Enhanced expression of nidogen 1 around the nest of basal cell carcinoma compared with that around squamous cell carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a malignant skin tumor originating from cells of the epidermal basal layer and adnexal epithelium, especially in sun-exposed areas. Unlike squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), BCC has a propensity to grow only locally possibly due to differences in the surrounding microenvironment including the basement membrane (BM) and stroma. To investigate the components constituting the BM and surrounding connective tissue in BCC and SCC, we analyzed the expression of BM proteins, nidogen 1 (NID1) and type IV collagen (COL4). We compared the immunohistochemical expressions of NID1 and COL4 among tumor specimens from BCC, SCC and its precancerous condition, actinic keratosis (AK), (n = 5 each condition). The expressions of NID1 and COL4 were both decreased around the tumor nest of SCC. In contrast, the expressions of both NID1 and COL4 around the nest of BCC were much higher than in the peri-lesional normal skin not only at the BM, but also in the surrounding stromal tissue. Our findings imply that the surrounding stromal cells of BCC, but not SCC or AK, excessively produce NID1 and COL4, which may be involved in preventing BCC cells from destroying the BM and invading the dermis.

Combination radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with intraductal tumor thrombus: a case report.

We report the successful treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with an intraductal tumor thrombus in a 67-year-old male. Abdominal ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) revealed intrahepatic biliary dilatation in the left hepatic lobe and an intraductal tumor thrombus. The main tumor lesion was not clearly visualized on abdominal US, dynamic CT, and hepatic angiography. We biopsied the intraductal tumor thrombus under US guidance. Histologically the biopsy specimen was a poorly differentiated HCC We thus diagnosed HCC with intraductal tumor thrombus. The total serum bilirubin level gradually rose to 3.1 mg/dl. This tumor was inoperable because of severe hepatic dysfunction. We chose to treat the patient with radiotherapy aimed only at the intraductal tumor thrombus because the main tumor was unclear. A percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) tube was inserted into the common bile duct beyond the tumor thrombus and the tube was dilated. Once total serum bilirubin had reached the normal range, a combination of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) plus an intraluminal brachytherapy, 192Ir boost was administered. The intraductal tumor thrombus was found to have vanished and the PTBD tube was removed. After this treatment, transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization was performed at the point of tumor appearance. This patient had a relatively long survival, approximately 30 months, with no clinical evidence of recurrent disease and biliary drainage was not necessary.

[Regional cerebral blood flow measurements by a noninvasive microsphere method using 123I-IMP: comparison with the modified fractional uptake method and the continuous arterial blood sampling method].

A noninvasive microsphere method using N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP), developed by Yonekura et al., was performed in 10 patients with neurological diseases to quantify regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Regional CBF values by this method were compared with rCBF values simultaneously estimated from both the modified fractional uptake (FU) method using cardiac output developed by Miyazaki et al. and the conventional method with continuous arterial blood sampling. In comparison, we designated the factor which converted raw SPECT voxel counts to rCBF values as a CBF factor. A highly significant correlation (r = 0.962, p < 0.001) was obtained in the CBF factors between the present method and the continuous arterial blood sampling method. The CBF factors by the present method were only 2.7% higher on the average than those by the continuous arterial blood sampling method. There were significant correlation (r = 0.811 and r = 0.798, p < 0.001) in the CBF factor between modified FU method (threshold for estimating total brain SPECT counts; 10% and 30% respectively) and the continuous arterial blood sampling method. However, the CBF factors of the modified FU method showed 31.4% and 62.3% higher on the average (threshold; 10% and 30% respectively) than those by the continuous arterial blood sampling method. In conclusion, this newly developed method for rCBF measurements was considered to be useful for routine clinical studies without any blood sampling.

Activation of macrophages by sulfated glycopeptides in ovomucin, yolk membrane, and chalazae in chicken eggs.

Sulfated glycopeptides in ovomucin, chalazae and yolk membrane were found to activate cultured macrophage-like cells, J774.1, and TGC-induced macrophages from the peritoneal cavity of male mice. The macrophage-stimulating activity was estimated by the growth and morphology of the cells, H2O2 generation, and interleukin-1 (IL-1) production from the cells. The in vitro culture assay with macrophages showed that the protease digests of ovomucin, yolk membrane, and chalazae induced morphologic alteration and increased H2O2 generation and IL-1 production in lower concentration (100 micrograms/ml). The isolation of the components having macrophage-stimulating activity was attempted to elucidate the molecular mechanism. The O-linked carbohydrate chains, consisting of N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose, N-acetylneuraminic acid and sulfate, in the sulfated glycopeptide were identified as a component having macrophage-stimulating activity.

Comparison of clinical features and survival in patients with hepatitis B and C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

We analyzed the clinical characteristics and survival of 185 patients with hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV group) and 1033 with hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCV group) by multi center study. The patients in the HBV group (mean age 52.1 yr) were about 10 years younger than those in the HCV group (mean age 62.9 yr). Liver function, as measured by indocyanine green retention at 15 min, was better in the HBV group (17.5%) than in the HCV group (25.4%). A higher proportion of the HBV group (55%) than the HCV group (44%) had clinical stage I, T-factor differed significantly between the groups: 53% of the HBV group were T3-4 compared with 41% of the HCV group. Furthermore, a higher proportion of the HBV group were graded 2-3 for tumor thrombus in the portal vein (20.3%) and had poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (7%) compared with the HCV group (7.1% and 5% respectively). Univariate analysis identified poor prognostic factors for hepatocellular carcinoma as HBV, age < or = 50 yr, clinical stage II-III, a high AFP level, higher number of tumors, larger tumor size, tumor thrombus in the portal vein 2-3 and in the hepatic vein 2-3. On multivariate analysis, poor prognostic factors were a high AFP level, higher number of tumors, tumor thrombus in the portal vein 2-3 and in the hepatic vein 2-3, but not HBV, age, clinical stage or tumor size. These results suggest that HBV itself is not a stronger prognostic factor than HCV.

Stomach-preserving gastric bypass for unresectable pancreatic cancer.

From 1992 to 1995, we treated 25 patients who had unresectable pancreatic cancer with a stomach-preserving gastric bypass (SPGB). After as much of the stomach as possible was preserved, it was bypassed to the jejunum by end-to-side anastomosis. During the same period, five patients underwent other types of bypasses while 47 similar patients did not undergo gastric bypass. Although the mean operative time for SPGB was significantly longer than for other types of bypass, the mean intraoperative blood loss was similar. Operative morbidity with SPGB was 28%, and there were no operative deaths. In patients undergoing SPGB, the incidence of delayed gastric emptying was high (24%), but the comfort index (ratio of duration of good palliation to duration of survival) exceeded 50% when metastases were either regional or systemic but limited. The comfort index of patients undergoing other types of bypass or not undergoing bypass was less than 40%. However, the patients with extensive systemic metastases survived less than 100 days and the comfort index was less than 30% for all treatment groups. Our results thus suggest that SPGB is safe and effective for patients with either regional metastases or limited systemic metastases.

Segmental resection of the duodenum including the papilla of Vater for focal cancer in adenoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Adenoma of the papilla of Vater is a premalignant lesion frequently associated with focal cancer. This adenoma has been treated by a variety of methods, and a consensus for its standard treatment has not been reached. A method of resection which is safe and reliable is desired. METHOD: The distal part of duodenum and pancreas were separated. The pancreatic and bile ducts were exposed outside the pancreas and duodenum, respectively, and transected. Segmental resection of the distal part of the duodenum including the papilla of Vater was performed. The jejunum was elevated and anastomosed with the duodenum, bile duct, and pancreatic duct. RESULTS: The resection was safely performed on two patients with focal cancer in adenoma. Delayed gastric emptying which continued for 2 to 3 weeks, occurred in both patients. Postoperatively, the patients resumed a normal life and weigh the same as before surgery. CONCLUSION: Segmental resection of the duodenum including the papilla of Vater is a safe and effective treatment method for adenoma of the papilla of Vater, a premalignant neoplasm that is frequently associated with cancer.

Development of pseudolymphoma of liver following interferon-alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B.

A 42-year-old woman with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis B, who had been treated with human leukocyte-derived interferon-alpha (huLe-IFN alpha) therapy for two months was found to have liver tumors on routine abdominal ultrasonography examination. She underwent laparotomy, and partial hepatectomy was performed under the clinical diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The lesions were diagnosed histologically as pseudolymphoma based on the massive infiltration of small mature lymphocytes and the presence of hyperplastic lymph follicles with germinal centers. Immunohistochemistry revealed polyclonal origin of the involved lymphocytes. The possible association between IFN alpha treatment and chronic hepatitis B with the development of pseudolymphoma is discussed.