Follow up of the 987 blood donors found with hepatitis C virus infection over 9-18 years.

Aim:   To follow up blood donors found with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, to improve the outcome by antiviral treatments.

Methods:   Between 1991 and 2001, 3377 of the 1 925 860 donors (0.18%) were found to have HCV infection at the Hiroshima Red Cross Blood Center in Japan.

[A case of Helicobacter pylori-negative depressed type gastric adenoma].

A 75-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for further examination of gastric antral abnormal endoscopic findings. Endoscopic study of the stomach revealed a depressed lesion in the gastric antrum. Atrophic findings were not recognized in the background gastric mucosa, and Helicobacter pylori infection was not detected by histology, an urea breath test, a rapid urease test and serological test.

Liver disease in hepatitis C virus carriers identified at blood donation and their outcomes with or without interferon treatment: Study on 1019 carriers followed for 5-10 years.

Aim: To portray liver disease and project outcomes in carriers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the general population.

Methods: Liver disease was evaluated in 1019 individuals who were found with HCV infection at blood donation, and they were followed for 5-10 years with or without receiving interferon (IFN).

Results: At baseline, chronic hepatitis was detected in 529 (51.

[Gemcitabine in elderly patients with unresectable pancreas cancer].

The efficacy and safety of gemcitabine at a starting dose of 1,000 mg/m2 administrated once a week for 3 weeks with 1 week's rest was investigated in elderly 11 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. Objective response was not documented. However, pain intensity, analgesic consumption and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) were frequently improved.