Detection of circulating gastric cancer cells in peripheral blood using real time quantitative RT-PCR.

Background/aims: Detection of occult cancer cells in peripheral blood or bone marrow has recently received a great deal of attention regarding the prediction of postoperative recurrence of the cancer, and for novel strategies of adjuvant therapy. This study addresses the detection of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood in patients with gastric cancer using Quantitative RT-PCR.

Methodology: Common mRNA targets for RT-PCR for detection of small numbers of cancer cells in gastric cancer are CK18, CK19, CK20, and CEA.

Pharmacokinetics of gamma-hydroxybutylic acid (GHB) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), the anti-angiogenic metabolites of oral fluoropyrimidine UFT, in patients with gastric cancer.

Gamma-hydroxybutylic acid (GHB) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), the metabolites of UFT, which is an oral fluoropyrimidine, have been reported to inhibit angiogenesis with IC50 values of 25.8 ng/ml. The pharmacokinetics of GHB and GBL were examined after the administration of UFT in patients with gastric cancer.

Overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha and p53 is a marker for an unfavorable prognosis in gastric cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and p53 on the prognosis of human gastric cancer, the clinicopathologic characteristics of the tumors and the clinical outcome were analyzed.

Experimental Design: The expressions of HIF-1alpha and p53 proteins were studied by immunohistochemistry in 216 specimens of primary gastric cancer.

Results: HIF-1alpha(+)/p53(+) tumors more frequently showed an undifferentiated type, an infiltrative growth appearance, and an invasive lymphatic involvement compared with HIF-1alpha(-)/p53(-) tumors.

Two modes of microsatellite instability in human cancer: differential connection of defective DNA mismatch repair to dinucleotide repeat instability.

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is associated with defective DNA mismatch repair in various human malignancies. Using a unique fluorescent technique, we have observed two distinct modes of dinucleotide microsatellite alterations in human colorectal cancer. Type A alterations are defined as length changes of < or =6 bp.

Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 and tumor angiogenesis in human gastric cancer.

Background/aims: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein is overexpressed in various cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colon, and pancreatic. To better comprehend the role of COX-2 in gastric cancer, especially with regard to angiogenesis, we investigated COX-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and microvessel density (MVD) in 108 patients with gastric cancer.

Methodology: We used immunohistochemical analysis of formalin-fixed tissues of gastric cancer.

Role of surgery in the patients with stage I and II primary gastric lymphoma.

Background/aims: Primary gastric lymphoma is a relatively rare disease. As the concept of MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) lymphoma has been acknowledged, a relation between primary gastric lymphoma and Helicobacter pylori infection seems apparent, appropriate treatment, including surgical resection, and/or chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy has remained controversial.

Methodology: Between 1974 and 1996, we treated 85 Japanese patients with histologically proven primary gastric lymphomas (stage I and II according to modified Ann Arbor staging) with surgery, and/or adjuvant chemotherapy.

Hyperthermia for rectal cancer.

Background: In order to improve the clinical results of rectal cancer, hyperthermia has been prescribed in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The techniques of hyperthermia and their clinical applications to rectal cancer were reviewed.

Methods: The development of heating devices has been intensively investigated, including external heating devices, intraluminal heating devices, circulation of warmed saline solution, and whole body hyperthermia.

Estimation of angiogenesis with anti-CD105 immunostaining in the process of colorectal cancer development.

Background: The expression of panendothelial markers (eg, CD34, CD31, and factor VIII) is not always observed in angiogenic vessels, and such markers are not useful for measuring angiogenesis. In contrast, CD105 is preferentially expressed in angiogenic vessels and thus may be valuable for measuring angiogenesis. We hypothesized that microvessel quantification by means of CD105 might be useful for measuring angiogenesis in the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence.

Microsatellite instability in cancer: what problems remain unanswered?

Analyses of microsatellite instability have been prevalent, particularly in the field of oncology. However, the literature on this subject is diverse. The discrepancies may derive from methodological problems in the conventional techniques used for analysis.

Angiogenesis as a target for gastric cancer.

Background: The growth of solid tumors and the formation of metastases depend on angiogenesis. Both tumor cells and host cells secrete a variety of factors to stimulate angiogenesis.

Methods: We investigated the expression of angiogenic factors in gastric cancer in vitro and in vivo.