Ameliorating Effects of Electroacupuncture on Dysmotility, Inflammation, and Pain Mediated via the Autonomic Mechanism in a Rat Model of Postoperative Ileus.

Background/aims: Postoperative ileus increases healthcare costs and reduces the postoperative quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study is to investigate effects and mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 and PC6 on gastrointestinal motility in rat model of postoperative ileus.

Methods: Laparotomy was performed in 24 rats (control [n = 8], sham-EA [n = 8], and EA [n = 8]) for the implantation of electrodes in the stomach and mid-jejunum for recording of gastric and small intestinal slow waves.

Intraoperative Vagus Nerve Stimulation Accelerates Postoperative Recovery in Rats.

Introduction: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a heavy burden for healthcare industries and reduces the postoperative quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of the intraoperative vagus nerve stimulation (iVNS) on gastrointestinal motility in a rodent model of POI.

Methods: For control group (control, n = 8), electrodes were placed on the chest wall for recording the electrocardiogram and on the stomach and small intestine for measuring gastric slow waves (GSWs) and small intestinal slow waves (SSWs).

Prognosis Prediction for Postoperative Esophageal Cancer Patients Using Onodera's Prognostic Nutritional Index.

Purpose: Preoperative nutritional status may impact surgical outcome and prognosis. We evaluated the predictive value of Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (O's-PNI) of surgical outcome following esophagectomy in esophageal cancer patients.

Patients And Methods: In total, 144 patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer from April 2010 to May 2015 were evaluated, retrospectively.

Fluctuation in Plasma 5-Fluorouracil Concentration During Continuous 5-Fluorouracil Infusion for Colorectal Cancer.

Background/aim: It is generally believed that the plasma concentration of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is constant when 5-FU is continually administered for chemotherapy. The aim of the present study was to verify whether this is true.

Patients And Methods: Nine patients with colorectal cancer were enrolled in this study.

Clinical outcome of lower esophageal sphincter- and vagus-nerve-preserving partial cardiectomy for early gastric cancer of the subcardia.

Background: No definitive operative method has been established for the treatment of early subcardial gastric cancer. Our newly developed technique involves local resection of the subcardia while preserving the lower esophageal sphincter and vagus nerve. A new fornix is constructed to accept the transposed esophagus.

Octreotide acetate-steroid combination therapy for malignant gastrointestinal obstruction.

Aim: The Aim of this study was to investigate improvements in symptoms caused by gastrointestinal obstruction following administration of octreotide acetate (Sandostatin®) injection through steroid and opioid administration.

Patients And Methods: Patients (n=37) hospitalized with malignant gastrointestinal obstruction were enrolled in the present study. Twenty seven of them were investigated for gastrointestinal symptoms using the Japanese version of the Support Team Assessment Schedule (STAS-J).

Eicosapentaenoic acid modifies cytokine activity and inhibits cell proliferation in an oesophageal cancer cell line.

Background/aim: The present study investigated the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation, inflammatory interleukin-6 (IL-6) production, and cell proliferation in a human oesophageal carcinoma cell line (TE-1).

Materials And Methods: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-6 production in TE-1 cells in the presence or absence of EPA was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proliferation of TE-1 cells was determined by the WST-1 assay.

Evaluation of electrical activity after vagus nerve-preserving distal gastrectomy using multichannel electrogastrography.

Background: Multichannel electrogastrography (M-EGG) can be used to evaluate gastrointestinal motility. The myoelectric activity of the remnant stomach after surgery has not been measured by M-EGG. This study examined whether myoelectric activity varied with surgical technique and compared vagus nerve-preserving distal gastrectomy (VP-DG) with standard distal gastrectomy without vagus nerve preservation (DG).

Current status of multichannel electrogastrography and examples of its use.

Electrogastrography (EGG) is a non-invasive diagnostic motility for recording gastric myoelectrical activity. Gastric myoelectrical activity was first recorded in 1922. Advances in recording equipment enabled widespread use of cutaneous EGG after 1985.

Evaluation of 5-FU plasma concentration by 13C breath test in patients treated with oral 5-FU analogs.

Background/aim: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of digestive gastrointestinal absorption function on the pharmacokinetics of the orally-administered anticancer drug, Tegafur-gimestat-otastat potassium (TS-1), by measuring the plasma 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) concentration using stable isotope breath tests.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-nine patients with progressive/recurrent digestive organ cancer were enrolled for this pharmacokinetic study, and blood samples were obtained from each patient. The area under-the-time-concentration curve between 0 and 480 min (AUC0-480 min), time-of-drug concentration peak (T(max)), maximum drug concentration (C(max)) and the half-life period (t(1/2)) of 5-FU were investigated.

An immunoassay method for the pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil in patients with gastric cancer administered adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conventional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was compared with a new immunoassay method for measuring plasma (5-FU) concentrations in adjuvant chemotherapy with TS-1 for patients with gastric cancer. TS-1 was administered orally to patients after gastrectomy. Blood samples for pharmacokinetic analysis were collected on the seventh day of treatment.

A combined therapy with docetaxel and nedaplatin for relapsed and metastatic esophageal carcinoma.

We performed combined chemotherapy using docetaxel and nedaplatin with and without radiation therapy as a second-line treatment for relapsed or metastatic esophageal carcinoma. Eighteen patients were enrolled from April 2003 to June 2010; 10 cases were metastatic and 8 cases were recurrent. Nedaplatin (30 mg/m(2)) and Docetaxel (30 mg/m(2)/day) were administered on days 1, 8 and 15.

[A case of chemo-radiation therapy with high degree of efficacy for esophageal cancer with liver metastasis].

A 78-year-old man underwent a radical resection for esophageal cancer (Stage III) and cardiac gastric cancer (Stage IA) at another hospital 2 years ago. After the operation, he was followed at that hospital. In 2008, abdominal CT scan and FDG-PET/CT revealed a liver tumor.

[A resected case of postoperative liver metastasis of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor showing complete response after imatinib treatment].

A 71-year-old man visited the hospital complaining of nausea in December 2002. Following a diagnosis of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), partial resection of the stomach was performed in January 2003. The tumor was immunohistochemically positive for c-kit and CD34.

[Results of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy with 5-FU and leucovorin for unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer].

Purpose: Hepaticarterial infusional(HAI)5-FU chemotherapy, which involves the use of interventional radiology technique, has matured technically in Japan in the 1990's. The antitumor effect of 5-FU is enhanced by combination with leucovorin. This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of HAI 5-FU and leucovorin chemotherapy for patients with unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

[Pharmacokinetics of 5-FU after S-1 oral administration for adjuvant chemotherapy in gastric cancer patients].

We studied the pharmacokinetics of 5-FU after S-1 oral administration at the usual dose (80 mg/m2) for adjuvant chemotherapy in 13 advanced gastric cancer patients (Stage II, III), and at a decreased dose (60 mg/m2) for adjuvant or combined chemotherapy in 13 advanced gastric cancer patients. Pharmacokinetic parameters of 5-FU in the serum were as follows: Cmax, 159 .9 2+/-45.

[A feasible study of docetaxel/nedaplatin combined chemotherapy for relapsed or refractory esophageal cancer patients as a 2nd-line chemotherapy].

As a 2nd-line treatment for relapsed or refractory esophageal cancer patients after chemoradiotherapy, we performed a combination chemotherapy of DOC/CDGP for 11 patients. Intravenous drip infusion of DOC 30 mg/m(2)and CDGP 30 mg/m(2)on days 1, 8 and 15, and 4 weeks treatment was assumed as 1 cycle. We treated 8 of 11 patients with more than 2 cycles, and 4 of 8 patients were treated with radiation therapy (RT).

[A phase I/II study of docetaxel/TS-1 with radiation for esophageal cancer patients--step 1].

The therapy 5-FU and CDDP with radiation is thought to be the standard therapy for esophageal cancer patients by now. However, the therapy is associated with a comparatively high incidence of gastrointestinal disorders and requires hospitalization. We have proposed a new regimen of Docetaxel and TS-1 with radiation for maintaining of QOL and improving outcome.