Effect of abdominal aortic calcification on long-term outcomes after the first liver resection in very old patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: We previously reported that abdominal aortic calcification is associated with poor overall and recurrence-free survival after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the effect of abdominal aortic calcification on cancer-specific prognosis in very old patients with several comorbidities remains unknown. This multicenter study aimed to evaluate the impact of abdominal aortic calcification on the cumulative recurrence rate and recurrence-free survival in patients with HCC aged >80 years.

Influenza A Infection With Virus-Associated Pneumonia and Hemorrhagic Shock and Encephalopathy Syndrome in an Adult.

Hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome (HSES) is a subtype of influenza-associated encephalopathy (IAE) and primarily occurs in infants. It presents with high fever, disorder of consciousness, convulsions, and shock, which rapidly progress to watery diarrhea, as well as liver and renal dysfunction. HSES is extremely rare in adults, with few reported cases worldwide.

Sex differences in toxicities and survival outcomes among Japanese patients with Stage III colorectal cancer receiving adjuvant fluoropyrimidine monotherapy: A pooled analysis of 4 randomized controlled trials (JCOG2310A).

Background: Fluoropyrimidine remains the key agent of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colorectal cancer (CRC). Western studies have shown that female sex is a favorable prognostic factor after surgery, but it is also a risk factor for adverse events (AEs) during adjuvant chemotherapy with fluoropyrimidine. However, little is known about whether sex differences in treatment outcomes exist in this setting in the Asian population.

Clinical outcome and long‑term prognosis after endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal tumors in patients aged 75 years or older: a retrospective observational study.

Purpose: To determine the clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colorectal tumors in older patients and predictors of mortality.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 207 lesions in 195 consecutive older patients aged ≥ 75 years who underwent ESD for colorectal tumors between January 2007 and December 2018. Outcomes of ESD were evaluated, and the prognosis was assessed in terms of both curability and the patient's baseline physical condition as determined by several indices.

A Case of Anti-OJ Antibody-positive Antisynthetase Myopathy Diagnosed after Pulmonary Embolization.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, such as dermatomyositis, are implicated as possible risk factors for venous thromboembolism. We herein report the first known case of a 50-year-old woman who presented to our hospital with a fever, chest pain, and elevated creatine kinase levels and was ultimately diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and anti-OJ antibody-positive antisynthetase myopathy. Dermatomyositis may increase the risk of venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism.

Predictors of tolerability for postoperative adjuvant S1 plus docetaxel chemotherapy for gastric cancer: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Adjuvant docetaxel plus S1 (DS) chemotherapy after gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection is the standard treatment for stage III gastric cancer in Japan; however, some patients are unable to receive adequate drug administration because of the deterioration of their conditions. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between tolerability for postoperative adjuvant DS chemotherapy and prognosis, and the factors affecting tolerability.

Methods: This retrospective study involved patients with stage III gastric cancer who underwent curative resection between 2018 and 2021 from a multicenter database.

Efficacy and safety of the contralateral approach to vascular lesions in the vertebral artery: patient series.

Background: Endovascular treatment is preferred over microsurgical clipping for intracranial aneurysms in the posterior circulation. However, access to lesions, particularly those in the regions of the vertebral artery (VA) and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA), is technically challenging in terms of the vessel diameter of the ipsilateral VA or the branching angle of the PICA.

Observations: Nine cases of intracranial aneurysms in the region of the PICA, which were endovascularly treated with an approach beyond the vertebrobasilar junction (VBJ) from the contralateral VA in the last 4 years, are described herein.

Diagnostic performance of TILs-US score and LPBC in biopsy specimens for predicting pathological complete response in patients with breast cancer.

Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes-ultrasonography (TILs-US) score is used to predict lymphocyte-predominant breast cancer (LPBC) in surgical specimens. We aimed to compare diagnostic performance of TILs-US score for predicting pathological complete response (pCR) with that of LPBC in biopsy specimens.

Methods: TILs ≥ 50% in biopsy specimens was defined as biopsy-LPBC, and TILs-US score ≥ 4 was categorized as TILs-US score-high.

Evaluation of prognostic efficacy of liver immune status index in predicting postoperative outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: A multi-institutional retrospective study.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks third in cancer-related deaths globally. Despite treatment advances, high post-hepatectomy recurrence rates (RR), especially with liver fibrosis and hepatitis C virus infection, remain challenging. Key prognostic factors include vascular invasion and perioperative blood loss, impacting extrahepatic recurrence.

Dose modification in enzalutamide and abiraterone plus prednisolone for castration-resistant prostate cancer: A subanalysis from the ENABLE study for PCa.

Background: A head-to-head comparison between enzalutamide (ENZ) and abiraterone plus prednisolone (ABI) revealed similar survival benefits for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in the ENABLE study for PCa. Considering that a dose reduction of ENZ and ABI has demonstrated sufficient inhibitory ability of androgen receptor (AR) signaling, we analyzed the efficacy of modified doses of these agents in the ENABLE study for PCa.

Methods: This investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized controlled trial that was conducted in Japan analyzed the prespecified survival endpoints, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate ( ≥50% decline from baseline), and safety profile in patients treated with modified doses (ENZ ≤ 120 mg/day, ABI ≤ 750 mg/day) compared with those treated with a standard dose (ENZ 160 mg/day, ABI 1000 mg/day) as a starting dose.

A Case of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Revealed Transient Positivity of Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD) Antibodies Following Immunoglobulin Administrations.

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies are frequently measured in diabetes care as islet-associated autoantibodies that are useful in the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. However, GAD antibodies derived from other persons may contaminate immunoglobulin preparations, and there have been cases of transiently positive GAD antibodies after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in patients who were originally negative for GAD antibodies. Clinicians may be unaware of such contamination and misdiagnose some cases as type 1 instead of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on positivity for GAD antibodies.

Clinical manifestations and outcomes associated with a high 2HELPS2B score in patients with acute impaired consciousness.

Purpose: The 2HELPS2B score is an invaluable tool for assessing seizure risk in critically ill patients with unconsciousness. However, this can be challenging for non-epileptologists to use owing to its reliance on electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis. Thus, identifying clinical manifestations associated with high 2HELPS2B scores is crucial.

Vertical margin distance in T1 colorectal carcinoma resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection affects prognosis after additional surgery.

Unlabelled: PURPOSE : A vertical margin (VM) distance of < 500 µm is a risk factor for recurrence in patients with T1 colorectal carcinoma (CRC) resected by endoscopy. We aimed to determine the effects of the VM distance on the recurrence and prognosis of T1 CRC.

Methods: We enrolled 168 patients with T1 CRC who underwent additional surgery after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) at multiple centers between 2008 and 2016.

A case of diabetic ketoacidosis with prurigo pigmentosa as a dermadrome.

Hyperketonemia is a risk factor for prurigo pigmentosa; therefore, diabetic ketosis and ketoacidosis as background diseases are more frequent in prurigo pigmentosa. However, it is underrecognized by clinicians and easily missed. Herein, we present a case of diabetic ketoacidosis in which prurigo pigmentosa was recognized as a dermadrome.

Adipsic hypernatremia with marked hyperprolactinemia and GH deficiency in a 9-year-old boy.

Adipsic hypernatremia is typically caused by congenital dysplasia of the hypothalamus and pituitary or brain tumors. However, cases of adipsic hypernatremia without underlying organic abnormalities are rare, and some cases have been reported to be complicated by hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction. The patient in this case was a 9-yr-old boy who was referred to our hospital because of hypernatremia.

Evaluation of output factors of different radiotherapy planning systems using Exradin W2 plastic scintillator detector.

This study aims to evaluate the output factors (OPF) of different radiation therapy planning systems (TPSs) using a plastic scintillator detector (PSD). The validation results for determining a practical field size for clinical use were verified. The implemented validation system was an Exradin W2 PSD.

Evaluation of the advantage of surgeons certified by the endoscopic surgical skill qualification system participating in laparoscopic low anterior rectal resection.

Background: A technical qualification system was developed in 2004 by the Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery. An analysis of the EnSSURE study on 3188 stage II-III rectal cancer patients, which was performed by including the participation of qualified surgeons as assistants and advisers without restricting their participation as operators, revealed that the participation of technically qualified surgeons in surgery improved the technical and oncological safety of laparoscopic rectal resection.

Aim: This secondary retrospective analysis of the EnSSURE study examined the advantage of qualified surgeons participating in laparoscopic low anterior resection (LAR).

Myelin-Specific microRNA-23a/b Cluster Deletion Inhibits Myelination in the Central Nervous System during Postnatal Growth and Aging.

Microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) comprising miR-23a/b clusters, specifically miR-23a and miR-27a, are recognized for their divergent roles in myelination within the central nervous system. However, cluster-specific miRNA functions remain controversial as miRNAs within the same cluster have been suggested to function complementarily. This study aims to clarify the role of miR-23a/b clusters in myelination using mice with a miR-23a/b cluster deletion (KO mice), specifically in myelin expressing proteolipid protein (PLP).