[Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Non-Ampullary Duodenum-A Case Report].

A 69-year-old woman was admitted to a territory hospital because of severe right hypochondoralgia after 2 weeks of internal medicine for persistent epigastralgia. Gastroduodenal endoscopy revealed a large tumor with a fistula in the duodenal bulb that expanded to the stomach. Histopathologically, the biopsy specimen indicated a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and HER2 negative. Computed tomography revealed that the tumor invaded the left lobe of the liver. The patient was referred to our hospital for cancer treatment. After 1 course of chemotherapy with S-1 and CDDP, laparoscopic gastroenterostomy bypass was performed because of tumor hemorrhage and poor food intake. However, the tumor hemorrhage and poor food intake continued, and the tumor enlarged. Therefore, left hemihepatectomy and distal gastrectomy with resection of the duodenal bulb were performed 1 month after bypass surgery. Histological testing confirmed the diagnosis of duodenal large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma invading the liver without lymph node metastasis. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not administered, and the patient has been alive without recurrence for 7 years and 3 months. Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the non-ampullary duodenum is very rare; however, a large cell type without lymph node metastasis may be a factor in the long-term prognosis.

[Synchronous Double Primary Non-B, and Non-C Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma and Hepatocellular Carcinoma-A Case Report].

A 78-year-old man without hepatitis virus B or C underwent right hemi-hepatectomy and lymph node dissection for a tumor 5 cm in diameter located in the hepatic hilum of the posterior segment of the liver with portal vein thrombi extending into the main portal trunk and a tumor 1.5 cm in diameter in the peripheral side of segment 5 of the liver. Histopathologically, the former was diagnosed as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and the latter as hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Five months after the surgery, intrahepatic and lymph node metastases were diagnosed based on computed tomography(CT); therefore, chemotherapy with S-1 for 3 months and gemcitabine and cisplatin(GC)for 5 months was administered, after which the metastatic lesions were not detected. Nineteen months after the surgery, partial resection of segment 2 of the liver was performed for a tumor 3 cm in diameter, which was diagnosed as HCC histopathologically. Two years after the second surgery, 2 recurrent nodules in the liver in segments 3 and 4 were detected on CT. Platinum-based hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)were performed, and chemotherapy with GC was then administered for 7 months. For a new tumor detected in segment 1 in the liver, TACE was performed 17 months after initial HAIC. Seventy-four months after the initial surgery, 5 new nodules less than 1 cm in diameter were detected, and chemotherapy with sorafenib was administered for 5 months, after which the patient died of coronavirus disease 2019.

[The Effect of Ninjinyoeito for Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy].

The effect of Ninjinyoeito on reducing adverse reactions during chemotherapy for gastrointestinalcancer was investigated. Patients suffering from "fatigue"after undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinalcancer between January and April 2017 were investigated. The subjects were divided into two groups; Ninjinyoeito(treatment group)and a controlgroup. Patients were examined at the initiation of treatment and 12 weeks after treatment, and then subsequently evaluated in the form of an interview sheet to establish physicalsymptoms and CTCAE v4.0. Treatment and controlgroup comprised 24 and 9 cases, respectively. Cases where both the score of "fatigue"and proportion of patients with a score of over 2 improved were found only in the treatment group. Although numbness of hands and feet deteriorated, there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with a score of over 2. In the assessment of CTCAE v4.0, only cases in the treatment group showed improvement of "fatigue"and proportion of patients with a score of over 2 before and after treatment. Although there was no significant difference in "peripheralneuropathy"between the two groups, patients with a score of over 2 in the treatment group showed an improvement. Our results show Ninjinyoeito helps to alleviate the symptoms of patients who had undergone chemotherapy for gastrointestinalcancer. Thus, treatment with Ninjinyoeito may contribute to enhancing the continuity of medicalcare and improving the prognosis of chemotherapy.

[A Case of Gastric Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with Bulky Lymph Node Metastases, Solitary Liver Metastasis, and Left Adrenal Metastasis Curatively Resected after Chemotherapy].

A 68-year-old man presented with generalfatigue due to anemia. Gastrointestinalendoscopy showed a tumor approximately 60mm in diameter in the lesser curvature of the angle of the stomach. Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was diagnosed by biopsy of a tumor specimen. Computed tomography revealed bulky regional lymph node metastases, solitary liver metastasis, and left adrenal metastasis. After three courses of combined chemotherapy with S-1 and CDDP, the gastric lesion and lymph node metastases shrunk, but the liver metastasis and left adrenal metastasis enlarged. After three courses of combined chemotherapy with ramucirumab and paclitaxel, the liver metastasis and left adrenal metastasis also shrunk, and no other new metastatic lesions appeared. Accordingly, total gastrectomy with lymph nodes dissection, partial resection of the liver and left adrenalectomy were performed for a curative resection. The histological findings revealed neuroendocrine carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. The lesions of the liver and lymph nodes were all burned out, and a tiny metastatic lesion of neuroendocrine carcinoma was left in the left adrenal gland. S-1 was administrated for 3 months after surgery. The patient has been alive for 16months without recurrence after surgery.

C-reactive Protein is a Useful Marker for Early Prediction of Anastomotic Leakage after Esophageal Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal anastomotic leakage is one of the most fatal complications after esophagectomy and increases the hospitalization length. We aimed to identify a convenient clinical marker of anastomotic leakage in the early postoperative period. METHODS: In total, 108 patients who underwent esophagectomy were retrospectively screened, and 96 were used to validate the overall results. All 108 patients underwent physical examinations and determination of their white blood cell count, C-reactive protein level, platelet count, fibrinogen level, fibrin degradation product level, and antithrombin III level until postoperative day 6. RESULTS: Anastomotic leakage occurred in 21 of the 108 patients (median detection, 8 days). The C-reactive protein level on postoperative day 3 and fibrinogen level on postoperative day 4 in the leakage group were significantly higher than those in the nonleakage group. Receiver operating characteristic curves for detection of anastomotic leakage were constructed; the cutoff value of C-reactive protein on postoperative day 3 was 8.62 mg/dL, and that of fibrinogen on postoperative day 4 was 712 mg/dL. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 23 of the 96 patients in the validation group. There was a significant difference between the leakage and nonleakage groups when the C-reactive protein threshold on postoperative day 3 was set at 8.62 mg/dL. However, there was no difference between the groups when the fibrinogen threshold on postoperative day 4 was set at 712 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: The C-reactive protein level on postoperative day 3 is a valuable predictor of anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy and might allow for earlier management of this complication.

Cytomegalovirus-associated ulceration of gastric conduit after chemoradiotherapy following esophagectomy for cancer.

A 64-year-old man underwent radical esophagectomy for cancer and simultaneous reconstruction using the gastric conduit through the posterior mediastinum. Two courses of adjuvant chemotherapy were performed. Twenty-eight months postoperatively, recurrence of the cancer was detected in the mediastinal lymph nodes, and he underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy and boost chemotherapy. Endoscopy was then performed to investigate the cause of epigastralgia, and multiple ulcerations were found in the lesser curvature of the gastric conduit. Although a proton-pump inhibitor was orally administered, the ulceration was intractable. Re-examination of the original biopsy specimens and serological testing revealed positivity for cytomegalovirus. The ulcers began to heal after administration of foscarnet sodium. After the treatment, no signs of exacerbation associated with reinstitution of chemotherapy were observed.