Comparison of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) and conventional laparotomy in patients with colorectal cancer: Final results from a single center.

In recent years, the use of laparoscopic surgery has been expanded to include radical curative resection. In a previous study, 212 patients with primary colorectal cancer (stages I-III) underwent radical curative resection by hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) (n=98) or conventional laparotomy (CL) (n=114) and were compared with respect to 3-year relapse-free survival (3Y-RFS) and 3-year overall survival (3Y-OS). The study included 210/212 patients who were followed up to 5 years, including 96 patients who underwent HALS and 114 treated with CL.

Repeated Hepatectomy for Recurrent Intrahepatic Cholangiolocellular Carcinoma: Report of a Case.

The patient was a 59-year-old female. A liver tumor measuring 10 cm was found in the right hepatic lobe by medical examination of August, 2008 and she underwent extended right hepatectomy in September. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of small cuboidal cells possessing oval nuclei and resembling cholangiole.

Early rectal cancer accompanied by multiple systemic abscesses: A case report.

A 70-year-old man undergoing treatment for diabetes presented with a cough and pyrexia that has lasted one week. Laboratory tests demonstrated evidence of inflammation. The patient was hospitalized and antibiotic treatment was initiated, but the condition of the patient did not improve.

Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Stomach Treated with Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Cooperative Surgery.

A 43-year-old Japanese woman with melena underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and was preoperatively diagnosed with sarcoma of the stomach. Physical examination revealed no abnormalities. Findings on the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a pedunculated submucosal tumor measuring 17 mm in the antrum.

Combination of Laparoscopic and Endoscopic Approaches to Neoplasia with Non-exposure Technique (CLEAN-NET) for GIST with Ulceration.

Combination of laparoscopic and endoscopic approaches to neoplasia with non-exposure technique (CLEAN-NET) was developed to avoid intraoperative tumor dissemination. We report two cases of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) with ulceration surgically treated with CLEAN-NET at our institution. The first case was a 55-year-old male with hematemesis.

Resection of a Submucosal Tumor-Like Superficial Carcinoma in Middle Thoracic Esophagus Concomitant with Mucosal Adenocarcinoma and Submucosal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

A 67-year-old man was pointed out mucosal irregularity on health check-up and was referred to our institution. Diagnostic examinations were performed and an aggregated type 0-IIa lesion having 3 small protrusions was recognized in the middle thoracic esophagus. Endoscopic biopsy led to diagnosis of esophageal cancer concomitant with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

A Long Surviving Case of Multiple Early Stage Primary Malignant Melanoma of the Esophagus and a Review of the Literature.

We report a 75 year old man in whom primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) was detected on an upper gastrointestinal radiographic contrast study and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy during a regular medical checkup. An extensive black lesion with a 1.5 x 1.

Comparison of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery and conventional laparotomy for rectal cancer: Interim results from a single center.

Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery has become widespread and the indications for such surgery have recently been extended to various conditions, including rectal cancer. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) and conventional laparotomy (CL) in patients with rectal cancer. Patients who underwent radical resection of stage I-III primary rectal cancer (n=111) were classified into those receiving HALS (n=57) and those receiving CL (n=54); the two groups were matched for stage and postoperative treatment.

Clinicopathologic features and clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis.

Objective: We conducted a retrospective analysis to evaluate the clinical manifestations and outcomes of a population of gastric cancer patients with bone metastasis.

Methods: The subjects were 31 gastric cancer patients who were diagnosed with bone metastasis between January 2000 and December 2010.

Results: The overall median survival time (MST) was 100 days.

Classification of Physiological 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake in the Large Intestine: a Preliminary Study.

Varying degrees of physiological uptake of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) are often noted in the large intestine and can be problematic when interpreting positron emission tomography (PET) images. In relation to colorectal tumor detection with FDG PET, we tentatively classified physiological FDG uptake in the large intestine according to its patterns and intensity. Subjects were 144 asymptomatic individuals (109 men, 35 women; mean age 57.

Zinc finger protein 185 is a liver metastasis-associated factor in colon cancer patients.

LIM domain proteins are involved in several fundamental biological processes, including cell lineage specification, cytoskeleton organization and organ development. Zinc finger protein 185 (ZNF185) is one of the LIM domain proteins considered to be involved in the regulation of cellular differentiation and/or proliferation. However, the detailed functions and properties of ZNF185 in the multistep process of cancer biology have not yet been elucidated.

Comparison of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery and conventional laparotomy for colorectal cancer: Interim results from a single institution.

The present study aimed to compare the results of hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) and conventional laparotomy (CL) at a single institution in Japan. Of the 212 patients with stage I/II/III colorectal cancer who received a curative resection, 98 patients underwent HALS and 114 patients underwent CL. The clinical background and post-operative management did not differ between the two groups.

Significant clinical response of advanced colon cancer to peptide vaccine therapy: a case report.

Partial response (PR) was obtained in a patient with advanced colon cancer following peptide vaccine therapy. A 61-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for peptide vaccine therapy. She had undergone sigmoidectomy at a nearby hospital and eventually developed multiple metastases to the lung and pelvic lymph nodes with left hydronephrosis.

A case of isolated paraaortic lymph node recurrence from colon cancer successfully treated with chemoradiotherapy.

Isolated paraaortic lymph node (PALN) recurrence from colorectal cancer is rare and has no established treatment. A 56-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for the treatment of PALN recurrence in June 2005. She had undergone right hemicolectomy for ascending colon cancer two years earlier.

The effect of glucagon on FDG uptake in skeletal muscle.

Glucagon is used as an anti-motility agent during gastrointestinal tract examinations. We experienced subjects with enhanced 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in whole-body skeletal muscle when conducting positron emission tomography (PET). The subjects had been administered glucagon during gastroscopy just prior to PET.

Stage II/III cancer of the rectosigmoid junction: an independent tumor type?

The 5-year relapse-free survival rate (5Y-RFS) and 5-year overall survival rate (5Y-OS) were investigated in 766 patients with stage II/III colorectal cancer (CRC). The Stage II group included 283 patients with colon cancer (CC), 40 patients with rectosigmoid junction cancer (RSC), and 74 patients with rectal cancer (RC), while the Stage III group comprised 226 patients with CC, 52 patients with RSC, and 91 patients with RC. Stage III patients with RC were further divided into 68 patients with Ra cancer (Ra, rectum/above the peritoneal reflection) and 23 patients with Rb cancer (Rb, rectum/below the peritoneal reflection).

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in uterine leiomyomas in healthy women.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and features of increased FDG uptake in uterine leiomyomas in apparently healthy women. The incidence of increased FDG uptake is 0.1% in all 2193 women, 0.

Phase I/II study of 24-hour infusion of irinotecan combined with oral UFT for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of irinotecan combined with UFT for untreated and pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods: Escalating doses of irinotecan (80-110 mg/m(2)) were administered by 24-hour infusion on day 1. UFT was administered orally at 400 mg/m(2)/day on days 3-7 and 10-14.

Preliminary study comparing diffuse gastric FDG uptake and gastritis.

Diffuse high FDG uptake in the stomach is occasionally observed on positron emission tomography (PET) images. Some PET oncologists believe this to be physiologic uptake, but the exact cause is undetermined. We retrospectively compared PET images and endoscopic findings to examine the relation between diffuse gastric FDG uptake and gastritis.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activity during long-term adjuvant treatment with oral uracil and tegafur for colorectal cancer.

Background: Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is a rate-limiting enzyme for the degradation of 5-fluorouracil. The effect of long-term treatment with oral fluoropyrimidines on DPD activity has not been investigated. This study was conducted to examine changes in DPD activity in peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNC) during long-term treatment with oral uracil and tegafur (UFT) for colorectal cancer.

Predictors of tumor downsizing and regression with preoperative radiotherapy alone and with concomitant tegafur/uracil (UFT) for resectable advanced rectal adenocarcinoma.

Background/aims: Predictors of sensitivity to preoperative radiotherapy (RT) may differ from those of chemo-radiotherapy (CRT). This study attempts to evaluate retrospectively the significance of apoptosis-related and proliferative indexes in biopsy specimens obtained before treatment as predictors of sensitivity to RT or to CRT for locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma.

Methodology: The subjects were 96 patients with clinical T3-4/Nx/M0 adenocarcinoma of the middle third or lower third of the rectum.

Detection of carcinoembryonic antigen messenger RNA-expressing cells in peripheral blood 7 days after curative surgery is a novel prognostic factor in colorectal cancer.

Background: The significance of detection of circulating cancer cells in blood during surgery in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. Experimental study revealed that the cancer cells injected from the vein disappeared completely until 7 days. The aim of this study was to clarify that the detection of circulating cancer cells in blood taken later than 7 days after curative surgery may be a prognostic factor.

Usefulness of combined PET/CT for patient with epithelial ovarian cancer showing recurrence based on tumor marker CA125.

We report the case of a 41-year-old patient with epithelial ovarian cancer of stage IIIc. One year and nine months after completion of chemotherapy performed after surgery, the level of the tumor marker CA125 began to increase gradually. Conventional computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed, but the recurrence site could not be determined clearly.