Survival outcomes of 220 consecutive patients with three-staged thoracoscopic esophagectomy.

Patients with thoracic esophageal cancer are often treated by minimally invasive esophagectomy. However, the long-term survival benefits of minimally invasive esophagectomy remain unclear. Two approaches are available for thoracoscopic surgery: one with the patient in the left lateral decubitus position (LLDP), and the other with the patient in the prone position (PP). We investigated the survival benefit of thoracoscopic esophagectomy according to the tumor stage and patient position during the thoracoscopic procedure. We reviewed the records of 220 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer treated from 1998 to 2012. In total, 146 and 74 patients were treated with thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the LLDP and PP, respectively. No patients were initially proposed to be candidates for esophagectomy by thoracotomy during the study period. Data collection was performed with a focus on survival and recurrent disease. Among all the 220 patients, the overall 5-year survival rates were 83.7%, 74.1%, 45.5%, 78.6%, 44.2%, 29.4% and 24.3% in the patients with pStage IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IIIC disease, respectively. Despite the greater number of dissected mediastinal lymph nodes in the PP procedure, there were no significant differences in the survival curves between the LLDP and PP procedures. The long-term results of thoracoscopic esophagectomy are comparable and acceptable. The PP procedure was not confirmed to offer a superior survival benefit to the LLDP procedure in this retrospective study.

Laparoscopically assisted distal gastrectomy with standard radical lymph node dissection for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopically assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with limited lymph node dissection (D1+alpha) has been used to treat a subset of patients with early gastric cancer. Technical advances have expanded indications for LADG to more advanced gastric cancers. However, little data are available on the feasibility or advantages of LADG with standard radical D2 lymph node dissection for patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: This study reviewed the clinical features of 37 patients who underwent LADG with D2 lymph node dissection for preoperatively diagnosed gastric carcinoma, then compared the results with the features of 31 patients who underwent conventional open distal gastrectomy (ODG) with D2 lymph node dissection. RESULTS: The laparoscopic procedure was not converted to laparotomy in any patient. There was no operative mortality and no serious morbidity among the patients who underwent LADG with D2 lymph node dissection. As compared with the ODG group, the LADG group had less operative blood loss (p < 0.001), earlier recovery of bowel activity (p = 0.012), and a shorter duration of fever after surgery (p = 0.015), despite the longer operation time (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, LADG with D2 lymph node dissection is feasible and provides several advantages similar to those of limited lymph node dissection (D1+alpha). Depending on surgeons' technical proficiency, LADG can be used with standard radical lymph node dissection for patients with gastric cancers.

Laparoscopic wedge resection of gastric submucosal tumors.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of laparoscopic surgery for gastric submucosal tumor. METHODS: The records of 11 patients who underwent laparoscopic wedge resection (LR group) for gastric submucosal tumors were reviewed and compared with those of 8 patients who underwent open surgery (OS group). RESULTS: Mean operation time was 145 +/- 43 min in the LR group and 127 +/- 33 min in the OS group (p = 0.301). Mean blood loss was 97 +/- 107 and 107 +/- 47 g, respectively (p = 0.387). Patients in the LR group began walking 1.4 +/- 0.7 days after surgery, which was significantly earlier than those in the OS group (2.7 +/- 1.3 days, p = 0.021). The first flatus (1.5 +/- 0.5 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.6 days, respectively, p = 0.0004) and resumption of oral food intake (3.0 +/- 1.7 vs. 4.3 +/- 0.9 days, respectively, p = 0.020) were also earlier in the LR group. White blood cell count on the first postoperative day was lower (7,000 +/- 2,100 vs. 11,900 +/- 3,580/mm(3), respectively, p = 0.004) in the LR group than in the OS group, and the duration of fever (>38.0 degrees C; 0.1 +/- 0.3 vs. 0.9 +/- 0.8 days, respectively, p = 0.014) and the period of postoperative hospitalization (13.2 +/- 3.7 vs. 20.8 +/- 6.1 days, respectively, p = 0.014) were significantly shorter in the LR group than in the OS group. No complications occurred in either group. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic surgery was superior to open surgery in terms of postoperative recovery time with comparable operation time and blood loss. Laparoscopic wedge resection is a promising surgical alternative for the treatment of gastric submucosal tumors.

Nuclear factor-kappaB p65 (RelA) transcription factor is constitutively activated in human gastric carcinoma tissue.

PURPOSE: Activation of transcription factor nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been shown to play a role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine production, and oncogenesis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether NF-kappaB is constitutively activated in human gastric carcinoma tissues and, if so, to determine any correlation between NF-kappaB activity and clinicopathological features of gastric carcinoma. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: NF-kappaB activation was determined by immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens from 64 gastric carcinoma patients. We quantified nuclear staining of RelA as a marker of NF-kappaB activation. RESULTS: Nuclear translocation of RelA was significantly high in tumor cells in comparison to that in adjacent normal epithelial cells (22.5 +/- 2.4% versus 8.6 +/- 1.5%, P < 0.0001). There was a significant correlation between NF-kappaB activation (nuclear translocation of RelA) and expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, an invasion-related factor and target of NF-kappaB in tumor cells (rho = 0.393; P = 0.0013). NF-kappaB activation was correlated with tumor invasion-related clinicopathological features such as lymphatic invasion of tumor cells (P = 0.0126), depth of invasion (P = 0.0539), peritoneal metastases (P = 0.0538), and tumor size (P = 0.0164). CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, the data show that NF-kappaB is constitutively activated in human gastric carcinoma tissues and suggest that NF-kappaB activity is related to tumor progression due to its transcriptional regulation of invasion-related factors such as urokinase-type plasminogen activator.

Steroid pulse therapy combined with tonsillectomy in IgA nephropathy associated with diabetes mellitus.

Ten patients with biopsy-confirmed IgA nephropathy associated with diabetes mellitus underwent dietary weight control and three courses of intravenous pulses of methylprenisolone followed by prednisolone for 6-12 months and tonsillectomy. The average length of the follow-up period was 47.8 (range 30-96) months. As compared with pretreatment values, hematuria, proteinuria, body mass index, and hemoglobin A(1c) were significantly improved after treatment. There were no significant differences with regard to blood pressure and glycemic blood glucose control. There was no worsening of diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. During steroid pulse therapy, the patients who were treated with insulin needed a higher dosage of insulin; after steroid pulse therapy, the dosage returned to baseline. Even patients with IgA nephropathy and diabetes mellitus could be treated with combined therapy and showed beneficial responses, it they succeeded in reducing body mass index.

Immunohistochemical detection of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in gallbladder epithelium of patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction.

OBJECTIVES: Pancreaticobiliary maljunction, an anomalous union of the pancreatic duct with the common bile duct, is a risk factor for biliary carcinoma. We hypothesized that, in patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction, persistent regurgitation of pancreatic juice into the biliary tract induces oxidative DNA damage. We assessed the expression of an oxidative DNA base-modified product, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, in gallbladder epithelium. DESIGN: Eleven noncancerous gallbladders from patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction, 12 gallbladder carcinomas from patients without pancreaticobiliary maljunction and 14 noncancerous gallbladders from patients without pancreaticobiliary maljunction (control) were studied. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was performed for 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-modified protein (as a marker for lipid peroxidation), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and p53 gene product. RESULTS: Stronger cytoplasmic staining of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-modified protein was observed in the gallbladder epithelium from patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction than in epithelium from gallbladder cancer patients or from control subjects with normal gallbladders. Clear, strong nuclear staining of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine was observed in the gallbladder epithelial cells from patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction. Densitometric quantitation revealed significantly higher expression of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in gallbladder epithelial cells from patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction (index 27.3 +/- 3.1) than in cells from patients with gallbladder carcinoma (11.4 +/- 1.5; P < 0.05) or from control subjects with normal gallbladder (6.4 +/- 1.0; P < 0.05). Positivity of p53 was 27% in gallbladder epithelium associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction, 75% in gallbladder carcinoma epithelium and 0% in control epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that reactive oxygen species are produced in the gallbladder of patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction and that oxidative DNA injury is related to carcinogenesis in these patients.

Hepatectomy and marked retention of indocyanine green and bromosulfophtalein.

A 61-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with right lateral abdominal pain. The patient had chronic hepatitis type B and type C and was diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma in the anterior-superior segment of the liver by ultrasonography and abdominal computed tomography. Although laboratory examinations were within normal limits, the indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min was as high as 72.0% and the bromosulfophtalein retention rate at 45 min 17.3%. We additionally performed technetium-99m-galactosyl human serum albumin liver scintigraphy and liver biopsy, both of which indicated only mild chronic liver damage, indicating that the liver function is adequate for surgery. After partial hepatectomy, a pathological examination revealed well to moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma with only mild chronic inflammation in adjacent liver tissue. The indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min is the best discriminating preoperative test for evaluating hepatic functional reserve, but when marked retention of both indocyanine green and bromosulfophtalein show the discrepancy with normal routine liver function tests, technetium-99m-galactosyl human serum albumin liver scintigraphy and liver biopsy are helpful diagnostic methods for assessing the preoperative hepatic function.

Autonomic insufficiency as a factor contributing to dialysis-induced hypotension.

BACKGROUND: Autonomic insufficiency is considered a factor that contributes to dialysis-induced hypotension (DIH). However, the relationship between the two conditions has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: We investigated 44 haemodialysis patients using [(123)I]-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy and power-spectral analysis (PSA) of heart rate variability. The patients were divided into four groups: a diabetic group with DIH, a diabetic group without DIH, a non-diabetic group with DIH, and a non-diabetic group without DIH. In these groups the heart to mediastinum average count rate (H/M), MIBG washout rate, and low- and high-frequency components of PSA were compared. RESULTS: From the [(123)I]-MIBG scintigraphy, for both early and delayed images, H/M of the groups with DIH were lower than in groups without DIH, in both diabetics and non-diabetics (P<0.05). For the early images, H/M of the diabetic groups were lower than in the non-diabetic groups, in the groups both with and without DIH (P<0.01). For the delayed images, H/M of the diabetic group was lower than in the non-diabetic group, in the groups with DIH (P<0.05). The MIBG washout rate was the highest in the diabetic group with DIH (P<0.05 vs diabetic and non-diabetic groups without DIH). The PSA of heart rate variability showed a good discrimination of the low-frequency component between the non-diabetic patients with and without DIH (P<0.05). Mean ultrafiltration volume and its rate were not different among the four groups. CONCLUSION: Autonomic insufficiency is more severe in patients with DIH than in those without, and its degree may be enhanced in diabetic patients. For the management of DIH, special care should be addressed not only to dry weight but also to autonomic insufficiency.

Surgical treatment of patients with T2 gallbladder carcinoma invading the subserosal layer.

BACKGROUND: Because T2 carcinoma of the gallbladder that invades perimuscular connective tissue without extension beyond serosa or into the liver has a hope for longterm survival, we attempted to clarify significant prognostic factors with respect to tumor- and surgery-related variables. STUDY DESIGN: Of 65 patients with gallbladder carcinoma who had undergone surgical resection from 1983 to 1999, 28 had T2 carcinoma histologically proved. The significance of variables for survival was examined by the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test followed by multivariate analyses using Cox's proportional hazard model. RESULTS: There were 17 patients with stage II carcinoma (T2 N0 M0), 6 with stage III (T2 N1 M0), and 5 with stage IVB. Lymph node metastasis was present in 11 patients (39%) and it reached to the peripancreatic head region (N2) in 5 of them. Lymphatic, venous, and perineural invasions were found in 68%, 57%, and 43%, respectively. With respect to tumor factors, the absence of perineural invasion (Odds ratio [OR] 16.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.17-129.94, p = 0.0069), absence of lymph node metastasis (OR 15.00, 95% CI 2.08-108.33, p = 0.0073), and stage II (II versus III and IVB, OR 15.00, 95% CI 2.08-108.33, p = 0.0073) were significant factors related to good postoperative survival in the multivariate analysis. Surgical procedure (radical resection versus cholecystectomy, OR 4.31, 95% CI 1.34-13.82, p = 0.0142) and surgical margin (OR 7.41, 95% CI 2.19-25.13, p = 0.0013) were significant factors in the univariate analysis. Cancer-free surgical margins provided a significantly better survival (5-year survival rate, 62%); none with cancer-positive surgical margins survived for more than 27 months. In the multivariate analysis, surgical procedure was significant (OR 25.49, 95% CI 1.62-400.72, p = 0.021). Radical surgery, including extended cholecystectomy (resection of the gallbladder together with the gallbladder bed of the liver) and anatomic resection of liver segment 5 and of the lower part of segment 4, gave a significantly better 5-year survival rate than cholecystectomy (59% versus 17%). The 5-year survival rate after radical resection in patients with stage II was 75%; that in patients with stage III and IVB was 33%. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that radical surgery is the treatment of choice for patients with T2 carcinoma of the gallbladder. The presence of lymph node metastasis, perineural invasion, or both suggests the necessity of additional treatment after radical surgery.

Is there any benefit of preservation of the spleen in distal pancreatectomy?

For a pancreatic body or tail tumor, distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS) is a standard operation. Spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) was introduced in order to preserve the organ and thus provide the patient with a better quality of life. Clinical data were compared between 38 Japanese patients with DPS and 9 with SPDP for benign tumors or tumor-like lesions at the body or tail of the pancreas at preoperative, early postoperative (< 3 months after operation), and late postoperative periods (>6 months after operation). The preoperative findings were not different between the two groups except for the significantly higher serum amylase levels in the SPDP group. Operation time, operative blood loss, and length of postoperative hospital stay were not different between the two groups. Pancreatic fistula occurred in 3 (8%) of the 38 patients in the DPS group and in 1 (11%) of the 9 patients in the SPDP group, abdominal abscess in 5 (13%) of the 38 patients in the DPS group and none (0%) in the 9 patients in the SPDP group. At short-term, clinical findings were not different between the two groups except for a significantly greater platelet count in the DPS group than in the SPDP group (46.8 x 10(4)/microl versus 29.6 x 10(4)/microl, P = 0.0081). At long-term after the operation, clinical findings, including the platelet count, were not different between the two groups. Computed tomography revealed a pseudocyst in 9 (53%) of 17 patients examined in the DPS group and in 3 (75%) of 4 patients examined in the SPDP group at short-term after operation. All patients with pseudocysts were asymptomatic. Two asymptomatic patients (one in the DPS group and one in the SPDP group) first developed a pseudocyst at long-term after the operation. The alteration of glucose tolerance was similar between the two groups. Postoperative pancreatic exocrine function (the N-benzol-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid test) was not different between the two groups. These data suggest that SPDP with preservation of the splenic vessels can be satisfactorily performed without elongating operative time and postoperative hospital stay or increasing risk of postoperative complications, with the exception of increased platelet count in the DPS group at short-term after the operation. Thus, SPDP is worth considering as one of the options for the treatment of benign lesions of the body or tail of the pancreas.

Role of surgery for gallbladder carcinoma with special reference to lymph node metastasis and stage using western and Japanese classification systems.

The role of radical resection in the treatment of gallbladder carcinoma was examined with special reference to lymph node metastasis using two classifications: one proposed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and the other by the Japanese Society of Biliary Surgery (JSBS). Histologic evaluations for the depth of tumor invasion (T), lymph node metastasis (N), stage, and follow-up for a mean period of 38 months (range 4-185 months) were completed in 52 patients with gallbladder carcinoma who underwent surgical resection from 1982 to 1997. The definition of T was similar in the two classifications. The extent of nodal involvement (N, AJCC; n, JSBS), stage, and survival were examined. In the absence of lymph node metastasis, the 5-year survival rate reached 71%. The 5-year survival rate in patients with involved nodes confined to the hepatoduodenal ligament, posterosuperior pancreaticoduodenal region, or along the common hepatic artery (N1 and part of N2 by AJCC; nl and n2 by JSBS) approximated 28%. In contrast, postoperative survival was poor in the presence of more extensive nodal involvement (rest of N2 by AJCC; n3 and n4 by JSBS), with no 2-year survivors. The definition of stage I was the same in both classifications, and all patients in this stage are alive. The 5-year survival rates in stages II and III by the AJCC were 70.7% and 22.4%, respectively, and those by JSBS 61.9% and 23.1%, respectively. Thus the survival rates in stages I to III were essentially similar irrespective of the staging system. Stage IV showed significantly worse survival than stage III by the JSBS classification. In contrast, the differentiation of stage IV from III by the AJCC was not significant because of the better survival in stage IV that contained any T with nodal involvement in the posterosuperior pancreaticoduodenal region and along the common hepatic artery. Radical resection should be considered for patients with stage I to III disease defined by either classification and applied to the tumor invasion up to T3 with nodal involvement confined to the hepatoduodenal ligament, posterosuperior pancreaticoduodenal region, and along the common hepatic artery. The role of radical surgery seems to be limited in patients with more extensive tumor invasion or lymph node metastasis.

Laparoscopic cystogastrostomy for pancreatic pseudocyst: a case report.

A 49-year-old man with a history of acute pancreatitis was hospitalized with a diagnosis of pancreatic pseudocyst. Ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging all demonstrated a homogeneous cyst, 9 x 4 cm in size, at the tail of the pancreas without mural nodules or septa. Because an intestinal structure was identified between the cyst and stomach preoperatively by computed tomography and endoscopic ultrasonography, laparoscopic cystogastrostomy was carried out instead of percutaneous or endoscopic cyst drainage. The cyst was exposed by dissecting the lesser omentum and found to have no adhesion to the surrounding tissues. Anastomosis was performed using an endoscopic linear stapler via small cystotomy and gastrotomy openings on the lesser curvature, which were then sutured laparoscopically. The postoperative course was uneventful. Laparoscopic surgery is recommended as a safe, reliable, and minimally invasive treatment for managing pancreatic pseudocyst.

Intraoperative radiation enhances decline of pancreatic exocrine function after pancreatic head resection.

Intraoperative radiation therapy has been introduced to improve survival rates after resection of biliopancreatic cancer. Early and late effects of intraoperative radiation on the exocrine and endocrine functions of the residual pancreas were examined in 54 patients with pancreatic head resection. Of the 54 patients, 20 underwent intraoperative radiation (A group) and the other 34 did not (B group). Fasting blood sugar level, a 120-min value of the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, N-benzol-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid (BT-PABA) excretion value (a pancreatic exocrine function test), and amount of postoperative pancreatic juice drainage were compared between groups A and B at preoperative and early and late postoperative times. Fasting blood sugar level and a 120-min value of the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) showed no change at the early (<2 months) postoperative period of the two groups. At the late (>6 months) postoperative period, fasting blood sugar showed no alteration, while the 75-g OGTT 120-min value increased compared to the preoperative level in both groups. In the group A, the 75-g OGTT 120-min value at the late postoperative period was significantly higher than those at the preoperative and early postoperative periods (289.4 +/- 104.9 vs 193.0 +/- 58.2 mg/dl, P = 0.0198 and 289.4 +/- 104.9 vs 184.4 +/- 104.9 mg/dl, P = 0.0285). Preoperative BT-PABA excretion value was not different between the two groups. It decreased at the early postoperative period and returned to the preoperative level at the late postoperative period in both the groups. The decline of BT-PABA in group A was 23 +/- 21%, which was significantly larger than 11 +/- 24% in group B. The total amount of postoperative pancreatic juice drainage from postoperative days (POD) 4-13 in group A was about half as much as that in group B (720.8 +/- 916.4 vs 1433.8 +/- 962.1 ml, P = 0.0128). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis of factors concerning the decline of BT-PABA values at the early postoperative period showed that intraoperative radiation was a significant independent determinant. In conclusion, these results suggest that intraoperative radiation causes significant deterioration of pancreatic exocrine function at the early postoperative period. Intraoperative radiation for resectable periampullary carcinoma should be reappraised based on the decline of the pancreatic exocrine function as well as the improvement of the survival curve.

Morphometric analysis of regional lymph nodes with and without metastasis from early gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To the authors' knowledge detailed morphometric changes in lymph nodes with and without metastasis in patients with early gastric carcinoma remain undocumented. METHODS: Histologic slides of 1847 lymph nodes dissected from 115 consecutive patients who underwent gastrectomy for early gastric carcinoma were examined histologically and measured using computer morphometry with the public domain National Institutes of Health Image program. Quantitative data were analyzed in relation to preoperative and intraoperative clinical assessments and postoperative pathologic diagnosis. RESULTS: Metastasis was found in 11 lymph nodes (0.6%) from 8 patients (7.0%). Metastatic lymph nodes showed a mean maximum dimension of 4.8 mm, a mean area of 14.4 mm(2), and a mean ratio of maximum/minimum dimension of 1.36; the corresponding values for nonmetastatic lymph nodes were 4.7 mm (P = 0.45), 13.2 mm(2) (P = 0. 13), and 1.66 (P = 0.10), respectively. The lymph node with a metastasis was not necessarily the largest of the dissected lymph nodes from each patient, and histologically each lymph node with a metastasis showed pericancerous fibrosis in > 10% of its area. The sensitivities of preoperative computed tomography, abdominal ultrasonography (US), endoscopic US, and intraoperative assessments to diagnose metastasis were 0%, 13%, 0%, and 13%, respectively, and the sensitivities of these modalities to detect lymph nodes > 10 mm in dimension were 18%, 10%, 3%, and 10%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Digital quantitative analysis is useful and widely applicable to clinicopathologic evaluation. The diagnostic sensitivity of lymph node metastasis in patients with early gastric carcinoma in the current study was very low with preoperative and intraoperative assessments because lymph node metastases were small and showed subtle histologic changes of pericancerous fibrosis.

Long-term and short-term survivors after pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer.

Out of 63 Japanese patients with pancreatic carcinoma who underwent surgical resection, 8 short-term survivors who died within 3 months after resection and 6 long-term survivors who were alive for more than 3 years after resection were compared regarding 26 clinicopathological parameters. The 8 short-term survivors were significantly older than the 6 long-term survivors (63.7 versus 47.8 years, P = 0.0099). The mean peripheral lymphocyte count was significantly smaller in the short-term survivors than in the long-term survivors (1,212 versus 2,115 /microl, P = 0.0459). Operative blood loss was significantly larger in the short-term survivors than in the long-term survivors (2,393 versus 1,043 g, P = 0.0157). The surgical margin was affected by malignant cells in 7 of the 8 short-term survivors, but in only 2 of the 6 long-term survivors (P = 0.0362). Of the 8 short-term survivors, 5 were in comprehensive stage IV and 3 in stage III, while 3 of the 6 long-term survivors were in stage III, two in stage II, and one in stage I (P = 0.0487). All the 8 short-term survivors were of the comprehensive curability C, while 3 of the 6 long-term survivors were of A, one B and the other two C (P = 0.0239). Multiple regression analysis of these 6 profound factors showed that the peripheral lymphocyte count was an independent significant parameter to differentiate the short-term and long-term survivors. These findings suggest that, although the aggressive nature of pancreatic cancer has been accepted, the clinical course after pancreatectomy would also depend upon the immunological state of the patient.

Effect of preoperative portal vein embolization on liver volume and hepatic energy status of the nonembolized liver lobe in humans.

Clinically portal vein embolization (PVE) is presently preferred to extended hepatectomy. Nevertheless, its effect on hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and energy charge levels, which are essential for organ viability, has been little studied in humans. Fourteen patients with (n = 7) and without (n = 7) preoperative right PVE participated in this study. Changes in hepatic lobar volume and serum liver function tests were examined before and after percutaneous transhepatic right PVE. Liver volume (cm(3)) was calculated on computed tomograms before and 20+/-3 days after PVE. At the time of surgery (mean of 25 days after PVE), small liver specimens were obtained from portal vein (PV) nonembolized left lobes immediately after laparotomy without any ischemic procedures. Concentrations of adenine nucleotides were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, and hepatic energy charge levels were calculated. These values were compared with those in control patients who had not undergone preoperative PVE. Serum liver function tests including the indocyanine green retention rate did not differ significantly before and after PVE. The volume of the PV-nonembolized left lobe significantly increased after right PVE (from 473+/-32 to 624+/-66 cm(3)), with a significant increase in the percentage of the left lobe to total liver volume. The concentrations of AMP, ADP, and ATP, and hepatic energy charge levels in the PV-nonembolized left lobe were similar to those of the control liver. These results suggest that preoperative right PVE increases the volume of the nonembolized left lobe, keeping the hepatic engery charge and ATP levels similar to the control liver, thereby increasing the total amount of ATP and hepatic energy reserve of the PV-nonembolized lobe in proportion to its volume increase at the time of surgery.

Elevation of serum hepatocyte growth factor concentration in patients with gastric cancer is mediated by production from tumor tissue.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a stromal cell-derived cytokine that can stimulate invasion and metastasis of carcinoma cells. Recent studies have shown that the serum HGF concentration is elevated in patients with gastric cancer and may be a useful disease marker. However, the origin of the elevated serum HGF remains undetermined. We investigated the site of HGF production by analyzing the relationships between the HGF expression in tumor tissues, the serum HGF concentrations and inflammation in patients with gastric cancer. The serum and tissue HGF concentrations were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum HGF concentration was higher than the normal cut-off level (0.57 ng/ml) in 44% of the patients. Surgical removal of the tumor significantly reduced the serum HGF concentration, suggesting that the tumor tissue was responsible for the increase. Western blotting analysis showed that the HGF protein was expressed in 20 out of 22 tumor tissues. The concentration of HGF in the tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in normal gastric mucosa. Significant correlation was found between tissue HGF concentrations and serum HGF concentrations. No significant correlation was found between the serum HGF concentration and white blood cell count or C-reactive protein concentration, indicating that the increase in serum HGF is not due to inflammation related to the tumor. These results suggest that the elevated serum HGF concentration in patients with gastric cancer is mediated by production from the tumor tissue.

Biliary indocyanine green excretion as a predictor of hepatic adenosine triphosphate levels in patients with obstructive jaundice.

BACKGROUND: Correlation of the hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level with indocyanine green (ICG) excretion into bile was examined in patients with obstructive jaundice after the relief of hyperbilirubinemia by preoperative percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). METHODS: Patients with complete bile duct obstruction, the mean serum total bilirubin concentration being 13.6 +/- 8.5 (SD) mg/dL, underwent PTBD prior to surgery. Within a few days before surgery when the mean serum total bilirubin level decreased to 1.2 mg/dL, ICG (0.5 mg/kg) was intravenously injected, and the whole bile was collected at 1-hour intervals for 5 hours. The ICG concentration in bile, bile flow rate, amount of ICG excreted in bile, and biliary ICG excretion rate as percentage of the injected dose were determined. At the time of surgery, a small liver tissue sample was obtained immediately after laparotomy without any ischemic procedures, and ATP concentrations were determined. Results of hepatic ATP levels were correlated with laboratory and clinical determinations. RESULTS: The bile flow rate was essentially constant during the 5-hour period, the mean value being 21 mL/hour. The ICG concentrations in bile gradually increased, reached the maximal level in 3 hour, and declined thereafter. The biliary ICG excretion rate for 5 hours was 40% +/- 18% of its injected dose. The biliary ICG excretion rate and amount of ICG excreted in bile for 5 hours significantly (P <0.05) correlated with the hepatic ATP level. The decline index of serum bilirubin during PTBD was also correlated with the hepatic ATP level. The serum ICG retention rate, bile flow rate, maximal ICG concentration in bile, and other liver function tests including serum albumin and cholinesterase levels did not correlate with the hepatic ATP level. CONCLUSIONS: Both the amount of and excretion rate of ICG in bile reflect the hepatic ATP level. Determination of biliary ICG excretion contributes to precise evaluation of hepatic energy status before surgery in patients with obstructive jaundice.