M2-like tumor-associated macrophages promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition through the transforming growth factor ß/Smad/zinc finger e-box binding homeobox pathway with increased metastatic potential and tumor cell proliferation in lung squamous cell carcinoma.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) promotes primary tumor progression toward a metastatic state. The role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in inducing EMT in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the significance of TAMs in relation to EMT in LUSC. We collected 221 LUSC specimens from patients who had undergone surgery. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate M1-like and M2-like TAM distribution and EMT by E-cadherin and vimentin staining. Human LUSC cell lines (H226 and EBC-1) and a human monocyte cell line (THP-1) were used for in vitro experiments. M2-like polarization of TAMs and EMT marker expression in LUSC cells were evaluated by western blotting. The biological behavior of LUSC cells was evaluated by migration, invasion, and cell proliferation assays. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that 166 (75.1%) tumors were E-cadherin-positive and 44 (19.9%) were vimentin-positive. M2-like TAM density in the tumor stroma was significantly associated with vimentin positivity and worse overall survival. Western blotting demonstrated higher levels of CD163, CD206, vascular endothelial growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) in TAMs versus unstimulated macrophages. Furthermore, increased TGF-ß1 secretion from TAMs was confirmed by ELISA. TAM-co-cultured H226 and EBC-1 cells exhibited EMT (decreased E-cadherin, increased vimentin). Regarding EMT-activating transcriptional factors, phosphorylated Smad3 and ZEB-family proteins were higher in TAM-co-cultured LUSC cells than in parental cells. TAM-co-cultured H226 and EBC-1 cells demonstrated enhanced migration and invasion capabilities and improved proliferation. Overall, the present study suggests that TAMs can induce EMT with increased metastatic potential and tumor cell proliferation in LUSC.

Post-COVID-19 interstitial lung disease presenting with profound hypoxemia: Report of three cases demonstrating a good response to high-dose corticosteroid therapy.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which leads to critical pneumonia, although the clinical courses vary. In some cases, COVID-19 pneumonia causes secondary pulmonary fibrosis, which can retain radiological changes and prolong respiratory symptoms. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to COVID-19 is thought to be caused by multiple pathologies, such as excessive cytokines and abnormal repair processes elaborated by lung cells (epithelium, mesenchyme, and alveolar macrophages) after lung injury rather than viral invasion itself. Immunosuppression therapy may improve chronic respiratory symptoms and radiological changes in post-COVID-19 ILD, although the treatment is not yet established. Herein, we report three patients with post-COVID-19 ILD who presented with profound hypoxemia that had a good response to high-dose corticosteroid therapy. Further and larger studies are needed to establish post-COVID-19 ILD.

Risk factor analysis for adverse events and stent dysfunction of endoscopic ultrasound-guided choledochoduodenostomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although the technique of endoscopic ultrasound-guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) is becoming standardized, its safety issues have not been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, we aimed to identify factors associated with adverse events and stent patency in EUS-CDS. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent EUS-CDS between September 2003 and July 2017 were included. Technical/clinical success, adverse events and stent dysfunctions were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 151 patients underwent EUS-CDS. In nine patients, procedures were discontinued before puncture. Technical and clinical success rates were 96.5% (137/142) and 98.5% (135/137), respectively. The adverse event rate was 20.4% (29/142). As a risk factor for peritonitis, plastic stents (PS) showed a significantly high odds ratio (OR) compared with covered self-expandable metal stents (CSEMS; OR, 4.31; P = 0.030). CSEMS cases showed a significantly longer patency period than PS cases (329 vs 89 days; HR, 0.35; P < 0.001). As a risk factor for early stent dysfunction (within 14 days), stent direction to the oral side showed a significantly high OR (OR, 43.47; P < 0.001). In cases with oblique-viewing EUS, double penetration of the duodenum occurred at significantly higher frequency than in cases with forward-viewing EUS (7.0 vs 0.0%; P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Plastic stents and stent direction to the oral side were risk factors for peritonitis and early stent dysfunction, respectively. Using covered self-expandable metal stents and changing stent direction to the anal side seemed appropriate to prevent peritonitis and early stent dysfunction.

Usefulness of septal thickness measurement on endoscopic ultrasound as a predictor of malignancy of branched-duct and mixed-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Septal thickness (ST) can predict a malignant branch-duct (BD) and mixed-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas, but its cut-off value has not been established. The aim of the present study was to determine the optimal ST cut-off value to predict malignancy using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). METHODS: We retrospectively identified 200 patients with IPMN, including 132 with BD- and mixed-IPMN, who underwent surgical resection between 1989 and 2017. ST was defined as the septum or lesion wall with the maximum diameter in BD- and mixed-IPMN. The possibility of ST as a malignant predictor was examined, as well as the diagnostic ability of ST combined with mural nodule (MN) height for malignant IPMN. RESULTS: Among the 132 IPMN patients, pathological diagnosis was benign in 81 (61.4%) and malignant in 51 (38.6%). Area under the curve for the diagnosis of malignancy using ST was 0.74 for pathological specimens, 0.70 for EUS and 0.56 for computed tomography. Multivariate analysis showed that the odds ratios for ST ≥2.5 mm and MN height ≥5 mm were 3.51 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.55-7.97, P = 0.003] and 3.36 (95% CI, 1.52-7.45, P = 0.003), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Septal thickness was an independent predictive factor similar to MN height for malignant IPMN in a multivariate analysis. The ST on EUS appeared to be the thickness of a fibrotic septum associated with the malignant transformation of IPMN. An ST cut-off value of 2.5 mm might provide an accurate prediction of malignant IPMN.

Treatment of biliary strictures with fully covered self-expandable metal stents after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background and study aims Anastomotic stricture is a late complication after biliary reconstructive surgery, but standard treatments are currently lacking. We selected patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy and Child's procedure, and aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of temporary placement of fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMSs) to treat postoperative anastomotic stricture. Patients and methods This study retrospectively analyzed 13 patients who underwent treatment with FCSEMSs for anastomotic stricture between June 2011 and March 2016. We evaluated technical and clinical success, complications, duration of patency after FCSEMS removal, and re-stenosis. Results All of the anastomotic strictures were improved by FCSEMS placement and luminal patency was maintained throughout the follow-up period, with no complications. After 2 months, the FCSEMSs were removed endoscopically in nine patients, and in four patients the stent had been expelled spontaneously per rectum. Median duration of follow-up was 225 days (range 30 - 935 days). No re-stenosis occurred in any of the 13 cases following stent removal. Conclusion Deployment of FCSEMSs for anastomotic stricture offers a safe and promising treatment that may replace percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and deployment of multiple plastic stents as the first-line treatment.

A case of API2-MALT1-positive gastric MALT lymphoma with concomitant diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

API2-MALT1 translocation-positive gastric marginal zone lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is thought to transform to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) rarely. A 69-year-old man presented with epigastralgia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed multiple ulcerations in the stomach. Endoscopic biopsies revealed MALT lymphoma, with Helicobacter pylori infection. The patient underwent eradication therapy with no improvement, and was thereafter followed without additional therapy at his request. Twelve years after initial diagnosis, follow-up computed tomography (CT) showed multiple nodules in bilateral lungs, and a needle biopsy revealed MALT lymphoma, the same as in the stomach and API2-MALT1 translocation was found. Because he again refused additional therapy, follow-up was continued. 15 years after initial diagnosis, CT showed lymphadenopathy at the splenic hilum. At first we suspected disease progression of gastric MALT lymphoma, however a needle biopsy revealed DLBCL without API2-MALT1. Thus, the tumor at the splenic hilum was finally diagnosed as a de novo DLBCL as a second malignancy. Although treatment with rituximab given his age and his wishes was attempted, he died of DLBCL 15 years after the initial diagnosis. We experienced an API2-MALT1-positive gastric MALT lymphoma with concomitant DLBCL, not transformed to DLBCL over a 15-year clinical course.

Feasibility of the unilateral-flange stent for the treatment of benign pancreatic duct stricture: a pilot study.

Endoscopic placement of the plastic stent has been adopted as an initial treatment for chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic duct stricture. Stent fracture while attempting removal is one of the complications of stent exchange. The use of the unilateral-flange stent in these patients has never been reported. We investigated the outcomes associated with the use of this stent with regard to stent exchange and stent-related adverse events. From 2011 to 2015, 9 patients with chronic pancreatitis and main pancreatic duct (MPD) stricture treated with the unilateral-flange stent were included. Eleven endoscopic treatment sessions, 53 endoscopic stent deployments or exchange procedures were analyzed. Technical success rate was 100%. Forty-eight stents were exchanged on a regular basis in 1 to 6-month intervals. Another 5 stent exchange procedures were urgently performed due to stent obstruction and caused pancreatitis (n=2), symptomatic external stent migration (n=2), and concurrent cholangitis (n=1). The rate of symptomatic migration was 3.7%. The mean duration for stent exchange was 29 minutes and no stent fracture occurred during the procedure. Of 11 endoscopic treatment sessions, 7 were successful, 3 were changed to the metallic stents, and 1 was lost to follow-up. According to this study, unilateral-flange stent placement for benign MPD stricture is technically feasible and effective. Stent removal during the exchange period is unchallenging and without stent fracture.

Prognostic impact of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) on patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is one of the most widely used tumor markers, and its level is increased in 30-60% of patients with pancreatic cancer (PC). However, little is known about the implications of CEA as a prognostic marker in metastatic PC. The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of CEA levels as a prognostic marker in patients with metastatic PC. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from a computerized database. A total of 433 patients with metastatic disease were analyzed. RESULTS: Median overall survival (OS) was significantly shorter for patients with high CEA (>5 ng/ml) than with normal CEA (≤5 ng/ml) (6.8 vs. 10.3 months, respectively; p < 0.001). After adjustment, CEA level was an independent predictive factor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-2.26). In the high CEA group, OS in patients treated with combination chemotherapy was similar to that with single-agent chemotherapy (median, 7.1 vs. 6.8 months; HR for OS, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.71-1.40). CONCLUSIONS: The present results show that CEA level is an independent prognostic factor in patients with metastatic PC. A combination chemotherapy regimen may offer modest survival benefit in patients with high CEA.

Ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric block did not reduce emergence delirium after ambulatory pediatric inguinal hernia repair: a prospective randomized double-blind study.

PURPOSE: Emergence delirium (ED) is a common postoperative complication of ambulatory pediatric surgery done under general anesthesia with sevoflurane. However, perioperative analgesic techniques have been shown to reduce sevoflurane-induced ED. The primary objective of this investigation was to examine whether an ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (II/IH) nerve block for ambulatory pediatric inguinal hernia repair could reduce the incidence of sevoflurane-induced ED. METHODS: The subjects of this prospective randomized double-blind study were 40 boys ranging in age from 1 to 6 years, who were scheduled to undergo ambulatory inguinal hernia repair. The patients were randomized to either receive or not to receive an ultrasound-guided II/IH nerve block (Group B and Group NB, respectively). General anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and nitrous oxide. The primary outcome assessed was ED, evaluated using the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale 30 min after emergence from general anesthesia. The secondary outcomes assessed were postoperative pain, evaluated using the Behavioral Observational Pain Scale (BOPS), and the amount of intra-operative sevoflurane given. RESULTS: The median PAED scale scores did not differ between Groups B and NB at 30 min (P = 0.41). BOPS scores also did not differ significantly between the groups, but the mean amount of intraoperative sevoflurane given was significantly lower in Group B than in Group NB (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided II/IH nerve block for ambulatory pediatric inguinal hernia repair did not reduce ED, but it did decrease the amount of intra-operative sevoflurane needed. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000008586.

Intestinal neuronal dysplasia-like histopathology in infancy.

The present patient was delivered at a gestational age of 27 weeks. She had abdominal bloating with symptoms of respiratory distress. We suspected Hirschsprung disease (HD) or small intestinal stricture, but examinations were not definitive. Exploratory laparotomy was performed at 97 days of age. Intraoperative findings showed no evidence of small intestinal stricture or changes in intestinal caliber. A transanal drainage tube was inserted, and decompression therapy and intestinal lavage were started. Rectal mucosal biopsy was performed at 184 days of age, and HE and acetylcholinesterase staining showed intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND)-like pathological findings. At 15 months, giant ganglia were no longer present on follow-up rectal mucosal biopsy, and the pathological diagnosis was normoganglionosis. It should be recognized that while the enteric nervous system is developing, IND-like pathological findings may be seen as a pathological condition during the maturation process.

Near-infrared fluorescence cholangiography with indocyanine green for biliary atresia. Real-time imaging during the Kasai procedure: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatoportoenterostomy (HPE) with the Kasai procedure is the treatment of choice for biliary atresia (BA) as the initial surgery. However, the appropriate level of dissection level of the fibrous cone (FC) of the porta hepatis (PH) is frequently unclear, and the procedure sometimes results in unsuccessful outcomes. Recently, indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence imaging (ICG-FCG) has been developed as a form of real-time cholangiography. METHODS: We applied this technique in five patients with BA to visualize the biliary flow at the PH intraoperatively. ICG was injected intravenously the day before surgery as the liver function test, and the liver was observed with a near-infrared camera system during the operation while the patient's feces was also observed. RESULTS: In all patients, the whole liver fluoresced diffusely with ICG-containing stagnant bile, whereas no extrahepatic structures fluoresced. The findings of the ICG fluorescence pattern of the PH after dissection of the FC were classified into three types: spotty fluorescence, one patient; diffuse weak fluorescence, three patients; and diffuse strong fluorescence, one patient. In all five patients, the feces evacuated after HPE showed distinct fluorescent spots, although that obtained before surgery showed no fluorescence. One patient with diffuse strong fluorescence who did not achieve JF underwent living related liver transplantation six months after the initial HPE procedure. Four patients, including three cases involving diffuse weak fluorescence and one case involving spotty fluorescence showed weak fluorescence compared to that of the surrounding liver surface. CONCLUSION: We were able to detect the presence of bile excretion at the time of HPE intraoperatively and successfully evaluated the extent of bile excretion using this new technique. Furthermore, the ICG-FCG findings may provide information leading to a new classification and potentially function as an indicator predicting the clinical outcomes after HPE.

Protective effects of acetaminophen on ibuprofen-induced gastric mucosal damage in rats with associated suppression of matrix metalloproteinase.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to cause gastric mucosal damage as a side effect. Acetaminophen, widely used as an analgesic and antipyretic drug, has gastroprotective effects against gastric lesions induced by absolute ethanol and certain NSAIDs. However, the mechanisms that underlie the gastroprotective effects of acetaminophen have not yet been clarified. In the present study, we examined the role and protective mechanism of acetaminophen on ibuprofen-induced gastric damage in rats. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen were administered orally, and the gastric mucosa was macroscopically examined 4 hours later. Acetaminophen decreased ibuprofen-induced gastric damage in a dose-dependent manner. To investigate the mechanisms involved, transcriptome analyses of the ibuprofen-damaged gastric mucosa were performed in the presence and absence of acetaminophen. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) software revealed that acetaminophen suppressed the pathways related to cellular assembly and inflammation, whereas they were highly activated by ibuprofen. On the basis of gene classifications from the IPA Knowledge Base, we identified the following five genes that were related to gastric damage and showed significant changes in gene expression: interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), matrix metalloproteinase-10 (MMP-10), MMP-13, and FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene (FOS). Expression of these salient genes was confirmed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of MMP-13 was the most reactive to the treatments, showing strong induction by ibuprofen and suppression by acetaminophen. Moreover, MMP-13 inhibitors decreased ibuprofen-induced gastric damage. In conclusion, these results suggest that acetaminophen decreases ibuprofen-induced gastric mucosal damage and that the suppression of MMP-13 may play an important role in the gastroprotective effects of acetaminophen.

Usefulness of Helicobacter pylori eradication for precancerous lesions of the gastric remnant.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Secondary stomach cancer in lesions of the remnant stomach occurs relatively soon after distal gastrectomy using the Billroth I reconstruction procedure. Prophylactic eradication of Helicobacter pylori after endoscopic resection of early gastric cancer should be used to prevent the development of metachronous gastric carcinoma. However, the effect of H. pylori eradication on the gastric remnant has not been clearly determined. METHODS: Eight patients who were H. pylori-positive after distal gastrectomy for primary gastric cancer underwent eradication therapy and were followed by endoscopy for 9 years. Upper gastroenteroscopy series were done before and at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 years after eradication, and biopsy specimens were taken from the lesser and greater curvatures, respectively. Histological changes, including chronic inflammation, activity, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia, were evaluated using the updated Sydney system. RESULTS: Successful eradication was confirmed using the urea breath test in all eight patients. Chronic inflammation scores were improved after eradication at both the lesser (mean scores ± SD: before eradication, 2.9±0.5; 1 year after, 2.3±0.4; 3 years, 1.8±0.3; 5 years, 1.5±0.3; 7 years, 1.3±0.3; and 9 years, 1.0±0.3) and greater curvatures (before, 2.9±0.4; 1 year after, 1.9±0.3; 3 years, 1.4±0.4; 5 years, 1.3±0.3; 7 years, 1.1±0.2; and 9 years, 0.6±0.3). Atrophy scores improved more quickly after eradication than chronic inflammation scores at both the lesser (before, 2.4±0.5; 1 year after, 1.8±0.4; 3 years, 0.8±0.3; 5 years, 0.3±0.1; 7 years, 0.0; and 9 years, 0.0) and greater curvatures (before, 2.2±0.4; 1 year after, 1.3±0.3; 3 years, 0.5±0.3; 5 years, 0.0; 7 years, 0.0; and 9 years, 0.0). No secondary stomach cancers were found on endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Undergoing H. pylori eradication improved possible precancerous lesions of the gastric remnant among patients who had undergone distal gastrectomy. Prophylactic H. pylori eradication in the gastric remnant may be useful in preventing the development of metachronous gastric carcinoma.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor anagliptin facilitates restoration of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

OBJECTIVE. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic debilitating disease associated with severe damage to the intestinal mucosa. Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) is a potent and specific gastrointestinal growth factor. GLP-2 released from enteroendocrine cells is inactivated by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). The aim of this study was to examine whether the DPP-4 inhibitor anagliptin improves experimental murine colitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Male C57BL/6 mice aged 8 weeks were exposed to 1.5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water for 7 days to induce experimental colitis. Anagliptin (0.1% in diet) was administrated from 2 days before the beginning of DSS to 7 days after the end of DSS. Changes in body weight and disease activity index were evaluated daily. Histological colitis severity, cellular proliferation and gene expression were determined in colonic tissues. RESULTS. Treatment with anagliptin clearly improved body weight loss and disease activity index in the recovery phase. Histological score in the DSS + anagliptin group at day 14 was significantly lower than that in the DSS alone group. Treatment with anagliptin increased the Ki67-positive rate at days 10 and 14, and tended to increase insulin-like growth factor-1 mRNA expression in the DSS + anagliptin group. CONCLUSION. In this model of experimental colitis, the DPP-4 inhibitor anagliptin facilitated the restoration of mucosal damage, thereby resulting in the acceleration of healing. These findings suggest a new and novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of IBD.

Abdominal actinomycosis masquerading as an omental tumor in a 12-year-old female.

We herein report a case of abdominal actinomycosis in a 12-year-old girl in whom an omental primary tumor was suspected before surgery. The patient began to experience intermittent lower left abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans were inconclusive at this time, but 6 months later, CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations showed a 7-cm, tumor-like lesion in the left abdominal cavity; malignancy could not be ruled out. The tumor, which originated in the omentum and adhered strongly to the left abdominal wall, was resected along with approximately 90 % of the omentum, the peritoneum in contact with the mass, and the posterior layer of the rectus abdominal sheath, under suspicion of a malignant tumor. However, omental actinomycosis was the final pathological diagnosis. The patient's antibiotic treatment was changed to a penicillin-series oral antibiotic to prevent recurrence of the actinomycosis. The patient was discharged from our hospital 16 days after the first surgery, but she developed three episodes of ileus; the first two required surgery. The patient has had no further recurrences of actinomycosis or postoperative ileus 20 months after discharge.

Hepatic portal venous gas following colonoscopy in a patient with Crohn's disease.

Hepatic portal venous gas is a rare condition that occurs when intraluminal gas or gas produced by intestinal bacteria enters the portal venous circulation. It has recently been recognized as a rare complication of colon procedures by endoscopy or barium enema. Given the frequency of these procedures in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, hepatic portal venous gas may occur more frequently in these patients than previously reported. Here, we report a woman with Crohn's disease who developed hepatic portal venous gas following colonoscopy who was treated with conservative therapy.

Large Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Esophagus: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare tumor composed of myofibroblasts with inflammatory blood cell infiltration. It commonly occurs in the lungs and rarely in the esophagus. We herein report a valuable case of IMT originating in the esophagus. A 60-year-old Japanese woman with dysphagia had a large subepithelial lesion in the cervical esophagus, which was 15 cm in length. Surgical resection was performed to confirm the pathological diagnosis and improve the symptoms. The postoperative diagnosis was IMT composed of multiple nodules. There was no recurrence or metastasis within one year after surgery.

Intestinal cancers occurring in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The number of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and the number of cases of intestinal cancer associated with CD have both been increasing in Japan. However, the number of reported cases is lower than for ulcerative colitis-associated cancer. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical picture of CD-associated intestinal cancer in a consecutive series of patients with CD and to stress the importance of surveillance. METHODS: We enrolled 174 consecutive patients (130 men, 44 women, mean age 25 years) diagnosed with CD and investigated the development of intestinal cancer from October 1998 to July 2010. There were 104 cases of the ileocolitis type, 47 of ileitis, and 23 of colitis. RESULTS: Intestinal cancer developed in two male patients (1.5% of the total), whose respective ages at onset of CD were 41 and 19 years, and 55 and 37 years at onset of cancer. Both cases were of ileocolitis-type CD; one cancer developed in the rectum and the other in the small bowel, and both were accompanied by severe stricture. Histopathological results revealed well and moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal cancer developed in patients with ileocolitis-type CD of more than 10 years' duration. Our findings suggest that patients with chronic, widespread CD should be under cancer surveillance.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease following vaccination against human papilloma virus infection and Japanese encephalitis.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a benign and self-limited syndrome, characterized by regional lymphadenopathy and fever. Although the pathogenesis of KFD remains unclear, infectious agents, autoimmune causes, and physicochemical factors have been suggested as triggers. However, KFD following vaccination has never been reported. We present a 14-year-old girl who suffered from fever and cervical lymph node swelling following simultaneous administration of human papilloma virus vaccine and Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine. The patient was diagnosed with KFD based on the histopathologic findings of a lymph node biopsy, and her fever and swelling resolved with oral corticosteroid therapy. Although the exact pathogenesis of the development of KFD following immunization remains unknown, this should be added to the list of potential triggers or factors associated with the development of KFD.