Intraperitoneal administration of cisplatin (CDDP) for advanced or recurrent gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination]

This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the effect of intraperitoneal administration of CDDP on fourteen patients with peritoneal dissemination of advanced or recurrent gastric cancer. The procedure was used together specific hydration transfusion and diuretics. Two patients showed a complete response and 5 patients a partial response. Following this therapy, 2 patients have survived for more than 6 months. Alimentary symptoms (nausea, vomiting) were found but renal toxicity and serious myelosuppression were not recognized in all patients.     

Development of Motion Analyzing System for Implanted Tilting Disk Valves

A motion-analyzing system was developed to quantitatively evaluate functions of the implanted tilting disk valve, e.g., an open angle and a duration of valve open and/or shut. In this system a picture of the valve on an x-ray cinefilm is displayed on the CRT screen by the TV camera for extraction of valve position. Data extracted are stored in the computer and are used to calculate parameters for motion analysis of the valve. The reliability of this system was confirmed within 3 degrees of error using the valve model prior to the evaluation of cinefilms clinically procured. With the aid of this motion analyzing system, complicated motions of the tilting disk valve were easily quantified and the useful information as given for clinical diagnosis and further valve development.     

Detection of antineutrophil antibodies in patients with neutropenia in infancy

Antineutrophil antibodies in the sera against peripheral blood neutrophils were examined in 8 infants (2 to 12 months of age) with neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count 0 to 480/microliter). The antibodies were detected by granulocyte indirect immunofluorescence test (GIIFT) and microleukocyte agglutination test (M-LAT). Three of the 6 serum samples with chronic benign-type neutropenia reacted in both GIIFT and M-LAT. In 2 of these 3 samples, the antibody was proved to be specific to neutrophil antigen NA1 by the absorption experiment. Neither the GIIFT nor the M-LAT showed the antibody in two patients with Kostmann-type neutropenia. These results suggest that the examination of antibodies against neutrophils is essential to the evaluation of the patients with chronic benign-type neutropenia in infancy.     

Gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy in the pre-operative evaluation of soft tissue tumors of the extremities

We conducted a study of 90 patients with soft tissue tumor in their arms or legs, in order to determine the usefulness of scintigraphy with gallium-67 citrate as a diagnostic means. All patients had adequate scan images, and tumor tissues had been histologically confirmed by surgical resection. The subjects consisted of 19 patients with malignant tumors, 55 patients with benign tumors, and 16 patients with other disorders in which soft tissue tumor-like lesions occurred. When the activity of the tumor was more than the activity of the normal region of the contralateral extremity, it was estimated to be positive. The positive rate was found in 78% (15/19) of patients with malignant tumors, in 25% (14/55) of patients with benign tumors and in 31% (5/16) of patients with other disorders. Classified by diseases, high positive rates were observed in liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, malignant lymphoma, neurinoma, extra-abdominal desmoid and sarcoidosis. Out of 7 patients in which the activity of the tumor was equal to, or higher than that of the liver, 6 patients had malignant tumors and one patient was diagnosed as having an abscess. It seemed possible to distinguish between liposarcoma and lipoma by means of a gallium-67 scan. Furthermore, the gallium-67 scan was useful in detecting lesions of sarcoidosis as well as in evaluating the response to treatment.     

Siblings of familial adenomatosis coli with gastric cancer--case report

Adenomatosis coli is recently regarded as a systemic disease with a predisposition to multiple tumor formation. We report siblings of familial adenomatosis coli with gastric cancers. Case 1 was a 58 year-old elder brother. His diagnosis was familial adenomatosis coli accompanied with colon cancer and simultaneous early gastric cancer. Total colectomy and partial gastrectomy were carried out on Mar. 13, 1984 at our hospital. Numerous polyps over the whole colon and an ulcerative tumor in the hepatic flexure were found in the resected colon. Histologically tubular adenocarcinoma were demonstrated in the ulcerative tumor, and all other polyps were adenomas. In the resected gastric specimen, there were two shallow, depressed lesions on the each anterior and posterior wall of the antrum. Histologically both of them were adenocarcinoma confined within the mucosa. Postoperative course was satisfactory and he is quite healthy 2 and a half years after surgery. Case 2 was a 56 year-old younger brother. He received a partial gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer at another hospital on May 20, 1982. In one and a half year from the surgery, a large lung tumor (probably metastasis of the gastric cancer) was found and he received chemotherapy. He also received radiation therapy in June, 1984 and during this admission barium enema study was performed. It revealed numerous polyps over the whole colon. No cancerous lesions were found. He died of lung tumor on Dec. 8, 1985. The similar siblings were first reported by Kokaji et al. in 1984, and our cases seem to be the second ones.     

Novel nitric oxide donor (FK409) ameliorates liver damage during extended liver resection with warm ischemia in dogs

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury by maintaining organ circulation through its actions as a vasoregulator, an inhibitor of platelet aggregation, and an attenuator of leukocyte adhesion. Otherwise, the harmful effects of enhanced nitric oxide production induced by inducible nitric oxide synthase mediate ischemia-reperfusion injury. FK409 has been characterized as a spontaneous nitric oxide donor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of FK409 on extended liver resection with ischemia using a canine model. STUDY DESIGN: Adult mongrel dogs were subjected to 60 minutes of warm ischemia by partial inflow occlusion. After reperfusion the nonischemic lobes were resected and the remnant liver function was evaluated. The dogs were divided into two groups: the control group (n = 7) and the FK409 group (n = 6), which was given FK409 through the portal vein. RESULTS: The hepatic tissue blood flow, serum liver enzymes levels, and serum endothelin-1 level after reperfusion were significantly better in the FK409 group than in the control group. Electron microscopy demonstrated that endothelial cells and Ito cells were well-preserved in the FK409 group. The 3-day survival rate was statistically better in the FK409 group (67%) than in the control group (14%). CONCLUSIONS: FK409 appears to have protective effects during extended liver resection with ischemia.     

Skin metastasis from the spindle cell component in rectal carcinosarcoma

Carcinosarcomas are rare tumors, which are usually composed of carcinomatous areas close to or intermixed with sarcomatous components. Only 6 cases of carcinosarcoma of the colon have been reported in the English literature previously. We describe the 7th case, an 82-year-old man with a skin metastasis from the spindle cell component of a rectal carcinosarcoma. On rectal exploration, a large, firm tumor was palpated 2 cm from the anal verge. Endoscopic examination revealed a tumor projecting into the lumen, and hemorrhage from the tumor surface. We performed a low anterior resection. The resected specimen contained an ulcerative lesion with a round wall in continuity with a papillary tumor. Carcinoma and sarcoma components existed concomitantly along with transitional features. Immunohistochemistry disclosed immunoreactivity for vimentin in most of the spindle cell areas. Carcinoembryonic antigen was positive in the adenocarcinomatous component. One month after surgery, the patient developed a skin metastasis on the back. The skin biopsy specimen contained proliferating spindle cells almost identical to those of the primary lesion. The patient died of carcinosarcoma 6 months after surgery. In this paper, we review 7 cases of colorectal carcinosarcoma, including our patient, who is only the 7th such reported case.     

Mutational analysis of the BAK gene in 192 advanced gastric and colorectal cancers

The evasion of apoptosis has been linked to the development of cancer. A recent study of a small number of gastric and colorectal cancers found that the BAK gene, which encodes a pro-apoptotic protein, contained somatic mutations in approximately 17% of the samples analyzed. To investigate the precise frequency of BAK mutations, we examined the entire coding sequence of the BAK gene in gastric and colorectal cancers, using polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis and direct sequencing. We could not detect any somatic mutations of the BAK gene in 192 colorectal and gastric cancers. We found only four single-nucleotide substitutions in the coding sequences, which were also found in corresponding normal samples. We conclude that somatic alterations of the BAK gene are rare in colorectal and gastric cancers.