[A Case of Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Adenosquamous Carcinoma Achieving Pathological Complete Response].

The patient was a 66-year-old man presenting with epigastric pain and jaundice. PET-CT demonstrated limited-accumulation on the tumor at the head of the pancreas, diagnosed as borderline resectable adenosquamous carcinoma. The patient was treated with preoperative chemoradiation therapy with 2 courses of gemcitabine followed by administration of S-1 and gemcitabine for 13 months, which reduced the tumor size. After preoperative therapy, pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed that no viable tumor cells were detected in the pancreas or lymph nodes, and the patient had achieved a pathological complete response. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was not performed, and the patient is still alive without recurrence for 66 months after surgery.

Randomised phase III study of S-1 alone versus S-1 plus lentinan for unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer (JFMC36-0701).

BACKGROUND: Lentinan (LNT) is a purified ß-1, 3-glucan that augments immune responses. The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of LNT in combination with S-1 as a first-line treatment for unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive S-1 alone or S-1 plus LNT. The primary end-point was overall survival (OS). Secondary end-points were time-to-treatment failure (TTF), overall response rate (ORR), safety, quality of life (QOL), and biomarker. The percentages of LNT-binding monocytes in peripheral blood prior to treatment were analysed for the biomarker assessment. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-four and 155 patients were randomly assigned to receive S-1 alone or S-1 plus LNT, respectively. The median OS was 13.8 and 9.9 months (P = 0.208), the median TTF was 4.3 and 2.6 months (P < 0.001), the ORR was 22.3% and 18.7% for the S-1 and S-1 plus LNT groups, respectively. The incidences of haematologic and non-haematologic adverse events were similar, and no significant changes in QOL scores were observed during the treatment in both groups. In a subpopulation of patients with LNT-binding monocytes ≥2%, patients who received more than two cycles of chemotherapy showed a longer survival time in the S-1 plus LNT group. CONCLUSIONS: OS did not improve and TTF was significantly worse in the S-1 plus LNT group as compared with the S-1-only group. This study showed no efficacy of LNT when combined with S-1 treatment in patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ID NUMBER: UMIN 000000574.

[A case wherein bevacizumab/XELOX combination therapy was remarkably effective for the treatment of extensive dissemination in advanced colon cancer, and the primary lesion could be resected].

Here, we report a case wherein bevacizumab/XELOX combination therapy was remarkably effective for the treatment of a patient with unresectable advanced cecum cancer and carcinomatous peritonitis. A 52-year-old man was diagnosed with cecum cancer with extensive carcinomatous dissemination. He underwent open laparotomy, and the findings indicated a unresectable cecal tumor attached to the retroperitoneum; therefore, ileo-transverse colostomy was performed. After 6 courses of bevacizumab and XELOX therapy, the primary tumor as well as ascites and carcinomatous dissemination had disappeared, and a marked decrease in the serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)level was noted. However, subsequently, positive emission tomography/computed tomography(PET/CT)indicated a recurrence of the primary tumor. Therefore, ileocecalectomy and D2 lymph node dissection were performed. Thus, we believe that bevacizumab/XELOX therapy may be useful as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced colon cancer with peritonitis carcinomatosa.

[A case of advanced esophageal cancer revealed a pathological complete response and survived more than 8 years, treated by radiation therapy combined with nedaplatin and 5-FU chemotherapy].

We report here the long-term survival case of advanced esophageal cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A 61-year-old woman visited our hospital because of a disturbance in her swallowing in September, 2003. She was diagnosed with a middle esophageal type 3 tumor, which was 9 cm in length by endoscopy. Squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed by pre-operative endoscopic biopsy. CT revealed the tumor with direct invasion to the aorta, and multiple metastases of the lymph nodes(T4, N1, M0: Stage IVa). CRT(combination of 5-FU and nedaplatin with 40 Gy of radiation)was administered. After the completion of CRT, the tumor size was remarkably reduced, but stenosis of the lumen of the esophagus remained partially. Therefore, we performed sub-total esophagectomy in February, 2004. A pathological complete response was diagnosed with no carcinoma cells evident in the resected specimen. Pathological therapeutic evaluation of the esophageal cancer was grade 3. The patient had received no adjuvant chemotherapy, but she is alive and healthy now with no relapse of carcinoma for more than 8 years after operation.

[Solitary ectopic thymoma at ligamentum arteriosum; report of a case].

We report a case of solitary ectopic thymoma at the ligamentum arteriosum, which was resected with thoracoscopic surgery. A 62-year-old male patient received chemoradiation therapy for laryngeal cancer approximately 1 year before. The present computed tomography scan indicated a mass (diameter, 2 cm) at the ligamentum arteriosum. Furthermore, positron emission tomography showed an abnormal accumulation on the mass. Malignant lymphoma and laryngeal cancer with lymph node metastasis were suspected, and thoracoscopic surgery was performed. The tumor had a clear margin;therefore, it could be extirpated easily. The results of the postoperative pathological examination indicated that the tumor was an ectopic thymoma. The patient was discharged 3 days after the surgery because he showed good clinical course and was kept under careful observation.

[Long-term survival of a case of juvenile colon cancer with multiple liver metastases successfully treated by multidisciplinary therapy].

A 35-year-old woman underwent hemicolectomy and RFA for ascending colon cancer with multiple liver metastases in February, 2005. She received postoperative hepaticarterial infusion chemotherapy with 5-FU, and systemic hemotherapy with UFT for 10 months after the operation. A local recurrence of the anastomosis was detected in March, 2006, and she underwent a resection for it. This was followed by 6 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy with modified FOLFOX6. Because multiple liver metastases and lymph node metastases were detected in March, 2007, she received RFA and 6 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy with modified FOLFOX6 again. Liver metastases disappeared but lymph node metastases still remained. Therefore, she received 4 courses of bevacizumab plus modified FOLFOX6. The metastatic lesions disappeared and were judged to be CR. Therefore, she was followed-up with the oral administration of UFT. Metastases of liver and lymph nodes of the mediastinum were detected in May, 2008, for which she received 4 courses of bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI2. Because the effects of the chemotherapy were judged to be CR, she continued with 4 courses of the same regimen. The regimen was discontinued due to diarrhea, and she therefore began to receive 4 courses of bevacizumab plus LV/5-FU regimens. CR has been maintained at present, over 7 years after the initial surgery.

[A case of pathologically by complete response in advanced sigmoid colon cancer with multiple metastases of lung and Liver, left hydronephrosis after chemotherapy including bevacizumab/FOLFOX6].

A 61-year-old complaining of anorexia and general fatigue was admitted to our hospital for further examination. She was diagnosed as advanced sigmoid colon cancer with multiple metastases of lung, liver, and left hydronephrosis. Since curative surgery was not deemed possible, we started chemotherapy with bevacizumab/FOLFOX6 (bi-weekly drip infusion). After the 6th course, colonoscopy revealed a significant tumor reduction and changes to the scar tissues. CT did not reveal a complete disappearance, but found some reductions in metastases of lung and liver. Sigmoidectomy and lymph node resection (D1) were performed. We did not disappeared any dissemination and the histological diagnosis revealed a complete disappearance of cancer cells in the main tumor. She was discharged 13 days after surgery, following chemotherapy which included bevacizumab and XELOX. The chemotherapy using bevacizumab/FOLFOX6 is a candidate for the standard treatment strategy for inoperable advanced colon cancer. Herein we report this rare case with a review of the literature.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer successfully treated with docetaxel and S-1 combined therapy].

A 46-year-old woman with lower abdominal distension was diagnosed as gastric cancer in our hospital. She had multiple metastases of lungs, lymph nodes, bilateral ovaries, and uterus. After she underwent sub-total gastrectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, and total hysterectomy, she received adjuvant chemotherapy followed by docetaxel and S-1. After 6 courses of chemotherapy, PET/CT revealed no recurrences (complete response), and she was therefore administered S-1 for only 6 months. She has remained without recurrence 15 months after the operation.

[A case of anthracycline- and taxane-resistant recurrent advanced breast cancer successfully treated with S-1 monotherapy].

We experienced a case of anthracycline- and taxane-resistant recurrent breast cancer with multiple liver metastases and multiple bone metastases showing marked improvement by S-1. A 52-year-old woman visited our hospital because of her liver dysfunction in May 2008. She underwent a partial mastectomy preserving chest muscles in another hospital in 2000, but further details were unknown. Radiographic imaging tests revealed multiple metastases to the liver and bones in May 2008, and she was referred to our hospital for management of metastatic lesions. Tumor of the liver was diagnosed as metastases from the breast carcinoma, ER+, PgR+, HER2 (0), and histopathologically by core needle biopsy under ultrasonography. She received 4 courses of EC after 4 courses of biweekly docetaxel treatment. She showed a partial response (PR), so she was treated by the same course of treatment again. But she was diagnosed with an enlargement of liver metastases and recurrence of bone metastases by PET examination. Then the oral treatment with S-1 was started, and at the end of the second course, a significant reduction of abnormal accumulation in PET was noted. She has been quite well without any adverse effects from S-1. S-1 monotherapy was thus considered to be an effective treatment for advanced or recurrent breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines and taxanes.

[Two cases of advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination, and Virchow's metastases successfully treated by combination therapy of S-1 and docetaxel].

We report two cases of advanced gastric cancer successfully treated with combination S-1 and docetaxel (DOC) therapy. Case 1: A 43-year-old woman underwent radical total gastrectomy for advanced type 4 gastric cancer one and a half years ago. She was diagnosed as peritonitis carcinomatosa with much ascites, so the following combination chemotherapy was started. Case 2: A 53-year-old man underwent palliative gastrectomy for advanced type 3 gastric cancer with multiple lymph node metastases involving Virchow's metastases. After surgery, he received the following combination chemotherapy: DOC at the starting dose of 40 mg/m2 by iv infusion over 1 hour on day 1 and S-1 at the full dose of 80 mg/m2 daily for two weeks every three weeks. After administration of this combination therapy, the Case 1 gastric cancer with much ascites and the Case 2 gastric cancer with multiple lymph nodes metastases had entirely disappeared. Thereafter the 2 cases received therapy with S-1 alone. No recurrence in Case 1 has been seen with S-1 chemotherapy. Case 2 revealed a few lymph node swellings in the abdominal cavity, so he is undergoing combination therapy of DOC and S-1. The combination DOC and S-1 show a high degree of safety and can be a new tool for the management of advanced gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination and Virchow's metastases.

[A case report--combination chemotherapy with oral UFT and CPT-11, 5-FU, l-LV by hepatic arterial infusion for multiple hepatic metastasis from sigmoid colon cancer].

A 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with multiple hepatic metastases from sigmoid colon cancer. She underwent resection of the colon and catheter insertion into the hepatic artery for arterial infusion in August 2006. She was then treated with postoperative combination chemotherapy consisting of UFT and CPT-11, 5-FU, l-LV. UFT was administered orally at 400 mg/body/day every day and CPT-11 was injected at 100 mg/body/week, 5-FU at 750 mg/body/week, and l-LV at 300 mg/body/week for 8 continuous weeks. After 2 months of the chemotherapy, the metastatic liver tumors disappeared. So hepatic arterial infusion with the same regimens was injected once every month 4 more times. Oral UFT was administered every day. After 6 months of the combined chemotherapy above, we judged the effects of the chemotherapy to be a complete response. Then the chemotherapy was followed by oral UFT only. As severe nausea and vomiting were seen in this patient with an initial dose of 150 mg/body/week of CPT-11 at first, we reduced the dose of CPT-11 to 100 mg/body/week. From then, outpatient care was possible because no severe events were observed. Combined chemotherapy consisting of oral UFT and CPT-11, 5-FU and l-LV by hepatic arterial infusion is suggested to be a new and effective treatment for multiple liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

Efficacy and tolerability of cancer pain management with controlled-release oxycodone tablets in opioid-naive cancer pain patients, starting with 5 mg tablets.

BACKGROUND: We conducted an open-label, dose titration study to assess the efficacy and tolerability of controlled-release oxycodone in the therapy of cancer pain management, starting with a newly developed 5 mg tablet every 12 h. METHODS: Twenty-two Japanese cancer patients with pain who had not been taking opioid analgesics over the previous 2 weeks were enrolled. The length of time and the dose needed to attain stable and adequate pain control were evaluated in addition to the assessment of analgesic efficacy and safety during the study period. RESULTS: Eighteen patients in the efficacy population (18 out of 20, 90%) attained stable, adequate pain control. Two-thirds of the patients attained stable, adequate pain control without any dose titration. The mean length of time was 1.2 days. In these patients, the pain was significantly reduced in intensity, even at 1 h after the initial dose intake. Fifteen patients (68%) reported at least one side effect, but only one patient had to withdraw from the study because of a side effect. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that controlled-release oxycodone tablets offered stable and adequate pain control within a short period of time in most Japanese cancer patients who have not been taking opioid analgesics, and could be effectively titrated against pain from a starting dose of 5 mg every 12 h. This indicates that a lower strength controlled-release oxycodone formulation may make it possible to start and titrate the dose more appropriately and carefully in patients who are sensitive to opioid analgesics.