Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma progressing after molecular targeted therapy: A multicenter prospective observational study.

To evaluate the efficacy of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) previously treated with molecular targeted agents (MTAs). Thirty-one patients treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab for unresectable HCC and previously treated with MTAs were enrolled in this study. The treatment lines ranged from second to sixth lines.

Portal Vein Thrombosis Repeatedly Observed in a Cirrhotic Patient with Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome.

Background: Although portal vein thrombosis in cirrhotic patients is frequently observed, the detailed process remains to be clarified, and the role of anticardiolipin antibody in the development of portal vein thrombosis has been controversial.

Case Report: A 52-year-old man, who had been diagnosed with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, was admitted to our hospital suffering from dyspnea and ascites. Just after being diagnosed as having antiphospholipid antibody syndrome with lung thrombosis and delivering a positive result for the β 2-glycoprotein I-dependent anticardiolipin antibody, he sustained rupture of the esophageal varices with rapid development of portal vein thrombosis, which resolved under anticoagulant therapy.

The prognostic role of lactate dehydrogenase serum levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who are treated with sorafenib: the influence of liver fibrosis.

Background: Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels could be a prognostic factor for sorafenib-treated patients with several types of solid tumor because it reflects hypoxic circumstances in aggressive tumors. For hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the prognostic role of LDH has been controversial. Liver fibrosis can potentially cause hypoxia in the liver, which has not been previously studied in the patients with advanced HCC.

Serum albumin is present at higher levels in alcoholic liver cirrhosis as compared to HCV-related cirrhosis.

Residual hepatic functional reserve in cirrhotic patients is generally evaluated by a multivariate scoring system (Child-Pugh classification), which includes serum albumin levels as a variable. However, several patients show discrepancies between serum albumin levels and the progression of liver fibrosis, especially those with alcoholic cirrhosis. To assess whether hepatic capacity of protein synthesis varies with the etiology of cirrhosis, serum albumin and cholinesterase levels, and prothrombin time were compared between alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis.

[Recurrent advanced gastric cancer diagnosed 20 years after partial gastrectomy].

A 67-year-old woman underwent partial gastrectomy (por2+sig, stage IIIA) for gastric cancer. She was admitted to our hospital because of swelling of her left neck lymph nodes 20 years after surgery. A biopsy specimen revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with signet-ring cell carcinoma.

The simultaneous expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta and cyclooxygenase-2 may enhance angiogenesis and tumor venous invasion in tissues of colorectal cancers.

We conducted this study to evaluate the impact of the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta on angiogenesis in tissue samples of colorectal cancer. We examined 52 samples of primary human colorectal carcinomas and matched normal adjacent tissues to evaluate the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta, cyclooxygenase-2, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, and CD34 through immunohistochemical analysis. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta was expressed in 25 (48.

[Estimation of indication for living donor liver transplantation in patients with HCV and/or HBV infection].

We evaluated 78 patients with chronic viral hepatitis for liver transplantation. 51 patients met our original criteria for liver transplantation, and 35 patients of them suffered from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with HCC were significantly older and showed higher prothrombin activity than those without HCC.

Decreased portal flow volume increases the area of necrosis caused by radio frequency ablation in pigs.

Background/aims: Although radio frequency ablation (RFA) has been widely accepted as an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), severe complications are not uncommon. Major complications seem to occur as a result of over-ablation beyond the intended area. As most patients with HCC have underlying cirrhosis, we speculated that decreased portal flow might cause the necrosis associated with RFA.

Arterial steroid injection therapy can inhibit the progression of severe acute hepatic failure toward fulminant liver failure.

Aim: To utilize transcatheter arterial steroid injection therapy (TASIT) via the hepatic artery to reduce hepatic macrophage activity in patients with severe acute hepatic failure.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with severe acute hepatic failure were admitted to our hospital between June 2002 to June 2006 providing for the possibility of liver transplantation (LT). Seventeen patients were treated using traditional liver supportive procedures, and the other 17 patients additionally underwent TASIT with 1000 mg methylprednisolone per day for 3 continuous days.