Advances in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and concomitant esophageal varices

Twenty-four patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) concomitant with esophageal and/or cardial varices concurrently underwent hepatic resection for HCC and various treatments for varices. All patients had cirrhosis of the liver, and had either blue or white varices with "red color signs" endoscopically. These patients were assigned to two groups. Group A patients simultaneously underwent partial hepatectomy and selective shunt or direct interruption procedures (n = 13). Group B patients underwent hepatic resection and devascularization of the upper half of the stomach and/or preoperative or postoperative endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (n = 11). Seven patients in Group A had a tumor recurrence 4 to 58 months postoperatively, while in Group B, one of 11 patients had a tumor recurrence in the remnant liver. There was one patient in Group A with postoperative rebleeding from esophageal varices, and there was neither variceal bleeding nor variceal recurrence after treatment in Group B. Liver failure was the immediate cause of death in five, including three in-hospital deaths in Group A. Survival rates during the first 5 years in Group A were 75%, 67%, 31%, 21% and 10%, while the four-year survival rate in group B was 100%. In the light of this evidence, the treatment given to Group B is to be preferred.     

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and anabolic effect of PTH on bone

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis(GIO)is the major cause of secondary osteoporosis, and prevention of GIO is thought to be essential to avoid bone fracture. Direct inhibitory effect of glucocorticoid on bone formation is considered as the main mechanism of GIO. Clinical guidelines have recommended that bisphosphonate is the first choice for the treatment of GIO. Bone mineral density in patients with GIO has recently been reported to be increased by the treatment with parathyroid hormone(PTH)at a low dose and by intermittent administration.     

The principles and practices of intramedullary nailing for fracture fixation

Intramedullary nailing is fracture fixation for long bone fractures. The fixation system is stabilization at fracture site, using a metal rod, from the inside of medullary cavity of long tubular bone. This principle of fracture fixation is intramedullary splinting. The procedures of fixation are reduction at fracture site, decision of entry point, reaming, insertion of nail and interlocking screw fixation, additionally controlling of dynamization for acceleration of fracture healing. The development of intremadullary nailing has sequentially addressed the design of nail, fixation system and technical exploitation, and expanding of indication. This paper introduces the concept and recent development of intramedullary nailing.     

Laparoscopic splenectomy for portal hypertension

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Laparoscopic splenectomy is now increasingly being performed. However, controversy remains regarding the effectiveness of a laparoscopic splenectomy for patients with portal hypertension. METHODOLOGY: Seventy-three patients with portal hypertension who underwent a laparoscopic splenectomy from February 1992 until October 2000 were reviewed and the effectiveness of the procedures for portal hypertension was evaluated. Forty-two patients had esophagogastric varices and twenty had a concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma. The indications for surgery were bleeding tendency due to thrombocytopenia (n = 40), difficulty in receiving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma due to thrombocytopenia (n = 18), and sclerotherapy-resistant esophagogastric varices (n = 15). RESULTS: A laparoscopic splenectomy was successfully performed in all the patients. The rate of conversion to conventional open surgery was 9.6% (7/73). The mean operative time was 210.1 +/- 101.9 minutes, and the estimated blood loss was 374.7 +/- 352.4 mL. There were no cases of mortality, and morbidity was encountered in 11.0% of patients. The increase in the platelet count correlated significantly to the spleen weight (P < 0.001). The platelet count had been maintained at over 10 x 10(4)/mm3 for over three years. Eighteen patients with hepatocellular carcinoma successfully underwent treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma after surgery and no recurrence of esophagogastric varices was encountered. CONCLUSIONS: A laparoscopic splenectomy resulted in the successful secondary treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and esophagogastric varices. Portal hypertension was not a contraindication. A laparoscopic approach is therefore the procedure of choice for a splenectomy in portal hypertension.     

The mutation of codon 249 in the p53 gene is not specific in Japanese hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT— Hepatocellular carcinoma samples obtained from 59 patients at surgical resection were examined for mutations of the third base at codon 249 of the p53 gene, using the polymerase chain reaction and oligonucleotide hybridization techniques. This point mutation, which is frequently observed in HCC cases from Southern Africa and Quidong in China, was not recognized in either 60 hepatocellular carcinomas or 53 noncancerous liver tissue samples from Japan. Thirty-four of 45 patients (75.6%) were positive for the hepatitis C virus, which was a higher rate than that for hepatitis B virus infection (9 of 55; 16.4%). The exposure to aflatoxin B1 was not considered to be remarkable. These results suggest that the point mutation of the third base at codon 249 is not common in Japanese patients, and it is suggested that numerous other factors affect the mutation of the p53 gene and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Clinicopathological features of early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with subsequent recurrence

It has been well known that there is occasionally a postoperative recurrence in early esophageal carcinoma. However, the clinicopathologic characteristics of early squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus with a postoperative recurrence have not been elucidated. The subjects were 103 patients with early carcinoma of the esophagus including 10 patients with subsequent recurrence, who had been surgically treated. Clinicopathologic features were compared between patients with the presence and absence of recurrence of carcinoma. No special clinicopathologic feature was observed in early esophageal carcinomas with subsequent recurrence, when compared with early carcinomas without recurrence. Physicians should realize that there is always a possibility of recurrence in early carcinomas of the esophagus, and that a leading clinical strategy for superficial carcinoma of the esophagus is the surgical treatment.     

A major outbreak of Legionnaire's disease due to a public bathhouse: clinical examination]

The largest epidemic outbreak of legionnaires' disease occurred in Japan, where there were 45 cases, including three deaths. There was a high degree of homology at the genetic level between Legionella pneumophila sero-group 1 isolated from two patients and water samples collected from a public bath, and this highlighted the public bath visited by the patients as the source of the infection. We report our clinical observations of 34 cases with a pneumonia type (20 definite and 14 probable) of the 42 cases for whom a diagnosis was made and follow-up care was subsequently provided at our hospital or hospital-affiliated facilities, out of the initial total of 45 cases. Twenty-one cases had underlying diseases, but the disease was mild in all patients. Three cases showed different neuropsychiatric symptoms such as reduced capacity for memorization, somnolence or delirium. Diarrhea was found in three cases, and relative bradycardia in ten. Clinical laboratory test results indicated that a severe inflammatory reaction, renal or hepatic dysfunction, an electrolyte abnormality and abnormal urinalysis were common in the 34 cases. Chest radiography showed a shadow suggestive of infection of the pulmonary parenchyma with multilobar involvement in most cases and pleural effusion in nine cases.     

Interferon alpha receptors are important for antiproliferative effect of interferon-α against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Aim: Interferon (IFN)-alpha is a promising drug for the prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We reported that responders to IFN-alpha/5-fluorouracil combination therapy expressed higher IFN alpha receptor (IFNAR)2 in tumor. Herein we studied involvement of IFNARs in response to IFN-alpha in HCC cells. Methods: IFN-alpha sensitivity and expression of IFNARs were studied in six HCC cell lines (HuH7, PLC/PRF/5, HLE, HLF, HepG2, Hep3B) using growth-inhibitory and RT-PCR, Western blot assays. Short interfering RNAs (SiRNAs) against IFNAR1 and 2 were used to analyze the role of the IFNARs in IFN-alpha's effect and signal transduction. Results: The expressions of IFNAR1 and 2c mRNAs were higher in PLC/PRF/5 cells than those in other cell lines, and PLC/PRF/5 cells expressed abundant IFNAR2c on their cell membrane. When we examined the sensitivity of the HCC cell lines to the growth-inhibitory effect of IFN-alpha, PLC/PRF/5 exhibited a significant response, while the other cells were much more resistant. Knockdown of either IFNAR1 or 2 using siRNAs suppressed the IFN-alpha's signal transduction (2.5-fold), and decreased the growth-inhibitory effect (down by 69.9% and 67.3%). Conclusion: The results suggest that the expression of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2c independently are important for the antiproliferative effect of IFN-alpha in HCC cells.