Clinicopathological Features and Surgical Outcomes of Small Bowel Metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Small bowel metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rare, and its clinicopathological characteristics are unclear; thus, we revisited the concept of this tumor and reviewed its diagnostic and treatment modalities. We filtered MEDLINE searches of articles published in English between 1950 and 2019, and identified 100 patients who had undergone treatment, including 1 patient from our clinic. We extracted patient characteristics, treatment, and prognostic data, resulting in clinicopathological data on 100 patients (83 men, 17 women). Mean age was 63 years (range, 16-86 years). Tumor sites were duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and multiple sites in 30, 37, 25, and 7 patients, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates after diagnosis were 53.0%, 36.0%, and 36.0%. Curative resection patients showed 62.1% 5-year survival after surgery, vs. 27.5% in noncurative surgical management cases. Good prognoses can be expected if these tumors are identified early for complete removal. Surgery is the only curative option. To determine the best management strategy and improve prognostic accuracy, we continue to collect and analyze epidemiological and pathological data. Although this condition is rare, surgery should be considered if curative resection is expected. Prognosis after curative resection is not poor, but recurrence is not unlikely.

Clinicopathological features of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm derived from ectopic pancreas: A systematic review.

Background: Clinicopathological characteristics of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm derived from the ectopic pancreas have not been elucidated owing to its rarity. Methods: MEDLINE databases from 1985 to 2021 were searched. Data regarding patient characteristics, diagnostic modalities, treatment, and prognosis were extracted from the identified articles. Results: Comprehensive data on 13 patients (10 men and 3 women) with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm derived from ectopic pancreas were extracted. The median age was 69 years (range, 42-80 years). The tumors were located in the stomach in 6 patients, the duodenum in 1 patient, jejunum in 3 patients, ileum in 1 patient, and Meckel diverticulum in 2 patients. Histopathological examination revealed intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm in 10 patients and intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma in 3 patients. The median size of the tumor was not significantly different between the intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma group and the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm group (P = .611). Conclusion: Accurate preoperative diagnosis and differential diagnosis between intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm and intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma remain difficult despite recent advances in imaging modalities.

Chemoradiotherapy for Initially Unresectable Locally Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical resection is the only available treatment for achieving long-term survival in cholangiocarcinoma. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the utility of chemoradiotherapy for initially unresectable locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: Unresectable locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma was defined as those in which radical surgery could not be achieved even with aggressive surgical procedure. Fifteen candidates (7 intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas and 8 hilar cholangiocarcinomas) underwent chemoradiotherapy. Fourteen of the 15 patients received oral S-1 chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was administered with 50 Gy for each patient. After chemoradiotherapy, the resectability of each cholangiocarcinoma was reexamined. RESULTS: Of the 15 patients with initially unresectable locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma, 11 (73.3%) were judged to have resectable cholangiocarcinoma after chemoradiotherapy, and received radical hepatectomy (R0 resection in 9 patients). Among the 11 patients who underwent surgical resection, 4 had recurrence-free survival and the median survival time (MST) was 37 months. The overall 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates were 80.8, 70.7 and 23.6%, respectively. Among the 4 patients who were unable to receive surgery, 3 died of the primary disease and the MST was 10 months. The overall 1- and 2-year survival rates were 37.5 and 0%, respectively. Patients who received radical surgery had significantly longer survival time than those who were unable to receive surgery (p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Chemoradiotherapy allowed patients with initially unresectable locally advanced cholangiocarcinomas to be reclassified as surgical candidates in a substantial proportion. Chemoradiotherapy might be one of the treatment options for similarly advanced cholangiocarcinomas.

Secondary central nervous system lymphoma surrounding a region injured by subarachnoid hemorrhage and subsequent aneurysmal clipping.

The present case study describes a rare case of secondary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma that infiltrated the dura and leptomeninges around the area injured by subarachnoid hemorrhage and subsequent aneurysmal clipping. Invasion of the CNS was observed by computed tomography as slurred fissures of the right parietal lobe adjacent to the surgery area. Subdural and subarachnoid enhancement overlapping the area injured by past surgical procedures was observed by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical resection revealed B-cell lymphoma infiltrating the dura and leptomeninges surrounding the post-hemorrhagic area. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with systemic lymphoma and bone marrow invasion, and multiple lymph node swelling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of malignant lymphoma involving the CNS overlapping a previously injured area.

Clinical effects of chemoradiotherapy in pursuit of optimal treatment of locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer remains extremely challenging, particularly as the efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) remains unclear. METHODS: We studied 93 patients (8.0%) with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer without distant metastases from among a total group of 1168 patients who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer from March 2005 to November 2015 at the Kochi Health Sciences Center, Kochi, Japan. We therefore evaluated the clinical efficacy of CRT in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. RESULTS: Of the 93 patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer, 35 patients (37.6%) were subsequently classified as having resectable disease following CRT. The median overall survival of patients who received CRT alone for locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer was 8.0 months, and all died within 3 years. On the other hand, the overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates in patients who were reclassified as having resectable tumour after CRT were 71.3%, 39.2% and 23.5%, respectively. Our pathological assessments after surgical resection suggested that CRT might be associated with a significant reduction in the risk of lymph node metastases in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggested that CRT is clinically effective in improving survival, particularly in association with the resultant possibility of curative resection. Advances in knowledge: The best treatment strategy for patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer is the subject of considerable debate, and CRT is only recommended if cancer has only grown around the pancreas without any distant metastases.

Surgery and imatinib therapy for liver oligometastasis of GIST: a study of Japanese Study Group on GIST.

We conducted a multicenter prospective study to clarify the efficacy and safety of surgery and imatinib for liver oligometastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Eligible gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients were enrolled in the surgery trial or the imatinib trial. Primary endpoints were recurrence-free survival and progression-free survival, respectively. The trials were prematurely terminated due to amendment of guidelines for adjuvant imatinib therapy and low patient accrual. In the surgery trial, all the six patients showed hepatic recurrence: median recurrence-free survival was 145 days (range: 62-1366 days). Of the five patients receiving salvage imatinib therapy, two showed progressive disease although no death was observed. Of the five patients enrolled in the imatinib trial, one died of pneumonia after progressive disease, and four had not shown progressive disease as of last visit. The results suggest that liver oligometastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor may not be controllable by surgery alone and require concomitant imatinib therapy.

Liver function assessment using 99mTc-GSA single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT fusion imaging in hilar bile duct cancer: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the utility of Tc-99m-diethylenetriamine-penta-acetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin ((99m)Tc-GSA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT fusion imaging for posthepatectomy remnant liver function assessment in hilar bile duct cancer patients. METHODS: Thirty hilar bile duct cancer patients who underwent major hepatectomy with extrahepatic bile duct resection were retrospectively analyzed. Indocyanine green plasma clearance rate (KICG) value and estimated KICG by (99m)Tc-GSA scintigraphy (KGSA) and volumetric and functional rates of future remnant liver by (99m)Tc-GSA SPECT/CT fusion imaging were used to evaluate preoperative whole liver function and posthepatectomy remnant liver function, respectively. Remnant (rem) KICG (= KICG × volumetric rate) and remKGSA (= KGSA × functional rate) were used to predict future remnant liver function; major hepatectomy was considered unsafe for values <0.05. The correlation of remKICG and remKGSA with posthepatectomy mortality and morbidity was determined. RESULTS: Although remKICG and remKGSA were not significantly different (median value: 0.071 vs 0.075), functional rates of future remnant liver were significantly higher than volumetric rates (median: 0.54 vs 0.46; P < .001). Hepatectomy was considered unsafe in 17% and 0% of patients using remKICG and remKGSA, respectively. Postoperative liver failure and mortality did not occur in the patients for whom hepatectomy was considered unsafe based on remKICG. remKGSA showed a stronger correlation with postoperative prothrombin time activity than remKICG. CONCLUSION: (99m)Tc-GSA SPECT/CT fusion imaging enables accurate assessment of future remnant liver function and suitability for hepatectomy in hilar bile duct cancer patients.

Clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes of intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasms (ITPNs) of the pancreas are rare. The purpose of this study was to collate and analyze published data on ITPNs of the pancreas to determine the clinicopathological features of the tumors and the surgical outcomes of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We searched MEDLINE and Igakuchuo-Zasshi for the period of 1980 to 2015 for case reports on surgical resection for ITPN of the pancreas. We evaluated the clinicopathological data associated with pancreatic ITPNs, the prognosis for each patient, and surgical outcomes described in the case reports. RESULTS: We obtained clinicopathological data for 58 patients (33 men and 25 women) with a mean age of 61 years (range, 35-84 years) who had undergone surgical resection for ITPN of the pancreas, including one patient from our clinic. Although ITPNs of the pancreas have different clinicopathological features to intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, the treatment strategy for patients with ITPNs is the same as for patients with other cystic neoplasms of the pancreas. The immunohistochemical features of ITPNs included testing positive for cytokeratin 7 and/or cytokeratin 19 and negative for trypsin, MUC2, MUC5AC, and fascin. The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates after surgery for the 37 cases with available data were 97.3, 80.7, and 80.7 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment is the only curative management option for patients with ITPN of the pancreas. To determine the best management strategy for this tumor and improve accuracy of prognosis for patients, we will continue to collect and analyze epidemiological and pathological data.

Reconsideration about the aggressive surgery for resectable pancreatic cancer: a focus on real pathological portosplenomesenteric venous invasion.

BACKGROUND: Some clinicians have argued that combining pancreatic and portomesenteric venous resection could improve the rates of long-term survival. However, whether resection of the portosplenomesenteric vein could provide an acceptable survival benefit to patients with pancreatic cancer involving the portosplenomesenteric system remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the significance of pathological portosplenomesenteric venous invasion on survival in patients who underwent surgical management for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Patients who underwent curative surgical treatment were divided into two subgroups: those with pathological invasion to the portosplenomesenteric vein (PV-positive group) and those without invasion (PV-negative group). RESULTS: Of 160 studied patients, the median overall survival was 48.0 months after pancreatic surgery in the PV-negative group and 18.0 months in the PV-positive group. The incidence of postoperative peritoneal dissemination was significantly lower in the PV-negative group than in the PV-positive group. Accordingly, patients in the PV-negative group showed a cumulative rate of pancreatic cancer recurrence at 2 years after pancreatic surgery of 54.4%, while this rate was 89.4% in the PV-positive group. Finally, an elevated presurgical serum CA19-9 level (>700 IU/mL) was found to be significantly associated with a poor outcome after surgery in pancreatic cancer patients with pathological portosplenomesenteric venous invasion. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer carries a high risk of recurrence even if surgical resection is technically possible. The current study suggested that portosplenomesenteric involvement and preoperative high serum CA19-9 are poor prognostic indications; however, the findings provided little insight into the role of neoadjuvant therapy in such patients.

Rapid shrinkage of a pancreatic serous cystadenoma with cystic degeneration: report of a case.

We report a rare case of pancreatic serous cystadenoma, which shrank remarkably from 6 to 1.5 cm in diameter, with cystic degeneration, over a period of only 3 weeks. A 29-year-old woman who presented with epigastric pain and jaundice underwent computed tomography, which showed a 6-cm monolocular cystic tumor in the pancreatic head. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed stenosis and deviation of the inferior part of the extrahepatic bile duct. We performed surgery 3 weeks later for suspected mucinous cystadenoma or macroscopic serous cystadenoma of the pancreas. At laparotomy, the tumor in the pancreatic head was found to have shrunk remarkably. We excised the tumor completely by performing the Whipple procedure. Macroscopically, the mass was a 1.5-cm monolocular cyst. Microscopically, the cystic tumor was composed of a thick fibrous wall with granulation tissue and hemorrhage. Although epithelial cells were not found inside the cystic wall, numerous grossly invisible microcysts with glycogen-containing epithelial cells were seen at its periphery. Based on these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as a serous cystadenoma with cystic degeneration.

Functional discrepancy between two liver lobes after hemilobe biliary drainage in patients with jaundice and bile duct cancer: an appraisal using (99m)Tc-GSA SPECT/CT fusion imaging.

PURPOSE: To determine the functional discrepancy between the two liver lobes using technetium 99m ((99m)Tc) diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin ( GSA diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin ) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) fusion imaging following preoperative biliary drainage and portal vein embolization ( PVE portal vein embolization ) in patients with jaundice who have bile duct cancer ( BDC bile duct cancer ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board, with waiver of informed consent. Preoperative (99m)Tc- GSA diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid-galactosyl human serum albumin SPECT/CT fusion images from 32 patients with extrahepatic BDC bile duct cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified into four groups according to the extent of biliary drainage and presence of a preoperative right PVE portal vein embolization : right lobe drainage group (right drainage), bilateral lobe drainage group (bilateral drainage), left lobe drainage group (left drainage), and left lobe drainage with right PVE portal vein embolization group (left drainage with right PVE portal vein embolization ). Percentage volume and percentage function were measured in each lobe using fusion imaging. The ratio between percentage function and percentage volume (the function-to-volume ratio) was calculated for each lobe, and the results were compared among the four groups. Statistical analysis was performed with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: The median values for the function-to-volume ratio in the right drainage, bilateral drainage, left drainage, and left drainage with right PVE portal vein embolization group were 1.12, 1.05, 1.02, and 0.81 in the right lobe; and 0.51, 0.88, 0.96, and 1.17 in the left lobe. Significant differences in the function-to-volume ratio were observed among the four groups (right drainage vs bilateral drainage vs left drainage vs left drainage with right PVE portal vein embolization ; with P < .002, P = .023, and P < .002 for the right lobe and P < .001, P = .023, and P < .002 for the left lobe). CONCLUSION: Hepatic lobar function significantly differs between the two lobes, depending on the extent of biliary drainage and the presence of portal vein embolization.

Needle tract implantation of hepatoblastoma after percutaneous needle biopsy: report of a case.

A 13-year-old boy was referred to us for investigation of a giant liver mass, approximately 16 cm in diameter. Sonographically guided percutaneous needle biopsy was performed and histological examination revealed a fetal-type hepatoblastoma. After four courses of chemotherapy, we performed a left hepatic trisegmentectomy. Follow-up computed tomography, 55 months after the surgery, showed a 1-cm tumor on the route of the preoperative needle biopsy. A second laparotomy revealed a peritonealised tumor, which was excised. The histology of this tumor was identical to that of the primary hepatoblastoma. To our knowledge, this is only the second report of needle tract implantation of hepatoblastoma after percutaneous needle biopsy.

Surgical outcomes for 131 cases of carcinosarcoma of the hepatobiliary tract.

Carcinosarcoma of the hepatobiliary tract is highly aggressive and has a poor prognosis even after curative resection. The purpose of this study was to collate and analyze published data to clarify the surgical outcome of carcinosarcoma of the hepatobiliary tract and the relationships between potential prognostic factors and survival after surgery. We surveyed worldwide literature from 1970 to 2012 and obtained clinicopathological data for 131 patients who had undergone surgical resection for carcinosarcoma of the hepatobiliary tract, including one patient from our clinic. The relationships between potential prognostic factors and survival rates were examined using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. The overall 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates for patients with carcinosarcoma of the hepatobiliary tract after surgery were 44.0, 29.3, and 27.0 %, respectively. In univariate analyses, age and gender were not significant prognostic factors; however, advanced stage according to the classification of the Union for International Cancer Control in resected specimens was significantly associated with a shorter survival time after surgery. Although carcinosarcoma of the hepatobiliary tract remains a rare disease worldwide, its poor prognosis, even after curative resection, demands further epidemiological and pathological study that could lead to the development of new management strategies.

Primary liposarcoma of the duodenum: a first case presentation.

A 55-year-old man suffering from melena was admitted to our hospital. A blood test showed severe anemia. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a huge lesion in the duodenum and dilatation of the common bile duct. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy also identified hemorrhaging from the tumor in the duodenum. Due to the low density of the tumor mass, we performed emergency pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histology revealed an area of well-differentiated liposarcoma as well as an area of high-grade spindle cells and pleomorphic sarcoma without obvious differentiation. The final pathological diagnosis was dedifferentiated liposarcoma. This is the first case report of primary liposarcoma of the duodenum.

Endovascular pseudoaneurysm repair after distal pancreatectomy with celiac axis resection.

Erosive hemorrhage due to pseudoaneurysm is one of the most life-threatening complications after pancreatectomy. Here, we report an extremely rare case of rupture of a pseudoaneurysm of the common hepatic artery (CHA) stump that developed after distal pancreatectomy with en block celiac axis resection (DP-CAR), and was successfully treated through covered stent placement. The patient is a 66-year-old woman who underwent DP-CAR after adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic body cancer. She developed an intra-abdominal abscess around the remnant pancreas head 31 d after the surgery, and computed tomography (CT) showed an occluded portal vein due to the spreading inflammation around the abscess. Her general condition improved after CT-guided drainage of the abscess. However, 19 d later, she presented with melena, and CT showed a pseudoaneurysm arising from the CHA stump. Because the CHA had been resected during the DP-CAR, this artery could not be used as the access route for endovascular treatment, and instead, we placed a covered stent via the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery originating from the superior mesenteric artery. After stent placement, cessation of bleeding and anterograde hepatic artery flow were confirmed, and the patient recovered well without any further complications. CT angiography at the 6-mo follow-up indicated the patency of the covered stent with sustained hepatic artery flow. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of endovascular repair of a pseudoaneurysm that developed after DP-CAR.

CT/99mTc-GSA SPECT fusion images demonstrate functional differences between the liver lobes.

AIM: To evaluate the functional differences between the 2 liver lobes in non-cirrhotic patients by using computed tomography/(99m)Tc-galactosyl human serum albumin (CT/(99m)Tc-GSA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) fusion images. METHODS: Between December 2008 and March 2012, 264 non-cirrhotic patients underwent preoperative liver function assessment using CT/(99m)Tc-GSA SPECT fusion images. Of these, 30 patients, in whom the influence of a tumor on the liver parenchyma was estimated to be negligible, were selected. Specifically, the selected patients were required to meet either of the following criteria: (1) the presence of an extrahepatic tumor; or (2) presence of a single small intrahepatic tumor. These 30 patients were retrospectively analyzed to calculate the percentage volume (%Volume) and the percentage function (%Function) of each lobe. The ratio between the %Function and %Volume (function-to-volume ratio) of each lobe was also calculated, and the ratios were compared between the 2 lobes. Furthermore, the correlations between the function-to-volume ratio and each of 2 liver parameters [lobe volume and diameter ratio of the left portal vein to the right portal vein (LPV-to-RPV diameter ratio)] were investigated. RESULTS: The median values of %Volume and %Function were 62.6% and 67.1% in the right lobe, with %Function being significantly higher than %Volume (P < 0.01). The median values of %Volume and %Function were 31.0% and 28.7% in the left lobe, with %Function being significantly lower than %Volume (P < 0.01). The function-to-volume ratios of the right lobe (1.04-1.14) were significantly higher than those of the left lobe (0.74-0.99) (P < 0.01). The function-to-volume ratio showed no significant correlation between the lobe volume in either lobe. In contrast, the function-to-volume ratio showed significant correlations with the LPV-to-RPV diameter ratio in both lobes (right lobe: negative correlation, r s = -0.37, P = 0.048; left lobe: positive correlation, r s = 0.71, P < 0.001). The function-to-volume ratio in the left lobe tended to be higher, and that in the right lobe tended to be lower, in accordance with the increase in the LPV-to-RPV diameter ratio. CONCLUSION: CT/(99m)Tc-GSA SPECT fusion images demonstrated that the function of the left lobe was significantly decreased compared with that of the right lobe in non-cirrhotic livers.

Bland embolization of hepatocellular carcinoma using superabsorbent polymer microspheres.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of bland embolization using superabsorbent polymer microspheres (SAP-TAE) as an initial therapeutic option for previously untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ineligible for resection or ablation. Fifty-nine patients with previously untreated HCC unamenable to surgery or ablation underwent bland embolization using 100- to 200-mum reconstituted SAP particles (SAP-TAE) as the initial treatment. SAP-TAE was repeated as needed based on tumor response but was switched to chemoembolization when necessary to control residual or progressive tumor. Early tumor response was assessed by contrast-enhanced CT according to RECIST and EASL criteria 1 month after the initial SAP-TAE. The overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The overall mean follow-up period was 30.6 months (range, 7-59 months). A total of 121 sessions of SAP-TAE were performed, with 1-5 sessions per patient (mean, 2.1 sessions). The mean period of repeated SAP-TAE was 15.6 months (range, 1-51 months), and it exceeded 1 and 2 years in 32 (54%) and 15 (25%) patients, respectively. Thirteen (22%) patients underwent repeated SAP-TAE alone, and the remaining 46 (78%) patients underwent subsequent chemoembolization. No major complication was observed and postembolization syndrome was minimal after SAP-TAE in all patients. Response rate was 14% and 66% by RECIST and EASL criteria, respectively. Overall survival rates were 100% and 83% at 1 and 2 years, respectively, and median survival time was 30 months. In conclusion, SAP-TAE was a safe and repeatable option as the induction therapy for HCC unamenable to surgery or ablation, despite the high incidence of converting to TACE during the total course.