Association of proteinuria with improved prognosis in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with atezolizumab and bevacizumab, and the predictive role of serum vascular endothelial growth factor D levels: A multicenter retrospective study.

Aim: Atezolizumab/bevacizumab is a first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among several adverse events, grade ≥2 proteinuria is considered a significant adverse event that may cause bevacizumab interruption. Studies have shown that proteinuria might predict improved prognosis, although data are scarce and the association remains controversial, and the mechanisms and predictive factors remain unclear.

Positivity of high-sensitivity HBsAg test, not previous HBV infection, indicates poor prognosis in patients with non-HBV-related HCC.

Background And Aims: The prognostic impact of previous-HBV-infection (pHBV) in non-HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (non-HBV-related-HCC) and the prevalence, characteristics and significance of recently developed high-sensitivity HBs antigen positivity (hHBsAg+) in these patients remain unclear. We aimed to close these gaps.

Methods: We retrospectively screened patients with newly diagnosed non-HBV-related-HCC (standard HBsAg-test negative) at Hokkaido University.

Efficacy and Safety of Durvalumab/Tremelimumab in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma as Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Rechallenge Following Atezolizumab/Bevacizumab Treatment.

Background: While guidelines recommend immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) rechallenge as second-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), data supporting this remain limited, particularly regarding a standard regimen for first- and second-line treatments. Tremelimumab/durvalumab was recently approved but data on ICI rechallenge are lacking.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early efficacy and safety of tremelimumab/durvalumab for HCC as an ICI rechallenge following initial ICI therapy with atezolizumab/bevacizumab.

Effects of activation of an alcohol metabolic gene, cigarette smoking, and alcohol intake on the incidence of metachronous gastric cancer in patients who underwent endoscopic resection for gastric cancer: A multicenter retrospective pilot study.

Background And Aim: Metachronous gastric cancer (GC) frequently occurs in patients who have undergone endoscopic resection (ER) for GC. We evaluated the risk for development of metachronous GC following ER for GC based on genetic polymorphisms for alcohol dehydrogenase-1B (ADH1B) and aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2), as well as alcohol consumption and smoking habits.

Methods: We studied 77 patients who underwent ER for GC (median follow-up of 84 months).

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin predicts the efficacy of tolvaptan for ascites in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with liver cirrhosis (LC), water retention, diuretics to treat water retention, and a poor prognosis. Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) reportedly predicts a poor prognosis in decompensated LC. This study investigated the usefulness of uNGAL in predicting the short- and long-term effects of tolvaptan (TVP) and the incidence of AKI post-TVP administration.

Hepatitis C virus eradication by direct-acting antivirals causes a simultaneous increase in the prevalence of fatty liver and hyper low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia without an increase in body weight.

Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been reported to cause liver steatosis. Thus, eradicating HCV with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) is expected to reduce liver steatosis. We aimed to clarify long-term changes in the prevalence of fatty liver and hyper-low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterolemia and their associations in patients who achieve successful HCV eradication using DAAs.

Changes in Serum Growth Factors during Resistance to Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab Treatment in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The possible mechanisms of resistance to atezolizumab/bevacizumab for unresectable HCC, and the subsequent response to these therapies, remain underexplored. The sequential changes in serum growth factors, including VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, ANG-2, FGF-19, HGF, and EGF during atezolizumab/bevacizumab for unresectable HCC were evaluated in 46 patients. Patients who experienced PD after CR, PR, or SD to atezolizumab/bevacizumab were evaluated.

An Autopsy Case of Rapidly Aggravated Septicemia with Colorectal Cancer.

This report presents a case of a 60-year-old man who was diagnosed with ascending colon cancer with metastases of the lymph nodes and multiple liver metastases. Three days before the introduction of the first chemotherapy, he visited our hospital due to high fever. The blood test revealed an increase in the inflammatory response, hepatobiliary enzyme level, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and renal function deterioration.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Rupture after Introducing Lenvatinib: An Autopsy Case Report.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) hemorrhaging/rupture is a rare adverse effect of lenvatinib, and only limited pathological examinations have been reported. This report presents the case of a 69-year-old man who suffered from cardiac arrest and died 7 days after starting lenvatinib treatment for HCC, with an autopsy subsequently performed. Crack and coagulated blood were observed in the largest tumor.

Very urgent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is associated with early discharge in patients with non-severe acute cholangitis.

Background: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a first-line procedure for biliary drainage in patients with acute cholangitis, and there are no studies focused on very urgent ERCP within several hours of hospital arrival. This study aimed to elucidate the use of very urgent ERCP for non-severe acute cholangitis.

Methods: this retrospective observational study included patients with non-severe acute cholangitis who underwent ERCP between April 2011 and June 2020 in our institution.