[Long-Term Suppression with First-Line Chemotherapy(FOLFIRI plus BV)for Peritoneal Metastasis].

A 72-year-old man underwent right hemicolectomy for transverse colon cancer(pT4aN1aM0, Stage ⅢB), after which he received adjuvant chemotherapy(capecitabine plus oxaliplatin[CAPOX])for 6 months. Three years after the first surgery, FDG-PET/CT revealed a tumor in the abdomen. He underwent a tumorectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy(CAPOX plus bevacizumab[BV])performed for 6 months. Two years after a tumorectomy, the CEA level rose again. He was diagnosed peritoneal metastasis again. A central venous(CV)port was implanted for access to the right internal jugular vein, and he received systemic chemotherapy(fluorouracil, Leucovorin, and irinotecan[FOLFIRI]plus BV)as an outpatient. One year after this recurrence, no peritoneal dissemination was detected by CT. Thereafter, total 49 courses of FOLFIRI plus BV were introduced, but chemotherapy was discontinued due to CV port-related infection. Three months later, low back pain appeared and became a diagnosis of spondylodiscitis. He had surgery, but follow-up CT performed 8 years after the first surgery detected multiple liver metastasis. It was considered necessary to take infection control measures during long-term chemotherapy.

[A Case of Descending Colon Cancer with Virchow and Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis].

A 72-year-old man was referred to our department with suspected intestinal obstruction. CT showed irregular descending colon wall thickening. Lower endoscopy showed severe descending colon stenosis. Biopsy results were group 1. FDG accumulation of significant SUV was found in the lymph nodes on the left supraclavicular region, left axilla, right mediastinum, posterior part of the right diaphragmatic leg, around the abdominal aorta, and in the liver. The accumulation in the descending colon was not definitely neoplastic. Consequently of left axillary lymph node biopsy, axillary lymph node metastasis of colorectal cancer was suspected, and laparoscopic left semicolon resection was performed. Among the simultaneous distant colorectal cancer metastases, Virchow's and left axillary lymph node metastases are extremely rare(0.1%). We report a case of descending colon cancer with simultaneous Virchow's and left axillary lymph node metastases, with some literature discussion.

[A Case of Meningeal Carcinomatosis of Gastric Cancer Successfully Controlled with Nab-Paclitaxel].

We report a 76-year-old woman with meningeal carcinomatosis after gastric cancer surgery. During adjuvant chemotherapy, metastasis to the left axillary and Virchow's lymph node was suspected. A resection biopsy revealed gastric cancer metastasis, and PTX plus RAM therapy was started. Due to RAM adverse events, the treatment was changed to weekly nab- PTX, which was continued for about 6 months. During the 8th course, she was hospitalized due to worsening headache and lightheadedness. Meningeal carcinomatosis was diagnosed by cytology of CSF examination and MRI findings. She died on the 16th day after admission. Meningeal carcinomatosis has a rapidly progressive course with poor prognosis. This case shows nab-PTX may have been able to control the progression.

An ectopic thymoma arising in the middle mediastinum that was difficult to distinguish from a lymph node metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Ectopic thymomas often occur in the upper mediastinum; however, they rarely arise in the middle mediastinum, especially on the dorsal side of the innominate vein and superior vena cava in the peribronchial region. CASE PRESENTATION: Six years prior, a 27-year-old female presented to our department and was diagnosed with locally advanced left breast cancer. First, we administered chemotherapy including an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 antibody. The size of the tumor was markedly reduced, and a radical operation involving mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection was then performed. The patient underwent radiotherapy after the mastectomy, followed by trastuzumab therapy; she continued to receive endocrine therapy thereafter. She underwent computed tomography once a year after the surgery, and a nodule in the middle mediastinum on the dorsal side of the innominate vein and superior vena cava in the parabronchial region was detected at 4 years. We speculated that the nodule was a solitary mediastinal lymph node metastasis from her breast cancer; therefore, we performed thoracoscopic resection of the tumor. We diagnosed the tumor as a thymoma. Currently, the patient visits our hospital to receive continuous hormone therapy for her breast cancer, and the latest computed tomography scan demonstrated no metastases from or recurrence of her breast cancer or thymoma. CONCLUSIONS: We report a case of ectopic thymoma in the middle mediastinum. The tumor, which was detected during systemic therapy for locally advanced breast cancer, was located on the dorsal side of the innominate vein and superior vena cava in the parabronchial region and was indistinguishable from a lymph node metastasis from breast cancer.

Intradural extramedullary hemangioblastoma of the thoracic cord: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Spinal hemangioblastomas account for 1-3% of all spinal cord tumors and are mostly intramedullary in location. Here, we report an intradural extramedullary hemangioblastoma of the thoracic spine, occurring in in a patient without von Hippel-Lindau disease. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 58-year-old female had a 5-year history of progressive left lower extremity weakness. When the MR demonstrated an intradural/extramedullary lesion with a syrinx at the T2-3 level, she successfully underwent gross total tumor excision following which she neurologically improved. CONCLUSION: Here, we report a rare case of an intradural/extramedullary thoracic hemangioblastoma successfully excised at the T 2-3 level in a patient without von Hippel-Lindau disease.

[A Case Report of Accessory Breast Cancer in the Right Axillary Region].

An 80-year-old woman visited a previous hospital complaining of a lump in the right axillary region. Because it was suspected of accessory breast cancer from the findings of image inspection, she was referred for surgery. Based on mammography and ultrasonography, both bilateral mammary glands were reported normal, but an irregular mass was found in the right axillary region. Resection biopsy showed adenocarcinoma like invasive ductal carcinoma. In addition, ER and PgR were positive. With a preoperative diagnosis of accessory breast cancer, she underwent wide local resection of the right axillary region with lymph-node dissection(Level Ⅰ), and local pedicle flap formation. Histopathological findings revealed that the tumor was composed of invasive ductal carcinoma. The center of tumor was consisted of ductal tissue discontinuous with normal mammary gland. So, a diagnosis of accessory breast cancer in the right axillary region was confirmed. She is currently in recurrence-free survival. Accessory breast cancer is relatively rare. We report a case of accessory breast cancer in the axillary region with some review of the literature.

[A Case Report of Long-Term Survival of Metastatic Breast Cancer Treated with Mohs Paste and Systemic Therapy].

The patient was a 75-year-old woman who had experienced left breast cancer(BT plus AX)in 1988. Local recurrences in the skin of the left chest wall appeared and were treated with operation, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy. Twenty-four years later, she developed continuous bleeding due to skin metastasis of the breast cancer and received Mohs chemosurgery and continued systemic therapy. After using Mohs paste 10 times, the skin surface healed and dried up. Improving the quality of life of patients with several symptoms such as skin cancer or metastatic skin lesions is essential in multidisciplinary therapy and Mohs paste was useful for the local control of the unresectable skin lesion.

[A Case of Sigmoid Colon Cancer with Locally Advanced Infiltration Curatively Resected after CapeOX Therapy].

A 68-year-old man presented with malaise and abdominal swelling.Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 2 circumferential sigmoid colon cancer.Computed tomography suggested the cancer infiltrating bladder and abdominal wall with abscess.Because of locally advanced infiltration, the patient was treated with capecitabine plus oxaliplatin(CapeOX) plus bevacizumab therapy after loop-colostomy.After 2 courses of chemotherapy, a CT revealed tumor reduction and increased abscess, which was punctured drainage.After 4 courses of chemotherapy, a CT revealed abscess reduction, we tried to operation.Sigmoidectomy with combined resection of abdominal wall and bladder total hysterectomy and fascia lata grafting were performed.The pathological diagnosis was tub1, T4b, ly2, v2, PN0, N0, M0, Stage II, pR0, Grade I a.We reported a case of curative resection of locally advanced sigmoid colon cancer treated with combined resection of bladder and abdominal wall after CapeOX therapy.

[Combination Chemotherapy Using Oxaliplatin plus S-1 for Well-Advanced Gastric Cancer].

We studied the clinical efficacy of pre-operative combination chemotherapy using S-1 plus oxaliplatin for advanced gastric cancer. Four patients hadclinical Stage IV disease, 1 patient had clinical Stage III C disease, 2 patients had clinical Stage III B disease, and 1 patient had clinical Stage III A disease. The patients received 2-8 courses of oxaliplatin(130mg/m2)on day 1, andS -1 on days 1-14 every 3 weeks. The response rate was 56%(5 PR, 1 PD, and2 SD), andthe disease control rate was 88%. Toxicities were Grade 2 anemia, Grade 1 peripheral neuropathy, Grade 1 fatigue, and anorexia. Five of the 8 patients underwent R0 surgery after SOX chemotherapy, and no severe complications occurred. Histological responses were Grade 3 for 2 cases, Grade 2 for 2 cases, andGrad e 1a for 1 case. The SOX regimen showeda high objective tumor response, andis one of the promising regimens in the neoadjuvant setting for well-advanced gastric cancer.

[A Case of Advanced Gastric Cancer with a Pathological Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy(S-1/Oxaliplatin)].

A 63-year-old man was seen by his family doctor for epigastric distress, and he was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of gastric cancer. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed type 3 gastric cancer(por1>tub2>tub1)at the lesser curvature of the stomach. Computed tomography suggested thickening of the wall of the stomach at the lesser curvature and bulky lymph node swelling. After a diagnosis of cT4a cN2M0, cStage III B advanced gastric cancer, we treated him with neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of 3 courses of SOX(oxaliplatin 100mg/m / 2 on day 1, S-1 120mg/day on day 1-14, followed by 7 days of rest). After the chemotherapy, because the primary tumor and lymph nodes were reduced, we performed distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection. Histopathological examination revealed no residual cancer cells, indicating a pathological complete response(Grade 3). We report a case of advanced gastric cancer with a pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

[A Study of Gemctabine plus Nab-Paclitaxel Therapy for Advanced Local Progressive Pancreatic Cancer].

We studied the significance of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel(GnP)therapy for locally progressive pancreatic cancer. We enrolled 10 patients with local progression without distant metastasis. We used GnP therapy for the ablative borderline resectable(BR)and unresectable(UR)cases based on images that followed NCCN pancreatic cancer treatment guidelines. In 1 case of resectable(R)pancreatic cancer, the tumor was located in the pancreas body but we determined that surgery was impossible because of the underlying disease detected on imaging analysis. The 10 cases involved R(n=1), UR(n=5), and BR(n=4). Treatment toxicities were reported in all cases. We withheld treatment in the R case because of toxicities. The objective response rate was 40%, and the tumor control rate was 70% with CR 0, PR 4, SD 3, and PD 2. Resection was possible in 5 cases. The response rate to the GnP therapy was 40%, with a tumor control rate of 70%, allowing excision of 50%. We believe GnP therapy is feasible for operative resistant cases.

[A Case of Hemodialysis Patients with Resected Synchronous Multiple Metastases from Colorectal Cancer Successfully Treated with CapeOX Therapy].

A 65-year-old man had been receiving hemodialysis for chronic renal failure. We diagnosed colonic ileus with transverse colon cancer and synchronous multiple liver metastases(liver segments 4 and 6)based on symptoms of abdominal pain and distension. After stent placement in the region of the colonic stenosis, left hemicolectomy was performed for transverse colon cancer. After surgery, the patient received capecitabine plus oxaliplatin(CapeOX)therapy. The dose of capecitabine was 1,250mg/m2, and the dose of oxaliplatin was 70 mg/m2 until the second course, after which it was increased to 100 mg/m2 for the third course. Peripheral neuropathy(Grade 1)was the only adverse event observed. After 6 courses of treatment, the size of the liver metastases and the levels of tumor markers had reduced. For control of liver metastases, partial hepatectomy (liver segments 4 and 6)was performed. We report this case with a review of the literature.

[A case of rectal cancer with sacrum metastasis treated with S-1 leading to a complete response].

The patient is a 47-year-old female. She had undergone abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer at 39 years of age. Two years and 9 months after surgery, she was diagnosed with a vagina invasion. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy (UFT/ LV) were performed. After 4 courses of UFT/LV, a complete response (CR) was noted. Four years and 3 months after surgery, she was diagnosed with a sacrum metastasis. Chemotherapy with S-1 was performed. After 2 courses of S-1, a CR was noted. There has been no recurrence sign to date.

[Effect on neoadjuvant chemotherapy using s-1 for unresectable liver metastasis from rectal cancer-a case report].

The patient was a 42-year-old female who had advanced rectal cancer(Ra, type 2)with liver metastasis. The preoperative diagnosis was T2N1H2, but the liver tumor was unresectable for hepatic vein invasion in September, 2004. She underwent low anterior resection for primary rectal cancer at first after she was given S-1 80 mg/day(14 days)for a histological effect judgment. The pathological diagnosis was moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma, ss, n1, and the histological effect was Grade 1a. Because CT showed reduction of liver metastasis after the operation, she was treated with 2 courses of chemotherapy using S-1. Radiographic examination showed reduction of liver metastasis(36%)and improvement of hepatic vein invasion. In January, 2005, she underwent hepatectomy and the pathological diagnosis was moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma, metastasis and the histological effect was Grade 1a. There has not been any recurrence for 48 months after hepatectomy. We experienced this case in which preoperative S-1 proved effective for liver metastasis from rectal cancer.

Arterial stimulation and venous sampling (ASVS) is useful for recurrent lesions of insulinoma: a case report.

We encountered a recurrent case of benign solitary insulinoma in the pancreatic tail, which may have been caused by an inadequate surgical margin in the use of an ultrasonic dissector. A 45-year-old man was referred with hypoglycemia and diagnosed solitary insulinoma in the pancreas. Laparoscopic pancreatic enucleation was performed using an ultrasonic dissector. The tumor was extracted and the surgical margins were microscopically negative. Six years later, he presented with hypoglycemia again. Multiple small well-enhanced lesions were detected by computed tomography distant from the resection stump of the first operation. He underwent resection of all visible lesions with omentum and wide excision of the soft tissue surrounding the pancreas after preoperative arterial stimulation and venous sampling test. The postoperative course of the second operation was uncomplicated and the patient presents no sign of hypoglycemia after 12 months.

Geometric analysis of the anterior mitral leaflet and mitral valve orifice in cadaveric hearts.

BACKGROUND: To establish the criteria for selecting a mitral annuloplasty ring of the correct size, the dimensions of the mitral valve orifice were analyzed in cadaveric hearts. MATERIALS AND RESULTS: From December 2000 to July 2006, the mitral valve diameter [DM (Obs)] and Z-values [DM (Z); standardized value based on Rowlatt's criteria], the angles of the trigones (theta Tg) and commissures (theta Com) and the intertrigonal distance [L (T)] were measured in 82 fresh cadaveric hearts from cases with variable causes of death (mean age 64.8+/-15.7 years; body surface area [BSA] 1.51+/-0.21 m2). DM (Obs), DM (Z) and L (T) were 2.8+/-0.5 cm, 1.16+/-0.98, and 1.8+/-0.2 cm, respectively. Theta Tg and theta Com averaged 76+/-13 and 121+/-11 degrees, respectively. There was a significant inverse linear relationship between DM (Z) and theta Tg [theta Tg =-10x DM (Z) +88] and a significant logarithmic correlation between L (T) and BSA [L (T) =0.54xLn (BSA) +1.55]. The anterior annular length and L (T) remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: In non-dilated cadaveric hearts, the trigones were located at one-quarter of the mitral annulus, so the appropriate length of the posterior annuloplasty band should be adjusted to L (T) x3.33.

[Percutaneous vertebroplasty for vertebral compression fracture].

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous vertebroplasty has become an option for the treatment of painful osteoporotic compression fractures in patients in whom conservative medical management has failed. AIM: This paper assessed the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with focal pain caused by compression vertebral body fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a twenty-five-month period 63 patients underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty, and ten of these patients were subsequently retreated, for a total of 73 operations on 93 vertebrae. The patients were affected by osteoporotic compression fractures (n=57) or by benign or malignant infiltrative processes (n=6). All patients were examined at discharge and thereafter to assess the level of pain and investigate possible changes in the quality of life. The mean length of follow-up was 15.2 months. RESULTS: After treatment, almost 90% of patients reported complete disappearance or significant alleviation of the pain. In 7 of 63 of the patient (11%) there were small asymptomatic leakages of cement outside the vertebral body. A substantial number of patients with osteoporosis, 19% of the study population, experienced new fractures following treatment with vertebroplasty. DISCUSSION: Our experience confirms the effectiveness of vertebroplasty to pain caused by vertebral fractures. If the indications are strictly followed, improvement of symptoms is often immediate, allowing the return of mobility, and patient satisfaction with surgery is higher. The use of appropriate systems limits the number of complications.