[A case of intracystic papillary neoplasm of the gallbladder that exhibited findings similar to gallbladder adenomyomatosis with the formation of intramural cysts because of Rokitansky-Aschoff sinus infiltration].

A 74-year-old man underwent regular follow-up observations after being diagnosed with gallbladder adenomyomatosis based on findings, such as the thickening of the wall of the gallbladder fundus and the presence of intramural cysts. Over the course of 3 years, a papillary tumor located on the thickened wall of the gallbladder had increased in size and extended into the lumen. Consequently, the patient was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer and underwent extended cholecystectomy.

The usefulness of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for the diagnosis of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors based on the World Health Organization classification.

Background: We assessed the controversial topic of using 22-gauge needles in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for the diagnosis and evaluation of Ki67 labeling indices (Ki67LI) of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET).

Methods: Thirty-eight patients with pNET who underwent EUS-FNA between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012 were enrolled in this study. When available, the Ki67LI and WHO classifications obtained by EUS-FNA and surgical resection were compared.

The zinc transporter LIV-1 is a novel regulator of stemness in pancreatic cancer cells.

Objective: Recent studies have identified the existence a portion of cancer cells, called "cancer stem cells", within the entire cancer tissue. Cancer stem cells harbor highly tumorigenic and chemo-resistant phenotypes, which lead to recurrence or re-growth of the tumor after surgery. The mechanisms that regulate the stemness of cancer cells remain largely unknown.

Pancreatic duct drainage using EUS-guided rendezvous technique for stenotic pancreaticojejunostomy.

The patient was a 30-year-old female who had undergone excision of the extrahepatic bile duct and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy for congenital biliary dilatation at the age of 7. Thereafter, she suffered from recurrent acute pancreatitis due to pancreaticobiliary maljunction and received subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. She developed a pancreatic fistula and an intra-abdominal abscess after the operation.

miR-197 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells by targeting p120 catenin.

Invasive ductal adenocarcinoma (IDA) of the pancreas manifests poor prognosis due to the early invasion and distant metastasis. In contrast, intraductal papillary mucinous adenoma or carcinoma (IPMA or IPMC) reveals better clinical outcomes. Various molecular mechanisms contribute to these differences but entire picture is still unclear.

Distinct clinical features of two patients that progressed from the early phase of chronic pancreatitis to the advanced phase.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) has been considered an intractable inflammatory disease that is progressive and irreversible after definite structural changes appear in the pancreas. The Japanese diagnostic criteria for CP were revised in 2009. One of the reasons for this revision was to define a diagnostic criterion for the early phase of CP (early CP) to improve a patient's clinical outcome, because the disease progression might be reversed in this phase by a therapeutic intervention.

Diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis by EUS-FNA by using a 22-gauge needle based on the International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria.

Background: It is controversial whether EUS-guided FNA by using 22-gauge (G) needles is useful for the diagnosis or evaluation of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP).

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of EUS-FNA by 22-G needles for the histopathological diagnosis of AIP.

Design: A retrospective study.

Early detection of low enhanced pancreatic parenchyma by contrast-enhanced computed tomography predicts poor prognosis of patients with acute pancreatitis.

Objectives: The usefulness of early severity assessment of acute pancreatitis (AP) by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) was investigated.

Methods: Data were obtained from a 2007 nationwide survey in Japan. Clinical data of 983 patients with AP were analyzed.

MiR-126 acts as a tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer cells via the regulation of ADAM9.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical step for pancreatic cancer cells as an entry of metastatic disease. Wide variety of cytokines and signaling pathways are involved in this complex process while the entire picture is still cryptic. Recently, miRNA was found to regulate cellular function including EMT by targeting multiple mRNAs.

Long-period pancreatic stenting for painful chronic calcified pancreatitis required higher medical costs and frequent hospitalizations compared with surgery.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the benefits between endoscopic drainage and surgical drainage of the pancreatic duct for patients with chronic calcified pancreatitis.

Methods: A total of 68 patients were classified into endoscopic (n = 34) or surgical (n = 34) treatment groups. Patients receiving endoscopic treatment were further divided into 2 subgroups: a short-period group, patients who could discontinue serial pancreatic stenting within 1 year (n = 19); and a long-period group, patients who needed pancreatic drainage by serial endoscopic stenting for more than 1 year (n = 15).

Perfusion computed tomography findings of autoimmune pancreatitis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to clarify the pancreatic blood perfusion in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and the changes after steroid treatment.

Methods: Perfusion computed tomography was performed in 11 patients with AIP and 12 control subjects. Pancreatic volumetric blood flow (F(V)), volume of distribution (V(D)), and blood transit time τ were determined from a single-compartment kinetic model.

The evaluation of MSX2 mRNA expression level in biliary brush cytological specimens.

Background: To distinguish cholangiocarcinoma from inflammatory disease remains difficult when stricture is present in the bile duct. Endoscopic brushing cytology is a convenient method for stricture in the bile duct, however, the diagnostic sensitivity of this method for malignancy is reported to be low (<60%). Msh homeobox 2 is frequently expressed in carcinoma cells of epithelial origin but not in normal tissues.

LIV-1 enhances the aggressive phenotype through the induction of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in human pancreatic carcinoma cells.

LIV-1 is a downstream target of STAT3 and is essential for the nuclear localization of Snail, a master regulator of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Little is known about the association of LIV-1 with pancreatic carcinoma development, therefore, expression of LIV-1 mRNA was analyzed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 9 cultured cell lines (8 carcinoma and 1 normal duct cell lines) and 24 pancreatic tissues (12 carcinoma and 12 normal tissues). Localization of this gene product was investigated by immunohistochemistry in 72 pancreatic carcinoma and the relation between its expression and clinicopathological findings was examined.