Two-stage surgery for intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal multicentric liposarcoma causing hydronephrosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Liposarcoma is a soft tissue sarcoma of adipocyte origin. Liposarcoma represents 20-30% of adult soft tissue tumors, which was most frequently seen in the retroperitoneal space in 45% and abdominal space in only 5% of cases, but the multicentric case is unknown. Herein, we describe a rare case of multicentric, large, intra-abdominal and retroperitoneal liposarcoma, one of which had caused infection and pressing the right ureter causing hydronephrosis, which was resected by two-stage surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 46-year-old man who was referred for abdominal bloating and fatigue. Enhanced computed tomography showed a 23-cm intra-abdominal tumor and a 14.6-cm left retroperitoneal tumor. The intra-abdominal tumor which compressed the right ureter caused right unilateral hydronephrosis and deteriorated the renal function. The intra-abdominal tumor had also formed an intra-abdominal abscess. We performed emergent laparotomy and resected the intra-abdominal tumor. After the recovery of renal function, we resected the residual retroperitoneal tumor. Histopathological examination showed both tumors to be myxoid/round cell type liposarcoma. Considering clinical findings and their location, he was diagnosed with multicentric liposarcoma. He underwent adjuvant chemotherapy and has been alive without any recurrence for 9 months after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully resected large intra-abdominal and retroperitoneal multicentric myxoid/round cell liposarcomas. A two-stage surgery was a rational choice as it provides time to confirm the recovery of renal function.

[Radiotherapy for Alleviation of Paraparesis due to Leptomeningeal and Cauda Equina Metastasis of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Case Report].

Leptomeningeal metastasis is a rare entity and its diagnosis is often difficult. Moreover, evidence-based therapeutic strategies have not yet been established. A 52-year-old woman presented with high fever and was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis at first examination;although her fever was alleviated, she experienced motor weakness in both of her lower extremities. Ga scintigraphy highlighted the hot-spot areas of the disease in the cranial bone. She was then transferred to our department. Open biopsy of the skull showed metastasis of the cancer. Chest CT results indicated right breast cancer and Gd-DTPA imaging showed obvious enhancement of the pia mater around the conus medullaris and cauda equina. However, cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)cytological examination did not show the presence of any positive cells;consequently, mastectomy was performed in the thoracic surgical department. The severity of paraparesis and pain in her legs increased;however, repeat MRI 1 month later showed no evidence of any change. Therefore, we performed biopsy of the cauda equina and arachnoid lesions. The pathological diagnosis was metastasis of breast cancer with positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)immunological staining. The results of a repeat cytological examination of the CSF during the surgery were negative. Local radiotherapy(25 Gy/5 Fr)as a monotherapy was selected for the patient, because her family did not approve of the combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The severity of both paraparesis and limb pain decreased immediately after the radiotherapy.

[A case of coronary stent thrombosis occurring repeatedly in the perioperative period].

A 60-year-old man with angina was scheduled for total gastrectomy, splenectomy, and cholecystectomy. Bare-metal stents were implanted into his left anterior descending coronary artery four weeks before the operation. Aspirin and clopidogrel were administered until one week before the operation and then injection of to 15,000 units of heparin per day was given. Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane, remifentanil and fentanyl. At 330 minutes after starting the operation, 2-mm ST segment elevation was observed and it recovered immediately. After the operation, new 9-mm ST segment elevation in leads V2-V6 was observed. Emergent cardiac catheterization showed occlusion of the coronary artery with in-stent thrombosis. An additional stent was implanted and 10,000 units of heparin per day was injected. After five days, new stent thrombosis occurred and an additional stent was implanted. Administration of aspirin, clopidogrel and cilostazol was started immediately. Anesthesiologists should pay attention to the kind of coronary stent, consider the timing of the operation, and continue administration of aspirin.

Long-term acceptance of rat cardiac allografts on the basis of adenovirus mediated CD40Ig plus CTLA4Ig gene therapies.

BACKGROUND: We have previously demonstrated that blockade of either CD80/86-CD28 or CD40-CD154 costimulatory pathways by using adenovirus vector coding CTLA4Ig (AdCTLA4Ig) or CD40Ig (AdCD40Ig) genes induced donor-specific tolerance in rat liver transplantation. In this study, we asked whether these gene-therapy-based costimulation blockade would induce tolerance in cardiac transplantation. METHODS: Heterotopic heart transplantation was performed in a full major histocompatibility complex (MHC) barrier combination of ACI (RT1avl) to Lewis (LEW, RT1l) rats. Vector (1 x 10(9) plaque forming unit [PFU]), AdLacZ, AdCTLA4Ig, or AdCD40Ig, was administered intravenously to recipient animals immediately after grafting, and graft survival, serum CTLA4Ig/CD40Ig levels, and graft histology were assessed. Tolerance was determined by secondary skin-graft challenging. RESULTS: Allografts of both untreated and AdLacZ controls were promptly rejected within 7 days, whereas a single treatment with AdCTLA4Ig or AdCD40Ig significantly prolonged median graft survival to 55.5 and 28.5 days, respectively. In contrast, the combined AdCTLA4Ig and AdCD40Ig gene therapy maintained high CTLA4Ig and CD40Ig levels through the posttransplant period and allowed long-term cardiac allograft survival for more than 270 days. However, both donor and third-party skin grafts were rejected in the animals who harbored cardiac grafts over 150 days. Also, typical features of chronic rejection were evident in the long-term surviving grafts. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous blockade of CD28 and CD154 pathways by AdCTLA4Ig plus AdCD40Ig induces a strong immunosuppression that allows long-term acceptance of full MHC mismatched cardiac graft in rats. This strategy, however, was not enough to induce tolerance to skin grafts and to avoid chronic rejection, as shown in the liver-transplantation model.

Induction of donor-specific tolerance by adenovirus-mediated CD40Ig gene therapy in rat liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Blockade of CD40-CD40 ligand (CD154) costimulatory pathway with anti-CD154 antibody (Ab) prolongs allograft survival in experimental organ transplantations; however, repeated agent administration is needed to provide an adequate immunosuppression. Seeking for simple and effective approach to interfere this signaling, we applied adenovirus-mediated gene therapy by encoding CD40Ig gene (AdCD40Ig). METHODS: Liver graft from ACI (RT1av1) rat was transplanted orthotopically into LEW (RT1l) rat, and AdCD40Ig was given to animals via the penile vein immediately after grafting (n=6). RESULTS: A single treatment with AdCD40Ig at 1x10(9) plaque forming units induced specific expression of CD40Ig gene on allograft liver, produced substantial amount of the protein in the sera, and allowed indefinite graft survival. Whereas, LEW recipients given no treatment or control adenovirus vector (AdLacZ) promptly rejected ACI liver. In addition, AdCD40Ig-treated, long-term survivors accepted skin graft from the donor strain but not the third party graft. Histopathology revealed that liver structure of the long-term surviving animals was completely preserved in normal with no infiltration of mononuclear cells. CONCLUSION: Blockade of CD40-CD154 pathway by CD40Ig gene therapy is a potent alloantigen-specific immunosuppressive strategy to induce permanent acceptance of liver allograft and would be a new therapeutic candidate in a clinical liver transplantation.