A mechanism for abnormal angiogenesis in human radiation proctitis: analysis of expression profile for angiogenic factors.

Background: Radiation proctitis is an increasingly prevalent problem, with many patients being treated with radiotherapy for pelvic cancers. However, the mechanisms by which radiation proctitis develops in humans are not well understood. In this study, the expression profiles of angiogenic factors were analyzed to clarify their role in the etiology of radiation proctitis.

[Successful rituximab monotherapy in a patient with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the rectum with trisomy 3, 18].

A 62-year-old man was referred to our hospital with enlargement of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the rectum after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. The patient was given a diagnosis of stage I MALT. Endoscopic observation revealed an enlarged rectal tumor with 3, 18 double trisomy.

Migrated endoclip and stone formation after cholecystectomy: a case treated by endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Endoclip migration into the common bile duct following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is an extremely rare complication. Migrated endoclip into the common bile duct can cause obstruction, serve as a nidus for stone formation, and cause cholangitis. We report a case of cholangitis due to a migrated endoclip and consequent choledocholithiasis 6 years after LC, which was successfully treated by endoscopic extraction.

[Cancer chemoprevention-basic and clinical aspects].

Cancer chemoprevention is the use of agents to inhibit, delay or reverse carcinogenesis, and was proposed in the United States in view of the cost-benefits. Since recent progress in molecular biology revealed several signal transduction routes in carcinogenesis, the search for mechanism-based chemopreventive agents is under way. Many chemopreventive clinical trials for various cancers including colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer, have been performed.

Infrared fluorescence endoscopy for the diagnosis of superficial gastric tumors.

Background: Indocyanine green (ICG) is a fluorescent marker that is excited by rays at a wavelength of 768 nm to emit fluorescence at a wavelength of 807 nm in the infrared (IR) range. We developed an IR fluorescence endoscope (IRFE) to observe superficial gastric tumors and assessed its clinical usefulness.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of an IRFE for the assessment of superficial gastric tumors.

Relationships between insulin resistance, blood glucose levels and gastric motility: an electrogastrography and external ultrasonography study.

Background: Detailed information concerning the influence of insulin resistance on gastrointestinal motility are not available.

Methods: The relationship between insulin resistance and gastric motility and emptying, and changes in gastric motility with changes in blood glucose level were investigated using electrogastrography (EGG) and external ultrasonography in 20 non-diabetic subjects. The homeostasis model assessment ratio (HOMA-R) was used as an index of insulin resistance.

[A case of parathyroid hormone-related peptide producing gallbladder carcinoma presenting humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy].

Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) in neoplastic syndrome has been most commonly reported in squamous cell carcinoma. Gallbladder carcinoma with HHM is uncommon. In this report, we describe a male case of gallbladder carcinoma with marked hypercalcemia and a high level of serum parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP).

The use of electrogastrography and external ultrasonography to evaluate gastric motility in Crohn's disease.

Although Crohn's disease is associated with various digestive symptoms, there have been few reports on gastric motility. In this study, we conducted a study of gastric motility in Crohn's disease using 20 healthy subjects (N group) and 15 patients with Crohn's disease (C group) by electrogastrography (EGG) using a Nipro electrogastrograph. An EGG was recorded for 30 minutes in a fasting state and after ingestion of 300 ml of a liquid meal.

Principle and clinical usefulness of the infrared fluorescence endoscopy.

Since there is no infrared fluorescence materials in the living body, infrared fluorescence labeling materials are very useful for making a diagnosis of a micro cancer. We have developed an infrared fluorescence endoscope (IRFE) and indocyanin green (ICG)-derivative as infrared fluorescence labeling materials to evaluate gastrointestinal neoplastic lesions. The study aims were to apply an IRFE and to demonstrate its usefulness in detecting cancerous tissue using an antibody coupled with ICG-derivative.