[A Case of Pathological Complete Response Induced by Preoperative Gemcitabine plus S-1 with Concurrent Radiation Therapy Followed by Gemcitabine plus S-1 Therapy in Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer].

The patient was a 69-year-old man. He visited our hospital with a complaint of right back pain. An abdominal CT scan confirmed a hypovascular mass 35 mm in diameter in the pancreatic head. He was diagnosed with pancreatic head cancer (cT3, cN0, cM0, cStage ⅡA, borderline resectable-A). Gemcitabine plus S-1(GS)-based chemoradiation therapy(CRT) was performed, followed by 6 courses of GS therapy. Tumor markers were almost normalized, and subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen revealed highly atrophic pancreatic tissue with fibrosis and no evidence of residual cancer cells (pathological complete response). The patient remains disease-free 36 months after surgery. There are few reports of pancreatic cancer with pCR after GS-based chemoradiation therapy and subsequent GS therapy. We therefore report this case together with a review of the literature.

[A Case of a Huge, Mixed-Type IPMC with Suspected Rupture of the Omental Bursa That Was Effectively Treated with Gemcitabine plus Nab-Paclitaxel].

A 53-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of upper abdominal pain and expansion of the pancreatic main duct. Enhanced computed tomography revealed expansion of the main pancreatic duct from the head to the tail; in addition, a 30 mm cystic tumor was observed in the pancreatic head and a 56 mm tumor was observed in the ventral side of the pancreatic body. Endoscopy revealed fistula formation in the duodenum of the Vater papilla on the oral side. The patient was diagnosed with an intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma(IPMC). In addition, PET-CT revealed accumulation of FDG in the ventral side of the pancreatic body, and a disseminated nodule in the omental bursa was suspected. We administered 6 courses of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel therapy, after which, the tumor in the ventral side of the pancreatic body disappeared. We then performed sub-stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. The results of abdominal cavity washing cytology were negative, and there were no disseminated nodules in the omental bursa. Therefore, we could perform R0 excision.

[A case of triple negative recurrent breast cancer successfully treated with capecitabine+docetaxel combination chemotherapy].

A 73-year-old woman underwent pectoralis-preserving mastectomy for left breast cancer (papillotubular carcinoma, f, T2, ly0, v0, N1 (21/21), T2N1M0 (Stage IIB), ER (-), PgR (-), HER2 (-)) in August 2004. It was called a triple negative breast cancer. She received systemic chemotherapy using AC followed by paclitaxel. In February 2006 (disease- free interval of one year and five months), skin and chest wall recurrences in the left breast were revealed. Systemic chemotherapy using capecitabine (1,800 mg/body/day) monotherapy resulted in PD after 4 courses. Subsequently, treatment with capecitabine+cyclophosphamide combination therapy resulted in PD after 6 courses. Since November 2006, treatment with capecitabine+docetaxel combination chemotherapy was initiated. Each course consisted of capecitabine at a dosage of 1,800 mg/body/day for 2 weeks and docetaxel at a dosage of 60 mg/body (day 8 only) followed by withdrawal for 1 week. After 3 courses, a marked response was seen, and a total of 6 courses were performed. No serious side effect was revealed, and a marked response has been maintained. It is suspected that capecitabine+docetaxel combination therapy is useful for a triple negative recurrent breast cancer which is refractory to systemic chemotherapy.

COX-2 induction by heparanase in the progression of breast cancer.

Breast cancer confined within the lactiferous duct or lobule, without invading the stroma, is called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), whereas breast cancer that has invaded the stroma through the basal membrane is called invasive cancer. Heparanase, an endo-beta-D-glucuronidase that specifically degrades heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in the extracellular matrix (ECM), plays an important role when breast cancer cells breach the basal membrane. Recently, we have reported that heparanase is involved in angiogenesis through direct induction of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2). COX-2 induces vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and is thus involved in neovascularization. The present study was undertaken to analyze surgically resected breast cancer specimens for heparanase and COX-2 expression, using specimens from 59 patients with invasive cancer and 85 patients with DCIS (including 41 cases of DCIS adjacent to invasive cancer). This study yielded the following results: a) the distribution of heparanase within tumor tissue was identical to that of COX-2; b) heparanase expression was more frequent in invasive cancer than in non-invasive cancer; c) a close positive correlation was noted between heparanase and COX-2 expression (this correlation was particularly strong in cases of invasive cancer); and d) COX-2 expression was always seen in cases positive for heparanase expression. Our results indicate that heparanase expression increases during the progression of breast cancer into invasive cancer, and that this change is accompanied by increased COX-2 expression. They also suggest that heparanase may play a novel role for COX-2 mediated tumor angiogenesis in breast-cancer progression.

Visualization of intrathoracically disseminated solid tumors in mice with optical imaging by telomerase-specific amplification of a transferred green fluorescent protein gene.

Currently available methods for detection of tumors in vivo such as X-ray, computed tomography, and ultrasonography are noninvasive and have been well studied; the images, however, are not specific for tumors. Direct optical imaging of tumor cells in vivo that can clearly distinguish them from surrounding normal tissues may be clinically useful. Here, we describe a new approach to visualizing tumors whose fluorescence can be detected using tumor-specific replication-competent adenovirus (OBP-301, Telomelysin) in combination with Ad-GFP, a replication-deficient adenovirus expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP). Human telomerase reverse transcriptase is the catalytic subunit of telomerase, which is highly active in cancer cells but quiescent in most normal somatic cells. We constructed an adenovirus 5 vector in which the human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter element drives expression of E1A and E1B genes linked with an internal ribosome entry site and showed that OBP-301 replicated efficiently in human cancer cells, but not in normal cells such as human fibroblasts. When the human lung and colon cancer cell lines were infected with Ad-GFP at a low multiplicity of infection, GFP expression could not be detected under a fluorescence microscope; in the presence of OBP-301, however, Ad-GFP replicated in these tumor cells and showed strong green signals. In contrast, coinfection with OBP-301 and Ad-GFP did not show any signals in normal cells such as fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells. We also found that established subcutaneous tumors could be visualized after intratumoral injection of OBP-301 and Ad-GFP. A549 human lung tumors and SW620 human colon tumors transplanted into BALB/c nu/nu mice were intratumorally injected with 8 x 10(5) plaque-forming units of Ad-GFP in combination with 8 x 10(6) plaque-forming units of OBP-301. Within 3 days of treatment, the fluorescence of the expressed GFP became visible by a three-chip color cooled charged-coupled device camera in these tumors, whereas intratumoral injection of Ad-GFP alone could not induce GFP fluorescence. Moreover, intrathoracic administration of Ad-GFP and OBP-301 could visualize disseminated A549 tumor nodules in mice after intrathoracic implantation. Our results indicate that intratumoral or intrathoracic injection of Ad-GFP in combination with OBP-301 might be a useful diagnostic method that provides a foundation for future clinical application.

[A case of recurrent gastric cancer with improvement of obstructive symptoms caused by carcinomatous peritonitis and prolonged survival by chemotherapy with combined use of Paclitaxel and 5-FU].

A 29-year-old male underwent Cur B surgery including total gastrectomy, pancreaticoduodenectomy, transverse colectomy, and D 2 dissection for scirrhous gastric carcinoma accompanied by duodenal and pancreatic infiltration. Thereafter, the patient suffered from recurrence with development of ileus caused by carcinomatous peritonitis. Ileus tube was inserted, followed by conservative therapy without ingestion. But, as the symptoms aggravated without any alleviation, an emergency surgical procedure was conducted. As disseminated changes were observed in the entire region of the abdominal cavity of the epigastric region, ileus by-pass procedure and ileostomy were performed. Though ileus symptoms were improved, peroral intake was difficult,and the ileus tube had to be left in place. Thereafter, chemotherapy with combined use of paclitaxel and 5-FU was initiated, and peroral intake become possible. The Ileus tube could be removed after improvement of obstructive symptoms. The patient was treated at the outpatient clinic with nutritional help of HPN, but died 14 months after the recurrence.

ZD1839 (Gefitinib, 'Iressa'), an epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, enhances the anti-cancer effects of TRAIL in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The EGF (epidermal growth factor) receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor ZD1839 (Gefitinib, 'Iressa') blocks the cell signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, survival, and angiogenesis in various cancer cells. TNF-related death apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) acts as an anticancer agent. We investigated the antitumor effects of ZD1839 alone or in combination with TRAIL against human esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) lines. Although all ESCC cells expressed EGF receptor at a protein level, the effect of ZD1839 on cell growth did not correlate with the level of EGFR expression and phosphorylation of EGF receptor protein in ESCC lines. ZD1839 caused a dose-dependent growth arrest at G0-G1 phase associated with increased p27 expression. As TE8 cells are resistant to TRAIL, we tested whether ZD1839 combined with TRAIL induced apoptosis of TE8 cells via the inhibition of EGF receptor signaling by ZD1839. ZD1839 inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, and enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis via activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, and inactivation of Bcl-xL. Our results indicated that ZD1839 has anti-cancer properties against human esophageal cancer cells. ZD1839 also augmented the anti-cancer activity of TRAIL, even in TRAIL-resistant tumors. These results suggest that treatment with ZD1839 and TRAIL may have potential in the treatment of ESCC patients.

Telomerase-specific replication-selective virotherapy for human cancer.

PURPOSE: Replication-selective tumor-specific viruses present a novel approach for treating neoplastic disease. These vectors are designed to induce virus-mediated lysis of tumor cells after selective viral propagation within the tumor. Telomerase activation is considered to be a critical step in carcinogenesis, and its activity is closely correlated with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression. We investigated the antitumor effect of the hTERT-specific replication-competent adenovirus on human cancer cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We constructed an adenovirus 5 vector [tumor- or telomerase-specific replication-competent adenovirus (TRAD)], in which the hTERT promoter element drives expression of E1A and E1B genes linked with an internal ribosome entry site, and we examined the selective replication and antitumor effect in human cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: TRAD induced selective E1A and E1B expression in human cancer cells, but not in normal cells such as human fibroblasts. TRAD replicated efficiently and induced marked cell killing in a panel of human cancer cell lines, whereas replication as well as cytotoxicity was highly attenuated in normal human fibroblasts lacking telomerase activity. In nu/nu mice carrying s.c. human lung tumor xenografts, intratumoral injection of TRAD resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth. No evidence of TRAD was identified in tissues outside of the tumors, despite the presence of TRAD in the circulation. Moreover, TRAD replication in the distant, noninjected tumors was demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the hTERT promoter confers competence for selective replication of TRAD in human cancer cells, an outcome that has important implications for the treatment of human cancers.

Quantitative analysis of p53-targeted gene expression and visualization of p53 transcriptional activity following intratumoral administration of adenoviral p53 in vivo.

To analyze the mechanism of the antitumor effect of an adenoviral vector expressing the p53 tumor suppressor (Ad-p53) in vivo, we quantitatively assessed p53-targeted gene expression and visualized transcriptional activity of p53 in tumors in nude mice treated with Ad-p53. Human lung cancer (H1299) xenografts established in nude mice were treated by intratumoral administration of Ad-p53. The levels of expression of exogenous p53 and p53-targeted genes p21, MDM2, Noxa, and p53AIP1 were quantified by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and induction of apoptosis was observed histochemically on days 1-3, 7, and 14 after treatment. Expression of mRNA of exogenous p53 and p53-targeted genes (except p53AIP1) was at its maximum 1 day after Ad-p53 treatment and then decreased rapidly; apoptosis was evident in situ 2-3 days after treatment. We developed a noninvasive and simple method for monitoring the transcriptional activity of exogenous p53 following intratumoral administration of Ad-p53 in nude mice. We established H1299 cells that express the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene under the control of p53-responsive p21 promoter (i.e., the p53R-GFP reporter system). Xenografts of these cells in nude mice were treated by intratumoral administration of Ad-p53, and the transcriptional activity of exogenous p53 could be visualized as intratumoral GFP expression in real time by 3-CCD camera. Expression of GFP was maximal 3 days after treatment and decreased remarkably by 7 days after treatment. We demonstrated that Ad-p53 treatment rapidly induced p53-targeted genes and apoptosis in tumors and succeeded in visualizing p53 transcriptional activity in vivo. We also found that Ad-p53 infection induced phosphorylation of p53 at Ser(46) in p53-sensitive H1299 cells in vitro but not in p53-resistant H226Br cells, suggesting that phosphorylation of Ser(46) is involved in p53-dependent apoptosis. Our data indicate that quantitative analysis of p53-targeted gene expression by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and visualization of p53 transcriptional activity in fresh xenografts by using the p53R-GFP reporter system may be useful in assessing the mechanisms of the antitumor effects of Ad-p53 and novel therapeutic approaches.

[Effects of repeated intraperitoneal CDDP chemotherapy for the prevention of T3 and T4 gastric cancer].

We studied the significance of repeated intraperitoneal CDDP administration, as adjuvant chemotherapy, for the prevention of T3 and T4 gastric cancer. Fifty-two patients who had been operated as Curability B were divided into the following two groups, and the data on survival rate, median survival time and interval of "free of recurrence" were accumulated and analyzed. Group A consisted of nineteen patients treated with intraperitoneal CDDP administration and oral anticancer drugs. Group B were treated with systemic chemotherapy. Group A was superior to Group B in comparing the analyzed data. These results suggested that repeated intraperitoneal CDDP chemotherapy for the prevention of T3 and T4 advanced gastric cancer would improve survival rate.

[Evaluation of multimodality therapy for synchronous liver metastases of gastric cancer].

We evaluated the significance of multimodality therapy for cases of liver metastases of gastric cancer. Accumulated survival rate and median survival time were analyzed for twenty cases of such gastric cancer. Survival rates of H1+H2 group and hepatic resection (HR) group were higher than that of H3 group and non-HR group. MST of HR group and hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) group were longer than that of non-HR group and non-HAI group. Survival rate of HAI group was higher than that of non-HAI group among eleven cases of HR group. On the other hand, survival rate of HR group was higher than that of non-HR group among eleven cases of HAI group. These results suggested that HAI chemotherapy after hepatic resection for gastric cancer patients with synchronous liver metastasis would improve prognosis.

KL-6 is another useful marker in assessing a micropapillary pattern in carcinomas of the breast and urinary bladder, but not the colon.

To evaluate the peculiar "inside-out" pattern in micropapillary (MP) carcinoma, we investigated the usefulness of KL-6 antibody in the assessment of the MP pattern of cancers, in comparison with antibodies to epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), MUC1 (CD227), and CD 10. Immunohistochemical investigation was performed on specimens exhibiting an MP pattern obtained from 12 persons with cancer: 4 with breast carcinoma, 3 with carcinoma of the urinary bladder, and 5 with colonic carcinoma. Immunohistochemical study with KL-6, EMA, and MUC1 antibodies revealed similar continuous linear positive patterns restricted to the surface of the MP pattern in both breast and urinary bladder cancers, revealing the peculiar "inside-out" morphology. However, EMA also gave cytoplasmic positivity in most of the cases tested, and MUC1 was also present in the cytoplasm of some cases. In sharp contrast, immune reactions of colon carcinomas with these antibodies were negative, except for focal positivity for KL-6 and MUC1 antibodies in some cases. CD10 was only focally positive in an MP pattern in 4 of the 5 cases of colon carcinoma and in 1 case with carcinoma of the urinary bladder. These findings suggest that KL-6 is a useful marker to assess the MP character of breast and urinary bladder carcinomas; that MUC1 was similarly positive, with the addition of cytoplasmic positivity in some cases; and that the MP pattern of colon cancer, positive for CD 10, was different in character from both breast and urinary bladder carcinomas, although all these cancers seemingly exhibit similar MP patterns on histopathology. This heterogeneity of the MP pattern in various cancers needs to be investigated when more cases have been accumulated.

Ectopic p21sdi1 gene transfer induces retinoic acid receptor beta expression and sensitizes human cancer cells to retinoid treatment.

The biological effects of retinoic acid (RA) are mediated by nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs) that function as ligand-activated transcriptional factors. The response of human cancer cells to RA is known to be associated with the expression of RARbeta. Recent studies have demonstrated that the loss of RARbeta expression is involved in the development of a variety of human malignancies. We show that recombinant adenovirus-mediated p21(sdi1) gene transfer enhances RARbeta mRNA expression as well as protein expression and induces the sensitivity to all-trans RA (ATRA) in human cancer cells. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that infection with adenovirus carrying human p21(sdi1) gene (Ad5CMV-p21), which encodes a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, induced RARbeta mRNA and protein expression in H1299 human non-small cell lung cancer cells and DLD-1 human colorectal cancer cells. We also found that exogenous introduction of the p21(sdi1) gene transcriptionally activated the upstream promoter function of the RARbeta gene. Treatment with 1 microM of ATRA showed no significant inhibitory effects on the growth of H1299 and DLD-1 cells; after Ad5CMV-p21 infection, however, cells underwent apoptosis with ATRA treatment at the same concentration, suggesting that p21(sdi1) gene transfer sensitized H1299 and DLD-1 cells, presumably, through RARbeta upregulation. We also demonstrated the efficacy of intratumoral injection of Ad5CMV-p21 in combination with systemic administration of ATRA in a nude mice xenograft model. Our results indicate that recombinant adenovirus-mediated p21(sdi1) gene transfer could be potentially useful for the local induction of RA sensitivity in human premalignant and malignant lesions lacking appropriate RARbeta expression.