Strategy for improving the prognosis of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma by surgical treatment†:†Considerations based on experience and a literature review.

The prognosis of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is still poor, and the 5-year survival rate in patients undergoing radical surgery (R0) is less than one-third. Since the prognosis depends mainly on tumor factors, so early diagnosis is necessary. To extend the survival time of these patients with a poor prognosis, cases of long-term survival were examined based on the results of our experiences and the literature. It was found that the hepatitis virus was highly involved in the carcinogenesis of ICC, and patients who were infected with hepatitis virus had rather good survival. J. Med. Invest. 68 : 15-21, February, 2021.

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis with purpura and renal failure induced by the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody panitumumab: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Panitumumab is the first human combinatorial antibody for the treatment of metastatic colorectal carcinoma. Dermatologic toxicity of all grades occurs in more than 90% of patients. However, there are few reports of purpura induced by anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody. Renal failure is also uncommon as an adverse event of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old Japanese man with advanced colon cancer received monotherapy with panitumumab. General malaise, bilateral edema of his legs, and bilateral purpura of his forearms developed 2 days after the second cycle of panitumumab. A skin biopsy was performed to evaluate the purpuric lesions on his left leg and leukocytoclastic vasculitis was diagnosed. Blood tests showed grade III acute renal failure with a blood urea nitrogen level of 33.8 mg/dL and a creatinine level of 3.10 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first reported case of leukocytoclastic vasculitis followed by purpura and acute renal failure associated with panitumumab.

Resection of lesions in the ileum of patients with IgG4-related disease may ameliorate disease progression without steroid administration.

BACKGROUND: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a pathological condition that is characterized by an infiltrate composed of IgG4-positive plasma cells and recently recognized as an immune-mediated condition. It causes tissue throughout the body to become stiff and thickened due to autoimmune reactions that cause fibrosis and scarring. Disease-related changes commonly occur in the salivary glands, bile duct, pancreas, and lungs, but are seldom seen in the small bowel. A diagnosis of IgG4-RD is suspected if a high level of IgG4 is found on a blood test. The ideal diagnostic method is pathological examination, but because the clinical manifestations of IgG4-RD are very diverse and nonspecific, the disease may often go undiagnosed until an unrelated biopsy or resection specimen is obtained. The most common treatment for IgG4-RD is steroid use. However, tapering or stopping steroid administration is seen to result in recurrence in approximately 50% of cases. A complete cure is therefore considered extremely difficult. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old man with gastrointestinal obstruction underwent small bowel resection for two lesions. On histopathological examination, the specimen showed features of IgG4-RD. We performed several tests to detect other characteristics of IgG4-RD, but were unable to find any. The patient is being followed up regularly for a year and is being observed for any symptoms of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: We present a case of IgG4-RD wherein the ileum wall was significantly sclerosed, leading to gastrointestinal tract obstruction; therefore, we resected two sections of the ileum. We believe that resection of IgG4-RD lesions can help avoid long-term steroid use in patients, because the surgery completely eliminates the pathological origins of the condition.

Cetuximab treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer with KRAS p.G13D mutations improves progression-free survival.

A number of previous studies have reported that 30-50% of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) harbor Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations, which is a major predictive biomarker of resistance to epidermal growth factor (EGFR)-targeted therapy. Treatment with an anti-EGFR inhibitor is recommended for patients with KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). A recent retrospective study of cetuximab reported that patients with KRAS p.G13D mutations had better outcomes compared with those with other mutations. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the prevalence of KRAS p.G13D mutations and evaluate the effectiveness of cetuximab in mCRC patients with KRAS p.G13D or other KRAS mutations. We reviewed the clinical records of 98 mCRC patients with KRAS mutations who were treated between August, 2004 and January, 2011 in four hospitals located in Tokyo and Kyushu Island. We also investigated KRAS mutation subtypes and patient characteristics. In the patients who received cetuximab, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the effect of KRAS p.G13D mutations on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Of the 98 patients, 23 (23.5%) had KRAS p.G13D-mutated tumors, whereas 75 (76.5%) had tumors harboring other mutations. Of the 31 patients who received cetuximab, 9 (29.0%) had KRAS p.G13D mutations and 22 (71.0%) had other mutations. There were no significant differences in age, gender, primary site, pathological type, history of chemotherapy, or the combined use of irinotecan between either of the patient subgroups. The univariate analysis revealed no significant difference in PFS or OS between the patients with KRAS p.G13D mutations and those with other mutations (median PFS, 4.5 vs. 2.8 months, respectively; P=0.65; and median OS, 15.3 vs. 8.9 months, respectively; P=0.51). However, the multivariate analysis revealed a trend toward better PFS among patients harboring p.G13D mutations (PFS: HR=0.29; 95% CI: 0.08-1.10; P=0.07; OS: HR=0.23; 95% CI: 0.04-1.54; P=0.13). In conclusion, treatment with cetuximab may be more clinically beneficial in mCRC patients with a KRAS p.G13D mutation, compared with those harboring other mutations. However, further investigation is required to clearly determine the benefits of cetuximab treatment in patients with KRAS p.G13D mutation-positive mCRC.

No-touch pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy can reduce postoperative complications even in low volume center.

PURPOSES: Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) was performed for 6 periampullary cancer patients by using methods verified by quality randomized controlled trials (RCT) in a low-volume center (LVC). The purpose of this study was to verify the clinical results. METHODS: No-touch pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy (PrPD), antecolic gastrojejunostomy, pancreatico-jejunostomy with a lost stent tube to the main pancreatic duct, and early removal of a prophylactic drain were performed. RESULTS: The drain could be removed 4 days after operation, and no pancreatic fistula was observed in all cases. Solid food could be started on POD4 after removing the drain. Furthermore, postoperative systemic chemotherapy could be started earlier. CONCLUSION: Although we have only a few PD cases a year in our institution, PD can be conducted safely without complications by using the methods verified by quality RCTs.

Case report of chylous ascites with strangulated ileus and review of the literature.

We describe a case of chylous ascites with strangulated ileus, and review all 22 cases (including our case) of chylous ascites with strangulated ileus reported in the English and Japanese literature. The patient we describe was a 51-year-old woman with medical history of radiotherapy for cervical cancer of the uterus 15 months prior to being admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain after consuming a meal. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed ascites, expansion of the small intestine, and whirl sign. Laparotomy revealed chylous ascites with an incarcerated internal hernia of the small intestine, which was released without intestinal resection. In our case the postoperative phase was uneventful, and as in the other 21 literature cases reviewed, treatment by either detorsion, release of the incarcerated internal hernia, or incision of the adhesion band without intestinal resection resulted in rapid improvement in the color of the intestine. It is considered that minimally invasive laparoscopic laparotomy should be selected as the treatment of first choice, because the degree of strangulation is slight in cases where chylous ascites is associated with strangulated ileus.

Outcome of emergency one-stage resection and anastomosis procedure for patients with obstructed colorectal cancer.

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to verify the outcome of the emergency one stage resection and anastomosis procedure for patients with obstructed colorectal cancer. METHODS: An emergency one stage resection and anastomosis procedure was performed for 40 patients with obstructive colorectal cancer. The outcome was verified and compared dividing into two groups. 17 patients under the age of 70 in (Group A), 23 patients 70 years and over in (Group B). RESULTS: The operative mortality rate in both groups was 0%. As a result, postoperative complications were not significantly different between the two groups. The overall survival rate after a 5-year period in both groups was 41.8%, regarding all patients and the survival curves for the two groups, was not significantly different. The 5 year survival rate in stage II or III showed no differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The one-stage resection and anastomosis of the large bowel could be applied safely to emergency patients, which in turn allows for excellent short-term operative results in both groups mentioned. This particular procedure should be positively enforced, even in elderly patients in their 70's.

Huge retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma presented as acute pancreatitis: report of a case.

A 74-year-old male with abdominal pain was admitted to the emergency room in our hospital. The high value of serum amylase was shown in his blood test. The postcontrast computed tomography (CT) showed the huge retroperitoneal tumor with a thin-walled mass occupying most of the part of the right retroperitoneal space. The tumor spread into the soft tissues around the pancreas; as a result, the duodenum was compressed and the pancreas was displaced to the right side. The irregular pancreatic outline, obliterated peripancreatic fatty tissue and fluid in the left anterior pararenal space were revealed, so acute pancreatitis was diagnosed. The diagnostic biopsy of retroperitoneal tumor was done, and the pathological findings of retroperitoneal mass revealed dedifferentiated liposarcoma. The medical treatment against acute pancreatitis was performed firstly. After the patient recovered from that, the surgical resection of the tumor with the right kidney and right adrenal gland was completed successfully. The patient remained well, without any evidence of recurrence three months after surgery. However, the histology showed dedifferentiated liposarcoma; therefore, postoperative regular examination is necessary.