Overexpression of CTEN relates to tumor malignant potential and poor outcomes of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction.

Background: To detect a novel treatment target for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG), we tested whether C-terminal tensin-like (CTEN), a member of the tensin gene family and frequently overexpressed in various cancers, acts as a cancer-promoting gene through overexpression in AEG.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed 5 gastric adenocarcinoma (GC) cell lines and 104 primary AEG tumors curatively resected in our hospital between 2000 and 2010.

Results: CTEN overexpression was detected in GC cell lines (2/5 cell lines; 40%) and primary AEG tumor samples (35/104 cases; 34%).

Construction of a combinatorial pipeline using two somatic variant calling methods for whole exome sequence data of gastric cancer.

High-throughput next-generation sequencing is a powerful tool to identify the genotypic landscapes of somatic variants and therapeutic targets in various cancers including gastric cancer, forming the basis for personalized medicine in the clinical setting. Although the advent of many computational algorithms leads to higher accuracy in somatic variant calling, no standard method exists due to the limitations of each method. Here, we constructed a new pipeline.

Liquid biopsy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Circulating tumor cells and cell-free nucleic acids.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with its high incidence and mortality rate, is one of the most common malignant tumors. Despite recent development of a diagnostic and treatment method, the prognosis of HCC remains poor. Therefore, to provide optimal treatment for each patient with HCC, more precise and effective biomarkers are urgently needed which could facilitate a more detailed individualized decision-making during HCC treatment, including the following; risk assessment, early cancer detection, prediction of treatment or prognostic outcome.

Efficacy of Additional Surgical Resection After Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Superficial Esophageal Cancer.

Background/aim: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of additional surgical resection (ASR) after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for superficial esophageal cancer (SEC).

Patients And Methods: Clinicopathological features and prognoses were analyzed in esophageal cancer (EC) cases with the indication for additional treatments (AT) after ESD (37 cases) and in cases that underwent primary resection (13 cases).

Results: Sixteen out of 37 cases underwent ASR.

Perioperative outcomes of single-port mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer.

We developed an en bloc lymphadenectomy method in the upper mediastinum with a single-port mediastinoscopic cervical approach. This study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of single-port mediastinoscope-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer. The perioperative outcomes of 60 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer who underwent this operation between March 2014 and June 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.

Reconstruction method as an independent risk factor for postoperative bone mineral density loss in gastric cancer.

Background And Aim: No study has compared the incidence of postoperative bone metabolic disorders between Billroth-I (B-I) and Roux-en-Y (R-Y) reconstructions after distal gastrectomy (DG) for gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we wished to examine the impact of reconstruction method on postoperative bone mineral density (BMD) loss.

Methods: We investigated a total of 148 consecutive patients who underwent DG with B-I or R-Y reconstruction for stage I GC between 2008 and 2012.

Depleted tumor suppressor miR-107 in plasma relates to tumor progression and is a novel therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer.

This study explored decreased tumor suppressor microRNA (miRNA) plasma levels in pancreatic cancer (PCa) patients to clarify their potential as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. We used the microRNA array-based approach to select candidates by comparing plasma levels between PCa patients and healthy volunteers. Six down-regulated miRNAs (miR-107, miR-126, miR-451, miR-145, miR-491-5p, and miR-146b-5p) were selected.

miR-509-5p and miR-1243 increase the sensitivity to gemcitabine by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to various processes in cancer progression, such as metastasis and drug resistance. Since we have already established a cell-based reporter system for identifying EMT-suppressive microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pancreatic cancer cell line Panc1, we performed a function-based screening assay by combining this reporter system and a miRNA library composed of 1,090 miRNAs. As a result, we identified miR-509-5p and miR-1243 as EMT-suppressive miRNAs, although the mechanisms for EMT-suppression induced by these miRNAs have yet to be clarified.

Overexpression of TRIM44 is related to invasive potential and malignant outcomes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Recent studies have shown that some members of the tripartite motif-containing protein family function as important regulators for carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated whether tripartite motif-containing protein 44 acts as a cancer-promoting gene through its overexpression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We analyzed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines to evaluate malignant potential and also analyzed 68 primary tumors to evaluate clinical relevance of tripartite motif-containing protein 44 protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Efficient fluorescence detection of protoporphyrin IX in metastatic lymph nodes of murine colorectal cancer stained with indigo carmine.

Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), a biochemical converted from 5-aminolevulinc acid (5-ALA) in living cells, is useful for intraoperative fluorescent detection of cancer metastasis in lymph nodes (LNs). However, unknown is whether the fluorescence of PpIX can be detected in the LNs when they coexist with indigo carmine, a blue dye commonly used for identification of sentinel LNs during surgery. To address this issue, we sought to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of PpIX fluorescence in the presence of indigo carmine in a mouse LN metastasis model of rectal cancer after administration of 5-ALA.

Cytosolic Cl- Affects the Anticancer Activity of Paclitaxel in the Gastric Cancer Cell Line, MKN28 Cell.

Background/aims: Our previous study revealed that cytosolic Cl- affected neurite elongation promoted via assembly of microtubule in rat pheochromocytoma PC12D cells and Cl--induced blockade of intrinsic GTPase enhanced tubulin polymerization in vitro. Paclitaxel (PTX) is a microtubule-targeted chemotherapeutic drug and stabilizes microtubules resulting in mainly blockade of mitosis at the metaphase-anaphase transition and induction of apoptosis. In the present study, we tried to clarify whether the cytosolic Cl- affected PTX ability to inhibit cell growth in the gastric cancer cell line, MKN28.

Overexpression of EGFR as an Independent Prognostic Factor in Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction.

Background: Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) has increased in Western and Eastern countries, and its prognosis remains poor. We tested whether epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), that is overexpressed in various tumors, acts as a cancer-promoting gene through overexpression in AEG.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed 104 primary AEG tumors which were curatively resected in our hospital between 2000 and 2010.

Monitoring with sensitive tumor markers contributes to decision-making and better prognosis in gastric cancer patients with peritoneal recurrence.

Background: There is no evidence that monitoring tumor dynamics using sensitive tumor markers contributes to treatment decision-making and prognosis in gastric cancer patients with tumor recurrence. This study was designed to investigate the significance of tumor markers in monitoring peritoneal recurrence of gastric cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 102 consecutive patients who developed recurrence after curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer at our institute between 2002 and 2011.

Genome-wide screening of DNA methylation associated with lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is well-known to be an early event associated with poor prognosis in patients with ESCC. Recently, tumor-specific aberrant DNA methylation of CpG islands around the promoter regions of tumor-related genes has been investigated as a possible biomarker for use in early diagnosis and prediction of prognosis. However, there are few DNA methylation markers able to predict the presence of LNM in ESCC.

Clinical utility of circulating cell-free Epstein-Barr virus DNA in patients with gastric cancer.

Recent comprehensive molecular subtyping of gastric cancer (GC) identified Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive tumors as a subtype with distinct salient molecular and clinical features. In this study, we aimed to determine the potential utility of circulating cell-free EBV DNA as a biomarker for the detection and/or monitoring of therapeutic response in patients with EBV-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC). The EBV genes-to-ribonuclease P RNA component H1 ratios (EBV ratios) in the GC tumors and plasma samples were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 153 patients with GC, including 14 patients with EBVaGC diagnosed by the conventional method.

Esophageal cancer stem cells are suppressed by tranilast, a TRPV2 channel inhibitor.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that the targeting of membrane proteins specifically activated in cancer stem cells (CSCs) is an important strategy for cancer therapy. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the expression and activity of ion-transport-related molecules in the CSCs of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: Cells exhibiting strong aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 (ALDH1A1) activity were isolated from TE8 cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and CSCs were then generated with the sphere formation assay.

Short- and Long-term Progress of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Paralysis After Subtotal Esophagectomy.

Aim: To clarify risk factors and long-term progress of postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis (PRNP) in patients with esophageal cancer.

Patients And Methods: One hundred and twenty-five esophageal cancer patients, who underwent subtotal esophagetomy, including recurrent laryngeal nerve lymphadenectomy, were analyzed. A laryngoscopy was routinely performed to assess the motility of vocal cords.

Heat shock exerts anticancer effects on liver cancer via autophagic degradation of aquaporin 5.

Previous studies described that the expression of aquaporin 5 (AQP5) was altered in tumors of various organs. AQP5 is attracting attention as a new cancer therapeutic target. In the present study, heat shock-induced changes in AQP5 expression were evaluated by immunofluorescent staining (IF) and western blotting (WB) of liver cancer cells.

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 7 as an Independent Prognostic Factor in Human Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) is a Mg/Ca-permeable channel with kinase activity and is expressed in many solid tumor types. However, it has not been evaluated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of TRPM7 in ESCC and to determine the role of TRPM7 in proliferation, migration and invasion of ESCC.

Surgery for gastric cancer patients of age 85 and older: Multicenter survey.

Aim: To investigate the surgical therapies for gastric cancer (GC) patients of age 85 or older in a multicenter survey.

Methods: Therapeutic opportunities for elderly GC patients have expanded in conjunction with extended life expectancy. However, the number of cases encountered in a single institution is usually very small and surgical therapies for elderly GC patients have not yet been standardized completely.

Reprogrammed chondrocytes engineered to produce IL-12 provide novel ex vivo immune-gene therapy for cancer.

Aim: The somatic cell reprogramming technology was applied to a novel and promising ex vivo immune-gene therapy strategy for cancer. To establish a novel ex vivo cytokine gene therapy of cancer using the somatic cell reprogramming procedures.

Methods: Mouse fibroblasts were converted into chondrocytes and subsequently transduced with IL-12 gene.

Early thrombomodulin-α administration outcome for acute disseminated intravascular coagulopathy in gastrointestinal surgery.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of thrombomodulin (TM)-α for treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) in the field of gastrointestinal surgery.

Methods: Thirty-six peri-operative DIC patients in the field of gastrointestinal surgery who were treated with TM-α were retrospectively investigated. The relationships between patient demographics and the efficacy of TM-α were examined.

Regulation of osmolality for cancer treatment.

Disseminated metastasis is associated with a poor prognosis, and its management in the peritoneal or pleural cavity is crucial in the treatment of cancer. Recent studies show that ion and water transporters play important roles in fundamental cellular functions, including the regulation of cell volume that would be involved in the cancer process. Here, we review the evidence for hypotonic treatments of cancer and evaluate the potential of the cellular physiological approach in clinical management.

Expression and role of anion exchanger 1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Recent studies have described important roles for the anion exchanger (AE) in epithelial carcinogenesis and tumor behavior. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the role of AE1 in the regulation of genes involved in tumor progression and the clinicopathological significance of its expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). An immunohistochemical analysis was performed on 61 primary tumor samples obtained from ESCC patients who underwent esophagectomy.