Laparoscopic resection of abdominal cystic lymphangioma derived from lesser omentum: Case report.

RATIONALE: Cystic lymphangiomas are uncommon congenital malformations that originate from lymphatic channels. Lymphangiomas frequently appear in the head, neck, and axillary regions of children. Abdominal cystic lymphangiomas are extremely rare, having a reported incidence of 1 in 20,000 to 250,000. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 50-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with a cough that had persisted for several weeks. Abdominal ultrasonography incidentally revealed a multilocular cystic lesion in the lesser curvature of the stomach. DIAGNOSIS: Preoperative findings indicated that the lesion was cystic lymphangioma. However, the possibility of a pancreatic tumor could not be completely excluded. INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopy revealed a multilocular cyst in the lesser curvature of the stomach. The gastrocolic ligament was divided, and the body and tail of the pancreas was exposed in the omental bursa, showing that the cystic lesion was not derived from the pancreas but from the lesser omentum. Although it was located directly beside the left gastric artery, the cyst was enucleated and totally resected laparoscopically without sacrificing the artery. OUTCOMES: The cystic lesion was histopathologically diagnosed as an abdominal cystic lymphangioma originating from the lesser omentum. The patient was discharged on the postoperative day 4 without complications. LESSONS: Preoperative imaging cannot completely distinguish abdominal cystic lymphangiomas from other types of cystic tumors. Because cystic lymphangiomas have the potential to grow, invade vital structures, and develop life-threatening complications, laparoscopic assessment followed by total resection is considered a useful treatment strategy for peripancreatic cystic lesions.

A Social Program for the Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer: The Kishiwada Katsuragi Project.

OBJECTIVES: The early-stage pancreatic cancer (e-PC; stage I/II) detection rate is quite low at approximately 25%. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a social program (the Kishiwada Katsuragi project) wherein our hospital, which specializes in PC, and primary care medical offices (PMOs) used clinical findings to detect e-PC. METHODS: Patients with a score of ≥2 points on clinical findings were enrolled: symptoms of abdominal pain/back pain (1 point), new-onset diabetes (1 point), high amylase (AMY) and/or pancreaitc AMY (P-AMY) (1 point), high carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (1 point), and ultrasonography (US) findings including direct (e.g., a solid pancreatic tumor) and/or indirect findings (e.g., dilatation of a pancreatic diameter of ≥2.5 mm and/or cystic lesions) (2 points) were evaluated using the protocol for social programs. RESULTS: Between November 2014 and December 2016, 244 patients were enrolled by 41 PMOs as cooperative facilities, and 15 e-PC cases (53.6%) of the 28 PC patients were detected. The mean clinical finding score of the e-PC group (3.13 ± 1.9) was significantly higher than that of the overall non-PC group (2.1 ± 0.4) (p < 0.05). "High AMY/P-AMY" and "symptoms" were significantly more frequent in the e-PC group than in the non-PC group (p < 0.05). Although the sensitivity of direct findings by US was 40.0%, that of indirect-findings was 93.3% in the e-PC group. Nine and 6 of the 15 patients with e-PC were enrolled via general internal medicine offices (GIMs) and other PMOs without GIMs (general surgery, n = 3; urology, n = 2; otolaryngology, n = 1). CONCLUSION: This social program with collaborations between medical centers that specialize in PC and PMOs used clinical findings, suggesting that not only GIMs but also other PMOs and indirect findings by US may play an important role in improving the e-PC detection rate.

[Long-Term Survival of a Patient with Rectal Neuroendocrine Carcinoma after Treatment with Curative Resection and Adjuvant Chemotherapy with Capecitabine].

A 63-year-old man who complained of hematochezia underwent colonoscopy, and a type 2 tumor was detected at the Rs portion. The tumor was initially diagnosed as a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma by biopsy. Laparoscopy-assisted anterior resection with regional lymphadenectomy was performed, and pathological examination showed the tumor was a neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) with muscular invasion and lymph node metastasis. The Ki-67 index of the tumor was more than 70%. This patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with capecitabine for 6 months and is now alive without recurrence, more than 40 months after surgery. Although the prognosis of NEC is generally poor, capecitabine might be effective as an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen after curative resection.

Solitary metastatic gallbladder malignant melanoma originated from the nasal cavity: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Solitary gallbladder metastasis of malignant melanoma is rare and generally originates from skin melanoma. We report a case of gallbladder metastasis from a malignant melanoma of the nasal mucosa that was surgically treated. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 77-year-old Japanese woman diagnosed with malignant melanoma of the left sinonasal cavity three years ago underwent follow-up PET-CT and FDG uptake was detected only at the gallbladder. The nasal melanoma had been stable for the last 1.5 years after chemoradiation and her general condition was good. Cholecystectomy was performed with partial liver resection. Lymphadenectomy of the hepatoduodenal ligament was also performed. The tumor was soft and whitish, and was microscopically diagnosed as a poorly differentiated malignant melanoma that was not similar to the nasal cavity melanoma. No further metastasis is observed for more than 13 months after surgery. DISCUSSION: In the literature, cutaneous melanoma is described as the origin of most metastatic gallbladder melanomas; however, no skin lesion was evident in this case. We believe that the poorly differentiated compartment of the nasal melanoma had metastasized to the gallbladder. CONCLUSION: For patients with melanomas and gallbladder tumors, the possibility that metastasis could occur should be considered when selecting optimal treatment. Even when original melanoma is present, surgical treatment for gallbladder metastasis may be useful depending on the patient's conditions.

Solitary metastasis to the intercostal muscle from hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Skeletal muscle metastases from carcinomas, especially to intercostal muscles, are rare. Most metastatic chest wall tumors from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) result from disseminations through needle tracts of intrahepatic HCC treatments. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report the case of a 65-year-old man with chronic viral hepatitis B whose intrahepatic lesions were stabilized by repeated radiofrequency ablations and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. Follow-up computed tomography demonstrated a well-enhanced mass in the right chest wall. Because α-fetoprotein and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin levels were elevated and no other tumors were detected, we diagnosed the mass as an extrahepatic metastasis from the HCC and resected it along with the surrounding ribs. There was no involvement of the bone, pleura, and lung. DISCUSSION: The tumor was microscopically diagnosed as an intercostal muscle tumor metastasized from HCC, which has not been documented previously. The resection rate of extrahepatic tumors of HCC is low in literature. No other apparent extrahepatic recurrence has been observed for more than 20 months after the surgery. CONCLUSION: We report the case of HCC patient who underwent surgical resection of an intercostal muscle tumor that had metastasized from HCC. Pathological examination of the tumor revealed the tumor cells in the blood vessels, and we speculate it hematogeneous metastasis.

[Improved QOL in a case of remnant gastric cancer with common bile duct obstruction treated with weekly paclitaxel therapy and cholecystojejunostomy].

We report a patient with unresectable remnant gastric cancer with common bile duct stricture, whose quality of life(QOL) was improved by switching to cholecystojejunostomy from percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage(PTGBD). He was a 69-year-old man who underwent distal gastrectomy(Billroth I reconstruction)3 years previously, and he vomited many times due to cancer at the anastomosis. It could not be resected because of its involvement with the hepatoduodenal ligament, and therefore, gastrojejunostomy was performed. Four days later, abdominal pain occurred and gallbladder swelling was observed, resulting from common bile duct obstruction. PTGBD relieved the pain, and four courses of S-1/cisplatin (CDDP)treatment were performed. The bile duct stenosis was still so severe that the chemotherapy regimen was changed to weekly paclitaxel(PTX). The bile amount of PTGBD decreased after its four courses and the tube, which was a great burden for the patient, was removed. Because abdominal pain recurred in 2 weeks, the tube needed to be reinserted. An endoscopic stent was not inserted successfully. We performed cholecystojejunostomy and he was finally free from the PTGBD tube. The spread of cancer to the cystic duct was controlled by continuing the PTX for more than 20 courses. Thus, this case highlights PTX's contribution toward improving the patient's QOL.

[Three cases effectively treated with S-1 therapy for liver metastasis of breast cancer in long term].

We experienced 3 cases of anti-cancer drug-resistant recurrent breast cancer with liver metastasis showing significant improvement by S-1. Almost all patients maintained the full dose through the whole course of treatment, and the drug showed good tolerability. Furthermore, long-term therapeutic efficacy(more than 2 years)and QOL have been maintained for all patients. We concluded that S-1 is not only effective as a therapeutic agent, but is safe and maintains QOL.

Gastric carcinoid with hypergastrinemia: report of three cases.

We report 3 cases of gastric carcinoids with hypergastrinemia. Case 1: A 60-year-old man had a 2 cm carcinoid of the stomach and underwent partial resection. Involvement of the muscularis propria and lymph nodes metastasis were observed microscopically. Follow-up gastroscopy revealed another carcinoid lesion and total gastrectomy was performed. Case 2: A 67-year-old woman with multiple carcinoids of the entire stomach underwent antrectomy. No growth of residual tumors has been detected so far. Case 3: A 61-year-old man had a tumor near the esophagogastric junction and underwent total gastrectomy. Carcinoid component was diffusely intermingled with adenocarcinoma in the tumor and invaded into the subserosa. In all 3 cases, the serum gastrin level was high and atrophic gastritis was microscopically observed. Carcinoid tumor in Case 3 was different from those in Cases 1 and 2 and interestingly, gastric carcinoid with hypergastrinemia showed various types of appearance.

[A case of advanced ascending colon cancer, curatively resected after complete response in left supraclavicular and paraaortic lymph nodes and liver metastases to FOLFOX4 therapy].

We report a resected case of ascending colon cancer with left supraclavicular and paraaortic lymph nodes and liver metastases which completely responded in terms of metastases but not the primary tumor to FOLFOX4 therapy. A 62-year-old woman with epigastric discomfort was initially diagnosed as malignant lymphoma by FDG-PET with abnormal accumulation at left supraclavicular and paraaortic lesions. Pathological examination of the supraclavicular lymph nodes showed undifferentiated adenocarcinoma, and ascending colon cancer was detected by colonoscopy which was a mixture of various types of differentiation. FOLFOX4 therapy was effective for metastatic lesions but colon tumor did not regress and was accompanied by abdominal pain. Macroscopically, a curative right hemicolectomy was performed, and microscopic examination revealed that the tumor had become a mass of undifferentiated cancer cells. Thus, the present case demonstrates the dedifferentiation of colon cancer during chemotherapy.

A case of splenosis after laparoscopic splenectomy.

Splenosis is the heterotopic autotransplantation of splenic tissue usually following traumatic rupture of the spleen or surgical manipulation of splenic tissue. Although it is generally asymptomatic, it may present with abdominal pain or mass. Furthermore, there may be recurrence of the hematological disorders for which the patient underwent splenectomy. We report a rare case of splenosis in a 9-year-old girl after laparoscopic splenectomy for hereditary spherocytosis, which required laparotomy due to bowel obstruction.

Prognostic implication of para-aortic lymph node metastasis in resectable pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: The survival curve of patients who undergo surgical resection of pancreatic cancer displays a steep decline within 1 year and a relatively slow decline thereafter. The patients with a short survival time may have identifiable clinicopathologic factors that lead to rapid relapse. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed clinicopathologic factors in 133 patients who underwent margin-negative pancreatoduodenectomy with extended radical lymphadenectomy for invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas to detect factors that could be responsible for the short survival. RESULTS: Tumor size, invasion of the anterior pancreatic capsule, retroperitoneal invasion, portal venous invasion, major arterial invasion, and metastasis to the para-aortic lymph nodes were variables associated with survival time in univariate analysis. Metastasis to the para-aortic lymph nodes was the single independent factor with a significant association with mortality in multivariate analysis. Some 84% of the patients who had positive para-aortic lymph nodes died within 1 year, versus 46% of the patients with negative nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Although tumors that involve the para-aortic lymph nodes may technically be resectable, the expected postoperative survival time for most patients is less than 1 year. If para-aortic nodal metastasis is detected, alternative treatment strategies should be considered.

Expression of pancreatic duodenal hoemobox-1 in pancreatic islet neogenesis after surgical wrapping in rats.

BACKGROUND: Surgical wrapping (SW) of the pancreas causes islet neogenesis in rodents. Pancreatic duodenal hoemobox-1 (PDX-1) is one of the transcriptional factors needed by pancreatic stem cells to develop a mature pancreas. The purpose of this study was to determine whether islet neogenesis arises from ductal cells and whether PDX-1 is involved in this process. METHODS: SW consisted of nonocclusive wrapping of the pancreas in rats. The wrapped pancreas was then harvested, insulin content was measured, and immunohistochemical analysis for insulin, cytokeratin, and PDX-1 was performed. RESULTS: The endocrine area of the wrapped pancreas significantly increased after SW. Double immunostaining identified cells positive for both insulin and cytokeratin in or along the epithelial cell lining of the ductal structures and in the centroacinar cells. PDX-1-positive cells were detected in both control islets and islets examined after SW, but these cells were observed in the exocrine area only after SW. Double staining also showed that cells positive for PDX-1 but negative for insulin were present in the exocrine area 1 day after SW and that cells positive for both PDX-1 and insulin had developed 3 days after SW. CONCLUSIONS: In the process of adult islet neogenesis after SW, cells in the acini and ductal structures developed into PDX-1-expressing cells, supposedly progenitor cells, which in turn became insulin-producing cells and thus might be the origin of small islets.

Atypical ductal hyperplasia of the pancreas associated with a stricture of the main pancreatic duct.

Atypical ductal hyperplasia of the pancreas is thought to be a precancerous lesion. We report a case of atypical ductal hyperplasia associated with a stricture of the main pancreatic duct. A 70-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of abdominal pain with an elevated serum pancreatic isoamylase level. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography disclosed a stricture of the main pancreatic duct in the body of the pancreas. Cytological evaluation of endoscopic brushings suggested adenocarcinoma. Distal pancreatectomy was performed. Microscopic examination of the stenotic pancreatic duct showed a hyperplastic epithelium without atypia. Atypical hyperplasia, however, was found in the distal portion of the main pancreatic duct in close proximity to the stricture. Atypical hyperplasia extended along the main pancreatic duct into the ductal branches of the pancreatic tail. In contrast to the vast majority of patients with atypical hyperplasia, the atypical hyperplasia seen in the present patient had no histological features suggestive of intraductal extension of the invasive carcinoma or intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor, thus representing a sporadic precancerous lesion, and it may have been equivalent to carcinoma in situ. Pancreatic duct stricture and the resultant stasis of the pancreatic juice may have promoted the atypical changes in the ductal cells upstream of the stricture.