[Retrospective Study of Preoperative Serial Pancreatic Juice Aspiration Cytological Examination(SPACE)for Early Preoperative Detection of Pancreatic Cancer].

Serial pancreatic juice aspiration cytological examination(SPACE)has been reported as a reliable preoperative diagnostic method for early pancreatic cancer, when combined with imaging findings suspecting early pancreatic cancer. Among 259 patients with suspected pancreatic cancer who underwent pancreatic resection at our hospital, SPACE was preoperatively performed in 14 cases(5.4%). Of these 14 cases, final pathological diagnosis was pancreatic cancer in 12 patients (86%), including 5 patients with Stage ⅠA pancreatic cancer(35.7%), all of whom had a mass on preoperative CT or EUS. On the other hand, in the other 2 cases(14.3%), CT/EUS detected no mass but focal pancreatic parenchymal atrophy and main pancreatic duct stenosis which were the imaging findings suspecting very early pancreatic cancer such as cancer in situ. Although preoperative SPACE results of these 2 cases were class Ⅳ, final pathological results of resected specimen were low-grade PanIN in both cases. SPACE was considered useful for preoperative diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in our study, however further study is needed to examine its diagnostic accuracy for early pancreatic cancer which does not appear as a mass in any imaging modality.

[Two Cases of Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer and Lower Rectal Cancer Resected Successfully That Enabled Anus Preservation after Preoperative Chemotherapy].

We reported 2 cases of colorectal cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)with the aim of curative resection or anal preservation. Case 1: A 50-year-old man was diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer with sacral invasion. Because of the sacral invasion, we performed preoperative chemotherapy. He was treated with 12 courses of CapeOX plus Bmab and 3 courses of capecitabine plus radiation therapy(45 Gy in total). After chemoradiation therapy, a lower anterior resection was performed. The pathological finding was pT3pN0pM0, pStage Ⅱ. Case 2: A 69-year-old man was diagnosed with lower rectal cancer. Colonoscopy revealed a tumor near the dentate line. Because the patient desired anal preservation, we performed preoperative chemotherapy. He was treated with IRIS plus Bmab. After 3 courses of chemotherapy, the tumor had reduced in size. The pathological findings were no residual tumor cell, pN0. In our hospital, we have preserved the anus in 2 patients after NAC. Including the above 2 cases, we have performed curative resection in 7 cases. The mean observation period after surgery was 30 months; 1 case died from cancer recurrence(41 months after resection)and other 6 cases lived without cancer relapse.

The effects of the loop diuretics furosemide and torasemide on diuresis in dogs and cats.

Torasemide is a new loop diuretic that combines the effects of furosemide and spironolactone. There are no reports on the effects of torasemide in cats and dogs. This study compared the diuretic effects of furosemide and torasemide in cats and dogs. Cats with pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy were given oral placebo, torasemide 0.3 mg/kg, or furosemide 1 mg/kg or 3 mg/kg. Control and mitral regurgitation dogs were given oral placebo, torasemide 0.2 mg/kg, and furosemide 2 mg/kg for 7 days. Urine samples were obtained at baseline and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, and 24 hr after each drug dose. Urine volume and urine Na(+) and K(+) were measured. Both furosemide and torasemide increased urine volume 1 hr after administration. Furosemide caused a dose-dependent increase in urine volume that peaked at 2-3 hr in cats and dogs. The diuretic effect of furosemide disappeared 6 hr after administration, while that of torasemide peaked 2-4 hr after administration and persisted for 12 hr in cats and dogs. In MR dogs, torasemide for 7 days significantly decreased urine potassium excretion. Plasma aldosterone increased with torasemide, whereas there was no change with furosemide. In conclusion, about 1/10 concentration of torasemide was as potent as furosemide and had a longer diuretic effect in cats and dogs. These data suggest that torasemide is useful for treating congestive heart failure or edema in cats and dogs.