Human gingival fibroblast cells were used to clarify the effects of proliferation of a fibroblast cell and DNA synthesis by using calcium channel blocker, nifedipine (NIF), aranidipine (ARA), and nicarudipine (NIC) .
1. Cell proliferation increased significantly, as compared with the control, at the concentrations of 1/10, 1, 10, and 100Cmax in the NIF and ARA-added groups. No increase was seen in the NIC-added group.
2. On comparison between the medicines in cell proliferation, the NIF and ARA-added groups showed a significant increase in the number of cells, as compared with the NIC-added group, at the concentrations of 1/10, 1, and 10Cmax.
3. DNA synthesis was set at the concentrations of 1/10 and 1 Cmax in the NIF-added group, and also in the ARA-added group it was set at the concentrations of 1/10, 1, and 10Cmax. Both groups increased significantly as compared with the control. In the NIC-added group, however, it was not observed at the concentrations.
4. The comparison between the medicines in DNA synthesis, the ARA-added group increased significantly, as compared with the NIF and NIC-added groups, at the concentrations of 1 and 10Cmax.

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TS-1, a novel oral antitumor agent, is composed of tegafur, prodrug of 5-FU, CDHP, inhibitor of 5-FU degradation and Oxo, inhibitor of 5-FU phospheribosylation. Recently, we administered TS-1 to 6 cases with oral cancer. This paper reports the results.
Four cases received TS-1 for 4 weeks followed by rest for 2 weeks, as one cycle. Two cases were given TS-1 for 3 weeks, and in addition CDDP (60mg/m²) on day 8, followed by 2 weeks of rest, as one cycle.
An advantage of TS-1 is that it can be administered to outpatients. In some cases, the agent appeared to be effective. Therefore we will continue to give our patients TS-1 for further clinical evaluation.

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Pain is one of the most common uncomfortable symptoms for patients with cancer in which pain worsens as the cancer progresses. So far oral morphine has mostly been used for pain management of patients with oral and maxillofacial cancer. However, there have been many cases in which oral morphine could not be given for progression of cancer, because the administration pathway of oral agent was the same as the diseased area. The transdermal Fentanyl patch is useful for such patients.
We applied Fentanyl patches to 14 patients with advanced cancer at our Department from Oct. 2001 to Nov. 2002. All cases received as much relief from pain as those to whom oral morphine was administered without any remarkable side effects. Fentanyl patches are thus considered useful for improveing pain management of patients with progressive oral and maxillofacial cancer.

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The primary analgesic agents used in dental practice (diclofenac sodium and loxoprofen sodium) currently are not covered by national health insurance for the indication of toothache.
We conducted a survey of dentists from 11 national university dental hospitals using a short questionnaire to determine their perceptions regarding the need for insurance coverage for dental therapeutics. In total, 132 questionnaires were returned, and approximately 22.5% of the dentists noted that they routinely order diclofenac and loxoprofen to treat toothache despite knowing that such use is considered off-label and thereby not covered by insurance.
To increase insurance coverage for dental medications, medical and dental scientific organizations should convince health agencies to pressure pharmaceutical manufacturers to conduct clinical trials and seek regulatory approval for unlabeled dental indications.

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Murray et al. published the Manual of CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY 8th Edition in 2003 in which Monclab and Hillier proposed and validated the taxonomy of the genusPeptostreptococcus. These taxonomic changes are shown in the Table.
Some researchers and technicians have already used these nomenclature in Japan. ICD and the members of JAPANESE SOCIETY OF ORAL THERAPEUTICS AND PHARMACOLOGY should know these proposals, though they may not actually use the revisions.
According to these proposals, two main causative organisms, Peptostreptococcus magnusandPeptostreptococcus micros, change toFinegoldia magnaandMicromonas microsrespectively.

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