multivariable analysis, Cox's proportional hazard regression model was used to evaluate a clinical significance of plasma leptin levels as a prognostic factor and to determine factors which affect the risk of death in terminally ill cancer patients. Results: A statistically significant positive correlation between plasma leptin levels and survival time was found. Univariate Cox's proportional hazard regression analyses also showed a moderately significant association between plasma leptin levels and survival time. However, after adjusting variables for sex, white blood cell counts, total bilirubin, AST, ALT, albumin and CRP levels, plasma leptin levels were not significantly associated with survival time. Conclusion: No significant association was found between plasma leptin levels and survival time in terminally ill cancer patients. However, this study suggested a prognostic value of plasma leptin levels in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.190-195
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• 2004

The anticancer potency of the ethanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna on N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) induced hepatocellular carcinoma in Wistar albino rats was studied. Single intraperitoneal injection of DEN was administrated to induce liver cancer. After two weeks, phenobarbital (PB) was given orally for fourteen weeks to promote the cancer. The cancer bearing animals treated with ethanolic extract of T.arjuna (400 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. Nucleic acids such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) were estimated in liver and kidney of control and experimental animals. Certain marker enzymes viz, alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), acid phosphatase (ACP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), 5'-nucleotidase (5'ND) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed in serum, liver and kidney of control and experimental animals. The levels of DNA and RNA were significantly increased in cancer bearing animals. The activities of ALT, AST, ACP, ALP, 5'ND, and LDH were significantly (P<0.001) increased in serum of cancer bearing animals. On the other hand, the levels of ALT, AST were decreased (P<0.001) and ACP, ALP, 5'ND, and LDH were significantly increased (P<0.001) in liver and kidney. These changes were reversed to near normal in drug treated animals. These observations suggest that the ethanolic extract of T.arjuna possess anticancer activity.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.301-314
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• 2003

The purposes of this retrospective study were to assess the change of serum parameters in oral and maxillofacial surgery patients after operation and to determine what laboratory parameters on treatment periods were associated with the recovery of systemic condition. For purposes of assessing systemic nutritional status, several serum parameters were chosen. The sample patients were randomsubjects extracted from three category patient groups- oral cancer, odontogenic abscess, facial bone fracture based on treated patients at department of oral and maxillofacial surgery in Pusan National University Hospital from September 1, 1998, to September 1, 2002. Each groups were consisted with 10 patients. Each patient chart was examined and blood sample parameters were reviewed with clinical signs, symptoms and vital sign at preoperative day, postoperative 1 day, postoperative 1 week. Several parameters were analyzed statistically for extraction of mean values and differences between the periods groups. The findings of serum parameters of cancer, abscess and fracture groups were as follows: 1. In cancer patients, Hb, MCV, albumin, cholesterol, LDH, AST, ALT, neutrophil, platelet, leukocyte, Na, K, Cl, BUN, creatinine were analyzed. Values of Hb, albumin, AST, neutrophil, leukocyte, Cl showed significantly differences according to periods. 2. In abscess patients, CRP, ESR, leukocyte, body temperature, neutrophil were analyzed. Values of CRP, leukocyte, body temperature, neutrophil showed significanlty differences according to periods. 3. In fracture patients, same parameters with cancer patient's were chosen. Values of platelet, Cl only showed significantly differences according to periods. 4. In cancer patients, data regarding correlation was analyzed statistically as Pearson's value. A positive correlation was found between Hb and albumin, K, Na(P<0.05). A positive correlation was also found between neutrophil and leukocyte(P<0.05). Positive correlations were found between cholesterol and ALT, LDH and platelet, creatinine both, Platelet and BUN, Na and K(P<0.01). 5. In abscess patients, Peason's correlation values were analyzed on parameters. A positive correlation was found only between CRP and neutrophil(P<0.05). 6. In fracture patients, The correlations of parameters also were statistically analyzed. Positive correlations were found between MCV and K, albumin and LDH, AST and three parameters of creatinine, Na, Cl, K and neutrophil, neutrophil and three parameters of leukocyte, BUN, K(P<0.05). Positive correlations were found between LDH and AST, ALT and AST, creatinine both(P<0.01). This retrospective clinical study showed the CRP levels only on abscess patients may be useful in determination of clinical infected status, but the levels of other parameters on cancer, fracture patients did not showed significant values as diagnostic aids for clinical status.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-112
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• 2009

Mountain cultivated wild ginseng(MCWG) pharmacopuncture, which is known to have anti-cancer and anti-oxidation actions, was administered for clinical usage and changes in manifestations were observed on three patients suffering from pain attributed from liver dysfunctions. In two cases of hepatitis due to poisoning by drugs and one case of liver cirrhosis, long-term administration of MCWG pharmacopuncture yielded significant changes in AST and ALT, which are important indices for liver functions. Improved liver functions after the administration of MCWG pharmacopuncture suggest a need for investigation on future usage of MCWG pharmacopuncture on liver dysfunctions, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, or liver cancer. Further studies on treating aforementioned disorders by MCWG pharmacopuncture are needed immediately.

• CELLMED
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.44.1-44.7
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• 2023

Objective: A case of reducing adverse effects associated with imatinib using Cyaplex F. Methods: The 52-year-old female with past medical history of stage 1 triple-positive breast cancer 10 years ago, and current metastatic melanoma has been complaining adverse effects after imatinib was started. Results: After OCNT was initiated, the patient's headache and muscle pain have been much tolerable and her AST/CPK levels were returned close to her baseline. Conclusion: OCNT may reduce side effects caused by Imatinib and help patient to stay with the current chemotherapy regimen.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2006

Purified rat liver aryl sulfotransferase IV (AST IV) was found to be inhibited in vitro by zinc, copper, cadmium and terbium. Among these four elements, zinc, copper and cadmium were all strongly inhibitory to the AST IV activity at very low concentrations (2.5 $\mu$M to 0.025 $\mu$M). In rat liver cytosol, zinc, copper and cadmium at 25 $\mu$M to 0.025 $\mu$M also decreased the AST IV activity to $50\%$ of the controls. In order to assess the possible effects of these metals on the AST IV activity recovery pattern in vivo, studies on the relationship between these minerals and dietary 2-acetylaminofluorene were conducted. Total of forty rats were fed one of five diets for 6 weeks: diet 1, Control diet plus 2-acetlyaminofluorene ($0.05\%$); diet 2, zinc-deficient diet plus 2-acetlyaminofluorene; diet 3, zinc-supplement diet plus 2-acetylaminofluorene; diet 4, copper-supplement diet plus 2-acetylaminofluorene; diet 5, cadmium-supplement diet plus 2-acetylaminofluorene. Half of the rats from each diet were changed to individual diet after 3 weeks of 2-acetylaminofluorene feeding. Placement of rats on the control diet following one cycle of 2-acetylaminofluorene feeding of 3 weeks without 2-acetylaminofluorene resulted in nearly full recovery of AST IV activity within 3 or 4 weeks. However, the rats fed diets that supplemented with zinc, copper or cadmium without 2-acetylaminofluorene showed a new pattern of lowered AST IV activity as early as the first cycle. Also, lowering in cytosolic AST IV contents was appeared in the livers from the rats, following one cycle of 2-acetylaminofluorene feeding of 3 weeks, fed one of the diets that supplemented with copper, cadmium or zinc without 2-acetylaminofluorene for ensuing 3 weeks.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.20-28
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• 2006

Aryl sulfotransferase (AST) IV is a liver enzyme involved in detoxication and has been shown to be susceptible to down regulation by a number of hepatotoxic xenobiotics. Studies presented here to investigate the ability of biological and non-biological divalent metal cations on AST IV activity showed that AST IV was strongly inhibited following in vitro or in vivo exposure to. Zn ( II ), Co ( II ) or Cd ( II ). It was found that $0.025\sim$2.5 uM of these metal ions were sufficient to cause $50\%$ of inhibition in vitro in purified AST IV and $0.25\sim$25 uM of these metal ions in liver cytosolic fractions. For the in vivo study, 1,000 mg Cu ( II )/kg, 2,000 mg Zn ( II )/kg or 250 mg Cd( II )/kg was added to individual diets and administered to three (3) group; of mts over a 7 week period The Co ( II )-supplemented diet produced no apparent change in rat growth rate and resulted in 30-fold increase in liver cytotolic Cu ( II ) levels, suggesting that elevated levels of Cu ( II ) ion in the liver were responsible for the loss of AST IV activity. In contrast, the Zn ( II )-supplemented diet caused a decrease in rat growth rates and resulted in zero increase in liver Zn ( II ) levels, which suggested an indirect inhibition mechanism was caused by Zn ( II ) in the liver. Rats were fed the Cd-supplemented diet also displayed a decrease in growth rate with little or no change in liver Cu ( II ) or Zn ( II ) levels. When the liver cytosols of mts from the metal ion diets were immunochemically analyzed for the AST IV and albumin contents, no significant changes were observed in albumin levels. However, AST IV contents in the cytosols of mts fed the Zn ( II )-supplemented diets showed a slight decrease in amount These results showed that AST IV activity in vitro and in vivo can be inhibited by Co ( II ), Zn ( II ), and Cd ( II ) by apparently different mechanisms. The immediate response to a Zn injection showed a decrease in AST IV activity but not in the AST IV content in liver cytosol. These mechanisms appeared to involve direct actions of the metal ion on AST IV activity and indirect actions affecting AST IV amount.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.74-83
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• 2021

Purpose: No consensus exists on whether to preserve or ligate an aberrant left hepatic artery (ALHA), which is the most commonly encountered hepatic arterial variation during gastric surgery. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of ALHA ligation by analyzing the perioperative outcomes. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 5,310 patients who underwent subtotal/total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Patients in whom the ALHA was ligated (n=486) were categorized into 2 groups according to peak aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels: moderate-to-severe (MS) elevation (≥5 times the upper limit of normal [ULN]; MS group, n=42) and no-to-mild (NM) elevation (<5 times the ULN; NM group, n=444). The groups were matched 1:3 using propensity score-matching analysis to minimize confounding factors that can affect the perioperative outcomes. Results: The mean operation time (P=0.646) and blood loss amount (P=0.937) were similar between the 2 groups. The length of hospital stay was longer in the MS group (13.0 vs. 7.8 days, P=0.022). No postoperative mortality occurred. The incidence of grade ≥ IIIa postoperative complications (19.0% vs. 5.1%, P=0.001), especially pulmonary complications (11.9% vs. 2.5%, P=0.003), was significantly higher in the MS group. This group also showed a higher Comprehensive Complication Index (29.0 vs. 13.9, P<0.001). Conclusions: Among patients with a ligated ALHA, those with peak AST/ALT ≥5 times the ULN showed worse perioperative outcomes in terms of hospital stay and severity of complications. More precise perioperative decision-making tools are needed to better determine whether to preserve or ligate an ALHA.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4797-4800
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• 2015

Background: This analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of crizotinib based regimens in treating Chinese patients with EML4-ALK positive non-small-cell lung cancer. Materials and Methods: Clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of crizotinib based regimens on response and safety for Chinese patients with EML4-ALK positive non-small-cell lung cancer were identified by using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rate (RR) of treatment were calculated. Results: In crizotinib based regimens, 3 clinical studies which including 128 Chinese patients with EML4-ALK positive non-small-cell lung cancer and treated with crizotinib based regimen were considered eligible for inclusion. Pooled analysis suggested that, in all patients, the pooled RR was 59.3% (76/128) in crizotinib based regimens. ALT/AST mild visual disturbances, nausea, and vomiting were the main side effects. No treatment related death occurred in these crizotinib based treatments. Conclusions: This pooled analysis suggests that crizotinib based regimens are associated with good response rate and accepted toxicities in treating Chinese patients with EML4-ALK positive non-small-cell lung cancer.