Docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil adjuvant chemotherapy following three-field lymph node dissection for stage II/III N1, 2 esophageal cancer.

To determine the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with docetaxel + cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil (DCF) in lymph node metastasis-positive esophageal cancer, we retrospectively analyzed 139 patients with stage II/III (non-T4) esophageal cancer with lymph node metastasis (1-6 nodes), who did not receive preoperative treatment and underwent three-field lymph node dissection in the Juntendo University Hospital between December, 2004 and December, 2009. The tumors were histologically diagnossed as squamous cell carcinoma. The patients were divided into two groups, a surgery alone group (S group, 88 patients) and a group that received postoperative DCF therapy (DCF group, 51 patients).

[Trans-thoracic esophagectomy with 3-field lymph nodes dissection].

Although open-chest surgery is the mainstay treatment for esophageal cancer, the understanding of the context of the surgery differs in Japan and the rest of the world. Three-field lymph node dissection has been unique to Japan, although some reports on its benefits are emerging elsewhere. In addition to three-field lymph node dissection, various efforts are made during surgical procedures to reduce complications at high-volume Japanese healthcare institutions.

Successfully treated case of cervical abscess and mediastinitis due to esophageal perforation after gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Perforations of the esophagus are uncommon complications of flexible gastrointestinal endoscopy. Perforations after endoscopy are likely to occur in the cervical esophagus, where fiber insertion is difficult anatomically. The diagnosis should be made as soon as possible, because mediastinitis and sepsis frequently develop following esophageal perforations.

Clinicopathologic variables affecting survival of distal colorectal cancer patients with macroscopic invasion into the adjacent organs.

A total of 506 distal colorectal cancer patients were classified into two groups, to clarify the variables affecting survival of the patients with macroscopic invasion into the adjacent organs: 47 cases showed invasion (invasive group) while the other did not show invasion (noninvasive group). Differences between the invasive and noninvasive groups were found in eight variables; female, large tumor size, gross types 3 and 4, moderately or poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas and signet-ring cell or mucinous carcinomas, deep cancer invasion, lymphatic invasion, peritoneal and liver metastases, and curability B-C were found significantly more frequently in the invasive group. The survival curve of the former was significantly (P < 0.

Expression of nm23-H1 in colorectal cancer: no association with metastases, histological stage, or survival.

The correlations of nm23-H1 expression in primary cancer lesions with the already confirmed 14 prognostic variables and survival were examined in 52 advanced colorectal cancer patients, because the clinical roles of nm23-H1 expression in the cancer lesions remain controversial. An immunohistochemical expression of nm23-H1 was found in 23 lesions (positive group) but not found in 29 lesions (negative group). No significant difference between the positive and negative groups was found according to 12 clinicopathological variables including vascular invasion, lymph node and liver metastases, and histological stage.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of thymidylate synthase in gastric carcinoma using a new polyclonal antibody: the clinical role of thymidylate synthase as a prognostic indicator and its therapeutic usefulness.

Background: Before this study was conducted, the clinical and therapeutic significance of immunohistochemical evaluation of thymidylate synthase (TS) in patients with gastric carcinoma had not yet been clarified.

Methods: TS was immunohistochemically evaluated in 134 gastric carcinomas using anti-TS antibody. TS expression, 11 clinicopathologic variables, and survival were studied, and the correlations among them were investigated.

A predictive value of carcinoembryonic antigen in draining venous blood for colorectal cancer patients with postoperative hematogenous metastases.

Correlations between carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels of peripheral (p) and draining (d) venous blood and postoperative hematogenous metastases (HM) were examined in 76 advanced (T2-4) colorectal adenocarcinoma patients, to clarify a predictive value of dCEA and the gradient (d-pCEA) between d- and pCEA levels in patients with HM. HM were found in 19 patients (HM group), but not found in 57 patients (non-HM group). The mean value (27.

Isolation of plactins A, B, C and D, novel cyclic pentapeptides that stimulate cellular fibrinolytic activity.

Four novel cyclic pentapeptides, designated plactins A, B, C and D, were isolated by solvent extraction and reverse-phase HPLC from mycelium of a fungal strain F165 that belongs to the order of Agonomycetales. By a combination of chemical and spectroscopic analyses and chemical synthesis, the structures of plactins A, B, C and D were determined to be cyclo(-D-Val-L-Leu-D-alloIle-L-Try-D-Arg-), cyclo(-D-Val-L-Leu-D-Leu-L-Tyr-D-Arg-), cyclo(-D-Val-L-Leu-D-alloIle-L-Phe-D-Arg-) and cyclo(-D-Val-L-Leu-D-Leu-L-Phe-D-Arg-), respectively. Plactins stimulated U937 cell-mediated degradation of 125I-fibrin plates by 50% at a concentration of 7.

Potential carcinogenicity of 5,6-dimethoxysterigmatocystin in rats.

The potential carcinogenic activity of 5,6-dimethoxysterigmatocystin (DMSC) was examined by oral administration in rats. In Experiment I, all of eight effective ACI/N rats given DMSC in the diet at a concentration of 50 p.p.

Immunohistochemical localization of human lung adenocarcinoma-associated antigen with a monoclonal antibody.

The monoclonal antibody, 5C7, reacted immunohistochemically with 62 out of bronchial cells of normal lung tissue, adjacent to neoplastic lesions, were negative for lung adenocarcinoma-associated antigen. Reactions with the antibody were observed in half the cases of squamous cell lung cancer, but were only sporadic. The antibody appears to react with an antigen which is either restricted to malignant cells or is at least greatly amplified in expression by malignant cells compared to normal human tissues.

Hepatocarcinogenic activities of hydroxymethyl derivatives of 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)azobenzene in ACI/N rats.

The hepatocarcinogenic potencies of three newly identified hydroxymethyl derivatives of 4-(N,N-dimethylamino)azobenzene [(DAB) CAS: 60-11-7], i.e., 2'-CH2OH-DAB, 3'-CH2OH-DAB, and 4'-CH2OH-DAB, were strictly evaluated in a long-term test (400 days) and compared to the potency of 3'-CH3-DAB.

Inhibitory effect of reserpine on N-2-fluorenylacetamide-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.

The effect of reserpine on N-2-fluorenylacetamide (FAA)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis was examined in female ACI rats. The incidence of hepatocellular altered foci (number/cm2) in rats of group 1 given FAA (0.02% in diet) and reserpine (subcutaneous injections of 1 microgram/g body weight, once a week) simultaneously for 10 weeks, and fed a basal diet for 17 weeks was significantly smaller than that of group 3 exposed to FAA alone for 10 weeks and given the basal diet for the subsequent 17 weeks (1.

Carcinogenicity of betel quid. III. Enhancement of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide- and N-2-fluorenylacetamide-induced carcinogenesis in rats by subsequent administration of betel nut.

The effect of betel nut on chemical carcinogenesis in the upper digestive tract and liver was examined in two different experimental models with ACI rats. The incidences of neoplasms and preneoplastic lesions of the tongue in animals given 5 ppm 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO; CAS: 56-57-5) in the drinking water for 16 weeks and followed by 20% betel nut in the diet for 40 weeks were significantly higher than those in animals given 4-NQO alone. No enhancing effect from betel nut on the incidences of neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions in the upper digestive tract was found in animals administered 4-NQO for 12 weeks.

Enhancing effect of cholecystectomy on colon carcinogenesis induced by methylazoxymethanol acetate in hamsters.

The effect of cholecystectomy on colon carcinogenesis induced by methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate was examined in four groups of Syrian golden hamsters. For the sexes combined, the incidences of total large intestinal neoplasms and adenomas in Group 1, which received cholecystectomy and a single intravenous injection of MAM acetate (20 mg/kg body weight), were significantly higher than those of hamsters in Group 2, which were given MAM acetate alone. The combined multiplicities of total large intestinal neoplasms from male and female hamsters, and the multiplicities of those in females of Group 1 were also significantly higher than those in animals in Group 2, respectively.

Inhibitory effects of polyprenoic acid (E-5166) on N-2-fluorenylacetamide-initiated hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.

The effects of the newly synthesized polyprenoic acid, 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2,4,6,10,14-hexadecapentaenoic acid (E-5166) on N-2-fluorenylacetamide (FAA)-initiated hepatocarcinogenesis were examined in 6 groups of male ACI rats. The numbers of altered hepatocellular foci in rats of group 1 given a basal diet containing 0.02% FAA for 13 weeks and in rats of group 2 which received E-5166 by gavage (40 mg/kg, 3 times/week) at the same time as receiving the FAA diet were almost the same, indicating that E-5166 had no effect at the stage of carcinogen exposure.

Inhibitory effect of chlorogenic acid on methylazoxymethanol acetate-induced carcinogenesis in large intestine and liver of hamsters.

The effect of dietary chlorogenic acid on methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate-induced carcinogenesis was examined in Syrian golden hamsters. The combined incidence of total large intestinal tumors from male and female hamsters, and the combined incidence of large intestinal adenocarcinomas or the incidence of the carcinomas of male or female animals of the group given a single intravenous injection of MAM acetate (20 mg/kg body wt) and then fed the diet containing 0.025% chlorogenic acid for 24 weeks were significantly lower than those of hamsters given MAM acetate alone.

Syncarcinogenic effects of methyl methanesulfonate with methylazoxymethanol acetate in rat small intestine and liver.

The carcinogenic potency of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and its combination effect with methylazoxymethanol (MAM) acetate were evaluated in rats. MMS was suggested to be weakly carcinogenic for the small intestine. Syncarcinogenic effects of MMS and MAM acetate which could be due to summation of their genotoxic influences were obtained in the small intestine and liver.

Genotoxicity of a variety of mycotoxins in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test using rat and mouse hepatocytes.

Twenty-eight mycotoxins were studied in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test using rat and mouse hepatocytes. DNA repair synthesis was elicited by several compounds of unknown carcinogenicity, 5,6- dimethoxysterigmatocystin , versicolorins A and B, averufin , xanthomegnin , luteosporin , and chrysazin , as well as by the carcinogenic myocotoxins , aflatoxin B1, sterigmatocystin, luteoskyrin , ochratoxin A, azaserine, mitomycin C, and actinomycin D. The positive results with compounds of unknown carcinogenicity suggest that they are possibly genotoxic carcinogens.