Combination therapy of oncolytic herpes simplex virus HF10 and bevacizumab against experimental model of human breast carcinoma xenograft.

Breast cancer is one of the most common and feared cancers faced by women. The prognosis of patients with advanced or recurrent breast cancer remains poor despite refinements in multimodality therapies involving chemotherapeutic and hormonal agents. Multimodal therapy with more specific and effective strategy is urgently needed.

Clinicopathologic assessment of pancreatic ductal carcinoma located at the head of the pancreas, in relation to embryonic development.

Objectives: Pancreaticoduodenectomy is performed for pancreatic head cancer that originated from the dorsal or ventral primordium. Although the extent of lymph node (LN) dissection is the same irrespective of the origin, the lymphatic continuities may differ between the 2 primordia.

Methods: Between March 2003 and September 2010, 152 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer.

Combination of the tumor angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab and intratumoral oncolytic herpes virus injections as a treatment strategy for human gastric cancers.

Background/aims: Advanced gastric cancer is difficult to treat due to the frequency of liver metastases and peritoneal dissemination. A combination of two new strategies, including the anti-angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab and an oncolytic herpes virus is a promising treatment for advanced cancer.

Methodology: The effects of bevacizumab on oncolytic herpes virus replication and viral cytotoxicity were examined at varying bevacizumab concentrations and viral titers.

Correlation between radiographic classification and pathological grade of portal vein wall invasion in pancreatic head cancer.

Objectives: A retrospective study was performed to clarify the correlation between radiographic type of portal vein (PV) invasion and pathological grade of PV wall invasion, and their correlation with postoperative prognosis.

Background: In many patients with pancreatic cancer, PV resection is necessary to increase resectability and obtain cancer-free margins.

Methods: We analyzed 671 patients who had undergone surgery for invasive adenocarcinoma of the pancreas between July 1981 and June 2010.

Classification of the celiac axis stenosis owing to median arcuate ligament compression, based on severity of the stenosis with subsequent proposals for management during pancreatoduodenectomy.

Background: After pancreatoduodenectomy in patients with celiac axis stenosis or obstruction, it becomes problematic to maintain the upper abdominal organ blood flow, especially to the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the celiac axis stenosis caused by median arcuate ligament (MAL) compression and to classify it according to preoperative image findings.

Methods: From January 1989 to November 2010, 562 patients underwent operations for diseases of the pancreatic head region in our department.

Oncolytic herpes virus induces effective anti-cancer immunity against murine colon cancer.

Unlabelled: BACK GROUND/AIMS: Oncolytic virus therapy is becoming a promising anti-cancer therapy and oncolytic viruses have been shown to elicit anti-cancer immunity. We evaluated the anti-tumor immune responses elicited by the herpes oncolytic virus R3616 compared to a representative chemotherapy drug, 5-FU.

Methodology: R3616 or 5-FU was directly injected into subcutaneous tumors of non-immunized mice.

Preservation of the pyloric ring has little value in surgery for pancreatic head cancer: a comparative study comparing three surgical procedures.

Background: Pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) has replaced conventional pancreatoduodenectomy with a distal gastrectomy (cPD) as the most commonly performed procedure. However, there has been no evidence from prospective studies to indicate the overwhelming superiority of PPPD over cPD. A recent report revealed that resection of the pyloric ring reduced the incidence of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) in a randomized controlled trial.

Prognostic implications of lymph node metastases in carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas.

Objective: The current classification of pancreatic cancer is based only on anatomic location of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs). On the other hand, the number of metastatic LNs has been used in staging of colorectal, esophageal, and gastric cancers. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of the number or ratio of the metastatic LNs in pancreatic body and tail carcinoma.

Comparison of pancreatic head resection with segmental duodenectomy and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for benign and low-grade malignant neoplasms of the pancreatic head.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical benefits of pancreatic head resection with segmental duodenectomy (PHRSD) with a particular emphasis on the long-term outcome.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of PHRSD (77 patients) and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD; 55 patients) was performed for benign and low-grade malignant neoplasms of the pancreatic head. The zintraoperative and postoperative courses and long-term nutritional statuses were compared.

Prognostic implications of intraoperative radiotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Background/aims: To assess the prognostic effect of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Methods: We reviewed 198 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer, which was found during experimental laparotomy. Liver metastasis was observed in 70 patients, peritoneal metastasis in 44, liver and peritoneal metastasis in 23 and locally advanced tumor in 61.

Pattern of lymph node metastasis spread in pancreatic cancer.

Objectives: We aimed to clarify the detailed pattern of lymph node (LN) metastasis spread in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 429 patients who underwent pancreatectomy with extended lymphadenectomy for pancreatic cancer. The prognostic implications of LN metastasis were evaluated, and the position, frequency, and association with other clinicopathologic factors were investigated.

Recurrence pattern and prognosis of pancreatic cancer after pancreatic fistula.

Background: The negative impact of anastomotic leakage on cancer-specific survival and recurrence patterns has been recognized in colorectal cancer. In pancreatic cancer, pancreatic fistula (PF) is a serious morbidity, but its negative effect on long-term outcome remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of PF on pancreatic cancer recurrence.

High therapeutic potential for systemic delivery of a liposome-conjugated herpes simplex virus.

Purpose: Oncolytic viral therapy is a newly developed modality to treat tumors. Many clinical trials worldwide have examined the efficacy of locally injected oncolytic viruses. However, systemic intravascular injections are limited by the humoral immune response, which dramatically decreases the level of infection.

Impact of operative blood loss on survival in invasive ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic factors and assess the impact of excessive operative blood loss (OBL) on survival after pancreatectomy for invasive ductal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: From the retrospective analysis, 271 patients were eligible for evaluation. Overall survival was assessed to clarify the prognostic determinants, including patient characteristics, perioperative factors, and tumor characteristics.

Prognostic impact of pancreatic margin status in the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas.

Background: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas often recurs after operative resection. The absolute risk and incidence of recurrence, however, especially in the remnant pancreas, is unknown.

Methods: We reviewed our 18-year experience of 144 surgical cases of IPMNs and selected 103 cases of benign IPMN and carcinoma in situ (CIS) for analysis of the clinicopathologic features and long-term outcome of the recurrent disease, with particular emphasis on the status of the cut margins of the pancreas.

Invasion of the splenic artery is a crucial prognostic factor in carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas.

Objectives: A retrospective study was performed to determine the prognostic implications of invasion to the splenic vessels in pancreatic body and tail cancer.

Summary Background Data: Involvement of the splenic artery (SA) and vein (SV) is frequently observed in carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas, but its correlation with various other clinicopathologic factors and prognosis has not been explored in detail.

Methods: Fifty-one patients who had undergone distal pancreatectomy for invasive adenocarcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas were discreetly selected from the prospective data base for analyses.