[The task of the medical cooperation system for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in the northern and eastern regions of Hokkaido].

In Japan, establishing a medical cooperation system for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) between IBD flagship and local care hospitals is a crucial task. Thus, this retrospective multicenter cohort study aims to examine the actual state of medical treatment in patients with IBD via a questionnaire survey administered to eight dependent institutes in Hokkaido, Japan. The present results clarified the clinical disparities of IBD treatment and hospital function between IBD flagship hospitals and local care hospitals. Moreover, the understanding level of IBD treatment in medical staff was significantly lower in local care than in IBD flagship hospitals. Furthermore, an abounding experience of IBD treatment affected the understanding level of IBD treatment of both medical doctors and staff. These findings indicate that selecting patients with IBD corresponding to disease activity, educational system for the current IBD treatment, and promotion of team medicine with multimedical staff can resolve clinical discrepancies between IBD flagship and local care hospitals. The IBD treatment inequities in Japan will be eliminated with the development of an appropriate medical cooperation system between IBD flagship and local care hospitals.

Prognostic factors to predict the survival in patients with advanced gastric cancer who receive later-line nivolumab monotherapy-The Asahikawa Gastric Cancer Cohort Study (AGCC).

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer is recommended in the guidelines; however, later-line treatment remains controversial. Since immune checkpoint inhibitors have been used for the treatment of various malignancies, trials have been performed for gastric cancer. A phase 3 trial indicated the survival benefit of nivolumab monotherapy for gastric cancer patients treated with prior chemotherapy regimens. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A regional cohort study was undertaken to determine the real-world data of nivolumab treatment for patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. The patients were enrolled for 2 years from October 2017 to October 2019 and were prospectively followed for 1 year to examine the overall survival (OS). The patient characteristics were analyzed in a multivariate analysis and a nomogram to predict the probability of survival was generated. RESULTS: In total, 70 patients who received nivolumab as ≥third-line chemotherapy were included in the Asahikawa Gastric Cancer Cohort. The median OS was 7.5 (95% CI, 4.8-10.2) months and the response rate was 18.6%. Diffuse type classification, bone metastasis, high neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and high CRP were associated with poor OS/prognosis in the multivariate analysis. A nomogram was developed based on these clinical parameters and the concordance index was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68-0.91). The responders were aged and were frequently diagnosed with intestinal type gastric cancer, including patients with a HER2-positive status (27.3%) or microsatellite instability-high (27.3%) status. CONCLUSIONS: The regional cohort study of nivolumab monotherapy for gastric cancer patients revealed prognostic factors and a nomogram was developed that could predict the probability of survival.

[A case of duodenal neuroendocrine carcinoma composed of small- and large-cell types].

A 78-year-old man underwent a detailed examination by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for the complaint of epigastric pain. The examination revealed a hemicircumferential type 2 tumor in the descending duodenum. A subsequent biopsy led to a diagnosis of neuroendocrine carcinoma. Subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. The lesion was composed of small- and large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. The large-cell type component was positive for both caudal homeobox protein 2 and the cluster of differentiation 138, whereas the small-cell type component was negative for both. Our report may provide valuable information regarding the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine carcinoma.

A case of synchronous quintuple gastric cancer with large-cell endocrine carcinoma.

The patient was a 73-year-old man who visited our department with black stools as the chief complaint. Upper digestive tract endoscopy revealed three type 2 lesions in the lesser curvature of the gastric antrum and the gastric angle and the posterior wall of the upper gastric body, which were diagnosed by biopsy as tub2, por, and sig, respectively. Total gastrectomy was performed. The final pathological diagnosis was quintuple gastric cancer with a main lesion of large-cell endocrine carcinoma and four adenocarcinoma sublesions. We report this extremely rare case of gastric endocrine cell carcinoma complicated by adenocarcinoma.

A case of mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma of the stomach.

A 71-year-old man who tested positive in a pepsinogen test also underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A 0-IIc lesion was identified at the posterior wall of the antrum. Biopsy findings indicated endocrine cell carcinoma. The patient underwent distal gastrectomy, and subsequent histopathological examination of the resected specimens showed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (tub2) in the mucosa with transformation to small cell carcinoma in the submucosal and muscle layers. The final diagnosis was of a mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma. We herein describe a case report of this patient with this rare form of gastric carcinoma.

Multiple Cancers of the Biliary Tract and Pancreatic Duct after Cholecystectomy for Gallbladder Cancer in a Patient with Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction.

We herein report the rare case of a 76-year-old woman who underwent cholecystectomy with bile duct resection for advanced gallbladder cancer associated with pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) and subsequently developed multiple cancers of the pancreaticobiliary system (the distal bile duct, intrahepatic duct and pancreatic duct) after the operation. We performed conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) using a side-viewing scope to evaluate the masses in the distal bile duct and the pancreatic duct. We also performed ERCP using double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) to observe the mass in the intrahepatic duct. It was possible to directly observe the lesion using DBE and to perform a biopsy under visual control. All lesions were correctly diagnosed by the combination of ERCP using different endoscopes. The present case suggests that it is necessary to pay close attention (with regard to carcinogenesis) to the whole pancreaticobiliary system in patients with PBM. In addition, the combination of ERCP using DBE and a side-viewing scope may be useful for making a precise diagnosis in patients with altered biliary anatomy who have multiple cancers of the pancreaticobiliary system.

[A case of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the rectum].

A 77-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of blood in feces and anal pain. Colonoscopy revealed a villous semicircular tumor in the rectum. A biopsy showed well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Miles' operation was performed because of the persistence of anal pain and blood in feces. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis showed coexistent tubulovillous adenoma, tubulovillous adenocarcinoma, and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), which was positive for CD56, chromogranin A, and synaptophysin. Pathological examination revealed that most of the lesion was occupied by the LCNEC. The tumor was therefore diagnosed as LCNEC of the rectum. The patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP), irinotecan (CPT-11), and mFOLFOX6, but died because of LCNEC progression 10 months after the operation. LCNEC rarely occurs in the gastrointestinal tract; here we report a case of rectal LCNEC.

Back-to-back comparison of auto-fluorescence imaging (AFI) versus high resolution white light colonoscopy for adenoma detection.

BACKGROUND: Some patients under close colonoscopic surveillance still develop colorectal cancer, thus suggesting the overlook of colorectal adenoma by endoscopists. AFI detects colorectal adenoma as a clear magenta, therefore the efficacy of AFI is expected to improve the detection ability of colorectal adenoma. The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of AFI in detecting colorectal adenoma. METHODS: This study enrolled 88 patients who underwent colonoscopy at Asahikawa Medical University and Kushiro Medical Association Hospital. A randomly selected colonoscopist first observed the sigmoid colon and rectum with conventional high resolution endosopy (HRE). Then the colonoscopist changed the mode to AFI and handed to the scope to another colonoscopist who knew no information about the HRE. Then the second colonoscopist observed the sigmoid colon and rectum. Each colonoscopist separately recorded the findings. The detection rate, miss rate and procedural time were assessed in prospective manner. RESULTS: The detection rate of flat and depressed adenoma, but not elevated adenoma, by AFI is significantly higher than that by HRE. In less-experienced endoscopists, AFI dramatically increased the detection rate (30.3%) and reduced miss rate (0%) of colorectal adenoma in comparison to those of HRE (7.7%, 50.0%), but not for experienced endoscopists. The procedural time of HRE was significantly shorter than that of AFI. CONCLUSIONS: AFI increased the detection rate and reduced the miss rate of flat and depressed adenomas. These advantages of AFI were limited to less-experienced endoscopists because experienced endoscopists exhibited a substantially high detection rate for colorectal adenoma with HRE.

Paneth cells regulate both chemotaxis of immature dendritic cells and cytokine production from epithelial cells.

Paneth cells in the small intestine are able to sense luminal bacteria and secrete granules that contain antibacterial peptides. Human defensin (HD)-5 and -6 are antimicrobial peptides found in human Paneth cell granules, and are major bactericidal components. We investigated whether any constituents in the Paneth cell secretions showed chemotactic activity or stimulated cytokine secretion from intestinal epithelial cells, and assessed to what extent HD-5 and -6 were responsible for these activities. The secretions from human Paneth cells and recombinant HD-5 and -6 were evaluated to elucidate their effects on the chemotaxis of dendritic cells (DCs) in a migration assay. The Paneth cell secretions were chemotactic for immature DCs at concentrations ranging from 10 to 1,000 µg/ml. HD-6 was active at 100 ng/ml, but HD-5 was not. Next, the stimulation of cytokine production by the T84 intestinal cell line was assessed using ELISA and/or an antibody array. The secretions more strongly stimulated interleukin (IL)-8 production than did the defensin peptides, and induced production of various cytokines by the antibody array. The secretions were also analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) in order to determine the components. A large number of molecules was found in the secretions, and HD-5 was identified as an immature propeptide. In conclusion, some constituents other than defensin in human Paneth cell secretions activated the migration of DCs and induced the production of inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, Paneth cells may play a role in the innate immunity associated with adaptive immune responses.

Competence and sporulation factor derived from Bacillus subtilis improves epithelial cell injury in intestinal inflammation via immunomodulation and cytoprotection.

INTRODUCTION: Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. These probiotic effects are considered to be displayed through the mediation of effective molecules derived from these bacteria because live bacteria as well as their conditioned media exhibit beneficial effects in many cases. However, many of the probiotic-derived molecules which mediate such benefits have so far been poorly characterized. We previously found that competence and sporulation factor (CSF) activates the Akt and p38 MAPK pathways and protects epithelial cells from oxidant stress in the mammalian intestine. The purpose of this study is to determine the CSF effect on reducing intestinal inflammation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A protein array demonstrated that CSF induced the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10, and decreased the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, IL-4, IL-6 and CXCL-1, induced by TNF-α in Caco2/bbe cells. CSF also induced the cytoprotective protein Hsp 27 in Caco2/bbe cells. The histological score of intestinal inflammation in 2% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-treated mice with the administration of 10 nM CSF was significantly lower than that of control mice. CSF also improved the survival rate of mice treated with a lethal concentration of DSS. CONCLUSION: Therefore, CSF is a potentially effective treatment for intestinal inflammation.

Autofluorescence imaging and the quantitative intensity of fluorescence for evaluating the dysplastic grade of colonic neoplasms.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Autofluorescence imaging (AFI) is a novel technology which can capture fluorescence emitted from intestinal tissues. While AFI is useful for detecting colorectal neoplasms, it is unclear whether AFI can facilitate the diagnosis by differentiating the extent of dysplasia of colorectal neoplasms. This study investigated the efficacy of AFI in discriminating high-grade from low-grade adenoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven patients who underwent colonoscopy with AFI were enrolled in this study. The AFI images obtained from 158 lesions in these patients were visually classified into four categories, namely, green (G), green with magenta spots (GM), magenta with green spots (MG), and magenta (M), according to their color intensities, immediately after the examination. The AFI images of the lesions were quantified using an image-analytical software program (F index). Either the F index or the visual assessment was prospectively compared with the dysplastic grade. RESULTS: The F index of the high-grade adenomas was significantly lower than that of the low-grade adenomas, hyperplasia, and normal mucosa (p < 0.05). The incidence of the lesions classified into the M classification for high-grade adenomas (55.6%) was significantly higher than that of either low-grade adenomas (20.8%) or hyperplasia (0%). No correlation was observed between the F index or the visual classification and the tumor shape. The F index was not influenced by the size of the lesion, while the size was significantly associated with the visual classification of AFI. CONCLUSIONS: AFI, particularly the F index, is considered to be a useful procedure for estimating the dysplastic grade of colonic adenomas.

Endosopic autofluorescence imaging is useful for the differential diagnosis of intestinal lymphomas resembling lymphoid hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND: A method for the differential diagnosis of intestinal lymphomas resembling lymphoid hyperplasia (LH) by endoscopy remains to be clearly established. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of autofluorescence imaging (AFI) in diagnosing intestinal lymphoma. SETTING: Single-center study. DESIGN: Prospective study. PATIENTS: One hundred forty-three samples obtained from the intestinal tissues of 21 patients with malignant lymphoma were included in the study. INTERVENTIONS: The terminal ileum and entire colon were observed using conventional endoscopy equipped with AFI. The AFI images were taken by 3 endoscopists and then were evaluated by 3 predominant color intensities; green, magenta, and blended. To quantify the strength of fluorescence captured by AFI, the area of the obtained biopsy specimens on images was manually traced, the signal density of either magenta or green was measured, and then the ratio of the reverse gamma value of green divided by that of magenta was defined as the Fluorescence index (F index). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The ability to use AFI to distinguish intestinal lymphoma from normal or LH. RESULTS: The cell density is inversely proportional to the F index. The F index of lymphoma was significantly lower than that of normal mucosa or LH. The visual classification of AFI showed the overall accuracy in diagnosing lymphoma was 91.5%, and was well correlated with the F index. LIMITATIONS: Single-center study. CONCLUSIONS: AFI-embossed lymphoma lesions seemed as magenta and could be discriminated from LH or normal mucosa with a high overall accuracy through perception of the cell density of the lesion. Therefore, AFI is considered to be an effective procedure for determining the accurate stage and appropriate therapy in intestinal lymphoma.

Atypical tumour-like involvement of the colon in Henoch-Schonlein purpura successfully treated with the administration of factor XIII.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is a type of systemic vasculitis of the small vessels, which frequently involves the skin, kidney and gastrointestinal tract. While the typical intestinal features of HSP include diffuse mucosal redness, small ring-like petechiae and haemorrhagic erosions, tumour-like lesions are rarely observed. The current study presents a rare case of HSP with an intestinal tumour-like lesion in the caecum. The intestinal lesion caused fresh melaena, and was completely resolved with the administration of factor XIII as described in previously reported cases. It is important to immediately undergo proper treatment for improving tumour-like lesions which may cause severe complications, such as excessive haemorrhage and stricture.

Atypical tumour-like involvement of the colon in secondary systemic amyloidosis which vanished after 1 month of observation.

Amyloidosis occurs as a result of the extracellular deposition of protein fibrils in organs and tissues, thus causing mild to severe pathophysiological changes. The gastrointestinal tract is a common site of amyloid deposition. While intestinal amyloidosis frequently results in polypoid lesions, ulcerations, nodules and petechial mucosal haemorrhage, tumour-like lesions are rarely developed and infrequently diagnosed before the resection because of the difficulty in differentiating them from colon cancer. The authors herein reported a case of intestinal amyloid A amyloidosis with a complication of a tumour-like lesion endoscopically resembling a malignant lesion, which was completely diminished after 1 month of observation with bowel rest. Such conservative treatment is a feasible option to cure intestinal tumour-like lesions in patients with intestinal amyloidosis when no neoplastic change is histologically detected, possibly decreasing the need for surgery of the fragile mucosa.

Precursor processing of human defensin-5 is essential to the multiple functions in vitro and in vivo.

Human defensin-5 (HD-5) is one of the major antimicrobial peptides secreted by Paneth cells in the human small intestine. HD-5 is produced and stored as a propeptide in Paneth cell granules, secreted in response to stimulation by cholinergic reagents or bacterial antigens. The activation process by trypsin occurs in the intestinal lumen to produce mature HD-5. This study evaluated the difference between proHD-5 and mature HD-5 in bactericidal activity and induction of chemokine secretion in vitro. Mature HD-5 showed bactericidal activities against all bacterial strains. Though, proHD-5 without enzymatic cleavage possessed less antimicrobial ability against Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli but not against Staphylococcus aureus. Mature HD-5 also induced intestinal epithelial cells to increase the protein and mRNA levels of interleukin-8. Furthermore, the peptides were applied to dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse colitis. The expression of endogenous mouse defensins was not changed in the small intestine, and the additional injection of exogenous HD-5 improved mortality (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated the multifunctional roles of the activation process in human defensin and the possibility of using antimicrobial peptides for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases in future applications.

Expression of the antimicrobial peptide alpha-defensin/cryptdins in intestinal crypts decreases at the initial phase of intestinal inflammation in a model of inflammatory bowel disease, IL-10-deficient mice.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with an altered microflora due to a failure of the immune system. This study investigated the expression of the intestinal antimicrobial peptide alpha-defensin, which plays a pivotal role in the regulation of the intestinal microflora in a representative model of IBD, interleukin (IL)-10-deficient mice. METHODS: The expression of alpha-defensin/cryptdins in IL-10-deficient mice was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and acid/urea polyacrylamide gel (AU-PAGE). The alteration of alpha-defensin/cryptdins expression was compared with the inflammatory grade of mice intestine at various weeks from birth. RESULTS: The weight, length, and inflammation grade of the mouse intestines were assessed at 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 weeks from birth. While the weight of the large intestine was heavier at 15 weeks after birth in the IL-10-deficient mice than in the control mice, histological inflammation began from 7 weeks after birth. Real-time PCR and AU-PAGE identified a significant decrease in the expression of alpha-defensin/cryptdins at 7 weeks after birth in the IL-10 knockout mice, thus illustrating the involvement of alpha-defensin/cryptdins in the etiology of the intestinal inflammation in IBD. This study also identified the expression of alpha-defensin/cryptdins to be inversely proportional to age until 11 weeks, suggesting a relationship between the formation of the intestinal microflora and a reduction in the expression of alpha-defensin/cryptdins. CONCLUSIONS: The altered expression of antimicrobial peptide alpha-defensin may cause the onset of intestinal inflammation due to a failure to regulate intestinal microflora.

Capsule endoscopy is a feasible procedure for identifying a Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense infection and determining the indications for vermifuge treatment.

Diphyllobothrium is a member of Cestoda family, which is the largest parasite of humans. The diagnosis of diphyllobothriasis is based on the detection of eggs in the stool. Because the remainder of the scolex causes a relapse in diphyllobothriasis, the scolex must be completely discharged to cure the parasite infection. However, the scolex or forefront of the Diphyllobothrium is difficult to detect with gastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy, because most Diphyllobothrium attach to the jejunal wall. In the present case, capsule endoscopy detected proglottids as well as forefront of the parasite at jejunum. Based on the results of capsule endoscopy, the patient underwent additional vermifuge (anthelminthic) treatment to cure the diphyllobothriasis and discharged a worm measuring 3 m in length with a scolex. Capsule endoscopy is a practical option to determine whether additional vermifuge treatment is required through the detection of the proglottids as well as a scolex or forefront of the parasite.

A case of small cell carcinoma of the oesophagus treated with endoscopic mucosal resection who remained in clinical remission for 18 months: its endoscopic features with specific light spectra.

Small cell carcinoma of the oesophagus (SCCE) is an infrequent tumour associated with a poor prognosis. We herein propose the first case of SCCE treated by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and its endoscopic images with narrow band imaging (NBI) and autofluorescence imaging (AFI). A 63-year-old man complained of a loss of appetite. An upper endoscopic examination revealed a 7 mm nodule located 33 cm from the incisors. A weakly stained area was shown by iodine staining. NBI detected brownish amorphous dots with irregular vessels on the surface of the nodule and AFI distinctly embossed the lesion magenta. A biopsy specimen obtained from the lesions revealed typical SCCE. The patient underwent EMR to remove the SCCE and thereafter remained in a state of clinical remission for 18 months. In summary, NBI and AFI may be useful for detecting and differentially diagnosing SCCE from the squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus. EMR is therefore considered to be a potentially useful therapeutic option for removing SCCE instead of performing an oesophagotomy.