In the past decade, itraconazole has been explored as an anticancer agent for patients with basal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and prostate cancer. For example, in a phase II study involving men with advanced prostate cancer, high-dose itraconazole (600 mg/day) was associated with significant PSA responses and a delay in tumor progression. Itraconazole also showed activity in a phase II trial in men with non-small cell lung cancer when it was combined with the chemotherapy agent, pemetrexed. A recent review has also highlights its use topically and orally in conjunction with other chemotherapeutic agents for advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinomas that cannot be treated surgically. Available forms
Itraconazole is produced as blue 22 mm (0.87 in) capsules with tiny 1.5 mm (0.059 in) blue pellets inside. Each capsule contains 100 mg and is usually taken twice a day at twelve-hour intervals. The Sporanox brand of itraconazole has been developed and marketed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The three-layer structure of these blue capsules is complex because itraconazole is insoluble and is sensitive to pH. The complicated procedure not only requires a specialized machine to create it, but also the method used has manufacturing problems. Also, the pill is quite large, making it difficult for many patients to swallow. Parts of the processes of creating Sporanox were discovered by the Korean Patent Laid-open No. 10-2001-2590. The tiny blue pellets contained in the capsule are manufactured in Beerse, Belgium.The oral solution is better absorbed.
Myeloperoxidase deficiency is a disorder featuring lack in either the quantity or the function of myeloperoxidase–an iron-containing protein expressed primarily in neutrophil granules. There are two types of myeloperoxidase deficiency: primary/inherited and secondary/acquired. Lack of functional myeloperoxidase leads to less efficient killing of intracellular pathogens, particularly Candida albicans, as well as less efficient production and release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) from the neutrophils to trap and kill extracellular pathogens. Despite these characteristics, more than 95% of individuals with myeloperoxidase deficiency experience no symptoms in their lifetime. For those who do experience symptoms, the most common symptom is frequent infections by Candida albicans. Individuals with myeloperoxidase deficiency also experience higher rates of chronic inflammatory conditions. Myeloperoxidase deficiency is diagnosed using flow cytometry or cytochemical stains. There is no treatment for myeloperoxidase deficiency itself. Rather, in the rare cases that individuals experience symptoms, these infections should be treated. Pathophysiology
The innate immune system responds quickly to infection, with neutrophils (a type of white blood cells) being the first responders. Neutrophils enter the site of infection and begin to phagocytose (take up) pathogens. Once engulfed, the neutrophils must then degrade the captured pathogens–a process known as intracellular killing.One method of intracellular killing which takes place in the phagolysosomes of neutrophils involves the reaction of myeloperoxidase with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) acquired in the cells from NADPH oxidase through the respiratory bursts. This reaction generates several acidic products including hypochlorous acid (HClO), which can break down pathogens.