Treatment options for patients with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the lung is categorized as a variant of large cell carcinomas, and LCNEC tumors display biological behaviors resembling those of small cell lung carcinomas and features of high-grade neuroendocrine tumors. Because patients with LCNEC have a poor prognosis, surgery alone is not sufficient. Multimodality therapies, including adjuvant chemotherapy, appear promising for improved prognosis in patients with LCNEC. In this review article, we discuss treatment options for patients with LCNEC of the lung.     

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy in a General Japanese Population: The Hisayama Study

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and risk factors for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in a general Japanese population. Methods: This population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in 2007 with subjects from the Hisayama Study. Of the 3,648 residents in Hisayama, Japan, 2,663 who were ≥ 50 years old were enrolled in this study. The characteristics of PCV were determined by fundus examination or based on indocyanine green and fluorescein angiographic findings. We evaluated the contributions of the risk factors for PCV. Results: Among the 207 participants with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), 174 (6.5%) had early AMD, and 33 (1.2%) had late AMD, including 10 participants with PCV (0.4%). Male and smoking habit were significant risk factors for the development of PCV. Conclusions: The prevalence of PCV is higher among Japanese subjects than Caucasians in Western countries. Male gender and smoking habit were significant risk factors for PCV in a general Japanese population.     

Evaluation of duodenal hypersensitivity induced by duodenal acidification using transnasal endoscopy

Background and Aim: Although duodenal hypersensitivity has been suggested as one of the causes of functional dyspepsia (FD), a practical method to clarify this has not yet been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with FD have duodenal hypersensitivity to acid, using transnasal endoscopy. Methods: In all, 44 patients with FD and 16 healthy volunteers were enrolled, and all the subjects received transnasal endoscopy in the morning after overnight fasting. After ordinary transnasal endoscopy, an infusion tube was introduced into the duodenal bulb by transnasal endoscopy and acid (20 mL, 0.1 N HCl, 20 mL/min, 36.5°C) was injected via the infusion tube. The severity of 12 symptoms was assessed by each subject using a 100‐mm visual analogue scale. The maximum severity scale was defined as the maximum score of the symptom severity scale. The total score was defined as the aggregate score of the maximum severity scale of the 12 symptoms. The maximum severity scales and the total scores between patients with FD and healthy volunteers were evaluated. Results: The maximum severity scales of nine symptoms increased significantly more after acid infusion in patients with FD than in healthy volunteers (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in the total scores (patients with FD vs healthy volunteers 233.8 ± 37.8 vs 63.9 ± 14.6, mean ± standard error of the mean, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Duodenal acidification using transnasal endoscopy enabled the evaluation of duodenal hypersensitivity to acid in healthy volunteers and patients with FD.