[Results of Surgical Treatment for Gastric Cancer in the Elderly Over 85 Years Old].

Although the number of gastric cancers in elderly is increasing with the aging population, the indications of surgical treatment depend on the individual cases and the decisions of doctors. We investigated the outcomes of gastrectomy in elderly patients aged 85 years and older who underwent surgery at our hospital. From 2014 to 2022, 72 cases of gastrectomy were performed in the elderly. The approaches were laparotomy in 28 cases, laparoscopic in 42, and robot-assisted in 2. There were 57 cases of distal gastrectomy, 7 cases of proximal gastrectomy, and 8 cases of total gastrectomy. The median operation time was 200 minutes, and the postoperative hospital stay was 14 days. There were 14 cases of complications of Grade Ⅱ or higher according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Although intra-abdominal complications were not many, respiratory and circulatory complications were occasionally observed. The median follow-up period was 14.6 months, there were 10 deaths from other diseases. Risk factors for death from other diseases were laparotomy, postoperative complications, and outcomes other than discharging home. Although gastrectomy may be performed safely even in the elderly, it is important to pay attention to the patients' conditions particular to the elderly and to plan the surgery accordingly.

A possible manifestation of pancreas divisum-pancreatic pseudocyst in an infant with no apparent history of pancreatitis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pancreas divisum (PD), the most common pancreatic anomaly, is caused by the failure of pancreatic bud fusion in the embryo. Although most cases are asymptomatic, it can cause pancreatitis or epigastric pain. We report an unusual case of PD in an infant. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 9-month-old girl with no pertinent medical history. She had suffered vomiting and diarrhea for 1 week before transfer to our hospital. Her general condition was poor, and abdominal distention was noted. Blood tests revealed microcytic anemia with normal chemical markers. The parents reported no episode of pancreatitis. Ultrasonography revealed massive ascites, which was later found to be bloody. Enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging depicted a cystic lesion, approximately 2 cm in size, anterior to the second portion of the duodenum. During exploratory laparotomy, a pinhole was identified on the cyst wall, which was mistakenly identified as a duodenal perforation, and direct closure was performed. Postoperative levels of serum amylase and inflammation markers were elevated, and the amount of ascites increased, impairing oral feeding. The level of pancreatic enzymes in the ascites was high. Imaging studies were repeated, but the cause of pancreatic fistula was not identified. Conservative therapy, including administration of total parenteral nutrition, antibiotics, and octreotide, was initiated, but the situation did not improve. Three months after admission, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed a thick dorsal pancreatic duct communicating with a hypoplastic ventral duct, which was indicative of PD. Contrast medium leaking from the dorsal duct near the minor ampulla revealed the presence of a pseudocyst. Stenting via the minor papilla was impossible because the minor papilla was obstructed. Instead, a stent was inserted into the ventral pancreatic duct. Endoscopic transgastric drainage of the cyst was effective, and the patient was discharged, 7 months after admission. The patient is healthy, but the gastric stent needs to be replaced regularly. CONCLUSION: In children, PD can manifest with pancreatic pseudocyst that causes pancreatic ascites, even in the absence of pancreatitis. This may be a previously unrecognized manifestation of PD in children, and clinicians need to be aware of it.

Proposal of nomograms to predict clinical outcomes in patients with ampulla of Vater cancer based on the Korea-Japan collaborative study.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients who underwent curative resection of ampulla of Vater (AOV) cancer. This is the first study for nomograms in AOV cancer patients using retrospective data based on an international multicenter study. METHODS: A total of 2007 patients with AOV adenocarcinoma who received operative therapy between 2002 January and 2015 December in Korea and Japan were retrospectively assessed to develop a prediction model. Nomograms for 5-year OS and 3-year RFS were constructed by dividing the patients who received and who did not receive adjuvant therapy after surgery, respectively. Significant risk factors were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox analyses. Performance assessment of the four prediction models was conducted by the Harrell's concordance index (C-index) and calibration curves using bootstrapping. RESULTS: A total of 2007 and 1873 patients were collected for nomogram construction to predict 5-year OS and 3-year RFS. We developed four types of nomograms, including models for 5-year OS and 3-year RFS in patients who did not receive postoperative adjuvant therapy, and 5-year OS and 3-year RFS in patients who received postoperative adjuvant therapy. The C-indices of these nomograms were 0.795 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.766-0.823), 0.712 (95% CI: 0.674-0.750), 0.804 (95% CI: 0.7778-0.829), and 0.703 (95% CI: 0.669-0.737), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This predictive model could help clinicians to choose optimal treatment and precisely predict prognosis in AOV cancer patients.

[A Case of Primary Somatostatin-Producing Tumor of the Duodenum with Liver Metastases with Long-Term Survival of More than 20 Years].

A 52-year-old woman underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy after an abnormal medical examination, which revealed a mass lesion over half the circumference of the superior duodenal angulus. Immunostaining was diffusely positive for somatostatin, synaptophysin, and chromogranin A. A 3 cm-sized mass in the pancreaticoduodenal region and multiple nodular lesions of a few mm in both lobes of the liver were revealed by CT. The diagnosis is primary somatostatin-producing tumor of the duodenum with multiple liver metastases. She underwent gastric jejunal bypass for impaired transit. Afterwards hepatic infusion and systemic chemotherapy were continued, and 5 years passed without progression. When she stopped chemotherapy for 6 months, she started somatostatin analogue therapy because of the increase of the tumors. The tumors did not increase, and 20 years have passed since the start of treatment. We report a case of primary somatostatin-producing tumor of the duodenum with liver metastases that is still alive for a long period of time, with a review of the literature.

Clinical features of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with a history of other primary malignancies: A retrospective analysis.

Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that have a history of other primary malignancies are not well documented. The current study therefore aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with PDAC with or without a history of other primary malignancies. A total of 102 patients with surgically treated PDAC that presented with or without a history of other primary malignancies were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 25 patients (24.5%) had a history of other primary malignancies (age, with history of other primary malignancy vs. without, 74.2 vs. 68.9 years; P=0.005) and the reason for consultation (P<0.001) differed significantly between the groups with a history of other primary malignancies [HoM(+)] and without a history of other primary malignancies [HoM(-)]. Incidental indications during malignancy follow-up was the most common reason for the diagnosis of PDAC in the HoM(+) group. Conversely, there were no significant differences in the resectability (P=0.645), complete resection rate (P=0.774) and final stage (P=0.474) between the two groups. Disease-free survival was also not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.184). However, overall survival was significantly poorer in the HoM(+) group compared with the HoM(-) group (P=0.003). A history of other primary malignancies was also an independent predictor of poor overall survival (hazard ratio, 2.416; 95% confidence interval, 1.324-4.406; P=0.004). In conclusion, patients with PDAC and a history of other primary malignancies had significantly poorer overall survival than their counterparts, despite no differences in disease-free survival.

[Laparoscopy Assisted Subtotal Gastrectomy(Billrothâ Reconstruction)for Gastric Cancer in the Upper Stomach-A Report of Three Cases].

We experienced 3 cases of upper gastric cancer who underwent BillrothⅠ reconstruction in laparoscopy assisted subtotal gastrectomy. Two cases were female and 1 was male. The postoperative course was uneventful in all cases without heartburn, and the surgical margin was negative. The body weight loss rate was 5.8-12.6%, and the short-term results were relatively acceptable. Although the number of cases in this study was small, reconstruction with BillrothⅠ/delta-shaped anastomosis after laparoscopy assisted subtotal gastrectomy were considered to be useful.

Comparison of three fistula risk scores after pancreatoduodenectomy: A single-institution retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy greatly influences patients' postoperative course. Several evaluation methods have been used to assess the risk of clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy namely, the original, alternative, and updated alternative fistula risk scores (o-FRS, a-FRS, and ua-FRS, respectively). METHODS: We enrolled 106/179 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy in our institution between April 2013 and Mar 2018. CR-POPF was defined as grade B and C POPF according to the 2016 definitions of the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery. RESULTS: Pancreatic gland texture was the only significant risk factor for CR-POPF (p = 0.007). The CR-POPF incidence increased significantly according to the risk groups defined by both o-FRS (p = 0.004) and a-FRS (p = 0.004). The area under the curve for o-FRS, a-FRS, and ua-FRS was 0.693, 0.693, and 0.671, respectively. CONCLUSION: o-FRS, a-FRS, and ua-FRS were almost equally useful for risk evaluation for CR-POPF after pancreatoduodenectomy. Further studies, especially for preoperative objective evaluation of pancreatic gland texture, are needed for more useful and accurate risk evaluation.

[A Case of a Huge Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor with Extraluminal Growth Arising in the Small Intestine Diagnosed as an Ovarian Tumor].

We report a case of a gastrointenstinal stromal tumor(GIST)of the small intestine with extraluminal growth that was difficult to distinguish from an ovarian tumor. A 73-year-old woman presented to a nearby hospital for lower abdominal pain. A computed tomography(CT)scan showed a 17 cm ovarian tumor in the pelvis, and she was referred to the gynecology department of our hospital. Following examinations(enhanced CT and magnetic resonance imaging), she was referred to our department in suspicion of a small intestinal GIST in which the superior mesenteric artery/vein was the feeding blood vessel, and intraperitoneal tumor resection was performed. A large cystic tumor occupied the abdominal cavity and was in contact with the small intestinal wall. As the tumor was not in contact with the uterus or bilateral adnexa, only partial resection of the small intestine was performed. Histopathological examination showed c-kit positivity and she was diagnosed with small intestinal GIST; as a result, a course of imatinib was started.

A multicenter prospective registration study on laparoscopic pancreatectomy in Japan: report on the assessment of 1,429 patients.

BACKGROUND: Prospective studies are needed to understand the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic pancreatectomy. The aim of the present study was to describe laparoscopic pancreatectomy currently undertaken in Japan, using a prospective registration system. METHODS: Patient characteristics and planned operations were registered preoperatively, and then the performed operation and outcomes were reported using an online system. Collected data were also compared between institutions based on their level of experience. This study was registered with UMIN000022836. RESULTS: Available data were obtained from 1,429 patients at 100 Japanese institutions, including 1,197 laparoscopic distal pancreatectomies (LDPs) and 232 laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomies (LPDs). The rates of completion for planned operations were 92% for LDP and 91% for LPD. Postoperative complication rates after LDP and LPD were 17% and 30%, and 90-day mortality rates were 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively. Shorter operation time, less blood loss, and lower incidence of pancreatic fistula were observed in institutions experienced in LDP. A higher rate of pure laparoscopic procedure and shorter operation time were noted in institutions experienced with LPD. CONCLUSION: LDPs and LPDs are performed safely in Japan, especially in experienced institutions. Our data could support the next challenges in the field of laparoscopic pancreatectomy.

Superior Mesenteric Artery-Pancreaticoduodenal Arcade Bypass Grafting for Repair of Inferior Pancreaticoduodenal Artery Aneurysm with Celiac Axis Occlusion.

We report a case of an aneurysm of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (IPDA), with chronic occlusion of the celiac axis. Both surgical aneurysmectomy and endovascular coil embolization were anticipated to sacrifice IPDA, which could lead to severe acute ischemia in the celiac region. The treatment involved surgical ligation of the aneurysm after bypass grafting from the superior mesenteric artery to the anterior IPDA. A postoperative computed tomography revealed no enhancement of the aneurysm and sufficient collateral blood supply by the patent bypass graft.

Sclerosing mesenteritis mimicking metachronous peritoneal metastases from descending colon adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Sclerosing mesenteritis is a non-neoplastic inflammatory disease that occurs in the bowel mesentery. Distinguishing sclerosing mesenteritis from neoplasms may be difficult because of the clinical and radiographic similarities between the two disease entities. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of sclerosing mesenteritis mimicking peritoneal metastases of colorectal carcinoma. A 73-year-old man with stage II descending colon adenocarcinoma with poor prognostic features was found to have developed left lower abdominal quadrant masses on computed tomography (CT) 9 months after undergoing radical surgery. These masses were diagnosed as peritoneal metastases because they grew in size and displayed fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake 3 months later; thus, a laparotomy was performed. The masses, which were localized in the jejunal mesentery, were excised completely via segmental jejunal resection. Histopathological analysis confirmed that the masses were sclerosing mesenteritis. The patient showed no signs of sclerosing mesenteritis or colorectal carcinoma recurrence during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In patients suspected of having localized peritoneal metastasis from malignancies, any masses must be sampled by surgical excisional biopsy and subsequently examined to rule out alternative diagnoses, such as sclerosing mesenteritis.

[Laparoscopic Surgery for an Intussusception Caused by Rectosigmoid Colon Cancer after Pre-Operative Reduction by Transanal Insertion of a Circular Sizer - A Case Report].

An octogenarian man complaining of bloody stool was referred to our hospital. A digital examination, abdominal enhanced CT and endoscopy led to a diagnosis of intussusception due to rectosigmoid colon cancer, but he was not suffering from bowel obstruction. An elective laparoscopic Hartmann's operation was performed after reduction by transanal insertion of a circular sizer. It may be difficult to reduce an intussusception induced by rectal cancer. We report this case with a review of the relevant literature.

Hybrid laparoscopic and anterior approach for postsurgical inguinal hernia after iliofemoral arterial bypass.

Laparoscopic hernia repair has become popular due to its rapid recovery time, fewer postoperative complications, and less chronic pain compared with conventional approaches. Currently, laparoscopic hernia repair is also used for more complex pathogenesis, including extra-anatomic bypass surgery for femoral artery. To the best of our knowledge, cases of inguinal hernia after femoral arterial bypass are extremely rare. We report the case of a 77-year-old Japanese man who was diagnosed with inguinal hernia after a previous left external iliac artery-right common femoral artery bypass. We used a hybrid laparoscopic and anterior approach, and the procedure was completed successfully without perioperative complications. A laparoscopic approach is useful for the diagnosis and treatment of inguinal hernia after extra-anatomic bypass surgery for femoral artery. While complicated, the addition of anterior reinforcement should be considered in cases of insufficient preperitoneal repair using transabdominal preperitoneal patch plasty.

[An Analysis of Placement of a Self-Expanding Metallic Stent as Bridge to Surgery for Surgical Resection of Stageâ £ Obstructive Colorectal Cancers].

In our institution, placement of a self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) for obstructive colorectal cancer to avoid emergency operations, namely as a bridge to surgery (BTS), was introduced in April 2012. Here, we assess the efficacy and safety of pre-operative SEMS placement for treatment of Stage Ⅳ obstructive colorectal cancer. We analyzed a total of 44 cases of Stage Ⅳ colorectal cancer, which consisted of 13 obstructive cases that were surgically resected following SEMS placement as BTS (BTS group), and 31 cases that were resected in elective operations without pre-operative SEMS placement (Ope group), from April 2012 to August 2014. None of the patients had any adverse events during the SEMS procedure or after SEMS placement, and all patients of BTS group could undergo the planned operations after sufficient decompression. In the postoperative period, 1 patient of BTS group (7.7%) had anastomosis bleeding, but no other complications, including anastomosis leakage, were observed in BTS group. However more progressive primary tumors were resected in BTS group (p=0.0115), there were no significant differences for post-operative course between the 2 groups; this indicated avoiding high-risk emergency operations contributed to adequate short-term outcomes in BTS group comparable to those in Ope group. SEMS placement as BTS could be performed safely for Stage Ⅳ obstructive colorectal cancer cases, and was 1 of the effective strategies for local treatment.

[A Case of Ascending Colon Cancer with Extra Iliac Lymph Node Metastases].

We report a case of ascending colon cancer with right extra iliac lymph node metastases. A 60s-year-old woman underwent right hemicolectomy with lymph node dissection in July 2011. Pathological diagnosis was T4 (SE), N1 (2/42), M0, stage ⅢA. Adjuvant chemotherapy with tegafur/uracil was administered after the operation for 6 months. One year after the operation, the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level was gradually increasing. Three years after the operation, positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) delineated a 3 cm mass with an abnormal signal on the right lower abdominal side of the external iliac vessels. The diagnosis was an isolated remnant tumor in the right extra iliac vessels area from the primary ascending colon cancer. Other recurrent lesions were not found; therefore, resection of this mass was performed. Pathological findings confirmed lymph node metastases from the ascending colon cancer. This type of metastasis is extremely rare, and more case reports are needed to determine the mechanism behind these metastases.

[A Case of Simultaneous Laparoscopic Resection of Sigmoid Colon Cancer and Liver Metastases after Chemotherapy with Modified FOLFOX6 plus Panitumumab].

A 70s-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of sigmoid colon cancer. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a large mass in the right lobe of the liver and small masses in Couinaud segments Ⅳ and Ⅵ. We started systemic chemotherapy with mFOLFOX6 and panitumumab. After 6 courses of the treatment, the size and number of the liver metastases was remarkably reduced on CT. We performed a simultaneous laparoscopic resection for the primary tumor and synchronous liver metastases. The postoperative course was uneventful and he had no signs of recurrence 12 months after surgery.

Single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy for treating appendicitis in a patient with gastrointestinal malrotation.

INTRODUCTION: Intestinal malrotation is a rare congenital anomaly, and acute appendicitis associated with intestinal malrotation is extremely rare. PRESENTATION OF CASE We report a rare case of a 47-year-old Japanese woman diagnosed with barium-related perforated appendicitis associated with intestinal malrotation. We used a transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic approach to resect the appendix, and the procedure was completed successfully without perioperative complications. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, single-incision laparoscopic surgery for appendicitis associated with intestinal malrotation has not been reported yet. In cases with mobile cecum such as this one, mobilization from inflammatory adhesion of the surrounding structures is easy. CONCLUSION: We conclude that transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy is a simple and less invasive method for treating appendicitis associated with intestinal malrotation.

A case of pancreatic cancer with formation of a mass mimicking alcoholic or autoimmune pancreatitis in a young man. Possibility of diagnosis by hypermethylation of pure pancreatic juice.

CONTEXT: Mass-forming pancreatitis can be divided into two distinct types: alcoholic and autoimmune. There have been some cases of an ambiguous diagnosis although care was taken to differentiate between alcoholic mass-forming pancreatitis, focal type autoimmune pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. CASE REPORT: We report a case of pancreatic cancer mimicking alcoholic or autoimmune pancreatitis with the formation of a mass in a 32-year-old man with a history of heavy drinking. Although both serum immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin G4 levels were normal, many serum auto-antibodies, including the antinuclear antibody, were detected. After he stopped drinking, abdominal computed tomography showed a pancreatic head mass 28 mm in diameter with little and weak enhancement in the early and delayed phases, respectively. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed an obstruction of the main pancreatic duct in the pancreatic head and marked stenosis of the lower common bile duct. Although a percutaneous ultrasound-guided pancreatic biopsy demonstrated no evidence of autoimmune pancreatitis, he was treated with prednisolone to test the efficacy of steroid therapy. However, the pancreatic mass became enlarged after steroid therapy, and he underwent surgery during which the mass was found to be pancreatic cancer. Although the patient was treated with gemcitabine, he died 5 months after surgery. We retrospectively assessed DNA hypermethylation in the patient's pure pancreatic juice obtained on admission. We observed hypermethylation of the cancer-specific gene tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 (TFPI2). CONCLUSION: This finding suggests that if the DNA hypermethylation of pure pancreatic juice had been assayed before steroid therapy, it would have supported the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, and steroid therapy could have been avoided.

Angiotensin II activates MAP kinase and NF-kappaB through angiotensin II type I receptor in human pancreatic cancer cells.

Pancreatic ductal cancer has higher angiotensin II concentrations compared with normal pancreas or other solid tumors. This study examined angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor expression and the role of angiotensin II in proliferation and survival of human pancreatic cancer cells. All three pancreatic cancer cell lines studied, from well to poorly-differentiated types, HPAF-II, AsPC-1, and Panc-1, showed strong expression of AT1 receptor. In contrast, HT-29 human colon cancer cells showed extremely weak expression. Angiotensin II stimulated the growth of pancreatic cancer cells through MAP kinase activation but had no significant effect on proliferation of HT-29 colon cancer cells. In addition, angiotensin II significantly prevented cisplatin (CDDP)-induced apoptosis through NF-kappaB activation and the subsequent production of anti-apoptotic molecules, including survivin and Bcl-XL, in pancreatic cancer cells. These findings suggest that angiotensin II plays a role in the growth and chemoresistance of AT1-positive pancreatic cancer cells through its action as a potent mitogen and anti-apoptotic molecule.