Early stoma closure after low anterior resection is not recommended due to postoperative complications and asymptomatic anastomotic leakage.

The safety of early stoma closure after lower anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer remains controversial. In this study, patients scheduled to undergo LAR and stoma creation for rectal cancer were recruited. In absence of anastomotic leakage on radiological examination, closure of the diverting ileostomy was performed within 2 weeks.

Gastric Eosinophilic Granuloma Related to Anisakiasis Resected by Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Cooperative Surgery.

Background: Anisakiasis-related gastric eosinophilic granuloma is rare.

Case Report: Herein, we report a patient with anisakiasis-related gastric eosinophilic granuloma who was treated with laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS). A 59-year-old woman was presented to our hospital for further examination of a gastric lesion that was initially diagnosed by a local medical doctor.

Solitary port-site metastasis 42 months after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

We report a case of solitary port-site recurrence after laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer. A 66-year-old man had previously undergone laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy with regional lymph-node dissection for advanced gastric cancer, which was a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma invading the subserosal layer with lymphatic infiltration and no lymph-node metastases. He experienced dull pain in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen 42 months after the surgery.

Spontaneous intra-abdominal hemorrhage of a well-differentiated, grade 3 gastric neuroendocrine tumor during drug-based treatment.

Grade 3, well-differentiated, gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NET G3) are extremely rare. Herein, we report the case of a 64-year-old man with a grade 3 neuroendocrine tumor of the stomach who experienced intra-abdominal bleeding during the course of drug treatment. The patient was referred to our hospital for examination of a gastric tumor that was initially diagnosed by a local medical doctor.

Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency induced by nivolumab treatment for advanced gastric cancer.

Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency is a rare immune-related adverse event associated with immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors for malignant tumors. A 68-year-old man had previously undergone a complete gastrectomy with regional lymph-node dissection for remnant gastric cancer, with a final diagnosis of T4aN2M1, Stage IV. Because he developed lymph-node metastases during postoperative chemotherapy using S-1 plus oxaliplatin, he was treated with ramucirumab plus nab-paclitaxel.

The safety of early versus late ileostomy reversal after low anterior rectal resection: a retrospective study in 47 patients.

Background: This study aimed to clarify the safety of early closure in diverting ileostomy with lower anterior rectal-cancer resection.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive 47 patients who underwent diverting ileostomy with lower rectal-cancer resection between May 2009 and October 2017. The results of the stoma closure were compared between patients who underwent stoma closure within 90 days (early closure [EC] group) and those who underwent late closure (LC group; closure after 90 days).

Assessment of Systemic Inflammatory Response and Nutritional Markers in Patients With Trastuzumab-treated Unresectable Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Aim: To determine whether markers of systemic inflammatory response and nutrition are a predictor of treatment response in patients with trastuzumab-treated unresectable advanced gastric cancer.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-one patients who received chemotherapy for unresectable advanced gastric cancer at Kochi Medical School from 2013 to 2020 were enrolled. Clinicopathological information and systemic inflammatory response data were obtained retrospectively to investigate associations between baseline cancer-related prognostic variables and survival outcomes.

Systemic inflammatory response and nutritional biomarkers as predictors of nivolumab efficacy for gastric cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the usefulness of clinicopathological systemic inflammatory response and nutritional biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of nivolumab in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: The subjects of this study were 29 patients who received nivolumab treatment for advanced gastric cancer at the Kochi Medical School between 2017 and 2019. Clinicopathological information, including systemic inflammatory response data, were obtained to investigate the associations between baseline cancer-related prognostic variables and survival outcomes.

Lymph node retrieval after colorectal cancer surgery: a comparative study of the efficacy between the conventional manual method and a new fat dissolution method.

Purpose: This study compared the efficacy of two different methods for lymph node (LN) searching after colorectal cancer surgery: the fat dissolution and the conventional manual method.

Methods: For the fat dissolution method, we used a commercially available solution of collagenase and lipase (FD group). The primary endpoint was the number of identified LNs in the FD group compared to an historical control (control group) after adjusting by propensity score matching.

Influence of Preoperative Oropharyngeal Microflora on the Occurrence of Postoperative Pneumonia and Survival in Patients Undergoing Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the correlation between oropharyngeal microflora and postoperative complications as well as long-term survival after esophagectomy.

Background: Although the oral cavity is known to be a potential reservoir for pathogens, the influence of abnormal oropharyngeal microflora on the outcomes of patients undergoing esophagectomy remains unknown.

Methods: This study included 675 patients who underwent esophagectomy between 2007 and 2014.

The usefulness of three-dimensional video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy in esophageal cancer patients.

Background: The three-dimensional video-assisted (3D-VA) system is known to provide depth perception and the precise measurement of anatomical spaces, unlike the two-dimensional video-assisted (2D-VA) system. However, the advantages of the 3D-VA system in thoracoscopic esophagectomy remains unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 104 patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer from 2016 to 2017.

Recent progress in perioperative management of patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Esophagectomy remains the mainstay of curative intent treatment for esophageal cancer. Oncologic esophagectomy is a highly invasive surgery and both morbidity and mortality rates still remain high. Recently, it has been revealed that multidisciplinary perioperative management can decrease the postoperative complications after esophagectomy.

Surgical team proficiency in minimally invasive esophagectomy is related to case volume and improves patient outcomes.

Background: Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) is being increasingly performed; however, it is still associated with high morbidity and mortality. The correlation between surgical team proficiency and patient load lacks clarity. This study evaluates surgical outcomes during the first 3-year period after establishment of a new surgical team.

Relationship Between Visceral Obesity and Postoperative Inflammatory Response Following Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy.

Background: Esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is one of the most invasive surgeries. However, the factors influencing postoperative systemic inflammatory response following esophagectomy have not been elucidated. Recently, visceral fat has been shown to play an important role in both chronic and acute inflammation.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy attenuates the postoperative inflammatory response and improves survival compared with open esophagectomy in patients with esophageal cancer: a propensity score matched analysis.

Background: Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for patients with esophageal cancer has recently spread worldwide. However, whether MIE is less invasive has not yet been fully evaluated.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 551 patients who underwent curative esophagectomy for esophageal cancer from 2005 to 2014: 145 patients underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and 406 patients underwent open transthoracic esophagectomy (OE).

[Safety of Laparoscopic Surgery after Preoperative Short Course Radiotherapy for Lower Rectal Cancer].

Backgrounds: In the setting of routine use of preoperative chemoradiotherapy(CRT)for cStage II / III rectal cancer, shortcourse radiotherapy(short-RT)is selectively used for reducing local recurrence.The purpose of this study is to clarify the safety of laparoscopic surgery after preoperative short-RT for lower rectal cancer.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients who un- derwent short-RT followed by laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for cStage II / III lower rectal cancer were retrospectively analyzed.

The impact of the Charlson comorbidity index on the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients who underwent esophagectomy with curative intent.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to clarify the influence of Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) on treatment options, and on short- and mid-term outcomes in esophageal cancer patients who underwent esophagectomy.

Methods: Patients who underwent curative-intent esophagectomy from 2009 to 2014 were classified by CCI. A CCI of ≥ 2 was defined as high, while a CCI of 0 or 1 was classified as low.

Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for multiple adenocarcinomas in intrathoracic upside-down stomach.

Herein we report on a case of two adenocarcinomas arising from an upside-down stomach in an elderly patient. An 83-year-old man was referred to our hospital with gastric cancer. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed two superficial depressed lesions in the stomach that were confirmed on biopsy as constituting a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma.

Pharmacokinetics of Active Components of Yokukansan, a Traditional Japanese Herbal Medicine after a Single Oral Administration to Healthy Japanese Volunteers: A Cross-Over, Randomized Study.

Context: Yokukansan (YKS) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine called kampo medicine in Japan. Its extract comprises seven crude drugs: Atractylodis lanceae rhizoma, Poria, Cnidii rhizoma, Uncariae uncis cum ramulus, Angelicae radix, Bupleuri radix, and Glycyrrhizae radix. YKS is used to treat neurosis, insomnia, as well as behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Clinicopathological characteristics and therapeutic outcomes of synchronous gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric lymphoma.

Background: Synchronous primary gastric adenocarcinoma and lymphoma is a rare occurrence. The aim of the present retrospective study was to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and therapeutic outcomes of patients with this rare condition to identify post-therapeutic prognostic factors.

Patients And Methods: A PubMed and MEDLINE search was performed to identify relevant articles, using the keywords 'gastric cancer' and 'gastric malignant lymphoma', while additional articles were obtained from references within these papers.

Diamine oxidase as a marker of intestinal mucosal injury and the effect of soluble dietary fiber on gastrointestinal tract toxicity after intravenous 5-fluorouracil treatment in rats.

The level of plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) activity is associated with the maturation and integrity of small intestinal mucosa. This study in rats investigated whether a decreased level of plasma DAO could reflect the severity of mucosal injury due to intravenous 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment. The beneficial effect of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) on preventing diarrhea after 5-FU treatment was also examined.

Plasma diamine oxidase activity is a useful biomarker for evaluating gastrointestinal tract toxicities during chemotherapy with oral fluorouracil anti-cancer drugs in patients with gastric cancer.

Objectives: Diamine oxidase (DAO) is an enzyme that catalyzes oxidation and is highly active in the mature upper villus cells of the intestinal mucosa. This study sought to evaluate plasma DAO activities during adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer.

Methods: We investigated 20 patients with gastric cancer who were treated with oral fluorouracil anti-cancer drugs as adjuvant chemotherapy.