Treatment strategy changes for inflammatory bowel diseases in biologic era: results from a multicenter cohort in Japan, Far East 1000.

Many molecular targeted agents, including biologics, have emerged for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), but their high prices have prevented their widespread use. This study aimed to reveal the changes in patient characteristics and the therapeutic strategies of IBD before and after the implementation of biologics in Japan, where the unique health insurance system allows patients with IBD and physicians to select drugs with minimum patient expenses. The analysis was performed using a prospective cohort, including IBD expert and nonexpert hospitals in Japan.

Hyperprogressive disease during atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma from Japanese real-world practice.

Background: Hyperprogressive disease (HPD) is a phenomenon with greatly accelerated tumor growth and clinical deterioration rates compared to pre-therapy, in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). The aim of this study is to clarify the reality of HPD in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Atez/Bev) using tumor dynamics.

Methods: Medical records of consecutive patients with advanced HCC who were treated with Atez/Bev were retrospectively reviewed.

Use of ramucirumab for various treatment lines in real-world practice of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Ramucirumab was shown to be effective as a second-line treatment after sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with alpha-fetoprotein levels > 400 ng/mL in a worldwide phase 3 trial. Ramucirumab is used in patients pretreated with various systemic therapies in clinical practice. We retrospectively examined the treatment outcomes of ramucirumab administered to advanced HCC patients after diverse systemic therapies.

Clinical effects and emerging issues of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma from Japanese real-world practice.

Background: Although the efficacy of atezolizumab has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials, its long-term efficacy and association with adverse events in real-world practice are unknown. This study was designed to shed light on these issues.

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, data were collected from patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in seven institutions in Japan.

Carbon-ion radiotherapy versus radiofrequency ablation as initial treatment for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: Carbon-ion radiotherapy (C-ion RT) has shown potential as a curative treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, no reports have compared the effectiveness of C-ion RT and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes between C-ion RT and RFA for patients with early-stage HCC.

Posttreatment after Lenvatinib in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: There is no standard posttreatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in whom lenvatinib therapy has failed. This study aimed to investigate rates of migration to posttreatment after lenvatinib and to explore candidates for second-line agents in the patients with failed lenvatinib therapy.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data on patients with advanced HCC who received lenvatinib as the first-line agent in 7 institutions.

Suspicion of superior mesenteric artery syndrome in a patient with severe gastric dilatation after catheter ablation.

Catheter ablation is a widely used treatment for atrial fibrillation. Gastric hypomotility due to periesophageal vagal plexus injury is a consequence of the extracardiac penetration of ablative energy. Some affected patients develop severe gastric dilatation requiring hospitalization.

Response to peginterferon-alfa 2b and ribavirin in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 2.

Background: The current standard treatment for patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) of genotype 2 is the combination of peginterferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) for 24 weeks.

Aims: We assessed the sustained virological response (SVR) rates in HCV genotype 2-infected Japanese patients in relation to the duration of treatment.

Methods: Between 2006 and 2009, among 147 patients with HCV genotype 2-infection in Chiba Prefecture, 138 consecutive patients were finally enrolled.

[A pilot study of TS-1+CDDP therapy for highly advanced stage IV gastric cancer].

We performed a pilot study of combination chemotherapy with TS-1 and cisplatin for highly advanced gastric cancer. From June 2002, 12 patients with multiple liver metastases, carcinomatous lymphangitis or peritoneal dissemination, were enrolled in the study. TS-1 was administered at a daily dose on day 1-21 and an intermediate-dose of cisplatin (60 mg/m2) was administered on day 8.