[A case of recurrent breast cancer with multiple lung, adrenal, inferior vena cava tumor thrombus and bone metastases successfully treated with 5'-DFUR and hormonal therapy]

A 42-year-old woman with multiple organ metastases from breast cancer was successfully treated with 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) and hormonal therapy (leuprorelin+tamoxifen). She underwent radical mastectomy for advanced left breast cancer in June 1998. In September 2000, she was treated with docetaxel for multiple lung metastases, and the lesions were diagnosed as in complete remission. In June 2001, she received radiation for bone metastasis in left femoral and received a resection of subcutaneous metastases in the face. Then she received 2 courses of paclitaxel. In May 2002, she had multiple lung metastases, right adrenal metastasis, tumor thrombus in the inferior vena cava and multiple bone metastases, and was treated with cycrophosphamide, epirubicin, and 5-FU, however, they were abandoned due to severe leucopenia. Therefore, 600 mg/day of 5'-DFUR was administered from December 2002. The lesions of lung and adrenal decreased extendedly in March 2003. She was diagnosed as being in CR in March 2004, and this condition has continued to the present.

Molecular and crystal structures of two 1,6-anhydro-beta-maltotriose derivatives

Crystal structures of two 1,6-anhydro-beta-maltotriose derivatives, 1,6-anhydro-beta-maltotriose nonaacetate and 6"-bromo-6"-deoxy-1,6-anhydro-beta-maltotriose octaacetate, have been determined. Both structures are isomorphous and belong to the orthorhombic system, space group of P2(1)2(1)2(1), with cell dimensions of a = 15.659(3) A, b = 20.587(6) A, c = 13.023(2) A and a = 15.402(7) A, b = 19.737(8) A, c = 13.481(5) A, respectively. Each molecule has three alpha-(1-->4)-linked glucose units, and two of them have a typical 4C1 chair conformation, while the glucose unit with the 1,6-anhydro bridge has a 1C4 chair-envelope intermediate conformation. In spite of introducing the 1,6-anhydro bridge and acetyl groups, the conformations of the glycosidic linkages in these molecules are almost the same as those of other alpha-(1-->4)-linked oligosaccharides. Crystal structures are stabilized by hydrophobic interactions and by a weak intermolecular hydrogen bond of C-H. . .O.