Ultrasonography surveillance improves prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

To examine the effectiveness of ultrasonography (US) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance, the prognosis of HCC patients who underwent such screening at an expert medical institution or at general clinics were analyzed, as well as those without US surveillance. From October 2006 to December 2014, 872 patients with naïve HCC were enrolled and divided into the surveillance (S)-group (n=398), who underwent follow-up examinations with US, and the non-S group (n=474). The S-group was further subdivided into patients who underwent follow-up surveillance at Ehime Prefectural Central Hospital, an expert medical institution (SE-group, n=189), and those who received surveillance at general clinics (SG-group, n=209).

Combination of Resection and Ablative Treatment for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Usefulness of Complementary Radiofrequency Ablation.

Aim/background: In HCC patients with multiple tumors in separate segments, monotherapy with surgical resection is often difficult when the estimated residual liver volume after surgery is thought to be inadequate. We evaluated the usefulness of resection combined with low invasive radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treatment of such cases.

Materials/methods: We analyzed 115 HCC patients with countable multiple tumors (≤5) without vascular invasion and/or extrahepatic metastasis, and treated solely with resection (SR group: n = 82), or with both resection and RFA (Comb group: n = 33) from January 2000 to December 2017.

Easy surveillance of muscle volume decline in chronic liver disease patients using finger-circle (yubi-wakka) test.

Background: Muscle atrophy (MA) and muscle strength decline are important clinical features in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients. An easy to perform MA screening method without need for special equipment would be helpful. We evaluated the usefulness of the previously reported finger-circle test as screening for MA in CLD patients.

Prediction of risk of falls based on handgrip strength in chronic liver disease patients living independently.

Aim: Falling is known to be associated with cognitive function. We evaluated the relationship between muscle function and falls in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).

Methods: We enrolled 100 sequential CLD patients without dementia who were admitted to our institution for scheduled treatment from July 2017 to May 2018 (age 71.

Proposed a simple score for recommendation of scheduled ultrasonography surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma after Direct Acting Antivirals: multicenter analysis.

Background And Aim: To develop a scoring method using with common clinical data for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development after sustained virological response at 24 weeks (SVR24) after treatment with direct acting antivirals (DAAs), we retrospectively evaluated clinical features of patients who obtained SVR24.

Methods: From October 2014 to December 2017, 1069 hepatitis C virus patients without a past history of HCC, who obtained SVR24 by DAAs at two different areas, were enrolled (the training [n = 484, ChuShikoku-group] and validation [n = 585, Chubu-group] sets). All were examined by ultrasonography as surveillance for HCC at the time of starting DAAs and twice a year after SVR24.

Relative changes in handgrip strength and skeletal muscle volume in patients with chronic liver disease over a 2-year observation period.

Aim: There are few reports regarding relative changes in muscle function of patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). We examined CLD patients to evaluate relative changes in handgrip strength and muscle volume.

Methods: We enrolled 413 CLD outpatients who underwent handgrip strength measurements in both 2015 and 2017 (age 67.

Validation of Newly Proposed Time to Transarterial Chemoembolization Progression in Intermediate-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cases.

Background/aim: Determination of failure of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for treatment of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B (BCLC-B) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become important because of the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment. We evaluated the usefulness and efficacy of the newly proposed time to TACE progression (TTTP).

Patients And Methods: From 2006 to 2016, 192 BCLC-B HCC patients [median age 72 years, male/female ratio = 149/43, Child-Pugh score 5/6/7 = 106/56/30, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade 1/2 = 64/128, Kinki criteria B1/B2 = 64/128] were enrolled.

Impact of muscle volume and muscle function decline in patients undergoing surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: This study investigated the prognostic impact of muscle volume loss (MVL) and muscle function decline in patients undergoing resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This study enrolled 171 naïve HCC patients treated with resection from 2007 to 2015, after excluding those lacking spirometry or computed tomography findings, who had received non-curative treatments, or with restrictive or obstructive lung disorders. The median peak expiratory flow rate (%PEF) was set as the cut-off value for muscle function decline, and MVL was diagnosed using a previously reported value.

Abdominal Ultrasound Findings of Tumor-Forming Hepatic Malignant Lymphoma.

Aim/background: Evaluations of abdominal ultrasonography (US) findings of primary and secondary tumor-forming hepatic malignant lymphoma (HML) have not been adequately reported. In this study, we elucidated US and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) findings in patients with HML.

Materials/methods: From January 2006 to March 2017, 25 patients with HML were enrolled (primary 7, secondary 18), each of whom was diagnosed pathologically.

Efficacy of branched-chain amino acid supplementation and walking exercise for preventing sarcopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background/aim: Sarcopenia is recognized as a condition related to quality of life and prognosis in patients with chronic liver disease, although no useful strategy for improving muscle volume and strength has been established. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of supplementation with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) administration and walking exercise.

Patients And Methods: From December 2015 to July 2016, 33 Japanese outpatients with liver cirrhosis were enrolled (median: 67 years, HCV : HBV : alcohol : others=26 : 2 : 2 : 3, male : female=13 : 20, Child-Pugh A : B=30 : 3).

Muscle volume loss a prognostic factor for death in liver cirrhosis patients and special relationship to portal hypertension.

Aim: We examined the prognosis of liver cirrhosis (LC) patients with and without portal hypertension (PHT) and muscle volume loss (MVL).

Methods: From 2006 to 2016, 346 LC outpatients (PHT/non-PHT = 173/173) were enrolled (median age, 69 years; men / women, 204/142; Child-Pugh A / B, 230/116; and presence of MVL 15.6% in each group) after propensity matching, following exclusion of those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) beyond the Milan criteria and Child-Pugh C.

Muscle volume loss as a prognostic marker in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with sorafenib.

Aim: To elucidate the clinical significance of muscle wasting in regard to survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing sorafenib treatment, we evaluated prognostic factors including muscle wasting at the start of sorafenib treatment.

Methods: We enrolled 93 patients with unresectable HCC (68.3 ± 9.

Orexin 2 receptor as a potential target for immunotoxin and antibody-drug conjugate cancer therapy.

Targeting tumor-specific receptors is a promising approach for cytotoxic agents. The orexin 2 receptor (OX2R) has reportedly been expressed in a few types of cancer, but not in normal, cells. This study aimed to explore and assess the expression levels of OX2R in a wide range of cancer cell lines and clinical samples to identify its localization.