Four resected cases with basaloid carcinoma of esophagus--comparison of 5-FU-related enzymes (thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT)) between basaloid carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

We reported herein four resected cases with basaloid carcinoma of the esophagus and measured the activity of 5-FU related enzymes (TS, DPD, OPRT) in cancer tissue. These activities compared with those in squamous cell carcinoma. Only one case was diagnosed as basaloid carcinoma by preoperative biopsy specimen at endoscopic examination. The esophagectomy was performed thoracoscopically in all cases, and the abdominal procedure was done with the laparoscopic approach in two cases. Anastomotic leakage occurred in one case. No case had lymph node metastasis. On the other hand, a lymphatic invasion was detected in one case, and venous invasion in two, respectively. Two cases had mediastinal lymph node recurrence. DPD activity and OPRT activity showed no difference between squamous cell carcinoma and basaloid carcinoma. On the other hand, the TS activity was significantly higher in basaloid carcinoma. From the standpoint of 5-FU-related enzyme activities, basaloid carcinoma possibly has more resistance to 5-FU than squamous cell carcinoma.     

Liquid biopsy in patients with pancreatic cancer: Circulating tumor cells and cell-free nucleic acids

Despite recent advances in surgical techniques and perioperative management, the prognosis of pancreatic cancer(PCa) remains extremely poor. To provide optimal treatment for each patient with Pca, superior biomarkers are urgently needed in all phases of management from early detection to staging, treatment monitoring, and prognosis. In the blood of patients with cancer, circulating tumor cells(CTCs) and cell-free nucleic acids(cf NAs), such as DNA, m RNA, and noncoding RNA have been recognized. In the recent years, their presence in the blood has encouraged researchers to investigate their potential use as novel blood biomarkers, and numerous studies have demonstrated their potential clinical utility as a biomarker for certain types of cancer. This concept, called "liquid biopsy" has been focused on as a less invasive, alternative approach to cancer tissue biopsy for obtaining genetic and epigenetic aberrations that contribute to oncogenesis and cancer progression. In this article, we review the available literature on CTCs and cfN As in patients with cancer, particularly focusing on PCa, and discuss future perspectives in this field.     

Clinical Significance of the Serum Crosslinked N-Telopeptide of Type I Collagen as a Prognostic Marker for Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

IntroductionLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death. Many patients with lung cancer are in its advanced stages at the time of diagnosis. The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is 10% to 20%, and the prognosis for patients with lung cancer is still poor. The crosslinked N-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (NTx) is a metabolite of type I collagen, the main constituent of bone matrix.Patients and MethodsWe measured serum NTx levels in patients who underwent staging during hospitalization for the initial treatment of lung cancer in our department. We examined whether serum NTx levels would be relevant to the prognosis of non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).ResultsThis study included 176 patients with lung cancer (125 men and 51 women), including 109 with adenocarcinoma, 53 with squamous cell carcinoma, 6 with large-cell carcinoma, and 8 with other cancer types. Univariate and multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model revealed a particularly close association between sex, performance status, disease stage, and serum NTx levels and overall survival (OS). A median OS of 368 days was observed for patients with a serum NTx level < 22 nmol BCE/L, which was significantly longer than the 197 days for patients with a serum NTx level ≥ 22 nmol BCE/L (hazard ratio [HR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36-2.99; log-rank P = .00037).ConclusionsWe have revealed that a high serum NTx level (> 22 nmol BCE/L) appears to be a risk factor for a reduction in OS in patients with NSCLC.     

Enhancing risk of ethanol on MeIQx-induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis is accompanied with increased levels of cellular proliferation and oxidative stress

We investigated promotion potential of ethanol after initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis in male, 21-day-old, F344 rats by exposure to 10 ppm 2-amino-3, 8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline pellet diet for 8 weeks. The rats in group 1 were then fed on liquid control diet for 16 weeks, group 2 receiving the same diet containing 5% ethanol for 8 weeks followed by 8 weeks on the control diet, while group 3 animals were given 5% ethanol containing liquid diet for the entire16 weeks. On sacrifice at the end of week 24, glutathione S-transferase placental form positive foci, putative preneoplastic lesions in the liver, cell proliferation as indicated by proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunohistochemical staining and levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, a marker of oxidative DNA damage, were significantly increased in the liver of group 3 along with non significant alteration of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase mRNA expression. Lack of persistent increase of above parameters was found in transient ethanol exposure group. These results suggest that chronic consumption of ethanol promotes hepatocarcinogenesis by increasing oxidative stress and cell proliferation. It is also evident that abstinence of ethanol during the second stage stops its persistent promotion effect.     

A case of exaggerated mosquito-bite hypersensitivity with Epstein-Barr virus-positive inflammatory cells in the bite lesion.

We describe a unique patient with mosquito-bite hypersensitivity who had extremely high titres of Epstein-Barr virus antibodies. For many years he developed intractable ulcers on the sites of mosquito-bite. Epstein-Barr virus infection was detected in almost all inflammatory cells in the ulcers and in the peripheral blood lymphocytes by using in situ hybridization to Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small ribonucleic acids and by polymerase chain reaction to Epstein-Barr virus DNA. The inflammatory cells in the ulcers were positive for T-cell marker. Our results suggest that the Epstein-Barr virus infection in T cells may participate in the pathogenesis of exaggerated mosquito hypersensitivity and in delayed healing of ulcers on the sites of mosquito-bite.     

A case of scirrhous gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination acquiring stable disease over three years by treatment with oral anticancer drug S-1

A 71-year-old male, who complicated of abdominal distension, was diagnosed as scirrhous gastric cancer. We treated him with the oral anticancer drug S-1 and achieved long-term stable disease over three years.     

Three-Dimensional Computed Tomographic Findings of Bilateral Tracheal Bronchus

A newborn male was admitted with cyanosis and respiratory distress. Echocardiography showed a right heart isomerism associated with a single right ventricle, a double-outlet right ventricle, and pulmonary atresia. Chest X-ray demonstrated severe left upper lobe emphysema and a shift of the mediastinal structures to the right. Two-dimensional computed tomography (CT) exhibited left upper lobe emphysema and right upper lobe atelectasis. Three-dimensional (3D) spiral CT angiography showed a bilateral tracheal bronchus. The left tracheal bronchus branch was compressed between the descending aorta and the ductus arteriosus. After a right arteriopulmonary shunt operation, the patient’s respiratory condition improved dramatically, with spontaneous closure of the ductus arteriosus. Subsequently, 3D-CT clearly exhibited the disappearance of tracheal compression. This combination of bilateral tracheal bronchus and congenital heart anomaly is extremely rare. The 3D-CT is a powerful noninvasive means for dynamically demonstrating the special relationships of arterial and tracheal anomalies.     

Elevated oxidative stress and DNA damage and repair levels in urinary bladder carcinomas associated with schistosomiasis

To cast light on mechanisms underlying development of urothelial carcinomas (UCs) of the urinary bladder associated with Schistosomiasis, we immunohistochemically analyzed the relationship between oxidative stress markers, DNA single strand breaks (ssDNA) which could also measure the levels of base damage and apoptosis in DNA, and expression of DNA repair genes with levels of nitric oxide synthases in bladder carcinomas of Egyptian patients with or without Schistosoma hematobium infection. Marked elevation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels was found in squamous cell carcinomas and UCs associated with Schistosomiasis when compared with non-Schistosomal carcinomas. This was accompanied by strong over expression of the DNA-repair genes, 8-oxoguanine-DNA-glycosylase and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease, as well as increased formation levels of ssDNA. Expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) which is known to be indirectly related to oxidative stress was higher in Schistosomal than in the non-Schistosomal carcinomas. However, expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase was slightly stronger in non-Schistosomal than in the Schistosomal carcinomas. In conclusion, these findings suggest a strong correlation between Schistosoma haematobium infection and increased levels of oxidative stress accompanied by a continuous DNA damage and repair in UCs, all directly correlating with elevated iNOS.