Noninferior oncological outcomes in adults aged 80 years or older compared with younger patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

AIM: Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) is the gold standard treatment for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), but the usefulness of this surgery for older patients is rarely discussed. The prognosis following RNU for patients ≥80 years old remains controversial. We retrospectively investigated the prognosis of UTUC in patients ≥80 years old who underwent RNU. METHODS: Between January 1990 and December 2015, 451 patients with UTUC underwent RNU at six hospitals affiliated with Kitasato University (Kanagawa, Japan), eight patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and two patients with metastases before surgery were excluded. Patients were divided into three groups according to their age at the time of RNU: ≤64 years (n = 135), 65-79 years (n = 254), and ≥80 years (n = 52). Recurrence-free survival (RFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) curves were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis for all patients and each pT stage. Independent prognostic factors for survival were examined via multivariate analysis. RESULTS: RFS and CSS did not significantly differ between the three groups, but OS was significantly poorer in patients ≥80 years old. Stratification by pT stage (≤pT1, ≥pT2, and ≥pT3) yielded the same results. In the multivariate analysis for OS, an age of ≥80 years was a significant independent risk factor (hazard ratio: 3.01, p = .01), but RFS and CSS did not significantly differ. CONCLUSION: Oncological outcomes showed the same anticancer effects in patients ≥80 years old who underwent RNU for UTUC compared with those of younger patients. Our study suggests that surgical treatment is a beneficial option for older patients who can tolerate radical surgery.

A multi-institutional retrospective study of open versus laparoscopic nephroureterectomy focused on the intravesical recurrence.

AIM: Intravesical recurrence (IVR) after nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is relatively frequent, occurring in about 30-50% of patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences of the prognosis and IVR between open and laparoscopic surgery and to elucidate the risk factor of IVR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 403 patients with UTUC treated with laparoscopic or open nephroureterectomy at six affiliated hospitals between 1990 and 2015. The clinicopathological factors of each group were examined using Kaplan-Meier plots, and univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: There was no difference in recurrence and cancer-specific mortality between open and laparoscopic surgery in univariate and multivariate analyses. There was no significant difference in IVR rate between the laparoscopic and open groups (p = .22). Among the patients with IVR, 84% of patients relapsed within 2 years. Univariate analysis of IVR showed a significant increase in patients with low-grade (p = .03, HR = 1.64) or low-stage urothelial carcinoma (pT1 or lower, p = .006, HR = 1.77) with no lymph node involvement (p = .002, HR = 10.3) or lymphovascular invasion (p = .009, HR = 1.79). Surgical modality was not an independent factor. In multivariate analysis, there was no independent predictive factor for IVR. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in recurrence, cancer-specific mortality, and IVR between open and laparoscopic surgery. On the other hand, our results suggested that the low malignant potential tumor may be a risk factor for IVR. This finding provides insight into IVR, which may help with the development of personalized prevention and treatment strategies.

Impact of salvage cytotoxic chemotherapy on prognosis in patients with recurrence after radical cystectomy: a multi-institutional retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: In patients experiencing disease recurrence after radical cystectomy (RC) for bladder cancer, data about the impact of clinicopathologic factors, including salvage treatment using cytotoxic chemotherapy, on the survival are scarce. We investigated the prognostic value of clinicopathologic factors and the treatment effect of salvage cytotoxic chemotherapy (SC) in such patients. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we evaluated the clinical data for 86 patients who experienced recurrence after RC. Administration of SC or of best supportive care (BSC) was determined in consultation with the urologist in charge and in accordance with each patient's performance status, wishes for treatment, and renal function. Statistical analyses explored for prognostic factors and evaluated the treatment effect of SC compared with BSC in terms of cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed that liver metastasis after RC (hazard ratio [HR] 2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17 to 3.85; P = 0.01) and locally advanced disease at RC (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.06 to 3.46; P = 0.03) are independent risk factors for worse CSS in patients experiencing recurrence after RC. In a risk stratification model, patients were assigned to one of two groups based on liver metastasis and locally advanced stage. In the high-risk group, which included 68 patients with 1-2 risk factors, CSS was significantly better for patients receiving SC than for those receiving BSC (median survival duration: 9.4 months vs. 2.4 months, P = 0.005). The therapeutic effect of SC was not related to a history of adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated the potential value of 1st-line SC in patients experiencing recurrence after RC even with advanced features, such as liver metastasis after RC and locally advanced disease at RC.

Self-Completion Method of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Using Endosaber without Any Other Device or Assistance: An ex vivo Porcine Model Study.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a standard treatment for tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. We developed a self-completion method of ESD using Endosaber to eliminate the need for an additional device or human assistance during the procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility and outcomes of this method in an ex vivo porcine training model. METHODS: This was a pilot study, and the procedures were performed by 4 experts. Mock lesions measuring 15 mm in diameter were prepared at the posterior wall in the middle or lower esophagus obtained from domestic pigs. Each operator performed ESD on the mock lesions in 3 models. The primary outcome was ESD completion rate using the self-completion method. The secondary outcomes were procedure time, en bloc resection rate, perforation rate, and number of injections during the procedure. RESULTS: All 12 ESDs were completed using the self-completion method. The median procedure time (interquartile range) was 483.5 (399-619.3) s (median incision time: 240.4 [168.3-332.5] s; median dissection time: 222 [182.8-257] s). En bloc resection rate was 100%. No perforation was noted during any of the procedures. The median number of injections was 10.5 (9-14.3). The procedure time decreased significantly with increase in experience (p = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: The self-completion ESD method using one Endosaber without any assistance achieved a 100% en bloc resection rate without any perforation. The need for an additional device or assistance was successfully eliminated. This method may prove to be a simple and cost-effective ESD procedure for lesions in humans.

Prostate carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation successfully treated by early detection with imaging examination.

INTRODUCTION: Clinicopathological features of neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate carcinoma have not been totally clarified yet. It is known to be associated with poor prognosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A patient with growing prostate-specific antigen was diagnosed with prostate carcinoma and treated by laparoscopic prostatectomy. The pathological examination revealed the neuroendocrine differentiation of the tumor. Early detection of prostate carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation can be difficult due to its low expression of prostate-specific antigen. The imaging examination contributed to the early detection. In the follow-up period of 2 years, the patient remains cancer free. CONCLUSION: Recently, the treatment options for prostate carcinoma have been expanded. Precise assessment of immunohistochemical nature of the tumor may be helpful for individualized decision-making.

Oncologic Outcomes of Salvage Chemotherapy in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Lesions after Radical Nephroureterectomy: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) is the standard treatment for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). However, approximately 25% of patients experience recurrence or metastasis after RNU. This study evaluated the clinical outcome and efficacy of salvage chemotherapy (SC) after recurrence or metastasis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of the 441 nonmetastatic UTUC patients who underwent RNU, 147 patients with recurrent or metastatic lesions were analyzed; patients with bladder cancer recurrence were excluded. Time from disease recurrence or metastasis to cancer-specific survival (CSS) was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analyses were performed with the Cox proportional hazards regression model, controlling for the effects of clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: The median time from RNU to disease recurrence or metastasis was 13.2 months. In the recurrent or metastatic sites, 31 cases (21%) were liver. In multivariate analyses, pT stage (≥pT3), time to recurrence (<12 months), and liver metastasis were independently predictive factors. In the risk stratification model for CSS after recurrence, patients were categorized into 2 groups based on pT stage, time to recurrence, and liver metastasis. The low-risk group (0-1 risk factors) included 87 patients, and the high-risk group (2-3 risk factors) included 60 patients. In the high-risk group, 27 patients received SC. The probability of CSS after recurrence or metastasis was higher in patients in the SC group compared to the non-SC group (9.5 vs. 3.7 months; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Two or more risk factors defined the high-risk group for patients with recurrence or metastasis after RNU. SC was associated with improved survival in patients with high-risk UTUC.

Prognostic impact of preoperative renal function in patients treated with radical cystectomy: a multi-institutional retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Little data on the preoperative prognostic factors in radical cystectomy (RC) patients have made it difficult to choose the appropriate type of urothelial diversion (UD). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic role of UD, with a subgroup analysis of that of preoperative renal function. METHODS: From 1990 to 2015, 279 patients underwent RC for bladder cancer at six hospitals affiliated with Kitasato University in Japan. All patients were divided into three groups: cutaneous ureterostomy (CU; n = 54), ileal conduit (IC; n = 139), and orthotopic neobladder (NB; n = 86). Patients were also stratified into three groups based on preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (mL/min/1.73 m2): normal eGFR (> 60 mL/min/1.73 m2; n = 149), moderately reduced eGFR (45-60 mL/min/1.73 m2; n = 66), and severely reduced eGFR (< 45 mL/min/1.73 m2; n = 37). Statistical analyses were performed to investigate prognostic values of UD and preoperative eGFR. RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) did not differ between the three types of UD groups. With regard to renal function, the preoperative severely reduced group had significantly worse PFS and CSS than the other groups. The multivariate analysis showed that severely reduced preoperative eGFR was an independent risk factor of worse PFS and worse CSS. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that preoperative severe renal function was shown as an independent risk factor of both PFS and CSS.

Efficacy of traction, using a clip-with-thread, for esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection for esophageal lesions with fibrosis in an ex vivo pig training model.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of recurrent esophageal carcinoma is technically difficult to perform due to submucosal fibrosis that develops after definitive chemoradiation therapy. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of clip-with-thread traction for ESD of esophageal lesions with submucosal fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four endoscopists excised 16 lesions by ESD in an ex vivo pig training model. Mock lesions (30 mm in diameter) were created, including a 10-mm area of submucosal fibrosis in the center of each lesion. Each endoscopist performed two ESDs with traction (ESD-T) and two without traction (ESD-N). The primary outcome was the time required for submucosal dissection. Secondary outcomes were the rate of en bloc (complete) resection and perforation during the procedure, and the total amount of solution injected. RESULTS: All esophageal ESDs were completed. The median dissection time was significantly shorter for the ESD-T group (median 12.5 min, interquartile range 10.2-14.5) when comparing to the ESD-N group (median 18.0 min, interquartile range 14.6-19.2) (P=0.040). The en bloc resection rate was 100% in both groups, with a rate of complete resection of 87.5% and a rate of perforation of 37.5% for both groups. The median amount of solution injected was not significantly different between the ESD-T (18.0 ml) and ESD-N (20.5 ml) groups (P=0.526). CONCLUSION: Clip-with-thread traction improved the performance of ESD for lesions with submucosal fibrosis. However, the method might not reduce the risk of perforation, which remains an important clinical issue to resolve.

The effect of scissor-type versus non-scissor-type knives on the technical outcomes in endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial esophageal cancer: a multi-center retrospective study.

The Clutch Cutter was invented as a scissor-type knife for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of gastrointestinal neoplasms. ESD with the scissor-type knife (ESD-S) may be considered a technically easier procedure than ESD with non-scissor-type knives (ESD-NS). Therefore, this study aimed to compare the technical outcomes of ESD-S with those of ESD-NS for superficial esophageal cancer. This was a multicenter retrospective study. Patients with superficial esophageal cancer treated with ESD between October 2015 and March 2018 at three hospitals were retrospectively reviewed. The ESD-S group had 48 patients and the ESD-NS group had 114 patients. A propensity score matching analysis was performed to compensate for the confounding bias between both groups. Multivariate analyses and propensity score matching were used to adjust for age, sex, the tumor size, tumor location, tumor depth, degree of tumor circumference, operator level, usage of the traction method, and the sedation method. The primary outcome was the procedure time of the ESD. Secondary outcomes were the rate of en-bloc/complete resection and the rate of complications including perforation, delayed bleeding, and stricture. Propensity score matching analysis provided 36 matched pairs. Median procedure time in the ESD-S group was significantly shorter than that in the ESD-NS group (44.0 min vs. 66.5 min, P = 0.020). In addition, the treatment outcomes were similar in both groups (en-bloc resection: 100% vs. 97.2%, P = 1; complete resection: 88.9% vs. 86.1%, P = 1; curative resection: 80.6% vs. 77.8%, P = 1; perforation: 0% vs. 5.6%, P = 0.49; delayed bleeding: 0% in both groups; stricture: 2.8% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.61). ESD-S was associated with a shorter procedure time than ESD-NS, without an increase in the incidence of complications. Therefore, the scissor-type knife should be considered as an endo-knife for ESD of superficial esophageal cancers.

Familial Mediterranean Fever with Small Bowel Stenosis.

A 37-year-old man developed abdominal pain and the frequency of severe abdominal pain steadily increased to once a month. He was therefore admitted to our hospital. Abdominal CT showed bowel obstruction. It revealed transient stenosis in the small intestine. There were no symptoms such as fever or weight loss, it seemed unlikely that the patient had inflammatory bowel disease. Considering the history of recurrent abdominal pain, Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) was considered. As a result, a genetic analysis revealed mutations in exons 3 and 8 of the MEFV gene. We herein report the first known case of FMF with transient small bowel stenosis in Japan.

Impact of histologic variants on the oncological outcomes of patients with upper urinary tract cancers treated with radical surgery: a multi-institutional retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: No definitive evidence exists regarding the clinical significance of histologic variants (HV) in upper urinary tract cancer. We investigated the impact of HV on prognosis in patients with upper urinary tract cancer following radical surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 451 patients with upper urinary tract cancer who underwent radical nephroureterectomy at six affiliated hospitals from 1990 to 2015. Patients with distant metastatic disease prior to surgery and those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were excluded, leaving 441 eligible patients. Patients were classified into two groups: pure urothelial carcinoma (UC) and HV. The clinicopathological variables of each group were examined using Kaplan-Meier plots and proportional Cox hazard ratios (HR) to compare the oncological outcomes between the two groups. RESULTS: HV included 37 patients (8%). Compared with the pure UC patients, HV patients had significantly worse recurrence-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS; RFS p = 0.0002, CSS p = 0.0001). Multivariate analysis for RFS revealed HV were independent predictors (HR 1.92; p = 0.026), but the association did not remain significant for CSS. There was no significant difference in CSS between the adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) group and the non-AC group for all HV patients, except in patients with ≥ pT3 tumor or positive lymph node status where the AC group had significantly favorable CSS. CONCLUSIONS: HV in upper urinary tract cancer are independent predictors for RFS, but not for CSS. AC improved CSS for HV patients with ≥ pT3 tumor or positive lymph node status.

Gleason Pattern 5 is a Possible Pathologic Predictor for Biochemical Recurrence after Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy

Objective: Several prognostic factors for biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy have been reported, including initial prostate-specific antigen level, Gleason score, positive surgical margin, and seminal vesicle invasion. Here we investigate whether Gleason pattern 5 is a predictor for biochemical recurrence. Methods: This retrospective study included 168 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from 2006 to 2015. The relationship between biochemical recurrence after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and the presence of Gleason pattern 5, even as a tertiary pattern, was investigated. Biochemical recurrence was defined when the prostate-specific antigen level rose to >0.2 ng/ml after having decreased to <0.1 ng/ml following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Biochemical recurrence-free survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: The median age was 66 years, median initial prostate-specific antigen level was 6.9 ng/ml, and median follow-up period was 47.3 months. Biochemical recurrence was recognized in 27 patients (16.1%) after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and 5-year biochemical recurrence-free survival was 78.6%. Gleason pattern 5 was noted in 5 patients as the primary pattern, in 10 as the secondary pattern, and in 5 as the tertiary pattern. According to multivariate analysis, presence of Gleason pattern 5 (HR = 4.75, p=0.001) and positive surgical margin (HR = 4.66, p=0.001) were independent predictive factors for biochemical recurrence-free survival. Conclusion: Gleason pattern 5 appears to be an important predictive factor for biochemical recurrence after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Endoscopic resection for residual lesion of metastatic gastric cancer: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy is a standard strategy for stage IV gastric cancer patients. However, some cases cannot undergo conversion surgery because of their frailty, even if the patients had response to chemotherapy. For these patients, local tumor progression is a problem. We report here the case of a patient whose residual gastric cancer was resected through endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) after concomitant chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer. CASE SUMMARY: An 85-year-old male complained of difficulty swallowing, and examination revealed gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases. Although he received concomitant chemotherapy, a residual tumor was observed in the primary lesion while the metastatic lesions disappeared completely. Conversion surgery was considered optional treatment; however, he could not undergo that because of advanced age and comorbidities. Thus, we performed ESD to treat the residual tumor. As a result, we resected the residual lesion completely. The patient has been alive for 29 mo since ESD, without recurrence. CONCLUSION: We achieved local control using ESD, and these findings may provide therapeutic improvements both in local control and patient survival outcomes.

Histologic variants associated with biological aggressiveness and poor prognosis in patients treated with radical cystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of histologic variants (HV) after radical cystectomy (RC) remains controversial. We evaluated the clinicopathological features and prognosis in patients with pure urothelial carcinoma (UC) and HV following RC. METHODS: From 1990 to 2015, 286 patients with bladder cancer were treated with RC at six Kitasato University-affiliated hospitals. All patients were divided into two groups: pure UC and HV, which contained pure variants and mixed-type UC with variant pattern. A comparison of patient characteristics between the two groups was made to assess the clinicopathological features, and statistical analyses were performed to investigate prognosis in the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 286 patients, 226 (79%) had pure UC, while 60 (21%) had HV. Of all HV, pure variants accounted for 45% (n = 27). The prevalence of lymph node involvement, locally advanced stage (≥ pT3), positive soft tissue surgical margin and lymphovascular invasion were significantly higher in patients with HV than in those with pure UC. Patients with HV showed worse disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival than those with pure UC (P = 0.009 and 0.003, respectively). In multivariate analysis, HV and lymph node involvement were independent predictors of worse disease-free survival (P = 0.017 and 0.001, respectively). HV, locally advanced stage, lymph node involvement, and positive soft tissue surgical margin were also confirmed as independent predictors of worse cancer-specific survival (P = 0.011, 0.012, 0.003 and 0.010, respectively.). CONCLUSIONS: HV was associated with greater biological aggressiveness and worse prognosis than pure UC.

Investigation of estimated glomerular filtration rate and its perioperative change in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: A multi-institutional retrospective study.

AIM: To investigate the association of perioperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with prognosis in patients with upper urinary tract urothoelial caicinoma (UTUC). METHODS: A total of 433 patients underwent radical nephroureterectomy with excision of the bladder cuff (RNU) at six hospitals affiliated with Kitasato University in Japan. Patients were divided into three groups each in terms of preoperative eGFR: normal eGFR (>60 mL/min/1.73 m2 ; n = 172), moderately reduced eGFR (45-60 mL/min/1.73 m2 ; n = 147) and severely reduced eGFR (<45 mL/min/1.73 m2 ; n = 114), and with regard to changes between pre- and postoperative eGFR: normal change (increased or <10% decreased; n = 132), moderate change (10%-30% decreased; n = 172) and severe change (>30% decreased; n = 129). Statistical analyses were performed to investigate the association between perioperative eGFR and prognosis. RESULTS: Patients in the preoperative normal and moderately reduced eGFR group had significantly better progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) than those in the severely reduced eGFR group (both; P < 0.001). With regard to changes in postoperative eGFR, PFS and CSS were significantly better in patients in the severe and moderate change group than in those in the normal change group (both; P < 0.001). When adjusted for the effects of clinicopathological features, pathologic factors were associated with both PFS and CSS, but perioperative eGFR were not independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with preoperative normal and moderately reduced eGFR and those with severe and moderate change in postoperative eGFR appeared to have a significantly better prognosis.

Impact of body mass index on the oncological outcomes of patients with upper and lower urinary tract cancers treated with radical surgery: A multi-institutional retrospective study.

AIM: To evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on the oncological outcomes of urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 818 patients with upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) and bladder cancer (BC) who were treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) or radical cystectomy (RC) between 1990 and 2015 at six different institutions in Japan. Patients with distant metastasis at diagnosis and those who received neoadjuvant therapies were excluded, leaving 727 eligible patients (UTUC: n = 441; BC: n = 286). Patients were classified into four groups according to World Health Organization BMI criteria: underweight (BMI <18.5  kg/m2 ), normal weight (BMI 18.5-25 kg/m2 ), overweight (BMI 25.1-30 kg/m2 ), and obese (BMI >30 kg/m2 ). RESULTS: Overweight UTUC and BC patients achieved significantly better cancer-specific survival (CSS) than the other three groups. However, obese UTUC and BC patients had significantly worse CSS than the other three groups (UTUC: P = 0.031; BC: P = 0.0019). Multivariate analysis of BC patients demonstrated that obesity was an independent predictor of unfavorable CSS (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.47; P = 0.002) and that being underweight was an independent predictor of favorable CSS (HR = 0.37; P = 0.029). However, BMI was not a prognostic factor for CSS in UTUC patients according to multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity was an independent predictor of BC patients requiring RC. Conversely, being underweight was associated with a favorable prognosis for BC patients. However, BMI was not an independent prognostic factor in patients with upper urinary tract cancer.

Clutch Cutter knife efficacy in endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric neoplasms.

AIM: To compare the outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric neoplasms using Clutch Cutter (ESD-C) or other knives (ESD-O). METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study. Gastric neoplasms treated by ESD between April 2016 and October 2017 at Kitakyushu Municipal Medical Center were reviewed. Multivariate analyses and propensity score matching were used to reduce biases. Covariates included factors that might affect outcomes of ESD, including age, sex, underlying disease, anti-thrombotic drugs use, tumor location, tumor position, tumor size, tumor depth, tumor morphology, tumor histology, ulcer (scar), and operator skill. The treatment outcomes were compared among two groups. The primary outcome was ESD procedure time. Secondary outcomes were en bloc, complete, and curative resection rates, and adverse events rates including perforation and delayed bleeding. RESULTS: A total of 155 patients were included in this study; 44 pairs were created by propensity score matching. Background characteristics were quite similar among two groups after matching. Procedure time was significantly shorter for ESD-C (median; 49 min) than for ESD-O (median; 88.5 min) (P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in treatment outcomes between ESD-C and ESD-O including en bloc resection rate (100% in both groups), complete resection rate (100% in both groups), curative resection rate (86.4% vs 88.6%, P = 0.730), delayed bleeding (2.3% vs 6.8%, P = 0.62) and perforation (0% in both groups). CONCLUSION: ESD-C achieved shorter procedure time without an increase in complication risk. Therefore, ESD-C could become an effective ESD option for gastric neoplasms.

Selected High-Risk Patients With Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Treated With Radical Nephroureterectomy for Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: No definitive evidence exists regarding use of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for high-risk cases after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU), and the benefit of AC remains controversial. The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of AC in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and to determine those who qualified for AC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1990 to 2015, 449 patients with nonmetastatic UTUC underwent RNU at 6 Kitasato University-affiliated hospitals. Eight patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were excluded from this study. One hundred patients (23%) received platinum-based AC for a median of 3 courses. Disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analyses were performed with the Cox proportional hazards regression model, controlling for the effects of clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: The median age was 69 years, and the median follow-up period was 35.7 months. In multivariate analyses, factors independently predictive of poorer survival included pT stage (≥pT3), lymph node status (pN+), tumor grade (Grade 3), lymphovascular invasion, and soft tissue surgical margin. For the risk stratification model, patients were categorized into 3 groups on the basis of these 5 risk factors. In the high-risk group (at least 3 risk factors, 83 patients), 41 patients (49%) were treated with AC, and the 5-year CSS rate was higher in the AC group compared with the non-AC group (P = .02). CONCLUSION: Having more than 3 risk factors defined the high-risk group among UTUC patients after RNU. AC was associated with improved CSS in patients with high-risk UTUC.

[Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Kidney].

A 59-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with the finding of an incidentaloma in her right kidney. Computed tomographyand magnetic resonance imaging showed a solid tumor, approximately8 cm in diameter, at the lower pole of the right kidney. Partial nephrectomy was performed without a renal vessel clamp. Histopathologically, fibroblast-like spindle cells were proliferating with rich collagenous fibers, and tumor cells were infiltrated into the renal parenchyma. The tumor cells were stained positive with CD34, CD99, and bcl-2. The tumor was diagnosed as solitaryfibrous tumor originating from the kidney based on these histopathological findings. The patient was followed 3 years after surgery with neither recurrence nor metastasis.

Physiological importance of cytochrome c peroxidase in ethanologenic thermotolerant Zymomonas mobilis.

Zymomonas mobilis ZmCytC as a peroxidase bearing three heme c-binding motifs was investigated with ΔZmcytC constructed. The mutant exhibited filamentous shapes and reduction in growth under a shaking condition at a high temperature compared to the parental strain and became hypersensitive to exogenous H(2)O(2). Under the same condition, the mutation caused increased expression of genes for three other antioxidant enzymes. Peroxidase activity, which was detected in membrane fractions with ubiquinol-1 as a substrate but not with reduced horse heart cytochrome c, was almost abolished in ΔZmcytC. Peroxidase activity was also detected with NADH as a substrate, which was significantly inhibited by antimycin A. NADH oxidase activity of ΔZmcytC was found to be about 80% of that of the parental strain. The results suggest the involvement of ZmCytC in the aerobic respiratory chain via the cytochrome bc(1) complex in addition to the previously proposed direct interaction with ubiquinol and its contribution to protection against oxidative stress.