Publications by authors named "Naoki Asano"

Article Synopsis
  • A whitish subepithelial lesion was found in the lower thoracic esophagus during an endoscopy, raising concerns about potential esophageal cancer, but initial biopsy results were inconclusive.
  • After 10 days, endoscopic ultrasound revealed a 7-mm round mass, which was later confirmed to be esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma (eNEC) through biopsy.
  • Following a clinical diagnosis of cT2N0M0, the patient underwent subtotal esophagectomy and chemotherapy, with significant changes in the tumor's appearance noted within just 1.5 months.
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  • Liquid biopsy (LB) is a minimally invasive method for analyzing tumor-derived materials, and this study explores the potential of bile as a superior source of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) compared to plasma for detecting mutations in biliary tract cancers.
  • The research involved collecting cfDNA from the bile of 24 cancer cases, including various types of biliary tract cancers, and applying a multigene panel to identify cancer driver mutations.
  • Results indicated that bile yielded a higher detection rate of cancer driver mutations, with 54% of bile samples testing positive compared to just 17% of plasma samples, highlighting bile's effectiveness for liquid biopsy analysis.
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  • Huang's research highlights the potential of Calculus bovis (CB), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, in inhibiting the growth of liver cancer.
  • The study reveals that CB achieves this by blocking the M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages and inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway.
  • This work not only provides scientific backing for CB's anticancer properties but also paves the way for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms behind other traditional herbal medicines.
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  • - Cholangiocarcinoma is a deadly cancer with few treatment options, and researchers have identified the gene FADS2 as crucial for its tumor growth.
  • - Depleting FADS2 led to reduced tumor growth and cell division, as well as decreased ability of cancer cells to migrate and form spheres, while increasing cell death and markers for ferroptosis.
  • - Analysis showed that when FADS2 was knocked down, levels of triglycerides and cholesterol esters dropped, which lowered energy production and reduced the aggression of cancer cells.
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A 68-year-old woman was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma (LMS) based on preoperative biopsy of the gastric body. As tumor invasion confined to the submucosa with no breaking of the submucosal layer was confirmed on endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), the patient underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric LMS, resulting in complete tumor resection. No apparent recurrence was observed in the 2.

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Chronic infection of is considered the principal cause of gastric cancers, but evidence has accumulated regarding the impact of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption on the development of gastric cancers. Several possible mechanisms, including the activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, have been proposed for smoking-induced gastric carcinogenesis. On the other hand, local acetaldehyde exposure and ethanol-induced mucosal inflammation have been proposed as the mechanisms involved in the development of gastric cancers in heavy alcohol drinkers.

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A 62-year-old male with a history of stent graft replacement for an infectious aortic aneurysm, followed by multiple interventions for postoperative complications, was admitted with melena and anemia. Enhanced computed tomography (eCT) demonstrated fluffing and hyperdensities surrounding the graft, despite no evidence of an aortoenteric fistula (AEF). Emergency esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed a massive bleeding in the reconstructed tract and the protruding lesion of postoperative granulation tissue with clots at the end of the blind pouch.

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A 51-year-old man visited to our hospital because of chest discomfort and hematemesis. He was diagnosed with Mallory-Weiss syndrome and followed in outpatient clinic. One week later, he visited our hospital again for fever and discomfort.

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Article Synopsis
  • Endoscopic hemostasis is crucial for treating gastrointestinal bleeding but traditionally involves high-risk training on real patients; a new simulator, "Medical Rising STAR-Ulcer type," offers a safer practice option.
  • A study with 50 gastroenterology residents showed significant improvements in success rates for clipping hemostasis after simulation training, with rates rising from 64% to 86%.
  • Trainees reported enhanced self-confidence and proficiency post-training, appreciating structured learning while also noting some limitations of the simulator and the importance of ongoing skill development.
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  • ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) and EST (Endoscopic Sphincterotomy) are critical but risky procedures, highlighting the need for safer training methods, particularly for inexperienced learners.
  • A new simulator model was created to help trainees practice these procedures using real endoscopic tools and aligned with skills assessed by the Bethesda ERCP Skill Assessment Tool (BESAT).
  • The simulator received positive feedback from 30 gastroenterology trainees, showing a significant increase in satisfaction after use, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing training experiences.
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Background: Recent epidemiological studies suggested correlation between gastric cancer (GC) and periodontal disease.

Aims: We aim to clarify involvement of lipopolysaccharide of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg.), one of the red complex periodontal pathogens, in the GC development.

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Objective The use of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) reduces rebleeding and mortality in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). Vonoprazan is a novel oral agent with strong and sustained acid-inhibitory activity. We clarified the effect of vonoprazan compared with oral PPIs in such patients.

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  • After emergency treatment showed severe anemia and CT imaging identified fluid accumulation in her intestines, she underwent successful endoscopic injection sclerotherapy.
  • This case highlights the rarity of colonic varices in patients post-pancreatoduodenectomy and emphasizes the need to consider them in cases of gastrointestinal bleeding.
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The expression of T-box transcription factor 3 (TBX3) has been identified in various cancers, including gastric cancers. Its role in breast cancers and melanomas has been intensively studied, and its contribution to the progression of cancers through suppressing senescence and promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition has been reported. Recent reports on the role of TBX3 in gastric cancers have implied its involvement in gastric carcinogenesis.

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Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a coagulation disorder related to the factor VIII inhibitors, which might cause intractable bleeding of gastrointestinal tracts. However, its scarcity makes it difficult to recognize AHA as a pitfall of endoscopic hemostasis failure. An 81-year-old female with a history of endoscopic treatment for colon polyps visited a local hospital with chief compliments of bloody stool and severe anemia.

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Unlabelled: Aging is a risk factor for cancers in various organs. Recent advances in the organoid culturing system have made it viable to investigate the influence of aging utilizing these mini organs. In this study, we aimed to examine the implications of aging for gastric carcinogenesis.

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Some patients present gastro-duodenal eosinophilia without abdominal symptoms. Nine cases with gastro-duodenal eosinophilia were seen at the Tohoku University Hospital between January 2011 and June 2022. Seven (78%) patients had a background of allergic or hyper-eosinophilic disease.

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Aging is considered a risk factor for various diseases including cancers. In this aging society, there is an urgent need to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in aging. Wnt signaling has been shown to play a crucial role in the maintenance and differentiation of tissue stem cells, and intensive studies have elucidated its pivotal role in the aging of neural and muscle stem cells.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how alcohol consumption may contribute to the development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by examining the role of NRF2, a protective factor against cancer, in the esophageal mucosa.
  • Researchers analyzed biopsy samples from 20 ESCC patients and 20 patients without ESCC to compare the effects of acetaldehyde and ethanol exposure on mRNA levels of NRF2 target genes and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER).
  • Results indicated that while TEER did not significantly change between groups, mRNA levels of NRF2 target genes decreased more in ESCC patients after alcohol exposure, particularly among those with certain genetic and clinical risk factors, suggesting a disruption in NRF2's protective role related to
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According to the European and Japanese guidelines, additional treatment is recommended for cases of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and early gastric cancer (EGC) that do not meet the curability criteria for endoscopic resection (ER), i.e., non-curative ER, owing to the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM).

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  • Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a minimally invasive method for treating upper gastrointestinal tumors, but it can lead to serious complications like intraoperative perforation and delayed bleeding.
  • To prevent these complications, techniques like traction-assisted ESD and the use of prediction models (BEST-J score) for delayed bleeding have been developed, along with the medication vonoprazan.
  • Despite advancements, duodenal ESD remains challenging due to higher complication rates, necessitating improved devices, specific techniques for prevention, and ongoing research for standardization.
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A 69-year-old woman with multiple neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) was referred to our hospital. Although she had extreme hypergastrinemia (11,675 pg/mL), no findings that indicated types I to III gastric NENs were found. Although gastric corpus atrophy was suspected on conventional white-light imaging, findings on magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging indicated no severe atrophy.

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Blue light imaging (BLI) and narrow-band imaging (NBI) are two modalities that enable narrow-band light observation. We aimed to compare the diagnostic ability of magnifying endoscopy with BLI (ME-BLI) and NBI (ME-NBI) for determining the invasion depth of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC) by the Japanese Esophageal Society's intrapapillary capillary loop (IPCL) classification. We enrolled 81 patients between 2014 and 2018, and the still endoscopic images for diagnosing the invasion depth at the same part in ME-BLI and ME-NBI were registered.

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Barrett's esophagus arises in the process of wound healing in distal esophageal epithelium damaged by gastroesophageal reflux disease. Differentiation of fibroblast into myofibroblasts, a smooth muscle cell-like phenotype and tissue contraction are crucial processes in wound healing. No study has evaluated mechanism by which luminal esophageal nitric oxide (NO) affect Rho-associated coiled coil-forming protein kinase (Rho-ROCK) signaling pathway, a key factor of tissue contraction, in stromal fibroblasts to develop Barrett's esophagus.

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