[Risk factors of recurrence in resected stage I non-small cell lung cancer].

We reviewed risk factors of recurrence in resected pathological stage I non-small cell lung cancer (I NSCLC). Objective is 229 complete resected I NSCLC in our department. Risk factors of recurrence were carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), histology, differentiation, lymphatic invasion, blood vessel invasion, pleural invasion and tumor size. By univariate analysis, lymphatic invasion (p=0.009), blood vessel invasion (p=0.008), pleural invasion, p1 (p=0.013), p2 (p=0.001), and tumor size (value of cut off was 2 cm) were significant risk factors of recurrence. By multivariate analysis, blood vessel invasion (p=0.004), pleural invasion (p1 or p2) [p=0.001], were significantly risk factors of recurrence. It was suggested that I NSCLC presenting pathological blood vessel invasion and/or pleural invasion should be recognized as cases with a high risk of recurrence, and a strict follow-up and adjuvant therapy should be in consideration.

Stabilization of hen egg white lysozyme by a cavity-filling mutation.

Stabilization of a protein using cavity-filling strategy has hardly been successful because of unfavorable van der Waals contacts. We succeeded in stabilizing lysozymes by cavity-filling mutations. The mutations were checked by a simple energy minimization in advance. It was shown clearly that the sum of free energy change caused by the hydrophobicity and the cavity size was correlated very well with protein stability. We also considered the aromatic-aromatic interaction. It is reconfirmed that the cavity-filling mutation in a hydrophobic core is a very useful method to stabilize a protein when the mutation candidate is selected carefully.

[UFT/CDDP preoperative chemotherapy for progressive gastric cancer--histological antitumor effects and thymidylate synthase inhibition rate].

Pre-operative chemotherapy with concomitant use of UFT and CDDP (UFT: oral administration of 400 mg/day for 2 weeks till one day before operation, CDDP, one intravenous drip of 40 mg/m2 one week before operation) was used for 24 untreated cases of advanced stomach cancer diagnosed as resectable pre-operatively, and the histological antitumor effect analyzed in dissected preparation and the thymidylate synthase inhibition rate (TSIR: %) in tumor tissue were examined. The average administration dose of CDDP was 61.1 mg/body, and the average total administration dose of UFT was 5.0 g/body. The histological antitumor effect was grade 0 in 8 cases (33.3%), grade 1a in 10 cases (41.7%), grade 1b in 5 cases (20.8%), and grade 2 in 1 case (4.2%). TSIR in tumor tissue was under 10% in 2 cases (9.1%); over 10% and under 20% in 4 cases (18.2 %); over 20% and under 30% in 6 cases (27.3%); over 30% and under 40% in 5 cases (22.7%); over 40% and under 50% in 3 cases (13.6%); over 50 % in 2 cases (9.1%), and not measurable in 2 cases, with the average of 29.0%. The correlation was observed between histological anti-tumor effect and TSIR in tumor tissue (p < 0.05). These results suggest the possibility that the anti-tumor effect can be estimated at the in vivo level from measurement of TSIR in tumor tissue.

Multiple sclerosis presented acute hearing loss and vertigo.

A case of multiple sclerosis with acute deafness and dizziness as initial symptoms was reported. The pure-tone audiometry showed a high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss; in the auditory evoked brain stem response (ABR), the left side had a normal peak I with an absence of subsequent peaks. In the equilibrium test, Bruns' nystagmus was present, and the caloric test demonstrated CP on the left side. MRI disclosed a high-intensity lesion in the cerebellar peduncle (T2-weighted image). With steroid therapy, the deafness and dizziness improved within 10 days, although, after 20 days, the findings of the ABR and caloric test remained unchanged.

Hepatocellular carcinoma and metastatic cancer detected by iodized oil.

An oily contrast medium was injected into the hepatic artery in rabbits with implanted VX2 carcinoma in the liver. The contrast medium was initially detected in all of the branches of the injected artery, but 3 and 7 days after injection it was found only in the tumor tissue on plain radiographs. Taking advantage of this phenomenon, an oily contrast medium was injected into the hepatic artery in 5 patients with liver tumors. A plain radiograph of the abdomen after the injection presented a clearer picture of the tumor and detected smaller tumors, compared with a conventional selective celiac angiogram in 5 patients. It is concluded that an injection of oily contrast medium into a hepatic artery is a useful technique to detect liver tumor.

Hepatic hematoma after blunt trauma--a case of nonoperative management to prevent liver abscess formation.

In an eighteen-year-old boy with a high fever, an intra-hepatic infectious hematoma following blunt hepatic trauma was treated twice with intrahepatic arterial injection chemotherapy in an attempt to prevent conversion of the hematoma to an abscess. A decrease in body temperature occurred after the arterial injections, and the hematoma was gradually diminished in size. In selected patients with blunt hepatic trauma, intrahepatic arterial injection chemotherapy seems to be an effective treatment for prevention of liver abscess formation.