Three-dimensional versus two-dimensional laparoscopy for cholecystectomy in a canine cadaveric study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopy on surgical time and intraoperative complications during cholecystectomies in canine cadavers. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental prospective study. ANIMALS: Twelve canine cadavers. METHODS: The laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed in canine cadavers with four cannulas and with either 2D or 3D cameras by a single surgeon. The following surgical times were recorded: time from insertion of laparoscopic instruments to first endoclip placement, time from first endoclip placement to second endoclip placement, time from second endoclip placement to complete gall bladder dissection, and total surgical time. The cystic duct length distal to the first endoclip, intraoperative complications, and the amount of liver attached to the gall bladder were also recorded. RESULTS: Time from the insertion of the instruments to the application of the first endoclip was shorter for the 3D group than for the 2D group (p = .016). Other surgical times were not different between groups. There was no difference in the cystic duct length distal to the first endoclip, intraoperative complications, or the amount of liver attachment. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional laparoscopy shortened the time from insertion of the laparoscopic instruments to placement of the first endoclip. However, total surgical time was not affected by the type of camera in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Three-dimensional laparoscopy may be beneficial when performing procedures requiring enhanced spatial orientation. However, this technique did not shorten the total surgical time in this cadaveric study. Further studies in a clinical setting are necessary for the optimization of the future use of 3D laparoscopy.

HOXB7 induces STAT3-mediated transformation and lung metastasis in immortalized mammary gland NMuMG cells.

The homeobox family genes are often dysregulated in various cancer types. Particularly HOXB7 amplification and overexpression correlate with poor prognosis in various cancer such as gastric, pancreatic, and lung cancers. Moreover, HOXB7 is known to contribute to cancer progression by promoting epithelial to mesenchymal transition, anticancer drug resistance, and angiogenesis. In this study, we show that HOXB7 is coamplified with ERBB2 in a subset of breast cancer patients and HOXB7 expression correlates with poor prognosis in HER2-positive breast cancer patients. This clinical observation is supported by the following results-HOXB7 overexpression in an immortalized murine mammary gland epithelial cell line NMuMG induces cellular transformation in vitro, tumorigenesis, and lung metastasis through the activation of JAK-STAT signaling.

Metastatic profiling of HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines in xenograft models.

Most studies on breast cancer metastasis have been performed using triple-negative breast cancer cells; thus, subtype-dependent metastatic ability of breast cancer is poorly understood. In this research, we performed intravenous injection (IVI) and intra-caudal arterial injections using nine human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer cell lines for evaluating their metastatic abilities. Our results showed that MDA-MB-453, UACC-893, and HCC-202 had strong bone metastatic abilities, whereas HCC-2218 and HCC-1419 did not show bone metastasis. HER2-positive cell lines could hardly metastasize to the lung through IVI. From the genomic analysis, gene signatures were extracted according to the breast cancer subtypes and their metastatic preferences. The UACC-893 cell line was identified as a useful model for the metastasis study of HER2-positive breast cancer. Combined with our previous result on brain metastasis ability, we provide a characteristic metastasis profile of HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines in this study.

Outcomes and prognostic factors in canine epitheliotropic and nonepitheliotropic cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.

Canine cutaneous lymphoma is an uncommon lymphoma in dogs. Most canine cutaneous lymphoma cases have a T-cell origin. Canine cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is classified into epitheliotropic and nonepitheliotropic cutaneous lymphomas, and each type of lymphoma is subclassified into several histological subtypes. Limited information is available regarding the prognostic significance of clinical variables and histopathological subtypes in dogs with CTCL. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the influence of clinical variables and histopathological subtypes on the prognosis of dogs with CTCL. Forty-six dogs diagnosed with CTCL by histopathological examination were included. Histopathological specimens were reexamined and classified into CTCL subtypes. The influence of the type of skin lesion, histopathological subtype, haematological examination results and treatment response on the overall survival time (OS) was examined. Thirty-one dogs were diagnosed with epitheliotropic CTCL (mycosis fungoides in 28 dogs; pagetoid reticulosis in 3 dogs) and 15 dogs were diagnosed with nonepitheliotropic CTCL (anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma in 6 dogs; peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified, in 9 dogs). The OS of dogs diagnosed with epitheliotropic CTCL (141 days) was significantly shorter than that of dogs diagnosed with nonepitheliotropic CTCL (374 days). As clinical variables, the presence of neoplastic lymphocytes in peripheral blood, thrombocytopenia and initial chemotherapeutic response was related to prognosis. Our results demonstrated that histopathological subtype and several clinical variables were found to influence the prognosis of dogs with CTCL.

The In Vivo Selection Method in Breast Cancer Metastasis.

Metastasis is a complex event in cancer progression and causes most deaths from cancer. Repeated transplantation of metastatic cancer cells derived from transplanted murine organs can be used to select the population of highly metastatic cancer cells; this method is called as in vivo selection. The in vivo selection method and highly metastatic cancer cell lines have contributed to reveal the molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis. Here, we present an overview of the methodology for the in vivo selection method. Recent comparative analysis of the transplantation methods for metastasis have revealed the divergence of metastasis gene signatures. Even cancer cells that metastasize to the same organ show various metastatic cascades and gene expression patterns by changing the transplantation method for the in vivo selection. These findings suggest that the selection of metastasis models for the study of metastasis gene signatures has the potential to influence research results. The study of novel gene signatures that are identified from novel highly metastatic cell lines and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) will be helpful for understanding the novel mechanisms of metastasis.

Treatment with rivaroxaban and monitoring of coagulation profiles in two dogs with venous thromboembolism.

Two dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia complicated with thromboembolism were presented. Both of the dogs were initially treated with immunosuppressive therapy in conjunction with dalteparin and clopidogrel. Although the immunosuppressive therapy was effective, peritoneal effusion due to thromboembolism was observed during the course of the disease in these dogs. After initiation of rivaroxaban treatment, peritoneal effusion decreased immediately in parallel with the normalization of D-dimer, antithrombin (AT), and thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT). Hematochezia, cutaneous hemorrhage, and hematuria were observed as adverse events after administration of rivaroxaban in one case. Rivaroxaban was effective for the control of thromboembolism secondary to immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, and D-dimer, AT, and TAT were useful to monitor the status of thromboembolic disease in dogs.

Hypoglycemia associated with disseminated metastatic tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma producing insulin-like growth factor-I in a Pomeranian dog.

A 13-year-old spayed female Pomeranian dog was presented for persistent, severe hypoglycemia (37 mg/dL; reference interval [RI] 75-128 mg/dL). Progressive nonregenerative anemia (hematocrit 23.3%-15.9%; RI 37.0%-55.0%) and severe thrombocytopenia (36 000/µL; RI 200-500 000/µL) were also noted. The serum insulin concentration was low (0.24 ng/mL; RI 0.302-1.277 ng/mL). Computed tomography revealed multiple splenic nodules (1-6 mm in diameter) and several hepatic nodules (7.6, 12 mm in diameter). Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the splenic and hepatic nodules revealed low numbers of epithelial cells with mild cellular atypia, suggestive of a metastatic epithelial tumor, but the primary site was unknown at that time. On careful oral examination under general anesthesia, an enlarged right tonsil was noted grossly, and histopathologic examination of the tonsil diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma. Bone marrow aspirates and biopsies of the splenic and hepatic nodules were performed; all samples were diagnosed as metastatic carcinoma on histopathologic examination. No nodules were present in the pancreas, despite careful palpation during exploratory laparotomy. On immunohistochemistry, the neoplastic cells were positive for cytokeratin AE1/3 and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I but were negative for chromogranin A, PGP9.5, insulin, and inconclusive for IGF-II. This is the first report of a primary IGF-I-producing squamous cell carcinoma in the tonsil of a dog with metastases to bone marrow, liver, and spleen, resulting in hypoglycemia.

Pneumatosis coli after partial ligation of congenital portosystemic shunt in a dog.

Pneumatosis coli is a rare intestinal disorder in dogs that is characterized by submucosal or subserosal emphysema of the colon. An 8-year-old castrated male Shih Tzu developed anorexia and hematochezia after undergoing surgery for a congenital splenophrenic shunt. Abdominal radiographic examination revealed linear radiolucency throughout the wall of the large intestine. Results of abdominal computed tomography revealed intramural gas tracking along the colon and rectum. Based on these findings, a diagnosis of pneumatosis coli was made. The dog was treated with antibiotics, but the general condition gradually deteriorated, and the dog died 6 days after the day of diagnosis. It was suspected that portal hypertension following partial ligation of congenital portosystemic shunt may have been associated with pneumatosis coli in this case.

Neurolymphomatosis in a cat.

A 9-year-old male mixed breed cat showed chronic progressive neurological symptoms, which are represented by ataxia and seizures. At necropsy, spinal roots and spinal ganglions at the level of sixth cervical nerve to second thoracic nerve were bilaterally swollen and replaced by white mass lesions. Right brachial plexus and cranial nerves (III, V and VII) were also swollen. A mass lesion was found in the right frontal lobe of the cerebrum. Histologically, neoplastic lymphocytes extensively involved the peripheral nerves, and they infiltrated into the cerebral and spinal parenchyma according to the peripheral nerve tract. Immunohistochemically, most neoplastic lymphocytes were positive for CD20. The clinical and histological features in this case resemble those of neurolymphomatosis in humans.