Histone methyltransferase SUV420H1/KMT5B contributes to poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high rate of recurrence and poor prognosis, even after curative surgery. Multikinase inhibitors have been applied for HCC patients, but their effect has been restricted. This study aims to clarify the clinical impact of SUV420H1/KMT5B, one of the methyltransferases for histone H4 at lysine 20, and elucidate the novel mechanisms of HCC progression.

Overexpression of KDM5B/JARID1B is associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has high potential for recurrence, even in curative operative cases. Although several molecular-targeting drugs have been applied to recurrent HCC, their effectiveness has been limited. This study therefore aims to develop novel cancer drugs through protein methylation.

Depth of Hepatic Infiltration and Lymph Node Swelling as Factors for Considering Surgery for T2-4 Gallbladder Carcinoma Patients.

Background/aim: The aim of the present study was to clarify if the degree of hepatic infiltration and lymph node swelling of gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) should be held as deciding factors for T2-4 GBC patients to undergo surgery.

Patients And Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with T2-4 GBC who underwent surgery were reviewed retrospectively. We investigated the preoperative information and imaging factors as predictors of survival.

Prognostic impact of surgery and radiofrequency ablation on single nodular HCC ⩽5 cm: Cohort study based on serum HCC markers.

Background & Aims: Serological markers of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) indicate its invasiveness. We aimed to investigate whether the prognostic impact of surgical resection (SR) and radiofrequency thermal ablation (RFA) on patients with single nodular HCC ⩽5cm were different regarding positive conditions of the following three HCC markers: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP); lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of AFP; and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin.

Methods: This study reviewed 296 patients with single nodular HCC ⩽5cm with Child-Pugh grade A between 2001 and 2011 (SR, n=136; RFA, n=160).

Whole-genome mutational landscape of liver cancers displaying biliary phenotype reveals hepatitis impact and molecular diversity.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma show varying degrees of biliary epithelial differentiation, which can be defined as liver cancer displaying biliary phenotype (LCB). LCB is second in the incidence for liver cancers with and without chronic hepatitis background and more aggressive than hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To gain insight into its molecular alterations, we performed whole-genome sequencing analysis on 30 LCBs.

Integrated analysis of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing reveals diverse transcriptomic aberrations driven by somatic genomic changes in liver cancers.

Recent studies applying high-throughput sequencing technologies have identified several recurrently mutated genes and pathways in multiple cancer genomes. However, transcriptional consequences from these genomic alterations in cancer genome remain unclear. In this study, we performed integrated and comparative analyses of whole genomes and transcriptomes of 22 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and their matched controls.

Whole-genome sequencing of liver cancers identifies etiological influences on mutation patterns and recurrent mutations in chromatin regulators.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. We sequenced and analyzed the whole genomes of 27 HCCs, 25 of which were associated with hepatitis B or C virus infections, including two sets of multicentric tumors. Although no common somatic mutations were identified in the multicentric tumor pairs, their whole-genome substitution patterns were similar, suggesting that these tumors developed from independent mutations, although their shared etiological backgrounds may have strongly influenced their somatic mutation patterns.

Combined intraoperative use of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography imaging using a sonazoid and fluorescence navigation system with indocyanine green during anatomical hepatectomy.

Purpose: The clear demarcation line is ideal for real-time surgical navigation imaging during hepatectomy.

Methods: The study population was comprised of 22 patients with moderate liver cirrhosis scheduled to undergo an anatomical liver resection for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. This study set out to assess the clinical value of the concomitant intra-operative use of contrast-enhanced intra-operative ultrasound using Sonazoid™, and a fluorescence navigation system (PDE) with ICG, as a novel tool for patients undergoing an anatomical liver resection.

Adjuvant chemolipiodolization reduces early recurrence derived from intrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.

Background: The recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma is still high even after surgery. Two general recurrence patterns occur: intrahepatic metastasis (IM) and multicentric carcinogenesis (MC). The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of adjuvant chemolipiodolization for reducing IM or MC recurrences after surgery.

A laparoscopic splenectomy allows the induction of antiviral therapy for patients with cirrhosis associated with hepatitis C virus.

It is difficult to treat patients with cirrhosis-associated hepatitis C with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin because of thrombocytopenia-related hypersplenism. Both safety and clinical efficacy were retrospectively analyzed for patients who underwent a laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) from January 2003 to December 2007. A total of 35 patients with cirrhosis associated with hepatitis C virus had LS for thrombocytopenia before PEG-IFN and ribavirin therapy, and all patients had thrombocytopenia, which was a contraindication for antiviral therapy.

Rectal obstruction by a giant pharmacobezoar composed of magnesium oxide: report of a case.

This report presents the rare case of a 75-year-old woman who developed a rectal obstruction caused by a pharmacobezoar, following the long-term ingestion of magnesium oxide cathartics for constipation. She was admitted to the hospital with lower abdominal pain and nausea. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed that a huge calcified mass caused the rectal obstruction.

Combined use of contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasonography and a fluorescence navigation system for identifying hepatic metastases.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the concomitant use of contrast-enhanced intraoperative ultrasound (CE-IOUS) using the new microbubble agent Sonazoid, and to assess the fluorescence navigation system (Photo Dynamic Eye, or PDE) using indocyanine green (ICG) as a novel tool for identifying colorectal metastatic lesions compared with preoperative contrast-enhanced multiple row-detected computed tomography (MDCT) and gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI.

Methods: Thirty-two patients who underwent a liver resection for colorectal metastatic carcinoma from 2008 to 2009 were included in the present study. ICG was intravenously injected within 2 weeks of the operation.