Is Hepatic Resection for Large or Multinodular Hepatocellular Carcinoma Justified? Results From a Multi-Institutional Database

Background The role of surgical resection in patients with large or multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. This study evaluated the long-term outcome of patients with hepatic resection for large (>5 cm in diameter) or multinodular (more than three nodules) HCC by using a multi-institutional database.Methods The perioperative and long-term outcomes of 404 patients with small HCC (<5 cm in diameter; group 1) were compared with those of 380 patients with large or multinodular HCC (group 2). The prognostic factors in the latter group were analyzed.Results The postoperative complication rate (27% vs. 23%; P = .16) and hospital mortality rate (2.4% vs. 2.7%; P = .82) were similar between groups. The overall survival rates were significantly higher in group 1 than group 2 (1 year, 88% vs. 74%; 3 years, 76% vs. 50%; 5 years, 58% vs. 39%; P < .001). Among patients in group 2, five independent prognostic factors were identified to be associated with a worse overall survival: namely, symptomatic disease, presence of cirrhosis, multinodular tumor, microvascular tumor invasion, and positive histological margin.Conclusions Hepatic resection can be safely performed in patients with large or multinodular HCC, with an overall 5-year survival rate of 39%. Symptomatic disease, the presence of cirrhosis, a multinodular tumor, microvascular invasion, and a positive histological margin are independently associated with a less favorable survival outcome.     

Surgical Resection of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Analysis of Survival and Postoperative Complications

Background Surgery is the only potentially curative treatment for hilar bile duct cancer. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of surgical management of hilar bile duct carcinoma, including radical hepatectomy, at a single institution. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 49 consecutive patients who underwent surgery at our hospital between 1990 and 2003. Results Altogether, 44 of 49 patients underwent radical hepatectomy combined with caudate lobectomy and lymphadenectomy. One and four patients underwent partial hepatectomy or bile duct resection, respectively. No patients underwent preoperative portal vein embolization. The 5-year survival rate was 39.7%, with a median survival time of 3.75 years. The postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 46.8% and 2.0%, respectively. Cox’s proportional hazard model revealed that lymph node status and the residual tumor factor were independent prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative hyperbilirubinemia, postoperative complications, and extended surgical procedures were independently associated with postoperative hyperbilirubinemia. After potentially curative resection, 39.4% of patients suffered from disease recurrence. In 60% of the total cases, the sites of recurrence were distant metastases. Conclusion Surgery, including radical hepatectomy combined with caudate lobectomy and lymph node dissection, is a feasible, effective treatment for hilar bile duct cancer.     

Inhibitor of apoptosis protein family as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets of colorectal cancer

The apoptosis and antiapoptotic signaling pathways are important for regulating carcinogenesis and cancer progression, and for determining prognosis. Molecules involved in apoptosis represent potential cancer diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. The inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family includes several important molecules involved in apoptosis that might represent such targets. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that the IAP family of proteins is integral for antiapoptotic and nuclear factor-κB signal transduction, and enhanced expression of IAPs contributes to colon carcinogenesis and its poor prognosis, as well as to drug resistance of tumors. X-linked IAP, cIAP1, cIAP2, and survivin are prognostic markers of colorectal cancer, and survivin and cIAP2 are also utilized to predict the effect of anticancer treatment in colorectal cancer patients. Novel therapies such as YM155 and LY2181308 targeting survivin, AEG35156 and phenoxodiol targeting X-linked IAP, AT-406 as a Smac mimetic, and survivin peptides are currently being evaluated in clinical trials. This report reviews the involvement of the IAP family in colorectal adenocarcinoma in order to summarize the role of the IAP family members as diagnostic and therapeutic targets, and to provide an overview of the future course of research in this area.     

Renal artery thrombosis — an unusual complication following removal of a neuroblastoma

A 2-month-old female infant with a retroperitoneal neuroblastoma on the left side was admitted to Niigata University Hospital. Her systolic blood pressure, as high as 220 mmHg, was attributed to renovascular hypertension because the plasma renin activity was increased up to 208 ng/ml per hour. Excision of the tumor, including the left kidney, and periaortic lymphnode dissection were performed. For safety during the lymphadenectomy, Nelaton catheters were placed around the inferior vena cava, aorta, superior mesenteric artery, and right renal artery. On the 2nd postoperative day anuria was noted, and aortography was performed revealing obstruction of the right renal artery, inferior mesenteric artery, and left common iliac artery. Thrombectomy via aortic incision was performed immediately to restore the blood flow. The patient developed chronic renal failure, however, and still requires hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Pediatric surgeons should bear in mind that extensive periaortic lymphadenectomy may cause postoperative arterial thrombosis.     

Effect of vestibular nerve section on cytochrome oxidase activity in the vestibular ganglion cells of the squirrel monkey

Cytochrome oxidase (CO) activity of the vestibular ganglion cells of the squirrel monkey was demonstrated histochemically under normal and experimental conditions. Under general anesthesia, right vestibular nerve section was performed on adult squirrel monkeys between the vestibular ganglion and brain stem. The left side was left intact and was used as a within-animal normal control. One squirrel monkey that did not undergo vestibular nerve section was also included in the normal group. Following a survival period of seven months, neurons in the vestibular ganglion of both sides were examined. In the normal control sides, a significant negative correlation between the size of the neuron and its optical density for CO stain was observed. Many neurons in the vestibular ganglion survived after vestibular nerve section, but their cell sizes and optical densities of CO stain decreased compared with those of the control side.     

Combination chemotherapy of carboplatin and cytosine arabinoside for high-risk leukemia: A pilot study

Fourteen patients with high-risk leukemia (six with relapsed AML, three with relapsed ALL, one with AML-M0, four with CML in myeloid blastic crisis) were treated with a combination chemotherapy of carboplatin (200–300 mg/m²/day) and cytosine arabinoside (100 mg/m²/day) by 24 h continuous infusion for 5–7 days. Five patients (35.7%) achieved complete remission including two patients complicated with myelofibrosis (one with AML-M0 and one with CML in myelo-megakaryocytic crisis). Thirteen patients had nausea and vomiting, five patients had severe, prolonged neutropenia for which it was necessary to administer granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and six patients had severe thrombocytopenia. We concluded that this regimen is effective for the treatment of high-risk leukemia.     

Decreased Levels of 2-Amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline-DNA Adducts in Rats Treated with β-Carotene, α-Tocopherol and Freeze-dried Aloe

To assess mechanisms of chemoprevention of hepatocarcinogenesis by trans -β-carotene (β-C), DL-α-tocopherol (α-T), and freeze-dried whole leaves of Kidachi aloe (Aloe), formation of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5- f ]quinoline (IQ)-DNA adducts was measured by ³²P-post-labeling analysis, and CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 protein levels were analyzed by ELISA. Group 1 rats were fed diet containing 0.02%β-C, 1.5%α-T or 30% Aloe over an 8-day period, while group 2 was given basal diet alone. On day 7, all animals were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH). Twelve hours after PH, they received a single dose of the carcinogenic food pyrolysate IQ (100 mg/kg) intragastrically, to initiate hepatocarcinogenesis. Rats were killed 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after IQ administration. The levels of adducts, expressed as relative adduct labeling values in rats treated with β-C, α-T and Aloe, were decreased as compared with the control group at hour 24 (36 h after PH), with a significant difference in the case of the β-C group (46.4% of the control value). Similarly, all showed a tendency for decrease at hour 48. Furthermore, the levels of CYP1A2, known to be responsible for activation of IQ, showed a significant reduction at hour 24. It is concluded that β-C, and possibly also α-T and Aloe, have the potential to reduce IQ-DNA adduct formation, presumably as a result of decreased formation of active metabolites. The results may explain, at least in part, the previously observed inhibitory effects of these compounds on induction of preneoplastic hepatocellular lesions.     

Functional Mediastinal Parathyroid Cyst: Report of a Case

We report herein a rare case of a functional mediastinal parathyroid cyst. A mediastinal tumor was detected by a chest X-ray film and subsequent computed tomography (CT) scan in a 68-year-old woman who was asymptomatic. Biochemical examination revealed that her serum calcium and intact-parathyroid hormone (i-PTH) levels were above the normal range. The findings of chest CT and magnetic resonance imaging suggested a cystic mass. The mass, which adhered tightly to its surrounding structures, was resected through a median sternotomy. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course, and her serum calcium and i-PTH levels rapidly returned to within the normal range. Received: March 21, 2001 / Accepted: September 11, 2001