Comparison between Responder and Non- responder of Oxaliplatin Chemotherapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of responders with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with oxaliplatin chemotherapy. METHODS: A total of 52 patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer were enrolled for treatment between March 2000 and August 2005. Patients received first line chemotherapy consisted of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 or 130 mg/m2 as a 2-hour infusion on day 1, concurrently with leucovorin (LV) 20 mg/m2 as a bolus infusion on day 1~5, followed by continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 425 mg/m2 on day 1~5. This treatment was repeated in 2 or 3 week intervals. All responses were assessed after 4 cycles of therapy by independent radiologic experts and categorized into two groups: responder (major reduction of tumor) and non-responder group (no change or progression of the tumor. RESULTS: The response rate was 51.9 percent (27/52 patients). There were no significant differences in clinicopathologic parameters between two groups. The decrease of CEA value after chemotherapy was significantly more frequent in the responder group than in the non-responder group. CONCLUSIONS: We could not find any clinical differences between the two groups, but these results suggest that oxaliplatin chemotherapy has a beneficial effect on tumor shrinkage and serum CEA value can be an indicator for tumor response of oxaliplatin in advanced colorectal cancer.

Lumbar Hernia Combined with Descending Colon Incarceration

Lumbar hernia is a relatively rare clinical phenomenon. They may be classified according to their anatomic location and they can be either congenital or acquired. These patients usually present with a protruding bulge in the posterolateral abdominal wall. Portions of the small and large intestine may be found in the sac. This may be asymptomatic or it can become incarcerated and strangulated. We report here on a rare case of secondary lumbar hernia combined with descending colon incarceration. The diagnosis of lumbar hernia was made by CT scan and barium enema. Excision of the sac was performed and the hernial defect in the fascia was repaired with polypropylene mesh reinforcement.

Complete Rectal Prolapse Combined with Rectal Cancer: A Case Report

Colorectal cancer and rectal prolapse occur more frequently in elderly patients. Although the relationship between complete rectal prolapse and colorectal cancer has not yet been clarified, when both diseases develop simultaneously in a patient, it may be due to just coincidence or to a promotion of prolapse due to accelerated constipation caused by cancer. Thus, patients with a sudden onset of rectal prolapse should be screened for colorectal cancer. We report a case of complete rectal prolapse combined with early rectal cancer in a 75 year-old woman who was successfully treated with a perineal rectosigmoidectomy.

CEA Expressions in Colorectal Tumor

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research is to investigate the clinical usefulness of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expression in colorectal cancer tissue. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical staining of CEA on 64 surgically resected colorectal cancer tissues obtained during the period from May 2000 to May 2001. CEA expression was detected by immunohistochemistry using a CEA monoclonal antibody. The degrees of CEA expression in the tumor cell cytoplasm and the luminal secretion of the tumor gland were grouped into positive (strongly positive) and negative groups (weakly positive) by using the Sinicrobe method and were compared with clinicopathological variables. RESULTS: The expression rates were positive in 38 cases (59.4%) and negative in 26 cases (40.6%). The preoperative CEA level showed a higher trend in the positive group (8.23+/-13.7) than it did in the negative group (17.89+/-38.7 ng/ml), but the difference was not statistically significant. The relationships between the CEA expressions of the two groups and the clinicopathologic factors were not statistically significant. We observed CEA expression in the luminal secretion of the tumor gland in 41 cases. The expression rates in the luminal secretion were positive in 21 cases (51.2%) and negative in 20 cases (48.8%). No significant clinical difference were noted between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that CEA expression may not play a role as a prognostic factor for colorectal cancer.

Early Experience of Virtual Colonoscopy on Colorectal Cancer

PURPOSE: Virtual colonoscopy (VC) is a newly developing non-invasive technique used to detect polyps and cancers of the colon. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of VC in the detection of synchronous polyps or cancers in preoperative patients as well as metachronous polyps of postoperative colorectal cancer patients. METHODS: Both VC and conventional colonoscopy (CFS) were performed on 40 patients with colorectal cancer (10 cases of preoperative state and 30 cases of postoperative follow-up) during Sep. 2002 to June 2003 in Daegu Catholic Medical Centre, Catholic University of Daegu, Republic of Korea. The success rate and the detection rate of polyps or cancers along with the locations and sizes of masses and the findings of anastomotic site were compared between VC and CFS. RESULTS: The entire colon was clearly visualized by CFS in all cases. In the preoperative group, VC was successfully performed in 8 out of 10 cases (80%). 8 out of 10 cancers, 4 out of 4 polyps (5 mm or more in diameter) and 3 out of 6 polyps (5 mm or less in diameter) were identified. The success rate of VC in the postoperative group were 58% of low anterior resection (LAR) from cecum to hepatic flexure, 89% of LAR, 45% of right hemicolectomy (RHC) from hepatic flexure to splenic flexure, 63% of LAR, 45% of RHC from splenic flexure to sigmoid colon, and 53% of LAR, 72% of RHC in rectum. The causes of failure were inadequate bowel distension and retained fluid. In postoperative group, VC identified only 3 of 7 polyps(5 mm or more in diameter), 1 of 10 polyps (5 mm or less in diameter) and 1 of 1 recurrent cancer. The anastomotic site was clearly seen by VC in 9 of 19 cases (47%) of LAR and 3 of 11 cases (27%) of RHC. VC also identified 28 extracolonic findings. CONCLUSIONS: Although the efficacy of VC in postoperative colorectal cancer follow up seems to be disappointing, but it can be used as an alternative method for patients with incomplete conventional colonoscopy due to anastomotic site stricture or for other failed cases. Further technological advancement of VC is needed in order for it to replace conventional colonoscopy as a postoperative follow-up test.

CEA Study on the Effect of the No-touch Isolation Technique for Preventing Tumor Metastasis in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

PURPOSE: Although the 'No-touch' isolation technique was introduced by Turnbull et al. in 1967, the controversy over whether or not it reduces the risk of metastasis during surgery exists even today. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the 'No-touch' isolation technique in primary colorectal cancer surgery. METHODS: The evaluation was done by comparing the levels of CEA and CEA m-RNA expression from the same draining vein before and after tumor mobilization. Blood samples from 25 patients with primary colorectal cancer were collected for analysis. At the time of surgery, the main draining vein from the tumor was isolated and ligated at the proximal end. The 1st blood samples were collected just prior to tumor mobilization, and the 2nd samples right after. Both samples were analyzed for serum CEA level and CEA mRNA expression by using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: The mean CEA value from draining veins after tumor mobilization (8.08+/-8.98 ng/ml) was significantly higher than it was before mobilization (4.17+/-4.98 ng/ml). CEA mRNA was detected in 16% (4/25) of the blood specimens post-mobilization, whereas it was detected in only 4% (1/25) of the pre-mobilization samples. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the validity of using the 'No-touch' isolation technique to reduce the risk of metastasis into the draining vein during mobilization.

Treatment of Paradoxical Puborectalis Contraction (PPC) Using Botulinum Toxin-A

PURPOSE: Paradoxical puborectalis contraction (PPC) or Anismus is known to have a pathogenesis of abnormal contraction of puborectalis at defecation and its managements are not satisfactory. Recently, therapy of PPC and its associated symptoms using Botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) has been introduced. we evaluate the effect of BTX-A injection to the puborectalis for the patients with PPC. METHODS: Fourteen patients were diagnosed as paradoxical puborectalis contraction on defecography and/or anorectal manometry and electromyography (EMG) during September 1998 to January 2001 in Daegu Catholic Medical Centre, Catholic University of Daegu. All patients were underwent 30 (15 15) units of BTX-A injection on each side of puborectalis guided by EMG. Among them, five patients needed further injection of 20 (10 10) units because the expected results were not satisfied. Follow-up were conducted on one month and one year after BTX-A injection and the patients were assessed for the constipation score and anorectal manometry. RESULTS: After injection of BTX-A, constipation score was significantly decreased from 15.5 +/- 3.5 (mean SD) to 5.7 +/- 4.3. Maximal resting and squeezing pressure also decreased from 48.4 +/- 22 mmHg, 96.9 +/- 39.8 to 41.2 +/- 17, 68.3 +/- 38.2, respectively. Twelve patients who were followed up more than one year after injection, the constipation score (n=12) increased up to 7.7 +/- 2.9 (mean SD). Among them, three patients have had stool softeners or laxatives to evacuate and the remained nine patients did not have any kinds of drug or food for defecation. There was no complication for the injection BTX-A. CONCLUSIONS: BTX-A injection seems to be effective for the treatment of PPC and the long term therapeutic effect can be defined through double blind placebo-controlled trials.

The Effect of Geneticin on the Survival of a Human Breast Cancer Cells under Hypoxic Condition / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: In solid tumor, there is a region where oxygen supply is insufficient. Under this hypoxic condition, cancer cells became more resistant than normal cells. In this study, we found that one of the aminoglycoside antibiotics, geneticin, made a human breast cancer cell, MCF-7, even more resistant to hypoxia. METHODS: On normoxic (21% O2) condition, MCF-7 cells (1.5x10(6) cells/60 mm culture dish) were grown in low glucose (1 g/l) MEM (with 10% FBS) supplemented with 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 microgram/dl geneticin, respectively, for one day. Then, the cells were transferred to hypoxic (1% O2) incubator and grown for 3 days. We examined the viability of cells, the concentration of glucose and lactate and DNA fragmentation assay in each groups. RESULTS: When the cells were grown in low glucose medium under hypoxia (1% O2), all the cells became dead after 2 days of culture in the absence of geneticin whereas the cells still survived even after 3 days of culture in the presence of geneticin (10 microgram/ml). In the presence of geneticin, the cells survived despite of consumption of all glucose in the medium, whereas the cells became dead once all glucose was consumed in the absence of geneticin. In this case, geneticin made cells survive by suppressing apoptosis, which was proved by DNA fragmentation assay. CONCLUSION: The results might have some implications in treating solid tumor; if cancer patients should be treated for infection with antibiotics, aminoglycoside antibiotics can aggravate the patient's condition by making cancer cells more resistant to hypoxia. Therefore, the results strongly suggest that we should be careful in choosing antibiotics when they are used for cancer patients.

Characteristics of Incompetent Perforating Vein in Medial Calf according to CEAP Classification

PURPOSE: The contribution of perforating vein incompetence to the hemodynamic derangement in the chronic venous disease (CVD) remains a topic of debate. This study was designed to define the characteristics of IPV according to CEAP classification with development of CVD. METHOD: From March 1999, to August 2001, 145 patients were treated for CVD in our hospital. Of these, 15 patients with CEAP class 4, 5, 6 (Group I) and 130 patients with class 2 (Group II). Medial side of calf was assessed in the sitting position for looking IPVs by duplex scan. The number, location, and diameter at the fascia level of IPVs were determined. The characteristics of IPVs between two group were compared. Airplethysmogram (APG) was checked pre and postoperatively in 18 patients with class 2 without any procedure to IPVs. RESULT: 17 IPVs were found in 11/15 (73%) patients in group I, and 36 IPVs were found in 29/145 (20%) in group II. The mean number of IPVs in each limb of group I and II was 1.54, 1.09 (P>0.05) and the mean diameter was 0.52 cm, 0.38 cm (P=0.001). The 96% (51/56) of IPVs were found in lower half of the calf. All hemodynamic parameter of APG was improved statistically significantly after operation without ligation of IPVs in class 2 patients. CONCLUSION: With advancing of CVD (class 4, 5, 6), IPVs was found more and larger. This suggest significant hemodynamic role of IPVs in progression of CVD. So careful attention should be payed to IPVs in treatment of CVD. But it was doubted benefit of direct treatment of IPVs in class 2.