Feasibility study of alternate-day S-1 as adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The Adjuvant Chemotherapy Trial of S-1 for Gastric Cancer established oral S-1 administration for 1 year as the standard postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer in Japan. We conducted a multicenter cooperative prospective study comparing daily and alternate-day S-1 administration as postoperative adjuvant therapy for gastric cancer.

Methods: Patients with Stage II or III gastric cancer who underwent curative surgery were randomly assigned to receive standard daily S-1 administration [group A: 80-120 mg/day S-1 depending on body surface area (BSA); days 1-28 every 6 weeks for 1 year] or alternate-day administration (group B: 80-120 mg/day S-1 depending on BSA; alternate days for 15 months).

[Usefulness of low-dose and long-term administration of imatinib in patients with liver metastases of rectal GIST and GIST of stomach].

Imatinib is an effective drug for KIT positive GIST, and the usual dose is 400 mg/day. On the other hand, imatinib sometimes causes leucopenia and it is hard to maintain a dosage of 400 mg/day. We reported here the two cases with a remarkable response of unresectable GIST using a low-dose and long-term administration of imatinib.

[Usefulness of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for the patients with synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer].

We analyzed the results of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) for 24 patients with synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer for the last twelve years in order to investigate the usefulness of HAIC for those patients. In 8 cases with resection of liver metastases, the median survival time (MST) was 45 months, mean survival time was 53 months and a 5-year survival rate was 44%. In 16 cases without resection of liver metastases, 2 cases had complete response (CR), 10 cases had partial response (PR), 4 cases had stable disease (SD), and the response rate was 75%.

[Usefulness of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for the patients with synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer].

We analyzed the results of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) for 21 patients with synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer for the last ten years to investigate the usefulness of HAIC for those patients. In 7 cases with resection of liver metastases, the median survival time (MST) was 49 months, mean survival time was 56.3 months and a 5-year survival rate was 43%.

[A case of hepatocellular carcinoma of the caudate lobe relapsing with variable patterns after hepatectomy].

A 61-year-old man was referred for evaluation of positive HBs-Ag and an unusually high level (28,396 ng/mL) of serum alpha-fetoprotein in serum. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a huge extrahepatically growing tumor which was originating from the caudate lobe and extended to the posterior segment of the right lobe of the liver and encircled the anterior half of inferior vena cava. Biochemical examination showed a good liver function with 8% of ICG R15 and 103% of prothrombin time.

Immunohistochemical dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase expression is a good prognostic indicator for patients with Dukes' C colorectal cancer.

Background: Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is an enzyme that catabolizes 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which is widely used for chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the clinical importance of tumor dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) expression in patients with CRC treated with 5-FU remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: We investigated DPD activities in normal mucosa (N) and tumors (T) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 64 surgically resected patients with Dukes' C CRC who were treated orally with postoperative adjuvant FU-based chemotherapy.