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Objectives In the 9th edition of the Japanese Classification of Colorectal, Appendiceal, and Anal Carcinoma (JCCRC), ovarian metastasis is classified as distant metastasis. We assessed the significance of resection of ovarian metastases and the validity of this 9th edition of JCCRC for ovarian metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological factors and overall survival of 17 patients with ovarian metastases from CRC who underwent resection and 110 female CRC patients with Stage IV (M1a) disease. Results The patients with only ovarian metastases who underwent resection had a longer median survival time than patients with both ovarian and peritoneal metastases who underwent resection (45.4 months vs. 9.3 months, P = 0.029). The 5-year overall survival of the patients with only ovarian metastases who underwent R0 resection was as long as that of the female Stage IV (M1a) CRC patients after R0 resection (50% vs. 48%, P = 0.334). Conclusions We found that, after resection, patients with only ovarian metastases had significantly better prognoses than patients with ovarian and peritoneal metastases. R0 resection of ovarian metastasis indicated as good prognosis as R0 resection of metastasis to one distant organ without ovaries. So the 9th edition of JCCRC, which classifies ovarian metastasis from CRC as distant metastasis, is appropriate.

Background Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been applied to patients with a history of abdominal surgery, we lack data on the surgical outcome of LC in patients with a history of gastrectomy. Here, we assessed the outcomes of LC and investigated predictive factors for conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery in patients with a gastrectomy history. Patients and methods We retrospectively compared the surgical outcomes of LC between patients with and without a history of gastrectomy. We performed multivariate regressions to identify independent predictive factors for open conversion during an LC. Results Among 2235 patients who underwent LCs, 39 (1.7%) had undergone a previous gastrectomy (29 men, 10 women; mean age, 72 y; 34 with distal gastrectomy and 5 with total gastrectomy). The operation time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stays, and conversion rate were significantly worse in patients with, compared with those without the history of gastrectomy. Conversion during an LC in the cases with a history of gastrectomy was significantly correlated with age and the type of gastrectomy. Conclusions These results suggested that LC in patients with a history of gastrectomy exhibited worse outcomes in terms of operation time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay, and conversion rate than those without it. Furthermore, it was also implied that age and the type of gastrectomy were significant predictive factors for conversion during an LC in patients with a history of gastrectomy.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation(DIC)has a poor prognosis in gastric cancer. The patient was a 78-year-old man. He had been diagnosed with Stage Ⅳ gastric cancer. Before chemotherapy, thrombocytopenia and elevated D-dimer occurred, and we diagnosed DIC. We started SOX therapy to treat gastric cancer with DIC. DIC improved on the 10th day after the onset of DIC. But developed DIC again on the 21st day. We started SOX therapy again. However, the DIC did not improve. The patient died 32 days after the initial DIC. Oxaliplatin regimen may be a potential treatment for DIC.

Pancreatic fistula (PF) is a common and serious complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). However, few studies have discussed the time required for PF healing in patients with this complication. This study investigates the PF healing time (PF-HT) and its association with findings of postoperative fistulography performed via the drainage tubes. The subjects of this study were 35 patients with PF among a total of 144 patients who underwent PD for periampullary diseases in our hospital. PF-HT, which was defined as the duration from the first postoperative fistulography to removal of the drainage tubes, was assessed in the enrolled patients. Fistulography findings were classified into four types based on fluid collection and communication with the jejunal loop. We investigated the factors affecting the PF-HT, including the fistulography findings. The average PF-HT was 22 ± 20 days. Multivariate analysis revealed that the fistulography type was the only independent factor that affected PF-HT significantly. The PF-HT was significantly shorter in patients without fluid collection than in those with fluid collection. Moreover, those patients with fluid collection and a communication had a significantly shorter PF-HT than those without a communication. We found that fistulography findings were significantly associated with the PF-HT. This suggests that fistulography findings could help to predict the time needed for PF healing.

// Yuji Ueda 1 , 2 , 3 , Koichi Kawamoto 1 , 2 , 3 , Masamitsu Konno 2 , 3 , Kozo Noguchi 1 , 2 , Satoru Kaifuchi 4 , Taroh Satoh 3 , Hidetoshi Eguchi 1 , Yuichiro Doki 1 , Takaaki Hirotsu 4 , 5 , Masaki Mori 1 and Hideshi Ishii 2 , 3 1 Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan 2 Department of Medical Data Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan 3 Department of Frontier Science for Cancer and Chemotherapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan 4 Hirotsu Bioscience Co., Ltd., Tokyo 107-0062, Japan 5 Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan Correspondence to: Hideshi Ishii, email: hishii@gesurg.med.osaka-u.ac.jp Keywords: early detection; pancreatic cancer; C. elegans; genetically-engineered mice Abbreviations: PDAC: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; C.elegans: Caenorhabditis elegans Received: July 02, 2019 Accepted: July 17, 2019 Published: September 10, 2019 ABSTRACT Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits a very early onset of metastasis. Thus, early detection and treatment are pivotal to successful eradication of pancreatic cancers. Economical and non-invasive cancer screening systems is indispensable for this purpose. Previously our group developed a novel method to detect various kinds of human cancer using nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) that respond to cancer odor in urine; however, whether this method is useful for non-human species remains to be understood. In this study, we examined its effectiveness in the detection of murine pancreatic tumor spontaneously generated in genetically-engineered mice. We generated pancreas-specific Kras G12D and/or c-Met deletion mutant mice and measured the probability of spontaneous tumor generation in these mice. The chemotactic indexes of C. elegans to the urine samples of these mutant mice were measured. As previously described, oncogenic Kras G12D was necessary to induce pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia in this mouse model, while c -Met mutation did not show further effect. The chemotactic analysis indicated that C. elegans avoids urine of healthy recipient mice, while they tended to be attracted to urine of mice with Kras G12D . Our study demonstrated that C. elegans can recognize the odor of pancreatic cancer in urine of Kras G12D model mouse, suggesting the similarity of cancer odor between species. Our result facilitates further studies on mechanism of cancer detection by C. elegans .

Follicular cholangitis is a new, rare disease that causes severe biliary stricture. We herein describe the findings from a resected case of follicular cholangitis, suggesting a distinct disease entity that causes benign biliary stricture. A 60-year-old man who was referred to our hospital due to elevated γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels and dilatation of the B8 bile duct. Although bile juice cytology and bile duct brushing cytology showed no malignancy, the dilatation was progressive. Therefore, right hepatectomy combined with caudate lobectomy was carried out on suspicion of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The wall of the resected bile duct was markedly thickened due to severe fibrosis under the mucosal layer. Histology of the mucosal epithelium indicated no malignancy. Infiltration of plasma cells characterized by remarkable formation of lymphoid follicles with germinal centers was observed around the bile ducts. The patient was diagnosed with follicular cholangitis based on histological findings. We thus observed a rare case of follicular cholangitis. This case and review of published reports suggest that, despite its rarity, follicular cholangitis should be considered at the differential diagnosis of biliary stricture. This case report could contribute to a better understanding of how to address this disease.

A 60s-year-old male, who had laparoscopic partial colectomy with resection of left colic artery for descending colon cancer 8 years ago and completed 5-year-follow-up without the evidence of recurrence, was diagnosed as anastomotic recurrence of descending colon cancer, and referred to our hospital. We planned and safely performed single-incision laparoscopic colectomy(SILC)with intracorporeal anastomosis(ICA)(operation time of 390 min and estimated blood loss of 60 g). Following the adhesiolysis, the intracorporeal resection of the lesion was performed with automatic stapling device preserving middle colic and inferior mesenteric arteries and veins. Then, after the recovery of the specimen, ICA was performed as follows; after making a small hole just below the staple line at the opposite side of mesenteric attachment, the oral and the anal stump of colon was pulled-up and placed side-by-side with temporary strings and automatic suturing device was inserted into the holes and fired to form a side-to-side anastomosis, then the common stab incision was pulled- up with 3 temporary strings and closed with a stapler. The postoperative course was smooth and discharged on postoperative day 8. The ICA can be a good option for SILC when colonic and vascular tension would be the limiting factor of anastomosis.

The patient was a 60's man, whose chief complaints were melena and weight loss. He visited our hospital, and further evaluation revealed rectal cancer(Ra)invading the abdominal wall with multiple liver metastases. The clinical diagnosis was cT4b(abdominal wall)N2bM1a(H1), cStage Ⅳ. We performed a transverse colostomy on the day prior to chemotherapy administration. He was administered 8 courses of FOLFOXIRI plus bevacizumab. After the chemotherapy, the primary tumor and liver metastases showed PR, with a diagnosis of ycT3N1bM1a(H1), Stage Ⅳ. We performed a robot-assisted laparoscopic low anterior resection for the primary tumor. Two months later, the partial resection of liver S6 and S8 was performed. The patient has been cancer-free for 6 months now.

Backgrounds Differential diagnosis between pancreatic head cancer (PHC) and intrapancreatic bile duct cancer (BDC) is important, but no clinical standard has been established. Here we examine the diagnostic utility of bile duct axis deviation and other clinical factors for this differential diagnosis. Methods This study enrolled patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for PHC or BDC at our center between 2009 and 2016. PHCs in groove or uncinate portions were excluded from analysis. From contrast-enhanced computed tomography images, the bile duct angle (BDA) was measured using three points: the junction of intrahepatic bile ducts, upper pancreatic edge, and Vater papilla. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of BDA and other clinical factors for differential diagnosis. Results During the study period, 22 PHCs and 31 BDCs were resected. The combination of BDA ≤ 130°, main pancreatic duct diameter ≥ 4.3 mm, and absence of jaundice predicted PHC rather than BDC with an area under the curve of the receiver-operator characteristics curve of .856 (95% confidence interval, .766-.947). Conclusion Clinical findings of larger bile duct axis deviation, main pancreatic duct dilation, and the absence of jaundice may be useful for distinguishing PHC from BDC.

A 70-year-old woman underwent treatment for cecal cancer(pT4bN1M0, Stage Ⅲb)in 2010. Four years and 2 months after the first surgery, she underwent ileum resection for stenosis due to perineal dissemination(P3). Two years after this recurrence, during which time she had completed 26 courses of FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab(Bmab), 9 courses of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin(CapeOX)plus Bmab, and 3 courses of Cape, no peritoneal dissemination was detected by computed tomography( CT). Thereafter, an additional 19 courses of Cape plus Bmab were introduced, but CEA continued to increase. Right ovarian metastasis was suspected based on CT and FDG-PET/CT examination. Four years and 1 month after the initial recurrence of perineal dissemination, the patient underwent bilateral ovarian resection, during which the lack of peritoneal dissemination was confirmed. Pathologically, right ovarian metastasis was diagnosed. The patient is still alive 4 years and 6 months after the first operation.

A 77-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for detailed examination of a cystic liver tumor. Contrast-enhanced CT and MRIshowed a cystic liver tumor with an enhanced mural nodule in S6 of the liver. Under a preoperative diagnosis of hemorrhagic hepatic cyst and mucinous cystic neoplasm(MCN)of the liver, extended posterior segmentectomy was performed. Histological examination of the tumor revealed no neoplastic cells, and the tumor was finally diagnosed as a hemorrhagic hepatic cyst of the liver.Similar to previous reports of hemorrhagic hepatic cysts, preoperative differential diagnosis from MCN of the liver was difficult in this case. Hemorrhagic hepatic cysts are rare and are sometimes confused with MCN of the liver, especially when an enhanced mural nodule is found in the cyst. The possibility of hemorrhagic hepatic cysts should be considered during diagnosis of liver cystic tumors.

We describe a case of residual stomach preserving surgery performed under evaluation of residual gastric blood flow with indocyanine green(ICG)fluorography, for gastric cancer with recurrence of splenic lymph node metastasis after distal gastrectomy( DG)in a 65-year-old man. After 4 courses of S-1 plus CDDP(SP)therapy for advanced gastric cancer with ascites, DG, D2 dissection, and Billroth Ⅰ reconstruction were performed and radical resection was obtained(L, Type 3, pap/tub, ypT3N1H0P0CY0M0, ypStage ⅡB). Three years and 6 months after the surgery, a mass 4 cm in diameter was found in the splenic hilum, and a pancreatosplenial resection was performed to remove the tumor for diagnosis and treatment purposes. We confirmed that there was no problem with blood flow, and we were able to preserve the stomach. Intraoperative ICG fluorescence imaging was considered a promising method for evaluating residual gastric blood flow.

A92 -year-old man was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer 14 years after undergoing distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. His remnant stomach was fed by the cardiac branch of the left inferior phrenic artery, short gastric artery, and posterior gastric artery. We planned distal pancreatectomy(DP). Intraoperative indocyanine green(ICG)fluorography showed that the remnant stomach was perfused under the clamp of the splenic artery. We also confirmed that regional oxygen saturation (rSO2)of the remnant stomach was not decreased by the clamp. Based on the findings, we judged that blood flow in the remnant stomach was preserved at the clamp. We then performed DP with preservation of the remnant stomach. Postoperative complications associated with the remnant stomach were not observed. The patient is alive without any postoperative recurrences of pancreatic cancer or trouble associated with the remnant stomach 22 months after the surgery. This case suggested that ICG fluorography and rSO2 monitoring are useful to evaluate blood flow in the remnant stomach.

A 68-year-old man underwent a subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy(SSPPD)for a distal bile duct carcinoma(BDC)pT3aN1M0, pStage ⅡB and adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine. One year 7 months after the initial surgery, CT revealed a nodule with an increasing tendency in the left lung. As it was difficult to distinguish primary lung cancer from BDC lung metastasis, we performed a thoracoscopic left wedge resection. The histopathology of the resected specimen was BDC lung metastasis. In the follow-up with adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 for 10 months, 2 nodules were found in the right lung, and we performed thoracoscopic right S6 segmentectomy. Eight months later, another nodule was found in the left lung, and we performed thoracoscopic left wedge resection. The histopathology was BDC lung metastasis for all the resected specimens. The patient is alive with no evidence of recurrence after 9 months of the latest surgery(4 years 11 months after the initial surgery). Although the standard treatment for metastatic recurrence of BDC is systemic chemotherapy, some cases treated with surgical resection had relatively good prognosis, such as the present case. Surgical resection might be feasible as a treatment option for metastatic recurrence of BDC.

A 65-year-old man visited our hospital for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and underwent extended posterior sectionectomy. Eight months after the hepatic resection, follow-up computed tomography(CT)revealed a solitary, recurrent tumor in S4 of the liver, and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation were performed for the intrahepatic recurrence. After 12 postoperative months, follow-up CT demonstrated pulmonary metastases in S5 of the right lung and S10 of the left lung. Since there were no other metastases, the 2 metastatic lesions were resected using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS). The resected tumors were histologically diagnosed as pulmonary metastases of HCC. Three years after the pulmonary resection, 3 additional pulmonary metastases were detected on CT in S3 and S10 of the right lung and S4 of the left lung. No other metastases were found. Bilateral VATSmetastasectomy was performed for the metastases. The tumors were diagnosed as pulmonary metastases of HCC on histological examination. One year and 8 months after the surgery, he was alive in a good condition, with no recurrences. The present case suggested that some patients with pulmonary metastasis of HCC can have long-term survival with surgical resection of the metastasis. Therefore, while systemic chemotherapy is generally considered the standard treatment for extrahepatic metastasis of HCC, surgical resection might be an option.

A 70s man presented with a solitary liver tumor measuring 4.5 cm on CT. On contrast-enhanced CT, the tumor appeared partly well-enhanced in the late phase, and the remaining part was enhanced in the early phase and washed out in the late phase. Contrast-enhanced MRIshowed fused multiple nodules, and the enhancement/washout pattern was clearer than that of the contrast-enhanced CT. The tumor showed a defective image in the hepatobiliary phase and a high signal on diffusionweighted imaging. Then, the tumor was diagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma, and thus, left liver lobectomy was performed. On histological examination of the resected specimen, the tumor was found to be composed of uniform and small tumor cells with solid or trabecular growth fashion. On immunohistochemical staining, synaptophysin and chromogranin A positivity was noted, and the Ki-67 index was 14%. Finally, the tumor was diagnosed as a NET G2. Postoperatively, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy was performed to identify the primary site; however, no obvious primary site could not be identified, and thus a diagnosis of primary hepatic NET was made. Eighteen months postoperatively, the patient is alive without relapse. Preoperative diagnosis of primary hepatic NETs is difficult because NETs present various imaging findings and are rare. Moreover, no accurate preoperative diagnosis was reached in our case, suggesting the difficulty in the preoperative diagnosis of NETs.

A 60s man underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at a regular medical check-up without symptoms, which showed an ulcerative region in the duodenal ampulla, measuring 3 cm in diameter. He was diagnosed with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma on biopsy and referred to our hospital. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT scan revealed an enhanced-ulcerative tumor, measuring 3 cm, at the duodenal ampulla. After the preoperative diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the duodenal ampulla, subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy with regional lymph node dissection was performed. The final diagnosis was neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC)of the duodenal ampulla. He has been alive for 9 years with no recurrences. NEC of the duodenal ampulla is rare, and its prognosis is poor. We report a case of long-term survival after resection of NEC of the duodenal ampulla.

Laparoscopic hepatectomy has gained popularity owing to its merits, such as low invasiveness and reduced bleeding. However, the efficacy of laparoscopic repeat hepatectomy(LRH)has not been confirmed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of LRH compared to that of open repeat hepatectomy(ORH). We performed 60 repeat hepatectomies from January 2011 to March 2019, of which 19 were LRH(Lap group)and 41 were ORH(Open group). This study retrospectively compared the patient characteristics and short-term outcomes of repeat hepatectomy between the Lap and Open groups. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics, except for the type of approach in the previous hepatectomy(p0.01). The Lap group had lesser blood loss(median: 150 mL vs 355 mL, p0.01)and shorter postoperative hospital stays(median: 8 days vs 11 days, p0.01). There were no differences in operation time or severe postoperative complications. LRH is feasible and useful, providing good short-term outcomes.

Understanding the anatomy of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (IPDA) is important in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy, especially in an artery-first approach, resulting in some studies focusing on IPDA anatomy. However, the studies have covered only cases without variation in hepatic arterial anatomy, a common arterial variant, suggesting the necessity of the investigation of IPDA anatomy in cases with the variant. Using images of multidetector row computed tomography, cases with replaced right hepatic artery (rRHA) were picked out among 714 patients undergoing multidetector row computed tomography for determining arteries of the pancreatic head at our institution. IPDA branching pattern was investigated in the rRHA cases. Three-dimensional reconstruction was performed to visually understand the branching pattern in representative cases. rRHA was identified in 139 cases (19.5%); rRHA originating from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) (type 1; 74.1%), celiac axis (type 2; 18.0%), and others (type 3; 7.9%). IPDA branching pattern was categorized; IPDA originated from SMA (type A), posterior and anterior IPDA originated from rRHA and SMA, respectively (type B), or IPDA originated from rRHA (type C). Of type 1 cases, 69, 23, and 11 cases showed type A, B, and C pattern, respectively. Of type 2 cases, 16 and 9 cases showed type A and B, respectively. All 11 type 3 cases showed type C. IPDA branching pattern was determined in the rRHA cases. This would help identification of rRHA cases where the artery-first approach is technically less feasible at pancreaticoduodenectomy (type 1-B, 1-C, and 2-B).

Less intraoperative blood loss is frequently reported as an advantage of laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) over open hepatectomy (OH). However, the small work space during laparoscopic surgery could lead to insufficient blood suction from the abdominal cavity, with possible underestimation of intraoperative blood loss. This study compared estimated blood loss (E-BL) with intraoperatively counted blood loss (IC-BL) in patients undergoing LH.This study included 110 consecutive patients undergoing partial hepatectomy for solitary liver tumors (59 had OH and 51 had LH). IC-BL and E-BL were determined, and the difference between them was calculated based on the surgical approach. Factors affecting the difference were investigated. IC-BL was quantified from the suction fluid volume and weight of surgical gauzes used for blood and fluid collection. E-BL was calculated with the total blood volume and change in hematocrit.Although there were no significant differences between IC-BL and E-BL in the OH group (292 ± 198 vs. 259 ± 167 mL, p = 0.1239), E-BL was significantly greater than IC-BL in the LH group (273 ± 166 vs. 128 ± 177 mL, p 0.0001). Percentage of patients with E-BL IC-BL in the LH group was significantly greater than in the OH group (86.3 vs. 42.4%, p 0.0001). The surgical approach (OH/LH) was the only significant independent factor determining E-BL IC-BL status.E-BL was significantly greater than IC-BL only in patients undergoing LH, and the surgical approach (OH/LH) was the only factor affecting E-BL IC-BL status. These results suggest that intraoperative blood loss may be underestimated during LH.

Patient: Male, 90 Final Diagnosis: Ruptured cystic artery pseudoaneurysm Symptoms: Epigastric pain • Fever Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Open cholecystectomy Specialty: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Objective: Rare disease Background: Cystic artery pseudoaneurysm is rare, and some cases are associated with inflammation of the gallbladder. There is limited information regarding this condition, and the clinical features remain unclear. This report is a case of ruptured cystic artery pseudoaneurysm diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) imaging and treated with urgent cholecystectomy and is supported by a literature review of previous cases. Case Report: A 90-year-old man, who had developed acute cholecystitis due to a gallstone one month previously, was referred to our hospital. He developed fever and epigastric pain while waiting for a scheduled elective cholecystectomy. Laboratory investigations showed elevated markers of inflammation and elevated hepatobiliary enzyme levels. Computed tomography (CT) imaging showed cholecystitis and pseudoaneurysm of the cystic artery. The pseudo-aneurysm had ruptured and was accompanied by the formation of a hematoma within the gallbladder that involved the liver bed. Having made the preoperative diagnosis, an urgent open laparotomy was performed, during which the gallbladder was found to have perforated. The hematoma penetrated into the liver bed. Cholecystectomy was performed, and the pseudoaneurysm of the cystic artery was extirpated. There were no serious postoperative complications. A literature review identified 50 previously reported case of cystic artery pseudoaneurysm. Conclusions: A case of ruptured cystic artery pseudoaneurysm, successfully treated with urgent cholecystectomy is reported, supported by a literature review of previous cases and characterization of the clinical features of this rare condition.

Background Surgical Apgar score (SAS) was recently proposed as a simple predictor of postoperative complications. A few studies have shown the utility of the SAS in some kinds of surgeries, but it has not been investigated in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods This study included 158 patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC. The association between SAS and postoperative complications was examined. The patients had postoperative morbidities classified as Clavien–Dindo grade II or higher. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors that significantly influenced the development of postoperative complications. Results Postoperative complications developed in 28 (17.7%) of the 158 patients. The proportion of cases with complications was significantly inversely correlated with SAS (Spearman rank correlation 0.829). The SAS was significantly lower in cases with complications than those without complications (5.6 ± 1.3 points versus 6.6 ± 1.3 points, P = 0.0004). Comparisons between patients with and without complication showed that preoperative serum albumin level and operation time, as well as SAS, were associated with complications. Multivariate analysis revealed that postoperative complications significantly correlated with the SAS. Conclusions This study demonstrated the clinical utility of SAS in predicting the development of postoperative complications after hepatectomy for HCC.

Background/Aim: During pancreatoduodenectomy, early ligation of major afferent arteries to pancreatic head prior to dissection of the corresponding veins may reduce intraoperative bleeding. Inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (IPDA), one of the major afferent arteries, is difficult to identify. We measured the distance from left renal vein to IPDA based on preoperative multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) images for use as a new landmark for IPDA. Methods: The distance between left renal vein and IPDA was measured in 417 patients using MDCT images. Results: IPDA was identified on MDCT images in 415 out of the 417 patients (99.5%). The root of IPDA was located on cranial side of the root of left renal vein in 88 among the 415 patients (21.2%), and the distance was expressed as negative in these cases. The distance was 6.09 ± 7.46 mm. The distance when IPDA formed a common vessel with first jejunal artery (8.03 ± 6.74 mm; 323 cases, 77.8%) was significantly longer than when IPDA branched directly from superior mesenteric artery (SMA; -0.81 ± 5.74 mm; 62 cases, 15.0%) or posterior and anterior IPDAs branched separately from SMA (-2.04 ± 5.36 mm; 30 cases, 7.2%). Conclusions: The distance between left renal vein and IPDA can serve as a landmark for IPDA identification.

BACKGROUND The observation that patients may have worse outcomes after urgent therapeutic interventions performed during off-hours compared with on-hours is termed the "off-hour effect." This phenomenon has not been examined in urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Here we aimed to investigate the off-hour effect in urgent LC for acute cholecystitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study enrolled patients who underwent urgent LC for acute cholecystitis at our institution. On-hour LC was defined as a weekday operation starting between 9 AM and 9 PM; and off-hour LC as an operation on a weekend, or starting between 9 PM and 9 AM on a weekday. Patients were divided into on-hour and off-hour groups, and the operative outcomes of LC were compared between these groups. RESULTS The study included 371 patients, with 270 (72.8%) on-hour, and 101 (27.2%) off-hour operations. The 2 groups did not significantly differ in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, conversion rate to open surgery, incidence of postoperative complications, or duration of postoperative hospital stay. DISCUSSION Operative outcomes of urgent LC were comparable between the on-hour and off-hour groups, suggesting that there was no significant off-hour effect in urgent LC.

Anatomical variation of the cystic duct (CD) is rare but can result in misunderstanding of the CD anatomy during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, potentially leading to bile duct injury. Therefore, the precise preoperative identification of CD variation is important. However, preoperative imaging analyses of the biliary system are not always possible or sufficient. We therefore investigated CD variations based on the anatomy of the hepatic vasculature. This study enrolled 480 patients who underwent imaging before hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery. We assessed the variation of the CD and hepatic vasculature and evaluated the correlations among these variations. A variant CD anatomy was identified in 12 cases (2.5%) as CD draining into the right hepatic bile duct (BD) in 4 cases and into the right posterior BD in 8 cases. CD variation was significantly more common in cases with portal vein (PV) and BD variation than in those without the variation. We developed a scoring system based on the presence of PV and BD variations that showed good discriminatory power for identification of CD variants. Cases with a variant CD anatomy were more likely to exhibit variant PV and BD anatomies than cases with a normal CD anatomy. These findings will be useful for the preoperative identification of CD variants.

This report describes a case of primary adenosquamous carcinoma of the liver with hepatolithiasis. A 70's man was followed up at a clinic for hepatolithiasis, gallbladder stone, and dilatation of the intrahepatic duct. He visited our hospital for computed tomography(CT)examination. CT showed a 30mm diameter low-density mass in the S2 liver and dilatation of the intrahe- patic duct filled with hepatolithiasis. Blood examination showed elevated levels of tumor markers(CEA 8.0 ng/mL, CA19-9 19,196 U/mL). We diagnosed the tumor as cholangiocellular carcinoma(cT2N1M0, cStage ⅣA)with hepatolithiasis and performed left hepatectomy and lymphadenectomy. In the specimen, a 39×22mm diameter solid tumor was detected and the intrahepatic duct was filled with haptolithiasis. Pathologically, a mixture of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma was observed adjacent to the bile duct. Accordingly, a diagnosis of adenosquamous carcinoma was made(pT3N0M0, pStage Ⅲ). Multiple liver metastases were detected 8 months after the operation, and chemotherapy was started. He remains alive 11 months after the operation. We experienced a rare case of adenosquamous carcinoma in the liver with hepatolithiasis.

There have been few reports discussing treatments for primary duodenal cancer. In this study, 15 cases of primary duodenal cancer that were treated by curative resection in our hospital between April 2005 and December 2017 were analyzed to study appropriate operative procedures. Prognostic analysis revealed that the median of relapse-free survival and overall survival were 49 months and 74 months, respectively. The 5-year survival rate was 47%. On univariate analysis of relapse-free survival, lymph node metastasis(p0.01)and post-operative adjuvant therapy(p=0.02)were significant independent prognostic factors. Analysis of the relationship between lymph node metastasis and the depth or location of tumors suggested that pancreaticoduodenectomy with lymph node dissection should be performed to achieve radical resection, since there were some cases that involved lymph node metastasis around the pancreatic head or hepatoduodenal ligament.

A60s woman was followed-up regularly for primary biliary cholangitis and a solitary enlarging hepatic mass in the S6 segment of her liver was discovered by ultrasonography. We diagnosed the mass as hepatocellular carcinoma by contrast ultrasonography, contrast computed tomography, and ethoxbenzyl magnetic resonance imaging and laparoscopic partial hepatectomy of S6 segment was performed. The resected specimen was histopathologicaly diagnosed as liver-reactive lymphoid hyperplasia(RLH). The patient is alive without recurrence 17 months after the surgery. Although liver RLH is a rare disease, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of small liver tumors.

We report a case of successful control of advanced duodenal cancer with paclitaxel chemotherapy. A woman in her 70s with epigastralgia was diagnosed with hemorrhagic duodenal ulcer upon upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. A type 3 tumor was found in the duodenal bulb upon upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsy at our hospital. By contrast CT, we found wall hypertrophy of the duodenal bulb, lymph node metastasis, and liver metastasis and started chemotherapy. Four courses of SOX therapy were first administered. The wall hypertrophy of the duodenal bulb worsened, and new lesions appeared in the liver, so we diagnosed progressive disease. Next, 4 courses of wPTX therapy were administered. The wall hypertrophy of the duodenal bulb improved, and all liver metastatic lesions shrunk and became obscure. The reduction rate was 75%, so we diagnosed partial response. Accumulation in the primary tumor was observed on PET-CT, and the lymph node and liver metastases disappeared, so we considered radical curative resection. The patient underwent subtotal stomach preserving pancreatoduodenectomy, D2 lymph node dissection, reconstruction of the digestive tract by the modified CHILD method, partial hepatectomy, and Brawn's anastomosis. No cancer cells were found in the hepatectomized area. Paclitaxel chemotherapy may be useful for advanced duodenal cancer.

A 55 -year-old woman presented at our hospital in 2017. In 2014, a large cyst had been detected in her liver by ultrasonography, and she was followed up at a clinic. Abdominal computed tomography(CT)revealed a large multilocular cystic tumor measuring 12 cm in diameter in the left lobe of the liver. Although no solid component was identified in the tumor, the cystic tumor was increasing in size, and the serum level of CA19-9 was elevated. Under a preoperative diagnosis of mucinous cystic neoplasm(MCN)of the liver, we performed extended left liver lobectomy. There were no postoperative complications. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen revealed low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, and the epithelium covered an ovarian-type stroma. The ovarian-type stromal cells were immunoreactive for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor. The definitive diagnosis of the tumor was MCN of the liver with low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Eight months after the surgery, the patient remains alive without any recurrence.

A 72-year-old man received chemoradiotherapy for lung squamous cell carcinoma(T4N2M0, Stage Ⅲb). Nine months after the start of chemoradiotherapy, a 60 mm sized mass was identified in the spleen on abdominal CT. FDG-PET/CT examination revealed abnormal FDG accumulation in the tumor, and no obvious accumulation was observed in other sites. By endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology, the tumor was diagnosed as splenic metastasis from lung cancer. Since the primary lung tumor was well controlled by the chemoradiotherapy and no metastatic lesions were found except in the spleen, laparoscopic excision of the splenic metastasis was planned. Since the tumor was suspected to have infiltrated the tail of the pancreas, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed. There were no severe postoperative complications. The resected tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as not splenic metastasis, but lymph node metastasis at the splenic hilum from lung cancer invading the pancreas and spleen. Brain metastasis and bone metastasis were observed 3 months postoperatively. He did not undergo any treatments for the metastatic lesions, and he died because of the cancer 11 months after the operation. This case suggests the clinical significance of surgical treatment for distant metastatic lesions from lung cancer.

A 70-year-old woman presented to our hospital because of stomach pain. She was diagnosed as having clinical Stage ⅢC gastric cancer with invasion into the pancreas and treated with S-1+oxaliplatin(SOX)as neoadjuvant therapy, after palliative radiotherapy for tumor bleeding. After 4 courses of SOX therapy and 7 courses of S-1 therapy, the tumor size reduce and the invasion into the pancreas disappeared. Subsequently, she underwent distal gastrectomy. The pathological diagnosis was ypStage ⅢB, with no findings of tumor invasion into the pancreas. As of 1 year 9 months after the surgery, no metastasis or recurrence was observed.

A 63-year-old man was referred to our hospital for detailed examinations and treatment of a hepatic tumor. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT examination showed a huge mass measuring 12 cm in diameter with ring enhancement in the left liver lobe. The liver tumor was accompanied by a macroscopic tumor thrombus in the left portal branch. Under preoperative diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus, left liver lobectomy, removal of the tumor thrombus, extrahepatic bile duct excision, and lymph node dissection were performed. Histopathological examination of the resected specimens revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma concomitant with tumor thrombus in the left portal branch. Adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 was administered. However, 3 months after the surgery, CT examination revealed postoperative recurrences in the liver, lung, and bone. Systemic chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin was administered with radiotherapy for the bone metastasis. However, the chemotherapy was not effective, and 6 months after surgery, he died of the cancer. There have been few reports of cases with ICC accompanied by a macroscopic portal vein tumor thrombus. Based on the reported cases and the present case, prognosis of the disease seems very poor.

Clinically-relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) is one of the most serious complications following pancreaticoduodenectomy. While many investigators have studied risk factors for the development of CR-POPF, few studies have focused on time needed for CR-POPF healing in patients who develop this complication. The present study enrolled 38 cases in whom CR-POPF developed following pancreaticoduodenectomy (24.1%) out of 158 cases receiving treatment with pancreaticoduodenectomy between 2009 and 2017 for periampullary diseases. CR-POPF healing time, was defined as the length of time from the day of pancreaticoduodenectomy to the day when intraabdominal drainage tubes used for CR-POPF treatment were removed, were assessed and factors affecting the healing time were investigated. The mean CR-POPF healing time was 40.2±21.7 days (median; 35 days, range; 10-110 days). Univariate analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between CP-POPE healing time and sex, intraoperative blood loss, and type of pancreaticojejunostomy procedure. Multivariate Cox regression analysis using these factors revealed that intraoperative blood loss and type of pancreaticojejunostomy procedure were significant independent factors for the length of CR-POPF healing time. CR-POPF healing time following pancreaticoduodenectomy was 40.2±21.7 days on average (median, 35 days; range 10-110 days). Intraoperative blood loss and type of pancreaticojejunostomy procedure were identified as significant independent factors associated with the healing time. These results will help with earlier recovery from CR-POPF.

Postoperative delirium is a common serious complication after various types of surgery. However, the incidence and predictive factors associated with delirium after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) have not been investigated. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the incidence and predictive factors of postoperative delirium in patients who underwent PD. This study included 155 consecutive patients who underwent PD. Patients with and without postoperative delirium were compared to identify differential patient characteristics. Multivariate regression analysis was used to statistically identify independent predictive factors significantly associated with the development of postoperative delirium. Postoperative delirium developed in 27 (22.4%) of 155 patients. The majority of incidents occurred on postoperative day 2, and the mean delirium duration was 4.6 ± 4.8 days. Patients with postoperative delirium had an older age and a previous history of benzodiazepine use. A multivariate analysis revealed that the development of delirium was significantly correlated with these two factors. Receiver-operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis of the two factors yielded an area under the ROC curve of 0.823 (0.750–0.896), suggesting good discrimination power. This study reports on the incidence of postoperative delirium after PD. Furthermore, we identified age and use of benzodiazepines as significant predictive factors for developing delirium after PD. These results contribute to the prediction and treatment of postoperative delirium.

A 69-year-old man was administered S-1/oxaliplatin/trastuzumab as induction chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (cT4b[liver, pancreas], N2M1(H1P0CYX), cStage IV). After 4 courses, because contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed remarkable reduction of the tumor, distal gastrectomy, partial hepatectomy, and radiofrequency ablation for the liver metastasis were performed. The patient was histopathologically diagnosed with gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma(NEC). S- 1/oxaliplatin/trastuzumab was continued after surgery; however, recurrence in the remnant liver was observed after 4 cours- es. For recurrence, cisplatin/irinotecan as first-line and paclitaxel/ramucirumab as second-line treatment were administered, but progression of liver metastasis and ascites due to peritoneal dissemination were observed. As third-line treatment, nivolumab was initiated. Ascites decreased after 3 courses, but after 2 more courses, progression of ascites, liver recurrence, and multiple metastasis in the lumbar vertebra were observed.

Background Intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are potentially malignant intraductal epithelial neoplasms that sometimes penetrate into other organs. To the best of our knowledge, no report has yet described a case with penetration into the spleen. We recently encountered a case of IPMN with penetration of the stomach and spleen that was successfully treated by total pancreatectomy. Case presentation A 70-year-old female visited our hospital with a complaint of fever and abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed dilatation of the main pancreatic duct in the entire pancreas and penetration into the stomach and spleen. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed mucin extruding from four openings of the fistula in the stomach. No malignancy was detected based on cytology of the mucin. Inflammation markers and tumor markers (CEA, CA19–9) were elevated in the blood. The pre-operative diagnosis was IPMN of main pancreatic duct type penetrating into the stomach and spleen. A total pancreatectomy and splenectomy were performed, combined with distal gastrectomy including resection of the fistulas between the pancreas and stomach. No postoperative complications were noted. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen revealed atrophy of the pancreatic parenchyma, and the main duct of the pancreas was filled with mucin. Mucin-producing malignant tumor cells were detected in the epithelium of the main pancreatic duct with no signs of invasion. No malignancy was found at the fistulas between the pancreas and stomach or spleen. The patient was finally diagnosed with non-invasive intraductal papillary-mucinous carcinoma (IPMC) of main pancreatic duct type. Mechanical penetration was suspected as a mechanism of the penetration. The patient remained disease-free without evidence of recurrence more than 15 months after the operation. Conclusion Though IPMNs sometimes penetrate into other adjacent organs, penetration into two organs, including the spleen, is rare. The rare case of IPMC penetrating into the stomach and spleen presented here was treated successfully by total pancreatectomy.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is thought to develop from histologically identifiable intraductal lesions known as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs), which exhibit similar morphological and genetic features to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Therefore, a better understanding of the biological features underlying the progression of PanIN is essential to development more effective therapeutic interventions for PDAC. In recent years, numerous studies have reported that MET proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase (c-MET) is a potential marker of pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs have been revealed to initiate and propagate tumors in vitro and in vivo, and are associated with a chemoresistant phenotype. However, in vivo models using a xenograft approach are limited. In the present study, the morphological phenotype, molecular alteration and biological behavior of neoplasia in Pdx-1Cre/+, KrasLSL-G12D/+ and Metflox/flox and wild-type mice was analyzed. The results demonstrated that while oncogenic KrasLSL-G12D/+ increased PanIN initiation and significantly decreased survival rate compared with wild-type mice, no additive effect of c-Met receptor signaling on PanIN progression or prognosis was observed. Following gemcitabine administration, c-Met inhibition in Kras LSL-G12D/+ mice significantly decreased the total surface area of PanIN lesions and the number of anti-proliferation marker protein Ki-67 positive cells occupying PanIN lesions compared with Met+/+ mice. In conclusion, complete inhibition of the c-Met signaling pathway with chemotherapy may be useful for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

We report a case of effective S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) treatment for duodenal cancer with liver metastases. The patient was a 70-year-old female diagnosed with duodenal carcinoma that was unresectable because of liver metastasis(cT4N1M1, cStage IV in UICC 7th). She received SOX treatment(100mg/m / 2 of oxaliplatin on day 1 combined with 40 mg/day of S-1 twice daily on days 1-14, was repeated every 3 weeks). After 4 courses, a partial response was confirmed by computed tomography and no severe adverse events were observed. However, during the 5th courses, several new liver metastases were observed, so we changed to weekly paclitaxel treatment. This case suggests that SOX treatment may be an effective chemotherapy for advanced primary duodenal carcinoma.

A 81-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for a stomach pain. Abdominal enhanced CT scan showed a pancreatic hypovascular tumor 10mm in size. Abnormal FDG uptake was found on the tumor at FDG/PET-CT examination. The tumor was identified also at endoscopic ultrasonography, and the endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of this tumor gave the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Under the preoperative diagnosis, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy was performed. There were no postoperative complications. Histopathological examination of the resected tumor revealed acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas, not pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The patient is alive without any postoperative recurrences 1 year after the pancreatectomy.

A 73-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of abdominal pain. An abdominal CT scan revealed diffuse wall thickening of the gallbladder with a gallstone. Urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed with the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. Histopathological examination indicated adenocarcinoma with a small neuroendocrine carcinoma component invading the subserous layer. Additional gallbladder bed resection and lymphadenectomy were performed. The final pathological diagnosis was adenocarcinoma with NEC, pT2N0M0, pStage II . The patient is alive without any recurrence 7 months after the last surgery.

The case was a 70s-year-old man. In July 2016, he was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of epigastralgia. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed type 3 advanced gastric cancer in the vestibule, directly infiltrating the pancreas and the left lobe of the liver to form an abscess, and swelling of the aortic lymph node and multiple liver metastases were observed. The cancer was diagnosed as cT4b(liver/pancreas), N2M1(H1P0CYX), cStage IV and diagnosed it as a chemotherapy policy. We initiated SOX plus trastuzumab therapy from August 2016. After 4 courses, the primary tumor shrunk significantly and invasion to the pancreas/liver had disappeared. Furthermore, the periarterial lymph node and multiple liver metastases were obscured(chemotherapy effect judgment: PR). With a diagnosis of ycT4aN1MX(HXP0CYX), in December 2016, we performed a pyloric side gastrectomy D2(+No.16)dissection and partial resection of the liver(S3, S4, S6), liver RFA(S4, S6, S7). Due to recent progress in chemotherapy and multidisciplinary therapy, there is a possibility that radical resection may be carried out for advanced gastric cancer, which was previously unresectable, by performing a treatment with surgery in mind.

This report describes the case of an 85-year-old man who underwent left hemicolectomy for descending colon cancer and hepatic segmentectomy for metastatic liver cancer. Seven years after the liver surgery, an abdominal CT scan revealed a tumor in the remnant liver. He also presented with colon diverticula in the ascending colon, which was located close to the liver tumor. With a preoperative diagnosis of metastatic liver cancer, the tumor was resected with S8 segmentectomy. Histopathological examination of the resected tumor revealed a hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor, not metastatic liver cancer. The present case showed the difficulty of preoperatively diagnosing inflammatory pseudotumors. Furthermore, it is noted in the case that since the liver tumor was located close to the colon diverticula in the ascending colon, the diverticula was potentially associated with the formation of hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small population of cells in cancer with stem-like properties such as cell proliferation, multiple differentiation and tumor initiation capacities. CSCs are therapy-resistant and cause cancer metastasis and recurrence. One key issue in cancer therapy is how to target and eliminate CSCs, in order to cure cancer completely without relapse and metastasis. To target CSCs, many cell surface markers, DNAs and microRNAs are considered as CSC markers. To date, the majority of the reported markers are not very specific to CSCs and are also present in non-CSCs. However, the combination of several markers is quite valuable for identifying and targeting CSCs, although more specific identification methods are needed. While CSCs are considered as critical therapeutic targets, useful treatment methods remain to be established. Epigenetic gene regulators, microRNAs, are associated with tumor initiation and progression. MicroRNAs have been recently considered as promising therapeutic targets, which can alter the therapeutic resistance of CSCs through epigenetic modification. Moreover, carbon ion beam radiotherapy is a promising treatment for CSCs. Evidence indicates that the carbon ion beam is more effective against CSCs than the conventional X-ray beam. Combination therapies of radiosensitizing microRNAs and carbon ion beam radiotherapy may be a promising cancer strategy. This review focuses on the identification and treatment resistance of CSCs and the potential of microRNAs as new radiosensitizers and carbon ion beam radiotherapy as a promising therapeutic strategy against CSCs.