Survival outcomes of patients with stage III colorectal cancer aged ≥ 80 years who underwent curative resection: the HiSCO-04 prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients aged ≥ 80 years with stage III colorectal cancer remains unclear. In parallel with a multicenter prospective phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of uracil-tegafur and leucovorin as adjuvant chemotherapy (HiSCO-03), we conducted a prospective observational study of these patients to assess survival outcomes, including those ineligible for chemotherapy. METHODS: This multi-institutional prospective cohort study included 17 institutions in Hiroshima, Japan. Patients aged ≥ 80 years with stage III colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection were enrolled. The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival, and the secondary endpoints were 3-year overall and relapse-free survival. Propensity score matching was used to assess the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy on survival outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 214 patients were analyzed between 2013 and 2018, including 99 males and 115 females with a median age of 84 years (range 80-101 years). Recurrence occurred in 58 patients and secondary cancers were observed in 17. The 3-year disease-free, overall, and relapse-free survival rates were 63.3%, 76.9%, and 62.9%, respectively. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 65 patients with a completion rate of 52%. In a study of 80 patients that adjusted for background factors using propensity score matching, patients who completed the planned treatment showed improved disease-free survival (3-year disease-free survival: completed, 80.0%; not received, 65.5%; and discontinued, 56.3%; p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Completion of adjuvant chemotherapy may improve the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer aged ≥ 80 years, although the number of patients who would benefit from it is limited.

Association between social background and implementation of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for older patients undergoing curative resection of colorectal cancers, sub-analysis of the HiSCO-04 study.

PURPOSE: Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended following colorectal cancer resection based on risk of recurrence. In older patients, treatment decisions should consider recurrence rates and tolerability, as well as functional prognosis, residual disease, and social factors. This study aims to investigate factors, including social background, influencing implementation of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in older patients undergoing curative resection for colorectal cancer. METHODS: This multi-institutional prospective cohort study included 15 institutions belonging to the Hiroshima Surgical study group for Clinical Oncology. We analyzed 159 older patients aged ≥ 80 years, who underwent curative resection for stage III colorectal cancer between December 2013 and June 2018, as sub-analysis of the HiSCO-04 study. RESULTS: In total, 62 (39.0%) patients underwent postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Four factors were significantly associated with its implementation: performance status < 2, Charlson Comorbidity Index < 2, prognostic nutritional index ≥ 40, and presence of a spouse or siblings as lifestyle supporters. No significant difference was found in the backgrounds between complete and incomplete postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy patients. CONCLUSION: Performance status, Charlson Comorbidity Index, nutritional status, and presence of a spouse or siblings as lifestyle supporters are possible factors influencing the implementation of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in older patients. To select appropriate treatment options, including postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, it is essential to consider physical condition and comorbidities of older patients, thoroughly explain the situation to their families, and establish a support system to enhance understanding of the available treatment options.

Predictive factors associated with anastomotic leakage after resection of rectal cancer: a multicenter study with the Hiroshima Surgical study group of Clinical Oncology.

PURPOSE: Several factors have been reported as risk factors for anastomotic leakage after resection of rectal cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for anastomotic leakage, including nutritional and immunological indices, following rectal cancer resection. METHODS: This study used a multicenter database of 803 patients from the Hiroshima Surgical study group of Clinical Oncology who underwent rectal resection with stapled anastomosis for rectal cancer between October 2016 and April 2020. RESULTS: In total, 64 patients (8.0%) developed postoperative anastomotic leakage. Five factors were significantly associated with the development of anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer resection with stapled anastomosis: male sex, diabetes mellitus, C-reactive protein/albumin ratio ≥ 0.07, prognostic nutritional index < 40, and low anastomosis under peritoneal reflection. The incidence of anastomotic leakage was correlated with the number of risk factors. The novel predictive formula based on odds ratios in the multivariate analysis was useful for identifying patients at high risk for anastomotic leakage. Diverting ileostomy reduced the ratio of anastomotic leakage ≥ grade III after rectal cancer resection. CONCLUSIONS: Male sex, diabetes mellitus, C-reactive protein/albumin ratio ≥ 0.07, prognostic nutritional index < 40, and low anastomosis under peritoneal reflection are possible risk factors for developing anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer resection with the stapled anastomosis. Patients at high risk of anastomotic leakage should be assessed for the potential benefits of diverting stoma.

A prospective feasibility study of uracil-tegafur and leucovorin as adjuvant chemotherapy for patients aged ≥ 80 years after curative resection of colorectal cancer, the HiSCO-03 study.

PURPOSE: There is no consensus on the safety and effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage III colorectal cancer (CRC) aged ≥ 80 years. We conducted a prospective multi-institutional phase II study of uracil-tegafur and leucovorin (UFT/LV) as adjuvant chemotherapy in this population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with stage III CRC aged ≥ 80 years who underwent curative resection were enrolled. Eligible patients received UFT/LV therapy (UFT, 300 mg/m2 per day as tegafur; LV, 75 mg/day on days 1-28, every 35 days for five courses). Primary endpoint was feasibility, and secondary endpoints were safety and relative dose intensity. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were enrolled between 2013 and 2021. Of the 69 patients, 65 were included in the analysis. There were 32 males and 33 females with a median age of 82 years (range 80-88 years). In the primary endpoint, administration completion rate was 67.3% (95% confidence interval 54.9-77.6%), and the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval was below the threshold of 60%. 21 patients discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs) and refused treatment. The median relative dose intensities were 84% (range 4-100%) for UFT, and 100% (range 4-100%) for LV. Incidence of grade three or higher AEs were neutropenia (1.5%), aspartate transaminase elevation (3%), alanine transaminase elevation (1.5%), oral mucositis (3%), anemia (1.5%), and diarrhea (4.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The indications for adjuvant UFT/LV therapy for elderly CRC aged ≥ 80 years were considered limited. It is necessary to clarify the background of patients in whom drug administration is discontinued and investigate their impact on long-term prognosis.

High-Output Stoma Leading to the Diagnosis of Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

Diverting stoma (DS) is widely created in colorectal surgery. High-output stoma (HOS) is a major complication of DS, which can lead to dehydration and thrombosis. Additionally, antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a risk factor for thrombosis, and it rarely occurs in men. Herein, we describe a case of multiple thromboses caused by chronic dehydration after HOS. A 48-year-old man visited our hospital with fever and lower abdominal pain; he was diagnosed with sigmoid diverticulitis. He underwent laparoscopic high anterior resection for relapsing diverticulitis and diverting ileostomy during the same operation. On postoperative day 1, an output of 3,000 mL/day was observed from the ileostomy. The stoma output exceeded 2,000 mL/day, which was diagnosed as HOS, and chronic dehydration persisted despite supplementation and restriction of oral water intake. Three months postoperatively, a computed tomography scan before ileostomy closure showed multiple thrombi in the inferior vena cava, right common iliac vein, and pulmonary artery. After antithrombotic therapy, ileostomy closure was performed. As lupus anticoagulant was positive twice and APS was diagnosed, antithrombotic therapy was changed from warfarin to direct oral anticoagulants. Thrombosis did not recur 6 months postoperatively. This is the first report of a case wherein APS was present in the background of thrombosis caused by HOS or chronic dehydration. It is important to be cautious about APS when there is thrombosis after HOS to select appropriate therapeutic agents.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the rectum resected by transanal total mesorectal excision after neoadjuvant imatinib treatment: A case report.

This report describes the combination of a transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) and neoadjuvant therapy with Imatinib mesylate (IM) for a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the lower rectum. A 49-year-old man presented with a submucosal tumor with ulcer located 3 cm above the anal verge. Histopathologically, a biopsy showed spindle-shape cells, positive for C-kit and CD34, negative for smooth muscle actin, desmin and S-100 protein. Genetically, this GIST had the mutation in KIT exon 11. IM (400 mg/d) was administered as neoadjuvant therapy for 80 days. The GIST shrank from 4.7 to 3.3 cm in diameter. Abdominal and transanal approach were started at the same time. The tumor was resected by TaTME successfully. The manometric pressure data and anal function were preserved before and after surgery. TaTME and neoadjuvant therapy with IM provide a treatment option which can preserve anal function for the lower rectal GIST.

Rare case of sacrococcygeal tuberculosis mimicking as an anal fistula.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is the most common manifestation of extra-pulmonary TB. TB of the lumbosacral junction is rare and occurs in only 1 to 2% of all cases of spinal TB. Moreover, isolated sacrococcygeal TB is extremely rare. Herein, we report a rare case of sacrococcygeal TB, which was difficult to distinguish from complex anal fistula. CASE PRESENTATION: A 93-year-old man presented with sacral pain and peri-anal discharge. He had pulmonary TB at 25 years of age. Fistulography revealed an abnormal tract that connected to the pre-sacrococcygeal area, which was not connected to the rectum. Computed tomography scan showed fluid collection in front of the sacrum, with a lytic destruction of the lower sacrum and coccyx. Cold abscess aspiration cytology was negative for acid-fast bacilli. However, real-time polymerase chain reaction was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. His symptoms resolved immediately after the initiation of anti-TB chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the importance of considering tuberculosis as a diagnosis if the unusual sites are involved.

Combined immunohistochemistry of beta-catenin, cytokeratin 7, and cytokeratin 20 is useful in discriminating primary lung adenocarcinomas from metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: It is important to discriminate between primary and secondary lung cancer. However, often, the discriminating diagnosis of primary lung acinar adenocarcinoma and lung metastasis of colorectal cancer based on morphological and pathological findings is difficult. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of immunohistochemistry of beta-catenin, cytokeratin (CK) 7, and CK20 for the discriminating diagnosis of lung cancer. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemistry of beta-catenin, CK7, and CK20 in 19 lung metastasis of colorectal cancer samples, 10 corresponding primary colorectal cancer samples and 11 primary lung acinar adenocarcinoma samples and compared the levels of accuracy of the discriminating diagnosis by using antibodies against these antigens. RESULTS: Positive staining of beta-catenin was observed in all the lung metastasis of colorectal cancer samples as well as in the primary colorectal cancer samples but in none of the primary lung acinar adenocarcinoma samples. Positive staining of CK7 was observed in 90.9% of the primary lung acinar adenocarcinoma samples and in 5.3% of the lung metastasis of colorectal cancer samples, but in none of the primary colorectal cancer samples. Positive staining of CK20 was observed in all the primary colorectal cancer samples and in 84.2% of the lung metastasis of colorectal cancer samples, but in none of the primary lung acinar adenocarcinoma samples. CONCLUSION: Combined immunohistochemistry of beta-catenin, CK7, and CK20 is useful for making a discriminating diagnosis between lung metastasis of colorectal cancer and primary lung acinar adenocarcinoma. This method will enable accurate diagnosis of a lung tumor and will be useful for selecting appropriate therapeutic strategies, including chemotherapeutic agents and operation methods.

Immunohistochemical and mutational analyses of beta-catenin, Ki-ras, and p53 in two subtypes of colorectal mucinous carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The adenoma-carcinoma sequence theory is accepted in carcinogenesis of colorectal carcinoma. To elucidate the nature and genetic alterations in colorectal mucinous carcinoma (MC), we analyzed clinical and pathological characteristics of colorectal MC and nonmucinous carcinoma (NMC), and, furthermore, we compared the prognoses and the statuses of the Wnt signaling pathway, Ki-ras, and p53 in these two subtypes. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Samples of colorectal MC obtained by surgical resections from 41 patients during the period from 1980 to 1999 were classified into fixed (FIX) type and floating (FLO) type (22 and 19 cases, respectively). The statuses of the Wnt signaling pathway and p53 protein were estimated by immunohistochemistry of beta-catenin and p53 proteins, respectively. The mutations in the Ki-ras gene were examined by direct sequencing. RESULTS: The prognosis of colorectal MC was poorer than that of NMC at both stage II and stage III (P = 0.0037 and <0.0001, respectively). The survival rate of patients with the FLO type of MC was lower than that of patients with the FIX type (P = 0.021). Although the results of immunohistochemistry of beta-catenin and mutational analysis of the Ki-ras gene in the two subtypes were not significantly different; the rate of positive nuclear staining of p53 was lower in the FLO type than in the FIX type (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal MC, particularly the FLO type, has a more aggressive nature than does colorectal NMC. The FLO type of colorectal MC may develop through different mechanisms from those through which NMC and the FIX type develop.

Immunohistochemistry of cyclin D1 and beta-catenin, and mutational analysis of exon 3 of beta-catenin gene in parathyroid adenomas.

Parathyroid adenomas are benign uniglandular tumors and are the most common cause of primary hyperparathyroidism. Several genetic changes in parathyroid tumors, including inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, activation of oncogenes and loss of heterozygosity at several chromosomal loci, have been reported. In this study, we analyzed the status of cyclin D1 and beta-catenin in 24 cases of parathyroid adenoma. Immunohistochemistry of cyclin D1 showed positive staining in 9 (37.5%) of the 24 parathyroid adenomas. The status of beta-catenin, which has recently been identified as a regulator of cyclin D1 transcription, was examined by direct sequencing of exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene and immunohistochemistry of beta-catenin protein, but neither mutation nor accumulation of beta-catenin was detected in any of the cases. These results indicate that cyclin D1 is frequently accumulated in parathyroid adenomas, independently of dysfunction in the Wnt signaling pathway.

Immunohistochemical analysis and mutational analyses of beta-catenin, Axin family and APC genes in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Several lines of evidence show that the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) requires an accumulation of genetic alterations. However, molecular mechanism in HCC carcinogenesis remains unsolved. A total of 89 HCC samples were analyzed in this study to determine how alterations in the Wnt signaling pathway associate with the carcinogenesis of HCC. beta-catenin immunohistochemistry showed positive nuclear staining in 24 (27.0%) of the 89 HCC samples, indicating the existence of alterations in the Wnt signaling pathway in those 24 HCC samples. Mutations in the beta-catenin, Axin1 and Axin2 genes were detected in 10 (41.7%), 13 (54.2%) and 9 (37.5%) of the 24 beta-catenin-positive samples, respectively, but no mutation was detected in the APC gene. In conclusion, in addition to mutations in the beta-catenin gene, mutations in the Axin1 and Axin2 genes may alter the Wnt signaling pathway, resulting in accumulation of beta-catenin.

Immunohistochemical and sequencing analyses of the Wnt signaling components in Japanese anaplastic thyroid cancers.

We investigated the status of the components and target genes of the Wnt signaling pathway in Japanese anaplastic thyroid cancers (ATCs) in the present study. Nuclear and cytoplasmic positive staining of beta-catenin, which might indicate the existence of alterations in the Wnt signaling pathway, were found in 40.9% and 63.6% of the 22 ATC samples, respectively. The beta-catenin, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and Axin 1 gene mutations were observed in 4.5%, 9.0%, and 81.8% of the 22 ATC samples, respectively. Overexpression of cyclin D1 and c-myc, which are the target genes of the Wnt signaling pathway, was observed in 27.3% and 59.1% of the ATC samples, respectively. There was no significant correlation between nuclear or cytoplasmic positive staining of beta-catenin and nuclear positive staining of cyclin D1 or c-myc. Taken together, the results of beta-catenin immunohistochemistry suggest that alterations in the Wnt signaling pathway are associated with carcinogenesis of ATC, but the frequency of beta-catenin gene mutation in our series is lower than that previously reported. Furthermore, cyclin D1 and c-myc frequently accumulated in ATC, independently of dysfunction in the Wnt signaling pathway.

Frequent alterations in the Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer with microsatellite instability.

It is generally accepted that both dysfunction of the Wnt signaling pathway, including mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and beta-catenin genes, and genetic instability play important roles in colorectal carcinogenesis. However, alteration of the components in the Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer (CRC) with microsatellite instability (MSI) has not been elucidated. In order to assess the status of the Wnt signaling components in CRC with MSI, mutational analyses of the beta-catenin, APC, Axin 1, and T cell factor 4 (TCF4) genes were performed. Three of 33 samples had mutations in exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene and two in the APC gene. Eight mutations in seven samples were detected by single-strand conformation polymorphism and subsequent direct sequence analysis of the entire coding region of the Axin 1 gene. Furthermore, TCF4, which is one of the transcriptional factors in the Wnt signaling pathway and has a mononucleotide repeat sequence (a nine- adenine repeat, (A)9) in its C-terminal region, was mutated in 13 of the 33 samples. Thus, alteration in the Wnt signaling pathway is frequently observed in CRC with MSI, including hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer, as well as in familial adenomatous polyposis and sporadic CRC without MSI.