Rate of Clinical Complete Response for 1 Year or More in Bone-Metastatic Breast Cancer after Comprehensive Treatments including Autologous Formalin-Fixed Tumor Vaccine.

INTRODUCTION: No effective treatment has been developed for bone-metastatic breast cancer. We found 3 cases with clinical complete response (cCR) of the bone metastasis and longer overall survival of the retrospectively examined cohort treated comprehensively including autologous formalin-fixed tumor vaccine (AFTV). PATIENTS AND METHODS: AFTV was prepared individually for each patient from their own formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissues. RESULTS: Three patients maintained cCR status of the bone metastasis for 17 months or more. Rate of cCR for 1 year or more appeared to be 15% (3/20) after comprehensive treatments including AFTV. The median overall survival time (60.0 months) and the 3- to 8-year survival rates after diagnosis of bone metastasis were greater than those of historical control cohorts in Japan (1988-2002) and in the nationwide population-based cohort study of Denmark (1999-2007). CONCLUSION: Bone-metastatic breast cancer may be curable after comprehensive treatments including AFTV, although larger scale clinical trial is required.

Usefulness of Totally Implantable Central Venous Access Devices in Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The need for totally implantable central venous access devices (TICVADs) has increased with increased opportunities in the use of chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of TICVAD implantation and use in patients aged ≥85 years. METHODS: Between January 2010 and August 2016, 117 patients underwent TICVAD implantation and their records were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Participants were divided into 2 groups (plus-85 and sub-85 groups). Fifty-five patients (47.0%) had solid organ cancer alone; 35 patients (29.9%) had cerebrovascular or cranial nerve disease. The average follow-up period was 201 (2-1,620) days. Major complications were identified in 6 (14.6%) plus-85 patients and 11 (14.5%) sub-85 patients (p = 0.9813). Catheter-related infections developed in 3 plus-85 (7.3%) and 4 sub-85 patients (5.3%; p = 0.6549). There were no significant group differences in hematoma, pneumothorax, occlusion, and removal rates. In plus-85 patients examined just before surgery and a month after surgery, increased rates of serum albumin and Onodera's prognostic nutritional index were observed in 48% (14/39) and 41% (12/39), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The use of TICVADs in the plus-85 group resulted in effective outcomes. The results of this retrospective study support the wider use of TICVADs in patients aged ≥85 years.

Long-lasting complete response status of advanced stage IV gall bladder cancer and colon cancer after combined treatment including autologous formalin-fixed tumor vaccine: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of advanced (stage IV) cancer of the digestive organs is very poor. We have previously reported a case of advanced breast cancer with bone metastasis that was successfully treated with combined treatments including autologous formalin-fixed tumor vaccine (AFTV). Herein, we report the success of this approach in advanced stage IV (heavily metastasized) cases of gall bladder cancer and colon cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1: A 61-year-old woman with stage IV gall bladder cancer (liver metastasis and lymph node metastasis) underwent surgery in May 2011, including partial resection of the liver. She was treated with AFTV as the first-line adjuvant therapy, followed by conventional chemotherapy. This patient is still alive without any recurrence, as confirmed with computed tomography, for more than 5 years. Case 2: A 64-year-old man with stage IV colon cancer (multiple para-aortic lymph node metastases and direct abdominal wall invasion) underwent non-curative surgery in May 2006. Following conventional chemotherapy, two courses of AFTV and radiation therapy were administered sequentially. This patient has had no recurrence for more than 5 years. CONCLUSION: We report the success of combination therapy including AFTV in cases of liver-metastasized gall bladder cancer and abdominal wall-metastasized colon cancer. Both patients experienced long-lasting, complete remission. Therefore, combination therapies including AFTV should be considered in patients with advanced cancer of the digestive organs.

Adrenal failure due to bilateral adrenal metastasis of rectal cancer: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: It is rare for a patient to present with adrenal insufficiency secondary to bilateral adrenal metastases from a malignant colorectal tumor. CASE PRESENTATION: An 82-year-old Japanese man presented to our hospital with high fever and malaise. He was receiving oral chemotherapy for the treatment of rectal cancer with multiple metastases. Computed tomography showed new bilateral adrenal gland metastases. A rapid adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) test showed adrenal insufficiency. Treatment with hydrocortisone provided immediate symptom improvement. DISCUSSION: Adrenal insufficiency secondary to bilateral adrenal metastases from rectal cancer is rare. A rapid ACTH test is useful to diagnose adrenal insufficiency. CONCLUSION: The incidence of adrenal insufficiency may be underestimated in patients with multiple metastasis. Appropriate therapy with adrenal corticosteroid hormone supplementation may lead to a significant improvement in the patient's symptoms and quality of life.

A spindle cell anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma with rhabdoid features following curative resection.

Anaplastic pancreatic carcinoma (ANPC) accounts for ~5% of all pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cases. Due to its rarity, its clinical features and surgical outcomes remain to be clearly understood. A 74-year-old woman was admitted to Onomichi General Hospital (Onomichi, Japan) in April 2015 without any significant past medical history. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a 9.5×8.0 cm tumor in the body and tail of the pancreas. The patient developed acute abdominal pain 3 weeks later and the CT revealed massive abdominal bleeding caused by tumor rupture. The tumor increased in size and reached 12.0×10.0 cm in maximal diameter. The tumor doubling time was estimated to be 13 days. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/CT confirmed the absence of distant metastasis since FDG accumulation was detected only in the tumor lesion. Emergency distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed. Histologically, the tumor was classified as a spindle cell ANPC with rhabdoid features. The patient succumbed to mortality 8 months following the surgery while undergoing systemic adjuvant chemotherapy for multiple liver metastases. ANPC is difficult to detect in the early stages due to its progressive nature and atypical radiological findings. Long-term survival can be achieved only by curative resection; therefore, surgical resection must be performed whenever possible, even if the chance of long-term survival following surgery is considered dismal. As the present case suggested, spindle cell ANPC with rhabdoid features is highly aggressive and curative-intent resection must not be delayed.

Eradication of breast cancer with bone metastasis by autologous formalin-fixed tumor vaccine (AFTV) combined with palliative radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy: a case report.

Skeletal metastasis of breast carcinoma is refractory to intensive chemo-radiation therapy and therefore is assumed impossible to cure. Here, we report an advanced case of breast cancer with vertebra-Th7 metastasis that showed complete response to combined treatments with formalin-fixed autologous tumor vaccine (AFTV), palliative radiation therapy with 36 Gy, and adjuvant chemotherapy with standardized CEF (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and 5FU), zoledronic acid, and aromatase inhibitors following mastectomy for the breast tumor. The patient has been disease-free for more than 4 years after the mammary surgery and remains well with no evidence of metastasis or local recurrence. Thus, a combination of AFTV, palliative radiation therapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy may be an effective treatment for this devastating disease.

[A case of breast cancer with multiple hepatic metastasis successfully treated with S-1/PTX and S-1 chemotherapy].

The case is a woman in her 50's. A total glandectomy was performed for her breast cancer on August 8, 1998, and subsequently chemotherapy(5'-DFUR, CMF, uracil.tegafur, CEF, and docetaxel)as well as radiation therapy and surgical resection have been performed for local recurrence. With multiple hepatic metastasis recognized in September, 2007, chemotherapy combined with S-1/paclitaxel(PTX)has been performed. In view of the side effects such as reduction in appetite and leukocyte, the dosage has been reduced as of the second course of treatment. With the disappearance of hepatic metastasis on CT, 6 courses of S-1monotherapy have been performed after completing 6 courses of chemotherapy combined with S-1/ PTX. As of March, 2009, the therapeutic effect shows that continuous CR and outpatient follow-up have been performed while maintaining QOL. Since any chemotherapy after thirdline treatment for recurrent breast cancer has not been established yet, chemotherapy combined with S-1/PTX is considered to be one of the regimens and therefore, the second and thirdphase clinical tests ahead are expected to bring better outcomes.