Gastric surgery is not a risk factor for the development or progression of Barrett's epithelium.

Background/aims: Barrett's epithelium is currently believed to be related to acid gastroesophageal reflux. The aim was to determine the role of pancreatic-biliary reflux in the genesis of Barrett's epithelium.

Methodology: The study population comprised 1055 cases (606 men and 449 women; median age, 67 years) who had undergone an upper endoscopy at the Gastroenterology Division of Yokohama City University Hospital between August 2005 and July 2006.

Overexpression of the fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 gene correlates with liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Expression of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1, FGF-2, fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-1, and FGFR-2 genes has been reported in various cancers and is associated with poor outcomes in patients with solid tumors. This study examined the relations between the relative expression of the FGF genes and clinicopathological factors, especially invasion and metastasis, in patients with colorectal cancer. We studied surgical specimens of cancer tissue and adjacent normal mucosa obtained from 202 patients with untreated colorectal carcinoma.

[A case of interstitial pneumonia after S-1 administration for gastric cancer].

An 80-year-old man with no history of thoracic radiotherapy nor interstitial pneumonia was administered S-1 for gastric cancer in June 2007. Twenty-two days after starting S-1, he had dyspnea, and X-rays showed reticular shadows in both lung fields, yielding a diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia. Drug lymphocyte stimulating test (DLST) was positive against S-1.

Upper abdominal body shape is the risk factor for postoperative pancreatic fistula after splenectomy for advanced gastric cancer: a retrospective study.

Background: Postoperative pancreas fistula (POPF) is a major complication after total gastrectomy with splenectomy. We retrospectively studied the effects of upper abdominal shape on the development of POPF after gastrectomy.

Methods: Fifty patients who underwent total gastrectomy with splenectomy were studied.

[A case of magnetic compression anastomosis between the common bile duct and the duodenum after distal gastrectomy with Roux-Y reconstruction and cholecystectomy].

An 83-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with jaundice. At the age of 79, he had undergone distal gastrectomy with Roux-Y reconstruction and cholecystectomy due to early gastric cancer and gall bladder carcinoma. CT and MRI revealed severe dilatation from the common bile duct (CBD) to the intra-hepatic bile duct.

Successful treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma with pulmonary metastasis in a child: report of a case.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in childhood is rare: in 2002, only three new cases were reported in Japan. Although there is no established therapeutic management system, margin-free complete surgical excision of the tumor is very important to a satisfactory outcome. We report a case of ACC with bilateral pulmonary metastasis in a 10-year-old boy.

Overexpression of EphA4 gene and reduced expression of EphB2 gene correlates with liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

The Eph receptors, members of a large family of transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases, play important roles in a variety of biological functions. Recent studies have suggested that EphA4 and EphB2 participate in the growth and development of various carcinomas. This study examined the relationship of EphA4 and EphB2 gene expression to clinicopathological factors, especially metastasis, in patients with colorectal cancer.

Clinicopathological significance of the gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7, insulin-like growth factor-1, insulin-like growth factor-2 and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in patients with colorectal cancer: insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor gene expression is a useful predictor of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.

Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), secreted by cancer cells, has been implicated classically in the basement membrane destruction associated with tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Epidemiological studies have established a correlation between high levels of circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and the relative risk of colorectal cancer, which is known to produce MMP-7. We examined the clinicopathological significance of the relative expression of MMP-7, IGF-1, IGF-2 and IGF-1 receptor genes in patients with colorectal cancer, especially with regard to metastasis.

Evaluation of calorie intake according to age and sex in patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer.

Background/aims: We studied food intake in 107 patients undergoing gastric surgery, with emphasis on postoperative quality of life (QOL). The time course of food intake after surgery, sex- and age-related differences in food intake, and the relation of food intake to surgical procedure were evaluated retrospectively.

Methodology: The following variables were studied: 1) the time required for stabilization of food intake, assessed on the basis of the time course of food intake after operation; 2) the relations of sex and age to postoperative food intake, assessed by comparing food intake according to sex and age; and 3) postoperative food intake according to surgical procedure, evaluated by calculating the ratio of postoperative food intake to the food intake of healthy individuals matched for sex and age.

Lung cancer associated with Sweet's syndrome: report of a case.

Lung cancer associated with Sweet's syndrome is extremely rare. There are only seven reports of such cases. As far as could be determined from a comprehensive search, there is no reported operative case of lung cancer with this syndrome in the world literature.

Endometrial adenocarcinoma without myometrial invasion metastasizing to the pancreas and masquerading as primary pancreatic neoplasm.

Reported herein is a case of endometrial adenocarcinoma without myometrial invasion that metastasized to the pancreas in a 69-year-old Japanese woman who had a history of hysterectomy. Although systemic radiography could not detect any metastasis in the whole body before hysterectomy, imaging performed 2 months after the hysterectomy consisting of CT, magnetic resonance imaging, gallium scintigraphy and positron emission tomography identified a solitary pancreatic tumor. Imaging demonstrated an intracystic papillary growth in the pancreas, suggesting intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm or mucinous cystic neoplasm.

[Case of GIST of the rectum successfully treated with imatinib mesylate neoadjuvant therapy].

A 60-year-old man, with a high risk GIST of the rectum, suspected of the infiltration to the prostate and measuring 10 cm in diameter, underwent resection after neoadjuvant therapy of imatinib mesylate. Perineal approach was added because intraperitoneal dissection was not enough, however, the infiltration to the prostate was denied completely due to a reduction in the tumor size, thus total peritoneal resection was avoided. It seems that neoadjuvant therapy with imatinib mesylate is useful for resectability and for the preservation of the functions of ambient organs.

[A case of primary lung adenocarcinoma accompanied by Ewing's sarcoma successfully treated with ifosfamide].

We report a patient with primary lung adenocarcinoma who had Ewing's sarcoma and was successfully treated with ifosfamide. A 56-year-old Japanese man was referred to the Orthopedic Department of our hospital with a complaint of pain on his hip, ischuria, and dyschezia (vesicorectal disorder). MRI showed a mass in the sacrum.

Clinicopathological significance of the gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases and reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs in patients with colorectal cancer: MMP-2 gene expression is a useful predictor of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MT1-MMP) are involved in colorectal cancer invasion and metastasis. Reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) inhibits MMP-2, MMP-9 and MT1-MMP. We examined the clinicopathological significance of the relative expression of these genes in patients with colorectal cancer, especially with regard to metastasis.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for pulmonary arteriovenous malformations: report of five cases.

We experienced five cases of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) that were successfully treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Four malformations were treated by local wedge resection and one was treated by segmentectomy. Criteria for patient selection for surgery were peripheral and solitary lesions, with feeding arteries larger than 3 mm.

Overexpression of the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint genes hBUB1, hBUBR1 and hMAD2 in thyroid carcinomas with aggressive nature.

Background: The mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint (MSAC) genes are responsible for preventing chromosome missegregation. MSAC gene expressions have been reported to be associated with tumor cell proliferation or unfavorable cancer behavior. The present study was conducted to preliminary investigate the MSAC gene expressions in thyroid neoplasms.

Reduced expression of the claudin-7 gene correlates with venous invasion and liver metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Claudins, members of a large family of adherent junction proteins, regulate the integrity and function of tight junctions and influence tumorigenesis. Studies have suggested that altered levels of different claudins are related to carcinoma-cell invasion and disease progression. This study examined the relationship between the relative expression of claudin genes and clinicopathological factors, especially invasion and metastasis, in patients with colorectal cancer.

Recommendation for subclass evaluation of TNM stage iva papillary thyroid carcinomas: T4aN1b patients are at risk for recurrence and survival.

Background: Although all tumor, node, metastasis system (TNM) stage IVA papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) do not seem to behave equivalently as a result of various tumor and node stages, to our knowledge, subclass evaluation has never been attempted.

Methods: We reviewed 119 stage IVA PTC patients who underwent initial thyroidectomy with modified neck dissection as curative surgery at our institution (33 male patients, 86 female patients; age 61.6 years; follow-up 87.

[A case of long-term survival of 5 years after operation and chemotherapy for type 4 gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination].

We report a case of long-term survival of 5 years after operation and chemotherapy for type 4 gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination. A 41-year-old woman underwent total gastrectomy for type 4 gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination and pancreas invasion. After operation, chemotherapy with S-1 plus PSK therapy, S-1 plus CDDP, and S-1 plus DOC was performed.

Phase II Study of S-1 Monotherapy as a First-line, Combination Therapy of S-1 plus Cisplatin as a Second-line, and Weekly Paclitaxel Monotherapy as a Third-line Therapy in Patients with Advanced Gastric Carcinoma: Phase II Study of S-1, S-1 plus Cisplatin, and Weekly Paclitaxel in Patients with Advanced Gastric Carcinoma.

Background: We conducted a pilot phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of S-1 as a first-line, S-1 plus cisplatin as a second-line, and weekly paclitaxel as a third-line therapy for advanced gastric cancer.

Patients And Methods: Between 2002 and 2005, 19 patients were enrolled in this study. Chemotherapy consisted of either 60 mg/m(2) of S-1 for 4 weeks at 6 weeks interval, a combination of 60 mg/m(2) S-1 for 3 weeks and 60 mg/m(2) cisplatin on day 8 at 5 weeks interval, or 60 mg/m(2) paclitaxel at day 1, 8, 15, at 4 weeks interval.

Impact of plasma tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1 on long-term survival in patients with colorectal cancer.

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) not only inhibits matrix metalloproteinases but also stimulates tumor growth. In this study, long-term follow-up results were analyzed to clarify the prognostic value of plasma TIMP-1. Preoperative plasma TIMP-1 was measured from peripheral blood samples of 87 Japanese patients with colorectal carcinoma.