Effect of vitamin K2 on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Unlabelled: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by frequent recurrence, even after curative treatment. Vitamin K2, which has been reported to reduce HCC development, may be effective in preventing HCC recurrence. Patients who underwent curative ablation or resection of HCC were randomly assigned to receive placebo, 45 mg/day, or 90 mg/day vitamin K2 in double-blind fashion.

[A patient with recurrent sigmoid colon cancer in whom pleural effusion and ascites resolved after FOLFOX 4 therapy].

We performed combination therapy with oxaliplatin/l-LV/5-FU (FOLFOX 4) in a patient with recurrent colorectal cancer (a 58-year-old man) who had pleural effusion and ascites. This resulted in disappearance of the pleural effusion and ascites, as well as negative tumor markers. Surgery was performed for sigmoid colon cancer on September 29, 2004.

Amebic colitis in asymptomatic subjects with positive fecal occult blood test results: clinical features different from symptomatic cases.

Amebiasis is a common parasitic infectious disease in developing countries. In developed countries, it is occasionally encountered in travelers to the tropics and in homosexual males. During the past eight years, we detected four cases of amebic colitis among 5,193 subjects who underwent colonoscopy because of positive fecal occult blood test results in a mass screening.

Involvement of the biliary system in autoimmune pancreatitis: a follow-up study.

Background & Aims: The aim of this study was to define the bile duct changes associated with autoimmune pancreatitis.

Methods: Eight patients with autoimmune pancreatitis were followed for a mean of 4 years. The clinical features of these patients, including extrapancreatic bile duct changes, were examined by using biochemical parameters and several imaging modalities.

CT findings of cystic duct carcinoma two years before obstructive jaundice.

We describe a case of cystic duct carcinoma, the computed tomography findings of which had been incidentally obtained several times over the preceding three years before obstructive jaundice appeared. Under the diagnosis of extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma, a 75-year-old man underwent surgery. Two years before obstructive jaundice appeared, the arterio-portal phase of enhanced computed tomography demonstrated an ovoid mass with peripheral rim enhancement, measuring 1.