[A Case of Rectal Cancer with Lymph Node Metastasis Diagnosed as Intramucosal Cancer].

The patient was a 62-year-old man in whom 0-Ⅱa plus Ⅱc lesions in Rs were identified during follow-up observation of multiple colorectal polyps that were found during colonoscopy performed for the examination of fecal occult blood. CT showed no lymphadenopathy or distant metastasis to other organs. Laparoscopic-assisted high anterior resection of the rectum was performed with a diagnosis of clinical stage Ⅰ.

[Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Indicator in Patients Treated with Nivolumab for Gastric Cancer].

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors(nivolumab)have been recommended as third-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer(AGC)according to the Guidelines of Gastric Cancer(5th edition). Therefore, they have been used in daily clinical practice. On the other hand, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)has been reported to be associated with the prognosis of cancer patients.

[A Postoperative Case of Rectal Cancer with Anal Pain Caused by Side Effects of Oxaliplatin].

This case involved a 28-year-old female with rectal cancer in the inner pelvis. Two courses of SOX plus Cmab therapy, and 4 courses of FOLFOX-Cmab therapy were administered as preoperative chemotherapies, which resulted in a reduction in the major lesion. Subsequently, laparoscopic low anterior resection and dissection of the bilateral lymph nodes were performed.

Single nucleotide polymorphism in ABCG2 is associated with irinotecan-induced severe myelosuppression.

Irinotecan is an anti-neoplastic agent that is widely used for treating colorectal and lung cancers, but often causes toxicities such as severe myelosuppression and diarrhea. In this study, we performed a two-stage case-control association study for irinotecan-induced severe myelosuppression (grades 3 and 4). In the first stage, 23 patients who developed severe myelosuppression and 58 patients who did not develop any toxicity were examined for 170 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 14 genes involved in the metabolism and transport of irinotecan.

Aberrant nuclear localization of beta-catenin without genetic alterations in beta-catenin or Axin genes in esophageal cancer.

Background: beta-catenin is a multifunctional protein involved in two apparently independent processes: cell-cell adhesion and signal transduction. beta-catenin is involved in Wnt signaling pathway that regulates cellular differentiation and proliferation. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern of beta-catenin and cyclin D1 using immunohistochemistry and searched for mutations in exon 3 of the beta-catenin gene and Axin gene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Excision repair cross complementing 3 expression is involved in patient prognosis and tumor progression in esophageal cancer.

The prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer remains poor. TNM classification is not sufficient to predict the prognosis. Therefore, novel predictive markers of the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients are awaited.

Decreased expression of DFF45/ICAD is correlated with a poor prognosis in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

Background: DNA fragmentation factor 45 (DFF45)/inhibotor of caspase activated DNAse (ICAD) forms a complex with DFF40/CAD and inhibits its DNA cleaving function during apoptosis. DFF45 also functions as a chaperone for native DFF40 and is necessary for its function. It has been indicated that defects in the apoptotic pathway may exist in neoplastic cells.

Chfr expression is downregulated by CpG island hypermethylation in esophageal cancer.

Cell cycle progression is monitored by checkpoint mechanisms to ensure the integrity of the genome and the fidelity of sister chromatid separation. Failure of such checkpoint functions results in genomic instability, a condition that predisposes cells to neoplastic transformation and tumor progression. Recently, Scolnick and Halazonetis defined a new mitotic checkpoint that acts at prophase and delays chromosome condensation in response to mitotic stress, and identified a gene, named checkpoint with FHA and ring finger (Chfr), that seems to be required for delaying prophase in human cells.

Role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in in vitro invasion of esophageal carcinoma cells.

Background And Objectives: Although some investigators recently suggested that MMP-9 may play a critical role in invasion and metastasis, along with MMP-2, in esophageal carcinoma, there has been no direct evidence that MMPs play a critical role in the actual invasion of esophageal carcinoma cells. Here, we investigated the role of MMPs in the in vitro invasion of esophageal carcinoma cell lines (TE-series).

Methods: Our methods included in vitro invasion assay, gelatin zymography, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Decreased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma gene expression is correlated with poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer.

Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) induces apoptosis by ligand stimulation in various tumor cell lines. In esophageal cancer cell lines, PPAR gamma activation also has suppressed the proliferation.

Methods: In 55 primary esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) we examined the correlation between the expression of PPAR gamma mRNA with prognosis of esophageal cancer patients.

Expression of PTTG (pituitary tumor transforming gene) in esophageal cancer.

Background: Recently, a vertebrate securin [pituitary tumor transforming gene (PTTG) in humans] has been identified that inhibits sister chromatid separation and is involved in malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Abundance of this protein would disrupt cell division, generate chromosomal instability and thereby increase cell susceptibility to acquisition of further mutations during subsequent division. Esophageal cancer is a disease with poor prognosis with early local invasion and lymph node metastasis.

The effectiveness of palliative resection for advanced esophageal carcinoma: analysis of 24 consecutive cases.

Purpose: In some patients who already have advanced esophageal cancer at the time of presentation, symptoms like the inability to eat, and complications such as bronchoesophageal fistula are so debilitating that palliative resection may be beneficial. However, resection of the esophagus is associated with significant risk, and whether this operation should be performed for palliation remains controversial. Because few reports have been published on this subject, we retrospectively analyzed 24 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent palliative resection.

Telomerase activity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: down-regulation by chemotherapeutic agent.

Background And Objectives: Telomerase has been suggested as being necessary for continued cell growth and progression of cancer. Esophageal cancer and matched normal esophageal tissue from 54 patients were analyzed for telomerase activity, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA expression, and their correlation with clinicopathological factors.

Methods: Telomeric repeat amplification protocol was used for detection of telomerase activity and real time quantitative RT-PCR was used for hTERT mRNA.