Oncologic outcomes in elderly patients who underwent hysterectomy for endometrial cancer: a multi-institutional survey in Kinki District, Japan.

Background: The goal of this study is to assess the oncologic outcomes of elderly patients who underwent hysterectomy for endometrial cancer across three variables: hysterectomy approach, lymph node resection, and adjuvant therapy.

Methods: Hospital records of patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent hysterectomy for endometrial cancer were obtained from 19 institutions. Patients were categorized into three risk groups: low, intermediate, and high.

Localized Hepatic Tuberculosis with Imaging Changes Caused by the Progression of Tuberculosis.

Localized hepatic tuberculosis (LHTB) is difficult to diagnose preoperatively, and most cases of LHTB are diagnosed based on pathological findings. A relationship between imaging features and the pathological stage of hepatic tuberculosis (TB) has recently been reported, which could aid in the diagnosis of hepatic TB. We herein present a case study of a patient with LHTB diagnosed postoperatively who demonstrated imaging changes due to the progression of TB.

Percutaneous transhepatic portal vein stent placement can improve prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis.

Background/aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) has an extremely poor prognosis. One reason is that portal hypertension may progress rapidly and intractable gastric/esophageal variceal hemorrhage may occur in PVTT cases. We studied whether a percutaneous transhepatic portal vein stent placement could improve the prognosis for HCC with PVTT.

Treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma coexistent with peritoneal tuberculosis.

Primary ovarian carcinoma is often chemosensitive. Therefore, aggressive treatment is recommended for patients with ovarian carcinoma. Peritoneal tuberculosis is rare and may present with symptoms similar to those of advanced ovarian carcinoma.

Early diagnosis of hepatic intravascular lymphoma: a case report and literature review.

Hepatic intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVL) is a rare disease entity that involves invasion into various organs. Due to the aggressive behavior and poor prognosis of the disease and the difficulty in making an early diagnosis, some cases are diagnosed at autopsy. Early suspicion and the use of imaging studies and liver biopsies are key for diagnosing IVL; however, no reports have described the results of imaging studies due to the limited number of cases.

Improved method for transjugular liver biopsy using imaging sheaths developed for balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration.

Background/aims: Patients with ascites or coagulation abnormalities and requiring a liver biopsy may undergo transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) rather than percutaneous liver biopsy. Currently, the difficulty in maneuvering the sheath towards the hepatic vein keeps this procedure from being widely used. Therefore, the utility of imaging sheaths, typically used for balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration, during TJLB was examined.

Active treatments are a rational approach for hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly patients.

Aim: To determine whether an active intervention is beneficial for the survival of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: The survival of 740 patients who received various treatments for HCC between 1983 and 2011 was compared among different age groups using Cox regression analysis. Therapeutic options were principally selected according to the clinical practice guidelines for HCC from the Japanese Society of Hepatology.

Surfactant protein-D is more useful than Krebs von den Lungen 6 as a marker for the early diagnosis of interstitial pneumonitis during pegylated interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: To examine the usefulness of serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL-6) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) as markers of interstitial pneumonitis. Many antiviral therapies have become available for chronic hepatitis C, including pegylated interferon (PEGIFN) plus ribavirin. Since interstitial pneumonitis is a serious adverse drug reaction during interferon therapy, interferon treatment requires caution in respiratory disease patients.

Histopathology of the tissue adhering to the multiple tine expandable electrodes used for radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma predicts local recurrence.

Objective: To assess the ability to predict the local recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma by analyzing tissues adhering to the radiofrequency ablation probe after complete ablation.

Methods: From May 2002 to March 2011, tissue specimens adhering to the radiofrequency ablation probe from 284 radiofrequency ablation sessions performed for hepatocellular carcinomas ≤3 cm in size were analyzed. The specimens were classified as either viable tumor tissue or complete necrosis, and the local recurrence rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

Efficacy of the regimen using twice-daily β-interferon followed by the standard of care for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1b with high viral load.

Aim:   In patients with refractory genotype 1b chronic hepatitis C with high viral loads, we retrospectively compared the efficacy of standard of care treatment (SOC: combined PEG-IFN-α-2b/ribavirin for 48 weeks) and a regimen in which 2 weeks of SOC induction was replaced by twice-daily β-interferon alone (IFN-β induction therapy).

Methods:   Seventeen patients received the IFN-β induction therapy plus SOC (IFN-β induction group) and 13 patients received SOC alone (SOC group).

Results:   In the IFN-β induction group and SOC group, early virological response (EVR) rates were 88.

Relationship between Helicobacter pylori hopQ genotype and clinical outcome in Asian and Western populations.

Background And Aims: Outer membrane proteins of Helicobacter pylori mediate important pathogen-host interactions such as colonization, adhesion and the inflammatory response. hopQ genotypes have been suggested to be associated with increased risk of peptic ulcer. The aim of this study was to test the relation of hopQ genotype to H.