[A Case of Liver Metastasis from a Primary Adenocarcinoma of the Appendix Presenting Five Months after the Initial Surgery].

A 70-year-old man with lower right quadrant abdominal discomfort was admitted to our hospital. Colonoscopy identified a villous tumor protruding into the cecal lumen from the appendiceal orifice. Abdominal computed tomography(CT)revealed a cecal tumor with a swollen appendix. An appendiceal cecal tumor with obliterative appendicitis was diagnosed, and we performed an appendicectomy with removal of part of the cecum. On pathological examination, well to moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with infiltration of the proper muscular layer was diagnosed. No additional treatment was given as the patient refused further surgery and chemotherapy. However, a metastatic tumor in S4/8 of the liver was seen on CT 5 months after the initial surgery. A resection of liver metastasis was performed after chemotherapy. We report herein a rare case of primary appendiceal adenocarcinoma reoccurring shortly after surgery.

[A Case of Recurrent Jejunal Stenosis after Total Gastrectomy Treated with Self-Expandable Metallic Stent].

Case is a 66-year-old male. He was inserted covered self expandable metallic stent(SEMS)for jejunal stenosis due to gastric cancer recurrence. Migration was occurred after 4 days from stent replacement. We had removed SEMS by endoscopy, and re-inserted non-covered SEMS. Two months later, stent stenosis was occurred by tumor ingrowth. We tried to insert another stent in the stenotic stent. The patient was able to maintain oral intake without complication for 3 months. SEMS placement would improve a quality of life for selected patients with recurrent jejunal stenosis.

[Three Cases of Unresectable, Advanced, and Recurrent Colorectal Cancer Associated with Gastrointestinal Obstruction That Were Treated with Small Intestine-Transverse Colon Bypass Surgery].

Herein, we report 3cases of unresectable, advanced, and recurrent colorectal cancer associated with gastrointestinal obstruction. The patients were treated with small intestine-transverse colon bypass surgery, which improved the quality of life (QOL)in all cases. Case 1 was an 80-year-old woman who presented with subileus due to ascending colon cancer. After surgery, her oral intake was reestablished, and she was discharged home. Case 2 was an 89-year-old woman whose ileus was caused by cecal cancer with multiple hepatic metastases. After surgery, the patient was discharged to a care facility. Case 3 was an 83-year-old man whose ileus was caused by a local recurrence and small intestine infiltration after surgery for rectosigmoid cancer. He underwent surgery after a colonic stent was inserted. His oral intake was re-established and he was discharged home. Small bowel-transverse colon bypass surgery can be used to manage various conditions rostral to the transverse colon. It is still possible to perform investigations in patients whose general condition is poorer than that of patients who undergo resection of the primary lesion. This avoids creating an artificial anus and allows continuation of oral intake, which are useful for improving QOL in terminal cases.

[Synchronous Double Cancer Involving Gastric Cancer Resembling a Submucosal Tumor with Stenosis in the Pylorus and Ascending Colon Cancer - A Case Report].

An 82-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a complaint of frequent vomiting. She was admitted for intensive examination and treatment. Abdominal computed tomography revealed that her stomach was severely expanded, and the wall of the ascending colon was thickened throughout its circumference. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy uncovered severe stenosis in the pylorus and an elevated lesion resembling a submucosal tumor on the posterior wall of the pylorus. Biopsies of the lesion revealed that it was of Group 1. On colonoscopy, type 2 cancer was found in the ascending colon throughout the circumference, and the biopsies revealed that it was of Group 5. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was repeated, and the same result was obtained. The possibility of malignancy could not be excluded; therefore, distal gastrectomy and right colectomy were performed. In terms of histopathology, both resected specimens displayed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma; however, immunohistochemical studies revealed differences in staining at the two sites. The case was diagnosed as synchronous double cancer involving gastric cancer resembling a submucosal tumor with stenosis in the pylorus and ascending colon cancer. Gastric cancer resembling a submucosal tumor is usually difficult to diagnose on biopsy. If the endoscopic findings reveal an elevated lesion resembling a submucosal tumor with stenosis, then the possibility of carcinoma should be considered, and the most suitable treatment should be selected.

[The case of a patient who experienced perforation related to sigmoid colon cancer, was bearing a hepatic metastasis, and who underwent radical resection for advanced colon cancer after a salvage operation for pan-peritonitis and chemotherapy].

Colorectal cancer associated perforation initially develops as pan-peritonitis but easily progresses to septic shock, which can be fatal. As such, it can be hard for patients to recover from this pathological condition. A 79-year-old man who was suffering from pan-peritonitis due to sigmoid colon cancer-associated perforation and also had a metastatic hepatic lesion was admitted to our hospital. He underwent an emergency operation in October 2012. Due to hemodynamic instability, peritoneal lavage and drainage, and stomal formation were performed during the operation. Polymyxin-B direct hemoperfusion (PMXDHP) and continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) were performed for septic shock and acute renal failure, respectively. The patient was administered 5 courses of chemotherapy consisting of capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab (Cape+L-OHP +Beva) with no severe adverse reactions; the primary colonic and metastatic hepatic lesions showed a good response to the chemotherapy. A radical resection for the sigmoid colon cancer, including a partial hepatic resection for the metastatic lesion, was performed in May 2013. Surveillance examinations have indicated that the patient is recurrence-free 13 months after radical resection.

Impact of visceral fat on laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is known to be a preoperative risk factor for gastric cancer surgery. However, the influence of obesity on laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) remains controversial. In the present study, we evaluated several obesity parameters and investigated the influence of obesity on the surgical outcomes of LADG for gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2010 and July 2011, 84 patients who underwent LADG for gastric cancer were enrolled. Visceral fat area (VFA) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were measured in cross-sectional CT scan using SlimVision(®) software. Patients were classified into two groups by the degree of BMI or VFA. Surgery time and blood loss were compared between each two groups. Predictive factors for perioperative complications were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in surgery time or blood loss between patients with high and low BMIs. In contrast, high VFA patients had significantly longer surgery times (p=0.0047) and higher estimated blood loss (p=0.0034) than low VFA patients. By univariate and multivariate analyses, only a high VFA significantly predicted perioperative complications (p=0.0162, p=0.0288). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that VFA is more accurate than BMI in predicting surgery time, blood loss, and perioperative complications associated with LADG for gastric cancer. The visceral fat area could be efficiently assessed before laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer in obese patients.

[Examination of stent treatment and bypass surgery for unresectable advanced gastric cancer].

This study was conducted to analyze the outcomes of endoscopic stent placement (n=9) and bypass surgery (n=9) with regard to perioperative complications and dietary intake conditions in patients with unresectable advanced gastric cancer with stenosis. Regarding perioperative complications, 1 patient in the stent group experienced a stent failure and 1 patient in the bypass group developed an adhesive ileus. Dietary intake began from the first day in the stent group and from the fourth day in the bypass group, and it was continued for 55 and 113 days, respectively. There was no difference in the introduction of chemotherapy or length of treatment between the groups, and the survival period for the patients in the stent and bypass groups was 83 and 127 days, respectively. Endoscopic stent placement for unresectable advanced gastric cancer with stenosis is a safe and effective method for improving the quality of life( QOL) of patients.

[A case of a recurrent hepatic metastasis occurred after curative resection of ascending colon cancer and a hepatic metastasis responding completely to capecitabine plus bevacizumab].

Although hepatic resection is the most effective therapy for patients with liver metastasis from colorectal carcinoma, a subset of patients cannot undergo surgical treatment for several reasons, including age-related general health decline or poor conditions associated with coexisting diseases, even if the lesions are resectable. A 75-year-old man with a recurrent lesion in the liver underwent right hemicolectomy and partial hepatic resection to treat colonic cancer and a liver metastasis, followed by uracil and tegafur plus Leucovorin( UFT+LV) as adjuvant chemotherapy at 6 months after the initial surgery. Although the lesion was resectable, the patient preferred chemotherapy to surgery, and capecitabine plus oxaliplatin plus bevacizumab was administered; however, the treatment was stopped in the middle of the second course because of oxaliplatin -related toxicities. Capecitabine plus bevacizumab was introduced as the following chemotherapy regimen, and no adverse reactions were observed during this therapy. After 5 courses of administration, the lesion disappeared on CT examination, and no new lesions were found after 9 courses. Thus, the treatment response was classified as complete response (CR) and remains as such after 13 courses.

[Study of decreased oral intake in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer].

Patients often experience decreased oral intake due to primary systemic therapy (DCF [docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil ] therapy) administered during the treatment of esophageal carcinoma; measures to cope with this problem have been sought. We therefore examined the relationship between the presence or absence of decreased oral intake and blood biochemistry( serum albumin[ Alb] level, white blood cell[ WBC] count, neutrophil count, and serum sodium[ Na] level) during the 12 courses of DCF therapy administered as primary systemic therapy to 6 patients with esophageal carcinoma. Decreased oral intake occurred frequently from day 6 to day 12 after the initiation of DCF therapy. During this period, decreased serum Alb levels were observed in patients with decreased oral intake but not in patients without decreased oral intake. The incidence of decreased oral intake was 100% in patients whose serum Alb levels decreased to <3.5 g/dL, but it did not exceed 33.3% in patients whose serum Alb levels were ≥3.5 g/dL. The serum Na level, WBC count, and neutrophil count were less affected than the serum Alb level, suggesting that decreased oral intake was associated with decreased serum Alb level.

Preoperative assessment of perigastric vascular anatomy by multidetector computed tomography angiogram for laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy.

PURPOSE: We aimed at investigating the efficacy of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiogram reconstructed using the maximum intensity projection (MIP) technique for the assessment of perigastric vascular anatomy before laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) for gastric cancer. METHODS: Seventy-one patients who underwent LAG were enrolled in the study. Contrast-enhanced scans of the portal venous phase were performed by a MDCT scanner. The CT images were reconstructed using thin-slab MIP. The anatomic variations in the inflow and the location of the left gastric vein (LGV) were detected. The patterns of perigastric arterial origins were divided according to Michels' classification. The intraoperative blood loss on LAG was compared before and after MDCT angiography was introduced in the study. RESULTS: The LGV flowed into the portal vein in 31 patients; the splenic vein, 25 patients; and the junction of these two veins, 15 patients. The LGV passed to the dorsal and ventral sides of the common hepatic artery in 30 and 13 patients and to the dorsal and ventral sides of the splenic artery in 8 and 20 patients, respectively. Michels' type II was found in one patient; type V, in three patients; and type VI, in two patients. The LGV location detected by MDCT was confirmed during surgery in all cases. Intraoperative blood loss after introduction of the MDCT angiography was significantly less than that before its introduction (p = 0.0032). CONCLUSIONS: An MDCT angiogram reconstructed using the MIP technique is effective for assessing the perigastric vascular anatomy before LAG for gastric cancer.

Preoperative bone mineral density in gastric cancer patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been reported that there is a high rate of bone mineral density (BMD) loss after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. To clarify the course of postoperative BMD loss, it is necessary to precisely determine the preoperative BMD of gastric cancer patients. METHODOLOGY: From October 2005 through September 2008, preoperative BMD was measured in 91 patients (59 males and 32 females, mean age of the patients was 67.3 years) who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Then, the percentage of the subject's BMD divided by the BMD of young adult mean (YAM) (% of YAM) was obtained for each subject and the incidence of osteoporosis as well as the relationship between % of YAM and the patient's clinico-pathological factors or biochemical parameters was examined. RESULTS: The incidence of osteoporosis was 15.4%. There is a correlation between BMD in preoperative gastric cancer patients and serum albumin levels, and BMD decreases further in the elderly and individuals with a BMI lower than 18.5. CONCLUSIONS: From the viewpoint of osteoporosis prevention, this suggests the importance of nutritional management for elderly gastric cancer patients with associated nutritional disorder.

[Evaluation of pre-operative chemotherapy with S-1 plus CDDP against advanced gastric cancer with paraaortic lymph node metastasis].

We evaluated the effectiveness of pre-operative chemotherapy with S-1 plus CDDP against advanced gastric cancer with paraaortic lymph node metastasis. 8 patients received pre-operative chemotherapy with S-1 plus CDDP, according to the following regimen: S-1, 80 mg/m(2), was administered for 21 consecutive days followed by a 14-day rest period, and CDDP, 60 mg/m(2), was administered on day 8. The adverse event rate was 50%. However, a grade greater than 3 was not revealed. There were 5 partial responses (PR) and 3 stable diseases (SD). We performed 7 total gastrectomies and one distal gastrectomy, and the surgical curability (cur) resulted in 6 cases of cur B and two cases of cur C. The histological antitumor effect was grade 2 in three cases. The median overall survival rate was 623 days and the one-year survival rate was 75%. Analyzing for overall survival with antitumor effect and operative curability, both groups of PR and cur B prolonged survival. Pre-operative chemotherapy with S-1 plus CDDP, when used against advanced gastric cancer with paraaortic lymph node metastasis, might be an effective treatment.

[Three cases of the malignant esophageal stenosis successfully treated with the Niti-S™ esophageal stent].

We herein report three cases of the malignant esophageal stenosis successfully treated with the Niti-S™ esophageal stent. CASE 1: The hilar lung cancer and its mediastinal lymph node metastasis pressed the esophagus extramurally and caused the marked stenosis. CASE 2: A metastatic lymph node along the left laryngeal nerve caused the stenosis of the trachea. A primary esophageal lesion located at the middle thoracic esophagus also caused the marked stenosis. At first, tracheal stent was placed because of dyspnea, and two weeks later, we placed an esophageal stent. Case 3: Esophageal cancer at lower thoracic esophagus after definitive radiation therapy caused the marked stenosis. Because of the stenosis of esophago-gastric junction( EGJ), we used an esophageal stent with a long cover in order to prevent a reflux into the esophagus. This new Niti-STM esophageal stent was easy to place at the stenosis without difficulty using a conventional device. The symptom was improved immediately for each case. We hope this new device will be used widely.

Bile acids inhibit NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase transcription in colonocytes.

Multiple lines of evidence have suggested a role for both bile acids and prostaglandins (PG) in gastrointestinal carcinogenesis. Levels of PGE(2) are determined by both synthesis and catabolism. Previously, bile acid-mediated induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) was found to stimulate PGE(2) synthesis. NAD(+)-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), the key enzyme responsible for the catabolism of PGE(2), has been linked to colorectal carcinogenesis. In this study, we determined whether bile acids altered the expression of 15-PGDH in human colon cancer cell lines. Treatment with unconjugated bile acids (chenodeoxycholate and deoxycholate) suppressed the transcription of 15-PGDH, resulting in reduced amounts of 15-PGDH mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity. Conjugated bile acids were less potent suppressors of 15-PGDH expression than unconjugated bile acids. Treatment with chenodeoxycholate activated protein kinase C (PKC), leading in turn to increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 activity. Small molecules that inhibited bile acid-mediated activation of PKC and ERK1/2 also blocked the downregulation of 15-PGDH. Bile acids induced early growth response factor-1 (Egr-1) and Snail, a repressive transcription factor that bound to the 15-PGDH promoter. Silencing Egr-1 or Snail blocked chenodeoxycholate-mediated downregulation of 15-PGDH. Together, these data indicate that bile acids activate the signal transduction pathway PKC --> ERK1/2 --> Egr-1 --> Snail and thereby suppress 15-PGDH transcription. Bile acids appear to increase the release of PGs from cells by downregulating catabolism in addition to stimulating synthesis. These results provide new mechanistic insights into the link between bile acids and gastrointestinal carcinogenesis.

Collision carcinoma of the residual cervical esophagus 27 years after esophageal cancer surgery.

A case of collision carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma and Barrett's adenocarcinoma) in the residual cervical esophagus of a 68-year-old woman at 27 years after subtotal esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal carcinoma is reported. The patient initially noticed cervical dysphagia in 2002, but did not seek treatment. In April 2004, the patient was referred to our department by a local physician with the diagnosis of carcinoma of the cervical esophagus. In September 2004, the patient underwent resection of the cervical esophagus and partial resection of the gastric tube combined with cervical lymph node dissection under a diagnosis of double cancer (i.e., metachronous cervical esophageal carcinoma and carcinoma of the gastric tube). Esophagogastric continuity was restored by transplantation of a free jejunal graft with vascular anastomosis. Pathological examination showed squamous cell carcinoma on the esophageal side of the esophagogastric anastomosis and columnar epithelium with a tongue-shaped extension across the anastomotic line that included Barrett's epithelium, as well as adenocarcinoma, on the gastric tube side. The squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were contiguous, but there was a distinct border between them and no morphological transition. Immunohistochemical staining showed positivity for p53 in the squamous carcinoma cells, while it was negative in the adenocarcinoma cells. In contrast, HER2 (c-erb-2) was strongly positive in the adenocarcinoma cells, but negative in the squamous carcinoma. Based on these findings, it was concluded that two separate carcinomas had arisen at different sites and grown independently until they collided and merged to form a collision carcinoma.

An assessment of the efficacy of first-line Helicobacter pylori-eradication therapy based on clarithromycin susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the efficacy of standard triple therapy comprising proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin (CAM), and amoxicillin, for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has reduced owing to the increasing CAM resistance of H. pylori. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of first-line H. pylori-eradication therapy on the basis of CAM sensitivity. METHODS: We enrolled 447 patients who were diagnosed with H. pylori infection from January 2011 to July 2014 and examined the antimicrobial resistance. In total, 260 patients without a history of H. pylori eradication therapy were treated with CAM- or metronidazole (MNZ)-based eradication therapy on the basis of the treatment period and CAM sensitivity of H. pylori. Between January 2011 and June 2013, patients were treated with CAM-based empirical therapy. Between July 2013 and July 2014, patients with CAM-sensitive strains were treated with CAM-based eradication therapy, and those with CAM-resistant strains were treated with MNZ-based therapy. RESULTS: The overall rate of resistance to CAM was 29.8%. The eradication rates of the empirical therapy and CAM-sensitivity-based therapy were 76.5% and 93.0%, respectively (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Eradication therapy based on CAM sensitivity was more effective than empirical eradication therapy for the first-line treatment of H. pylori-infected patients.

Additional Surgery After Non-curative Resection of ESD for Early Gastric Cancer.

AIM: The appropriate additional surgery after non-curative resection of Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (ESD) for early gastric cancer is herein discussed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on 54 patients after non-curative resection of ESD were evaluated. These patients were broadly classified according to the risk of lymph node metastasis with lesions into group A (without risk) (n=26) and group B (with risk) (n=28). Their treatment results were evaluated. RESULTS: The incidence of residual lesion was 7.7% in group A and 14.3% in group B. Risk factors were piecemeal resection, involvement of the horizontal margin (HM1) or unclear involvement of the horizontal margin (HMX) and with ulceration. Lymph node metastasis was detected in one patient with lymphatic invasion, total diameter of 3 cm or more and submucosal invasion over 0.5 mm (SM2). The 5-year survival rate was 93% and none of the patients died of gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: Follow-up observation was reasonable in group A. Patients who are judged as having undergone piecemeal resection, HM1 or HMX and with ulceration, should be treated by additional surgery and patients judged with SM2 or total diameter of 3 cm or more or lymphatic invasion should be treated by additional surgery with lymphadectomy in group B.

A low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma in the abdominal cavity.

Low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (LGMFS) is a fusiform cell tumor which develops in bone or soft tissues. This type of tumor frequently occurs in the oral cavity and extremities, while it is extremely rarely found in the abdominal cavity. This article reports a case of LGMFS exceeding 20 cm in diameter in the abdominal cavity observed in a 65-year-old male patient. The patient visited our hospital complaining of a heavy feeling of the stomach and abdominal distension. Imaging examinations revealed a giant solid tumor in the abdomen, and surgical treatment was scheduled. During the operation, a tumor about 20 cm in diameter with its anterior aspect covered with the greater omentum was found. The tumor had firm adhesions to the surrounding tissues, and it was excised with concomitant resections of the tail of the pancreas and the spleen. Histopathologically, fusiform cells were arranged in a complicated or storiform pattern, and immunohistochemical staining revealed that the tumor was positive for α-smooth muscle actin, negative for S100ß, H-caldesmon and c-KIT, and a diagnosis of LGMFS was made.

A case of esophageal cancer showing complete remission of nephrotic syndrome after esophagectomy.

Nephrotic syndrome associated with a malignant tumor may remit following resection of the tumor. This report documents a case of esophageal cancer with concurrent nephrotic syndrome in which a surgical resection of the tumor resulted in a complete remission of nephrotic syndrome. A 78-year-old male patient noticed edema of his lower legs in February 2009 and was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. An endoscopic examination revealed an indented lesion with a nearly semiannular low elevation on the posterior wall of the esophagus at 31 to 34 cm from the upper incisors, and a diagnosis of esophageal cancer was made. A two-stage operation was planned. In March 2009, a subtotal resection of the thoracic esophagus through a right thoracic approach and cervical external esophagostomy were performed, and in April 2009, antethoracic route esophagogastrostomy was performed. The urinary protein levels were negative by the 86th day of hospitalization, and the patient progressively improved and was discharged on the 91st hospital day. There has been no recurrence of esophageal cancer or relapse of nephrotic syndrome at 12 months following the operation. In esophageal cancer patients with nephrotic syndrome, surgical treatment should be undertaken because the remission of nephrotic syndrome may be expected following tumor resection. For this purpose, selecting the appropriate operative procedures and careful perioperative management, including nutritional management, are of profound importance.

UV radiation inhibits 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase levels in human skin: evidence of transcriptional suppression.

Elevated levels of prostaglandins (PG) have been detected in the skin following UV radiation (UVR). PGs play an important role in mediating both the acute and the chronic consequences of UVR exposure. UVR-mediated induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) contributes to increased PG synthesis. In theory, reduced catabolism might also contribute to increased PG levels. 15-Hydroxyprostaglandin deyhdrogenase (15-PGDH), a tumor suppressor gene, plays a major role in PG catabolism. In this study, we investigated whether UVR exposure suppressed 15-PGDH while inducing COX-2 in keratinocytes and in human skin. UVR exposure caused dose-dependent induction of COX-2, suppression of 15-PGDH, and increased prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production in HaCaT cells. Exposure to UVR suppressed the transcription of 15-PGDH, resulting in reduced 15-PGDH mRNA, protein, and enzyme activities. UVR exposure induced Slug, a repressive transcription factor that bound to the 15-PGDH promoter. Silencing Slug blocked UVR-mediated downregulation of 15-PGDH. The effects of UVR were also evaluated in the EpiDerm skin model, a three-dimensional model of human epidermis. Here too, COX-2 levels were induced and 15-PGDH levels suppressed following UVR exposure. Next, the effects of UVR were evaluated in human subjects. UVR treatment induced COX-2 while suppressing 15-PGDH mRNA in the skin of 9 of 10 subjects. Collectively, these data suggest that reduced expression of 15-PGDH contributes to the elevated levels of PGs found in the skin following UVR exposure. Possibly, agents that prevent UVR-mediated downregulation of 15-PGDH will affect the acute or the long-term consequences of UVR exposure, including nonmelanoma skin cancer.