Treatment results of adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction.

Background/aims: In the treatment of cardiac cancer, the selection of surgical procedures is controversial.

Methodology: In this study 297 resectable adenocarcinomas arising around the GE junction, that had their center within 5cm oral and aboral of the anatomical GE junction, were analyzed. They were subdivided into those with the tumor center located more than 1cm above the GE junction (Type 1, N = 7), those with the tumor center located within 1cm oral and 2cm aboral of the GE junction (Type 2) and those with the tumor center 2cm below the junction (Type 3).

Randomized clinical trial of D2 and extended paraaortic lymphadenectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

Background: The survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer after D2 dissection is still poor. Asian surgeons have proposed a more radical lymph node dissection, designated as D4 dissection, where paraaortic lymph nodes are removed in combination with D2 dissection. To evaluate the survival benefit of D4 dissection, a multi-institutional randomized trial of D2 vs D4 gastrectomy was conducted.

Metastasis in para-aortic lymph nodes in patients with advanced gastric cancer, treated with extended lymphadenectomy.

Background/aims: Lymph node dissection is an essential component of curative resection for advanced gastric cancer. To improve the survival of N2 patients, Asian surgeons have been performing D2+para-aortic lymph node dissection. The current study presents the results of lymph node status from multicenter trial of D2 and D2 + para-aortic nodal (No.

Proliferative activity of micrometastases in the lymph nodes of patients with gastric cancer.

Background: Immunohistochemically detectable isolated tumour clusters (ITCs) with a diameter of less than 0.2 mm have been regarded as non-metastatic lesions, because of a lack of proliferative activity. This study investigated the proliferative activities of ITCs.

The ectomycorrhizal fungus Scleroderma bermudense alleviates salt stress in seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera L.) seedlings.

The purpose of this study was to test the capacity of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungus, Scleroderma bermudense, to alleviate saline stress in seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera L.) seedlings. Plants were grown over a range (0, 200, 350 and 500 mM) of NaCl levels for 12 weeks, after 4 weeks of non-saline pre-treatment under greenhouse conditions.

Proteomic analysis of a highly metastatic gastric cancer cell line using two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis.

Stomach cancer is still a major cause of death in Asian people despite a complete cure after the resection of early cancers, mainly because peritoneal dissemination is difficult to treat. In the present study, we used two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) to identify specific proteins differentially expressed between a highly metastatic stomach cancer cell line MKN-45-P and its parental cell line MKN-45. We detected 27 protein spots in at least 2 of 3 experiments which showed statistically significant differences in abundance.

Evaluation of lymphatic invasion in primary gastric cancer by a new monoclonal antibody, D2-40.

Lymphatic invasion is known as an independent predictor of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. However, the diagnosis of lymphatic invasion is sometimes difficult by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Immunostaining using D2-40 was performed to study the distribution of lymphatic vessel and lymphatic invasion in a series of 78 primary gastric cancers.

Operative morbidity and mortality after D2 and D4 extended dissection for advanced gastric cancer: a prospective randomized trial conducted by Asian surgeons.

Background/aims: A randomized study was performed to evaluate morbidity and mortality after D2 (level 1 and 2 lymphadenectomy) and D4 (D2 plus lymphadenectomy of para-aortic lymph nodes) dissection for advanced gastric cancer.

Methodology: Two hundred and fifty-six patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma were enrolled (128 to each group). Patients were randomly allocated into D2 (N = 128) or D4 (N = 128) group.

Neoadjuvant treatment of gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination.

Aims: To report our experience of neoadjuvant intraperitoneal and systemic chemotherapy (NIPS) for patients having a complete resection of the primary gastric cancer and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC).

Patients And Methods: Patients with advanced peritoneal dissemination of primary gastric cancer had the placement of a peritoneal port system. For intraperitoneal chemotherapy, 40 mg of docetaxel and 150 mg of carboplatin were introduced in 1000 ml of saline on a weekly basis.

Quantitative prognostic indicators of peritoneal dissemination of gastric cancer.

There are three classifications that describe the quantitative prognostic indicators of peritoneal dissemination for gastric cancer. The Japanese classification (P1, P2, and P3, Lyon classification, (stage I, II, stage III, and stage IV), and the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI). Carcinomatosis with limited extent (P1/ P2) corresponds to the PCI less than 13 and the stage I and II from Lyon classification.

Influence of micrometastasis on N stage in gastric cancer and clinical application.

In order to evaluate the real extent of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in gastric cancer, an immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was performed. We examined 11173 lymph nodes removed from 355 patients with all stages of gastric carcinoma. Tissue preparations were stained with cytokeratin 18, monoclonal antibody against cytokeratin.

Fine-scale genetic structure and gene dispersal inferences in 10 neotropical tree species.

The extent of gene dispersal is a fundamental factor of the population and evolutionary dynamics of tropical tree species, but directly monitoring seed and pollen movement is a difficult task. However, indirect estimates of historical gene dispersal can be obtained from the fine-scale spatial genetic structure of populations at drift-dispersal equilibrium. Using an approach that is based on the slope of the regression of pairwise kinship coefficients on spatial distance and estimates of the effective population density, we compare indirect gene dispersal estimates of sympatric populations of 10 tropical tree species.

Role of VEGF-C and VEGF-D in lymphangiogenesis in gastric cancer.

Background: The molecular mechanisms of lymphangiogenesis induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C and VEGF-D in gastric cancer were studied.

Methods: VEGF-C and VEGF-D gene expression vectors were transfected into the gastric cancer cell line KKLS, which did not originally express VEGF-C and VEGF-D, and stable transfectants (KKLS/VEGF-C and KKLS/VEGF-D) were established. The cell lines were inoculated into the subserosal layer of the stomach and subcutaneous tissue of nude mice.

Treatment of peritoneal dissemination from gastric cancer by peritonectomy and chemohyperthermic peritoneal perfusion.

Background: There is no standard treatment for peritoneal dissemination from gastric cancer. A novel treatment consisting of peritonectomy and intraoperative chemohyperthermic peritoneal perfusion (CHPP) was compared with conventional surgery and CHPP.

Methods: Records of all patients who underwent CHPP after cytoreductive surgery between 1992 and 2002 were reviewed.

Limited pollen dispersal and biparental inbreeding in Symphonia globulifera in French Guiana.

In this paper, we report a study of the mating system and gene flow of Symphonia globulifera, a hermaphroditic, mainly bird-pollinated tree species with a large geographic distribution in the tropical Americas and Africa. Using three microsatellites, we analysed 534 seeds of 28 open pollinated families and 164 adults at the experimental site 'Paracou' in French Guiana. We observed, compared to other tropical tree species, relatively high values for the effective number of alleles.

Long-distance pollen flow and tolerance to selfing in a neotropical tree species.

Outcrossing rates, pollen dispersal and male mating success were assessed in Dicorynia guianensis Amshoff, a neotropical tree endemic to the Guiana shield. All adult trees within a continuous area of 40 ha (n = 157) were mapped, and were genotyped with six microsatellite loci. In addition, progenies were genotyped from 22 mature trees.

Effective therapy for peritoneal dissemination in gastric cancer.

Peritoneal dissemination is the most frequent cause of death from gastric cancer, accounting for death in 20% to 40% of patients. Preoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy, peritonectomy, intraoperative chemohyperthermic perfusion, and early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy are treatment modalities specifically designed to eliminate peritoneal dissemination and progression. Preoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy is for containment of peritoneal free cancer cells, and also may facilitate complete eradication of visible peritoneal dissemination by peritonectomy.

REG gene expression is associated with the infiltrating growth of gastric carcinoma.

Background: The Reg gene is known to be involved in the growth of not only pancreatic B-cells, but also epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract and carcinoma of its lineage.

Methods: Because, to the authors' knowledge, no studies have been reported regarding REG expression in gastric carcinoma, the authors investigated REG mRNA and REG protein expression using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemical study and correlated the results with the clinical features of gastric carcinoma.

Results: Using RT-PCR and Western blot analyses, reg mRNA and 16-kilodalton REG proteins were detected in two of eight human gastric carcinoma cell lines.

Nuclear and chloroplast genetic structure indicate fine-scale spatial dynamics in a neotropical tree population.

Dicorynia guianensis is a canopy tree, endemic to the tropical rain forest of French Guiana. We compared generational and spatial genetic structure for maternally and biparentally inherited markers in two cohorts (adult and seedling) in order to infer processes shaping the distribution of genetic diversity. The study was conducted on a 40 ha study plot located at Paracou near Kourou, where 172 adults trees and 375 saplings were sampled.

Expression of collagenase-3 (matrix metalloproteinase-13) in human gastric cancer.

Background: Collagenase-3 (matrix metalloproteinase-13; MMP-13) is a recently identified member of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) with broad substrate specificity, and a potential role in tumor metastasis and invasion has been proposed for this enzyme. To date, in gastrointestinal tract tumors, collagenase-3 expression has been reported only in esophageal carcinoma; the presence and possible implications of this enzyme in the progression of gastric cancer are unknown.

Methods: In this study, MMP-13 mRNA expression was analyzed in a series of 110 matched gastric adenocarcinomas and the corresponding adjacent normal mucosae as well as in nine gastric cancer cell lines.

Role of MMP-7 in the formation of peritoneal dissemination in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) is an important matrix-degrading enzyme that has a large role in the invasion and metastasis of cancer. To discover the mechanism of the formation of peritoneal dissemination in gastric cancer, we studied the mRNA and protein expression of MMP-7 in primary gastric cancers and peritoneal dissemination.METHODS: MMP-7 expression in primary gastric cancers (136 patients) was studied by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the results were compared with chinicopathological parameters.

Intraoperative chemohyperthermic peritoneal perfusion as an adjuvant to gastric cancer: final results of a randomized controlled study.

Background/aims: Although the most frequent cause of death after curative resection of advanced gastric cancer is peritoneal recurrence, there was no effective therapy for the prevention of peritoneal recurrence. This randomized trial sought to determine whether intraoperative chemohyperthermic peritoneal perfusion could eliminate microscopic residual disease and thereby improve survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Methodology: One-hundred and thirty-nine patients with T2-4 gastric cancer underwent curative gastrectomy with extended lymphadenectomy.

Fine-scale spatial genetic structure of eight tropical tree species as analysed by RAPDs.

The fine-scale spatial genetic structure of eight tropical tree species (Chrysophyllum sanguinolentum, Carapa procera, Dicorynia guianensis, Eperua grandiflora, Moronobea coccinea, Symphonia globulifera, Virola michelii, Vouacapoua americana) was studied in populations that were part of a silvicultural trial in French Guiana. The species analysed have different spatial distribution, sexual system, pollen and seed dispersal agents, flowering phenology and environmental demands. The spatial position of trees and a RAPD data set for each species were combined using a multivariate genetic distance method to estimate spatial genetic structure.