A case of recurrent intra-abdominal pediatric desmoid tumor undergoing surgical intervention for 6 times

A 15-year-old male patient with palpable abdominal tumor presented to our hospital. CT scan revealed a giant tumor, 15 cm in diameter, with infiltration to the pancreas body. In addition, the tumor invaded to the greater curvature of the stomach and the transverse colon. We performed distal gastrectomy, distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy and transverse colectomy. The final diagnosis of histopathology was desmoid tumor. The tumor recurred locally 9 months after the surgery. Recurrent legion was unresectable because of the invasion to the orifice of SMV and weekly combination chemotherapy of VLB and MTX was started. Although a partial response was achieved for a local recurrent legion after 20 courses, CT scan showed other new recurrent multiple lesions in the abdominal cavity. Due to the severe abdominal discomfort and intestinal obstruction, a reduction surgery was performed 5 times in total. Endocrine therapy and administration of NSAID were not effective. Tumor progression was uncontrollable, and the patient died 5 years and 8 months after the initial surgery.     

A case of advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination successfully treated with S-1 and intraperitoneal docetaxel administration

A 76-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of remnant gastric cancer. Laparotomy revealed massive lymph node metastasis, direct invasion of the transverse colon, and peritoneal dissemination. Partial resection of remnant stomach with transverse colon and intraperitoneal infuser port implantation were performed. After surgery, he underwent chemotherapy with docetaxel(DOC)administered intraperitoneally, and S-1. CT scan showed no tumors, and the patient was judged to be a complete response(CR)without serious adverse events. We switched DOC to intravenous injection because of port damage, and grade 3 adverse events appeared frequently until the chemotherapy was stopped. It has been 30 months since we stopped the chemotherapy, and the patient is still alive with no evidence of tumor recurrence 48 months after surgery.     

A case of gastric GIST treated preoperatively by imatinib mesylate

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), the most common mesenchymal tumor of the human gastrointestinal tract, is thought to originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal. The mutation of c-kit, cording KIT, is essential in the development of GIST. Imatinib mesylate (IM), an agent for chronic myeloid leukemia, was reported to inhibit tyrosine kinase activity of KIT and to be highly effective for GIST. We report, here, a case of huge gastric GIST who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgical resection. The patient was a 62-year-old man with GIST in cardia (KIT+, CD34+, mitotic rate 5/50 HPF), whose chief complaint was general fatigue. Because the huge tumor, 7.5 cm in size, directly invaded the pancreas, total gastrectomy with distal pancreatosplenectomy was necessary for curative resection. IM was administered (400 mg/body/day) as a neoadjuvant treatment for down-staging of the tumor. Leucopenia (grade 2) and diarrhea (grade 1) were observed as the adverse effects of IM. Partial response was obtained. He underwent proximal gastrectomy without pancreatosplenectomy since CT no longer showed direct invasion to the pancreas. Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed the extensive degeneration of the tumor, in which tumor cells containing condensed nuclei had decreased remarkably. Interestingly, mitotic rate decreased to 0/50 HPF in the effective area of the resected specimen, indicating that recurrent risk might be decreased. A part of the viable tumor cells, however, had the same feature to that in the biopsied specimen before treatment. The results suggest that the heterogeneity of GIST induces different sensitivity to IM. The postoperative course was uneventful and no sign of recurrence was observed 3 months after surgery. Neoadjuvant therapy with IM may become a useful strategy for GIST, as it reduces the tumor size and decreases the recurrence rate.     

Complete response achieved in a case of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor by administration of imatinib mesilate with concurrent relatively high-dose steroid therapy to control side effects

We present a 53-year-old man who underwent proximal gastrectomy for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in August 2005. Imatinib mesilate (imatinib) 400 mg/day was started in February 2006 for left adrenal metastasis. Tumor size markedly decreased by April 2006, but medication had to be discontinued due to a pruritic rash. A distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, and left adrenectomy were performed in August for recurrent adrenal metastases. Imatinib 200 mg/day started postoperatively was discontinued immediately due to fever and pruritus. Local recurrence with peritoneal dissemination was found in February 2007. Imatinib 100 mg/day with prednisolone (PDL) 5 mg/day was discontinued in two days due to pruritic dermatitis. Imatinib 200 mg/day with PDL 40 mg/day was restarted in April due to an increase in tumor size. Treatment continued without obvious side effects, and PDL dosage was tapered to 10 mg/day. The tumor was no longer visible on CT in May 2008, and complete response is being maintained as of August 2009.     

A case of pancreatic mucinous carcinoma which includes calcification

A 60-year-old woman was pointed out a tumor, 2.6 cm in diameter, at the pancreas body, by screening ultrasonography examination. Jaundice and anemia were absent and no abdominal mass was palpable on physical examination. Enhanced CT revealed the tumor directly invaded to splenic vein, but lymph node metastases were not detected. ERCP showed a pancreatic duct was obstructed by the tumor, accompanied with dilatation of the peripheral pancreas duct. Because we cannot rule out the malignancy tumor, pancreatoduodenectomy and lymphadenectomy was done. The tumor was very hard and serosal invasion was suspicious in the operative findings. Histopathological study showed that the tumor was occupied with colloid differentiation, in which free mucinous epithelial malignant cells were floating. Then we diagnosed the tumor to be pancreatic mucinous carcinoma. Extra pancreatic extension such as vascular involvement was not proved microscopically. However, ten months after the resection, CT scan showed a recurrent tumor sized 4 cm diameter, at the middle abdominal cavity, which suspected to be disseminated diseases. Mucinous carcinoma occurs relatively rare in pancreas, of which the incidence is 1 .4% in pancreatic adenocarcinomas. We report herein the pancreatic mucinous carcinoma case with a calcificated region, which resulted in early recurrence with abdominal seeding.     

Imatinib induced severe skin reactions and neutropenia in a patient with gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Background

Imatinib mesylate has been used for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). The current recommended dose of imatinib is 400 mg/day that is increased to 800 mg/day in cases with disease progression. However, imatinib can be associated with diverse adverse events, which has limited its use. We report a case of severe adverse skin reactions with neutropenic fever during imatinib treatment in a patient with GIST.

Case presentation

A 71-year-old man was admitted with a one month history of epigastric pain and a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant. An abdominal CT scan revealed a 20 × 19 cm intraabdominal mass with tumor invasion into the peritoneum. Needle biopsy was performed and the results showed spindle shaped tumor cells that were positive for c-KIT. The patient was diagnosed with unresectable GIST. Imatinib 400 mg/day was started. The patient tolerated the first eight weeks of treatment. However, about three months later, the patient developed a grade 4 febrile neutropenia and a grade 3 exfoliative skin rash. The patient recovered from this serious adverse events after discontinuation of imatinib with supportive care. However, the skin lesions recurred whenever the patient received imatinib over 100 mg/day. Therefore, imatinib 100 mg/day was maintained. Despite the low dose imatinib, follow up CT showed a marked partial response without grade 3 or 4 toxicities.

Conclusion

The recommended dose of imatinib for the treatment of GIST is 400 mg/day but patients at risk for adverse drug reaction may benefit from lower doses. Individualized treatment is needed for such patients, and we may also try sunitinib as a alternative drug.     

A case of curatively resected locally advanced pancreatic cancer after chemoradiation therapy

A 68-year-old man admitted for pancreatic tumor detected by US was found by computed tomography(CT)to have locally advanced pancreatic cancer invading the portal vein and neural plexus of the superior mesenteric artery without distant metastasis. We conducted preoperative chemoradiation therapy containing S-1 and hyperfractionated accelerated radiation therapy (50 Gy). Reevaluation of CT after chemoradiation therapy showed that the primary tumor reduced 52% without distant metastasis. Based on these findings, we conducted subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with portal vein resection. Pathological examination revealed moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Extensive fibrosis with a small amount of cancer cells was observed in the marginal area of the tumor. The portal vein was surrounded with extensive fibrosis and free from cancer cells. Extrapancreatic nerve plexus invasion and lymph node metastasis were not observed. There were no residual cancer cells (R0). The postoperative course was uneventful, and adjuvant chemotherapy (S-1) was started. The patient remains well without recurrence 12 months after surgery.     

Re-resection for local recurrence in the remnant pancreas after pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer- a case report

A 70-year-old female suffered from jaundice was admitted to our hospital for a tumor in the pancreas head. CA19-9 and DUPAN-2 levels were increased in laboratory test. Enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a low density area of pancreas head. Cytology of pancreatic juice was performed by ERCP, and malignant cells were detected. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed under a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (T3N1M0, stage III). Despite of adjuvant chemotherapy (gemcitabine) after surgery, CT scan revealed a low density area in the cut end of remnant pancreas at 3 months, which was accompanied with elevation of and CA19-9 and DUPAN-2 levels. We diagnosed as a recurrent pancreatic cancer of remnant pancreas without any other side of recurrence and re-resection was performed. Because of chylous ascites and depression following a second surgery, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy could not be started. Re-recurrence was detected at 3 months after the second surgery, and she died 6 months after the surgery. Remnant or repeated pancreatectomy for local recurrent pancreatic carcinomas is extremely rare with limited number of cases reported in the literature. We report our experience, and discuss the significance of re-resection for recurrence of remnant pancreas.     

A case of perforated gastric cancer in which complete response was confirmed with resection following TS-1/CDDP combined chemotherapy after omentopexy

The present patient was a 50-year-old male with sudden upper abdominal pain. The patient exhibited pallor, and physical examination revealed a rigid abdomen. Abdominal x-ray revealed free air, and emergency laparotomy was performed to confirm upper gastrointestinal tract perforation. A perforated lesion of approximately 1 cm in diameter was found on the anterior wall at the gastric angle. The area surrounding the lesion was tumor-like, and the posterior wall was fused invasively with the pancreas. Malignancy was suspected; however, considering the patient's general status, greater omentum grafts were opted for. The patient was diagnosed with type III gastric cancer by gastroendoscopy post-operatively, and TS-1/CDDP therapy was started on the 28th day after surgery. After three courses of treatment, the tumor was found to have smoothened, wall consolidation was improved, and a second surgery was performed. During laparotomy, a nodule in the round ligament of liver was found and removed; however, there were no other medical findings that raised suspicion of peritoneal dissemination or liver metastasis. It was concluded that radical surgery was possible, and distal gastrectomy (D 2) was performed. Pathological examination revealed that signet ring cell carcinoma was present on only part of the mucous membrane. The lower and muscle layers of the serous membrane and the nodule in the round ligament of liver were replaced by fibrous tissue, indicating the disappearance of cancer cells. Two years and three months after surgery, the patient exhibited no signs of recurrence.     

Case report: a young woman with advanced esophageal cancer showing pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CDDP, 5-FU and ADM)

A 32-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with dysphagia. An upper gastrointestinal series revealed Borrmann type 2 esophageal cancer in the lower thoracic esophagus. Because direct invasion of the thoracic aorta was suspected, FAP therapy (CDDP, 5-FU and ADM) was given as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After completion of two courses, her dysphagia resolved and the tumor shrank by over 90%, so radical surgery was performed. No lesions were found when the resected specimen was examined macroscopically. The only histological change was hyperplasia of collagen fibers in the submucosa, lamina propria and adventitia of the esophagus. No cancer cells and no metastases to the lymph nodes were observed. Because the tumor had completely disappeared, the histological effect of chemotherapy was classified as grade 3, i.e., pathological complete response (PCR). The response to FAP therapy was excellent and no serious adverse events occurred. Therefore, this is one of the treatments that should be actively applied in patients who have advanced esophageal cancer with suspected lymph node metastasis and invasion of other organs.     

A case of locally advanced rectal cancer had a pathological complete response to XELOX Therapy

The patient was a 62-year-old man with bowel obstruction in a locally advanced rectal cancer. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen showed tumor enlargement(11.4 × 9.0 cm)that invaded the urinary bladder, but no distant metastasis. XELOX therapy was planned in order to shrink or eliminate the tumor after a sigmoid colostomy. Four courses of XELOX therapy were perfomed. Consequently, the level of the tumor marker had been restored to a normal range. CT scan revealed marked shrinkage of the tumor (6.1 × 5.2 cm) and a sharply-defined border between the tumor and the urinary bladder. Three weeks after chemotherapy, a low anterior resection as a radical surgery, and a temporary ileostomy were performed. The post-operative course was good. The histological effect was judged to be grade 3. There were no viable cancer cells in the rectal tumor and lymph nodes. The patient is alive and has been disease-free for 10 months after the operation. XELOX therapy as pre-operative chemotherapy might be safe and effective for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.     

A case of resection of esophageal cancer infiltrating the left main bronchus following preoperative chemo-radiotherapy and resection of metachronous lung metastasis

We herein report a case of T4 esophageal carcinoma, which was resected after chemo-radiation therapy. In addition, the metachronous lung metastasis was also resected. A 59-year-old female with esophageal carcinoma, which invaded the left main bronchus, underwent chemo-radiation therapy (the combination of systemic chemotherapy of 5-FU/CDDP and external radiation therapy) from January 2004. After the therapy, although the imaging showed a downstaging of esophageal carcinoma, a severe esophageal stricture appeared with ingestion defective. So hyper-alimentation was performed. After the state of nutrition was improved, esophagectomy was performed on March 2004 without a complication. Histopathological study revealed that no viable cells remained. Nine months after esophagectomy, chest CT scan revealed that a solitary pulmonary tumor appeared in S6 of the right. The solitary tumor enlarged gradually. On August 2005, a surgical resection for the solitary pulmonary tumor was performed. Histopathologically, the lesion was compatible for metastasis from esophageal carcinoma. The patient is alive without recurrence more than 23 months after the last surgery.     

A case of liver metastasis of colon cancer responding remarkably to 5'-DFUR

A 65-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of diarrhea due to sigmoid colon cancer. Abdominal CT scan revealed a hepatic tumor (S8) about 2 cm in diameter. We performed a sigmoidectomy and planned to resect the liver metastasis 1 or 2 months later. Pathological findings showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, s, n1. Two weeks after the surgery, 5'-DFUR was administered at 600 mg/day. An abdominal CT scan 2 months later demonstrated regression of the liver metastasis and another scan 4 months later showed the tumor had disappeared. 5'-DFUR was administered for about 2 years. Five years after the surgery, the patient is alive without recurrence and CEA level is in normal range.     

A case of small cell carcinoma of the stomach

We report a rare case of small cell carcinoma of the stomach with metastasis to the liver and invasion of the pancreas, which was associated with acute peritonitis due to perforation of the stomach. CPT-11/CDDP chemotherapy achieved a partial response. A 60-year-old man suddenly developed abdominal pain and visited the emergency room. We diagnosed acute peritonitis due to perforation of the digestive tract because CT scan showed free air in the abdominal cavity. An emergency operation was performed with an omental patch for closing the perforated hole in the stomach. Excisional biopsy was performed to the small liver nodule. Histological findings showed that the liver nodule was metastasis from small cell carcinoma. There was no finding from the thoracic CT scan, but gastroscopy revealed a giant tumor, which was diagnosed as small cell carcinoma in histology. Therefore, we diagnosed small cell carcinoma of the stomach with liver metastasis and invasion of the pancreas. After operation, one course of FP chemotherapy was performed, but the liver metastasis increased in size. Then we changed to CPT-11/CDDP chemotherapy as second-line therapy, and achieved partial remission (PR) of both the liver metastasis and gastric tumor.     

A case of bleeding giant gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach who achieved partial response by chemotherapy

A 80-year-old female was referred to our hospital for hematomesis. An abdominal CT revealed a heterogeneous giant tumor of about 11 cm, rich in vascularity, extending from the gastric fundus, beyond the upper side of the spleen, to the left thoracic diaphragm. Gastroscopy showed a 5 cm submucosal tumor with a visible vessel at the gastric fundus. After biopsy was performed, she was diagnosed with a c-kit-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)of the stomach. Following endoscopic hemostasis for gastric bleeding, imatinib mesilate was administered. The tumor reduced markedly, and vascularity in the tumor was diminished, the visible vessels of the tumor disappeared. For curative resection, total gastrectomy with a distal pancreato -splenectomy and a left diaphgram resection is necessary, but surgery was high-risk for this patient because she was advanced in age. She is now achieving a good partial response without surgery.     

A resected case of advanced gastric cancer with multiple liver metastasis responding to preoperative TS-1/CDDP chemotherapy

Case: A 75-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with hematoemesis. Gastrofiber-scopy revealed that type 3 gastric cancer was widespread in the lesser curvature. Multiple liver metastases 5 cm in diameter were shown on CT. We thought that the case was unresectable, and TS-1/CDDP chemotherapy was performed. TS-1 (80 mg/body/day) was orally administered and CDDP at 20 mg/body/day by intravenous drip infusion a week for 3 weeks followed by a drug-free 2 week period as the first course. After the third course, the primary lesion and the liver metastasis showed a partial response in terms of size. No serious drug adverse reaction was observed. Since there was no longer any reduction of the tumor, gastrectomy and coagulation therapy for liver metastasis were performed, and he has been alive for 15 months without recurrence. Combined use of TS-1 and CDDP is effective as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer.     

A case of locally advanced gastric cancer responding to pathological CR treated with S-1/CDDP neoadjuvant chemotherapy

A 75-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of locally advanced gastric cancer. Gastrointestinal fiberscopy revealed type 3 advanced gastric cancer in the posterior wall of the gastric cardia extending to the middle body. Abdominal CT scan revealed direct invasion of pancreas and regional lymph node metastases, indicating clinical stage IV (cT4N2H0P0M0). After two courses of S-1/CDDP, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered, and total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadectomy was performed. Histological examination revealed no residual cancer cells in the surgically obtained stomach and lymph nodes, suggesting a complete pathological response (Grade 3). She was treated with S-1 for one year after operation and presently, 16 months after operation, she is in good health without recurrence.     

A surgical (pancreatoduodenectomy) case of lymph node metastatic recurrence of colon cancer after chemotherapy

A woman in her fifties underwent a right hemicolectomy (D3) for cancer of the ascending colon in October 2007, definitively and pathologically diagnosed as papillary adenocarcinoma invading to the subserosa, and no metastasis was detected to lymph node. But 13 months after the surgery, she was found to have a mass near the anastomosis by an abdominal CT scan. Colonoscopy showed an evaluating lesion with ulcer in the anal side of the anastomosis. We tried to resect the metastasis, but it was not resectable because of the invasion to the pancreas. The mFOLFOX regimen was effective. After the chemotherapy (6 courses), we decided to perform a radical resection. We conducted pancreatoduodenectomy in May 2009. She is still alive 12 months after surgery.     

An outpatient with unresectable pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine showing prolonged NC (22 months)

A 76-year-old man developed jaundice and was hospitalized in January 2002. A 3 cm tumor was found in the head of the pancreas by abdominal CT, and the patient underwent laparotomy. The tumor was histologically diagnosed as a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, and showed extensive invasion to the portal vein (T4NXM 0 Stage IV a). Incisional biopsy and hepaticojejunostomy were performed. On the basis of a drug sensitivity test, chemotherapy with 800 mg/m2/week gemcitabine was administered. The patient showed prolonged NC without any symptoms for 22 months, although the CEA and DUPAN-2 levels gradually increased during this time and massive ascites were detected in a routine abdominal CT at 22 months postsurgery. The patient died after 25 months of chemotherapy. Here we report a case of unresectable pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine on the basis of a drug sensitivity test.     

A long-term survival case of advanced gastric cancer undergoing radical gastrectomy by second-look operation after successful chemotherapy (CDDP, MMC, 5-FU)

A 55-year-old woman with gastric cancer underwent laparotomy and was found to have an unresectable tumor characterized by S3 (invasion of the pancreas), N3, P0 and H0. She was then treated by combined administration of cisplatinum, mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil. A remarkable response (CR) was confirmed by upper gastrointestinal roentgenography and endoscopy. Upon reoperation about 8 weeks after chemotherapy, a successful radical total gastrectomy with R2 (partially R3) lymphnode dissection was performed. Histological examination of the specimens, including the stomach and lymphnodes, revealed no cancer cells in any region (pCR). She had been given UFT and PSK for 4 years 4 months after reoperation. She has lived for 5 years 2 months after reoperation without any signs of recurrence or metastases.