Integrated Evaluation of Inflammatory, Nutritional, and Sarcopenia Markers to Predict Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients.

Background/aim: The prognosis of a cancer patient is influenced by the tumor-related factors, as well as by various patient-related factors. We evaluated the association between inflammatory and nutritional factors and their outcomes, including the prognosis and therapeutic course, in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Patients And Methods: In this observational retrospective study, we evaluated 35 patients.

Long-term outcome of adipose-derived regenerative cell-enriched autologous fat transplantation for reconstruction after breast-conserving surgery for Japanese women with breast cancer.

Purpose: More effective methods are needed for breast reconstruction after breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer. The aim of this clinical study was to assess the perioperative and long-term outcomes of adipose-derived regenerative cell (ADRC)-enriched autologous fat grafting.

Methods: Ten female patients who had undergone breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer were enrolled.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm in an annular pancreas: a case report.

Annular pancreas is a rare anomaly in which a ring of pancreatic tissue encircles the second portion of the duodenum. We herein report a case involving a 79-year-old Japanese man with an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas. Imaging studies showed that the pancreatic tissue encircled the descending part of the duodenum and that a 30-mm-diameter cystic tumor was present in the annular segment, leading to the diagnosis of pancreatic IPMN.

Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor associated with xanthogranulomatous cholangitis mimicking cholangiocarcinoma.

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) is a rare benign condition often misdiagnosed as malignancy. An 80-year-old man was referred to our clinic for an asymptomatic hepatic mass detected on plain abdominal CT. Abdominal ultrasonography identified the lesion as a poorly defined hypoechoic mass.

Management of cytomegalovirus infection after living donor liver transplantation.

Background/aims: Few studies on Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) have been reported. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence, risk factors and management of CMV infection after LDLT.

Methodology: Retrospective analysis was performed with 72 consecutive adult cases.

99mTc-Galactosyl sialyl albumin (GSA) scintigram adjusts hepatic resection range in ICG based estimation.

Background/aims: Indocyanin Green (ICG)-based diagnosis is widely accepted in determination of hepatic resection range, however, we frequently encounter scattered results of preoperative assessment. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of 99mTc Galactosyl sialyl albumin (GSA) scintigram in the decision of the resection range.

Methodology: One hundred and eighty patients who underwent liver resection were included in this study.

Identification of HLA-A*0201/-A*2402-restricted CTL epitope-peptides derived from a novel cancer/testis antigen, MCAK, and induction of a specific antitumor immune response.

Cancer immunotherapy is a potential therapeutic strategy, in addition to surgical treatment, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Cancer-specific immunotherapy, such as the MAGE peptide vaccine, has been utilized clinically. How-ever, there are inherent limits to the effectiveness of vaccinotherapy using a single antigen because of the expression frequency of cancer-specific antigens on tumor cells.

Management of fungal colonization and infection after living donor liver transplantation.

Background/aims: Control of infection is important in liver transplant patients under immunosuppressive conditions. In particular, invasive fungal infection is often fatal if diagnosis and therapy are delayed. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of fungal colonization and infection after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).

Clinical significance of stanniocalcin 2 as a prognostic marker in gastric cancer.

Background: Stanniocalcins are glycoprotein hormones that were originally found in the endocrine gland of bony fish. Microarray expression data from 32 paired samples of gastric cancer and normal mucosa in a public microarray database showed that the expression level of Stanniocalcin 2 was higher in gastric cancer than in normal gastric mucosa. The clinical significance of Stanniocalcin 2 expression has been observed for several cancers.

The impact of the intra-abdominal space on liver regeneration after a partial hepatectomy in rats.

Background: Little is known about the relationship between intra-abdominal space and liver regeneration. The present study was experimentally designed to investigate the influence of the "occupied space" or the "loss of occupied space" on a regenerating liver.

Methods: Experiment 1: Rats were randomly assigned to two groups: SO (space occupied) rats (n = 40); occupancy of intra-abdominal space followed by a two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) and control rats (n = 40); A PH alone.

Diverse effects of FK506 on the apoptosis of hepatocytes and infiltrating lymphocytes in an allografted rat liver.

Background: The current study investigated whether FK506 (FK) regulates the apoptotic systems in allografted rat liver and the contribution of Fas/Fas-ligand system and Bcl-2 family during acute rejection.

Materials And Methods: The recipients were divided into three groups, the allo, the allo-FK, and the syn group. Rats were euthanized 1, 3, 5, and 7 d after OLT.

Regeneration of graft livers and limited contribution of extrahepatic cells after partial liver transplantation in humans.

Background: Liver regeneration is still not fully understood. Partial liver transplantation (LT) can provide the opportunity to investigate the mechanisms of liver regeneration, including the contribution of extrahepatic cells to liver regeneration.

Methods: Of 61 patients transplanted with partial liver graft between August 1997 and October 2006, 56 patients were studied, including 49 adults and 7 children.

Clinical significance of ApoE expression in human gastric cancer.

ApoE plays a key role in various biological events. The aim of this study is to clarify its clinical significance in gastric cancer. We obtained paired clinical bulk samples of tumor tissue and corresponding normal tissue from 124 gastric cancer patients.

Activin A enhances MMP-7 activity via the transcription factor AP-1 in an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line.

Activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily, is often overexpressed in solid carcinomas. We have previously reported that the expression of activin A is associated with lymph node metastasis in esophageal cancer. In the current study, our goal was to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the aggressive behavior of tumors expressing high levels of activin A.

CD133+CD44+ population efficiently enriches colon cancer initiating cells.

Background: Previous reports have demonstrated that CD133(+) cells or CD44(+) cells might be cancer initiating cells (CIC) of colon cancer. However, the association between the two cell types is unclear. In this study, we evaluated the tumorigenicity of each population of human colon cancer divided by CD133 and CD44 using non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice.

The search for cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that some solid cancers originate from cancer stem cells. We have identified a subset of candidate stem cells, which are termed side population (SP) cells, in the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Huh7. Because most stem cells reside in the G0 phase of the cell cycle, G0 cells were isolated, and the relationship between SP cells and G0 cells was investigated to clarify the biological characteristics of G0 cells.

Prognostic relevance of Tensin4 expression in human gastric cancer.

Background: The Tensin4 gene is involved in various biological events by mediating signal transduction. This study was designed to clarify its clinical significance in gastric cancer.

Methods: A total of 114 gastric cancer patients were enrolled in this study, and we obtained paired samples from tumor tissue and matched normal mucosa.

Mitotic centromere-associated kinesin is a novel marker for prognosis and lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Mitotic centromere-associated kinesin (MCAK) is a microtubule depolymerase that is essential for proper kinetochore-microtubule attachment during spindle formation. Overexpression of MCAK has been correlated with aggressive forms of carcinoma, resulting in poor prognosis of colorectal cancer. The purpose of this study was to quantify MCAK expression in malignant and benign colorectal tissues and to determine if MCAK expression levels correlate with clinicopathologic factors and prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

Clinical significance of loss of Fhl1 expression in human gastric cancer.

Background: Human four-and-a-half LIM domains 1 (Fhl1) gene has been reported to achieve cancer suppressive effects. The purpose of this study is to clarify clinical significance of Fhl1 expression in gastric cancer.

Methods: Fhl1 mRNA expression was quantified by real-time reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using paired tumor and normal clinical samples from a total of 110 gastric cancer patients.

Retrograde jejuno-jejunal intussusception after total gastrectomy.

An eighty-year-old female was transferred to the hospital after experiencing abdominal pain and nausea. She had had a history of total gastrectomy for gastric cancer 14 years previously. Abdominal X-ray revealed a localized expansion of the small bowel.

The effect of denervation on liver regeneration in partially hepatectomized rats.

Background/aim: In a partial liver transplantation, the dissected hepatic nerves are left unrepaired during active liver regeneration. In fact, the pathophysiological influence of such hepatic denervation on liver regeneration has not yet been fully clarified. The aim of the present study is to elucidate the effect of total hepatic denervation on liver regeneration.