Activation of the beta-catenin gene by interstitial deletions involving exon 3 as an early event in colorectal tumorigenesis.

beta-Catenin has been identified as an oncogene in several tumors including colorectal cancers. beta-Catenin gene is activated by interstitial deletions involving exon 3 in colorectal carcinomas of Japanese population, in contrast to amino acid substitutions detected among Caucasian population. The aim of this study was to examine the type and frequency of beta-catenin gene mutation during early stages of colorectal tumorigenesis.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance images of hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation with histological grading.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been used for the detection of hepatic tumors. However, little is known about this technique in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate whether SPIO-enhanced MR imaging can be useful in assessing histological grades of HCC.

Molecular and biological analysis of carcinoma of the small intestine: beta-catenin gene mutation by interstitial deletion involving exon 3 and replication error phenotype.

The genetic mechanisms of carcinomas of the small intestine are not well understood. We report the results of analysis of genetic alterations in a case of small intestinal carcinoma. A tumor in the terminal ileum was resected in a 59-yr-old woman.

[A case of functioning parathyroid cyst].

We report a rare case of primary hyperparathyroidism with a functioning parathyroid cyst in a 45-year-old male. He was a recurrent stone former, and consulted our hospital for further examinations of hypercalcemia. Plasma levels of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) were elevated to 130 pg/ml.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with marked hypervascularity.

Two rare cases of small intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with marked hypervascularity are reported. Dynamic computed tomographic and magnetic resonance images of the two cases revealed strong enhancement of the whole tumor on the early phase and prolonged enhancement on the late and delayed phases. In both cases, the tumors turned out to be well-differentiated tubular cholangiocarcinoma that contained a large number of tumor cells and few interstitial fibrous tissues.

Relation of interferon therapy and hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Osaka Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prevention Study Group.

Background: The effect of interferon therapy on the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C is poorly defined.

Objective: To compare the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in interferon-treated patients with chronic hepatitis C to that of historical controls and to examine whether response to therapy is related to incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Successful endoscopic injection sclerotherapy with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate following the recurrence of bleeding soon after endoscopic ligation for ruptured duodenal varices.

Bleeding from duodenal varices in a 63-yr-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver was found at endoscopy, and ligation surgery was carried out. Ten months after the operation, bleeding from the duodenal varices occurred and was treated by endoscopic ligation. However, after performing this procedure, bleeding again occurred 1 week later.

[Low-dose cytarabine ocfosfate therapy in an elderly acute myelogenous leukemia].

A 71-year-old man was admitted for severe anemia. Bone marrow puncture revealed 48% of blast cells. A diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML-M 4) was made.

Infantile granulomatous urachal abscess with acute localized peritonitis and appendicitis.

Infected urachal remnants in early childhood are occasionally seen. However, intraperitoneal penetration of an infected urachal remnant, resulting in acute peritonitis, is rare. We report a case of infantile granulomatous urachal abscess extending into the peritoneum and appendix.

Paratesticular myxoma.

We report a case of paratesticular myxoma. These tumors, which arise from mesenchymal tissues, occur in a variety of sites, the most common being subcutaneous tissues and skeletal muscles but they rarely have been reported to originate in the paratesticular region. The differential diagnosis of other mesenchymal neoplasms of the paratesticular area is discussed.

Primary liposarcoma of the omentum.

This report is of a 54 year old female with omental liposarcoma. Diagnosis was made by ultrasonography, computed tomography, angiography and operation. The patient was treated by surgical excision.

[Trans-activating function of integrated hepatitis B virus].

HBV DNAs are often found in integrated form in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Since transactivation of the X gene has been shown, surveys of collections of HBV integrants with flanking cellular sequence were performed to clarify whether they might exhibit a transactivation. The majority of integrants showed transactivation effect which may to be due to the virus-cell fusion products derived from the 3' truncated X gene.

Primary round cell liposarcoma of the omentum. A case report.

Liposarcomas are the most common of the malignant soft tissue tumors arising in the mediastinum and retroperitoneum. We have treated patients for round cell liposarcoma, an unusual histologic subtype, which is reported to be histologically mistaken for Ewing's sarcoma, lymphoma and other round cell neoplasms. The successful resection of a 2,300-g round cell liposarcoma of the omentum was recently performed at our hospital.

Growth inhibition of RPMI 8226 human myeloma cells by peripheral blood lymphocytes.

To clarify the components of cellular immunity responsible for defense against the clonal development of myeloma cells, we tested the capacity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) to inhibit the growth of 3 human myeloma cell lines (RPMI 8226, OPM-1, and OPM-2). RPMI 8226 was found to be sensitive to PBLs, showing almost complete growth arrest when cultured with PBLs for 72 h. Inhibition of the growth of RPMI 8226 cells required direct cell-to-cell contact but not presensitization of the PBLs to the target cells, and did not depend on the generation of soluble factors.

Diagnostic value of Lipiodol injection in focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver.

We encountered a case of small focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver. It was difficult to distinguish FNH from hepatocellular carcinoma by means of sonography, computed tomography (CT), and angiography. After the injection of Lipiodol, it accumulated densely on FNH, but was washed away after a short time, as observed on the follow-up CT.

Veno-occlusive disease of the liver in a patient with allergic granulomatous angiitis.

A 45-yr-old woman, with asthma and skin erythema, was diagnosed as having allergic granulomatous angiitis. Leukocytosis accompanied by hypereosinophilia and characteristic histological findings of skin lesions also were present. Upon laparoscopy and liver biopsy, the liver showed a congestive appearance and, histologically, showed thickening of the central vein walls, as well as narrowing of the lumens with collagenous fibers, and pericentral hemorrhage with hepatocyte degeneration.