[Long-Term Survival with Multidisciplinary Treatment and Nutritional Therapy for Thoracic Esophageal Cancer with Multiple Liver Metastases-A Case Report].

The patient was a 63-year-old man with a chief complaint. Upper endoscopic examination revealed a semicircular type 2 lesion, sized 24-28 cm, on the incisor teeth and a 3 cm sized elevated lesion directly above the EGJ. When biopsy was performed, squamous cell carcinoma(SCC)was detected. In this case, lymph node metastasis and multiple liver metastases were observed, and diagnosis at the first examination was cT3N2M1(HEP), Stage Ⅳ. After 7 months of chemotherapy, he underwent right thoracic esophageal subtotal resection, 3-field lymph node dissection, posterior mediastinal gastric tube reconstruction, and partial hepatectomy. Despite receiving postoperative chemotherapy, he showed recurrence in the liver(S8). Four additional courses of chemotherapy were administered and partial hepatectomy(S8)was performed, without the appearance of new lesions. He was considered to be cured 1 year and 6months after starting the treatment and was followed- up without chemotherapy. However, 4 months later, chemotherapy was resumed when right adrenal and abdominal wall metastases and liver recurrence(S3)were found. After that, the regimen was modified, and he continued treatment. More than 4 years have passed since the start of treatment, but the treatment has been continued without a decline in ADL.

Perioperative Nutritional Support With Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, Arginine, and Glutamine in Surgery for Abdominal Malignancies.

Although beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), arginine (Arg), and glutamine (Gln) may contribute to wound healing, no prospective studies have investigated the efficacy of a compound consisting of HMB, Arg, and Gln (HMB/Arg/Gln) for reducing wound complications following open abdominal surgery. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the usefulness of perioperative nutrition using HMB/Arg/Gln in patients who were scheduled to undergo open surgery for abdominal malignancies in a randomized controlled trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients scheduled for open surgery for abdominal malignancies were randomized to receive HMB/Arg/Gln (1.2 g HMB, 7 g L-Arg, and 7 g L-Gln) or placebo (isocaloric juice). The supplements were provided once daily for 3 days preoperatively and once daily for 7 days postoperatively. The primary endpoint was the incidence of wound complications. Secondary endpoints included the incidence of other complications, postoperative duration of hospital stay, total-body skeletal muscle mass, handgrip strength, and skin water content. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were randomly assigned to either the HMB/Arg/Gln (n = 31) or the placebo (n = 30) group. One patient in the HMB/Arg/Gln group was ineligible because laparoscopic surgery was performed; thus, 60 patients were analyzed. The incidence of wound complications (20%) was the same in both groups (P = 1.000). There were no significant differences in the incidence of other complications, body composition, handgrip strength, or skin water content between the 2 groups. Serum growth hormone (GH) levels were significantly higher for patients whose total intake was > 80% of planned volume in the HMB/Arg/Gln group. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of wound complications would not be reduced by perioperative HMB/Arg/Gln administration in patients who underwent open surgery. The efficacy of HMB/Arg/Gln for increasing serum GH levels needs to be validated in another large-scale randomized controlled trial.

Randomized study of the clinical effects of ω-3 fatty acid-containing enteral nutrition support during neoadjuvant chemotherapy on chemotherapy-related toxicity in patients with esophageal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids have potential positive effects during chemotherapy, such as body weight maintenance and muscle mass preservation. However, little is known about the effect this supplement might have on reducing chemotherapy-induced toxicities. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of ω-3 fatty acid supplementation in the reduction of chemotherapy-related toxicities. METHODS: Sixty-one patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer randomly received ω-3-rich enteral nutrition (EN; n = 31) or ω-3-poor EN support (n = 30) for 15 d during chemotherapy. The daily dosage of ω-3 fatty acids was 900 mg in the ω-3-rich group and 250 mg in the ω-3-poor group. The primary endpoint was the frequency of grade 3/4 neutropenia, and secondary endpoints included other chemotherapy-related adverse events, body weight, and inflammatory markers. RESULTS: The total and dietary intake calories during chemotherapy were equal in both groups. There was no significant difference in the body weight change after chemotherapy between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3/4 leukopenia and neutropenia (P > 0.05). However, stomatitis was significantly less frequent in the ω-3-rich group, than in the ω-3-poor group (P = 0.018). Grade 3/4 diarrhea occurred relatively less frequently in the ω-3-rich group than in the ω-3-poor group; however, this difference was not significant (16.1% versus 36.7%, respectively, P = 0.068). Increases in the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were seen significantly less frequently in the ω-3-rich group than in the ω-3-poor group (P = 0.012 and P = 0.015, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: ω-3-rich EN support decreased the frequency of chemotherapy-induced mucosal toxicities, such as stomatitis and diarrhea, and exhibited a hepatoprotective effect during chemotherapy, compared with the ω-3-poor EN support.

ω-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Chemotherapy-Induced Hematological Toxicity by Bone Marrow Stimulation in Mice.

BACKGROUND: ω-3 Fatty acids exert several benefits during chemotherapy, such as preventing intestinal mucosal damage and improving response to chemotherapy. However, little is known about the effect of ω-3 fatty acids on chemotherapy-induced hematological toxicities. METHODS: Mice that had consumed either an ω-3-rich or an ω-3-poor diet for 2 weeks were intraperitoneally administered cisplatin. The resultant changes in blood cell count, bone marrow cell count, and cytokine levels in bone marrow supernatant were analyzed. The effect of ω-3 fatty acids on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exposed to cisplatin was also examined. RESULTS: Although peripheral blood cell counts decreased after cisplatin treatment in both groups of mice, the decrease in white blood cell count was significantly lower in mice that consumed the ω-3-rich diet. The decrease in bone marrow cells after cisplatin treatment was also reduced in mice that consumed the ω-3-rich diet. Levels of stem cell factor (SCF) and fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) were significantly higher in bone marrow supernatants from mice that consumed the ω-3-rich diet. The rate of apoptosis in PBMCs (after exposure to cisplatin) cultured in medium containing ω-3 fatty acids was significantly lower than in PBMCs cultured in control medium. CONCLUSION: ω-3-Rich diets reduced chemotherapy-induced leukopenia in mice. This may be the result of increased numbers of bone marrow cells due to higher levels of SCF and FGF-1 in the bone marrow.

Feasibility and Safety of Laparoscopic Colon Surgery Performed Under Intravenous Sedation and Local Anesthesia Using Microinvasive (<3 mm) Instruments: An Acute and Survival Study on Porcine Model.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing laparoscopic intestinal surgery using local anesthesia and intravenous sedation with instruments <3 mm in diameter. METHODS: Porcine model with acute (n = 2) and the survival studies (n = 8): all female pigs, weight (median 36.4 kg, range 33.2-38.4 kg). Surgeries were performed using only intravenous sedation with ketamine-midazolam and local anesthetic infiltration at the sites of trocar insertion, with airway protection. CO2 pneumoperitoneum was maintained using pressure of 3 to 5 mm Hg. Commercially available instruments, sizes <3 mm in diameter were used. Surgical steps were as follows: (a) exploration of all quadrants of the abdomen and pelvis, (b) "running" the entire length of small bowel, (c) dissection of bowel attachments to the peritoneal sidewall, and (d) creating a 2.5 cm enterotomy in the colon and suture repair of this defect. RESULTS: All 10 surgeries were completed successfully. Animals tolerated the procedure well, with no requirement of intubation. There were no decrements in vital signs during pneumoperitoneum or surgery. Despite spontaneous respiration movements, all planned surgical maneuvers were feasible. The median length of operations was 74 minutes (range 56-165 minutes). All survival animals had an uneventful recovery; there were no infectious complications, oral intake and bowel function returned within 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: It appears feasible and safe to perform simple laparoscopic intestinal procedures using instruments <3 mm in diameter and low CO2 insufflation pressure under local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. This methodology holds promise in the development of new approaches to intestinal surgery and disease diagnosis.