Prognostic factors in patients with high-risk stage II colon cancer after curative resection: a post hoc analysis of the JFMC46-1201 trial.

Purpose: The goal of the current study was to identify prognostic factors for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in high-risk stage II colon cancer.

Methods: The subjects were patients with histologically confirmed stage II colon cancer undergoing R0 resection who met at least one of the following criteria: T4, perforation/penetration, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, and < 12 examined lymph nodes. Patients self-selected surgery alone or a 6-month oral uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin (UFT/LV) regimen.

Clinical T2N0 Rectal Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy plus Local Excision.

Introduction: Total mesorectal excision is the standard treatment for clinical T2 (cT2) rectal cancer; however, this procedure can result in postoperative dysfunction, decreased quality of life, and stoma creation in some patients. We investigated neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) plus local excision (LE) as an alternative treatment strategy for patients with cT2N0 rectal cancer.

Method: Fifty-six patients with cT2N0M0 rectal cancer who exhibited the following characteristics (an anal verge of ≤8 cm, tumor size of <30 mm, well- or moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma on biopsy) underwent LE following nCRT.

Relationship between mental disorders, psychotropic drugs, and constipation in psychiatric outpatients.

Constipation has been reported to be more common in patients with mental disorders than in the general population. However, its relationships with psychiatric diagnosis, medication, age, and sex have not been fully identified. A total of 875 patients from the outpatient department were included in the study.

Predictors and histological effects of preoperative chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer and control of lateral lymph node metastasis.

Introduction: Standard treatment strategy for low rectal cancer in Japan is different from Western countries. Total mesorectum excision (TME) + lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) is mainly carried out in Japan, whereas neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) + TME is selected in Western countries. There is no clear definition of preoperative diagnosis of lateral lymph node metastasis.

Prospective observational study of the efficacy of oral uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin for stage II colon cancer with risk factors for recurrence using propensity score matching (JFMC46-1201).

Background: The efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk stage II colon cancer (CC) has not been well established. We compared the effects of surgery with and without oral uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin (UFT/LV) in patients with high-risk stage II CC, adjusting for potential risk factors.

Methods: We enrolled patients with histologically confirmed stage II colon adenocarcinoma with at least one of the following conditions: T4 disease, perforation/penetration, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma/mucinous carcinoma, or < 12 dissected lymph nodes.

Associations of neighborhood built, safety, and social environment with walking to and from school among elementary school-aged children in Chiba, Japan.

Background: Although it is globally known that Japan has high prevalence of active school travel among children, there are few international studies on Japanese children's school travel. Moreover, only few studies have focused on the differences in their mode of travel between to-school and from-school. This study examined the associations of neighborhood built, safety, and social environments with walking to/from school among elementary school-aged children in Chiba, Japan.

Clinicopathological and Molecular Characteristics of Early-Onset Stage III Colon Adenocarcinoma: An Analysis of the ACCENT Database.

Background: Colon cancer (CC) incidence in young adults (age 20-49 years), termed early-onset CC (EO-CC), is increasing.

Methods: Individual patient data on 35 713 subjects with stage III colon cancer from 25 randomized studies in the Adjuvant Colon Cancer ENdpoint database were pooled. The distributions of demographics, clinicopathological features, biomarker status, and outcome data were summarized by age group.

Prediction of Recurrence in Patients with Stage III Colon Cancer Using Conventional Clinicopathological Factors and Peripheral Blood Test Data: A New Analysis with Artificial Intelligence.

Background: Survival rate may be predicted by tumor-node-metastasis staging systems in colon cancer. In clinical practice, about 20 to 30 clinicopathological factors and blood test data have been used. Various predictive factors for recurrence have been advocated; however, the interactions are complex and remain to be established.

Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Biopsy Specimens Obtained 7 Days after Starting Chemoradiotherapy for Rectal Cancer Are Predictors of the Response to Chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by total mesorectal excision surgery is a standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been reported to be associated with tumor response; however, this remains to be established. We previously reported that histological changes on biopsy specimens obtained 7 days after starting nCRT are strong predictors of response to nCRT.

Tissue-Infiltrating Lymphocytes as a Predictive Factor for Recurrence in Patients with Curatively Resected Colon Cancer: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Background: In patients with colorectal cancer, the rate of recurrence increases as the histologic stage progresses. However, the prediction of recurrence in individual patients is difficult. Many studies have reported on the relation between outcomes and tissue-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs).

Oral S-1 with 24-h Infusion of Irinotecan plus Bevacizumab versus FOLFIRI plus Bevacizumab as First-Line Chemotherapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: An Open-Label Randomized Phase II Trial.

Background: FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab have been widely used as first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics suggested a low dose of irinotecan given as a long-term infusion is expected to enhance antitumor activity. We conducted a randomized phase II study to compare oral S-1 with a 24-h infusion of irinotecan plus bevacizumab versus FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab.

Rare Case of Neonatal Cardiac Ischemia Due to Intermittent Aortic Insufficiency.

We report a case of a 23-day-old girl who presented with repeated life-threatening myocardial ischemia from intermittent aortic insufficiency because of fixation of the left coronary cusp against the aortic wall. The patient underwent aortic valve repair with partial commissuroplasty of the left-right and left-noncommissures. After the surgical intervention the patient has been well, with no ischemic event for over 1 year.

A prospective clinical study assessing the presence of exfoliated cancer cells and rectal washout including tumors in patients who receive neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer.

Purpose: Rectal washout is performed in rectal cancer surgery to eliminate exfoliated cancer cells. Before rectal washout, a cross-clamp should generally be placed distal to the tumor. In some patients with lower rectal cancer, however, the tumor cannot be adequately isolated.

Preventive effects of a synthetic absorbable antiadhesive film (seprafilm) on small bowel obstruction in patients who underwent elective surgery for colon cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Seprafilm did not decrease small bowel obstruction (SBO), but significantly decreased reoperation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. However, the preventive effect in colon cancer remains unclear.

Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in patients with colon cancer.

Distribution of Neuroendocrine Marker-Positive Cells in Colorectal Cancer Tissue and Normal Mucosal Tissue: Consideration of Histogenesis of Neuroendocrine Cancer.

Background: Colorectal neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is a rare disease, and mixed cases with colorectal adenocarcinoma also exist. The histogenesis of this disease remains unclear. We studied the numbers of neuroendocrine marker-positive cells in adenocarcinoma tissue and in normal -mucosal tissue to investigate the relation between adenocarcinoma and NEC and to discuss the histogenesis of NEC.

Clinical outcomes of 119 miniature- and toy-breed dogs with 140 distal radial and ulnar fractures repaired with free-form multiplanar type II external skeletal fixation.

Objective: To report the clinical outcomes of miniature- and toy-breed dogs with primary and previously treated distal radial and ulnar fractures (RUF) treated with a free-form multiplanar type II external skeletal fixation (ESF).

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Animals: One hundred nineteen dogs with 140 distal RUF.

Usefulness of Preoperative Mechanical Bowel Preparation in Patients with Colon Cancer who Undergo Elective Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Trial Using Oral Antibiotics.

Background: To prevent surgical site infection (SSI) in colorectal surgery, the combination of mechanical bowel preparation (MBP), oral antibiotic bowel preparation (OABP), and the intravenous antibiotics have been proposed as standard treatment. We conducted an RCT comparing the incidence of SSI between MBP + OABP and OABP alone after receiving a single dose of intravenous antibiotics.

Methods: The study group comprised 254 patients who underwent elective surgery for colon cancer.

Induction of CD3+ and FoxP3+ T Cells in Left-sided Colorectal Tumors After UFT/LV Chemotherapy.

Background/aim: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are mainly used for right-sided, microsatellite instability-high colorectal tumors. In this study, the effects of oral uracil-tegafur plus leucovorin (UFT/LV) chemotherapy on the gene expressions of four immunotherapy targets and the amounts of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were investigated.

Patients And Methods: Data of 260 patients with stage II or stage III colorectal cancer were analyzed.

Phase III randomised trial comparing 6 vs. 12-month of capecitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage III colon cancer: final results of the JFMC37-0801 study.

Background: Up to 6-months oxaliplatin-containing regimen is now widely accepted as a standard adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colorectal cancer (CRC). However, oral fluoropyrimidine monotherapy is used for some part of patients, especially in Asian countries including Japan, and its optimal duration is yet to be fully investigated.

Methods: A total of 1306 patients with curatively-resected stage III CRC were randomly assigned to receive capecitabine (2500 mg/m/day) for 14 out of 21 days for 6 (n = 654) or 12 (n = 650) months.

Discovery of Inhibitors of Membrane Traffic from a Panel of Clinically Effective Anticancer Drugs.

In addition to their major targets, clinically effective drugs may have unknown off-targets. By identifying such off-targets it may be possible to repurpose approved drugs for new indications. We are interested in the Golgi apparatus as a novel target for cancer therapy, but there is a paucity of candidate Golgi-disrupting drugs.

Retrospective study of regorafenib and trifluridine/tipiracil efficacy as a third-line or later chemotherapy regimen for refractory metastatic colorectal cancer.

Regorafenib and trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) are novel antitumor agents for patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. However, it is unclear which patients may derive a survival benefit from these drugs in real-life clinical practice. We evaluated retrospectively the efficacy and safety of regorafenib and TAS-102 at a single institution between June 2013 and November 2015.

The Number of Natural Killer Cells in the Largest Diameter Lymph Nodes Is Associated with the Number of Retrieved Lymph Nodes and Lymph Node Size, and Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Patients with Stage II Colon Cancer.

Objective: We previously reported that the largest diameter of retrieved lymph nodes (LNs) correlates with the number of LNs and is a prognostic factor in stage II colon cancer. We examine whether T, B, and natural killer (NK) cells in LNs are related to the number of LNs and survival.

Methods: The subjects comprised 320 patients with stage II colon cancer.

Chemoradiotherapy-induced Changes in Mucinous Components in Rectal Cancer Tissue: Evaluation on High Iron Diamine-alcian Blue and Mucin 1 Staining.

Background/aim: The standard treatment for rectal cancer is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgery. Mucinous carcinoma responds poorly to nCRT. In some patients, mucin lakes (MLs) are induced by nCRT.

Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumor with Synchronous Pancreatic Metastasis: A Case Report.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors (GI-NETs) often show hematogenous metastasis, with the liver being the most common metastatic site; however, metastasis to the pancreas is rare.

Case Presentation: We report a rare case of rectal NETs with pancreatic metastases in a 75-year-old man who presented with a chief complaint of constipation. Imaging and endoscopic findings revealed a rectal submucosal tumor, a pancreatic hypovascular mass, and multiple liver masses.