Akira Kitajima

Nihon University, Tokyo, Tokyo-to, Japan

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Publications (13)0.57 Total impact

  • Article: [Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity during chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer].
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    ABSTRACT: We evaluated the significance of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) in recurrent breast cancer during chemotherapy. IDO activity can be measured by tryptophan (Trp)/kynurenine (Kyn) ratio. Trp and Kyn were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The correlations among age and Trp/Kyn ratio or immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) value in pre-chemotherapies or post-chemotherapies were studied. In under 35-year-old patients, there were no correlations between pre-chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy in IAP values and Trp/Kyn ratio. But in over 36-year-old patients, both Trp/Kyn ratio and IAP value in post-chemotherapy were higher than in pre-chemotherapy. These results suggest that the immunological damages for the patients during chemotherapy may depend on the age of patients.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2009; 36(12):1991-3.
  • Article: [Treatment strategy of breast carcinoma in the elderly patient-surgery, hormone therapy, and chemotherapy].
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    ABSTRACT: We report an elderly breast carcinoma patient with complication. The patient was a 91-year-old woman who had breast lump. The tumor was 3 cm in diameter. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma positive for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, and positive for HER2/neu protein expression. She received tumorectomy. After operation, she was administered aromatase inhibitor. After six months from operation, metastases of lymph nodes and lung were observed. Although she had administered another aromatase inhibitor, the metastases were rapidly growing. Eight months after operation, she died from carcinomatous lymphangitis. Even the less invasive operation by local anesthesia can progress metastases rapidly in elderly breast cancer patients. This case suggested that a treatment strategy for elderly breast cancer patients should have been determined carefully.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2009; 36(12):2105-7.
  • Article: [A case of advanced breast cancer with skin ulceration successfully treated with paclitaxel and toremifene therapy].
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    ABSTRACT: We report a case of advanced breast cancer with skin ulceration and bleeding (T4bN3bM0, Stage IIIC) achieving a significant improvement of QOL by paclitaxel (PTX) and toremifene (TOR) therapy. The patient was a 31-year-old woman who had ulcerative breast lump with skin ulcer. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma positive for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor, and negative for HER2/neu protein expression. She received 4 courses of tri-weekly CEF (C: 500 mg, E: 60 mg, F: 500 mg/m2/tri-weekly) and 4 courses of weekly PTX (80 mg/m2) with TOR (120 mg/day). The bleeding from the tumor disappeared after CEF chemotherapy. The response for breast tumor after PTX and TOR therapy was evaluated as partial response, and the infraclavicular, subpectoral, and interpectoral lymph nodes metastasis disappeared. Muscle-preserving radical mastectomy (Bt+Ax: Auchincloss) without skin transplantation were performed. She had no recurrence during one year after operation. PTX and TOR therapy were effective for advanced breast tumor, and can improve patient QOL and the clinical outcomes in Stage IIIC advanced breast cancer.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2009; 36(12):2484-6.
  • Article: [A case of advanced breast cancer successfully treated with paclitaxel and toremifene therapy].
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    ABSTRACT: We report a case of advanced breast cancer with skin ulceration and bleeding (T4bN3bM0: Stage IIIC) achieving a significant improvement of QOL by toremifene and paclitaxel therapy. The patient was a 38-year-old woman with slight anemia who had ulcerative breast lump with skin ulcer. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma positive for estrogen receptor and progesteron receptor, and negative for HER2/neu protein expression. She received 6 cycles of tri-weekly FEC (C: 500 mg, E: 60 mg, F: 500 mg/m2) and 16 cycles of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) with toremifene (120 mg/day). The anemia and the bleeding from the tumor disappeared after FEC chemotherapy. The response for breast tumor after paclitaxel and toremifene therapy was evaluated as partial response, and the infraclavicular, subpectoral, and interpectoral lymph nodes metastasis disappeared. Muscle-preserving radical mastectomy (Bt + Ax: Auchincloss) with skin transplantation was performed. She had no recurrence during one year after the operation. Paclitaxel and Toremifene therapy was effective for advanced breast tumor, and can improve a patient QOL and the clinical outcomes in Stage IIIC advanced breast cancer.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 12/2008; 35(12):2219-21.
  • Article: [Recurrence of skin and lymph nodes from asynchronous breast cancer successfully treated with paclitaxel and toremifene therapy--a case report].
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    ABSTRACT: We report a case of recurrence of skin and lymph nodes from asynchronous breast cancer achieving a significant improvement of QOL by toremifene and paclitaxel therapy. The patient was a 49-year-old woman who received both sides of muscle-preserving radical mastectomy (Bt+Ax: Auchincloss) had a skin redness of her left breast. Aspiration biopsy cytology for the skin led to a diagnosis of Class V. Skin biopsy for the part of the redness was performed. The pathological diagnosis was an invasive ductal carcinoma, negative for estrogen receptor and positive for progesteron receptor, and negative for HER2/neu protein expression. Ultrasonography showed the subpectral and the inflaclavicular lymph nodes swelling and the skin metastasis. Enhancement CT showed no metastasis of brain, lung, liver, and other organs. Although she had already received 6 cycles of tri-weekly FEC (C: 500 mg, E 60 mg, F: 500 mg/m2) after previous operation, we performed 7 cycles of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) with toremifene (120 mg/day). The response for the lesion of lymph nodes metastasis after paclitaxel and toremifene therapy was evaluated as a complete response. The subpectoral and the inflaclavicular lymph nodes metastasis disappeared. However, the skin redness of her left breast was still remained. She had received a radiation therapy (30 Gy) for skin metastasis. After radiation therapy, we performed a skin biopsy for the part of the redness. The pathological diagnosis was no carcinoma of skin. She had no recurrence during the two years after the treatment. Paclitaxel and toremifene therapy was effective for a recurrent breast tumor and could improve patient's QOL and the clinical outcomes.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 12/2008; 35(12):2222-4.
  • Article: [Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase expression in breast cancer patients during chemotherapy].
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: We evaluated the significance of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in recurrent breast cancer patients during chemotherapy. IDO activity can be measured by tryptophan (Trp)/kynurenine (Kyn) ratio. Trp and Kyn were measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The correlations among Trp/Kyn ratio and immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) value in pre-chemotherapies or post-chemotherapies were studied. There were no correlations between pre-chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy in IAP values and Trp/Kyn ratio with weekly paclitaxel therapy. And there were no correlations between pre-chemotherapy and post-chemotherapy in IAP values, but Trp/Kyn ratio in post-chemotherapy was higher than re-chemotherapy with tri-weekly docetaxel therapy. These results suggest that the weekly paclitaxel therapy may be less invasive for recurrent breast cancer patients than the tri-weekly docetaxel therapy.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 12/2008; 35(12):2265-7.
  • Article: [Efficacy of trastuzumab alone therapy was compared to trastuzumab plus taxane therapy in patients of advanced and metastatic breast cancers].
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    ABSTRACT: We compared trastuzumab alone therapy (A-group) (n=6) to trastuzumab plus taxane therapy (B-group) (n=12) in patients of advanced and metastatic breast cancers. The response rate of A-group was 33.3%. Six months after, A-group was switched to trastuzumab plus taxane therapy. The response rate of A-group after addition of taxane was improved to 83.3%. The mean duration of response was 6.8 months in A-group after addition of taxane. The response rate of B-group was 83.3%. The mean duration of response was 7.5 months in B-group. The combination therapy of trastuzumab and taxane therapy showed a high response rate. We think that it is possible to start trastuzumab alone therapy because A-group after addition of taxane showed a high response rate. There were no significant differences of immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) from the course of chemotherapy in all cases.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 12/2007; 34(12):1911-3.
  • Article: [A case of advanced breast cancer successfully treated with multi-disciplinary therapy and S-1 administration].
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    ABSTRACT: We report a case of advanced breast cancer (T4b, N3c, M1) achieving a significant improvement on QOL by multi-disciplinary therapy and S-1 administration. The patient was a 59-year-old woman who had ulcerative breast lump with bleeding. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma negative for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2/neu protein expression. The aspiration biopsy cytology was performed from skin lesion, the diagnosis was class V. She received 6 cycles of tri-weekly CEF (C: 500 mg, E: 60 mg, F: 500 mg/m2) therapy. The effect of the breast tumor was partial response, and the bleeding from the breast lump was improved. But the response from metastatic skin tumor was less satisfactory. We performed a radiation therapy (20 Gy) to metastatic skin tumor, and the lesion disappeared after the radiation therapy. Then, we tried docetaxel, but the side effect appeared. So, we started administering S-1 after docetaxel. One year later, she was estimated to be in the long stable disease. Multi-disciplinary therapy can improve a patient QOL and the clinical outcomes in Stage IV advanced breast cancer.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 12/2007; 34(12):2065-7.
  • Article: Primary hyperparathyroidism with thyroid hemiagenesis.
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    ABSTRACT: Thyroid hemiagenesis is a very rare anomaly. We herein report a case with right thyroid lobe agenesis, which was incidentally found during the assessment of primary hyperparathyroidism. A 42-year-old male presenting with urinary lithiasis was suspected of having primary hyperparathyroidism, and had elevated levels of both serum calcium and intact parathyroid hormone. Both computed tomography and ultrasonography demonstrated the absence of right thyroid lobe and a mass of 1 cm in diameter at the left lower pole of the thyroid. The patient underwent lower left parathyroidectomy, which confirmed the right thyroid hemiagenesis, as well as the absence of both upper and lower right parathyroid glands. The resected left lower parathyroid gland was pathologically diagnosed as adenoma. The postoperative course was favourable and he was discharged on the 2nd day after surgery, without complications.
    Asian Journal of Surgery 05/2007; 30(2):151-3. · 0.57 Impact Factor
  • Article: [Study of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase expression in patients with breast cancer].
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    ABSTRACT: We evaluated the clinical significance of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in breast cancer. Operative specimens obtained from 30 patients with breast cancer were investigated by semiquantitative RT-PCR with specific primers against IDO. The correlations among IDO expression, clinicopathologic factors and prognosis were studied. The expression of IDO was observed in 100%, both of the cancer specimens and the non-cancer specimens. The IDO expression of the cancer specimens was higher than the non-cancer specimens. The expression of IDO did not correlate to histologic classification, tumor size, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion and lymph nodes metastasis, but correlated to clinical stage and the serum level of immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP). There were no correlations for a survival rate after surgery between the high IDO level group and the one. The serum IDO levels of cancer patients were higher than that of a healthy volunteer measured by semiquantitative RT-PCR and HPLC. It is suggested that the expression of IDO in breast cancer patients may play a critical role for immunosuppression in those patients.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2005; 32(11):1546-9.
  • Article: [A case of breast cancer detected by MRI mammography after Hollywood syndrome].
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    ABSTRACT: A-64-year-old woman, who had been treated with augmentation mammaplasty 40 years ago, came to our hospital complaining of left breast pain. The mass was ill-defined, located in the upper outer quadrant area of her breast, and was 2 cm in diameter. MRI examination showed that the tumor had a spiculation and an irregular edge. There were no regional lymph nodes in her axilla and supra-subscapular. The diagnosis was Class IV by the fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology. We diagnosed the left breast cancer being in T2N0M0, Stage IIA, then we carried out Bt (Auchincloss method) and Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). There were metastatic cancer cells in the sentinel lymph node. So, we added level II lymph nodes dissection. The histological diagnosis was papillotubular carcinoma, f+, n+ (8/11). The endocrine receptor status of the tumor was ER+, PgR+ and the HER2/neu score was 0. There was paraffinoma in the non-cancer area. We dosed 6 cycles of FEC chemotherapy (CPA 800 mg, EPI 80 mg, 5-FU 750 mg/body x 1 cycle). We recognized no side effects of the chemotherapy for the patient.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2005; 32(11):1786-8.
  • Article: [A case of advanced breast cancer with multiple lung and liver metastases successfully treated with multi-disciplinary therapy].
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    ABSTRACT: We report a case of advanced breast cancer with multiple lung and liver metastases (T4bN1M1) achieving a significant improvement of QOL by multi-disciplinary therapy. The patient was a 63-year-old woman with slight jaundice who had ascites and an ulcerative breast lump with multiple lung and liver metastases. A core needle biopsy for breast tumor led to a diagnosis of an invasive ductal carcinoma positive for HER2/neu protein expression. She received 6 cycles of tri-weekly docetaxel (60 mg/m2) and weekly trastuzumab. Although the ascites and the jaundice disappeared after chemotherapy, the response for breast tumor, metastatic sites in the lung and the liver were less satisfactory. Fifteen-months later, she received radiation therapy so that metastasis in the brain was recognized. But she had no neurological symptoms. Multi-disciplinary therapy can improve patient's QOL and the clinical outcomes in Stage IV advanced breast cancer.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2005; 32(11):1792-4.
  • Article: [Patient with bone metastasis of breast cancer who were improved by weekly DXR/TXT therapy].
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    ABSTRACT: The patient was a 57-year-old female with the main complaint of left chest pain and gait disturbance. Multiple bone metastases were observed in the vertebral and pelvic bone. Pathological pressure fracture, stegnosis of the spinal canal and edematous changes in the spinal nerves, especially in the 4th and 5th thoracic vertebrae, were observed. The clinical pathological status was T4cN1M1b, OSS Stage IV. After 4 cycles of weekly doxorubicin (DXR) (20 mg/body)/docetaxel (TXT) (40 mg/body) therapy (day 1, day 8, day 15, 1-week recovery period) were given to the patient, CA15-3 had decreased from 1,200 U/ml to 28 U/ml. The histopathological effect was judged to be Grade 2. Thereafter, ICTP was increased to 12.7 ng/ml and after 2 cycles of the weekly DXR/TXT therapy (day 1, day 8, 2-week recovery period) had been added, the patient was able to walk. MRI of the thoracic vertebrae showed that the foci of bone metastasis had improved 9 months after the treatment with chemotherapeutics, and good PS was maintained. No serious adverse reactions were observed with the weekly DXR/TXT therapy. Therefore, weekly DXR/TXT therapy is considered to be effective in treating patients with bone metastasis.
    Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 10/2002; 29(9):1615-9.