[A Case of Achieving CR through Chemoradiotherapy for Postoperative Oligo Lymph Node Metastasis in Gastric Cancer].

We present a case of oligo lymph node metastasis in a 70s man who had previously undergone subtotal gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer in the prepylorus. Postoperatively, adjuvant chemotherapy was administered for a duration of 1 year. During the third postoperative year, elevated tumor markers and lymph node enlargement prompted a diagnosis of lymph node metastasis. Subsequent chemoradiotherapy resulted in a complete response(CR), which has been sustained for 2 years without any recurrence. The outcomes of this case indicate that chemoradiotherapy stands as a viable treatment option for oligo lymphatic recurrence in gastric cancer.

[A Case of Disseminated Carcinomatosis of the Bone Marrow Developing 15 Months after Gastrectomy].

The patient was a 60-year-old man who underwent distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. The pathological diagnosis was Stage ⅡB. He received adjuvant chemotherapy(capecitabine plus oxaliplatin: CapeOX)for 6months and the postoperative course was uneventful. One year and 3 months after surgery, he visited the outpatient department for acute lower back pain. Blood tests showed elevated ALP(3,752 U/L), LDH(308 U/L), and CA19-9(69.4 U/mL)levels. Bone scintigraphy showed multiple bone metastases to the femora, ischium, iliac bone, vertebrae, sternum, costae, and scapulae in a super bone scan. The onset of disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC)was observed later. The patient was diagnosed with disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow. Radiation therapy was performed and anti-RANKL monoclonal antibody was administered for the bone metastases. Recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin was administered for DIC. He received chemotherapy( TS-1 plus cisplatin: SP)but died 4 months after the diagnosis. The prognosis of disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow is extremely poor. We report this case along with a literature review.

[A Case of Complete Response to Lower Rectal Cancer after Preoperative Chemotherapy with CapeOX Therapy].

A 70 -year-old male patient was referred to our hospital with the chief complaint of hemafecia. Colonoscopy was performed and revealed bulky rectal cancer at 10 cm from the anal verge. After 4 courses of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin(Ca peOX)therapy as preoperative chemotherapy, colonoscopy and computed tomography(CT)revealed significant reduction of the tumor. We performed laparoscopic lower anterior resection and ileostomy. Histopathological examination revealed no residual tumor cells, and a diagnosis of pathological complete response was made. The patient has been disease-free for 1 year postoperatively.

[Eight Cases of Esophagus and Tracheobronchial Stenting for Advanced Esophageal Cancer].

Malignant stricture and fistula of the esophagus and tracheobronchus adversely affect the quality of life(QOL)in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. Stenting is one ofthe therapies available for these patients. We investigated the outcomes ofesophagus and tracheobronchial stenting in our institution. Eight patients with advanced esophageal cancer underwent double stenting from 2010 to 2016. Among them, 4 patients underwent double stenting as planned. One patient underwent an emergency tracheal stenting because ofstenosis ofthe trachea caused by esophageal stenting. Three patients underwent tracheobronchial stenting later on because ofan increase in the tumor size after esophageal stenting. Dysphagia score was improved in 5(67.5%)out ofthe 8 patients. Respiratory symptoms were improved in all patients, and 4 patients(50.0%) were discharged. The median survival time after esophageal stenting was 70.5 days. Esophagus and tracheobronchial stenting for advanced esophageal cancer was useful for the improvement of the QOL.

[A Case of Recurrent Gastric Cancer with Recurrent Celiac Lymph Node Metastasis Successfully Treated with Chemoradiotherapy and CPT-11 plus CDDP Therapy].

Chemotherapy is performed for the recurrence of gastric cancer in many cases. We report a case of recurrent lymph node metastasis successfully treated with chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy. A man in his 60s underwent total gastrectomy and D2 dissection in 2009. The pathological diagnosis was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, T4a, int, INF b, ly2, v2, LN#2: 2/3, #3: 1/4, #7, 8, and 9: 3/4, stage III B. Although we administered S-1/UFT as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, a strong rash appeared and the patient ceased chemotherapy. Eight months later, the rash had disappeared. We started chemotherapy with paclitaxel(PAC). CT performed 1 year postoperatively showed celiac lymph node(#9)metastasis. Chemoradiotherapy( RT+PAC)and additional CPT-11(98mg)and CDDP(49mg)treatment were administered. The lymph node (#9)was cicatrized after 8 cycles. Forty-two months after the end of treatment, the patient has had no recurrence. It is thought that chemoradiotherapy is an effective cure for local recurrence of gastric cancer.

[A Case of Small Intestinal Cancer Repeating an Ileus Symptom Complicated with Refractory Arrhythmia].

A 56-year-old man had been treated for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy since childhood. He had been treated for refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT) with interventricular septum cauterization, catheter ablation, and implantation of a defibrillator. He had been treated at home for several years. The ileus that developed in July 2014 was relieved by conservative medical treatment once, but it recurred after oral intake of food a short time later. The obstruction was due to a small intestine cancer that was diagnosed by enteroscopy. After considering the risks of surgery due to the cardiac problem and the quality of life due to ileus caused by the mass, we resected it. This surgery was not a radical resection because of peritoneal dissemination. He started oral food intake postoperatively, and returned to home care. Three months after surgery, oral chemotherapy was administered after considering his stable cardiac function in addition to his coherent mental status. An adverse event of severe watery diarrhea developed, and VT caused by dehydration occurred. After the chemotherapy was discontinued, he recovered in intensive care. He returned to home care at his prior status for 9 months postoperatively.

[A Case of Carcinosarcoma of the Esophagus Treated with Chemoradiotherapy].

Carcinosarcoma of the esophagus is a rare malignant neoplasm. We report a case of an 87-year-old man treated with chemoradiotherapy. The main presenting complaint was hiccups. Histological analysis of a biopsy from the tumor demonstrated a carcinosarcoma. The clinical diagnosis was T2N0M0, cStageⅡ. In consideration of his advanced age, a past history of cerebral infarction, high blood pressure, aortic valve sclerosis, and chronic renal failure (Cr 1.5-1.8 mg/dL), chemoradiotherapy consisting of TS-1 40 mg/day with radiotherapy of 66 Gy was administered to the patient. The carcinosarcoma decreased in size on endoscopic examination in response to the chemoradiotherapy. Surgery with extended lymphadenectomy for esophageal carcinosarcoma is the standard treatment, but chemotherapy may be a good choice for local control for patients who cannot undergo surgical resection.

[A case of gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases that was successfully treated by chemotherapy].

A man in his 60s received SP (S-1+CDDP) therapy for gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases. After completion of 3 courses, liver metastases had reduced significantly, and the paraaortic lymph nodes, which had swelled previously, had reduced in size. Furthermore, the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level had also improved to the standard value from 814.3 ng/mL. The patient was able to discontinue the opioid he had needed for pain control. The chemotherapy was continued for 18 courses, with the dose reduced at the time of the adverse events along the way. By completion of the 18 courses, we recognized regrowth of the primary lesion and a rise in the serum CEA over the standard value. There was no sign of the regrowth of liver metastases and distant lymph nodes according to examinations for enhanced computed tomography (CT) and ¹8F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) CT.The patient received distal gastrectomy. The CEA level decreased in standard value or less after surgery and we believed the cancer was limited to the primary stomach lesion.

[Clinical evaluation of the risk factors for liver abscess after TACE or RFA].

Radiofrequency ablation(RFA)and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) are widely enforced as a standard combined therapy for liver cancer. Liver abscess occurs occasionally as a complication. This clinical study was conducted to determine risk factors for liver abscess. We investigated the clinical background of 10 cases complicated by liver abscess in 957 cases of patients who underwent TACE or RFA for liver cancer at Minoh City Hospital between April 2002 and March 2012. Risk factors for liver abscess were analyzed statistically in comparison to a control group without liver abscess. Diabetes and a history of biliary tract organic disease were statistically significant independent risk factors determined by multivariate analysis. We consider patients with a history of biliary tract organic disease, or who have a potential biliary tract infection, and diabetes, to be susceptible to infection. A case presenting with diabetes and a history of biliary tract disease is in a high-risk group, so treatment with TACE or RFA for such cases should be considered carefully.

[Recurrent gastric cancer treated with fourth-line chemotherapy consisting of capecitabine and cisplatin leading to partial response].

A 70-year-old man with advanced gastric cancer was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of S-1 plus cisplatin( CDDP). He exhibited symptoms of cerebral infarction during the second course of chemotherapy. Distal gastrectomy was performed and the histological diagnosis was pT3N3aM0, pStage IIIB. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered; however, after the second course, gastric cancer recurred in the lymph nodes. Second-line chemotherapy with irinotecan (CPT-11) and CDDP was initiated. Thereafter, third-line chemotherapy with docetaxel was performed. However, the response to treatment was progressive disease (PD). Subsequently, fourth-line chemotherapy was performed with capecitabine and CDDP (XP chemotherapy). After the fourth course of XP chemotherapy, the response was partial response (PR). Moreover, PR was maintained after 20 courses of chemotherapy.

[Two cases of liver abscess caused by Clostridium perfringens after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization].

Case 1 involved a 74-year-old man. After transcatheter arterial chemoembolization( TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a gas-containing lesion in the liver. The patient was diagnosed as having a gas-containing liver abscess, necessitating emergency drainage under laparotomy. Blood culture revealed Clostridium perfringens. He was discharged on day 63 after surgery. Case 2 involved a 70-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital for obstructive jaundice caused by HCC. He was treated with TACE after endoscopic retrograde biliary tract drainage (ERBD). On the second day, he was diagnosed as having a ruptured gas-containing liver abscess with massive hemolysis, necessitating emergency drainage under laparotomy. He died the next day after surgery. The clinical course of liver abscess caused by Clostridium perfringens can be fulminant and fatal with massive hemolysis.

[A case of superior sulcus tumor treated with carbon ion radiotherapy].

Superior sulcus tumor( SST) is a rare type of lung cancer. Treatment usually consists of surgical resection after chemoradiotherapy. We report a case of a woman in her fifties who underwent carbon ion radiotherapy for SST. The patient complained of left shoulder pain, and imaging studies revealed a 5.2×3.5-cm local solid tumor at the apex of the left lung, invasion to the ribs, and no lymph node swelling. The level of tumor marker, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), was 5.7 ng/mL. Needle biopsy specimen revealed adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis was SST, T3N0M0, stage IIB. We did not detect Horner syndrome. Carbon ion radiotherapy at 66 Gy equivalent dose per 10 fractions was administered to the SST site. Subsequently, the tumor size decreased to 4.5×1.9-cm. The adverse effect was Grade 1 skin and pulmonary toxicity. Six months later, Grade 2 left shoulder connective tissue toxicity was observed; it was difficult to differentiate this from tumor recurrence. After 2.5 years from radiotherapy, the patient is free from recurrence. Carbon ion radiotherapy is effective and safe and can be considered as an important treatment option for SST.

[Fluoropyrimidines with oxaliplatin(L-OHP) as an adjuvant chemotherapy for Stage III colon cancer].

As an adjuvant treatment for Dukes B2 and C colon cancer, adding oxaliplatin (L-OHP) to a regimen of fluorouracil and Leucovorin improved disease-free survival in Western countries. In Japan, however, adjuvant chemotherapy with L-OHP is not commonly used to treat Stage III colon cancer. We report the present condition of adjuvant treatment for colon cancer in our hospital. Between September 2009 and December 2011, 66 patients with Stage III colon cancer were enrolled after curative surgery. The details of adjuvant therapy with fluoropyrimidines with and without L-OHP were explained to the patients. After the explanation, 33.3% of the patients(IIIa: 18.9%, IIIb: 55.5%) selected L-OHP chemotherapy. Regardless of the side effects, adjuvant chemotherapy including L-OHP is expected to protect against cancer recurrence in patients with Stage IIIb colon cancer.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer with Trousseau syndrome and pulmonary embolism].

A 60-year-old man showed symptoms associated with pulmonary embolism and anemia in June 2011, and was subsequently diagnosed with stage IV gastric cancer. Following frequent multiple cerebral infarctions and the development of symptoms, the patient was diagnosed with Trousseau syndrome. A total gastrectomy was performed to control bleeding. After the surgery, oral ingestion became possible. The patient was discharged and a hypodermic injection of heparin was given by the home doctor.

[Chemotherapy-mediated tumor regression in a patient with stage IV stomach small cell cancer].

Gastrointestinal tract endoscopy revealed the presence of a 5-cm-diameter type 3 tumor in the cardiac portion of the stomach. The tumor was chromogranin positive, and stomach small cell cancer was diagnosed by immunostaining and biopsy pathology. S-1+CDDP therapy was administered as the first-line treatment. A switch to S-1 monotherapy was made after the patient experienced grade 4 hyponatremia. However, following 7 courses of therapy the disease had progressed. Second-line chemotherapy of CPT-11+CDDP was initiated and after 2 courses the disease stabilized.

[A case of bilateral 3-lung lesion (metastatic and primary tumour, tumourlet) resected simultaneously].

A 70-year-old male patient underwent right nephrectomy for renal clear cell carcinoma. After 8 years an X-ray showed a nodule on the left lung, and CT scan detected it to be a 15 × 12 mm mass in S1+2 segment of the left lung. CT also detected another 15 × 7 mm mass in the right S3 segment. These lesions had a high FDG accumulation. Pre-operative diagnosis is bilateral pulmonary metastases from renal cell carcinoma, and bilateral lung segmentectomy was performed. Left S1+2 resected tumor was histologically clear cell carcinoma by intra-operative examination, then right S3 segmentectomy was done. And that time, small tumor was found in the middle lung lobe, and a wedge resection was performed. These specimens revealed a primary lung carcinoma of right S3, and tumourlet of middle lobe. It is very rare that three different histlogical types of lung tumor were found.

[A case of advanced transvers colon cancer with inguinal lymph node metastasis].

An 80-year-old woman complaining of a right inguinal induration and pain was performed an inguinal lymph node resection. Histological examination with immnohistochemistry revealed that the lymph node was metastasis of colon carcinoma. With total colonoscopy, she was diagnosed as advanced transvers colon cancer with right inguinal lymph node metastasis. She was performed a right hemi-colectomy. She was dead with peritoneal metastasis of colon cancer 2 years and 1 month later. We report this case that was diagnosed having transverse colon cancer with inguinal lymph node metastasis.

[A case of unresectable gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis which was resectable by chemotherapy after gastrojejunostomy].

A man in his fifties was referred to our hospital for anorexia and vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a gastric cancer (Borrmann Type 3) with pyloric stenosis. We performed gastrojejunostomy to allow oral intake for a tumor invading the pancreas head (cT4bN1H0P0CY1, Stage IV). After the operation, systemic chemotherapy with S-1 (120 mg/m²) was administered from July 2007, which caused grade 3 mucositis oral and drug rash after one week. Then, bi- weekly administration of CPT-11 (60 mg/m²) and CDDP (30 mg/m²) was started from August 2007 as second-line chemotherapy. The treatment was repeated for 14 courses till an allergic reaction happened. A weekly paclitaxel (PTX) therapy (80 mg/m²) was started from January 2009 as third-line. After 6 courses, CT showed that direct invasion to the pancreas was not clear any more, so a distal gastrectomy with D1 lymphadenectomy was performed on August 2009 (ypT3N- 1P0CY0, Stage IIB). The patient received 9 courses of weekly PTX therapy and after that the treatment has been discontinued. Recurrence was not observed for 48 months after an initial treatment.

Effective vaccine allocation strategies, balancing economy with infection control against COVID-19 in Japan.

Due to COVID-19, many countries including Japan have implemented a suspension of economic activities for infection control. It has contributed to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 but caused severe economic losses. Today, several promising vaccines have been developed and are already being distributed in some countries. Therefore, we evaluated various vaccine and intensive countermeasure strategies with constraint of economic loss using SEIR model to obtain knowledge of how to balance economy with infection control in Japan. Our main results were that the vaccination strategy that prioritized younger generation was better in terms of deaths when a linear relationship between lockdown intensity and acceptable economic loss was assumed. On the other hand, when a non-linearity relationship was introduced, implying that the strong lockdown with small economic loss was possible, the old first strategies were best in the settings of small basic reproduction number. These results indicated a high potential of remote work when prioritizing vaccination for the old generation. When focusing on only the old first strategies as the Japanese government has decided to do, the strategy vaccinating the young next to the old was superior to the others when a non-linear relationship was assumed due to sufficient reduction of contact with small economic loss.

[A case of pneumocystis pneumonia during chemotherapy for gastric cancer].

We report a death case of a man in his sixties with pneumocystis pneumonia during chemotherapy for gastric cancer. He was diagnosed with cStage IIIB (T4a, N2, H0, P0, M0). Because of bulky N2, systemic chemotherapy of S-1 and CDDP was performed from April 2009. But no reductions were noted after 2 courses. We next treated this patient with S-1 and CPT-11. He had also received corticosteroid treatment for nausea. Because of high fever and choke, he came to our hospital at day 12 in 3 courses, and a severe respiratory failure occurred. CT of the chest showed diffuse ground-glass bilateral opacities, and we immediately started a treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethozazole and corticosteroid for the possibility of pneumocystis pneumonia. We finally deduced pneumocystis pneumonia from markedly elevated serum beta-D-glucan and PCR positive after hospitalization. In spite of early treatments, he died of bacterial pneumonia and gastric cancer. We should be careful of pneumocystis pneumonia during chemotherapy and corticosteroid treatment.