A case of pancreatic adenosquamous cell carcinoma with a pseudocyst following curative surgery.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic adenosquamous cell carcinoma (PASC) is a relatively rare histological type of pancreatic malignancy, and preoperative diagnosis is difficult because of its rarity. PASC accounts for 1-4% of all pancreatic cancers, and even after curative surgery, its prognosis is poorer than that of ordinary pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Pathologically, it shows glandular and squamous differentiation of cells. Complete resection is the only method to achieve a good long-term prognosis, and an increasing doubling time of PASC is considered to indicate early recurrence after surgery. Here, we report a rare case of PASC with an infected pancreatic cyst that was difficult to treat, along with a review of the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A woman in her 80s with a history of breast cancer presented with pericardial pain. Computed tomography revealed a 20-mm hypovascular tumor in the body of the pancreas and a 27-mm pseudocyst. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed a severe main pancreatic duct stenosis in the body of the pancreas that made cannulation impossible, and contrast media extravasation was due to pancreatic duct disruption in the pancreatic tail. Endoscopic fine-needle aspiration revealed that the tumor was a PASC. Because the patient had an infected pancreatic cyst, central intravenous nutrition and antibiotics were administered, which stabilized her general condition. She was diagnosed with resectable PASC and underwent distal pancreatectomy with lymphadenectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful. Immunohistochemical analysis of the resected specimen confirmed T2N0M0 stage IB. Systemic adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 is ongoing. CONCLUSION: Appropriate preoperative management and preoperative accurate staging (T2N0M0 stage IB) of PASC with curative surgery can ensure predictable outcomes.

Intracystic papillary neoplasm diagnosis following an extended cholecystectomy: a case report and literature review.

We report a case of intracystic papillary neoplasms (ICPN) that was difficult to differentiate from adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder. A 64-year-old man visited our hospital for an examination of gallbladder tumors. At the preoperative examination, the tumor was revealed a papillary type of tumor in the body of the gallbladder without the findings that without the findings that suggested the tumor invasion into the deep subserosal layer. The patient underwent an extended cholecystectomy. Papillary lesions were observed mainly in the body of the gallbladder, with flattened elevated lesions at the gallbladder fundus. Within each of these tumors, cells corresponding to intraepithelial adenocarcinoma were irregularly interspersed, leading to a diagnosis of ICPN. The patient is currently undergoing follow-up with no recurrence postoperatively. The prognosis of ICPN is generally good; however, preoperative diagnosis remains challenging. Therefore, a treatment plan for gallbladder cancer should be applied.

Small bowel cancer arising from a scar site more than 60 years after ileostomy closure: a case report.

Although small bowel cancer is rare, cases of carcinoma arising from the abdominal wall have not been reported. We report a case of a tumor arising from a stoma scar site, following ileostomy closure that was performed 60 years earlier. The tumor was resected for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes and was found to be a primary cancer of the small intestine. The small intestinal mucosa survived long-term at the stoma scar site and developed carcinoma. No similar reports of small bowel cancer arising from the mucosa at the stoma scar site (on the abdominal wall) exist. After tumor resection, the patient received chemotherapy for lung metastases and has survived, thus far, for 2 years since the surgery.

Surgical treatment of hepatic xanthogranuloma arising from a giant hepatic cyst causing gastrointestinal obstruction: a case report.

Hepatic cysts are benign liver lesions and are often asymptomatic. Large hepatic cysts may cause jaundice and portal hypertension; however, they rarely cause gastrointestinal obstruction. Symptomatic cysts require treatment, and when malignancy is suspected, cyst puncture for pathological examination of the fluid may pose a risk of dissemination. Herein, we describe a case of xanthogranuloma arising from a large hepatic cyst that was causing duodenal obstruction. Thus, cyst puncture was performed for emergency decompression. Cytological examination of the puncture fluid revealed no malignant findings. Hence, laparoscopic deroofing was performed to treat the hepatic cyst. As the cyst and duodenal wall were firmly adherent, the cyst wall was left behind without dissection from the duodenum. A two-stage approach of cyst puncture followed by surgery may be an option for patients requiring urgent treatment for potentially malignant hepatic cysts.

Adoptive immunotherapy overcomes genetic susceptibility to bloodstream infections due to fc-gamma receptor polymorphisms after liver transplantation.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FCGR3A can predict the susceptibility of liver transplant (LT) recipients to bloodstream infections (BSI) and clinical outcomes following living-donor LT (LDLT). Here, we retrospectively analyzed the relationship of adoptive immunotherapy with activated natural killer (NK) cells from perfusate effluents of liver allografts against BSI following LDLT. Higher BSI incidence and lower survival were observed in LT recipients with FcγRIIIa (158F/F or F/V) (n = 81) who did not receive adoptive immunotherapy (n = 55) than in those who did (n = 26) (BSI frequency, 36.4% vs. 11.5%; p = .033; log-rank p = .047). After matching patient background using propensity score, similar results were obtained (BSI ratio, 41.7% vs. 12.5%; p = .049; log-rank p = .039). The predominant BSI pathogens in patients who did and did not receive adoptive immunotherapy were gram-negative rods (n = 3, 100%) and gram-positive cocci (GPC) (n = 15, 65.2%), respectively. The proportion of NK cells administered to patients with BSI was significantly lower than that administered to patients without BSI (Number: 80.3 (29.9-239.2) × 106 cells vs. 37.1 (35.6-50.4) × 106 ; p = .033, percentage; 14.1 (13.3-17.8)% vs. 34.6 (16.5-47)%, p = .0078). Therefore, adoptive immunotherapy with NK cells was associated with the reduced post-transplant BSI related to GPCs due to FcγRIIIa SNP in LT recipients.

Distal Gastrectomy for Symptomatic Stage IV Gastric Cancer Contributes to Prognosis with Acceptable Safety Compared to Gastrojejunostomy.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic prolongation effect of reduction surgery for asymptomatic stage IV gastric cancer (GC) is unfavorable; however, its prognostic effect for symptomatic stage IV GC remains unclear. We aimed to compare the prognosis of gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy for symptomatic stage IV GC. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective study analyzed record-based data of patients undergoing palliative surgery for symptomatic stage IV GC in the middle or lower-third regions between January 2015 and December 2019. Patients were divided into distal gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy groups. We compared clinicopathological features and outcomes after propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: Among the 126 patients studied, 46 and 80 underwent distal gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy, respectively. There was no difference in postoperative complications between the groups. Regarding prognostic factors, surgical procedures and postoperative chemotherapy were significantly different in multivariate analysis. Each group was further subdivided into groups with and without postoperative chemotherapy. After PSM, the data of 21 well-matched patients with postoperative chemotherapy and 8 without postoperative chemotherapy were evaluated. Overall survival was significantly longer in the distal gastrectomy group (p = 0.007 [group with postoperative chemotherapy], p = 0.02 [group without postoperative chemotherapy]). CONCLUSIONS: Distal gastrectomy for symptomatic stage IV GC contributes to prognosis with acceptable safety compared to gastrojejunostomy.

Locally advanced gallbladder cancer treated with effective chemotherapy and subsequent curative resection: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection of gallbladder cancer with negative margins is the only potentially curative therapy. Most patients with gallbladder cancer are diagnosed in an advanced stage and, despite the availability of several chemotherapies, the prognosis remains dismal. We report a case of locally advanced gallbladder cancer that was successfully treated with effective cisplatin plus gemcitabine, followed by curative resection. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old Japanese female was hospitalized with right hypochondrial pain. Enhanced computed tomography revealed a 49 × 47 mm mass at the neck of the gallbladder, with suspected invasion of the liver and right hepatic artery. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography demonstrated displacement of the upper bile duct. Intraductal ultrasonography showed irregular wall thickening and disappearance of the wall structure in bile ducts from the B4 branch to distal B2 and B3. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary biopsy revealed a poorly differentiated carcinoma. The patient was diagnosed with unresectable gallbladder cancer (T4N0M0 stage IVA). Cisplatin plus gemcitabine chemotherapy was initiated. After six courses of chemotherapy, enhanced computed tomography showed that the mass in the neck of the gallbladder had shrunk to 30 mm, Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed improvement of the hilar duct stenosis. A biopsy of the bile duct mucosa showed no malignant cells in the branch of the left and right hepatic ducts, the left hepatic duct, or the intrapancreatic ducts. The patient underwent conversion surgery with right and segment 4a liver resection, extrahepatic duct resection, and cholangiojejunostomy. The histopathologic diagnosis showed that the tumor cells had shrunk to 2 × 1 mm, and that R0 resection of the T2aN0M0 stage IIA tumor was successful. CONCLUSION: Although conversion surgery for gallbladder cancer is rarely possible, curative resection may offer a better prognosis, and it is important to regularly pursue possibilities for surgical resection even during chemotherapy.

Retroperitoneal Bronchogenic Cyst Resected by Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery in an Adolescent Female: A Case Report.

A 16-y-old Japanese female was referred to our hospital with a suspicion of infected retroperitoneal cyst. Abdominal CT MRI revealed a 38-mm diameter retroperitoneal cyst under the left diaphragm. Because a retroperitoneal bronchogenic cyst was suspected, total resection was planned. In addition, preoperative 3D reconstruction using multidetector CT provided a detailed location of the lesion. Based on the anatomical position, we decided that single-incision laparoscopic surgery with an anterior approach through the umbilicus would be the optimal choice. The lesion was completely resected without intraoperative complications. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of bronchogenic cyst. Postoperatively, the surgical wound became completely unnoticeable, and there was no incisional hernia or cyst recurrence at the 2-y follow-up.

Pilot study to determine the safety and feasibility of deceased donor liver natural killer cell infusion to liver transplant recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Liver transplantation (LT) is a viable treatment option for cirrhosis patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, recurrence is the rate-limiting factor of long-term survival. To prevent this, we conducted the phase I study of the adoptive transfer of deceased donor liver-derived natural killer (NK) cells. Liver NK cells were extracted from donor liver graft perfusate and were stimulated in vitro with IL-2. The patient received an intravenous infusion of NK cells 3-5 days after LT. Eighteen LT recipients were treated. There were no severe cell infusion-related adverse events or acute rejection episodes. One patient withdrew from the study because the pathological observation revealed sarcoma instead of HCC. All patients who received this immunotherapy completed the follow-up for at least 2 years without evidence of HCC recurrence (median follow-up, 96 months [range, 17-121 months]). Considering that 9 (52.9%) of the 17 patients pathologically exceeded the Milan criteria, liver NK cell infusion is likely to be useful for preventing HCC recurrence after LT. This is the first-in-human immunotherapy study using deceased donor liver-derived NK cells to prevent HCC recurrence after LT. This treatment was well tolerated and resulted in no HCC recurrence after LT.Clinical trial registration www.clinicaltrials.gov ; NCT01147380; registration date: June 17, 2010.

Synchronous gastric cancer and carcinoma in situ of the pancreas.

Abnormal findings in the pancreatic duct without a mass may require serial pancreatic juice aspiration cytological examination. In cases of synchronous gastric cancer and stage 0 pancreatic cancer, spleen-preserving pancreatectomy may have advantage.

Anal Atresia in a Patient Who Had Undergone Hartmann Procedure.

BACKGROUND Hartmann procedure can be necessary for the treatment of rectal cancer and colonic perforation. The distal diverted intestinal tract is usually disregarded, while the proximal colon is diverted with a stoma. Most of the reported complications related to a diverted intestinal tract following Hartmann procedure include inflammation and intestinal tumors; however, there are only a few reports about postoperative anal complications. Herein, we report a rare case of anal atresia following Hartmann procedure. Anal atresia is generally considered as a congenital malformation; therefore, this was an extremely rare case, as there are no previous reports about anal atresia following Hartmann procedure. CASE REPORT An 84-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a persistent feeling of incomplete evacuation. She had undergone Hartmann procedure for diverticular disease of the sigmoid colon, with perforation, 5 years ago and had no major complications after the surgery. She had no history of anal disorders such as hemorrhoids or anal fissures. On examination, her anus was found to be closed by a thin skin, and computed tomography revealed stool retention in the diverted rectum. The anus was surgically opened to remove the stool, after which the feeling of incomplete evacuation resolved with no subsequent recurrence. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report of anal atresia in a patient following Hartmann procedure. The surgical intervention was effective in resolving the blockage and relieving the patient's feeling of incomplete evacuation.

A Case of Stage II Ascending Colon Cancer with Cardiac Tamponade Due to Pericardial Metastasis.

BACKGROUND Malignant tumors, such as lung and breast cancers, can metastasize to the heart. However, cardiac metastasis rarely occurs in colorectal cancer. Cardiac metastasis cases are typically asymptomatic and rarely cause cardiac tamponade. Heart failure due to systemic metastasis is a terminal symptom; therefore, cardiac metastasis is rarely diagnosed when a patient is alive. We report a case of stage II ascending colon cancer with cardiac tamponade due to pericardial metastasis. CASE REPORT The patient was a 63-year-old woman who underwent laparoscopic ileocecal resection for ascending colon cancer. The final pathological diagnosis was stage IIB cancer. At the time of surgery, computed tomography scans revealed no metastases to the regional lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and other organs. The patient was then referred for dyspnea 5 months after the surgery. Computed tomography revealed large quantities of pericardial effusion, and the patient was diagnosed with cardiac tamponade. The symptoms were alleviated after pericardiocentesis. Cytological examination of the pericardial fluid confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, and by extension, cardiac metastasis of the ascending colon cancer. Anticancer agents were recommended, but the patient opted for palliative treatment. CONCLUSIONS We report a rare case of ascending colon cancer with pericardial metastasis. The advancements in chemotherapy have made the prognosis of colorectal cancer more favorable. The prevalence of pericardial metastasis is expected to increase as well. As such, it is necessary to discuss similar case encounters and establish appropriate treatment.

Revascularization for cavernous transformation radical lymphadenectomy in the treatment of gastric cancer: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: There are few reported cases of cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV). CTPV is usually found by accident because most patients are asymptomatic at presentation. This paper reports a case of early gastric cancer with CTPV that required gastrectomy and revascularization. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 71-year-old man diagnosed with early gastric cancer, which was classified as clinical Stage IA (T1b, N0, M0) according to the TNM classification criteria for gastric cancer, was admitted to our hospital. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) revealed portal vein stenosis, CTPV, and esophageal varix. CT angiography showed that portal flow was maintained by the left gastric vein-right gastric vein (LGV-RGV) shunt. We had to perform lymphadenectomy while maintaining the hepatic blood flow. We performed distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection including the vessel of the lesser curvature without massive bleeding. Postoperative course was uneventful, and CT examination performed in the 7th postoperative day revealed good blood flow from the reconstructed collateral vessels. The patient had no recurrence of gastric cancer during the postoperative period of 1 year. CONCLUSION: Diseases that cause intra-abdominal inflammation, such as pancreatitis and choledocholithiasis, might cause CTPV. Thus, patients with this medical history should be carefully assessed for CTPV to avoid intraoperative complications, such as massive bleeding or ischemia. When we preform operation a case with CTPV, we must pay meticulous attention. In our case, we encountered some difficulties in the surgical procedure, especially with respect to the dissection of the regional lymph nodes for gastric cancer.

Laparoscopic extra-abdominal suturing technique for the repair of Larrey's diaphragmatic hernia using the port closure needle (Endo Close®): A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Morgagni's or Larrey's diaphragmatic hernias are relatively uncommon. If the defect is too large for primary closure, the use of a mesh is inevitable. Although primary closure is adaptable for relatively small defects, it is difficult to suture the hernial orifice in which the anterior rim is absent. Herein, we present the case of a patient with Larrey's diaphragmatic hernia that was easily and securely repaired using the recently developed laparoscopic extra-abdominal suturing technique via the port closure needle (Endo Close®; Medtronic, Minneapolis, USA). PRESENTATION OF CASE: An 89-year-old woman complaining of vomiting was transferred to our hospital. Computed tomography scan showed Larrey's diaphragmatic hernia. Laparoscopic repair was performed after gastric decompression. We diagnosed Larrey's hernia on the left side of the falciform ligament. The transverse colon was herniated through the defect. Since the hernial defect was located below the substernal space, there was no tissue to stitch at the anterior rim of the hernial orifice. We performed the extra-abdominal suturing technique, suturing the posterior rim of the hernia to the full thickness of the anterior abdominal wall using the port closure needle (Endo Close®) without the need for a mesh. The patient was discharged on the 8th postoperative day. There was no evidence of recurrence at 8 months postoperatively. DISCUSSION: The recently developed extra-abdominal suturing technique using Endo Close® to suture the full thickness of the anterior abdominal wall achieved secure mattress suture and easy extra-abdominal tying. CONCLUSION: This method may be useful in terms of easiness and security of suture.

CD52-Negative NK Cells Are Abundant in the Liver and Less Susceptible to Alemtuzumab Treatment.

BACKGROUND: T-cell depleting strategies have become an integral part of immunosuppressive regimens in organ transplantation. Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against CD52, a cell-surface antigen on several immune cells. It has been suggested that lymphocyte depletion increases the risk of serious infections. However, this has not been observed with short-term alemtuzumab treatment in an organ transplant setting. For induction therapy using alemtuzumab following liver transplantation, we found that T- and B-cell numbers declined rapidly after alemtuzumab therapy; however, the natural killer (NK) cell number was sustained. NK cells are important effectors of innate immunity. Since the effects of alemtuzumab on NK cell functions, especially those of liver NK cells, are unknown, this study aimed to investigate this in detail. METHODS: To assess the effect of alemtuzumab on NK cells, samples were obtained from 7 organ donors and examined by flow cytometry using Annexin V and propidium iodide. Phenotypical and functional differences within subsets of NK cells with different levels of CD52 expression were determined by flow cytometry and in vitro cytotoxicity assays. RESULTS: CD52 expression on NK cells was lower than that on other lymphocyte subsets. The liver contained a large number of CD52- NK cells compared with the peripheral blood. In vitro treatment of liver-derived NK cells with alemtuzumab did not result in cell death. In contrast, co-incubation with alemtuzumab induced cell death in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and non-NK cells in the liver. Furthermore, CD52- liver NK cells were more cytotoxic and produced more IFN-γ than CD52+ NK cells after cytokine activation. CONCLUSION: The liver contains a large number of CD52- NK cells. These cells are refractory to alemtuzumab and have robust activity. These findings indicate that CD52- NK cells persist and could protect against infection after alemtuzumab-based lymphocyte depletion.

Incidental renal cell carcinoma presenting in a renal transplant recipient with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: We report an instructive case of incidental renal cell carcinoma in a patient with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease who underwent simultaneous bilateral native nephrectomy and living donor renal transplantation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 57-year-old Asian man with end-stage kidney disease due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease received a living kidney graft from his brother. Because of recurrent infection, chronic pain and enlarged kidneys, he underwent a bilateral nephrectomy with concomitant renal transplantation. The total weight of the removed kidneys was 6kg; the maximal diameter of the larger kidney was 28cm. His left kidney had a 1cm diameter tumor. Pathology indicated papillary renal cell carcinoma. At the time of this report, the transplant kidney function was normal with no evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis. CONCLUSION: This case shows and reinforces the importance of considering the possibility of an occult malignancy in the native kidneys of patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Simultaneous bilateral native nephrectomy should be considered in these renal transplant recipients not only for preventing the development of adverse symptoms but also for detecting an occult malignancy.