[Intestinal Care Using L‒Glutamine Supplement and Probiotics Can Induce a Strong Anti‒Tumor Immune Response through the Induction of Mature Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Pancreatic Cancer Patients Receiving Preoperative Chemotherapy].

Most cancer patients receiving chemotherapy are accompanied by gut dysbiosis and intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction to a greater or lesser degree. These disorders of the gut can easily cause bacterial translocation, resulting in the formation of immunothrombosis composed mainly of neutrophil extracellular traps and activated platelets in hepatic sinusoid in order to trap bacteria. At the same time, however, a lot of alarmin such as HMGB1, S100A8/S100A9 and VEGF‒A which are released from immunothrombosis, promote to recruit many myeloid‒derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)from bone marrow, leading to the strong immunosuppressive milieu in both liver and cancerous lesions. Therefore, intestinal care must be necessary for protection of intestinal barrier integrity during chemotherapy. Recently, we found that intestinal care using oral L‒glutamine‒ enriched supplement and probiotics including Lactobacillus casei Shirota supplement(Yakult®)and Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588 strain(Miya‒BM®)could induce a strong anti‒tumor immune response through the induction of fully mature tertiary lymphoid structures in some pancreatic cancer patients who received 3 cycles of preoperative chemotherapy(gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 plus nab‒paclitaxel 125 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of 28‒day cycle). In this review article, we discussed the role of intestinal care in the induction of fully mature tertiary lymphoid structures in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Preventive effect of oral hangeshashinto (TJ-14) on the development of reflux-induced esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin E2 is one of the potential products that promotes development of tumors and also is a strong inducer of M2 phenotype macrophages, which contribute to tumor development in the immunosuppressed microenvironment. Hangeshashinto (TJ-14), a Japanese traditional medicine (Kampo medicine), has been reported to be effective in preventing chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis through the reduction of prostaglandin E2. We previously developed a surgical rat reflux model of esophageal cancer and used this well-established animal model to investigate the action of TJ-14 in preventing esophageal cancer. We also assessed the effect of TJ-14 on the downregulation of prostaglandin E2 production, utilizing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line exposed to bile acid. METHODS: An end-to-side esophagojejunostomy was performed for the reflux model. A daily oral diet was subsequently administered, consisting of either diet-incorporated TJ-14 or standard diet as a control group. The rats were killed at 40 weeks after surgery. The incidence of esophageal cancer, Barrett's metaplasia, and proliferative hyperplasia were assessed histologically. CD163, a M2 phenotype macrophage marker, was assessed with immunohistochemistry. Prostaglandin E2 enzyme immunoassay and lactate dehydrogenase assay were performed on chenodeoxycholic acid or gastroesophageal reflux contents exposed to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line. RESULTS: Sixty-seven percent of the controls (n = 12) developed esophageal cancer, but animals that received TJ-14 (n = 10) had a cancer incidence of 10% (P=.007). Barrett's metaplasia was found in 83% of the rats in the control group and 50% of the rats in the TJ-14 indicating a protective tendency of TJ-14 (P=.095). All of the rats developed proliferative hyperplasia. The number of M2 phenotype macrophage were significantly decreased in the TJ-14 group compared to the control group in both Barrett's metaplasia and esophageal cancer lesions. TJ-14 inhibited chenodeoxycholic acid or gastroesophageal reflux content-induced prostaglandin E2 production in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell. CONCLUSION: TJ-14 reduced the incidence of reflux-induced esophageal cancer and the infiltration of M2 macrophages in a surgical rat model or suppressed prostaglandin E2 production in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell. Further investigation is required regarding the potential clinical use of TJ-14 as an esophageal cancer chemopreventive agent.

[A Case of Spontaneous Esophageal Rupture That Required Operation during Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Transverse Colon Cancer].

A 75-year-old male underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with tegafur uracil(UFT)plus Leucovorin(LV)after surgery for transverse colon cancer(pT3pN0M0, ly1, v2, pStageⅡ). Although he had diarrhea(Grade 3)and vomiting(Grade 2)from day 15, he continued to take the medicine at his own discretion. He visited a hospital because of acute renal failure from severe dehydration. He went into shock after evacuation, and the computed tomography(CT)finding suggested a diagnosis of spontaneous esophageal rupture at the lower esophagus. We made a diagnosis of intrathoracic perforation of the esophagus by using thoracic drainage. Then, we performed an operation for mediastinal drainage via a transabdominal approach and the lesser omentum. He started ingestion from POD36 and transferred to another hospital on POD85. He had no disease recurrence in our outpatient care. We think that the spontaneous esophageal rupture occurred because of the frequent vomiting caused by the continued chemotherapy despite the severe side effects. Treatments must be selected by considering patients' life background and medical compliance, and common guidance in taking medications must be provided to elderly patients at the start of chemotherapy.

Colonic stenosis caused by infection of an intraperitoneal access port system: a rare complication of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Intraperitoneal (i.p.) chemotherapy is garnering attention as an effective treatment for gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. We report the case of a patient who developed colonic stenosis caused by infection of an i.p. access port system during i.p. chemotherapy. It was difficult to differentiate whether the extrinsic colonic stenosis arose from a catheter infection or peritoneal metastasis of the gastric cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: A 66-year-old Japanese man underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Because the intraoperative findings revealed peritoneal metastasis, a port system was implanted for subsequent i.p. chemotherapy. Two months after initiation of chemotherapy, he complained of vomiting and abdominal pain. A computed tomography scan revealed marked thickening of the sigmoid colon wall adjacent to the catheter of the i.p. access port system. A barium enema demonstrated extrinsic irregular stenosis of the sigmoid colon. Although it was difficult to distinguish whether infection or peritoneal metastasis had caused the colonic stenosis, we removed the port system to obtain a therapeutic diagnosis. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were detected by catheter culture. The wall thickening and stenosis of the sigmoid colon completely resolved after removal of the port system. CONCLUSIONS: We report the case of a rare complication in association with an i.p. access port system. Infection of the port system should be considered as a differential diagnosis when colonic stenosis adjacent to the catheter is observed during i.p. chemotherapy.