α-Smooth-muscle actin expression in normal and fibrotic human livers

To determine the significance of the expression of -smooth-muscle actin in the fibrotic human liver, normal and diseased livers were stained with anti--smooth-muscle-actin antibody by an immunoperoxidase method. Vitamin A-containing lipocytes were also identified by the modified Kupffer's gold chloride method. In the normal human liver, lipocytes as well as vascular smooth muscle cells expressed -smooth-muscle actin. In alcoholic liver disease, there was an increase in the cells positive for -smooth-muscle actin adjacent to the fibrotic areas, but the response of lipocytes to the gold chloride reaction diminished. In chronic hepatitis, the cells positive for -smooth-muscle actin increased around the enlarged portal areas, and the response to the gold chloride reaction did not change appreciably. An increase in the cells positive for -smooth-muscle actin was associated with the progression of hepatic fibrosis in the liver of patients with alcoholic liver disease and chronic hepatitis.     

Randomized controlled trial comparing oral doxifluridine plus oral cyclophosphamide with doxifluridine alone in women with node-positive breast cancer after primary surgery.

PURPOSE: We compared the therapeutic usefulness of doxifluridine (5'-DFUR) alone and a combination of 5'-DFUR plus cyclophosphamide (CPM), both of which are considered effective against advanced and recurrent breast cancer, to determine which treatment is more beneficial as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1,131 women with node-positive primary breast cancer were randomly assigned after primary surgery to receive 5'-DFUR alone or 5'-DFUR plus CPM. All patients initially received 5'-DFUR in an oral dose of 1,200 mg/d for 4 weeks, starting 4 weeks after surgery. Chemotherapy was then not given for 2 weeks. Patients in the 5'-DFUR group subsequently received five 4-week cycles of treatment consisting of oral 5'-DFUR (1,200 mg/d) for the first 2 weeks and no chemotherapy for the next 2 weeks. Those assigned to the 5'-DFUR plus CPM group also received oral CPM 100 mg/d for the first 2 weeks and no chemotherapy for the next 2 weeks. Women 50 years or older concurrently received 20 mg/d of tamoxifen for 2 years in both groups. RESULTS: Of the 1,088 eligible women, 546 were assigned to receive 5'-DFUR alone and 542 were assigned to receive 5'-DFUR plus CPM. Overall disease-free survival was significantly better in women who received 5'-DFUR plus CPM than in those who received 5'-DFUR alone (log-rank test, P =.021). Toxic effects occurred in 20.0% of patients (109 of 546) in the 5'-DFUR group and 32.3% of patients (175 of 542) in the 5'-DFUR plus CPM group (chi(2) test, P <.001). CONCLUSION: Combination therapy with 5'-DFUR plus CPM is more effective in preventing recurrence than 5'-DFUR alone.     

Dysadherin overexpression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma reflects tumor aggressiveness: relationship to e-cadherin expression.

PURPOSE: The E-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion system is frequently inactivated by multiple mechanisms and is involved in tumor progression in many types of cancer. Recently, we reported the cloning and characterization of dysadherin and showed that it downregulated E-cadherin and promoted metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of dysadherin expression and the relationship between dysadherin expression and E-cadherin expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined dysadherin and E-cadherin expression in 125 surgically resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Dysadherin was expressed at the cell membrane of cancer cells, but not in nontumor duct and acinar cells. Its expression was stronger in infiltrative and poorly differentiated nests compared with well-differentiated nests. Although the correlation between the expression of dysadherin and E-cadherin was not significant, a group of patients showed reduced E-cadherin expression with dysadherin overexpression. Increased dysadherin expression was significantly correlated with distant metastasis (P =.047), high tumor grade (P =.006), positive tumor margins (P =.024), and infiltrative type of growth pattern (P =.014). A survival advantage was observed in patients with 0% to 20% dysadherin-positive cells compared with patients with 51% to 100% dysadherin-positive cells, independent of tumor-node-metastasis classification, and World Health Organization tumor grade (P =.019). A combination of increased dysadherin expression and reduced E-cadherin expression (< 90%) further worsened the prognosis. CONCLUSION: In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, dysadherin expression seems to reflect tumor aggressiveness and to be a positive marker of poor prognosis when considered both alone and in combination with downregulation of E-cadherin.     

Thoracoscopic lung biopsy for diffuse infiltrative lung disease

Thoracoscopic lung biopsy is becoming the procedure of first choice for the diagnosis of many localized and diffuse lung diseases. We have performed thoracoscopic lung biopsy for 17 patients with diffuse infiltrative lung disease, in Kurume University Hospital. There were 13 females and 4 males with a mean age of 48 years (range: 19-71 years). Thoracoscopic surgical biopsy was performed in the right lung in 12 and in the left lung in 5. Adequate lung tissue from each case was obtained for pathological examination. The mean surgical biopsy time was 49 min (range: 25-72 min) and bleeding was negligible. The mean duration for chest tube drainage was 2.6 days. No postoperative complication such as prolonged air leakage occurred. A specific diagnosis from the biopsy was achieved in 13 (76.4%) of the 17 cases. In only 6 (35.2%) of the 17 cases, the pathological diagnosis was the same as that from the thoracoscopic biopsy. In these 6 cases, the same diagnosis was obtained only in those with idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis or diffuse panbronchitis. Thoracoscopic lung biopsy was safe and useful for diagnosis for diffuse infiltrative lung disease.     

Can large B-cell lymphoma mimic cystic lesions of the spleen?

A 58-yr-old male with a history of hepatitis C virus infection, presented with a 2-mo history of intractable left upper abdominal pain. He had fallen from a ladder 2 yr previously, landing on his left side. Abdominal computed tomography identified a large cystic mass in the spleen. The patient was brought to the operating room with a presumptive diagnosis of symptomatic, post-traumatic, false cyst of the spleen. Instead, at surgery, a splenic mass with dense adhesions to the diaphragm and stomach was found. On final histological analysis, it was diagnosed to be a large B-cell lymphoma. Despite its rarity, gastroenterologists and surgeons should be aware of large B-cell lymphoma when encountering cystic lesions of the spleen, because the management of benign cystic disease is usually nonsurgical.     

Comparative study of functional outcomes of three laparoscopic intestinal surgical procedures

ObjectivesLaparoscopic abdominal surgery (LS) has been prevailing over open surgery (OS). However, its functional outcomes in the aging generation have not been sufficiently examined. We compared changes in physical status and earlier resumption of oral intake between LS and OS.MethodsUsing the Japanese administrative database, we matched variables affecting LS and compared them between LS and OS patients. During the 6-month period from July to December of 2006–2010, we examined the data from data from surviving patients of ≥15 year old who underwent isolated gastrectomy, colectomy, or anterior resection. Functional status was estimated by the Barthel index (BI) at admission and discharge. Outcomes were postoperative complications, BI deterioration, change in BI, and day of recommencing postoperative oral intake.ResultsWe identified 30,763 gastrectomies (laparoscopic: 7297), 31,958 colectomies (laparoscopic: 9364), and 12,545 anterior resections (laparoscopic: 4351). Variation in LS indications was observed in patient and hospital mixes. Among the paired-matched gastrectomy, colectomy, and anterior resection groups, LS was associated with fewer complications and earlier recovery of postoperative oral intake. Laparoscopic anterior resection (LAR) and colectomy were associated with less frequent BI deterioration. Longer operative time was associated with more complications, which then influenced BI deterioration in patients who underwent anterior resection.ConclusionsShorter operative time for LAR was associated with less functional deterioration than for laparoscopic gastrectomy and colectomy. Physicians should consider the appropriate indications for LS by concurrently avoiding unnecessary longer operations and their associated complications. More investment in teaching the skills necessary for LAR is recommended.