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Although colorectal cancer frequently invades adjacent organs, colon-to-colon invasion is rarely observed, and colo-colonic fistula formation due to colorectal cancer is uncommon. Here we report a case of preoperative diagnosis of cecal cancer that has invaded the transverse colon. A 69-year-old woman presented with diarrhea and a palpable mass in the lower right abdomen. After being diagnosed with double cancer involving the cecum and transverse colon at a previous hospital, she was referred to our hospital. CT scans revealed enhanced mass-like wall thickening in both the cecum and transverse colon, with 3D-CT suggesting a cecal tumor invading the transverse colon. The accurate preoperative diagnosis and prediction of fistula formation led us to perform curative en bloc resection using laparoscopic surgery. The resected specimen contained an ulcerated moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma measuring 6.0 cm × 4.5 cm in the cecum. Additionally, a fistula originating from the cecal cancer and communicating with the transverse colon was identified. The tumor was classified as stage IIIC (T4b, N1, M0). When multiple masses are identified in the colon, it is important to consider the possibility of the primary tumor invading neighboring organs and the potential for fistula formation., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Japan Society of Coloproctology.)

Managing colon cancer with intestinal nonrotation, a type of congenital intestinal malrotation, is challenging due to the presence of anatomical abnormalities and severe adhesions. When patients have nonrotation, it is markedly more difficult to determine which vessels correspond to the colic vessels and ileal vessels until all vascular branching patterns become evident. The optimal approach for right-sided colon cancer with intestinal nonrotation has yet to be established. In the present case of ascending colon cancer with intestinal nonrotation, we performed laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with D3 dissection using a modified cranial approach. This approach involves tracing, without resecting, branches from the superior mesenteric vein and superior mesenteric artery in a cranial-to-caudal manner until the ileocolic artery and ileocolic vein, which course toward the cecum, are identified, followed by the dissection of the colic vessels and lymph nodes in a caudal-to-cranial fashion., (© 2024 Asia Endosurgery Task Force and Japan Society of Endoscopic Surgery and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

A 78-year-old woman presenting with severe acute liver failure was admitted to our hospital. On screening for the etiology of acute liver failure, it was diagnosed as being due to idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (eosinophil count reported as 4766/μL; 33.8% of the white blood cells). Her medical history included marked eosinophilia, as observed six months prior to this admission. Corticosteroid therapy was initiated. During the clinical course, duodenal perforation occurred but was managed promptly by appropriate surgery. A liver biopsy, following the initiation of corticosteroid therapy, revealed degenerating hepatic cells with mild eosinophilic infiltration. With corticosteroid therapy, the liver function improved.

Hyperspectral imagery was applied to estimating non-galloyl (EC, EGC) and galloyl (ECG, EGCG) types of catechins in new shoots of green tea. Partial least squares regression models were developed to consider the effects of commercial fertilizer (CF) and organic fertilizer (OF). The models could explain each type of catechin with a precision of more than 0.79, with a few exceptions. When the CF model was applied to the OF hyperspectral reflectance and the OF model was applied to the CF hyperspectral reflectance for mutual prediction, the prediction accuracy was better with the OF models than CF models. The prediction models using both CF and OF data (hyperspectral reflectances, and concentrations of catechins) had a precision of more than 0.76 except for the non-galloyl-type catechins as a group and EGC alone. These results provide useful data for maintaining and improving the quality of green tea., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Foramen of Winslow hernia (FWH) is a rare but emergent condition caused by an increase in the foramen diameter, visceral mobility, and intra-abdominal pressure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report a case of FWH secondary to large uterine fibroids that was successfully treated with laparoscopic surgery., Case Presentation: A 52-year-old woman with large uterine fibroids was diagnosed with FWH. Because of the absence of signs of bowel ischemia and peritonitis, we performed an elective laparoscopic surgery through a 5-port system after bowel decompression using a long intestinal tube. Although foramen of Winslow closure was not performed, her postoperative course was uneventful., Conclusions: Laparoscopic surgery for FWH is considered an extremely effective surgical treatment option because of its safety and efficacy in performing delicate procedures (such as adhesiolysis) with a good magnified field of view.

Purpose: Esophagectomy with extended lymph node (LN) dissection is a standard treatment for resectable esophageal cancer to prevent recurrence, but severe, potentially life-threatening postoperative complications are still important issues. Accurate diagnosis of LN metastases would enable the decision to dissect or leave the LNs in regions with high risk of complications. Advancements in intraoperative gamma probe and radioactivity detectors have made intraoperative navigation surgery possible using a radiotracer as a marker. F-FDG is one such candidate markers, and the diagnostic power of FDG through counting the radioactivity close to each LN should be elucidated., Materials and Methods: In 20 patients, 1073 LNs including 38 metastatic LNs were prospectively investigated. Preoperative FDG PET was performed on the same day before esophagectomy and visually surveyed in each LN station to identify abnormal uptake. The FDG radioactivity of each individual dissected LN was measured by a well-type counter, and the pathological diagnosis was compared with LN radioactivity on a one-by-one basis and with the preoperative FDG PET findings for each LN station., Results: Lymph node station-based analysis showed a sensitivity and specificity of 28.6% and 96.7%, respectively. One-by-one LN-based analysis using a cutoff value obtained from the receiver operating characteristic curve showed a sensitivity and specificity of 94.7% and 78.7%, respectively, demonstrating higher accuracy compared with the use of LN weight or the shortest diameter., Conclusions: The FDG uptake by each LN is a potentially useful marker for navigation surgery in esophageal cancer and has higher accuracy than LN weight or diameter.

Gastrojejunostomy has been performed as a palliative treatment for unresectable, advanced gastric cancer patients with gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). However, its role before neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has not been established. We present the case of a 72-year-old man with distal advanced gastric cancer with GOO. Computed tomography showed para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis without other distal metastasis. We performed laparoscopic stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy (LSPGJ), which avoided new gastrojejunostomy reconstruction when performing distal gastrectomy after NAC. His oral intake improved after surgery and NAC was successfully administered on postoperative day 14, without surgical complications. After completion of NAC, the patient underwent radical distal gastrectomy with gastrojejunostomy reused as Billroth-II reconstruction. A histological examination revealed no residual cancer cells. LSPGJ, with partitioning on the expected resection line in distal gastrectomy after NAC, can be useful for treating advanced gastric cancer with GOO when NAC followed by curative gastrectomy is planned., (© 2019 Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Asia Endosurgery Task Force and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Neoadjuvant imatinib may prevent tumor rupture and the need for extended surgery by reducing the tumor size by approximately 35%, especially for large gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs), as shown in a previous phase Ⅱ study (Kurokawa et al. BJC 2017); however, the use ofneoadjuvant imatinib is not prevalent in clinical practice. Herein, we report a large gastric GIST that was successfully treated with neoadjuvant imatinib. A 74-year-old woman complained ofabdominal pain, and abdominal computed tomography(CT)revealed a 14 cm oval tumor in the left upper abdominal cavity. Gastric biopsy revealed that the tumor was a GIST. The patient also had a small lung tumor that was diagnosed as a primary lung carcinoma in the right upper lobe. We performed neoadjuvant imatinib for 6 months as the primary treatment. After 7 months ofimatinib administration, CT revealed that the GIST decreased in size but the lung cancer was slightly enlarged. Therefore, we performed right upper lung lobectomy and continued imatinib therapy for an additional 3 months. After a total of9 months ofneoadjuvant imatinib treatment, we performed partial gastrectomy combined with splenectomy without tumor rupture. The patient is scheduled to continue imatinib therapy for a total of 3 years.

We have developed an activatable red fluorescence probe for dipeptidylpeptidase-IV (DPP-IV) by precisely controlling the photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) process of a red fluorescent scaffold, SiR600. The developed probe exhibited an extremely low background signal and showed significant fluorescence activation upon reaction with DPP-IV, enabling sensitive detection of esophageal cancer in clinical specimens from cancer patients.

Primary gastric undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is a rare disease with insufficient long-term follow-up data. In the present study, a 70-year-old male complained of abdominal fullness and visited our hospital. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a large tumor in the upper part of the stomach, which was accompanied by smaller tumors in the small intestinal mesentery. An endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy examination of the gastric tumor revealed features of pleomorphic sarcoma and high-grade spindle-shaped cells. Total gastrectomy was performed on the primary tumor, together with combined resection of the small intestine for the metastatic tumors. However, the tumor recurred in the mesentery of the sigmoid colon 6 months after the operation. A second operation was performed to resect the recurrent tumor. Since the second surgical procedure, the patient has remained free from recurrence for >7 years. Although the prognosis of abdominal UPS was considered to be poor, even after curative surgery, the present case experienced a long-term survival of gastric UPS after undergoing surgical resection alone.

Background: Postoperative weight loss and malnutrition are major issues in gastric cancer patients. The concept of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) is gaining widespread acceptance. We investigated the effects of ONS administration on postoperative body weight loss in patients with gastric cancer who had undergone total gastrectomy or distal gastrectomy., Methods: Patients were randomized to either the treatment or the control group. In both groups, standard surgery for gastric cancer was performed. In the treatment group, intervention with ONS was performed until 12 weeks after discharge. In the control group, patients were fed the usual postoperative diet. Weight, body composition, quality of life, hematological parameters, and blood chemistry were evaluated., Results: We analyzed 113 cases (73 distal gastrectomy, 40 total gastrectomy). Weight loss in the ONS group after total gastrectomy was significantly less than that in the control group. Weight loss and skeletal muscle mass loss after distal gastrectomy did not differ significantly between the ONS and control groups., Conclusion: This study showed ONS after total gastrectomy to significantly diminish postoperative weight loss.

Early detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an important prognosticator, but is difficult to achieve by conventional endoscopy. Conventional lugol chromoendoscopy and equipment-based image-enhanced endoscopy, such as narrow-band imaging (NBI), have various practical limitations. Since fluorescence-based visualization is considered a promising approach, we aimed to develop an activatable fluorescence probe to visualize ESCCs. First, based on the fact that various aminopeptidase activities are elevated in cancer, we screened freshly resected specimens from patients with a series of aminopeptidase-activatable fluorescence probes. The results indicated that dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPP-IV) is specifically activated in ESCCs, and would be a suitable molecular target for detection of esophageal cancer. Therefore, we designed, synthesized and characterized a series of DPP-IV-activatable fluorescence probes. When the selected probe was topically sprayed onto endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or surgical specimens, tumors were visualized within 5 min, and when the probe was sprayed on biopsy samples, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy reached 96.9%, 85.7% and 90.5%. We believe that DPP-IV-targeted activatable fluorescence probes are practically translatable as convenient tools for clinical application to enable rapid and accurate diagnosis of early esophageal cancer during endoscopic or surgical procedures.

Background: Gastric cancer exhibits various degrees of fluorine F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). We evaluated the relationship between (18)F-FDG uptake and the presence/absence of metastasis in individual lymph nodes (LN) on a one-to-one basis., Methods: We analyzed 21 patients with gastric cancer. We injected (18)F-FDG intravenously in the morning, and gastrectomy with LN dissection was performed in the afternoon of the same day. Radiation doses were measured at each LN using a well-type counter, and we then compared (18)F-FDG uptake, the shortest diameter, and pathological examination results for each LN., Results: In our study, 906 LNs were analyzed, including 115 metastatic LNs. Metastatic LNs showed significantly higher (18)F-FDG uptake (P < 0.0001), and were significantly enlarged (P < 0.0001). The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve had a larger area under the curve (0.71) for (18)F-FDG uptake than for the shortest LN diameter (0.60). Considering histology, the ROC curve for intestinal type adenocarcinoma had a larger area under the curve than that for diffuse type (0.75 vs 0.61)., Conclusions: F-FDG uptake is potentially a more useful variable than LN diameter for discriminating between LN with and without metastasis, especially in intestinal type gastric cancer cases.

Background: The frequency of intraperitoneal free tumor cells (IPTC) is considered to reflect the severity of peritoneal metastasis (PM). We quantified the relative number of IPTC against leukocytes in peritoneal fluid and evaluated its clinical relevance in gastric cancer (GC) patients, particularly those with PM., Methods: Cells recovered from ascites or peritoneal lavage fluid were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to CD45 and CD326 (EpCAM). Using flow cytometry (FACS), CD326(+) and CD45(+) cells were classified as either tumor cells (T) or leukocytes (L) and the T/L ratio (TLR) was calculated in a total of 506 samples obtained from 300 patients with GC and 33 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC)., Results: Median (M) of the TLR of the initial samples obtained from 199 patients with PM(+) GC was 1.32 % (0-1,868.44 %), which was significantly higher than that in patients with PM(-) GC (M = 0 %, 0-0.35 %; n = 101) or LC (M = 0 %, 0-0.031 %; n = 33). In 104 PM(+) patients who received combination chemotherapy including intraperitoneal paclitaxel, the TLR was repeatedly measured in peritoneal fluid obtained from the port. In these patients, the TLR showed a strong correlation with clinical features as well as cytological findings and carcinoembryonic antigen messenger RNA status. Finally, the median survival time of the 11 patients with initial TLR > 10 % was significantly shorter than that of the 52 patients with TLR < 10 % (271 vs. 627 days; p = 0.0002)., Conclusion: The TLR excellently reflected tumor burden in the peritoneal cavity, and could be a reliable biomarker to determine the outcome, as well as the effectiveness, of chemotherapy in patients with PM(+) GC.

Background: Carcinoma of unknown primary site (CUP) is said to account for approximately 3 to 5% of all carcinomas. However, an isolated lesion in the abdominal cavity is rare, and there are no reports describing associated abscess formation., Case Presentation: A 76-year-old woman had consulted a previous physician complaining of fever and right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed an abscess formation around the cecum. She was treated conservatively with antibiotics, but the symptoms relapsed and she consulted our hospital. Enhanced CT showed a persistent abscess, a tumorous lesion in the mesentery and right hydronephrosis. Because malignancy could not be ruled out, surgical treatment was selected. At laparotomy, encapsulated abscesses were found on the mesenteric side and outside of the ileocecal region. When we raised the ileocecal region, a tumor was found to be fixed to the right ureter, and there was leakage of white, solid tumor content. This tumor content was submitted to intraoperative frozen section diagnosis which revealed a carcinoma. Ileocecal resection with D3 lymph node dissection and retroperitoneal tumor resection was thus performed. There were no abnormal findings in the uterus and adnexa, nor any evidence of peritoneal dissemination. We regarded this case as an incomplete resection and chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin was administered. The patient has remained alive and disease-free for almost one year since the primary operation., Conclusion: We described a case with mesenteric CUP discovered during surgery for an intra-abdominal abscess. It is necessary to pay attention to treatment-resistant intraperitoneal abscesses as they may accompany a tumor.

A 65-year-old man with back pain showed a hypovascular lesion of the head of the pancreas on dynamic computed tomography and abdominal ultrasonography. The distal portion of the pancreas was not visible. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed pancreatic duct obstruction, and the duodenal minor papilla was not visible. Therefore, we diagnosed the patient's condition as stage IVa pancreatic cancer with congenital agenesis of the dorsal pancreas. The patient underwent successful chemotherapy with 3 courses of gemcitabine and S-1, which was followed by pancreaticoduodenectomy. Pathological staging revealed invasive ductal carcinoma, pT3, pN0, pM0, stage III. We report a rare case of pancreatic cancer with congenital agenesis of the dorsal pancreas.

A 74-year-old man, whose chief complaint was epigastralgia, was referred to our hospital and diagnosed gastric cancer with liver metastasis. Gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a tumor on the lesser curvature of cardia of stomach. He was diagnosed as neuroendocrine cell carcinoma by biopsy specimens. He was treated by combined chemotherapy of CPT-11 and CDDP. After 11 courses, endoscopic examination revealed a complete disappearance of the primary tumor. CT-scan and MRI showed that the liver metastasis had been disappeared. We diagnosed as clinical CR and performed total gastrectomy with lymph node dissection and partial hepatectomy. Histological findings revealed a few cells in stomach and no cancer cells in the liver. He was treated with adjuvant chemotherapy of S-1. After 3-course, he suffered from anemia of grade 3, thus we interrupted chemotherapy. The patient remains alive for 28 months without recurrence. We conclude that chemotherapy was effective for neuroendocrine cell carcinoma of the stomach, which was to be considered of poor prognosis, and that liver resectomy was often effective.

We investigated the efficacy of a potent inhibitor of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), S-5920/LY315920Na, in an experimental model of acute pancreatitis in rats. Combined intraductal injection of sodium taurocholate (5 mg/rat) and porcine pancreatic sPLA2-IB (300 microg/rat) caused severe hemorrhagic necrotizing pancreatitis resulting in high mortality, along with rapid increases of catalytic PLA2 and lipase activities in plasma and ascites and with gradual increases of plasma amylase and aspartate aminotransferase levels over 9 h after the pancreatitis. Prophylactic intravenous treatment with S-5920/LY315920Na significantly reduced mortality at 7 days, and strongly abrogated PLA2 activities in both plasma and ascites along with significant reduction of lipase activity, amylase, aspartate aminotransferase, and hemorrhage at 6 h. It also significantly reduced histological damage such as edema and parenchymal and fat necroses of the pancreatic tissue. This sPLA2 inhibitor could become an effective agent for the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis.

A 71-year-old woman diagnosed with gallstones and chronic cholecystitis was admitted to our hospital in October 1997, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed. After the operation, early gallbladder carcinoma, which had superficially spread to the whole gallbladder restricted to mucosa (pT1a) by histology, was identified. Six weeks later, liver bed resection, bile duct dissection and regional lymph node dissection were performed. Histological examination revealed that cancer cells had been microscopically disseminated to the hepatoduodenal ligament and invaded into the lymphatic vessels. The postoperative course was uneventful. She died of peritoneal recurrence of her gallbladder cancer 14 months after the second operation.

Recently, T cells were classified into two categories: intrathymic T cells (ITCs; thymus-derived T cells) and extrathymic T cells (ETCs). ETC, localized in the liver and intestinal intraepithelium (IE), play an important immunologic role in the suppressed condition of T-cell development in the thymus. Given the fact that complications of surgery in patients with obstructive jaundice are often related to immunosuppression in the gut-liver circulation, we attempted to investigate the changes in the proportion of ETCs in mice with obstructive jaundice. Three mice models were prepared ( n = 10 per group): sham group with simple laparotomy; ligation group with common bile duct ligation; deoxycholic acid (DCA) group with an oral intake of DCA as a model of the presence of bile salts in the gut lumen. In each model, total mononuclear cells (MNCs), ITCs in the thymus, and ETCs in the liver and IE were counted using monoclonal antibodies in conjunction with a two-color immunofluorescence test by flow cytometry. In the ligation group the number of MNCs was reduced in the thymus and IE, and only those in the IE recovered after oral intake of DCA. A decrease of ITCs in the thymus and the increase in ETCs in the liver and IE occurred simultaneously during the early phase of biliary obstruction. At day 7 after biliary obstruction, ETCs in the livers of the DCA and ligation groups decreased to nearly the level in the sham group. However, on day 7 the ETCs in the IE remained significantly higher in the DCA group than in the ligation group. These results suggested that ETCs can act in place of ITCs at an early phase of obstructive jaundice, and the presence of bile in the gut lumen may be associated with the consumption of ETCs in the IE, a reaction that may bring about improved immunoreactivity.

Background/purpose: The effects of preoperative biliary drainage for obstructive jaundiced patients are controversial. Although experimental studies have proven the benefit of internal biliary drainage (ID) over external biliary drainage (ED), ID has several clinical problems, such as clogging or tube replacement. The aim of this study was to determine whether there were any differences in T-cell function, liver function, and histology, between rats in ID and ED groups in short-term experiments., Methods: Following bile duct ligation (BDL) for 14 days, rats in the ED and ID groups had 7 days of ED and 7 days of ID, respectively. Normal rats were used as negative controls (control group). For positive controls, we used a group with BDL and no drainage (BDL group). Serum bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured, splenic T-cell proliferation was assayed to check cellular immunity, and liver histology was examined., Results: Recovery of bilirubin and ALT was similar in the ED and ID groups. Recovery of AST was worse in the ID group than in the ED group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Levels of ALP in the BDL and ID groups were significantly higher than those in the control and ED groups. Rats in the BDL group showed a significant decrease in T-cell function compared to the control group. The ED group showed better recovery of T-cell function than the ID group in the 7 days after relief of obstructive jaundice. The livers in the ID group demonstrated histologically moderate interface hepatitis with periportal inflammation and lymphocyte infiltration, which strongly suggested incomplete tube obstruction, but those in the ED group showed minimal change., Conclusions: ED is superior to ID concerning the recovery of cellular immunity and liver inflammation in the short-term after relief from biliary obstruction in this model. As the patency of the tube is well maintained in ED compared to ID, patency of the tube is essential to obtain good recovery of cellular immunity, irrespective of the drainage method., (Copyright 2004 Springer-Verlag)

We report a patient with peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer who responded to weekly chemotherapy with paclitaxel (TXL) as the third line treatment and could take meals for half a year. The patient was a 64-year-old man who underwent total gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. He was first treated with TS-1 as an outpatient treatment; however, tumor markers rose. He could not take meals and had to be hospitalized. CPT-11 was infused on the second line, but due to disease progress, the patient was administered weekly TXL. TXL (70 mg/m2) was infused over 1 hour after short premedication. Administration was continued for 3 weeks followed by 1 week rest. The tumor markers decreased, and he could take meals and was discharged from hospital. The toxic events were leukopenia (grade 2), alopecia (grade 2) and pneumonia (grade 3).

Radical resections have been reported to improve the surgical outcome for patients with carcinoma of the gallbladder. In recent years surgeons have had more opportunities to operate on elderly patients. We investigated whether the survival rate of aged patients who had radical resections were better than rates for those who had simple cholecystectomy. Of the 300 patients treated for carcinoma of the gallbladder between 1971 and 1999, 206 resected cases (except pancreaticoduodenectomy and hepatectomy) were divided into two groups: age 75 years or older, 54 patients (the older group), and age less than 75 years, 152 patients (the younger group). Clinical features and progression of the carcinomas did not differ between the two groups. In the older group, 22 patients (40.7%) had simple cholecystectomy, 32 (59.3%) had radical resections; in the younger group, 65 patients (42.8%) had simple cholecystectomy, and 87 (57.3%) had radical resection. None of the older patients who had radical resection died postoperatively. Postoperative survival was not different between the two groups. In the older group the 5-year survival rate for patients who had radical resections was better (60.9%) than the rate for those who had simple cholecystectomy (14.1%) (p = 0.0098). Radical resection is effective for the aged patients with the carcinoma of gallbladder.

Objective: To examine the changes in the number of T cells and macrophages in the mucosal lamina propria in the presence or absence of bile in the gastrointestinal tract., Design: Clinical study., Setting: University hospital, Japan., Subjects: 6 patients with obstructive jaundice who had external biliary drainage (drainage group) and 6 patients with no signs of obstructive jaundice (control group)., Interventions: Gastrointestinal specimens were taken at the time of operation., Main Outcome Measures: The number of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages in the lamina propria mucosae in each group measured immunohistochemically., Results: The numbers of CD8 T cells and CD68+ macrophages in the lamina propria of the patients treated by external drainage were significantly less than in the control group (p < 0.01). However, there was no difference in the number of CD4+ T cells between the groups (p = 0.45)., Conclusions: In the absence of bile, mucosal immune function fails as a result of reduced numbers of CD8+ T cells and macrophages.

A 66-year-old male underwent partial gastrectomy (resection of the pyloric side of the stomach) at another hospital on the basis of a diagnosis of gastric cancer (Fig. 1). Five months later, his CEA level began to rise. At that time, multiple liver metastases were detected by ultrasonography and CT scans. The patient received oral UFT therapy (400 mg/day) at our hospital. A reduction in CEA was observed 63 days after the start of this therapy. A judgment of CR (complete response) was made after 4 months of the therapy. At present, 2 years and 4 months after UFT was first administered, the patient shows no signs of tumor recurrence. This case is noteworthy since there has been no previous report of a case where UFT showed a high efficacy in treating liver metastasis after surgical resection of gastric cancer.

Pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PyNPase) is a general term for enzymes which phosphorolyse pyrimidine class nucleosides; convert 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR), a fluoropyrimidine class anticancer drug, to an active type of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU); and demonstrate higher concentrations in tumor tissue. These findings have attracted attention from the standpoint of drug delivery systems. With regard to immunohistochemical staining studies, PyNPase expression correlated with cancer proliferation and metastasis. However, few have shown a relation between PyNPase assay and prognosis. We measured PyNPase value in tumor tissue of operative specimens from 60 gastric cancer patients. The results showed that the PyNPase value in tumor tissue was significantly higher (1.9 times) than in normal mucosa. There was no correlation between the PyNPase level in tumor tissue and clinicopathologic factors. However, many patients with relatively early gastric cancer had high enzyme levels, indicating that PyNPase may influence cancer proliferation and metastasis as well as prognosis. By detecting such a factor as PyNPase, and clinically applying the results, 5'-DFUR is promising for the treatment of patients with respect to prognosis.

To diagnose early gallbladder carcinoma is difficult but essential to improve the survival of the patients with this cancer. Fifty-three early gallbladder cancers were macroscopically divided into protruding and flat types. The diagnostic devises [ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and drip infusion cholangiography (DIC)] were compared for their ability of early detection. The specimens were examined cytologically for diagnosis during operation and the p53 protein was investigated. Thirty-three cases were of the protruding type, eighteen of the flat type, and two unclassified. Carcinoma tended to be missed when gallstones were present. Preoperative diagnosis of the flat type was difficult. Tumor location did not always correlate with the preoperative diagnosis. Of the misdiagnosed cases of the protruding type, half were missed with US and CT and were not visualized clearly by DIC. Among the flat type cancers, only three had no abnormal findings by diagnostic imaging. Cytologic examination was effective, and p53 was expressed only in early carcinoma, not in adenoma or dysplasia. Even in the presence of gallstones or cholecystitis, any abnormal findings should make one suspicious of gallbladder cancer. Cytology and p53 expression may be useful for the intraoperative diagnosis, and a combination of diagnostic methods is important.

We evaluated the surgical results for carcinoma of the gallbladder. Between 1971 and 1995 we treated 258 patients, 74 of whom were treated with simple cholecystectomy, 71 with extended cholecystectomy, and 24 with more extended operations. The tumors were classified according to the stage proposed by the Japanese Society of Biliary Surgery. For m and pm carcinoma simple cholecystectomy may have an excellent result. However, it is difficult to know cancer depth exactly before or during operation, especially when combined with inflammation due to gallstones. In Stage I disease, extended cholecystectomy had an excellent result. So extended cholecystectomy is needed even in the early stage of the disease. Second operation is needed in inapparent carcinoma of the gallbladder if the tumor is more than pm or the margin is positive. More extended operations may be needed in advanced stages for curative resection. Extended hepatic lobectomy combined with pancreaticoduodenectomy should be indicated only if the patients are in good condition because of its high postoperative mortality and morbidity without a significant improvement in survival.

Pancreatic anomalies are occasionally reported, but complete agenesis of the dorsal pancreas is extremely rare. We report a 47-year-old woman with complete agenesis of the dorsal pancreas. This patient initially presented with jaundice. Computed tomography did not reveal the pancreatic corpus or tail. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography did not visualize the dorsal pancreatic duct. Choledochojejunostomy was performed because she had obstructive jaundice. At laparotomy, there was an enlarged pancreatic head, but no distal pancreas was seen. Histological examination of the pancreatic biopsy specimen showed scattered islets of Langerhans in diffuse fibrosis, with destruction of the glandular parenchyma. This case was diagnosed as complete agenesis of the dorsal pancreas.

A case of spontaneous rupture of an intrahepatic bile duct with biloma formation treated by percutaneous drainage and endoscopic sphincterotomy is reported. A 73-yr-old woman was admitted with fever and abdominal pain. There was no past history of abdominal surgery, instrumentation, or trauma. Ultrasound and computed tomography revealed a massive fluid collection in the abdominal cavity. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography demonstrated extravasation of contrast medium from a distal biliary radicle in the left lobe of the liver. After successful treatment by percutaneous drainage and endoscopic sphincterotomy, the patient did well. Ultrasound and computed tomography showed resolution of the biloma. Nontraumatic bilomas are very rare: in fact, only 24 cases of spontaneous biloma have been reported. Endoscopic treatment for patients with spontaneous bilomas can be safe and effective, and should be considered.

We investigated the response of gastric vessels to prostaglandin (PG) E2 after intra-duodenal release of bile in rats with obstructive jaundice. The animals were divided in four groups according to duration of bile duct obstruction (BDO): control and 1 week (W), 2W, and 3W groups. Prolonged BDO decreased gastric mucosal blood flow (BF) significantly. The BF recovered after the release of BDO in the 1W and 2W groups, but not in the 3W group. BDO decreased PGE2 content in gastric mucosa in the 1W, 2W, and 3W groups. PGE2 decreased vascular perfusion pressure of the isolated stomach in the control and 2W groups, but not in the 3W group. The response of gastric vessels to PGE2 was poor in the 3W group compared with the control and 2W groups. Decreased PGE2 in the gastric mucosa and decreased response of gastric vessels to PGE2 may affect gastric blood flow in obstructive jaundice.

Background/aims: p53 protein expression in gallbladder carcinoma has recently been detected by immunohistochemical techniques, but the relationship between p53 expression and prognosis or clinico-pathological factors is still obscure., Materials and Methods: We investigated 48 gallbladder carcinoma, 7 adenoma and 11 dysplasia cases for p53 expression by immunohistochemical techniques., Results: p53 expression was positive in 39.6% of gallbladder cancer cases, but in no adenoma or dysplasia cases. No significant correlation was found between p53 overexpression and prognosis or recurrence in 20 patients with carcinoma involvement up to the subserosal layer. p53 overexpression was correlated with DNA aneuploidy pattern and the absence of stones, but was not correlated with clinical staging or lymph node metastasis., Conclusion: These results suggest that p53 gene mutation is related to the transition from premalignancy to malignancy in gallbladder carcinogenesis, as well as DNA ploidy alterations and carcinogenesis unassociated with gallstones, but has no bearing on the prognosis.