Morphological changes of the filamentous fungus Mucor mucedo and inhibition of chitin synthase activity induced by anethole.

trans-Anethole (anethole), a major component of anise oil, has a broad antimicrobial spectrum with antimicrobial activity relatively weaker than those of well-known antibiotics, and significantly enhances the antifungal activity of polygodial and dodecanol against the baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. However, the antifungal mechanism of anethole is unresolved. Anethole demonstrated antifungal activity against the filamentous fungus, Mucor mucedo IFO 7684, accompanied by hyphal morphological changes such as swollen hyphae at the tips.

Surgical repair of esophagobronchial fistula caused by radiation injury.

We present an unusual case of a benign esophagobronchial fistula caused by radiotherapy to treat esophageal carcinoma which was closed successfully. A 62-year-old man with superficial squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus underwent radiotherapy, including 60 Gy externally and 10 Gy intraluminally from January to March 1995. Esophagography revealed a fistula between the esophagus and left main stem bronchus on January 14, 1996.

Causes of death and pattern of recurrence after esophagectomy and extended lymphadenectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus.

Improved understanding of how esophageal cancer behaves following curative resection, including knowledge of other causes of death, is essential for informed decision making. The medical records of 246 consecutive patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus who had undergone esophagectomy and lymphadenectomy of the neck, chest, and abdomen that was deemed macroscopically curative, were reviewed. Patients who had had other malignancies or anticancer treatment were excluded.

[A case of gastric cancer in the stomach wall used for mediastinal reconstruction after esophagectomy in which surgery was abandoned due to advanced age and complications but TS-1 was useful].

The patient was a 78-year-old man. Gastric cancer, type 3, was diagnosed by endoscopy in the subtotal stomach used for posterior mediastinal reconstruction after resection of thoracic esophageal cancer. Surgery was not considered to be feasible in this case because of cerebral infarction and decreased pulmonary functions; instead, the patient received TS-1 chemotherapy.