Complications after Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter Study Involving 9,411 Japanese Patients.

Introduction: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered a safe and minimally invasive procedure. We previously reported that the mortality and complication rates for RFA were 0.038% (5/13,283 patients) and 3.

Prospective evaluation of prognostic impact of KIT mutations on acute myeloid leukemia with RUNX1-RUNX1T1 and CBFB-MYH11.

The prognostic impact of KIT mutation on core-binding factor acute myeloid leukemia (CBF-AML) remains controversial. We registered 199 newly diagnosed de novo CBF-AML patients, aged 16 to 64 years, who achieved complete remission. They received 3 courses of high-dose cytarabine therapy and no further treatment until hematological relapse.

Clinicopathologic analysis of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with or without c-Met expression.

Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the stomach is mainly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, and H. pylori eradication therapy is often effective. However, 20-30% of the cases of MALT lymphoma are resistant to the eradication therapy, and translocation of the API2-MALT1 gene is often found in these cases.

Analysis of Japanese patients from the AUGMENT phase III study of lenalidomide + rituximab (R) vs. rituximab + placebo in relapsed/refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) typically respond to first-line immunochemotherapy, but relapse is common. Treatment options for relapsed iNHL include chemotherapy ± rituximab and rituximab monotherapy. Lenalidomide plus rituximab (R) is an immunomodulatory regimen that enhances rituximab-mediated cytotoxicity and improves clinical activity in iNHL.

Correction to: Thalidomide maintenance therapy in Japanese myeloma patients: a multicenter, phase II clinical trial (COMET study).

The authors would like to correct the errors in the publication of the original article. The correction details are given below.

Migration of a hookwire used as a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery marker into the splenic artery.

We present a case in which a hookwire that was used as a video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) surgery marker migrated into the splenic artery. The patient was a 70-year-old man with an 18-mm ground glass nodule (GGN) in the right S2. As the GGN was not located in the peripheral part of the lung, a percutaneous hookwire was placed as a marker under CT-guided just before the surgery.

A Prospective Cohort Study to Define the Clinical Features and Outcome of Lung Cancers Harboring HER2 Aberration in Japan (HER2-CS STUDY).

Background: Human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) is a potential driver oncogene. Although HER2-targeted precision therapy has been tested in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the demographic characteristics of HER2-positive NSCLC have not been systematically defined.

Methods: Patients with pathologically confirmed stage IIIB/IV or recurrent NSCLC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 to 2, were prospectively registered.

A phase I/II trial of weekly nab-paclitaxel for pretreated non-small-cell lung cancer patients without epidermal growth factor receptor mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement.

Aim: We investigated the efficacy, safety and optimal schedule of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel monotherapy as second- or third-line treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer patients without epidermal growth factor receptor mutation and anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement.

Methods: Patients with pretreated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer without epidermal growth factor receptor mutation and anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangement were included. The patients were administered 100 mg/m of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel on days 1, 8, 15 and 22 (level 0) or on days 1, 8 and 15 (level -1) every 4 weeks during phase I of the trial.

Bortezomib-based strategy with autologous stem cell transplantation for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: a phase II study by the Japan Study Group for Cell Therapy and Transplantation (JSCT-MM12).

Background: The Japan Study Group for Cell Therapy and Transplantation (JSCT) organized a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a treatment protocol (JSCT-MM12) for multiple myeloma (MM) patients who were previously untreated and transplantation-eligible. Since bortezomib-based therapy is known to be effective for MM, the protocol is intensified more than the previous protocol (JSCT-MM10) and comprised the subsequent treatments: bortezomib + cyclophosphamide + dexamethasone (VCD) induction; bortezomib + high-dose-melphalan (B-HDM) conditioning with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT); bortezomib + thalidomide + dexamethasone (VTD) consolidation; and lenalidomide (LEN) maintenance.

Methods: Sixty-four symptomatic patients aged between 20 and 65 years were enrolled for treatment and received three cycles of VCD, followed by cyclophosphamide administration for autologous stem cell harvest and B-HDM/ASCT, and subsequently two cycles of VTD, after that LEN for 1 year.

Thalidomide maintenance therapy in Japanese myeloma patients: a multicenter, phase II clinical trial (COMET study).

A prospective, multicenter, phase II study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of thalidomide maintenance therapy at different doses in Japanese multiple myeloma (MM) patients. This study included 34 patients (median age, 74 years) who were previously treated with not more than three prior therapies and whose response status was evaluated as at least stable disease. They were randomized into Group A (no maintenance; 12 patients), Group B (50 mg thalidomide maintenance; 12 patients), and Group C (100 mg thalidomide maintenance; 10 patients), respectively.

Phase 2 Study of Afatinib Alone or Combined With Bevacizumab in Chemonaive Patients With Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Harboring EGFR Mutations: AfaBev-CS Study Protocol.

Afatinib, a second-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has demonstrated a significant survival benefit over platinum-based chemotherapy in a first-line setting in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR exon 19 deletion. In addition, we and other groups have shown there to be favorable progression-free survival (PFS) outcomes, with acceptable toxicity profiles, with bevacizumab and first-generation EGFR-TKI combination therapy. On the basis of the above, we hypothesized that a combination of bevacizumab and afatinib could potentially improve efficacy.

[State-of-the-art treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia].

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with PML-RARA is an acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a predominance of abnormal promyelocytes. Both hypergranular (typical) and microgranular (hypogranular) types exist. Previously, APL was associated with an extremely high mortality rate due to hemorrhage.

A phase II trial of EGFR-TKI readministration with afatinib in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harboring a sensitive non-T790M EGFR mutation: Okayama Lung Cancer Study Group trial 1403.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) readministration using afatinib in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a sensitive non-T790M EGFR mutation who had received cytotoxic chemotherapy after acquiring resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Methods: Eligible patients had EGFR-mutant tumors resistant to first- or second-generation EGFR-TKIs and an EGFR-TKI-free period with cytotoxic agents. Confirmation of absence of the T790M mutation was required before registration.

Correction to: Plerixafor for mobilization and collection of haematopoietic stem cells for autologous transplantation in Japanese patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a randomized phase 2 study.

The affiliation of the last author, Kenshi Suzuki has been incorrectly published in the original publication of the article. The correct affiliation is provided in this correction.

Identification of the BRAF V600E mutation in Japanese patients with hairy cell leukemia and related diseases using a quenching probe method.

Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) is a rare B-cell lymphoid malignancy that is difficult to distinguish from other morphological variants. The frequency of HCL has not been determined accurately in Japan. Recent studies revealed that the BRAF V600E mutation is the causal genetic event in HCL.

Plerixafor for mobilization and collection of haematopoietic stem cells for autologous transplantation in Japanese patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a randomized phase 2 study.

The present study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02221492) was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of plerixafor for the mobilization and collection of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for autologous transplantation in Japanese non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients. In this randomized phase 2 study, patients received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF, filgrastim) 400 µg/m²/day for up to 8 days.

Prolonged Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time and False-Positive Results for Fibrinogen and Fibrin Degradation Products in a B-Cell Lymphoma Patient.

We report a unique case of a B-cell lymphoma patient in whom IgM monoclonal gammopathy resulted in a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and false-positive results for fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products (FDPs). An 86-year-old man was referred to our hospital for further examination of abnormal cells in his peripheral blood. Laboratory data upon admission revealed an elevation of monoclonal IgM, presence of FDPs and marked prolongation of APTT (>180 s).

[Rectal Mucinous Cancer with Submucosal Tumor-Like Morphology Preoperatively Diagnosed Using EUS-FNAB - A Case Report].

A man in his 70s presented with a chiefcomplaint ofbleeding during bowel movements. Subsequent colonoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor-like elevated lesion ofapproximately 4 cm situated in the sigmoid section ofthe rectum. EUS-FNAB was performed, and the lesion was identified as mucinous cancer.

[A Case of Anal Canal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Detected with Anal Stenosis Eight Years Following Resection for Rectal Adenocarcinoma].

An 89-year-old woman underwent low anterior resection for rectal adenocarcinoma(Ra, pT3N0M0, pStage II , Cur A)in 2008. In February 2016, she underwent an outpatient examination because of a defecation disturbance. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and the stenotic region was biopsied.

A multi-institution phase II study of docetaxel and S-1 in combination with trastuzumab for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (DASH study).

Background: Trastuzumab when combined with fluoropyrimidine and cisplatin was proven to improve survival in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive gastric cancer (GC) in the ToGA study. The safety and efficacy of trastuzumab in combination with docetaxel and S-1 have not yet been evaluated.

Methods: This study was a multicenter, phase II study.