Gem Therapies

The antisense oligonucleotide LErafAON against the serine/threonine kinase c-Raf has been tested in phase I clinical trials. The antisense oligonucleotides ISIS-5132, which also inhibits c-Raf, and ISIS-3521, which inhibits PKC, went through different phase clinical trials with solid tumour patients. Unfortunately, no objective responses occurred with these PKI. GEM-231, an oligonucleotide targeting the RIa subunit of protein kinase A is currently undergoing phase I/II clinical trials alone or in combination with traditional therapy for the treatment of solid cancers [3]. 

Landry JC, Harris W Yang GY, et al. Neoadjuvant treatment with GEM, cisplatin, 5-FU and accelerated hyperfractionated radiation therapy in advanced GI malignancy. Radiology 2000 217 147. 

F. Role in therapy According to Micro-medex, single-agent therapy with gem-tuzumab ozogamicin has produced remission in some patients with relapsed or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia. The selective ablation of leukemic cells with this agent is an advantage over conventional chemotherapy. 

Flombaum CD, Mouradian JA, Casper ES, et al.Thrombotic microangiopathy as a complication of long-term therapy with gem-citabine. Am J Kidney Dis 33 555-62,1999. 

Timmer JH, van Vuure TL, Bom V, van Eijk CW, de Haas J, Schippers JM (2002) A scintillating GEM for 2D-dosimetry in radiation therapy. Nucl Instmm Methods Phys Res Sect A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors Assoc Equip 478 98-103... 

By itself not particularly strong or durable, aluminum in combination with other metals becomes one of the most versatile materials available. It does take vast amounts of electrical energy to manufacture, however, and presently this involves the production of both carbon dioxide and the sulfur oxides. Alums are astringents and the sources of beautiful crystals. Alumina, the oxide, comes in a variety of polymorphs used as various abrasives and in beautiful, gem-quality minerals. It is also the product of the extremely exothermic thermite reaction. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) offers a potential treatment against brain tumors and other difficult-to-treat carcinomas of the head and neck. Gallium, indium, and thallium compounds do not have many applications. 

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