Postoperative relative decrease in skeletal muscle mass as a predictor of quality of life in patients with gastric cancer.

Low skeletal muscle mass reflects poor nutritional condition, which may impair the functional status and quality of life (QOL) of survivors of gastrectomy. The present cross-sectional study examined the association between a relative change in skeletal muscle mass and perceived postoperative health and QOL in patients with gastric cancer. The study comprised 74 patients (48 men and 26 women; median age, 68.5 years) who underwent surgery for stage I-III gastric cancer. Outcomes were measured using the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45, which was specifically developed to measure post-gastrectomy symptoms, living status, dissatisfaction with daily life and generic QOL. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was estimated using computed tomography by tracing the area of the psoas major muscle to calculate the ΔSMI, defined as: (SMI before surgery-SMI at completion of the PGSAS-45 survey)/SMI before surgery x100. Associations between ΔSMI and health outcomes were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. The mean ΔSMI (SD) was 8.64% (10.6%). The effect size (Cohen's d) of ΔSMI <10% compared with ΔSMI ≥10% was 0.50 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.97) for total symptom scores, -0.51 (-0.98 to -0.03) for general health, and -0.52 (-0.99 to -0.05) for the physical component summary (PCS). Multiple regression analysis showed that ΔSMI was significantly associated with PCS decline, and its standardized regression coefficient was -0.447 (-0.209 to -0.685). Determining ΔSMI may help clinicians to facilitate the objective evaluation of low skeletal mass, which reflects poor nutritional condition that can impair functional status and QOL of postoperative patients surviving gastrectomy.

Current status of gastrectomy and reconstruction types for patients with proximal gastric cancer in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Surgical procedures for proximal gastric cancer remain a highly debated topic. Total gastrectomy (TG) is widely accepted as a standard radical surgery. However, subtotal esophagectomy, proximal gastrectomy (PG) or even subtotal gastrectomy, when a small upper portion of the stomach can technically be preserved, are alternatives in current clinical practice. METHODS: Using a cohort of the PGSAS NEXT trial, consisting of 1909 patients responding to a questionnaire sent to 70 institutions between July 2018 and December 2019, gastrectomy type, reconstruction method, and furthermore the remnant stomach size and the anti-reflux procedures for PG were evaluated. RESULTS: TG was the procedure most commonly performed (63.0%), followed by PG (33.4%). Roux-en-Y was preferentially employed following TG irrespective of esophageal tumor invasion, while jejunal pouch was adopted in 8.5% of cases with an abdominal esophageal stump. Esophagogastrostomy was most commonly selected after PG, followed by the double-tract method. The former was preferentially employed for larger remnant stomachs (≧3/4), while being used slightly less often for tumors with as compared to those without esophageal invasion in cases with a remnant stomach 2/3 the size of the original stomach. Application of the double-tract method gradually increased as the remnant stomach size decreased. Anti-reflux procedures following esophagogastrostomy varied markedly. CONCLUSIONS: TG is the mainstream and PG remains an alternative in current Japanese clinical practice for proximal gastric cancer. Remnant stomach size and esophageal stump location appear to influence the choice of reconstruction method following PG.

Comparison of effects of six main gastrectomy procedures on patients' quality of life assessed by Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45.

BACKGROUND: The effects of various gastrectomy procedures on the patient's quality of life (QOL) are not well understood. Thus, this nationwide multi-institutional cross-sectional study using the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45), a well-established questionnaire designed to clarify the severity and characteristics of the postgastrectomy syndrome, was conducted. AIM: To compare the effects of six main gastrectomy procedures on the postoperative QOL. METHODS: Eligible questionnaires retrieved from 2368 patients who underwent either of six gastrectomy procedures [total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (TGRY; n = 393), proximal gastrectomy (PG; n = 193), distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (DGRY; n = 475), distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I reconstruction (DGBI; n = 909), pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG; n = 313), and local resection of the stomach (LR; n = 85)] were analyzed. Among the 19 main outcome measures of PGSAS-45, the severity and characteristics of postgastrectomy syndrome were compared for the aforementioned six gastrectomy procedures using analysis of means. RESULTS: TGRY and PG significantly impaired the QOL of postoperative patients. Postoperative QOL was excellent in LR (cardia and pylorus were preserved with minimal resection). In procedures removing the distal stomach, diarrhea subscale (SS) and dumping SS were less frequent in PPG than in DGBI and DGRY. However, there was no difference in the postoperative QOL between DGBI and DGRY. The most noticeable adverse effects caused by gastrectomy were meal-related distress SS, dissatisfaction at the meal, and weight loss, with significant differences among the surgical procedures. CONCLUSION: Postoperative QOL greatly differed among six gastrectomy procedures. The severity and characteristics of postgastrectomy syndrome should be considered to select gastrectomy procedures, overcome surgical shortcomings, and enhance postoperative care.

[A Case of Histological Response of Grade 3 Achieved by Preoperative Chemotherapy with S-1/Oxaliplatin(SOX)].

Histological response of Grade 3 is relatively rare in gastric cancer patients but has recently been observed occasionally. We report the histological response of Grade 3 achieved by S-1/oxaliplatin(SOX)therapy. A 66-year-old man had suffered from epigastralgia when hungry. After 1 month, he visited the department of gastroenterology of our hospital. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 3 tumor at the lesser curvature of middle gastric body, and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was detected by the biopsy examination. Abdominal/pelvic enhanced CT showed wall thickening of the lower gastric body, enlarged regional lymph nodes and para-aortic lymph nodes(No. 16b1). We diagnosed it with Stage Ⅳ. He received 4 courses of SOX therapy. After chemotherapy, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a residual tumor, although biopsy showed no cancer cells. Abdominal/pelvic enhanced CT showed significantly reduced lymph nodes despite the thickening of the gastric wall. PET-CT revealed indistinct para-aortic lymph nodes. Distal gastrectomy, D2 dissection without para-aortic lymph nodes dissection, and Billroth Ⅰ reconstruction were performed. Histological findings showed no cancer cells in the main lesion or lymph nodes, with only previous cancer cells suspected. The histological response was Grade 3. SOX therapy might be employed in the future as chemotherapy before conversion surgery for Stage Ⅳ gastric cancer.

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus with multiple lymph node metastases: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is a very rare malignancy accounting for only 0.1% to 0.2% of all malignant esophageal lesions. Presently, there are no standard strategies or clear guidelines for PMME treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: Herein, we report a patient who had PMME with multiple lymph node metastases (LNMs) who was treated successfully by esophagectomy. In March 2018, a 74-year-old man with symptoms of continuous dysphagia was referred to our hospital. DIAGNOSIS: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination revealed melanin pigmentation in the middle thoracic esophagus and a pigmented polypoid mass in the lower esophagus. Histopathological examination of the endoscopic biopsy specimen revealed malignant melanoma. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a 3 cm tumor lesion with several enlarged lymph nodes without distant metastasis. The preoperative diagnosis based on the TNM classification was cT2N2M0 stage III. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent esophagectomy with lymph node dissection. OUTCOMES: Histopathological examination showed that the tumor extended to the submucosal layer of the esophageal wall, with multiple LNMs. Although multiple LNMs were detected, computed tomography scan 15 months after surgery showed no recurrence. Additionally, we analyzed the relationship between the overall survival and the clinicopathological factors including LNMs in 48 previously reported cases of PMME that were surgically treated. LESSONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report on the effect of LNMs on the prognosis of PMME patients. The analysis revealed the prognostic value of the TNM stage. Early tumor detection and esophagectomy with lymph node dissection may play as key factors for achieving a better overall survival of PMME patients.

[A Case of Goblet Cell Carcinoid].

The patient was a 26-year-old female who had undergone conservative treatment for acute appendicitis at another clinic and was referred to our hospital for interval appendectomy. We performed a single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy, and the patient was diagnosed with goblet cell carcinoid(GCC)based on the postoperative pathological examination. Since GCC is considered a high-grade tumor, we performed a laparoscopic ileocolic resection with D3 lymphadenectomy. There was no residual disease or lymph node metastasis detected in the resected specimen. Patients with advanced GCC typically have poor prognosis, because GCC is characterized by peritoneal dissemination and lymph node metastasis. However, our findings suggested that an additional laparoscopic surgery could be one of the curative and safe treatment options for selected pa- tients with GCC.

[A Case of Local Remnant Esophageal Cancer after Chemotherapy Getting Complete Response by Radiotherapy].

This is a case of a 72-year-old woman who presented without anymajor complaint. An anemia was indicated during follow-up for diabetes at the internal medicine unit and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy(GS)was performed. A type 2 tumor was detected in the middle thoracic esophagus and biopsyrevealed a squamous cell carcinoma. A tumor was detected in the middle thoracic esophagus bycervical thoracoabdominal computed tomography(CT)scan and no invasion of surrounding organs was noted. The lymph node 104R had enlarged significantlybut no distant metastasis was observed. The patient was diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer, Mt, type 2, cT2N2M0, stage Ⅱ. For preoperative chemotherapy, CDDP plus 5-FU(FP)therapywas administered. Lung metastasis was found on CT examination and surgical resection was not indicated. Hence, 4 courses of docetaxel plus CDDP plus 5-FU(DCF)therapywere administered. Following treatment, lung and lymph node metastases disappeared on the image. However, the main tumor remained at the GS. Radiotherapy was administered as a local additional treatment. Thereafter, GS showed mucous membrane redness and white spots of the lesion. Biopsyfrom the same site showed no malignant findings. The patient has remained malignancy-free since 18 months.

[Administering Ramucirumab Safely after Inserting an Intestinal Stent, Due to Peritoneal Metastasis of Gastric Cancer-A Case Report].

The recent phase Ⅲ trials REGARD and RAINBOW have shown survival benefits and acceptable safetyprofiles of ramucirumab( RAM)alone and RAM plus paclitaxel. Based on this result, RAM is recommended as a secondarytreatment for advanced and recurrent gastric cancer bythe Japanese Gastric Cancer Association. Although the frequencyis not high, gastrointestinal perforation has been reported as a serious side effect. RAM is a human anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR-2)monoclonal antibodythat acts on vascular endothelial cells to inhibit angiogenesis. The detailed mechanism has not been elucidated, but it is thought that the ischemic state and delayed wound healing due to the inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factors could be the cause of perforation. Thus, the usage of angiogenesis inhibitors such as RAM while intestinal stents are placed, mayincrease the risk of gastrointestinal perforation. We report a case in which RAM was administrated with no adverse events after multiple gastrointestinal metal stents being inserted.

[Efficacy of Palliative Radiotherapy in Hemorrhage Control in Patients with Unresectable Gastric Cancer].

We report the case of an 80-year-old man with unresectable, advanced gastric cancer and pulmonary cancer because of multiple liver metastases. The serum hemoglobin level declined to 5.3 g/dL during fourth-line chemotherapy. Radiation therapy of 30 Gy was administered in 10 fractions. After radiation treatment was completed, the serum hemoglobin level increased to 8.5g/dL. No new adverse event was observed. Subsequently, the progression of anemia stopped, and oral intake became possible. Thus, palliative radiation therapy is useful for hemorrhage control in unresectable, advanced gastric cancer patients with a poor general condition and difficult surgical treatment.

Postoperative outcomes of gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma.

BACKGROUND: Gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma (GCLS) is a rare subtype of gastric cancer. There have been several reports demonstrating the favorable prognosis of early GCLS without lymph node metastasis (LNM) compared with gastric adenocarcinomas. However, it remains unknown whether advanced GCLS (AGCLS) with LNM has a similar prognosis and clinicopathological features. This study aimed to assess the clinicopathological features of GCLS of all stages. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 375 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with gastric cancer and underwent curative surgical resection at Tokyo Medical University, Japan, between September 2013 and October 2019. Of these patients, 357 (95.2%) patients were pathologically diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinomas, and 18 (4.8%) patients were diagnosed with GCLS. The GCLS patients (n = 18) were compared with the gastric adenocarcinoma patients (non-GCLS patients, control) (n = 357) in terms of their clinicopathological features and clinical outcome. RESULTS: The GCLS patients showed significantly predominant upper gastric locations (P = 0.003), lower number of LNM (P = 0.01), and better overall survival rate than the non-GCLS patients (P = 0.029). The predominant upper gastric locations (P = 0.0002), lower number of LNM (P = 0.003), and better overall survival rate (P = 0.04) were significantly correlated in the AGCLS with LNM patients compared with the advanced non-GCLS with LNM patients. For survival analyses, surgical procedure, tumor location, and numbers of positive LNM were adjusted by 1:1 propensity score matching. After adjustment, the overall survival rate was significantly higher in the AGCLS group than in the advanced non-GCLS group (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: AGCLS has distinct clinicopathological features and clinical behavior that are similar to those of early GCLS. AGCLS with LNM patients showed a significantly lower number of LNM and a better survival rate than advanced non-GCLS with LNM patients. To our knowledge, this study is the first report to describe the clinicopathological features of AGCLS.

[A Case of Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Lower Anterior Resection and Total Hysterectomy with Transvaginal NOSE].

Natural orifice specimen extraction(NOSE)can be considered a minimally invasive treatment method. We performed robotassisted laparoscopic lower anterior resection and total hysterectomy with transvaginal NOSE. The patient was a 44-year-old woman. When she underwent CS in the blood in 2017, the rectal Rs had a mass-like lesion. On pathological examination, sarcoma from the endometrial stroma was suspected, and an operation was planned. The surgical findings included the following: The camera port was inserted 4 cm from the navel, the first arm on the right side at the same height, the second arm on the left, the third arm in the lower left abdomen, and the 12mm port in the lower right abdomen. First, the uterus was removed, the vagina was opened, and the uterus was removed. Vacuum was maintained, and the operation for the anterior resection was performed without changing the arrangement of the arms. The IMAwas treated; the descending colon was also sufficiently peeled for NOSE surgery, and then the lower rectum was peeled until the levator muscle was exposed to secure the AW. The inter-rectal membrane was treated to secure the AW. The intestinal tract was induced from the vaginal stump, the anvil head of ILS 29 was inserted, and anal anastomosis was performed again by insufflation. The vaginal stump was closed with continuous sutures and covered with the bladder peritoneum.

[Spontaneous Disappearance of Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Primary Mesenteric Sarcoma-A Case Report].

The patient was a 49-year-old man with persistent fever since the introduction of hemodialysis(HD). Vomiting and abdominal swelling appeared 4 months after initiating hemodialysis. Computed tomography(CT)scan revealed a tumor measuring 9 cm, and disorders of passage from the jejunum. Surgery was performed, and resection was impossible because of peritoneal dissemination. Histopathological examination of the disseminated nodes suggested an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Postoperatively, drainage from the gastric fistula was approximately 2,000mL/day. Chemotherapy was considered impossible because of HD, and palliative therapy was selected. However, the volume of drainage from the gastric fistula gradually decreased, and the disorders of passage reduced. CT scan confirmed marked reduction in the size of the intraperitoneal tumor and its subsequent disappearance. At the 2-year-and-5-month postoperative follow-up, no relapses were observed, and the course had been uneventful. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas develop in the soft tissue of adults and have a poor prognosis. However, mesenteric development is rare. Total tumorectomy is the first choice of treatment. A consensus on the usefulness of chemotherapy or radiotherapy has not been reached. Furthermore, no studies have reported spontaneous tumor disappearance in the absence of treatment. Here, we report a case of minor undifferentiated primary mesenteric sarcoma and its spontaneous disappearance and review the literature.

Somatic mutations and increased lymphangiogenesis observed in a rare case of intramucosal gastric carcinoma with lymph node metastasis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Intramucosal gastric adenocarcinoma of the well-moderately differentiated type only exhibits lymph node metastasis in extremely rare cases. We encountered such case and investigated both the lymphangiogenic properties and somatic mutations in the cancer to understand the prometastatic features of early-stage gastric cancer. METHODS: We quantitatively measured the density of lymphatic vessels and identified mutations in 412 cancer-associated genes through next-generation target resequencing of DNA extracted from tumor cells in a formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue. Functional consequence of the identified mutation was examined in vitro by means of gene transfection, immunoblot, and the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. RESULTS: The intramucosal carcinoma was accompanied by abundant lymphatic vessels. The metastatic tumor harbored somatic mutations in NBN, p.P6S, and PAX8, p.R49H. The PAX8R49H showed significantly higher transactivation activity toward E2F1 than the wild-type PAX8 (P< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that increased lymphangiogenesis and somatic mutations of NBN and/or PAX8 could facilitate lymph node metastasis from an intramucosal gastric carcinoma. These findings may potentially inform evaluations of the risk of developing lymph node metastasis in patients with intramucosal gastric cancer.

Constant maintenance of an alternative route of coronary flow in radical surgery for gastric cancer following coronary artery bypass grafting involving the right gastroepiploic artery: a case report.

We describe a 64-year-old man diagnosed as having gastric cancer with a patent right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) used for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Before gastrectomy, the native coronary artery was revascularized to safely dissect the infrapyloric lymphatic tissue along the layer recently identified as an appropriate layer for radical lymphadenectomy, in anticipation of preserving the radically skeletonized RGEA. The perioperative strategy was feasible. Postoperatively, hemorrhage extended the stopping period of antiplatelet therapy. However, since the RGEA was preserved, an alternative route was available for coronary flow. After a 41-month postoperative follow-up, the patient remained in good health, with no recurrence or cardiac ischemia. In this case, the alternative route of coronary flow could be constantly maintained, although radical infrapyloric lymphadenectomy had been performed. Preoperative revascularization and preserving the RGEA with radical skeletonization can be a safe yet permissibly radical strategy for gastric cancer treatment following CABG involving the RGEA.

Sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT) of the spleen: a case report with FDG-PET findings and literature review.

We report the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) findings of sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT) of the spleen. The patient was a 37-year-old woman with a splenic mass incidentally found on abdominal ultrasound. FDG-PET/CT showed weak FDG accumulation (maximum standardized uptake value = 3.65). An unenhanced CT scan showed a low density and well-circumscribed splenic tumor that demonstrated weak enhancement from the arterial to delayed phase. Although hemangioma or hamartoma of the spleen was preoperatively diagnosed, histopathological examination revealed SANT. Therefore, when a splenic tumor with weak contrast medium enhancement and low FDG accumulation is observed, SANT should be considered as a differential diagnosis. Although CT and magnetic resonance imaging features of SANT have been reported, there are few reports on FDG-PET/CT findings. We report the radiological features of SANT, including FDG-PET/CT, and review the literature on SANT.

Usefulness of the TRC method in the peritoneal washing cytology for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dissemination from gastric cancer is the most frequent metastasis of advanced gastric cancer. Detection of cancer micrometastasis is required for improvement of cancer therapy. A method that can detect micrometastases more sensitively is desired. Against this background, for the purposes of making the genetic diagnosis of micrometastasis simple and rapid, TRC (transcription reverse transcription concerted reaction) was developed. METHODOLOGY: 69 patients with gastric cancer in those diagnosed with deeper than mp. At the time of surgery, peritoneal washing with saline was extracted. Having extracted the RNA therein, It was blended with a reagent responsive to CEAmRNA and was put into TRC. The cytology and TRC were compared and studied. RESULTS: The concordance rate between TRC and cytology was K=0.6552. The patients whom there was a discrepancy between the cytology and TRC are clinically validate the TRC results. In the study of prognosis, TRC obtained a sensitivity of 90.9% and a specificity of 98.3%. CONCLUSION: The measurement of CEAmRNA in peritoneal washing specimens by the TRC method is superior to Cytology. That is also equal to or superior to the RT-PCR method with respect to sensitivity and specificity, and superior with respect to simplicity and rapidity.

Intraoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastasis by transcription-reverse transcription concerted reaction assay in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has been accumulated to substantiate the clinical usefulness of quantitative evaluation of gene expression. This study was undertaken to assess diagnosis of metastasis in dissected lymph nodes through quantitative evaluation of the expression of carcinoembryonic antigen mRNA (CEA mRNA) by a rapid, simple transcription-reverse transcription concerted reaction (TRC) assay using dissected lymph node washings. METHODS: A total of 110 dissected lymph nodes from 40 patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer were studied. Each dissected lymph node was cut crosswise and washed with physiological saline. The washings were assayed for CEA mRNA and the assay results were assessed in comparison with the pathological diagnosis [hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining]. All lymph nodes were also subjected to immunostaining for cytokeratin (CK staining) and assessed comparatively. RESULTS: By H&E staining, 29 lymph nodes were found to be positive and 81 to be negative for metastasis. By TRC assay, 38 lymph nodes were found to be positive and 72 to be negative. According to the results of CK staining, there were 37 metastasis-positive lymph nodes and 73 negative nodes. The sensitivity and specificity of H&E staining relative to those of CK staining were 78.4 and 100 %, respectively, while the sensitivity and specificity of TRC assay relative to those of CK staining were 91.9 and 94.5 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The TRC assay method using lymph node washings is a rapid, simple genetic diagnosis with greater sensitivity than conventional diagnosis by H&E staining of permanent specimens, and enables conservation of lymph nodes in toto as permanent specimens. This TRC method would enable rapid diagnosis even in town hospitals where no pathologist is ordinarily stationed, and is considered to contribute to the clinical application of the sentinel node theory of gastric cancer treatment.

Status of tissue expression and serum levels of HER2 in gastric cancer patients in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of HER2 expression in gastric cancer varies among previous studies. Furthermore, serum HER2 levels have not been well studied in patients with gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: Cancerous gastric tissue was analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) to give an IHC score (IHC0, 1+, 2+ or 3) for HER2 expression. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to examine HER2 gene expression in IHC2+ cases. Levels of HER2 in serum collected before surgery were determined by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Subjects were 105 gastric cancer patients who underwent surgical resection. Tissue expression of HER2 was positive (IHC3+, or IHC2+ plus FISH+) in 6.7% of patients (7/105). All HER2-positive tumors were highly differentiated. Mean serum HER2 level was 8.7±2.1 ng/dl in patients with primary gastric cancer. The mean serum HER2 level in the highly differentiated cancer group was 9.2±2.1 ng/dl, which was significantly higher than that (8.1±1.9 ng/dl) in the poorly differentiated group. CONCLUSION: Tissue expression of HER2 was found in 6.7% of examined Japanese gastric cancer patients, and all HER2-positive tumors were highly differentiated. Serum HER2 levels were significantly higher in patients with highly differentiated cancer, in good agreement with the higher tissue expression of HER2 in highly differentiated cancer.

Analysis of the mRNA expression levels of thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) and orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT) in liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We measured the mRNA expression levels of thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) and orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT) in liver metastases from colorectal cancer and retrospectively analyzed their association with other clinicopathological factors and the prognosis of these patients. METHODOLOGY: The study involved 55 patients of colorectal cancer with liver metastasis who underwent surgery at our department between February 1988 and April 2003. RESULTS: Analysis of the mRNA expression levels of each of the aforementioned enzymes in the liver metastases revealed no significant differences in the mRNA expression levels of the enzymes depending on the timing of development of the liver metastasis, histological type of the cancer, or the patient gender. In the analysis of the survival period, no association was observed between the survival prognosis and the mRNA expression level of DPD or OPRT in the liver metastases; on the other hand, the prognosis was better in the group showing low TS mRNA expression (median survival period: 3.77 years) than in the group showing high TS mRNA expression (median survival period: 2.39 years) (p=0.0134). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the mRNA expression level of TS in the liver metastases in colorectal cancer patients is a useful prognostic indicator.

Clinical outcome of esophagogastrostomy after proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In order to prevent reflux esophagitis after proximal gastrectomy, reconstruction by jejunal interposition (EJ) is often performed; however, this procedure is considered to be extremely complex. The purpose of this research is to consider the indication and usefulness of esophagogastrostomy (EG), as a less-invasive method of reconstruction. METHODOLOGY: From 1999, 64 proximal gastrectomy cases have been reviewed. In 46 cases, EG combined with a reflux prevention procedure was performed while in the remaining 18 cases, EJ was performed. An endoscopic examination was conducted 1 year after surgery in all cases. RESULTS: Compared to EJ, EG required less surgical time, thus resulting in less blood loss. Reflux esophagitis was frequently present in the EG cases (22 vs. 11%). In the EG group, 36 cases involving abdominal esophagus (AE) conservation due to the site of the cancer in comparison to the resection group (10), experienced a lower probability of reflux esophagitis (5.6 vs. 60%) and endoscopic examinations showed a lower severity (Grade B,C,D; 0 vs. 50%). CONCLUSIONS: EG combined with a reflux prevention procedure is simple and less invasive. In cases in which the conservation of AE is possible, less reflux esophagitis is observed and EG is therefore recommended as an appropriate reconstruction method.