Dose-dense weekly chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Publication date: Available online 7 March 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): C. Marchetti, F. De Felice, A. Di Pinto, O. D'Oria, N. Aleska, A. Musella, I. Palaia, L. Muzii, V. Tombolini, P. Benedetti Panici
ObjectiveThe use of dose-dense weekly chemotherapy in the management of advanced ovarian cancer (OC) remains controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of dose-dense regimen to improve clinical outcomes in OC patients with the inclusion of new trials.MethodsFor this updated meta-analysis, PubMed Medline and Scopus databases and meeting proceedings were searched for eligible studies with the limitation of randomized controlled trials, comparing dose-dense chemotherapy versus standard treatment. Trials were grouped in two types of dose-dense chemotherapy: weekly dose-dense (both paclitaxel and carboplatin weekly administration) and semi-weekly dose-dense (weekly paclitaxel and three weekly carboplatin administration). Data were extracted independently and were analyzed using RevMan statistical software version 5.3 (http://www.cochrane.org). Primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS).ResultsFour randomized controlled trials comprising 3,698 patients were identified as eligible. Dose-dense chemotherapy had not a significant benefit on PFS (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.81–1.04, p = 0.20). When the analysis was restricted to both weekly and semi-weekly dose-dense data, a no significant interaction between dose-dense and standard regimen was confirmed (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.93–1.10 and HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.63–1.08, respectively).ConclusionsIn the absence of PFS superiority of dose-dense schedule, three weekly schedule should remain the standard of care for advanced OC.



http://ift.tt/2tqOYfd

Treatment of Spinal Metastases in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Critical Review

Publication date: Available online 6 March 2018
Source:Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Author(s): Diego Teyssonneau, Marine Gross-Goupil, Charlotte Domblides, Thibaud Haaser, Vincent Pointillart, Amaury Daste, Olivier Hauger, Alain Ravaud
Kidney cancer is the 9th most common cancer in men and the 14th most common in women worldwide. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) constitutes 90% of all malignancies of the kidney. RCC, is known to be highly vascular and relatively radioresistant. Bone metastases are one of the most common metastatic sites and occur in around 30% of RCCs. They significantly impact the quality of life of patients causing pain and pathological fractures. Spinal metastases represent a particular case with regard to symptoms and treatment. Indeed, neurological pain is often added to the nociceptive pain caused by metastases. More importantly, neurological impairment can be seen, caused by spinal cord or nerve root compression (MSCC). Due to close contact with the spinal cord, the treatment of spinal bone metastases is challenging and requires a multidisciplinary approach.Specific treatment is currently focused on 4 main avenues which are surgery, radiotherapy, interventional radiology and systemic treatment.In June 2017 we carried out an extensive search on PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library to review the various treatment options and to establish a treatment strategy.This article presents the result of our critical review of the literature, given our expertise in the field.



http://ift.tt/2oV9jV6

Recent progresses in DNA nanostructure-based biosensors for detection of tumor markers

Publication date: 30 June 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 109
Author(s): Rongrong Huang, Nongyue He, Zhiyang Li
DNA has emerged as a promising biomaterial for assembling a variety of nanostructures based on its programmable base pairing. It also has other remarkable properties including stability, prominent biocompatibility, and can easily be modified with functional groups for further applications. In the past few decades, researchers have established various design rules and assembly technologies to improve the stability and complexity of DNA nanostructures. The detection of cancer-associated biomarkers has significant importance in identifying patients with different clinical stages and also in developing adaptive therapeutic strategies. Due to their unique advantages, DNA nanostructures can be designed to serve as universal units to form biosensors for the detection of tumor biomarkers. In this review, we first present a brief introduction of the development of structural DNA nanotechnology. Then we summarize recent strategies for DNA nanostructure-based optical, electrochemical and mass sensitive biosensors in cancer detection. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities these technologies provide.



http://ift.tt/2p1eSAy

Dawson-type polyoxometalate nanoclusters confined in a carbon nanotube matrix as efficient redox mediators for enzymatic glucose biofuel cell anodes and glucose biosensors

Publication date: 30 June 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 109
Author(s): Feriel Boussema, Andrew J. Gross, Fatma Hmida, Brahim Ayed, Hatem Majdoub, Serge Cosnier, Abderrazak Maaref, Michael Holzinger
Two new inorganic-organic hybrid materials based on heteropolyoxometalates (POMs): (C4H10N)6[P2Mo18O62]·4H2O (P2Mo18) and (C6H8NO)4[H2P2W18O62]·6H2O (P2W18) are reported as mediators for electron transfer between FAD-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FAD-GDH) and a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) matrix for glucose biofuel cell and biosensor applications. These polyoxometalates were chosen due to their promising redox behavior in a potential range for mediated electron transfer with the glucose oxidizing enzyme, FAD-GDH. P2Mo18 and P2W18 were immobilized on 1-pyrenemethylamine (PMA) functionalized MWCNT deposits. After immobilization of FAD-GDH, the P2W18-modified MWCNT electrode demonstrated mediated electron transfer and provided a catalytic current density of 0.34 mA cm⁻² at 0.2 V vs SCE with an open circuit potential (OCP) of −0.08 V vs SCE. A 10-fold increase in catalytic current to 4.7 mA cm⁻² at 0.2 V vs SCE and a slightly lower OCP of −0.10 V vs SCE was observed for an equivalent electrode modified with P2Mo18.The apparent superiority of P2Mo18 is related, at least in part, to its improved incorporation in the MWCNT matrix compared to P2W18. Both POM-modified bioanodes showed exceptional stabilities with 45% of their initial performances remaining after 15 days. The mediated electron transfer capacities of the POMs were also evaluated in a glucose sensor setup and showed very satisfying performances for glucose detection, including a sensitivity of 0.198 mA mol L⁻¹ cm⁻², a satisfying linear range between 1 mmol L⁻¹ and 20 mmol L⁻¹, and good reproducibility for the P2Mo18 electrode.



http://ift.tt/2Ie4NsX

A universal and label-free impedimetric biosensing platform for discrimination of single nucleotide substitutions in long nucleic acid strands

Publication date: 30 June 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 109
Author(s): Dawn M. Mills, Christopher P. Martin, Stephanie M. Armas, Percy Calvo-Marzal, Dmitry M. Kolpashchikov, Karin Y. Chumbimuni-Torres
We report a label-free universal biosensing platform for highly selective detection of long nucleic acid strands. The sensor consists of an electrode-immobilized universal stem-loop (USL) probe and two adaptor strands that form a 4J structure in the presence of a specific DNA/RNA analyte. The sensor was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using K3[Fe(CN)6]/K4[Fe(CN)6] redox couple in solution. An increase in charge transfer resistance (RCT) was observed upon 4J structure formation, the value of which depends on the analyte length. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to further characterize the sensor and monitor the electrochemical reaction in conjunction with thickness measurements of the mixed DNA monolayer obtained using spectroscopic ellipsometry. In addition, the electron transfer was calculated at the electrode/electrolyte interface using a rotating disk electrode. Limits of detection in the femtomolar range were achieved for nucleic acid targets of different lengths (22 nt, 60 nt, 200 nt). The sensor produced only a background signal in the presence of single base mismatched analytes, even in hundred times excess in concentration. This label-free and highly selective biosensing platform is versatile and can be used for universal detection of nucleic acids of varied lengths which could revolutionize point of care diagnostics for applications such as bacterial or cancer screening.



http://ift.tt/2oY2dyx

Study of inflammatory factors’ effect on the endothelial barrier using piezoelectric biosensor

Publication date: 30 June 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 109
Author(s): Junliang Han, Feifei Tong, Ping Chen, Xiancai Zeng, Zhengyong Duan
This paper used piezoelectric sensor to study the dysfunction of endothelial cell monolayer barrier caused by inflammatory factors. The biocompatible conductive polymer membrane of pPy[pGlu]-pLys was prepared on the surface of the ITO work electrode to improve the interface between the endothelial cell and the electrode. Both the impedance analysis data and the stable plateau stage of sensor's frequency shift indicated that endothelial cells formed a good monolayer barrier on this polymer surface. The response frequency shifts of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and histamine-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction were different, which distinguished their different stimulation mechanism. It provided a valuable analysis method for detecting the endothelial barrier function affected by inflammatory factor, and could further promote the application of piezoelectric sensor in cell biology and toxicology research.



http://ift.tt/2IbkUHD

Editorial Board

Publication date: 1 June 2018
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 107





http://ift.tt/2p0dzC3