Lung Cancer Surgery in Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Connection Patients.

We report pulmonary resections for lung cancers in 2 patients with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) identified preoperatively. In case 1, right upper lobectomy was performed as the definitive operation for both lung cancer and PAPVC in the same lobe. In case 2, because lung cancer and PAPVC existed in different lobes, cardiac catheterization was performed to evaluate the need for correction of the PAPVC.

Metabolic Rather than Pathological Response to Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy Is a Stronger Predictor of Survival in cStage IIB-IV Esophageal Cancer.

Aim: We investigated which is the stronger predictor, pathological response or metabolic response, for survival outcome in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) plus esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC).

Patients And Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with cStage IIB-IV TESCC were enrolled. We analyzed the pathological response and metabolic response (fractional decrease in tumor maximum standardized uptake value) to NACRT.

REG Iα activates c-Jun through MAPK pathways to enhance the radiosensitivity of squamous esophageal cancer cells.

Identification of the key molecules that mediate susceptibility to anticancer treatments would be highly desirable. Based on clinical and cell biological studies, we recently proposed that regenerating gene (REG) Iα may be such a molecule. In the present study, we hypothesized that REG Iα increases radiosensitivity through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways.

Tumoral CRP expression in thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancers is associated with poor outcomes.

Purpose: Cancer cells reportedly produce C-reactive protein (CRP) locally within tumors. The aim of this study was to determine whether tumoral CRP is associated with clinical outcome and recurrence in thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Methods: The subjects included 73 Japanese patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer (pathological Stage IIA-IV) that had not been treated preoperatively with either chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

[A case of recurrent malignant melanoma of esophagus responsive to combined chemotherapy, radiotherapy and cellular immunotherapy].

Treatment of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus remains challenging. We treated a 53-year-old man with pT4N2M0, Stage IVa malignant melanoma of the esophagus with esophagectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Six months later, computed tomography revealed a 12 cm disseminated tumor of the mesenterium, multiple peritoneal dissemination, and a large amount of ascites.

Interleukin-2 -330T>G genetic polymorphism associates with prognosis following surgery for thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Background: Key molecules in the T helper (Th)1 and Th2 pathways underlie differential responses to the progression and surgical treatment of cancer. We investigated the relationship between Th1/Th2 cytokine polymorphism and prognosis in patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Materials And Methods: The study participants were 159 Japanese patients treated for thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer with curative esophagectomy at Akita University Hospital.

IGFBP3 and BAG1 enhance radiation-induced apoptosis in squamous esophageal cancer cells.

Identification of reliable markers of radiosensitivity and the key molecules that enhance the susceptibility of esophageal cancer cells to anticancer treatments would be highly desirable. To identify molecules that confer radiosensitivity to esophageal squamous carcinoma cells, we assessed the radiosensitivities of the TE-5, TE-9 and TE-12 cloneA1 cell lines. TE-12 cloneA1 cells showed significantly greater susceptibility to radiotherapy at 5 and 10Gy than either TE-5 or TE-9 cells.

Regenerating gene I regulates interleukin-6 production in squamous esophageal cancer cells.

Regenerating gene (REG) I plays important roles in cancer cell biology. The purpose of this study was to determine whether REG I affects cytokine production in cancer cells. We transfected TE-5 and TE-9 squamous esophageal cancer cells with REG Ialpha and Ibeta and examined its effects on cytokine expression.

C-reactive protein 1059G>C genetic polymorphism influences serum C-reactive protein levels after esophagectomy in patients with thoracic esophageal cancer.

Background: Little is known about how C-reactive protein (CRP) genetic polymorphisms influence the rise in serum CRP levels seen after surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between CRP polymorphisms and acute-phase serum CRP levels after esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer.

Study Design: We enrolled 110 patients who underwent curative esophagectomy without neoadjuvant treatment between 2003 and 2008.

Interferon-gamma 874A>T genetic polymorphism is associated with infectious complications following surgery in patients with thoracic esophageal cancer.

Background: Cytokines play a major role in the organization of orchestrated responses to infections, and there is an emerging consensus that cytokine gene polymorphisms mediate individual variations in cytokine expression. Our aim in this study was to assess whether cytokine polymorphisms were associated with infectious complications following esophagectomy in a Japanese population.

Methods: The study participants were Japanese patients treated with transthoracic esophagectomy without neoadjuvant treatment.

CRP genetic polymorphism is associated with lymph node metastasis in thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Background: Lymph node involvement is the most important prognostic factor in thoracic esophageal cancer. A more accurate molecular technique for diagnosing lymph node metastasis and a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing lymph node metastasis would be highly desirable. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between inflammation-related genetic polymorphisms and lymph node metastasis.

Status of involved lymph nodes and direction of metastatic lymphatic flow between submucosal and t2-4 thoracic squamous cell esophageal cancers.

Background: Three-field lymph node dissection for thoracic esophageal cancer is associated with high morbidity and reduced quality of life after surgery. Consequently, minimized lymphadenectomy would be desirable, if appropriate. In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the status of involved nodes and the direction of metastatic lymphatic flow from tumors into involved nodes to determine whether submucosal squamous cell esophageal cancers are potential candidates for minimized lymphadenectomy.

[S-1 chemotherapy for cancer of the gastric tube used for esophageal reconstruction following surgery for esophageal cancer].

We used S-1 chemotherapy to treat 5 patients with cancer of the gastric tube used for esophageal reconstruction through the posterior mediastinal route following surgery for esophageal cancer. The response rate was 40%, the median survival 15 months, and 3 patients still survive. In those 3 patients, the gastric tube cancer was at a resectable stage, but the patients elected to have chemotherapy instead.