Preoperative treatment with tegafur suppositories enhances apoptosis and reduces the intratumoral microvessel density of human colorectal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effect of tegafur, a depot of 5-fluorouracil, in human colorectal carcinomas in terms of apoptosis, cell proliferation, and expression of p53 gene and angiogenesis-related molecules. METHODS: A total of 32 patients with colorectal carcinoma were divided into 2 groups; 20 patients received tegafur suppositories (TS) at 1 g/day for 14 days before surgery, and 12 patients did not receive any chemotherapy. Surgically removed specimens were examined immunohistochemically for Ki-67, CD34, p53, p21, Bax, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase). Apoptotic tumor cells were visualized by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) procedure. RESULTS: The mean percentage of apoptotic index (AI) was 6.9 +/- 1.2 in the 20 TS-treated tumors and 4.4 +/- 1.0 in the 12 nontreated tumors (P < 0.001). In contrast, the mean percentage of Ki-67 labeling index (KI) became significantly lower in the former group (P < 0.05). The frequency of p21 expression was significantly higher in the TS-treated group than in the nontreated group (P < 0.05), whereas no difference was detected in p53 and Bax expression between the two groups. The mean intratumoral microvessel density was 47.8 +/- 19.8 in the TS-treated tumors and 66.8 +/- 16.5 in the nontreated tumors (P < 0.01). The frequency of dThdPase expression, but not of VEGF expression, became significantly lower with the TS treatment. p53 expression did not correlate with AI, KI, IMV density, or the expression of VEGF, p21, or Bax, except for dThdPase, which was significantly higher in the 18 p53 positive tumors (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative TS treatment enhances apoptosis and suppresses angiogenesis of colorectal carcinomas in a p53-independent manner.

Structure-activity Relationship for the Insect Antifeedant Activity of Benzofuran Derivatives.

Coumaran (2,3-dihydrobenzofuran), a secondary metabolite of Cyperus nipponicus, inhibits the feeding of polyphagous insects. This secondary metabolite is regarded as one of the defensive systems of the Cyperaceae. A number of naturally occurring benzofurans that differ in their substitution pattern and oxidation state have been investigated for their ability to inhibit insect feeding by a bioassay with the common cutworm (Spodoptera litura F. Noctuidae) that applies the leaf disk method. The evaluation of the antifeedant activity of each test compound used the ED50 value based on the dose-response curve that was calculated with the probit method. The 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran derivative, 7-acetyl-4,6-dimethoxy-2-isopropenyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, had an ED50 value of 1.3 µg (5.4×10(-9) mol)/cm(2) against the common cutworm. The introduction of methoxy and acetyl groups increased the insect antifeedant activity. Furthermore, the insect antifeedant activity increased with decreasing lipophilicity of the test compounds.

Inflammatory fibroid polyp of the ileum with the appearance of a Borrmann type II lesion, caused by colostomy irrigation: report of a case.

Inflammatory fibroid polyps (IFPs) are rarely found in the gastrointestinal tract. The majority of IFPs are sessile-pedunculated or pedunculated polypoid lesions, whereas a polyp presenting like a Borrmann type II lesion is extremely unusual. This report describes the case of a 74-year-old man with a history of intussusception, in whom a preoperative diagnosis of a cecal tumor of the ileocecal valve was made. A laparotomy subsequently revealed a lesion similar to a Borrmann type II tumor located 15 cm above the ileocecal valve, but not at the valve. The lesion was diagnosed as an IFP which had been caused by repeated colostomy irrigation. The aim of the present report is to draw attention to this entity, which should be included in the differential diagnosis of intussusception and small bowel obstruction.

A tailgut cyst found accompanying rectal cancer: report of a case.

Tailgut cysts are rare congenital lesions. To date, only four cases have been reported in Japan, and the occurrence of a tailgut cyst with rectal cancer has never been documented. We describe here the case of a patient in whom a tailgut cyst in the retrorectal space was associated with rectal cancer. Preoperative computed tomography scans and endorectal ultrasonography failed to identify the lesion as cystic, instead suggesting an involved lymph node. This case emphasizes the necessity for careful diagnosis of masses in the retrorectal space in patients with rectal cancer.