Cancer Chemoradiotherapy

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2024) | Viewed by 9374

Special Issue Editor

Division of Breast Oncology and Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
Interests: cancer biology; chemoradiotherapy; biomechanics; immunotherapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemoradiotherapy is the combination of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy as an anticancer strategy. The goal of chemoradiotherapy is to achieve a synergistic anticancer effect from the combination of both treatment modalities. Chemoradiotherapy has become an established treatment for a diverse range of locally advanced solid tumors. It offers notable survival benefits and local disease control without significant long-term toxicity. However, the efficiency and outcome of the treatment require the optimization/fractionation of the radiation/chemotherapy dose and administration timing. This Special Issue calls for the clarification and better understanding of the chemoradiotherapy concept and its application in clinical settings.  

Dr. Chiwen Luo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • chemotherapy
  • radiotherapy
  • chemoradiotherapy
  • immunotherapy
  • mechanism

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1440 KiB  
Article
Pembrolizumab-Associated Cardiotoxicity: A Retrospective Analysis of the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System
by Stefan Milutinovic, Predrag Jancic, Vera Jokic, Marija Petrovic, Igor Dumic, Ambar Morales Rodriguez, Nikola Tanasijevic, Dustin Begosh-Mayne, Dragana Stanojevic, Ricardo O. Escarcega, Juan Lopez-Mattei and Xiangkun Cao
Pharmaceuticals 2024, 17(10), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph17101372 - 15 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1051
Abstract
Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been successfully used in the previous decade for the treatment of a variety of malignancies. Adverse events (AEs) can cause many symptoms, most notably cardiac. We analyzed the frequency of these adverse events, comparing pembrolizumab and other [...] Read more.
Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been successfully used in the previous decade for the treatment of a variety of malignancies. Adverse events (AEs) can cause many symptoms, most notably cardiac. We analyzed the frequency of these adverse events, comparing pembrolizumab and other ICIs. Methods: Using the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adverse event reporting database (FAERS), we searched for all adverse events of interest reported for every ICI included in this study. After obtaining the data, we conducted a disproportionality analysis using the reporting odds ratio (ROR) and the information component (IC). Results: A total of 6719 ICI-related cardiac adverse events of interest were reported in the database. Serious outcomes were reported in 100% of the cases, with 34.3% of the cases ending fatally. Compared with all other medications in the database, pembrolizumab use was more frequently associated with myocarditis, pericardial disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. No difference was found in cardiotoxicity between different ICIs. Conclusions: Although infrequent, cardiac AEs in pembrolizumab use are associated with serious outcomes and high mortality. Prospective studies are needed to further research the connection between ICI use and cardiotoxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Chemoradiotherapy)
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18 pages, 4223 KiB  
Article
α-Hederin Saponin Augments the Chemopreventive Effect of Cisplatin against Ehrlich Tumors and Bioinformatic Approach Identifying the Role of SDF1/CXCR4/p-AKT-1/NFκB Signaling
by Samah M. Elaidy, Mohamed K. El-Kherbetawy, Sally Y. Abed, Abdullah Alattar, Reem Alshaman, Mohamed Ahmed Eladl, Eman Saad Alamri, Aisha Nawaf Al balawi, AbdelNaser Zaid, Amany Y. Elkazzaz, Sozan M. Abdelkhalig, Ziad E. Hamed and Sawsan A. Zaitone
Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(3), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16030405 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2325
Abstract
Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF1) and its C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 receptor (CXCR4) are significant mediators for cancer cells’ proliferation, and we studied their expression in Ehrlich solid tumors (ESTs) grown in mice. α-Hederin is a pentacyclic triterpenoid saponin found in Hedera or [...] Read more.
Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF1) and its C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 receptor (CXCR4) are significant mediators for cancer cells’ proliferation, and we studied their expression in Ehrlich solid tumors (ESTs) grown in mice. α-Hederin is a pentacyclic triterpenoid saponin found in Hedera or Nigella species with biological activity that involves suppression of growth of breast cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to explore the chemopreventive activity of α-hederin with/without cisplatin; this was achieved by measuring the reduction in tumor masses and the downregulation in SDF1/CXCR4/pAKT signaling proteins and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB). Ehrlich carcinoma cells were injected in four groups of Swiss albino female mice (Group1: EST control group, Group2: EST + α-hederin group, Group3: EST + cisplatin group, and Group4: EST+α-hederin/cisplatin treated group). Tumors were dissected and weighed, one EST was processed for histopathological staining with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), and the second MC was frozen and processed for estimation of signaling proteins. Computational analysis for these target proteins interactions showed direct-ordered interactions. The dissected solid tumors revealed decreases in tumor masses (~21%) and diminished viable tumor regions with significant necrotic surrounds, particularly with the combination regimens. Immunohistochemistry showed reductions (~50%) in intratumoral NFκβ in the mouse group that received the combination therapy. The combination treatment lowered the SDF1/CXCR4/p-AKT proteins in ESTs compared to the control. In conclusion, α-hederin augmented the chemotherapeutic potential of cisplatin against ESTs; this effect was at least partly mediated through suppressing the chemokine SDF1/CXCR4/p-AKT/NFκB signaling. Further studies are recommended to verify the chemotherapeutic potential of α-hederin in other breast cancer models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Chemoradiotherapy)
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18 pages, 4478 KiB  
Article
A Biflavonoid-Rich Extract from Selaginella doederleinii Hieron. against Throat Carcinoma via Akt/Bad and IKKβ/NF-κB/COX-2 Pathways
by Sisi Wang, Dingrong Wan, Wenqi Liu, Xinyi Kang, Xiuteng Zhou, Fatemeh Sefidkon, Mohaddesehossadat Mahmoud Zadeh Hosseini, Ting Zhang, Xin Pan and Xinzhou Yang
Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15(12), 1505; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15121505 - 2 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2175
Abstract
Selaginella doederleinii Hieron. is a common pharmacological plant, and this folk herbal medicine and its complex preparations have been widely used for the treatment of throat carcinoma (TC) and several associated complications in traditional Chinese medicine. This study was aimed at investigating the [...] Read more.
Selaginella doederleinii Hieron. is a common pharmacological plant, and this folk herbal medicine and its complex preparations have been widely used for the treatment of throat carcinoma (TC) and several associated complications in traditional Chinese medicine. This study was aimed at investigating the specific anti-throat carcinoma impacts and potential mechanisms of a biflavonoid-rich extract from S. doederleinii (SD-BFRE). The phytochemical profiling of SD-BFRE was performed by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and UPLC-PDA, and the detailed pharmacological effects and mechanisms were respectively evaluated in vitro and in vivo. MTT assay, the Transwell assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the abilities of SD-BFRE on inhibiting cell infiltrative growth in TC cells (Hep-2 and FaDu) in in vitro experiments. In vivo experiments used Hep-2 tumor-bearing nude mice to evaluate the anti-TC effect of SD-BFRE. Western blotting was used to explore the potential apoptotic pathway of TC cells. Here, we found that SD-BFRE exhibited anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic effects in TC cells. Mechanistic studies have identified that SD-BFRE can suppress the activity of IKKβ and IκB-α kinase and then down-regulate the effector proteins of NF-κB/COX-2 signaling. Moreover, SD-BFRE induced apoptosis partly by regulating the Akt/Bad/caspase signaling pathway. Taken together, this study firstly demonstrated that SD-BFRE exerted its anti-TC effects by way of IKKβ/NF-κB/COX-2 and Akt/Bad pathways and might represent a potential chemotherapeutic agent for throat carcinoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Chemoradiotherapy)
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22 pages, 19379 KiB  
Article
Caulis Polygoni Multiflori Accelerates Megakaryopoiesis and Thrombopoiesis via Activating PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK Signaling Pathways
by Xin Yang, Long Wang, Jing Zeng, Anguo Wu, Mi Qin, Min Wen, Ting Zhang, Wang Chen, Qibing Mei, Dalian Qin, Jing Yang, Yu Jiang and Jianming Wu
Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15(10), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15101204 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2699
Abstract
Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common complications of cancer therapy. Until now, there are still no satisfactory medications to treat chemotherapy and radiation-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT and RIT, respectively). Caulis Polygoni Multiflori (CPM), one of the most commonly used Chinese herbs, has been [...] Read more.
Thrombocytopenia is one of the most common complications of cancer therapy. Until now, there are still no satisfactory medications to treat chemotherapy and radiation-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT and RIT, respectively). Caulis Polygoni Multiflori (CPM), one of the most commonly used Chinese herbs, has been well documented to nourish blood for tranquilizing the mind and treating anemia, suggesting its beneficial effect on hematopoiesis. However, it is unknown whether CPM can accelerate megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis. Here, we employ a UHPLC Q–Exactive HF-X mass spectrometer (UHPLC QE HF-X MS) to identify 11 ingredients in CPM. Then, in vitro experiments showed that CPM significantly increased megakaryocyte (MK) differentiation and maturation but did not affect apoptosis and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release of K562 and Meg-01 cells. More importantly, animal experiments verified that CPM treatment markedly accelerated platelet recovery, megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis in RIT mice without hepatic and renal toxicities in vivo. Finally, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and western blot were used to determine that CPM increased the expression of proteins related to PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK (MAPK) signaling pathways. On the contrary, blocking PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK signaling pathways with their specific inhibitors suppressed MK differentiation induced by CPM. In conclusion, for the first time, our study demonstrates that CPM may be a promised thrombopoietic agent and provide an experimental basis for expanding clinical use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cancer Chemoradiotherapy)
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