Reliability and validity of splenic volume measurement by 3-D ultrasound.

Aim:   We prospectively evaluated the reliability and validity of splenic volume with 3-D ultrasound measurement and clarified its clinical usefulness.

Methods:   Thirty healthy volunteers and 30 patients with cirrhosis were included in this study. All 3-D ultrasound examinations of splenic volumes were performed twice by two experienced sonographers with transabdominal ultrasound using virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL).

Clinicopathological evaluation of duodenal well-differentiated endocrine tumors.

Aim: To assess the clinicopathological characteristics of duodenal well-differentiated endocrine tumors.

Methods: We examined clinicopathological characteristics in 11 consecutive patients with duodenal well-differentiated endocrine tumors treated by endoscopic therapy or surgery in our hospital from 1992 through 2007. Patients with well-differentiated endocrine tumors of the papilla of Vater or with gastrinoma were excluded.

Quadruple therapy with ecabet sodium, omeprazole, amoxicillin and metronidazole is effective for eradication of Helicobacter pylori after failure of first-line therapy (KDOG0201 Study).

Background And Object: An antiulcer agent, ecabet sodium, is active against Helicobacter pylori. The aim of the present study was to clinically examine whether eradication therapy, which includes ecabet sodium, is effective in eradication of H. pylori after failure of first-line therapy.

Role of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 in the facilitation of angiogenesis and the healing of gastric ulcers.

The importance of prostaglandin E(2) in various pathophysiological events emphasizes the necessity of understanding the role of PGE synthases (PGESs) in vivo. However, there has been no report on the functional relevance of microsomal PGES-1 (mPGES-1) to the physiological healing processes of gastric ulcers, or to angiogenesis, which is indispensable to the healing processes. In this report, we tested whether mPGES-1 plays a role in the healing of gastric ulcers and in the enhancement of angiogenesis using mPGES-1 knockout mice (mPGES-1 KO mice) and their wild-type (WT) counterparts.

[Recent advances on EUS, EUS-FNA].

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has widened its applications and been become an indispensable examination. Recent advances is as follows: Electronic radial scanning EUS, three-dimensional EUS (3D-EUS), enhancement, elastography, and EUS-FNA. Because of electronic radial scanning EUS, we can employ Doppler function.

Entecavir is an optional agent to prevent hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation: a review of 16 patients.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a fatal complication in patients who receive chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy. We examined the effect of preventive entecavir (ETV), a new nucleoside analogue on HBV reactivation during chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods: Between February 2007 and September 2009, sixteen nucleoside analogue treatment-naive patients with chronic HBV infection (HB surface antigen [HBsAg] positive) who required chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy were enrolled.

Phase I/II study of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) plus bevacizumab as first-line therapy in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Objective: The addition of bevacizumab to fluoropyrimidine-based combination chemotherapy as first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer results in clinically significant improvements in patient outcome. However, clinical trials have been conducted primarily in Caucasian patients with only a small proportion of Asian patients. This Phase I/II study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) plus bevacizumab in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Clinical significance of evaluating primary lesions in patients with gastric cancer who receive chemotherapy.

Background: In Western countries, the response of gastric cancer to chemotherapy is evaluated by assessing measurable metastatic lesions (MMLs) according to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST). In Japan, the response of primary lesions is assessed according to local Japanese criteria. We compared the response to chemotherapy as evaluated by these two sets of criteria.

Narrow band imaging for detecting superficial squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background And Study Aims: Narrow band imaging combined with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) is useful for the detection of superficial squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) within the oropharynx, hypopharynx, and oral cavity. The risk of a second primary SCC of the head and neck is very high in patients with esophageal SCC. This prospective study evaluated the detection rate of superficial SCC within the head and neck region (superficial SCCHN) with NBI-ME in patients with esophageal SCC.

A phase II study of doxifluridine and docetaxel combination chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Background: The aim of this study was to establish the efficacy and safety of doxifluridine and docetaxel for patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Methods: The regimen consisted of oral administration of doxifluridine 533 mg/m(2) per day on days 1-14 and an intravenous infusion of docetaxel 50 mg/m(2) on day 8. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate.

Evaluation of prognostic factors for the response to S-1 in patients with stage II or III advanced gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy.

Objectives: Many studies have reported that low intratumoral mRNA expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) is an important biomarker of response to chemotherapy in patients with unresectable advanced gastric cancer. However, the role of gene expression profile of patients who received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated how TS and other associated genes related to outcome.

Phase II study of oxaliplatin plus S-1 as first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer (G-SOX study).

Background: The efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin combined with S-1 (SOX regimen) for unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were investigated.

Patients And Methods: Oxaliplatin was administered i.v.

Phase II study of S-1 plus leucovorin in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: S-1, a novel oral fluoropyrimidine, is well tolerated in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The response rate of S-1 for colorectal cancer is high, ranging from 35% to 40%. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of S-1 combined with oral leucovorin (LV) to enhance antitumor activity in chemotherapy-naive patients with mCRC.

Fluorouracil versus combination of irinotecan plus cisplatin versus S-1 in metastatic gastric cancer: a randomised phase 3 study.

Background: The best chemotherapy regimen for metastatic gastric cancer is uncertain, but promising findings have been reported with irinotecan plus cisplatin and S-1 (tegafur, 5-chloro-2,4-dihydropyrimidine, and potassium oxonate). We aimed to investigate the superiority of irinotecan plus cisplatin and non-inferiority of S-1 compared with fluorouracil, with respect to overall survival, in patients with metastatic gastric cancer.

Methods: We undertook a phase 3 open label randomised trial in 34 institutions in Japan.

Second-line chemotherapy with biweekly paclitaxel after failure of fluoropyrimidine-based treatment in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer: a report from the gastrointestinal oncology group of the Tokyo cooperative oncology group, TCOG GC-0501 trial.

Objective: A multicenter trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel every 2 weeks in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer who had previously received fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy.

Methods: The subjects were patients with gastric cancer who had disease progression or recurrence while receiving fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy. All patients had adequate major organ functions with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) of 0-2.

Current management of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma in Japan and other countries.

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus or esophagogastric junction has increased considerably in Western countries during the past 3 decades, whereas the incidence of squamous-cell carcinoma has decreased slightly. In Japan, most esophageal cancers are squamous-cell carcinomas. Endoscopic examinations are more frequently performed in Japan for routine screening and diagnosis and treatment than in other countries, thereby increasing the detection rate of superficial esophageal carcinomas.

Phase II study of S-1 as first-line treatment for elderly patients over 75 years of age with advanced gastric cancer: the Tokyo Cooperative Oncology Group study.

Purpose: This prospective multicenter phase II study was carried out to investigate the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of S-1 monotherapy in elderly patients over 75 years of age, with unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Methods: Patients had measurable or evaluable lesions according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma. S-1 (25-60 mg determined by the body surface area and creatinine clearance) was given orally, twice daily.

Fulminant amoebic colitis during chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.

A 52-year-old man had bloody stools during chemotherapy for gastric cancer. A colonoscopy revealed necrotizing ulcer-like changes. A biopsy confirmed the presence of amoebic trophozoites.

Impacts of fluorouracil-metabolizing enzymes on the outcomes of patients treated with S-1 alone or S-1 plus cisplatin for first-line treatment of advanced gastric cancer.

A phase III trial of S-1 plus cisplatin (SP) versus S-1 alone, for first-line treatment of advanced gastric cancer (SPIRITS trial), has shown that overall survival was better in patients treated with SP than with S-1 alone. In the present retrospective biomarker study, we aimed to develop a methodology to identify the patients with advanced gastric cancer who would respond better to S-1 alone than SP. We studied 120 patients who received S-1 alone or SP for first-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer, and quantitatively evaluated mRNA levels of thymidylate synthase (TS), thymidine phosphorylase (TP), orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, and epidermal growth factor receptor in paraffin-embedded specimens of primary tumors.

Narrow band imaging in the diagnosis of intra-epithelial and invasive laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a preliminary report of two cases.

Narrow band imaging (NBI) is a novel optical technique that enhances the diagnostic capability of the gastrointestinal endoscope (GIE) by illuminating the intraepithelial papillary capillary loop (IPCL) using narrow bandwidth filters in a red-green-blue sequential illumination system (CV-260SL processor and CLV-260SL light source, Olympus Optical Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). The NBI filter sets (415 nm and 540 nm) are selected to obtain fine images of the microvascular structure.

A patient with stage IV type 4 advanced gastric cancer who had a complete pathological response to short-term treatment with S-1 alone.

An 81-year-old woman presented with dysphagia. Stage IV (cT3, cN3, cH0, cM1) type 4 advanced gastric cancer was diagnosed. The left adrenal gland and the paragastric, mediastinal, and abdominal para-aortic lymph nodes were enlarged.

A multicenter, phase I dose-escalating study of docetaxel, cisplatin and S-1 for advanced gastric cancer (KDOG0601).

Objective: This dose-escalation study of a combination of docetaxel, cisplatin and S-1 investigated the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), maximum-tolerated dose (MTD), recommended dose (RD) and antitumor activity in advanced gastric cancer.

Patients And Methods: Patients received docetaxel (40 mg/m(2)), cisplatin (DIV on day 1) and S-1 (40 mg/m(2) p.o.

Prediction of the effect of capecitabine in gastric cancer by immunohistochemical staining of thymidine phosphorylase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) and the response to capecitabine in patients with advanced/recurrent gastric cancer. TP and DPD expression in paraffin-embedded specimens of primary lesions, obtained from 25 patients before capecitabine chemotherapy, were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining with anti-TP and anti-DPD monoclonal antibodies. The patients (19 male and six female) had a median age of 65 years (range 37-74).

Narrow band imaging for detecting metachronous superficial oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas after chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancers.

We present two cases of metachronous superficial squamous cell carcinomas at oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal mucosal sites after chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancers. These were detected by narrow band imaging combined with a magnifying gastrointestinal endoscopy. In one case, we successfully removed the tumor using endoscopic submucosal dissection.