[A Resected Case of Mesenteric Nodal Metastases from Small Cell Lung Carcinoma].

A 65-year-old woman with small cell lung carcinoma(T2N2M0, Stage ⅢA)underwent chemoradiation therapy. During the follow-up study after the partial response of chemoradiation therapy, the serum level of ProGRP was elevated. X-ray computed tomography(CT)showed a 8 cm long mesenteric mass adjacent to ileocecal vessels, which indicated high level of standardized uptake value(SUV)max(12.6)by fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography( FDG-PET/CT). No gastrointestinal malignancy was observed. Mesenteric nodal metastasis from lung carcinoma was primarily diagnosed, however, possible malignant lymphoma was differentiated. Surgical resection was planned as a diagnostic treatment, thus laparoscopic ileocecal resection was performed. The resected specimen presented a fused mass of several lymph nodes. Histopathology found consistent with mesenteric nodal metastases from small cell lung carcinoma. After surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy was administered. Spontaneous metastasis in the mesenteric lymph node from lung cancer is extremely rare. A case report and a review of the literature is presented.

[Case of Robot-Assisted Low Anterior Resection with Total Cystectomy for Rectal Cancer Invading the Urinary Bladder/Prostate in Collaboration with Urologists].

We present a case of a 72-year-old man diagnosed with rectal cancer invading the urinary bladder/prostate. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy substantially reduced the tumor size. In collaboration with urologists, robot-assisted low anterior resection with total cystectomy was performed using the da Vinci Xi system. Depending on the surgical situation, the colorectal surgeon and urologist could smoothly and rapidly play the role of a console surgeon. Although the first robot-assisted multi-organ resection of our institution, the surgery was completed safely without any complications. Although the patient developed urinary tract infection postoperatively, he recovered and was discharged after postoperative 23 days. In conclusion, robot-assisted surgery would be useful in pelvic surgery involving multiple departments such as colorectal surgery, urology, and gynecology.

[Successful Treatment with TACE and RFA for a Hepatocellular Carcinoma Case with Lung Metastasis].

We report a hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)case with lung metastasis that was successfully treated with transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)and percutaneous radiofrequency ablation(RFA). A man in his 60s took right robe liver resection for HCC after TACE for its rupture. Lung metastasis occurred at S1+2 and S6 in the left lung, and an adverse event interrupted standard molecular target therapies. Because extrahepatic metastasis had been seen only in these two locations for a long time, TACE was performed for both metastases. The feeders for both lesions were each intercostal artery, and controlling the drug inflow was necessary to avoid drug influx into the spinal cord branches when S6 metastasis was treated. The viable lesion remained in the S6 lesion, so RFA was added for both lung metastases. 100% tumor necrosis has been observed since the RFA.

[A Case of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma That Caused Rapid Re-Growth Due to Lenvatinib Withdrawal].

Lenvatinib is reported to have a stronger angiogenesis-inhibiting effect in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)than sorafenib, but in many cases dose reduction and withdrawal are required due to the occurrence of adverse events. We report 12 cases of using lenvatinib for advanced HCC in our hospital together with a case of rapid re-growth due to withdrawal of lenvatinib. In 2 cases, metastases of HCC were controlled and radically resected. All patients required lenvatinib withdrawal due to Grade 3 adverse event, except for 2 cases that started with dose reduction. There were 3 cases in which drug withdrawal was required for 2 weeks or more, and in 2 of them, rapid re-growth of tumor was observed during the drug withdrawal and the treatment could not be continued. Although the use of lenvatinib may results in tumor shrinkage, suggesting that prolonged drug withdrawal may make disease management difficult. It is important to manage adverse events and minimize days of drug withdrawal by reducing the dose and systematically discontinuing the drug.

Our experience of repeat laparoscopic liver resection in patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Repeat liver resection is an effective treatment approach for patients with recurrent hepatocellular cell carcinoma (HCC). However, the surgical feasibility and oncological significance of repeat laparoscopic liver resection (r-LLR) remain unproven. This study evaluates and compares the clinical outcomes of non-anatomic r-LLR applied towards recurrent HCC, with those of primary LLR (p-LLR) for primary HCC. METHODS: This retrospective study reports 104 patients with HCC, treated with LLR between 2014 and 2018. Twenty eight of these patients underwent r-LLR for recurrent HCC. The clinical and surgical variables were reviewed for all cases. RESULTS: The analysis was limited to non-anatomic resection across both groups (r-LLR: 89% (25/28) vs. p-LLR: 80% (61/76)). There were no statistically significant differences about patient background between the two groups, with the exception of Child-Pugh classification. r-LLR surgical techniques included single-site laparoscopic adhesiolysis (32%, 8/25), Pringle maneuver (8%, 2/25), and crush-clamp method using BiClamp for hepatic parenchymal transection (72%, 18/25). No severe postoperative complications were observed in the r-LLR group. Postoperative hospital stays and procedure-related postoperative survival were similar for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Non-anatomical r-LLR renders comparable surgical and oncological outcomes. Our data suggest that non-anatomical r-LLR is a safe and feasible therapeutic approach to recurrent HCC.

[Ascending Colon Cancer with Hemophilia A Treated with Laparoscopic Right Hemicolectomy under Control of a Blood Coagulant Factor-A Case Report].

Here, we report a case of ascending colon cancer successfully treated with laparoscopic right hemicolectomy in a 74- year-old man with a medical history of hemophilia A. He was admitted to our hospital because of bloody stool and diagnosed with type 2 ascending colon cancer based on colonoscopy findings. Preoperatively, blood transfusion and administration of recombinant factor Ⅷ products were performed. Surgery involved laparoscopic right hemicolectomy plus group 3 lymph node dissection. No complications, such as bleeding, occurred during hospitalization. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 8. There have been a few reports of laparoscopic surgery for patients with hemophilia. However, this case suggests that it can be safely performed with planned factor Ⅷ supplementation in the perioperative period.

[Secondary Small Bowel Volvulus after Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy].

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy(LPD)is less invasive and provides better cosmetic outcomes than open pancreaticoduodenectomy( OPD). LPD without vascular excision and lymph node dissection has been covered by insurance since 2016 in Japan. On the other hand, secondary small bowel volvulus is a rare condition caused after abdominal operation. A 77-year-old woman underwent a laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy with pancreatic cancer of pT2N0M0, pStageⅠB. She suffered from epigastric pain after meal. The abdominal CT revealed counterclockwise rotation of the SMV on SMA about 540 degree. Gastrointestinal endoscopy showed no abnormal findings in May 2017. Her abdominal pain was disappeared in July 2017. But the pain was recurred in May 2019. The abdominal CT revealed mesenteric edema and counterclockwise rotation about 810 degree. Her abdominal pain was disappeared again in February 2020. The counterclockwise rotation was decreased about 540 degree. Between May 2012 and February 2020, 50 patients underwent LPD at Kansai Rosai Hospital. 111 patients who received OPD between 2010 and February 2015 were included for comparison. No significant differences were noted between the LPD and OPD groups with respect to patient age(67.9 vs 70.3), gender(M/F: 31/19 vs 70/41). The intraoperative blood loss was lower(106 g vs 1,064 g, p<0.0001)and the operation time was longer (624 vs 535 min, p<0.0001)in the LPD group than the OPD group. Small bowel volvulus over 270 degree was 7/43 vs 5/106(p=0.0338), and over 360 degree was 6/44 vs 1/110(p=0.0014), respectively. Small bowel volvulus after pancreaticoduodenectomy was frequently observed in the laparoscopic group.

A Prospective, Open-Label, Multicenter Phase 2 Trial of Neoadjuvant Therapy Using Full-Dose Gemcitabine and S-1 Concurrent with Radiation for Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant therapy reportedly shows only marginal clinical benefit in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), especially in resectable cases. However, with more effective regimens, neoadjuvant therapy may become a standard of care for resectable cases. A prospective, open-label, multicenter phases 1 and 2 trial of neoadjuvant therapy was conducted using full-dose gemcitabine and S-1 concurrently with 50.4 Gy of radiation therapy (GSRT) for resectable PDAC. This report describes the phase 2 results. METHODS: The phase 2 part of this study enrolled 57 patients with cytologically or histologically proven PDAC deemed resectable based on imaging before neoadjuvant therapy. These patients received GSRT. After reevaluation by computed tomography scan, surgical exploration was performed, followed by adjuvant therapy. According to the prescribed protocol of the clinical trial, statistical analyses included 57 phase 2 patients and 6 phase 1 patients who received the same dosage as in phase 2. RESULTS: This trial enrolled 63 patients (42 men and 21 women) with a median age of 70 years. Leukopenia or neutropenia of grade 3 or higher occurred for 79% of the patients, but no other severe adverse events were observed. Among the 63 patients, 54 underwent surgical resection. Intention-to-treat analysis of the 63 patients showed an excellent median survival time lasting as long as 55.3 months. The patients who completed neoadjuvant therapy, surgery, and adjuvant therapy had a 5-year survival rate of 56.6%. CONCLUSIONS: This regimen showed outstanding clinical efficacy with acceptable tolerability for patients with resectable PDAC.

[Improvement of Pain Control after Dealing with Chemical Coping-A Case of Local Recurrence of Rectal Cancer].

A 57-year-old female underwent abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer. Although she received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, she had presacral recurrence with pain 26 months postoperatively. We provided palliative care in parallel with systemic chemotherapy, but she had difficulty controlling pain despite using high-dose opioids at 43 months after surgery. Multimodal therapy contributed to a reduction in opioid use for a brief time. Nevertheless, she required high-dose opioid therapy again at 50 months after the procedure. Since she used a rescue dose for relieving anticipatory anxiety for pain, we estimated that she developed chemical coping. After we tried analgesic adjuvant therapy and psychotherapy, her opioid use was reduced. For 10 months afterward, her disease worsened with time, but her pain was well-controlled. In cases where it is difficult to control pain, protection against exacerbation or opioid dose escalation should be considered. Furthermore, psychological contexts, including chemical coping, should also be considered. It may lead to the use of a proper dose of opioids and improve quality of life for patients.

Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Bone metastasis due to gastric cancer is rare, and the clinical features have not been fully evaluated. We investigated the clinical features, treatment outcomes, and prognostic factors in gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on 34 consecutive patients who were diagnosed radiologically with bone metastasis due to gastric cancer. We estimated the overall survival after the diagnosis of bone metastasis using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method and evaluated which clinicopathological factors were associated with prognostic factors for survival using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: The treatment for the primary tumor was surgery in 16 patients (47.1%) and chemotherapy in 18 patients (52.9%). The median serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels at the time of bone metastasis were 375.5 and 249 IU/L, respectively. Ten patients (29.4%) were diagnosed with bone metastasis and gastric cancer at the same time. The 6-month survival rate after the diagnosis of bone metastasis was 63.8%, and the median survival time was 227.5 days. Multivariate analysis revealed that metachronous metastasis (p = 0.035) and extraosseous metastasis (p = 0.028) were significant risk factors for poor survival. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of gastric cancer with bone metastasis was poor, and metachronous metastasis and extraosseous metastasis were shown to be poor prognostic factors. Serum ALP, LDH, and tumor markers are not always high, so aggressive diagnosis using appropriate modalities such as bone scan, MRI, or PET-CT may be necessary in routine practice even in asymptomatic patients.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Pancreaticojejunostomy versus Stapler Closure of the Pancreatic Stump During Distal Pancreatectomy to Reduce Pancreatic Fistula.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) whether pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) of pancreatic stump decreases the incidence of pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy (DP) compared with stapler closure. BACKGROUND: Several studies reported that PJ of pancreatic stump reduces the incidence of pancreatic fistula after DP. However, no RCT has confirmed the efficacy of PJ of pancreatic stump. METHODS: One hundred thirty-six patients scheduled for DP were enrolled in this study between June 2011 and March 2014 at 6 high-volume surgical centers in Japan. Enrolled patients were randomized to either stapler closure or PJ. The primary endpoint was the incidence of pancreatic fistula based on the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula criteria. This RCT was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01384617). RESULTS: Sixty-one patients randomized to stapler and 62 patients randomized to PJ were analyzed by intention-to-treat. Pancreatic fistula occurred in 23 patients (37.7%) in the stapler closure group and 24 (38.7%) in the PJ group (P = 0.332) in intention-to-treat analysis. The incidence of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula (grade B or C) was 16.4% for stapler closure and 9.7% for PJ (P = 0.201). Mortality was zero in both groups. In a subgroup analysis for thickness of pancreas greater than 12 mm, the incidence of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula occurred in 22.2% of the patients in the stapler closure group and in 6.2% of the PJ group (P = 0.080). CONCLUSIONS: PJ of the pancreatic stump during DP does not reduce pancreatic fistula compared with stapler closure.

[A Case of Self-Expandable Metallic Stent Placement to Treat Colon Obstruction Due to Metastatic Gastric Cancer].

A66 -year-old woman presented with abdominal pain and nausea. She was diagnosed with wall thickening of the gastric antrum and bowel obstruction caused by tumors of the splenic flexure on computed tomography. Aself -expandable metallic stent(SEMS)was placed in the splenic flexure of the colon 4 days after transanal ileus tube replacement. No complication was observed, and she could ingest a normal diet, permitting her discharge from the hospital 12 days after SEMS placement. She was diagnosed with gastric cancer(Type 4, cT4a[SE], N2, H0, P1, M1[LYM], cStage IV )on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and computed tomography, and administration of S-1 plus oxaliplatin(SOX)was started. Nab-paclitaxel as the second-line chemotherapy was administered after 8 courses of SOX therapy because of an increase in the amount of ascites. No late complication associated with stent placement was recognized. SEMS placement was suggested to be effective for treating colon obstruction due to metastatic gastric cancer.

[Examination of Patients with Malignant Obstruction Treated with Chemotherapy after Ileo/Coleostomy].

Management for obstructive cancer of the colon diverges into many ways. The aim of this study was to evaluate the treatment course of patients with malignant obstruction after ileo/coleostomy. Thirty-six patients with malignant obstruction who underwent ileo/coleostomy in our hospital from May 2012 to January 2016were enrolled in the study. Clinical outcomes were the period before treatment initiation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, primary lesion resection, and death, and these were retrospectively analyzed. Although 9 stomal complications occurred, no case experienced a delayed treatment start. However, patients with perioperative complications, sepsis due to the tumor, pneumonia, cerebral infractions, and ileus needed a long recovery period before treatment initiation. Patients who need ileo/coleostomy must be considered for performance status and ways to decrease perioperative complications to prevent stomal complications from chemo/radiotherapy.

[Laparoscopic Liver Resection for Elderly Patients with HCC].

Laparoscopic surgery is less invasive and has better cosmetic results. Laparoscopic liver resection(LLR)was covered by health insurance in April 2010, and has increasingly been performed in many hospitals, and also in cases of elderly patients. We report the results of laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in patients ≥80 years old. From June 2010 through March 2016, 237 cases of laparoscopic hepatectomy for HCC were performed in our hospital, and 35 of 237 cases were patients ≥80 years old(the elderly group). The operation time in the elderly vs the non-elderly group was 321 minutes vs 340.9 minutes(p=0.4676), the blood loss was 447.2mL vs 331.5mL(p=0.6691), and the hospital stay after the operation was 18 days vs 16 days(p=0.6347). The 3 year disease free survival rate for stage I was 66.7% vs 58.6%(p= 0.1849), for stage II was 35.6% vs 31.8%(p=0.7538), for stage III was 33.3% vs 49.5%(p=0.8683), and for stage IV was 100% vs 32.4%(p=0.3452). Laparoscopic hepatectomy for HCC can be performed safely, even for patients ≥80 years old. Further studies are necessary to confirm the benefits of laparoscopic liver resection for elderly patients compared with the non-elderly.

[A Case of an Elderly Patient with Unresectable Gastric Cancer Treated by Paclitaxel and Ramucirumab].

An 80-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with appetite loss in December 2014. Gastroduodenal scope, abdominal computed tomography(CT), and laparoscopy revealed type 4 advanced gastric cancer(poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) with multiple lymph node(LN)involvement and multiple peritoneal metastasis. S-1(80mg/body)was administrated between January 2015 and September 2015 in the outpatient clinic. A partial response was obtained, but a gastric tumor, ascites, and LN re-growth were observed. Since October 2015, paclitaxel(PTX)(70mg/m2; day 1, 8, and 15)and ramucir- umab(RAM)(8mg/kg; day 1 and 15)have been administered. After 2 courses, bi-weekly PTX plus RAM were continued for grade 3 neutropenia and grade 2 anorexia. The tumor and LNs partially responded, and the ascites disappeared. With this dosage and administration schedule, the partial response(PR)was maintained for approximately 8 months without any severe adverse reactions. This successful case might indicate that it is important for elderly patients with gastric cancer that progressed with prior chemotherapy regimens to consider appropriate reduction of the PTX dosage, schedule, and continuation of RAM.

[Three Cases of Bleeding from Advanced Gastric Cancer during Chemotherapy Treated with Transcatheter Arterial Embolization(TAE)].

Case 1: An 71-year-old man underwent chemotherapy with S-1 plus trastuzumab to treat type 3 gastric cancer that was diagnosed as Stage IV tubular adenocarcinoma(T4b[Panc], N3, H0, CY1, P0, M1). For anemia and active bleeding from the tumor, transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE)was performed with metallic coils on the splenic artery. Infarction of the spleen and left pleural effusion were observed. Second-line paclitaxel(PTX)chemotherapy was administered 4 weeks after TAE. Case 2: An 76-year-old man underwent chemotherapy with S-1 plus cisplatin to treat type 3 gastric cancer that was diagnosed as Stage IV tubular adenocarcinoma(T4a, N3, H0, P1, M1). For anemia and active bleeding from the tumor, TAE with gelatin sponge(Serescure®)was performed on the left and right gastric artery. Radiotherapy(31 Gy)with S-1 was performed because TAE was not effective for bleeding. After chemoradiotherapy, nab-PTX was administered. Case 3: An 74- year-old man underwent second-line chemotherapy with nab-PTX to treat type 4 advanced gastric cancer that was diagnosed as Stage IV tubular adenocarcinoma(T4a, N3, H1, P0, M1). For progression of anemia due to tumor bleeding, TAE with gelatin sponge(Serescure®)was performed on the left gastric artery. TAE was effective, and he was discharged from the hospital. In 2 of 3 cases, hemostasis was achieved by TAE. Therefore, TAE is effective to decrease bleeding from gastric cancer during chemotherapy.

[Clinical Experience of Ramucirumab for Treating Advanced Gastric Cancer].

BACKGROUND: The REGARD and RAINBOW trials showed that ramucirumab(RAM)alone and RAM plus paclitaxel(PTX) were effective therapies for advanced gastric cancer patients previously treated with chemotherapy. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of RAM alone and PTX plus RAM in such patients. METHODS: Patients who were received RAM at 8mg/kg or RAM plus PTX at 80mg/m2(on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle)between June 2015 and March 2016 were enrolled in this study. We compared the clinical outcome of RAM alone(RAM group, n=10)with that of RAM plus PTX(PTX+RAM group, n=13). RESULTS: The RAM group contained many more patients with poor performance status or prior chemotherapy of 2 or more regimens than the PTX+RAM group. All patients in both groups received chemotherapy on an outpatient basis. One case of grade 3 or 4 hematological adverse events was found in the RAM group and 6 cases were found in the PTX+RAM group. The overall response rate was 10% in the RAM group and 30% in the PTX+RAM group. Progression-free survival was 54 days in the RAM group and 187 days in the PTX+RAM group(p=0.0374). Overall survival was 158 days in the RAM group and was not reached in the PTX+RAM group(p=0.1091). CONCLUSIONS: RAM alone and RAM plus PTX can be administered safely on an outpatient basis and are beneficial for advanced gastric cancer patients previously treated with chemotherapy.

[A Case of Small Bowel Cancer Treated with Laparoscopic Surgery].

We report a case of small intestinal adenocarcinoma treated with laparoscopic surgery. A 70-year-old woman had abdominal pain and epigastralgia. There were no abnormal findings on upper and lower endoscopy. The symptoms continued for 4 months after endoscopy, so she presented to our hospital. After CT examination, small bowel cancer with ileus was suspected. An ileus tube was inserted to relieve the bowel pressure and she was diagnosed with ileum cancer by enteroscopy. Laparoscopic surgery was performed and the pathological stage was determined as pStage Ⅲa. She was treated with oral chemotherapy (UFT plus LV) and had no recurrence 6 months after surgery.

[Laparoscopic Liver Resection for HCC Recurrence].

Laparoscopic surgery is less invasive and provides better cosmetic outcomes than conventional surgery. Laparoscopic liver resection has been covered by insurance since April 2010 and is increasingly performed in many hospitals. However, laparoscopic hepatectomy is sometimes difficult to perform safely in the case of HCC recurrence because adhesions restrict vision and manipulation of forceps. We report the results of laparoscopic hepatectomy for cases of HCC recurrence. From June 2010 through December 2014, 180 laparoscopic hepatectomy procedures for HCC were performed in our hospital; 33 were in patients with HCC recurrence. Of the 33 patients, 26 underwent pure laparoscopic partial hepatectomy. The median operative time was 242 min, the median bleeding amount was less than 5 g, and the median hospital stay after surgery was 12.0 days. In the group that underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy after open liver resection (12 patients), the median operative time was 303.5 min, the median bleeding amount was less than 5 g, and the median hospital stay after surgery was 9.0 days. Among the 21 patients that underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy after laparoscopic liver resection, the median operative time was 248 min (p=0.382), the median bleeding amount was less than 5 g (p=0.112), and the median hospital stay after surgery was 11.0 days (p=0.236). We could perform laparoscopic hepatectomy for cases of HCC recurrence. This procedure can be suitable for HCC recurrence, which sometimes requires poly-surgery.

[Usefulness of Metallic Stent for Left-Sided Obstructive Colon Cancer].

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) and transanal tube as preoperative treatments for left-sided obstructive colon cancer. Forty-three patients (the SEMS group: 28 cases, the tube group: 15 cases) were included in this study. Clinicopathological data (age, sex, tumor location, depth, histological type, stage) were comparable between the 2 groups. In addition, there was no difference in intestinal decompression rate between the SEMS group and the tube group (technical success rate: 100% vs 86.7%, clinical success rate: 92.8% vs 73.3%, complication rate: 7.1% vs 0%). A significantly higher number of patients in the SEMS group underwent laparoscopic surgery because of difference of historical background. However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 groups in postoperative outcome(complication rate, hospital stay duration). SEMS insertion had several benefits compared to transanal tube placement, such as the resumption of oral intake because of rapid resolution of obstruction and easier management because SEMSs do not require washing. SEMS insertion could be a safe and effective bridge to subsequent surgery in patients with left-sided obstructive colon cancer.