Phase II trial of adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 for colorectal liver metastasis.

BACKGROUND: This phase II trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 in patients with curatively resected liver metastasis from colorectal cancer. Results of an interim analysis of safety and short-term outcomes are reported. METHODS: Patients who underwent curative resection of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer received S-1 monotherapy (on days 1-28, followed by 14 days' rest, 8 cycles) as adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Among 62 patients enrolled between October 2008 and August 2010, a total of 60 patients were eligible for analysis. The most frequent grade 3 or higher hematologic toxicity involved neutropenia in three patients (5.0 %). Nonhematologic toxicities of grade 3 or higher were fatigue in 6.7 % of patients. Grade 4 enteritis occurred in one patient, but resolved promptly after withdrawal of S-1 therapy. The completion rate of the eight scheduled cycles of chemotherapy was 58.3 %. The most common reasons for withdrawal of treatment was the detection of early relapse in 16 patients (64 %). When the 16 patients who had recurrence during adjuvant treatment were excluded from analysis, 79.5 % of the remaining 44 patients completed the scheduled treatment. Early recurrence within 1 year after curative liver resection occurred in 21 patients (35 %). The most common site was the remnant liver in 14 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Orally administered S-1 after curative liver resection has an acceptable toxicity profile and a high rate of completion of the therapy. S-1 can be safely used and might be a viable treatment option in an adjuvant setting.

Efficacy of preoperative dexamethasone in patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized double-blind study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Dexamethasone has been reported to reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). However, its effect on other surgical outcomes such as pain and fatigue have been unclear. The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative dexamethasone in ameliorating postoperative symptoms after LC. METHODS: In this prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 80 patients scheduled for LC were analyzed after randomization to intravenous dexamethasone (8 mg) or placebo. All patients underwent standardized procedures for general anesthesia and surgery, and were recommended to remain in hospital for 3 postoperative days. Episodes of PONV, and pain and fatigue scores on a visual analogue scale (VAS) were recorded. Analgesic and antiemetic requirements were also recorded. RESULTS: There were no apparent side effects of the study drug. Seven patients (18%) in the dexamethasone group reported nausea, compared with 16 (40%) in the placebo group (p = 0.026). One patient (3%) in the dexamethasone group and 7 (18%) in the placebo group reported vomiting (p = 0.025). Dexamethasone significantly reduced the postoperative VAS pain score (p = 0.030) and VAS fatigue score (p = 0.023). The mean number of patients requiring diclofenac sodium 50 mg was 0.9 +/- 1.3 in the dexamethasone group and 2.2 +/- 2.5 in the placebo group (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The regimen we employed is safe and without apparent side effects. These results suggest that preoperative dexamethasone (8 mg) significantly reduces the incidence of PONV, pain, and fatigue after LC.

Side-to-end anastomosis in a colostomy for acute malignant large-bowel obstruction: side-to-end anastomosis with a colostomy (STEC procedure).

This report describes the use of side-to-end anastomosis in a colostomy for an acute malignant large-bowel obstruction. A 59-year-old man presented with a colonic obstruction due to advanced descending colon cancer. The preoperative imaging studies revealed a complete obstruction of the descending colon at the site of the splenic flexure, a remarkably dilated transverse colon, and no other metastatic lesions. Side-to-end anastomosis was performed with the colostomy because of the high comorbidity associated with such cases. When the patient's general condition improved, a stoma closure was performed under local anesthesia. In conclusion, a side-to-end anastomosis with a colostomy (STEC procedure) was found to be a simple, useful, and cost-effective technique for an acute malignant large-bowel obstruction, particularly in a high-risk patient.

Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and atherosclerosis in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis in 57 Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed based on the criteria raised by the Japan Internal Medicine Society. Insulin resistance was estimated by the insulin resistance index of homeostasis model assessment. Ultrasonographically measured carotid atherosclerosis, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV), and ankle brachial index (ABI) were used to assess the degree of atherosclerosis. Of 57 patients, 25 were diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome. The patients with metabolic syndrome had significantly higher levels of waist circumference, insulin, insulin resistance index of homeostasis model assessment, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and serum triglycerides, and lower concentrations of adiponectin. However, there was no significant difference in age, sex, glycosylated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1c), fasting glucose, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor system activities including tumor necrosis factor alpha between the 2 groups. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in the degree of carotid atherosclerosis (intimal-medial thickness in plaque-free segments: 0.72+/-0.03 vs 0.72+/-0.02 mm, P=.435; carotid stenosis in plaque segments: 6.6%+/-3.0% vs 6.6%+/-1.7%, P=.497), ba-PWV (1676+/-56 vs 1654+/-44, P=.380), and ABI (1.16+/-0.01 vs 1.15+/-0.01, P=.245) between the 2 groups. From these results, it can be suggested that metabolic syndrome, an insulin-resistant state, is not associated with carotid atherosclerosis, ba-PWV, or ABI in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.

Malignant granular cell tumor of the breast: case report and literature review.

Granular cell tumors (GCTs) are uncommon soft tissue tumors that mostly occur in patients between 40 and 60 years of age and can occur at various body sites. Malignant granular cell tumors (MGCTs) comprise less than 2 % of GCTs and are mostly found on the lower extremities, especially the thighs. These tumors grow more rapidly than benign GCTs, and most importantly, they can metastasize. We describe an MGCT that presented as a right breast mass in a 79-year-old Japanese woman. Local excision was performed for the primary tumor, which was diagnosed as an atypical GCT, but 15 months later, the tumor recurred at the same site. Thereafter, right mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection was performed. Metastatic disease was identified in 2 of 12 lymph nodes. The pathological examination revealed that the tumor had progressed to an MGCT after recurrence. Multiple liver, lung and bone metastases were revealed 4 months after the second surgery, and the patient died 34 months after the primary surgery. Our findings highlighted the difficulty in diagnosing MGCTs using histological features alone and suggested the usefulness of Ki67 values. A tumor with a high level of Ki67 should be treated as malignant, even if the tumor has few pathological features of malignancy.

Ultrasonographically assessed carotid atherosclerosis in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients: Role of nonesterified fatty acids.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of carotid atherosclerosis (intimal-medial thickness [IMT] in plaque-free segments and carotid stenosis in plaque segments) with serum nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Fifty-one nonobese nonhypertensive Japanese type 2 diabetic patients aged 38 to 83 years (60.0 +/- 1.5 years, mean +/- SEM) and 23 age-matched (60.4 +/- 2.2 years, P =.439; range, 36 to 74 years) and sex-matched nondiabetic subjects were examined. The duration of diabetes was 9.6 +/- 1.0 years. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (systolic pressure, diastolic pressure), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)), and fasting concentrations of plasma glucose, serum lipids (triglycerides, total, and high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol) and serum NEFA were measured. Using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound scan, we measured IMT in plaque-free segments of bilateral common carotid arteries, and the mean of IMT in 2 vessels was used for the analysis. Furthermore, we calculated the degree of stenosis in plaque segments of bilateral common carotid arteries. The degree of carotid stenosis was expressed as a percentage ratio between the area of plaque and that of the lumen using the formula (Lumen Area - Residual Lumen) x 100. Both the areas were automatically measured by the system on a frozen transverse scanning plane at the site of maximal narrowing. When 2 or more plaques were present in the vessel, only that causing the greatest degree of stenosis was considered for analysis. Univariate regression analyses showed that mean IMT in plaque-free segments was positively correlated with age (r =.498, P =.0004) and NEFA (r =.354, P =.0188) in type 2 diabetic patients. The degree of stenosis was positively correlated to age (r =.422, P =.0028), duration of diabetes (r =.313, P =.0268) and NEFA (r =.540, P =.0003) in diabetic patients. Other variables, including BMI and lipid profile, were not associated both with mean IMT in plaque-free segments and the degree of stenosis in plaque segments in our diabetic patients. Multiple regression analyses showed that mean IMT in plaque-free segments was independently associated with age (P =.0003, F = 15.2), which explained 26.1% of the variability of IMT in our diabetic patients. The degree of stenosis was independently predicted by NEFA (P =.0047, F = 8.9), which explained 17.2% of the variability of the carotid stenosis in our diabetic patients. In contrast, mean IMT in plaque-free segments was positively correlated to age in nondiabetic subjects (r =.450, P =.0347). There was, however, no relationship between the degree of stenosis and the variables, including age and NEFA, in nondiabetic subjects. These results indicate that the factors contributing to IMT in plaque-free segments and the degree of carotid stenosis in plaque segments are different in nonobese nonhypertensive Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. IMT in plaque-free segments was independently associated with age both in nondiabetic and diabetic subjects, whereas the serum NEFA level independently predicted the degree of stenosis in plaque segments in our diabetic patients, while not in nondiabetic subjects. Thus, NEFA is considered to be one of the new risk factors responsible for the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in nonobese nonhypertensive Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.

A case of anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor.

We report a case of anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas with production of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in a 59-year-old male. He was referred to our hospital with a chief complaint of epigastralgia and suffered from leukocytosis. Differential diagnosis included pancreatic tumors and submucosal tumor of the stomach, but definite preoperative diagnosis could not be made. He underwent distal pancreactomy, total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction and splenectomy. He recovered uneventfully postoperatively and was discharged from hospital on the 14th postoperative day. Histological examination showed anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas. Since the peripheral leukocyte count was sharply decreased after the operation, we suspected the tumor would be producing G-CSF. Then immunohistochemistry showed a positive stain in the tumor. Therefore, we diagnosed the tumor as anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas producing G-CSF. Three months after the resection, local recurrence was detected by abdominal computed tomography. The patient died of hemorrhagic shock due to tumor invasion of the intestine 8 months after the operation.

Two cases of colonic necrosis following aortoiliac surgery due to coronary-induced cardiogenic shock.

We report two cases of abdominal aortic aneurysm in which the patent inferior mesenteric arteries were ligated. The patient in Case 1, with occlusion of the right coronary artery, developed sudden bradycardia during surgery, resulting in cardiac arrest. The patient was successfully resuscitated and the operation was completed. In Case 2, acute thrombotic obstruction occurred postoperatively in the stent previously implanted in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Although the thrombus was removed by aspiration, hypotension was sustained. In both cases, colonic necrosis extending from the descending colon to the rectum developed following cardiogenic shock. The affected portion of the colon was resected and a colostomy was constructed. The incidence of coronary arterial disease is high in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm. The occurrence of cardiac complications is not rare, and may result in catastrophic consequences. Therefore the inferior mesenteric artery should be reimplanted, especially in patients with concomitant heart disease.

Massive mucinous carcinoma of the breast untreated for 6 years.

We report a patient with a massive mucinous carcinoma of the breast that had been untreated for 6 years. A 47-year-old premenopausal woman presented with a large right-breast mass. Although she had noticed a lump in the right breast 6 years previously, she had not sought treatment. The tumor had enlarged gradually and become ulcerated. With a diagnosis of advanced breast cancer with skin invasion, she underwent right mastectomy with a free skin graft. No lymph node metastases or distant metastases were detected. The histologic diagnosis of the tumor was pure mucinous carcinoma of the breast with no component of ordinary invasive ductal cancer. She has been well without evidence of tumor recurrence for 7 years after the surgery. The prognosis for mucinous carcinoma of the breast has been recognized as relatively good. The results in our patient are consistent with the biological behavior of this carcinoma.