Reactivation of tuberculosis in hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization: A report of 3 cases.

Pulmonary tuberculosis is an opportunistic infection that can be reactivated in immunocompromised conditions, for example, in malignancy or after liver transplantation. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high mortality rate because it is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Although surgical resection is the established curative measure for HCC, it is only feasible for early-stage HCC. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the most common treatment modality for patients with unresectable HCC. However, repeated TACE sessions and, occasionally, the tumor itself can further impair the reserve hepatic function and immunity. We report 3 recent cases of HCC with reactivation of pulmonary tuberculosis after TACE.

[A case of mantle cell lymphoma with meningioma].

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an uncommon type of gastrointestinal lymphoma. MCL is a distinct subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The major subtype of MCL is characterized by the presence of multiple lymphomatous polyposis (MLP), in which multiple polyps are observed along the gastrointestinal tract. The malignant cells express pan B-cell marker and the T-cell marker cluster of differentiation 5. The chromosomal translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32) that causes cyclin D1 overexpression is commonly observed on the cytogenetic analysis of MCL. Survival improvement has recently been achieved for patient with MCL by the successful introduction of monoclonal antibodies and dose-intensified approaches for treatment, including autologous stem cell transplantation strategies. Some reports suggest that there is an increased incidence of second malignancies in patients with MCL or lymphoma. We report a case of MCL involving the colon; the patient was a 60-year-old man who complained of low abdominal discomfort during defecation. During the workup, a meningioma was unexpectedly discovered. On analysis, the tumor was found to be a t(11;14)-negative and non-MLP-type MCL.

[Comparison of the toxicities and efficacies of the combination chemotherapy regimens in advanced gastric cancer patients who achieved complete response after chemotherapy].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We retrospectively analyzed comparative toxicities and efficacies of chemotherapy regimens in advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients who achieved complete response (CR) after chemotherapy. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 1,203 patients, who were pathologically diagnosed as AGC in a single center between January 2001 and October 2007. On the basis of the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, CR was evaluated with abdominal computed tomography. Toxicities were evaluated using the National Cancer Institute's common toxicity criteria before each chemotherapy cycle. RESULTS: Among the 1,203 AGC patients enrolled in this study, 568 received chemotherapy and 635 received best supportive care. The major chemotherapy regimens were 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) and 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan (FOLFIRI). Among the 568 patients, 51 (9.0%) achieved CR (49 [8.6%] with FOLFOX [n=12], DCF [n=26], or FOLFIRI [n=11] and 2 [0.3%] with etoposide, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil). For patients administered FOLFOX, DCF, and FOLFIRI, the median time to disease progression was 4 months (range, 1.8-59.5), 15 months (range, 2.9-31.2) and 10 months (range, 2.0-39.5), and the median survival times were 48 months (range, 5.9-74.0), 37 months (range, 14.0-86.0), and 30 months (range, 6.0-50.0), respectively. Grades 3-4 mucositis occurred mostly in patients administered DCF (n=8, 30.8%). Grades 3-4 leucopenia were observed in 1 (8.3%), 11 (42.3%), and 4 (36.4%) patients administered FOLFOX, DCF and FOLFIRI, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed in the 3 regimens. CONCLUSIONS: All 3 regimens (FOLFOX, DCF and FOLFIRI) were active and tolerable. Their efficacies and toxicities were not significantly different.

[A case of gastric lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma presenting as panperitonitis by perforation of stomach].

Gastric lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is a rare carcinoma among gastric malignant tumor but has a good prognosis. The carcinoma has histologic feature characterized by small nest of cancer cells mixed with lymphoid stroma. We report a case with lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of stomach initially presenting as panperitonitis because of spontaneous tumor perforation. A 56-year-old man visited our emergency room because of epigastric pain. A preoperative abdominal CT scan showed a massive pneumoperitoneum in the upper abdomen, and the presence of gastric cancer in the lesser curvature of the stomach. An emergent laparotomy was performed followed by radical subtotal gastrectomy. Pathologic examination revealed that the tumor was a lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma.

[Importance of medication adherence to peginterferon-ribavirin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The combination therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin is a standard treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C. However, because of the long duration of the treatment and many complications, the reduction of adherence frequently occur. This study aimed to assess influences of reduced medication adherence in the combination therapy of chronic hepatitis C patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 82 patients with chronic hepatitis C who received a combination therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin. The patients were categorized into 3 subgroups on the basis of medication adherence. Group 1 comprised patients who received ≥80% of the recommended dosage of both peginterferon and ribavirin. Group 2 comprised those patients who received ≥80% of the recommended dosage of only 1 drug. The patients of Group 3 received <80% of the recommended dosage of both the drugs. RESULTS: Sustained virologic response (SVR)s of patients in Group 1, 2 and 3 were 85.4% (41/48), 85.7% (18/21), and 38.5% (5/13), respectively (p=0.002). SVRs of genotype 1 patients in Group 1, 2 and 3 were 84.2% (16/19), 75% (9/12), and 14.3% (1/7) , respectively (p=0.003). SVRs of genotype non-1 patients in Group 1, 2 and 3 were 86.2% (25/29), 100% (9/9), and 66.7% (4/6), respectively (p=0.196). Furthermore are SVRs significantly differed with the degree of medication adherence to either peginterferon or ribavirin (p=0.003 and 0.021, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the peginterferon dose was a significant independent factor associated with SVR. CONCLUSIONS: Medication adherence of chronic hepatitis C patients to the combination therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin is very important for achieving SVR. In particular, we think that genotype 1 patients should maintain higher adherence than genotype non-1 patients.

[A case of a retroperitoneal schwannoma presenting as hypermetabolic mass in PET-CT].

Schwannoma is a benign neoplasm of the Schwann cells of the neural sheath. Most schwannomas occur in the head and neck, and extremities and rarely in the retroperitoneal space. The differentiation of a schwannoma from other malignant tumor or benign tumor is very difficult on a preoperative examination with ultrasonography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, the lesion with increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in PET-CT cannot exclude malignant tumor. Therefore, this lesion needs surgical excision and a histological examination with immunohistochemical staining. We report a case of schwannoma occuring in the retroperitoneal space that incidentally discovered by PET-CT for health-check up. Pathologic confirmation by laparoscopic excision was done.

Clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for undifferentiated or submucosal invasive early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Early gastric cancer (EGC) that is undifferentiated or shows submucosal invasion has not been generally accepted as an indication for endoscopic treatment. But recently, experiences with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for undifferentiated EGC or submucosal invasive (SM) EGC have increased. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of ESD for EGC with undifferentiation or submucosal invasion. METHODS: Between August 2005 and August 2009, among 210 EGCs treated using ESD at our hospital, 18 lesions were diagnosed as undifferentiated gastric cancer and 41 as SM gastric cancer. A retrospective analysis was done on the medical records of these patients. RESULTS: Mean follow-up periods were 19.39±11.2 months. During the follow-up period, local recurrence was noted in 4 lesions. Local recurrence rates of the EGC groups (group 1, mucosal cancer with undifferentiation; group 2, SM cancer with differentiation; group 3, SM cancer with undifferentiation) were 10%, 4.5%, and 50%, respectively. Groups 1 and 2 were not significantly different in local recurrence rates compared to the mucosal cancer with differentiation group (p=0.061, p=0.125, respectively). The undifferentiated EGC group was significantly lower in curability using ESD than the differentiated EGC group (55.6% vs. 89.6%, p=0.000). The curability of the SM EGC group was lower than the mucosal EGC group (36.6% vs. 98.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Complete resection using ESD is difficult in undifferentiated and SM gastric cancers. SM cancer with undifferentiation should be treated immediately by salvage operation. For mucosal cancer with undifferentiation or SM cancer with differentiation, one should consider careful short-term follow-up.

[A case of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome with intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma of pancreas].

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), which is characterized by multiple hamartomatous polyps of the gastrointestinal tract and mucocutaneous pigmentation, is a rare autosomal dominant disease. This syndrome is often represented as a surgical emergency with complications of the polyps such as intussusception, small bowel obstruction, bleeding, and volvulus. In particular, many studies have reported that patients with this syndrome have a high risk of gastrointestinal or extragastrointestinal malignancy including gastric, duodenal, jejunal, ileal, and colonic carcinoma as well as malignancies involving other organs such as the gallbladder, biliary tract, pancreas, tonsils, breast, and reproductive system. However, there are few reported cases of an association of this syndrome with extraintestinal malignancy. In addition to that, there is no reported case of this syndrome with malignant tumor or intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of pancreas in Korea. We experienced a case of PJS accompanying intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma of the pancreas, therefore we report this case with literatures reviewed.

[Docetaxel-cisplatin-5-FU combination chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic or recurred gastric cancer].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of 'docetaxel-5-FU-cisplatin' combination chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer. METHODS: We investigated a total of 51 patients who were diagnosed as pathologically proven gastric cancer and received 'docetaxel-5-FU-cisplatin' combination chemotherapy between March 2001 and March 2006. All the cases were surgically unresectable because they were either metastatic or recurred gastric cancer. We studied these cases retrospectively on the basis of medical records. The administered doses of decetaxel was 75 mg/m2 and cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1, 5-FU 750 mg/m2 over 24 hrs on day 1 to day 5, every 4 weeks. RESULTS: Among the 51 patients, 21 patients had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0, 27 patients had PS 1, 3 patients had PS 2. For response rates, 7 (13.7%) achieved complete response, 17 (33.3%) partial response, 12 (23.5%) stable disease, and 15 (29.4%) progressive disease, respectively. The overall response rate was 47.1%. The median time to progression was 6.7 months (2-34 months). Median overall survival was 14.6 months (2.7-62.5 months). Median disease free survival was 9.5 months (4.2-21.9 months). National Cancer Institute-common toxicity criteria (NCI-CTC) grade 4 leukopenia occurred in 10 cases (per 229 cycles). Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 51 cases, grade 4 thrombocytopenia in 2 cases. Grade 1 mucositis occurred in 32 cases, grade 1 myalgia in 6 cases. CONCLUSIONS: 'docetaxel-5-FU-cisplatin' combination chemotherapy is an active and tolerable regimen as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic or recurred gastric cancer.