Prediction of 1 cm dose-equivalent rate on the day after administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE from 111In-somatostatine receptor scintigraphy prior to treatment.

OBJECTIVE: When patients administered 177Lu-DOTATATE are released or discharged from rooms where radiopharmaceuticals are used, the time required for release or discharge varies across patients. This study investigated whether the amount of radioactivity accumulated on 111In-somatostatine receptor scintigraphy (111In-SRS) performed prior to treatment can predict the 1 cm dose-equivalent rate at a distance of 1 m from the patient on the day after 177Lu-DOTATATE administration. METHODS: Whole-body planar 111In-SRS images were acquired for 21 patients. Pixel values within whole-body and abdominal (35 × 25 cm) regions of interest (ROIs) were converted to radioactivity dose (MBq). The 1 cm dose-equivalent rate (µSv/h) at a distance of 1 m from the patient 18.3 ± 0.5 h after administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE was measured using an ionization survey meter. RESULTS: The following relationships were observed between the radioactivity on 111In-SRS and the 1 cm dose-equivalent rate on the day after administration of 177Lu-DOTATATE: whole-body ROI: y = 0.16x + 5.01 (r = 0.56, p = 0.009), abdominal ROI: y = 0.27x + 5.13 (r = 0.63, p = 0.002). The regression equations indicate that patients cannot be released or discharged from the radiopharmaceutical room the day after 177Lu-DOTATATE administration if the whole-body and abdominal ROI doses are greater than 81 and 48 MBq, respectively, on 111In-SRS. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of radioactivity accumulated on 111In-SRS may be a predictor of release criteria for patients receiving 177Lu-DOTATATE.

Diagnosis of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip by Ultrasound Imaging Using Deep Learning.

BACKGROUND: A timely diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is important for satisfactory clinical outcomes. Ultrasonography is a useful tool for DDH screening; however, it is technically demanding. We hypothesized that deep learning could assist in the diagnosis of DDH. In this study, several deep-learning models were assessed to diagnose DDH on ultrasonograms. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of diagnoses made by artificial intelligence (AI) using deep learning on ultrasound images of DDH. METHODS: Infants who were up to 6 months old with suspected DDH were included. DDH diagnosis using ultrasonography was performed according to the Graf classification. Data on 60 infants (64 hips) with DDH and 131 healthy infants (262 hips) obtained from 2016 to 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. For deep learning, a MATLAB deep learning toolbox (MathWorks, Natick, MA, US) was used, and 80% of the images were used as training data, with the rest as validation data. Training images were augmented to increase data variation. In addition, 214 ultrasound images were used as test data to evaluate the AI's accuracy. Pre-trained models (SqueezeNet, MobileNet_v2, and EfficientNet) were used for transfer learning. Model accuracy was evaluated using a confusion matrix. The region of interest of each model was visualized using gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM), occlusion sensitivity, and image LIME. RESULTS: The best scores for accuracy, precision, recall, and F-measure were all 1.0 in each model. In DDH hips, the region of interest for deep learning models was the area lateral to the femoral head, including the labrum and joint capsule. However, for normal hips, the models highlighted the medial and proximal areas where the lower margin of the os ilium and the normal femoral head exist. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound imaging with deep learning can assess DDH with high accuracy. This system could be refined for a convenient and accurate diagnosis of DDH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level-Ⅳ.

How to treat gastrinomas in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type1: surgery or long-term proton pump inhibitors?

In patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome (MEN 1) and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES), gastrinomas arise from the duodenum, about 60% are multiple, and about 15% of patients have coexisting pancreatic gastrinomas, which can be localized by the selective arterial secretagogue injection test (SASI test). The guidelines (GLs) by the Japanese Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (JNETS) recommend surgical resection for functioning duodenopancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), including gastrinomas, in patients with MEN1 (Grade A, 100% agreement among members). Conversely, the GLs of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) in the USA recommend observation and treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or exploratory surgery for occult gastrinomas. An international Consensus Statement (ICS) from the European Union (EU) also does not recommend resection of gastrinomas in patients with MEN1, despite some surgeons having reported surgery being curative for gastrinomas in MEN1 patients. In this review, we discuss the serious side effects and tumorigenic effects of the prolonged use of PPIs and the safety and curability of surgery, supported by our results of curative surgery for gastrinomas in 20 patients with MEN1 over 30 years. We conclude that surgery should be the first-line treatment for gastrinomas in MEN1 patients.

Phase I/II study of streptozocin monotherapy in Japanese patients with unresectable or metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

BACKGROUND: This phase I/II study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of streptozocin (STZ) in Japanese patients with unresectable or metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. METHODS: Twenty-two patients received up to 4 cycles of intravenous STZ at either 500 mg/m2 once daily for 5 consecutive days every 6 weeks (daily regimen) or at 1000-1500 mg/m2 once weekly for 6 weeks (weekly regimen). Tumor response was evaluated using the modified RECIST criteria ver. 1.1, and adverse events were assessed by grade according to the National Cancer Institute CTCAE (ver. 4.0). RESULTS: Fourteen (63.6%) patients completed the study protocol. No patients had complete response; partial response in 2 (9.1%), stable disease in 17 (77.3%), non-complete response/non-progressive disease in 2 (9.1%) and only 1 (4.5%) had non-evaluable disease. Excluding the latter, the response rate in the daily and weekly regimens was 6.7% (1/15) and 16.7% (1/6), respectively, with an overall response rate of 9.5% (2/21). However, the best overall response in each patient showed that the disease control rate was 100%.Adverse events occurred in all 22 patients, including 17 grade 3 adverse events in 11 patients; however, no grade 4 or 5 adverse events were reported. Prophylactic hydration and antiemetic treatment reduced the severity and incidence of nephrotoxicity, nausea and vomiting. Plasma STZ concentrations decreased rapidly after termination of infusion, with a half-life of 32-40 min. Neither repeated administration nor dose increases affected pharmacokinetic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: STZ may be a useful option for Japanese patients with unresectable or metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Somatostatin Receptor 2 Expression Profiles and Their Correlation with the Efficacy of Somatostatin Analogues in Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors.

Somatostatin analogues (SSAs) are widely used to treat gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). Somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) immunoreactivity serves as a predictive marker of the therapeutic efficacy of SSAs in pancreatic NETs. However, SSTR2 expression profiles in tumor cells and their association with the therapeutic efficacy of SSAs remains virtually unknown in gastrointestinal NETs (GI-NETs). Therefore, we evaluated the association between SSTR2 immunoreactivity and embryological origin and proliferative activity in 132 resected surgical tissues of GI-NETs. The correlation between SSAs' therapeutic efficacy and SSTR2 immunoreactivity was evaluated in 14 GI-NETs treated with SSAs. SSTR2 immunoreactivity was evaluated using Volante scores, immunoreactive scores, and digital image analysis (DIA). SSTR2 immunoreactivity was significantly negatively and positively correlated with the Ki-67 labeling index in foregut and hindgut NETs, respectively. In the normal mucosa, neuroendocrine cells in the rectum had significantly lower positive rates of SSTR2 than those in the stomach and duodenum. SSTR2 expression profiles in GI-NETs could differ by primary sites, while the difference of those between foregut and hindgut NETs might be derived from the SSTR2 status of normal neuroendocrine cell counterparts. In addition, DIA could provide a good alternative for predicting response to SSAs in evaluating SSTR2 immunoreactivity of GI-NETs.

Nationwide registry for patients with neuroendocrine neoplasm of pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, bronchi, or thymus in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) is a comparatively rare tumor that has been considered indolent. Due to these characteristics, detailed epidemiological data have not been analyzed in Japan. To elucidate the present status of NEN diagnosis and treatment in Japan, we started a registry cohort study in January 2015. METHODS: Patients pathologically diagnosed with NENs of the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, bronchi, or thymus after January 2012 were enrolled in this registry after the date of ethics review committee approval in each hospital or institute. Follow-up was continued for enrolled patients. RESULTS: During 5 years of enrollment between January 2015 and December 2019, a total of 1526 participants from 63 departments were enrolled in this registry (mean, 305.2 participants/year), covering approximately 5.8% of the annual incidence of NENs in Japan. For pancreatic NEN, 41.9% of patients had metastasis and the dominant metastatic site was the liver, at twice the rate of lymph node metastasis in the current registry. In contrast, the frequency of lymph node metastasis from gastrointestinal (GI)-NEN was similar to that of the liver. The distribution of WHO 2019-based grades varied according to the primary site. Low-to-intermediate grade (G1-G2) was dominant for duodenal, jejunal/ileal, rectal, and pancreatic NENs, whereas high grade (G3 or NEC) was dominant for esophageal, stomach, and colon NENs. For PanNENs, G3 and NEC accounted only for 1.6% and 2.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These cohort data provide crucial information for clinical research to clarify the characteristics of NENs in Japan.

JNETS clinical practice guidelines for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up: a synopsis.

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are rare neoplasms that occur in various organs and present with diverse clinical manifestations. Pathological classification is important in the diagnosis of NENs. Treatment strategies must be selected according to the status of differentiation and malignancy by accurately determining whether the neoplasm is functioning or nonfunctioning, degree of disease progression, and presence of metastasis. The newly revised Clinical Practice Guidelines for Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (GEP-NENs) comprises 5 chapters-diagnosis, pathology, surgical treatment, medical and multidisciplinary treatment, and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)/von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease-and includes 51 clinical questions and 19 columns. These guidelines aim to provide direction and practical clinical content for the management of GEP-NEN preferentially based on clinically useful reports. These revised guidelines also refer to the new concept of "neuroendocrine tumor" (NET) grade 3, which is based on the 2017 and 2019 WHO criteria; this includes health insurance coverage of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy for NEN, everolimus for lung and gastrointestinal NET, and lanreotide for GEP-NET. The guidelines also newly refer to the diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of NEN associated with VHL disease and MEN1. The accuracy of these guidelines has been improved by examining and adopting new evidence obtained after the first edition was published.

Survey of surgical resections for neuroendocrine liver metastases: A project study of the Japan Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (JNETS).

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Hepatic resection is considered the treatment of choice for neuroendocrine liver metastases (NELM). However, the safety and efficacy of resection have not been fully evaluated using a large cohort. The aim of the present study was to collect real-world data regarding hepatic resections for NELM. METHODS: A retrospective, multicenter survey was conducted. The background characteristics of patients undergoing an initial hepatic resection for NELM, the operative details, pathological findings, and patient outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 222 patients were enrolled from 30 institutions. The primary tumor site was the pancreas in 58.6%, and the presentation of NELM was synchronous in 63.1% of the cases. Concomitant resection of the primary tumor and liver metastases was performed for 66.4% of the synchronous metastases, and the 90-day morbidity and mortality rates were 12.6% and 0.9%, respectively. The operations resulted in R2 resections in 26.1% of the cases, and 83.4% of the patients experienced recurrence after R0/1 resections. However, the patients were treated using multiple modalities after R2 resection or recurrence, and the overall survival rate was relatively favorable, with 5-year and 10-year survival rates of 70.2%, and 43.4%, respectively. Univariable and multivariable analyses identified the tumor grading (G3) of the primary tumor as a significant prognostic factor for both the recurrence-free and overall survivals. CONCLUSIONS: The present data confirmed the safety of the surgical resection of NELM. Although recurrences were frequent, the survival outcomes after resection were favorable when a multi-disciplinary treatment approach was used.

Complications of Posterior Fusion for Atlantoaxial Instability in Children With Down Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the complications of posterior fusion for atlantoaxial instability (AAI) in children with Down syndrome and to discuss the significance of surgical intervention. METHODS: Twenty pediatric patients with Down syndrome underwent posterior fusion for AAI between February 2000 and September 2018 (age, 6.1 ± 1.9 years). C1-2 or C1-3 fusion and occipitocervical fusion were performed in 14 and 6 patients, respectively. The past medical history, operation time, estimated blood loss (EBL), duration of Halo vest immobilization, postoperative follow-up period, and intra- and perioperative complications were examined. RESULTS: The operation time was 257.9 ± 55.6 minutes, and the EBL was 101.6 ± 77.9 mL. Complications related to the operation occurred in 6 patients (30.0%). They included 1 major complication (5.0%): hydrocephalus at 3 months postoperatively, possibly related to an intraoperative dural tear. Other surgery-related complications included 3 cases of superficial infections, 1 case of bone graft donor site deep infection, 1 case of C2 pedicle fracture, 1 case of Halo ring dislocation, 1 case of pseudoarthrosis that required revision surgery, and 1 case of temporary neurological deficit after Halo removal at 2 months postoperatively. Complications unrelated to the operation included 2 cases of respiratory infections and 1 case of implant loosening due to a fall at 9 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The complication rate of upper cervical fusion in patients with Down syndrome remained high; however, major complications decreased substantially. Improved intra- and perioperative management facilitates successful surgical intervention for upper cervical instability in pediatric patients with Down syndrome.

Recent epidemiology of patients with gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NEN) in Japan: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The worldwide prevalence and incidence of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) have been increasing recently, although few studies have analyzed data on the current situation of NENs in Japan. Here, the Japan Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (JNETS) planned to investigate the recent incidence and distribution of these tumors using data from the national cancer registry started in 2016. This study examined the incidence and distribution of primary sites as well as rate of advanced disease from this population-based registry. METHODS: A retrospective, population-based study using data from the national cancer registry in Japan (NCR) was conducted to evaluate patients with gastro-entero-pancreatic NEN (GEP-NEN) in 2016. Associated population data were used to determine annual age-adjusted incidences. RESULTS: A total of 6735 individuals were diagnosed with GEP-NEN in Japan in 2016. Annual onset incidence was 0.70/100,000 for pancreatic NEN and 2.84/100,000 for gastrointestinal NEN. NEN in the ileum accounted for only 1% of total GEP-NENs in Japan. Most NENs in the esophagus or lungs were neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), while the majority of those in the duodenum, ileum, appendix and rectum were grade 1 neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Median age at initial diagnosis was in between 60 to 65. Tumors in the duodenum, appendix and rectum were mostly limited to local, while those in the esophagus, stomach and colon tended to show distant metastasis. In Japan, initial treatment for GEP-NENs was resection even if the tumor was NEC. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of a national registry-based incidence and distribution of GEP-NEN in Japan. These data will serve as an important first step to determining the exact etiology and trends for this pathology in Japan.

Primary pancreatic glomus tumor invading into the superior mesenteric vein: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Glomus tumors are subcutaneous tumors arising from glomus bodies, thermoregulatory components of the skin. These tumors could occur in visceral organs where glomus bodies are not normally present. Herein, we report a case of primary pancreatic glomus tumor with aggressive direct invasion into the superior mesenteric vein (SMV). To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case report of a glomus tumor arising in the pancreas. CASE PRESENTATION: A 46-year-old woman was referred to our hospital due to vomiting with epigastric and back pain. Dynamic-CT revealed a well-circumscribed hypervascular mass, measuring 37 mm in its maximal diameter involving the pancreatic head. Both CT and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) revealed direct invasion into the SMV and radiologically suspected tumor thrombus. Biopsy sample obtained by EUS-guided fine needle aspiration revealed proliferation of small cells, round-to-oval tumor cells with round nuclei and scant cytoplasm. A histological diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, G1 was initially considered. Therefore, subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy using Child-II reconstruction was subsequently performed. Her SMV was resected and reconstructed due to extensive tumor involvement. Subsequent histopathological analysis revealed solid tumor cells proliferation that comprised oval-shaped nuclei and scant cytoplasm around disorganized or slit-shaped vessels in hematoxylin-eosin-stained slides. Immunohistochemical analysis then demonstrated positive immunoreactivity for smooth muscle actin, vimentin, and CD34, but negative for chromogranin A, synaptophysin, CD56, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6. Based on these histological findings of resected specimens, the lesion was subsequently diagnosed as a primary pancreatic glomus tumor harboring direct invasion into the SMV. Her postoperative course was uneventful and annual surveys for the following 4 years post-op detected no clinical signs of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: We report a very rare case of glomus tumor of the pancreas accompanied by venous invasion. Curative surgical resection is the best treatment option for pancreatic glomus tumors. Although pancreatic glomus tumor is rare, it should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of a pancreatic solid tumor with hypervascularity.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma G3 may be heterogeneous and could be classified into two distinct groups.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PanNEC)-G3 often presents along with genetic abnormalities such as KRAS, RB1, and TP53 mutations. However, the association between these genetic findings and response to chemotherapy and prognosis has not been clarified. This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological features of PanNEC-G3. METHODS: We performed a subgroup analysis of the Japanese PanNEN-G3 study (multicenter, retrospective study), which revealed that Rb loss and KRAS mutation were predictors of the response to platinum-based regimen in PanNEN-G3. We re-classified WHO grades of PanNENs using the 2017 WHO classification and then analyzed the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors in 49 patients with PanNEC-G3. RESULTS: The rates of Rb loss and KRAS mutation in PanNEC-G3 were 54.5% and 48.7%, respectively. Patients with Rb loss and/or KRAS mutation showed a higher response rate to first-line platinum-based regimen than those without Rb loss or KRAS mutation (object response rate 70.0% vs 33.3%, odds ratio 9.22; 95% CI 1.26-67.3, P = 0.029), but tended to have shorter overall survival rates than those without Rb loss or KRAS mutation (median 239 vs 473 days, hazard ratio 2.11; 95% CI 0.92-4.86, P = 0.077). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PanNEC-G3 have varied clinical outcomes for platinum-based regimen. When grouped based on Rb loss and KRAS mutation, there seemed to be two groups with distinct prognoses and responses to the platinum-based regimen. PanNEC-G3 could, therefore, be classified into two distinct groups based on immunohistochemical and genetic findings.

Optimal strategy of systemic treatment for unresectable pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors based upon opinion of Japanese experts.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A number of therapeutic agents have been reported to be clinically useful for the management of the patients with unresectable pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) including somatostatin analogues, molecular-targeted agents and cytotoxic agents. However, the optimal strategy for selection among those treatment modalities above in these patients has remained unexplored. METHODS: Japanese experts for PanNET discussed and determined the optimal treatment strategies according to the results of previously reported studies. RESULTS: The tumor volume of liver metastases and the Ki-67 labeling index were unanimously accepted as indicators of the tumor burden and tumor aggressiveness, respectively, which are two most clinically pivotal factors for determining the strategy of systemic treatment for unresectable PanNETs. In addition, for those with a relatively small tumor burden and slow disease progression, somatostatin analogues were selected as the first-line treatment agents. For those with a relatively large tumor burden and rapid tumor progression, cytotoxic agents were selected, possibly aiming at tumor shrinkage. For those of intermediate tumor volume and/or growth rate, molecular-targeted agents were selected as the first choice. Based on this strategy discussed among the experts, we tentatively prepared a MAP for proposing optimal treatment strategy and examined its validity in some patients with unresectable PanNETs. Results validated the usefulness of this MAP proposed for patients harbouring unresectable PanNETs. CONCLUSION: We herein propose a tentative MAP for optimal treatment selection for the patients harbouring unresectable PanNETs. Further large scale studies are, however, warranted to validate the usefulness of this MAP proposed in this study.

[A Case of Thymic Carcinoma of Postoperative Liver and Mediastinal Lymph Node Metastases Where Long-Term Survival Was Achieved through Multidisciplinary Treatment].

The patient was a 67-year-old man. At the age of 60, he underwent resection of thymic carcinoma with partial resection of the right upper lobe of the lung because of invasive thymic carcinoma. The pathological diagnosis was Masaoka stage Ⅲ squamous cell carcinoma. Follow-up examination 2 years after surgery showed metastases to the mediastinall ymph node and liver. After undergoing radiotherapy of 50 Gy to the mediastinal lymph node metastasis, partial hepatectomy was performed for metastatic liver cancer. Post-operation, he received 4 courses of combination therapy of carboplatin and paclitaxel. Five years post-hepatectomy, the patient developed liver metastasis again and underwent hepatectomy for local control. Postoperative recurrent cases of thymic carcinoma generally have poor prognosis. We describe a patient with thymic carcinoma of postoperative liver and mediastinal lymph node metastases who achieved long-term survival through multidisciplinary treatment.

[A Case Report of a Difficult to Diagnose, Extremely Well-Differentiated Stomach Adenocarcinoma Diagnosed by Biopsy].

A Japanese man in his 60s presented with complaints of epigastric pain and weight loss. A gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed multiple gastric ulcers and an irregular mound located on the wall of the lower gastric body along the greater curvature, which was suspected to be cancerous. A biopsy revealed that it was a Group 2 tumor even though the biopsy was repeated 4 times. He was referred to our hospital and 3 biopsies were performed. The final result classified the tumor as Group 4. The patient underwent surgery and the pathological examination revealed an extremely well-differentiated adenocarcinoma( EWDA). An EWDA is characterized by a well-formed mucinous gland with little or no nuclear atypia, which makes preoperative biopsy diagnosis difficult.

Everolimus for the treatment of advanced gastrointestinal or lung nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumors in East Asian patients: a subgroup analysis of the RADIANT-4 study.

BACKGROUND: In RADIANT-4, everolimus showed an improvement of 7.1 months in median progression-free survival (PFS) vs placebo among patients with advanced, well-differentiated, nonfunctional neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of gastrointestinal (GI) or lung origin. The present analysis focuses on the effect of everolimus on the East Asian-subgroup population of the RADIANT-4 study. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive everolimus 10 mg/day or matching placebo. The primary end point was PFS (central review). Secondary end points were overall response rate, safety, and tolerability. RESULTS: Among 302 patients enrolled in RADIANT-4, 46 were included in the East Asian subgroup (everolimus, n=28; placebo, n=18) analysis. Everolimus was associated with an 82% reduction in the relative risk of disease progression or death (HR 0.18, 95% CI 0.09-0.38). The median PFS (central review) in this subgroup was 11.2 months with everolimus vs 3.1 months with placebo. Adverse events (AEs) occurred in all 28 patients treated with everolimus and ten patients receiving placebo. The majority of these AEs were grade 1 or 2. Most commonly reported ($30% of incidence) drug-related AEs of any grade included stomatitis (75%, n=21) and rash (43%, n=12) in the everolimus arm. CONCLUSION: Everolimus demonstrated a clinically meaningful PFS benefit in the East Asian population. The safety findings were consistent with the known safety profile of everolimus. These results support the use of everolimus in the East Asian population with advanced, nonfunctional NETs of GI or lung origin.

Surgery for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor G3 and Carcinoma G3 Should be Considered Separately.

BACKGROUND: The role of surgery in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm grade 3 (pNEN-G3) treatment remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the role of surgery for pNEN-G3, which has recently been reclassified as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor-G3 (pNET-G3) and pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma-G3 (pNEC-G3), with and without metastases, respectively. METHODS: We analyzed a subgroup of patients from the Japanese pancreatic NEC study, a Japanese multicenter case-series study of pNEN-G3. Pathologists subclassified 67 patients as having pNET-G3 or pNEC-G3 based on morphological features. We compared the overall survival (OS) rates among patients who were grouped according to whether they had undergone tumor-targeted surgery for tumors without (SwoM) or with (SwM) metastases, or non-surgical procedures (NS). RESULTS: Data from 21 patients with pNET-G3 (SwoM, n = 6; SwM, n = 5; NS, n = 10) and 46 patients with pNEC-G3 (SwoM, n = 8; SwM, n = 5; NS, n = 33) were analyzed. OS of patients with pNET-G3 was significantly longer after SwoM and SwM than with NS (p = 0.018 and p = 0.022). In contrast, OS did not significantly differ between either SwoM or SwM and NS (p = 0.093 and p = 0.489) among patients with pNEC-G3. CONCLUSION: The role of surgery should be considered separately for pNET-G3 and pNEC-G3. Although SwoM and SwM can be considered for pNET-G3, caution is advised before considering SwM and SwoM for pNEC-G3.

Multi-center clinical evaluation of streptozocin-based chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in Japan: focus on weekly regimens and monotherapy.

PURPOSE: Streptozocin (STZ) is a key agent for treating advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET). Most STZ regimens for pNET are daily and also include 5-fluorouracil (5FU), whereas STZ monotherapy and weekly regimens have also been applied in daily practice in Japan. The present study aimed to evaluate responses to weekly regimens and to STZ monotherapy, and to identify a predictive marker of a response to STZ. METHODS: Clinical data regarding STZ-based chemotherapy for pNET were collected between 2015 and 2017 at 25 facilities. We analyzed the effects, safety, progression-free survival (PFS), and factors that correlate with responses to STZ. RESULTS: The overall objective response rate (ORR) of 110 patients who underwent STZ-based chemotherapy (monotherapy, 81.8%; weekly regimen 46.4%) was 21.8%, and PFS was 9.8 months. The ORR of weekly vs. daily regimens was 21.6 vs. 22.0% (P = 1.000), and that of monotherapy vs. combination therapy was 21.1 vs. 25.0% (P = 0.766). A Ki67 proliferation index (Ki67) of > 5% was a predictive marker of a response to STZ (P = 0.017), whereas regimen type, mono- or combination therapy, treatment line and liver tumor burden were not associated with responses. The frequencies of Grade ≥ 3 nausea and hematological adverse events were significantly lower for monotherapy than combination therapy (P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: The effects of weekly STZ monotherapy on pNET are comparable to those previously reported and the toxicity profile was acceptable. Ki67 > 5% was the sole predictive marker of an objective response.

[Two-Stage Radical Resection of a Case of Colon Cancer with Abdominal Wall Invasion and Cholangiocarcinoma].

A woman in her 50s was admitted to our hospital with fever and lower abdominal swelling. Abdominal CT/MRI examinations revealed irregular thickening of the transverse colon wall, which was attached to a subcutaneous abscess. An abdominal wall mass, a patent urachus, and a tumor in the 5th segment of the liver were also noted. Colonoscopy revealed type 2 advanced transverse colon cancer. The solitary, sessile tumor was observed at the apex of the bladder under cystoscopy, suggesting the formation of the urachal carcinoma. Transcutaneous liver biopsy obtained from the liver tumor indicated adenocarcinoma, which was morphologically different from the existing transverse colon cancer. Right hemicolectomy with resection of the umbilicus, abdominal wall, urachus, and part of the bladder wall was performed. Diagnosis of the transverse colon cancer invading the abdominal wall and bladder was confirmed by histopathological examination. Hepatectomy was performed in the next surgery, and the tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Both the transverse colon cancer and the intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were radically resected. Radical surgical diagnostic resection may be valuable in cases of multicentric cancers of unknown primary origin, if radical resection of each individual tumor is required.

[A Case of Esophageal Carcinoma with Large Intramural Metastasis to the Stomach].

We report a rare case of esophageal carcinoma with gastric wall metastasis. A 73-year-old man with dysphagia underwent endoscopy and upper GI series and chest-abdominal computed tomography, revealing esophageal carcinoma and gastric cancer, which was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma by biopsy. The esophageal carcinoma was located in the lower thoracic esophagus(Lt). Total gastrectomy was performed. The resected specimen showed a type 3 tumor measuring 7×7 cm in the anterior wall of the stomach. Pathologically, the depth of invasion of the stomach was SE. He died 3 months after the operation. Esophageal carcinoma with gastric intramural metastasis is very rare and has a dismal prognosis. We report a rare case of esophageal carcinoma with large intramural metastasis to the stomach.