Smoking cessation contributes to weight gain in patients with hepatobiliopancreatic malignancy.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The relationship between smoking cessation and weight gain is well recognized. However, there is no data currently available on the effect of smoking cessation on weight gain in patients with malignancy. The aim of this study was to clarify the body weight (BW) change after smoking cessation in patients with malignancy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 159 subjects who underwent hepatobiliopancreatic surgery. The smoking status was determined using questionnaires administered at the initial presentation, and the candidates were divided into two groups: recent quitters and nonsmokers. The change in the BW was compared between these two groups. RESULTS: There were 134 subjects with malignant disease (84.3%), with a median age of 68 (range: 26-84) years. In the nonsmoker group, 28 of 116 subjects (24.1%) gained weight between the initial presentation and admission. In the recent quitter group, 12 of 18 subjects (66.7%) gained weight in the same period (P < 0.01). Regarding the change in the BW from the initial presentation, recent quitters gained more weight than nonsmokers (+1.7 kg [+2.7%] vs. -1.0 kg [-2.0%], P < 0.01). Furthermore, the improvement from the initial presentation was seen in a higher percentage of recent quitters than nonsmokers with respect to Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (61.1% vs. 36.2%, P = 0.04) and the controlling nutritional status score (38.9% vs. 19.3%, P = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Weight gain due to smoking cessation was observed even in patients with hepatobiliopancreatic malignancy.

[A Case of Remnant Pancreatic Cancer after Conversion Surgery for Advanced Distal Bile Duct Cancer Treated with Chemotherapy].

The patient was an 82-year-old man who received a total of 25 courses of GEM/CDDP therapy for unresectable distal bile duct cancer with multiple liver metastases. After the chemotherapy, no liver metastasis was detected on computed tomography. Then, he underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy(ⅡA-1, D2)as a conversion surgery(T2N0M0, fStageⅠB)at 2 years and 11 months after the initial diagnosis. Postoperatively, the patient received GEM therapy for 2 years and had no recurrence. Three years and 10 months after the surgery, computed tomography revealed a tumorous lesion with a poor contrasting effect on the remaining pancreas and a positive accumulation of SUVmax 8.6 was detected at the same site through the FDG-PET examination. We diagnosed the lesion as residual pancreatic cancer and performed remnant total pancreatectomy and splenectomy. The histopathological findings showed tumors arising from the residual pancreatic epithelium; therefore, we diagnosed his lesion as residual pancreatic cancer(T3N1aM0, fStage ⅡB). After the second surgery, he is being treated with adjuvant therapy with S-1 and is alive without recurrence. In this case, long-term survival was possible for 7 years and 4 months from the initial diagnosis of unresectable distal bile duct cancer. Metachronous double cancer of unresectable bile duct and pancreatic cancer is presumed to have a poor prognosis. However, long-term survival is suggested to be possible if multidisciplinary therapies are successful.

[A Case of Laparoscopic Resection for Locally Advanced Primary Rectal Cancer after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy].

We treateda 70-year-oldfemale patient with locally advancedrectal cancer accompaniedby metastases to other organs. Three courses of S-1 plus oxaliplatin(SOX)therapy were administered as neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC), andthe cancer was subsequently treatedwith laparoscopic rectal resection. She hadvisiteda physician with a chief complaint of melena. A type 2 tumor located in the rectum Rb was found during the lower gastrointestinal endoscopy, which was diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma by biopsy. Vaginal invasion andlymph node metastasis were observedon CT andMRI. After 3 courses of SOX therapy(NAC), her condition was categorized as SD. Laparoscopic rectal amputation(D3)combinedwith resection of the ovary, uterus, and vagina was performed. On histopathological examination, the tumor was an adenocarcinoma, muc> tub2, ypT4b(AI, vaginal wall), int, INF b, ly1, v2, EX(-), PN1a, grade 1, pPM0, pDM0, pRM0 and pStage Ⅲa. The histological analysis demonstrated that the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy was grade 1a. Laparoscopic surgery, which is a relatively safe procedure, may be useful after NAC for an R0 resection.

[A Case of Long-Term Survival of a Patient with Cholangiocarcinoma and Liver Metastatic Recurrence Who Responded to Gemcitabine plus Cisplatin Therapy].

A 65-year-old woman was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma and underwent hepato-pancreatoduodenectomy. The pathological diagnosis was Bpd, circ, papillary-infiltrating type, 51×47×7mm, tub2>tub1>por1, T2, ly1, v1, ne1, pN0, pDM0, pHM0, pEM0, pPV0, pA0, R0, pStageⅠ. She received adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1, which was changed to gemcitabine plus cisplatin therapy(GC therapy)when hepatic recurrence and lymph node metastasis were identified 3 months postoperatively. The hepatic recurrence disappeared, and the lymph node metastasis was reduced after the patient completed 27 courses of GC therapy. We discontinued GC therapy as no recurrence had been observed for a long time. The patient remains well without any evidence of cancer recurrence for more than 48 months postoperatively.

[A Case of Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma in a Young Woman without Recurrence after Systemic Chemotherapy Using S-1].

A 26-year-old woman underwent laparoscopic-assisted distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy for a tumor in the tail of the pancreas. Although the preoperative diagnosis was a solid pseudopapillary tumor, pathological tissue examination revealed that the tumor was a pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma. She was treated with S-1 chemotherapy for 6 months without severe side effects, and no recurrence was detected on several imaging inspections. Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas is a rare tumor in young patients, and there are few reports of treatment with postoperative chemotherapy.

[A Case of Disseminated Peritoneal Leiomyomatosis with Several Recurrences].

A 60's woman had undergone abdominal total hysterectomy due to uterine leiomyoma 17 years previously. She underwent resection of multiple intra-abdominal tumors 9 years previously, and was diagnosed with disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis. Because of several recurrences, she was referred to our hospital and treated with GnRH agonist therapy. However, the tumors enlarged gradually and she underwent further resection for multiple intra-abdominal tumors. After surgery, we performed several operations. This is an extremely rare disease and we present this case with a discussion of the literature.

[A Case of Long-Term Survival after Surgeries for Gastric Cancer and Metachronous Ovarian Metastasis].

The patient was a 57-year-old woman. In October 2011, she underwent distal gastrectomy, D2 lymphadenectomy, and Roux-en-Y reconstruction for gastric cancer (pT4a, pN3b, Stage ⅢC [JCGC 14th Edition]). She then received S-1 plus CDDP combination therapy and S-1 monotherapy as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapies for 1 year, and was followed up as an outpatient. In April 2013, a significant increase in the CA19-9 level was noted, and CT indicated a right ovarian tumor. Ovarian metastasis from the gastric cancer was diagnosed, and the response to 3 courses of weekly PTX was stable disease. No findings indicated metastasis to other organs. In July 2013, a salpingo-oophorectomy was performed, after which her CA19-9 level returned to the normal range. Follow-up was adopted as the postoperative strategy in part due to the desires of the patient. Presently, 3 years and 6 months after the initial surgery and 1 year and 9 months after the last surgery, no recurrence has been detected. Generally, ovarian metastasis from gastric cancer is considered to be associated with a poor prognosis. However, our patient showed long-term survival after surgeries for gastric cancer and asynchronous ovarian metastasis. Here, we report the details of our case and review the relevant literature.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct and its malignant potential.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) was originally described as a distinctive type of invasive carcinoma in the breast, but it has not been recognized as a histological type of the extrahepatic bile duct cancer. The present study demonstrated clinicopathological features and patient prognosis of IMPC. We examined histological reviews of 93 consecutive cases of the extrahepatic bile duct cancer and identified 13 cases which included IMPC component. The component of IMPC ranged from 5 to 60% of the primary tumor tissue, which was mainly detected at the invasive front of the tumor. Of the 13 cases, 12 (92.3%) carcinomas with IMPC showed lymph node metastasis more frequently compared to conventional adenocarcinoma (39.2%, P<0.001). Presence of IMPC component was significantly associated with poor overall survival (P=0.003). In conclusion, extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma with IMPC component showed significant lymphatic invasion, lymph node metastasis, and resulted in poor prognosis.

[A case of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer].

A man in his 60s was diagnosed with esophageal cancer (T3, N0, StageII) and treated with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin as neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). On day 18 of the second NAC course, the patient developed febrile neutropenia, and a computed tomography (CT) scan showed pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) of the ascending and transverse colon, free air around the ascending colon, thickening of the gallbladder wall, pleural effusion, and ascites. Because there were no signs of peritoneal irritation and intestinal perforation was ruled out, conservative treatment was selected. Seven days after PCI was diagnosed, CT showed improvement in PCI and the free air had disappeared, and 26 days after the diagnosis, a subtotal esophagectomy was performed. Observation of the abdomen did not show a thickened wall or stenosis of the ascending or transverse colon. PCI could be treated conservatively, even with free air in the abdominal cavity, by comprehensively assessing not only the imaging but also the physical findings. We were able to perform radical resection of the esophageal cancer without excessive treatment for PCI.

[A case of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma without deletion of p16].

The patient was a man in his 60s with a history of 2 operations for the treatment of malignant neurogenic tumors. Partial resection of the stomach and liver was performed in December 2006, followed by chemotherapy with adriamycin and interferon; resection of a recurrent tumor in the left subphrenic space was performed in December 2007. In June 2011, recurrent tumors were detected in the lesser curvature of the stomach body and left inferior quadrant of the abdomen (12 mm [SUVmax 7.9] and 23 mm [SUVmax 10.5], respectively)by using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). The tumors resected in August 2011 were diagnosed as malignant peritoneal mesothelioma on immunohistochemical analysis. In February 2013, FDG-PETrevealed a 20-mm tumor of in the mesentery with a SUVmax of 7.6, and the tumor was resected. This secondary tumor had the same features of the previously resected malignant mesothelioma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed no deletion of the p16 gene, and the patient had had no other recurrence during follow-up. Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare disease, accounting for 10% of all malignant mesothelioma cases, with low rates of p16 gene deletion compared with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Previous studies have reported that the lack of p16 deletion is associated with better prognosis in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Herein, we report of a patient diagnosed with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, without deletion of the p16 gene, who survived for over 2 years and 10 months after initial diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) overexpression is correlated with malignant potentials of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas exhibit a wide range of histopathological variation. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is a 40 kDa type I membrane protein that is known to be highly expressed in epithelial carcinomas. In this study, we examined immunohistochemical expression of EpCAM in the pancreatic IPMNs in order to clarify its clinicopathological significance. We analyzed 51 cases of surgically resected IPMNs: 32 cases of adenoma; 6 cases of non-invasive carcinoma; 8 cases of minimally invasive carcinoma; and 5 cases of invasive carcinoma. Additionally, these 51 cases were classified into four phenotypes (gastric, intestinal, pancreatobiliary and oncocytic). EpCAM overexpression was found in 16 (31.4%) of the tumor samples. We found five predictive factors of malignancy using the univariate analysis as follows; serum CA19-9 level, main pancreatic duct diameter, presence of mural nodule, phenotype and EpCAM overexpression. In the multivariate analysis, only EpCAM overexpression was identified to be independently associated as a predictive factor for malignancy (odds ratio, 11.039; 95% confidence interval, 1.877-64.919; P-value, 0.008). Our study is the first report to demonstrate that EpCAM overexpression is an independent factor for malignancy; therefore, EpCAM overexpression is thought to be a novel predictor of malignant IPMNs.

[Retrospective analysis concerning AFP-producing gastric cancer].

The α-fetoprotein(AFP)-producing gastric cancer is a group of gastric cancers with poor prognosis because of its rapid growth and aggressive metastatic character. We examined AFP-producing gastric cancer in our department from 2008 to 2010. Of 12 patients studied, the median of the AFP level was 16, 038(96. 1-167, 360)ng/mL. All patients had liver metastasis. Four patients were ECOG performance status(PS)3, and were unable to receive chemotherapy. Eight patients received chemotherapy. Two cases who received cisplatin+paclitaxel(CDDP+PTX)therapy showed partial response(PR). Median survival time was 5. 6 months. Compared to AFP non-producing gastric cancer, this disease is definitely considered to have a poorer prognosis. The clinical effect and survival time seemed to have a relative correlation. PR and SD groups tend to have longer survival. Those with a decline of serum LDH levels at the first three weeks after chemotherapy have a strong tendency to be PR and SD(p=0. 11). Changing the serum LDH level may enable us to estimate the clinical effect while still in the early stages of chemotherapy.

[Study of unresectable pancreatic cancer - successful resections after gemcitabine-based chemotherapy].

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma( PDAC) is an extremely malignant tumor and carries a poor prognosis. Therefore, PDAC should be treated with multiple modalities. Chemotherapy has proven effective in some cases of unresectable (UR) PDAC, and there are published reports of cases in which curative surgery could be performed after chemotherapy. We examined the cases from January 2010 through November 2012 in which initially UR PDAC could be treated surgically after chemotherapy. Whether or not each cancer was resectable was evaluated according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. We performed surgery in 7 of the 25 patients initially diagnosed as UR during this period. The cancer proved inoperable in 2 of these 7 patients: 1 patient with peritoneal dissemination and 1 with locally advanced tumor. Some reports have suggested that resection after chemotherapy for UR pancreatic cancer improved the prognosis in patients relative to those in whom surgery was not attempted. From our experience, we believe that it very important for patients undergoing chemotherapy for UR pancreatic cancer to consider surgical treatment.

[Two cases of afferent loop obstruction associated with peritoneal dissemination after total gastrectomy].

We report 2 cases of afferent loop obstruction associated with peritoneal dissemination after total gastrectomy. Case 1: A 57-year-old man, who underwent total gastrectomy with Roux-en Y reconstruction for gastric cancer 5 years earlier, experienced lumbago. Computed tomography scans showed a fluid-filled dilated afferent loop. Bypass surgery was performed after inserting a drainage tube into the afferent loop. Case 2: A 61-year-old woman, who underwent total gastrectomy with Roux-en Y reconstruction for a gastric cancer 2 years earlier, experienced abdominal pain. CT and magnetic resonance imaging scans showed a fluid-filled dilated afferent loop and mass lesion near the Y anastomosis. After percutaneous transhepatic duodenal drainage, a duodenal stent was inserted. Here, we describe 2 cases of afferent loop obstruction, improved surgery, and non-surgical therapy.