[Studies on biological characteristics of undifferentiated carcinoma of the esophagus].

To study the biological characteristics of undifferentiated carcinoma of the esophagus, the nuclear DNA content, the growth fraction using monoclonal antibody Ki-67 (Ki-67), immunohistochemical expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the grade of Leu-7 positive cells infiltrating at the marginal area of the cancerous tissue were measured in 5 cases of undifferentiated carcinoma and 131 cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The following results were obtained. 1) DNA aneuploid was found in 60% of undifferentiated carcinoma, 47% of squamous cell carcinoma.

Electrical stimulation of the basolateral amygdala elicits only growth hormone secretion among six anterior pituitary hormones in the pentobarbital-anesthetized male rat.

Abstract In order to investigate the role of the basolateral amygdala on secretion of the adenohypophyseal hormones, the basolateral amygdala was electrically stimulated for 10 min through a chronically implanted electrode in the pentobarbital-anesthetized adult male rat. Blood samples were withdrawn through a Silastic cannula implanted in the right atrium. Electrical stimulation of the basolateral amygdala increased plasma growth hormone, decreased plasma follicle-stimulating hormone and suppressed the increase in plasma adrenocorticotropin.

[Lymphatic permeation of colorectal cancer--evaluation as a prognostic factor by prospective studies].

To evaluate lymphatic permeation as a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, long-term prospective studies were conducted and the following results were obtained. 1) The degree of lymphatic permeation increased as the depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and stage advanced. 2) Moderate or marked lymphatic permeation (ly2 or ly3) was observed at a high rate in moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma.

[Recent surgical treatment of thoracic esophageal carcinoma].

Nowadays, surgery for a thoracic esophageal carcinoma is accomplished safely, however, there still remain many problems concerning curative resection. Cancerous recurrences of the lymph node is still high against to lymph node dissection around thoracoabdominal region. Therefore, surgery should endeavour to prevent such lymphatic recurrences.

Surgical treatment for aspiration following esophageal reconstruction--a report of two cases and the techniques involved.

Severe aspiration following esophageal reconstruction is often very difficult to treat while preserving the larynx. However, we have successfully adopted a modified surgical procedure previously employed for aspiration caused by neurological diseases or head and neck cancer surgery. We report herein the use of this modified procedure against aspiration in 2 cases following esophagectomy.

Pharyngoesophageal bypass using a free jejunal graft for corrosive stricture--a case report.

The management of corrosive strictures of the esophagus involving the pharynx and/or larynx continues to be a challenge to surgeons. This paper presents a case of a corrosive stricture extending from the hypopharynx to the cervical esophagus associated with complete obstruction of the larynx, which was successfully treated by pharyngoesophageal bypass using a free jejunal graft. Postoperative recovery was smooth without any complications, and swallowing was restored.

Upper esophagectomy with pharyngolaryngectomy for esophageal carcinoma at the cervicothoracic junction.

The choice remains controversial as to which surgical procedure should be selected for carcinomas situated in the esophagus at the cervicothoracic junction involving the trachea. After mediastinal tracheostomy associated with pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy and thoracic esophagectomy, numerous reports have previously described severe postoperative complications, such as tracheal necrosis and rupture of the great vessels in the neck. To prevent such complications, we have developed the procedure called "upper esophagectomy" followed by a free jejunal graft and mediastinal tracheostomy through either manuburectomy or upper median sternotomy.

[Surgical infection and its backgrounds].

The backgrounds of surgical infection of esophageal cancer patients are studied for host factors (relation of nutrition and immune response) and parasite factors surgical parts which are easily contaminated, the differences of serum concentration with 3 methods of antibiotics administration, and the relations about the bacteria in mouth and upper esophagus in operation and bacteria which were found in the respiratory system after operation). The results are as follows. The preoperative nutritional support was effective to rapid recovery of cytological immune functions.

A prospective clinicopathologic study of venous invasion in colorectal cancer.

We performed a long-term prospective study on venous invasion of colorectal cancer. The degree of venous invasion was divided into four stages (V0 through V3). Venous invasion was classified into three types by location (Vx, Vy, and Vz).

Esophageal reconstruction using microvascular anastomosis to the thoracoacromial artery and cephalic vein.

For reconstruction of the pharynx and cervical esophagus following pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy, free gut transfer revascularized to such cervical vessels as the cervical transverse artery and external jugular vein is commonly performed. However, for reconstruction of the esophagus in the cervicothoracic junction or anterior to the chest wall, using the cervical vessels has more disadvantages than using the vessels in the chest wall. Thus, we developed a method of using the throracoacromial artery and cephalic vein for vascular anastomoses of a free jejunal graft and report herein our results in six cases.

[An experimental study of ethanol injection on VX2 liver cancer].

Ethanol injection therapy for rabbit VX2 cancer of the liver was performed to measure the extent of ethanol infiltration using normal hepatic tissue as control, to observe the serial histological findings after ethanol injection, and to determine the influence of the ethanol on survival days with VX2 cancer of the liver. The necrotic area caused by ethanol showed a significant dose-dependent correlation in the range of 0.1-1.

Accuracy of intraoperative ultrasonography in diagnosing liver metastasis from colorectal cancer: evaluation with postoperative follow-up results.

The accuracy of intraoperative ultrasonography in diagnosing liver metastasis was evaluated at the time of surgery and at follow-up in 189 patients with colorectal cancers. Evaluation at the time of operation revealed that the sensitivity of intraoperative ultrasonography (93.3%) was significantly (p less than 0.

Phase II evaluation of combined cisplatin and vindesine in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus: Japanese Esophageal Oncology Group Trial.

In the present phase II study, 31 patients with advanced measurable esophageal carcinomas were treated with a combination of 30 mg vindesine/m2 and 70 mg cisplatin/m2. The overall response rate was 16.1% (95% confidence limits, 7.

[Clinicopathological studies on perineural invasion of rectal cancer with special reference to the prognosis and nerve preserving operation].

Prospective studies on rectal cancer have been continued since 1982 in our department and in the present study, the significance of perineural invasion was investigated clinicopathologically in 432 cases of rectal cancer. (1) Perineural invasion in rectal cancer appeared to be closely related to the degree of progress of the cancer (depth of penetration, lymph node metastasis, liver metastasis and peritoneal dissemination), the degree of malignancy of the cancer (histologic type, lymphatic invasion and venous invasion) and the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration. (2) It was proven to be an important prognostic factor which influences recurrences and the survival rate.

Effect of acetylpolyamines on in vitro protein synthesis and on the growth of a polyamine-requiring mutant of Escherichia coli.

The functions of acetylpolyamines were examined with respect to stimulation of protein synthesis and cell growth. Unlike polyamines, acetylpolyamines could not lower the optimal Mg2+ concentration of protein synthesis, and the degree of stimulation of protein synthesis by acetylpolyamines was small. The addition of N1-acetylspermine did not stimulate cell growth of a polyamine-requiring mutant of Escherichia coli MA261, although acetylspermine was accumulated in the cells.

Clinicopathologic characteristics of adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung.

Fifty-six cases of surgically resected adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung were studied clinicopathologically, and their outcome was compared with that of adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the lung. The frequency rate of adenosquamous carcinoma was 2.6% of 2160 primary lung cancers resected in the National Cancer Center Hospital (Tokyo, Japan).

Gastropericardial and gastrobrachiocephalic vein fistulae caused by penetrating ulcers in a gastric pedicle following esophageal cancer resection: a case report.

The gastric pedicle is commonly used for reconstruction following resection of esophageal cancer. However, we recently experienced a case in which two gastric tube ulcers occurred three months postoperatively; one penetrating into the pericardial cavity and the other into the left brachiocephalic vein. To our knowledge, no other such a case has ever been reported and we therefore report and discuss its etiology and management.

Surgical management of adenocarcinoma in the gastric cardia.

From 1979 to 1988, a total of 1083 patients with gastric cancer underwent resection at Kurume University Hospital. Among these cancers, 183 (16.8%) were located in the upper third of the stomach.

Zero operative mortality for gastric cancer with hepatic cirrhosis.

Thirty-two cases of gastric cancer associated with hepatic cirrhosis were reviewed, retrospectively. These patients represented 1.3% of 2590 patients with gastric cancer who were treated over the 23 year period from 1966 to 1988.

Gastric cancer following gastrectomy for benign gastroduodenal disease.

Twenty-four cases of resected remnant cancers following partial gastrectomy were retrospectively investigated for benign gastroduodenal disease. The time interval between the initial gastrectomy and the remnant gastrectomy was more than 10 years in 19 (79%) patients and less than 10 years in 5 (21%) patients. There were 2 cases with remnant cancer at stage I, 1 at stage II, 3 at stage III and 13 at stage IV for the all cases with a time interval of more than 10 years.