Reactivation of intraabdominal tuberculous lymphadenopathy after drug-eluting beads transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Owing to effective treatments and sanitary improvements, the incidence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has decreased. However, approximately one-quarter of the world's population is thought to have LTBI, and the reactivation of tuberculosis (TB) sometimes occurs in immunocompromised hosts. A 54-year-old man presented with a fever. The patient had past histories of alcoholic and hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). He was treated with drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) for HCC three times, beginning 10 months before his current visit. A computed tomography scan showed enlarged intraabdominal lymph nodes with calcification, and the interferon-gamma release assay for TB infection was positive. The patient was diagnosed with tuberculous reactivation. Anti-TB therapy was administered to the patient, after which we restarted TACE and the TB infection remains controlled. In this case, we presumed that DEB-TACE is associated with the reactivation of TB infection and that anthracycline increases the risk of reactivating TB infection. In summary, we experienced a case of TB reactivation during the clinical course of a patient with HCC who was treated with DEB-TACE. When patients with HCC are treated with TACE, their symptoms, laboratory data, and imaging results should be monitored when latent TB infections are suspected.

Genetic polymorphism and decreased expression of HLA class II DP genes are associated with HBV reactivation in patients treated with immunomodulatory agents.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation can be triggered by immunosuppressive chemotherapy. HLA class II molecules may play a role in HBV reactivation. Genetic polymorphism and mRNA expression of HLA class II were examined in patients with latent HBV infection treated with immunosuppressive therapies. Subjects with resolved HBV infection who had undergone treatment with immunosuppressive chemotherapies were retrospectively enrolled (n = 42) and divided into reactivated (n = 9) and non-reactivated groups (n = 33). Patients were genotyped for 17 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within HLA class II DPA1, and DPB1, and mRNA expression levels of HLA class II genes were assessed. The frequency of the AA genotype of rs872956, a SNP in HLA-DPB1, was significantly higher in the reactivated group than in the non-reactivated group (55.6% vs 12.1%, P < 0.05). The frequencies of the T allele and non-AA genotypes (AT/TT) of rs3116996 (located in DPB1) were significantly higher in the reactivated group (T allele frequency: 16.7% vs 0.0% [P < 0.01], non-AA genotype frequency: 22.2% vs 0.0% [P < 0.05]). Multivariate logistic regression identified the AA genotype of rs872956 as an independent protective factor against HBV reactivation (odds ratio [OR] = 18.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.6-126.7, P < 0.01). mRNA expression of HLA-DPB1 was lower in the HBV reactivated group than in the non-reactivated group (median 276.1 ± 165.6/ß-actin vs 371.4 ± 407.5/ß-actin [P < 0.05]). These results suggest the involvement of HLA class II molecules in HBV reactivation after treatment with immunomodulatory agents.

Long-Term Endoscopic Follow-Up of Patients with Chronic Radiation Proctopathy after Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer.

Background. Chronic radiation proctopathy (CRP) is late toxicity and associated with morbidity. Aim. To investigate the predictors of prognosis in patients with CRP after brachytherapy (BT). Methods. One hundred four patients with prostate cancer were treated with BT or BT followed by external-beam radiotherapy (BT + EBRT). We retrospectively investigated the 5-year incidence of rectal bleeding and endoscopic findings of CRP using the Vienna Rectoscopy Score (VRS). Twenty patients with VRS ≥ 1 were divided into the improved VRS group without treatment, unchanged VRS group, and treated group. The parameters associated with alteration of VRS were analyzed. Results. The incidence of rectal bleeding was 24%. The risk of rectal bleeding was higher in patients treated with BT + EBRT compared to those treated with BT (p < 0.0001). The incidence of superficial microulceration was higher in the improved VRS group than in the unchanged VRS group (p < 0.05). The incidence of multiple confluent telangiectasia or superficial ulcers > 1 cm(2) was higher in the treated group than in both the improved and unchanged VRS groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Patients treated with BT + EBRT have a high risk of CRP. Endoscopic findings were useful for prognostic prediction of CRP.

Comparison of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and sorafenib in elderly patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A case series.

Sorafenib and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) are both indicated for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we compared the efficacy and safety of HAIC to that of sorafenib in elderly patients with HCC. Eligible patients included those aged ≥70 years, with histologically or clinically confirmed advanced HCC. A total of 12 patients received sorafenib (800 mg per day) and 8 patients received HAIC with 5-fluorouracil (300 mg/m2 on days 1-5 and 8-12) with or without cisplatin (20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8), with interferon-α (3 times per week for 4 weeks). The response rate was significantly higher in patients treated with HAIC (37.5%) compared to that in patients treated with sorafenib (no response). The median overall survival (18.6 and 11.7 months) and progression-free survival (4.0 and 5.0 months) were similar between the sorafenib and HAIC groups, respectively. In the sorafenib group, 58.3% of the patients discontinued treatment compared to none in the HAIC group. The most frequent adverse event leading to discontinuation of sorafenib was anorexia. Similar to sorafenib, HAIC appears to be a feasible treatment and may also have the advantage of an adequate safety profile for elderly patients with advanced HCC. Further study of HAIC in a larger population of elderly patients is required to assess its potential as an alternative to sorafenib for HCC.