Presence of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia-3 in a background of chronic pancreatitis in pancreatic cancer patients.

The clinical significance of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions in non-neoplastic pancreata of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients remains controversial. As chronic inflammation has been recently demonstrated to promote dissemination of in situ precancerous lesions, we investigated the prognostic significance of PanINs associated with chronic pancreatitis (CP) in PDAC patients. This retrospective study analyzed 125 curatively resected PDAC specimens for the presence of PanIN and CP. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify significant predictive factors for poor disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Immunohistochemical staining for E-cadherin and S100A4, markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, was performed on resected specimens containing PanIN-3 lesions. CP was observed in 27.2% (34/125) and PanIN-3 in 25.6% (32/125) of specimens. In the presence of CP, PanIN-3 was significantly associated with decreased survival (DFS: 4.3 vs 15.5 months, P = 0.021; OS: 16.3 vs 30.9 months, P = 0.004). PanIN-3 was not a prognostic factor in the absence of CP. The presence of both PanIN-3 and CP was associated with a reduced survival compared to the other cases, in both univariate (DFS: P = 0.039; OS: P = 0.023) and multivariate (DFS: P = 0.020; OS: P = 0.076) analyses. Furthermore, E-cadherin loss and S100A4 expression were more frequently observed in PanIN-3 lesions of CP specimens than in those of non-CP specimens, although not statistically significant. PanIN-3 in association with CP is a significant prognostic factor for decreased survival in PDAC patients, suggesting that chronic inflammation may accelerate the progression of preinvasive high-grade PanIN.

Postoperative early thromboembolism as a prognostic indicator in patients with curatively resected pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Information regarding postoperative thromboembolism in curatively resected pancreatic cancer is limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence and significance of postoperative thromboembolism. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 121 curatively resected pancreatic cancer patients. Early and late thromboembolisms were defined as events that occurred within 1 year and after 1 year, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (18%) experienced thromboembolism. Seven thromboembolic events occurred within 1 month (7, 6%), and the incidence rate decreased over time. Ten (63%) of the 16 patients with early thromboembolism experienced thromboembolism before or at the same time as recurrence; however, 5 (83%) of the 6 patients with late thromboembolism experienced recurrence before thromboembolism (P = .005). A significant difference in recurrence-free survival (P = .016) and borderline difference in overall survival (P = .050) were observed between patients with early thromboembolism and others. CONCLUSIONS: Thromboembolic events after curative surgery are prevalent in pancreatic cancer, especially within 1 month. Thromboembolic events within 1 year of surgery should be cautiously monitored.

Postoperative carcinoembryonic antigen as a complementary tumor marker of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The role of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in pancreatic cancer remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether CEA is complementary to carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in prognosis prediction after pancreatic cancer curative resection. We retrospectively reviewed records of 144 stage II curatively resected pancreatic cancer patients with preoperative and postoperative CEA and CA19-9 levels. Patients with normal preoperative CA19-9 were excluded. R0 resection margin, adjuvant treatment, and absence of angiolymphatic invasion were associated with better overall survival. There was no significant difference in median survival according to preoperative CEA levels. However, patients with normal postoperative CA19-9 (59.8 vs.16.2 months, P < 0.001) and CEA (29.4 vs. 9.3 months, P = 0.001) levels had longer overall survival than those with elevated levels. Among 76 patients with high postoperative CA19-9 levels, a better prognosis was observed in those with normal postoperative CEA levels than in those with elevated levels (19.1 vs. 9.3 months, P = 0.004). Postoperative CEA and CA19-9 levels are valuable prognostic markers in resected pancreatic cancer. Normal postoperative CEA levels indicate longer survival, even in patients with elevated postoperative CA19-9.

Do we really need additional contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography for differential diagnosis in triage of middle-aged subjects with suspected biliary pain.

Enhanced computed tomography (CT) is widely used for evaluating acute biliary pain in the emergency department (ED). However, concern about radiation exposure from CT has also increased. We investigated the usefulness of pre-contrast CT for differential diagnosis in middle-aged subjects with suspected biliary pain.A total of 183 subjects, who visited the ED for suspected biliary pain from January 2011 to December 2012, were included. Retrospectively, pre-contrast phase and multiphase CT findings were reviewed and the detection rate of findings suggesting disease requiring significant treatment by noncontrast CT (NCCT) was compared with cases detected by multiphase CT.Approximately 70% of total subjects had a significant condition, including 1 case of gallbladder cancer and 126 (68.8%) cases requiring intervention (122 biliary stone-related diseases, 3 liver abscesses, and 1 liver hemangioma). The rate of overlooking malignancy without contrast enhancement was calculated to be 0% to 1.5%. Biliary stones and liver space-occupying lesions were found equally on NCCT and multiphase CT. Calculated probable rates of overlooking acute cholecystitis and biliary obstruction were maximally 6.8% and 4.2% respectively. Incidental significant finding unrelated with pain consisted of 1 case of adrenal incidentaloma, which was also observed in NCCT.NCCT might be sufficient to detect life-threatening or significant disease requiring early treatment in young adults with biliary pain.

Long-term Outcomes of Symptomatic Gallbladder Sludge.

GOALS AND BACKGROUND: Long-term outcomes of symptomatic gallbladder (GB) sludge are not fully established. This study aimed to determine whether patients with symptomatic GB sludge could experience subsequent biliary events. STUDY: This study investigated consecutive patients who presented with typical biliary pain and underwent abdominal ultrasonography from March 2003 to December 2012. A prospectively maintained database of these patients, excluding those with gallstones, was reviewed retrospectively. We compared the development of biliary events such as acute cholecystitis, acute cholangitis, and acute pancreatitis between both GB sludge and non-GB sludge cohorts. RESULTS: In all, 58 and 70 patients were diagnosed with and without GB sludge, respectively. The 5-year cumulative biliary event rate was significantly higher in the GB sludge (33.9% vs. 15.8%, P=0.021) and the hazard ratio of subsequent biliary events was 2.573 (95% confidence interval, 1.124-5.889; P=0.025) in patients with GB sludge. The 5-year cumulative rate of each biliary event was higher in the GB sludge cohort (15.6% vs. 5.3% in acute cholecystitis, 15.5% vs. 5.3% in acute cholangitis, 18.4% vs. 11.1% in acute pancreatitis, respectively), although it was not statistically significant. Among the GB sludge cohort, subsequent biliary events were less frequent in patients who underwent cholecystectomy compared with those who did not (2/16, 12.5% vs. 17/42, 40.4%; P=0.067). CONCLUSIONS: GB sludge accompanying typical biliary pain can cause subsequent biliary events and cholecystectomy may prevent subsequent biliary events. Therefore, GB sludge would be considered as a culprit of biliary events.

A case of Fasciola hepatica infection mimicking cholangiocarcinoma and ITS-1 sequencing of the worm.

Fascioliasis is a zoonotic infection caused by Fasciola hepatica or Fasciola gigantica. We report an 87-year-old Korean male patient with postprandial abdominal pain and discomfort due to F. hepatica infection who was diagnosed and managed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with extraction of 2 worms. At his first visit to the hospital, a gallbladder stone was suspected. CT and magnetic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed an intraductal mass in the common bile duct (CBD) without proximal duct dilatation. Based on radiological findings, the presumed diagnosis was intraductal cholangiocarcinoma. However, in ERCP which was performed for biliary decompression and tissue diagnosis, movable materials were detected in the CBD. Using a basket, 2 living leaf-like parasites were removed. The worms were morphologically compatible with F. hepatica. To rule out the possibility of the worms to be another morphologically close species, in particular F. gigantica, 1 specimen was processed for genetic analysis of its ITS-1 region. The results showed that the present worms were genetically identical (100%) with F. hepatica but different from F. gigantica.

Co-development of autoimmune hepatitis and Sjögren's syndrome triggered by the administration of herbal medicines.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) has been reported in association with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Drug-induced AIH has been rarely reported. A rare case of the co-development of AIH and SS in a 53-year-old woman after the consumption of herbal medicines is described. After admission, the patient complained of dryness in her mouth, and she was subsequently diagnosed with SS, which had not been detected previously. The patient's bilirubin and aminotransferase levels initially decreased following conservative management; however, they later began to progressively increase. A diagnosis of AIH was made based on the scoring system proposed by the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group. The patient was administered a combination of prednisolone and azathioprine, and the results of follow-up liver-function tests were found to be within the normal range. This is an unusual case of AIH and SS triggered simultaneously by the administration of herbal medicines.

Impact of insulin resistance on 1-year clinical outcomes in non-diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance (IR) is known to be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to evaluate the impact of IR on 1-year clinical outcomes in non-diabetic CAD patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DESs). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 229 consecutive non-diabetic CAD patients treated with DESs were enrolled. Study population was divided into IR group [homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index ≥ 2.5, n=54] and non-IR group (HOMA index<2.5, n=175). Baseline clinical and procedural characteristics were similar between the groups except higher incidence of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and lower incidence of multivessel disease as the target vessel in the non-IR group. There was a trend toward longer restenosis lesion length in the IR group at 6 months angiographic follow up but composite major clinical outcomes up to 1 year were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite worse trend in angiographic outcomes in the IR group (HOMA index ≥ 2.5), it was not translated into worse 1-year major clinical outcomes following PCI with DESs as compared to the non-IR group.

A patient with tuberculous peritonitis with very high serum CA 125.

An 88-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain and distension. Serum cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) level was very high; however, abdominal CT reveals ascites without definite mass. Ascites analysis revealed a lymphocytic exudate with high adenosine deaminase enzyme level, negative stains for bacteria and negative PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Presumptive diagnosis for tuberculous peritonitis was made and antituberculous therapy resulted in the resolution of ascites and normalisation of CA 125.