scholarly journals CYP3A Activity in End-of-Life Cancer Patients Measured by 4β-Hydroxycholesterol/cholesterol Ratio, in Men and Women

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 4689
Author(s):  
Helena Bergström ◽  
Maria Helde Frankling ◽  
Caritha Klasson ◽  
Anita Lövgren Sandblom ◽  
Ulf Diczfalusy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cyp3a Activity ◽  
Cytochrome P450 3A ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Cholesterol Ratio ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
Single Time Point ◽  
Time Point

More than 50% of all drugs are metabolized by the cytochrome P450 3A enzyme (CYP3A). The aim of this study was to investigate if the CYP3A activity, measured by the endogenous marker 4β-hydroxycholesterol/cholesterol ratio (4β-OHC/C), is changed during the last weeks and days of life in men and women. To this end, serum samples from 137 deceased patients (median age 70 years) collected at a single time point 1–60 days before death, were analyzed and compared to 280 young (median 27 years), and 30 elderly (median age 70 years) non-cancer controls. There were no significant differences in the 4β-OHC/C ratio between men and women in end-of-life patients (p < 0.25). The median 4β-OHC/C was significantly higher in end-of-life male patients compared to both young (p < 0.0001) and elderly (p < 0.05) male controls. In a similar manner, 4β-OHC/C in end-of-life female patients was significantly higher compared to young and elderly female controls, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively. There was no significant correlation between 4β-OHC/C and survival time. The results from this study suggest maintained CYP3A activity to the very last days of life and even a capacity of induction of the enzyme in end-of-life cancer patients.

scholarly journals Minor contribution of cytochrome P450 3A activity on fentanyl exposure in palliative care cancer patients

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus J. P. Geist ◽  
Victoria C. Ziesenitz ◽  
Hubert J. Bardenheuer ◽  
Juergen Burhenne ◽  
Gisela Skopp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome P450 ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Metabolic Clearance ◽  
Cyp3a Activity ◽  
Cytochrome P450 3A ◽  
Transdermal Fentanyl ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Control Pain

Abstract Transdermal fentanyl is widely used to control pain in cancer patients. The high pharmacokinetic variability of fentanyl is assumed to be due to cytochrome P450 3A-mediated (CYP3A) N-dealkylation to norfentanyl in humans. However, recently published clinical studies question the importance of the described metabolic pathway. In this small study in palliative cancer patients under real-life clinical conditions, the influence of CYP3A on fentanyl variability was investigated. In addition to the determination of midazolam plasma concentration to reveal CYP3A activity, plasma concentrations of fentanyl and its metabolite, norfentanyl, were measured in identical blood samples of 20 patients who participated in an ongoing trial and had been on transdermal fentanyl. Fentanyl, norfentanyl, midazolam, and 1′-OH-midazolam were quantified by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Plasma concentrations of fentanyl and norfentanyl exhibited a large variability. Mean estimated total clearance of fentanyl and mean metabolic clearance of midazolam (as a marker of CYP3A activity) were 75.5 and 36.3 L/h. Both clearances showed a weak correlation and hence a minimal influence of CYP3A on fentanyl elimination.

Overexpression of microRNA-21 in the Serum of Breast Cancer Patients

MicroRNA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-63
Author(s):  
Batool Savari ◽  
Sohrab Boozarpour ◽  
Maryam Tahmasebi-Birgani ◽  
Hossein Sabouri ◽  
Seyed Mohammad Hosseini
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Tumor Resection ◽  
Tumor Grade ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Post Surgery ◽  
Polymerase Chain

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women worldwide. So it seems that there's a good chance of recovery if it's detected in its early stages even before the appearances of symptoms. Recent studies have shown that miRNAs play an important role during cancer progression. These transcripts can be tracked in liquid samples to reveal if cancer exists, for earlier treatment. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) has been shown to be a key regulator of carcinogenesis, and breast tumor is no exception. Objective: The present study was aimed to track the miR-21 expression level in serum of the breast cancer patients in comparison with that of normal counterparts. Methods: Comparative real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied to determine the levels of expression of miR-21 in the serum samples of 57 participants from which, 42 were the patients with breast cancer including pre-surgery patients (n = 30) and post-surgery patients (n = 12), and the others were the healthy controls (n = 15). Results: MiR-21 was significantly over expressed in the serum of breast cancer patients as compared with healthy controls (P = 0.002). A significant decrease was also observed following tumor resection (P < 0.0001). Moreover, it was found that miR-21 overexpression level was significantly associated with tumor grade (P = 0.004). Conclusion: These findings suggest that miR-21 has the potential to be used as a novel breast cancer biomarker for early detection and prognosis, although further experiments are needed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document