The Efficacy and Safety of Nivolumab Plus mFOLFOX6 in Gastric Cancer with Severe Peritoneal Metastasis.

(1) Background: Nivolumab plus chemotherapy is established as a first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). While mFOLFOX6 is commonly used for AGC with severe peritoneal metastasis, the efficacy of nivolumab combined with it remains uncertain. We evaluated the outcomes of nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6 for AGC with severe peritoneal metastasis in clinical practice. (2) Methods: This multicenter retrospective study was conducted between December 2021 and June 2023. We investigated AGC patients with massive ascites or inadequate oral intake due to severe peritoneal metastasis and who received nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6. (3) Results: Among 106 patients treated with nivolumab plus chemotherapy, 21 (19.8%) had severe peritoneal metastasis, with 14 receiving nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6. The median progression-free survival was 7.4 months (95%CI 1.9-10.1), and the median overall survival was 10.7 months (95%CI 5.3-NA), with four patients (28.5%) surviving more than 12 months. Improved ascites and oral intake were observed in 6/14 patients (42.8%) and 10/11 patients (90.9%), respectively. The major grade 3 or more adverse events included leukopenia (28.5%) and neutropenia (21.4%), with no severe immune-related adverse events reported. (4) Conclusions: The safety and moderate efficacy of nivolumab plus mFOLFOX6 were suggested even in AGC patients with severe peritoneal metastasis.

[Severe interstitial lung disease after one cycle of nivolumab treatment in a patient with advanced gastric cancer].

Although nivolumab was previously reported to cause immune-related interstitial lung diseases (ILD), the detailed characteristics of ILD in gastric cancer are not fully understood. We herein present a rare case of a 66-year-old male with advanced gastric cancer who experienced acute-onset high-grade fever and dyspnea and diagnosed with early-onset ILD during the first cycle of nivolumab. Computed tomography revealed patchy infiltrative shadows and ground-glass opacities. No pathological bacteria were detected in the sputum or the bronchoalveolar lavage, and serous antigens for virus and beta-D-glucan were below the detection limit. These findings were consistent with nivolumab-induced organizing pneumonia. The steroid pulse therapy was effective for ILD, and the patient had complete radiological response, although he relapsed twice during the steroid tapering period.

Multiple Synchronous Sporadic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in the Stomach and Jejunum.

A 77-year-old patient was admitted to our hospital for the further examination of melena. A computed tomography scan detected two submucosal tumors (SMTs) in the stomach and jejunum. Double-balloon endoscopy revealed the presence of a delle on the jejunal SMT, suggesting that the SMT was the origin of the gastrointestinal bleeding. Both tumors were surgically resected and subsequently diagnosed via histology as gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Furthermore, the two GISTs had different mutations in the c-kit gene, suggesting that they were derived from different clonal origins. This report depicts an extremely rare case of multiple synchronous sporadic GISTs in the stomach and jejunum.

Phase I/II Study of S-1 Plus Cisplatin Alternating With S-1 Plus Docetaxel in Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the usefulness of S-1 plus cisplatin alternating with S-1 plus docetaxel as first-line treatment in patients with advanced gastric cancer, we conducted a phase I/II study to determine the maximum tolerated dose and recommended dose, and evaluate efficacy and toxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with histologically confirmed unresectable and recurrent gastric cancer were enrolled in this study. Cisplatin was administered on day 1 and the dose escalated by 10 mg/m from a starting dose of 40 mg/m in the phase I part. S-1 was given orally at 80 mg/m on days 1 to 14 and docetaxel at 40 mg/m on day 22 in combination with S-1 80 mg/m on days 22 to 35. The treatment was repeated every 6 weeks. The primary endpoint of the phase II analysis was the response rate. RESULTS: Nine patients entered the phase I and 24 the phase II part. Because 50% of patients (3/6) developed dose-limiting toxicities in the phase I part, the maximum tolerated dose of cisplatin was presumed to be 50 mg/m. Therefore, the estimated recommended dose of cisplatin was 40 mg/m; 27 patients received that dose. The response rate was 59.3% (95% confidence interval, 40.8-77.8) and the median follow-up 26.2 months. The median progression-free survival was 7.9 months and the median overall survival 18.6 months. The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (59.3%), leucopenia (37.0%), and anemia (29.6%). These toxicities were tolerable and manageable. CONCLUSION: This alternating treatment seems to have promising activity with tolerable toxicities in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Stomach: A Response to Combination Chemotherapy Consisting of Ramucirumab Plus Paclitaxel.

Extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is a rare disease, and there is no standard chemotherapy. A 73-year-old man was diagnosed with advanced gastric NEC. He received chemotherapy of irinotecan plus cisplatin, and amrubicin monotherapy. After failure of second-line chemotherapy, he received ramucirumab plus paclitaxel; this treatment was chosen because vascular endothelial growth factor 2 was strongly expressed in the tumor endothelial cells. After two cycles, his NEC had markedly reduced in size, and he continued with this treatment for over eight months. In this case, the combination of an anti-angiogenic inhibitor and a cytotoxic agent was highly effective for gastric NEC.

[A Case of Advanced Gastric Cancer with Severe Jaundice from Multiple Liver Metastases That Was Significantly Improved after Capecitabine plus Oxaliplatin Treatment].

A 74-year-old man with advanced gastric cancer was admitted to our hospital. His liver function was impaired(total bilirubin 1.6mg/dL)with multiple liver metastases. He was treated with chemotherapy of S-1 plus cisplatin but it was discon- tinued due to severe diarrhea(CTCAE Grade 3)on day 6 and his liver dysfunction progressed(total bilirubin 10.3mg/dL). After his diarrhea improved, he was treated with capecitabine plus oxaliplatin(capecitabine 3,600mg/day on day 1-14, oxaliplatin 130mg/m2 on day 1, q3 weeks). His severe jaundice and general condition improved without severe non-hematological toxicity, and he was ultimately discharged. He achieved a partial response(RECIST v1.1)after capecitabine plus oxaliplatin treatment, and this therapy has been continued for 15 months. This case suggests that capecitabine plus oxaliplatin may be beneficial even in advanced gastric cancer patients with impaired liver function from multiple liver metastases.

Phase I Study of Docetaxel Plus Nedaplatin in Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Cisplatin Plus 5-Fluorouracil Treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To date, no second-line chemotherapy regimen for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been established. This clinical trial aimed to assess the optimum dose of docetaxel plus nedaplatin (cis-diammine-glycolate platinum) as second-line chemotherapy. METHODS: Patients with metastatic or recurrent esophageal SCC after treatment with cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil received docetaxel (50 or 60 mg/m) plus nedaplatin (70 mg/m²) on day 1 every 4 weeks. The recommended dose was based on dose-limiting toxicities defined during the first cycle. RESULTS: From February 2009 to November 2011, 9 patients were enrolled in the study. Their median age was 62 years (range, 58 to 72 y). Six patients had undergone radiotherapy and 4 had undergone surgical resection of primary lesions. Dose-limiting toxicities were observed in 2 patients at dose level 1 (60 mg/m² docetaxel, 70 mg/m² nedaplatin) but not at dose level 0 (50 mg/m² docetaxel, 70 mg/m nedaplatin). Thus, the maximum tolerated dose was established at dose level 1. No severe nonhematological toxicity was observed. No patient achieved complete response, but 2 (22%; 95% confidence interval, 0%-49%) achieved partial response and 3 had stable disease. Median progression-free and overall survival times were 2.1 and 9.5 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Docetaxel plus nedaplatin chemotherapy seems to be a safe and feasible second-line regimen for the treatment of esophageal SCC. We recommend the administration of 50 mg/m² docetaxel (day 1) plus 70 mg/m² nedaplatin (day 1) every 4 weeks in a phase II study.

[IgA vasculitis associated with anti-TNF-α inhibitors in a patient with Crohn's disease].

Anti-TNF-α inhibitors have been widely used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Although they have good clinical efficacy and tolerance, they remain a matter of concern because they cause drug-induced autoimmune disorders as side effects. Here, we report a case of a patient with Crohn's disease who developed IgA vasculitis after infliximab and adalimumab treatment. A 17-year-old male with Crohn's disease who had received scheduled infliximab treatment for the preceding 19 months complained of purpura on his lower limbs. He was diagnosed with infliximab-induced IgA vasculitis. Switching infliximab to adalimumab resulted in rapid improvement of the condition. However, 21 months after switching to adalimumab, his purpura recurred. Drug-induced IgA vasculitis is a rare complication caused by infliximab and adalimumab; however, diagnosis in the early phase and appropriate management of patients receiving anti-TNF-α inhibitors is critical to a successful patient outcome.

Multiple Colon Ulcers with Typical Small Intestinal Lesions Induced by Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.

The diagnosis of NSAID-induced colon ulcers is difficult when the distribution or endoscopic findings are not typical. An 83-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital for hemorrhagic diarrhea. Colonoscopy showed multiple ulcers in the entire colon, particularly longitudinal ulcers in the transverse colon. These were unusual for NSAID-induced colopathy, although she had been on meloxicam. However, capsule endoscopy revealed multiple scars and erosions, characteristic of NSAIDs users. The final diagnosis was NSAID-induced enteropathy, and all lesions were in remission after meloxicam discontinuation. We herein emphasize the value of an endoscopic assessment of the entire digestive tract in the diagnosis of NSAID-induced mucosal lesions.

Amrubicin Monotherapy for Patients with Platinum-Refractory Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.

Objective. Patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) have a poor prognosis. Platinum-based combination chemotherapy is commonly used as first-line treatment; however, the role of salvage chemotherapy remains unknown. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of amrubicin monotherapy in patients with platinum-refractory gastroenteropancreatic NEC. Methods. Among 22 patients with advanced gastroenteropancreatic NEC, 10 received amrubicin monotherapy between September 2007 and May 2014 after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy. The efficacy and toxicity of the treatment were analyzed retrospectively. Results. Eight males and two females (median age, 67 years (range, 52-78)) received platinum-based chemotherapy, including cisplatin plus irinotecan (n = 7, 70%), cisplatin plus etoposide (n = 2, 20%), and carboplatin plus etoposide (n = 1, 10%) before amrubicin therapy. Median progression-free survival and overall survival after amrubicin therapy were 2.6 and 5.0 months, respectively. Two patients had partial response (20% response rate), and their PFS were 6.2 months and 6.3 months, respectively. Furthermore, NEC with response for amrubicin had characteristics with a high Ki-67 index and receipt of prior chemotherapy with cisplatin and irinotecan. Grade 3-4 neutropenia and anemia were observed in four and five patients, respectively. Conclusion. Amrubicin monotherapy appears to be potentially active and well-tolerated for platinum-refractory gastroenteropancreatic NEC.

Immune-mediated protein-losing enteropathy with Down syndrome.

A 28-year-old woman previously diagnosed to have Down syndrome presented with a one-month history of severe hypoalbuminemia, lower extremity edema, and diarrhea. Her urine was negative for protein. She was diagnosed with immune-mediated protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) based on clinical findings, protein loss evident on (99m)Technetium-labeled human serum albumin scintigraphy, and IgM and complement C3 deposition in the duodenum. She did not exhibit any manifestations of collagen diseases. A dramatic remission was achieved and maintained with corticosteroid administration. This is the first report of immune-mediated PLE in a patient with Down syndrome.

Predictive value of optimal morphologic response to first-line chemotherapy in patients with colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that morphologic response to preoperative chemotherapy is an independent prognostic factor in patients who undergo hepatic resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of morphologic response to first-line chemotherapy in patients with CLM. METHODS: We assessed 41 patients with CLM who received fluorouracil-based chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab as the first-line chemotherapy between April 2006 and June 2012. Three blinded radiologists evaluated computed tomography images and classified them as optimal, incomplete or no response according to the morphologic criteria. Response to systemic chemotherapy was also evaluated according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Predictive factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) were identified in multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients (56%) received chemotherapy with bevacizumab, while 18 patients (44%) received chemotherapy without bevacizumab. Optimal morphologic response was observed in 11 patients (48%) treated with bevacizumab and in 5 patients (28%) treated without bevacizumab (p = 0.19). Eight patients (20%) underwent hepatic resection after chemotherapy. The median follow-up period was 31.3 months. The median PFS was 13.3 months for patients with optical morphologic response and 8.7 months in those with incomplete/no morphologic response (p = 0.0026). On multivariate analysis, performance status and morphologic response were significant independent predictors of PFS. CONCLUSION: Optimal morphologic response was significantly associated with PFS in patients with CLM who were treated with fluorouracil-based chemotherapy as the first-line chemotherapy.

Non-randomized comparison between irinotecan plus mitomycin C and irinotecan alone in patients with advanced gastric cancer refractory to fluoropyrimidine and platinum.

BACKGROUND: Irinotecan alone and plus mitomycin C have been proven to be effective as second-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer. The objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy and safety of irinotecan alone (CA) and with mitomycin C (CM) in clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between November 2006 and December 2011, 46 patients with advanced gastric cancer refractory to fluoropyrimidine and platinum were treated with CM (n=22) or CA (n=24). RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of the patients were similar in the two treatment groups, with the exception of the sex ratio. The median progression-free survival was 3.9 months in the CM arm and 3.7 months in the CA arm (p=0.25), and the median overall survival was 9.6 and 8.7 months (p=0.36), respectively. The overall response rate was 18% in the CA arm and 9% in the CM arm (p=0.38). Grade 3/4 neutropenia (45% vs. 25%), anemia (36% vs. 4%), febrile neutropenia (14% vs. 8%), anorexia (14% vs. 8%) tended to be higher in the CM arm than in the CA arm. CONCLUSION: Although the efficacy of CM and CA for advanced gastric cancer refractory to fluoropyrimidine and platinum was not significantly different, CM tended to lead to greater incidence of adverse events in clinical practice.

Treatment outcome of advanced pancreatic cancer patients who are ineligible for a clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in clinical practice, and assess whether chemotherapy provided a clinical benefit for patients who did not meet the eligibility criteria of the clinical trial. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 75 patients who received first-line chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer between April 2006 and September 2011. Patients were treated with gemcitabine (GEM) alone, S-1 (tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium) alone, or GEM plus S-1. Patients were divided into the clinical trial eligible group (arm eligible) or the ineligible group (arm ineligible). We evaluated the efficacy and the safety of the chemotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients out of 75 (31%) belonged to the ineligible group, for the following reasons: 20 patients had poor performance status, eight had massive ascites, one had synchronous malignancy, and one had icterus. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.5 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 6.7 months in all patients. In arm eligible, median PFS was 4.5 months, and median OS was 10.5 months. In arm ineligible, median PFS was 1.1 months, and median OS was 2.9 months. CONCLUSION: The outcome of the patients who did not meet the eligibility criteria was very poor. It is important to select the patients that could benefit from either chemotherapy or optimal supportive care.

[Gastric malignant lymphoma].

Primary gastric lymphoma is a rare tumor and the frequency is less than 5% of gastric neoplasms. Although the histological diagnosis is diverse, the majority is MALT lymphoma and diffuses large B-cell lymphoma. MALT lymphoma is derived from marginal B-cell of lymphoid follicle, which is induced by Helicobacter pylori infection. The 60-80% of them is regressed by the eradication treatment. A part of MALT lymphoma is characterized by chromosomal translocations, t(11;18), t(1;14) or t(14;18) that is poor response factors to the eradication. Interestingly, all chimeric proteins produced by the translocations have activated NF-kappaB in the cells. The phenotype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is heterogeneous. However, the combination treatment of rituximab plus CHOP is effective and it is capable to preserve the stomach. A non-surgical treatment is recommended to gastric lymphoma.