Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy on Early Laryngeal Cancers.

Background/Aim: Treatments for early laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) include radiotherapy (RT), chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and larynx-preserving surgery. In this study, early laryngeal SCC was treated with RT in patients with stage I (T1N0) tumors and with CRT and docetaxel (DOC) in patients with stage II (T2N0) tumors and the treatment results and effectiveness of the chemotherapy were compared. Patients and Methods: A total of 78 patients with early-stage laryngeal SCC were enrolled in this study. The T1N0 patients received radiation for the primary lesions as outpatients at a total dose of 63-70 Gy. By contrast, the T2N0 patients were hospitalized and treated with CRT, receiving a total radiation dose of 66-70 Gy. Docetaxel (DOC, 10 mg/m2) was administered intravenously once a week for 6-8 consecutive weeks concurrently with radiotherapy. The adverse events and survival rates with local control rates were examined. Results: The number of non-glottic T2N0 patients was significantly higher than that of T1N0 patients. Although all patients completed their treatment schedule, significantly more grade 3 adverse events were observed in the T2N0 patients, in particular mucositis and dermatitis, than in T1N0 patients. The 5-year overall survival rate, disease specific survival rate, local control rate, and laryngeal preserve rate of the T1N0 and T2N0 patients were 86.1, 93.3, 88.6, and 94.3% and 85.9, 88.0, 93.1, and 93.1%, respectively. Conclusion: CRT with docetaxel showed the best therapeutic outcomes for the treatment of laryngeal SCC in patients with T2N0 tumours, with a higher local control rate, effective laryngeal preservation, and relatively few adverse events.

Particle Beam Therapy and Surgery as Radical Treatments for Parotid Malignancies-A Single-Center Preliminary Case Study.

Background/Objectives: Particle beam therapy (PBT) was approved in April 2018 for head and neck malignancies and has since been introduced as a radical therapy for parotid malignancies. However, its prevalence and effectiveness in relation to surgical treatment have not been investigated. Methods: In this study, we evaluated 36 patients with parotid malignancy who underwent surgery (n = 26) or PBT (n = 10) and then analyzed the annual changes in the number of patients, survival rates, and clinical factors affecting prognosis. Results: Of the ten patients who opted for PBT, two and eight patients underwent PBT before and after 2018, respectively. There was a significant difference between these two groups of patients (p = 0.04). Of the ten patients who underwent PBT, five patients were recurrent cases; meanwhile, all twenty-six patients who underwent surgery were receiving initial treatment. Only one patient in each group had local recurrence after the treatment. Conclusions: The use of PBT as a radical therapy for parotid malignancies has been increasing since 2018, and patients with recurrent tumors tended to choose PBT. The outcome of the patients who underwent PBT did not seem to be inferior compared with those of the patients who underwent surgery. The histopathological type was a crucial issue in the outcomes of patients who underwent radical therapy for parotid malignancies.

Characteristics of failure of passive transfer at the herd level using the serum immunoglobulin G concentration as an indicator on dairy farms in eastern Hokkaido, Japan.

The objectives of this study were to conduct a survey of failure-of-passive-transfer (FPT) in eastern Hokkaido Japan, to evaluate the association between herd-level FPT and death and culling or treatment, and to test the effectiveness of monitoring using herd-level FPT. A total of 4,411 Holstein and Holstein-Wagyu crossbreds calves born from Holstein dams during the year beginning April 2, 2019 on 39 dairy farms were included in the study to investigate death-and-culling and the treatment rate during the first month of life, as well as rearing management up to 3 weeks of age. A subset of Holsteins (n=381) was included in the study for passive transfer and farms were diagnosed as having FPT if more than 20% of newborn calves had serum IgG levels below 10 g/L at the herd level. The prevalence of FPT (

Comparison of serum very low-density lipoprotein concentrations during transition in primiparous and multiparous cows.

This study was carried out as an observational study in order to examine the difference of change in serum very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) between primiparous and multiparous cows. Twenty-one clinically healthy cows (10 primiparous and 11 multiparous) were selected at 21 days prior to expected calving. Blood samples were collected in the morning (before feeding) on days -21, -7, 7, 21 and 56 days in milk (DIM). At 7 and 21 DIM, the serum non-esterified fatty acid concentration of multiparous cows was significantly higher than that of primiparous cows. The serum ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration was also markedly higher in multiparous cows than in primiparous cows at 21 DIM. These results suggested that the degree of negative energy balance was greater in multiparous cows than in primiparous cows during this period. In both, serum VLDL concentrations decreased at over 7 DIM, increased at 21 DIM, and then decreased at 56 DIM. On the other hand, triglyceride and total protein concentrations of VLDL in multiparous cows were significantly lower than in primiparous cows at 21 DIM. This suggests that multiparous cows have poor triglyceride secretion from the liver and that they become more susceptible to hepatic lipidosis.

Effects of starch content of calf starter on rumen properties and blood concentrations of metabolites and hormones in dairy calves under a high plane of milk feeding.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of calf starters with different starch content on rumen and blood properties in calves fed under a high plane of nutrition program. Twenty-seven Holstein calves (14 female, 13 male) were assigned to one of three starter treatment groups in a randomized block design: high-starch (41.8%) (n = 9), H; medium-starch (31.9%) (n = 9), M; low-starch (22.0%) (n = 9), L. Milk replacer on powder basis was fed up to 1.2 kg/day as fed, gradually reduced from 6 weeks of age; calves were weaned at 8 weeks of age. Each starter (up to 3.5 kg/day as fed) and chopped hay were provided ad libitum from 5 days of age. Blood was collected from 4 to 13 weeks of age. Rumen fluid was collected at 6, 8, 10, and 13 weeks of age. Serum urea nitrogen concentration after weaning was the lowest in H. Plasma IGF-1 concentrations were higher in H than in L. Ruminal pH was not different, but the molar proportion of ruminal propionate was higher in H than in L throughout the study period. In summary, a high-starch starter may increase propionate production and microbial protein synthesis in the rumen, inducing higher plasma IGF-1 concentrations.

Increasing Patients With HPV-positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and its Oncologic Outcomes in the Rural Region in Northern Japan.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Despite the global rise in the incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) in recent years, its prevalence and oncological outcomes in patients living in rural areas of Northern Japan has not been explored and should be investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 105 patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent HPV screening and received first-line treatment were included in this study. The annual changes in the number of patients, survival rates, and clinical factors affecting prognosis were examined. RESULTS: The HPV-positive rate in patients with OPC was low, with the lowest rate of 10.0% in 2013 and the highest rate of 46.7% in 2020. The number of HPV-negative cases remained almost unchanged, whereas the overall number of cases increased with the increasing number of HPV-positive cases. Additionally, HPV-positive cases exhibited a fairly good prognosis. CONCLUSION: The number of OPC cases increased not only in urban areas, but also in rural areas. HPV-positive cases had better outcomes than HPV-negative cases.

A case report of angiosarcoma originating from the tongue.

Key Clinical Message: Angiosarcoma is a rare malignant disease with an extremely poor prognosis, showing rapid progression of the local tumor and/or distant metastases. Although multidisciplinary approach including systemic chemotherapy and radiation therapy is ideal for this disease, surgical resection have a role in disease control and should be performed as soon as possible. Abstract: Angiosarcomas originating from the tongue are rare and have extremely malignant features, leading to a poor prognosis. Herein, we report the case of a patient with angiosarcoma arising from the tongue who was successfully treated surgically. A 71-year-old man was diagnosed with a mass on the right side of his tongue and visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at our hospital. The patient was referred to our department for further examination and treatment after a biopsy of the right edge of the tongue. An irregularly raised tumor 50 mm in length was noted on the right lingual border. The preoperative diagnosis was a primary angiosarcoma of the tongue (clinical stage, T3N2bM0, Stage IV). As his tumor had been growing rapidly, he emergently underwent partial right-sided tongue resection and right neck dissection without reconstructive surgery. The histopathological diagnosis was pT3N0. Postoperatively, the patient showed no signs of recurrence or metastasis during the 1-year follow-up. As for angiosarcomas, surgical resection is the only curative treatment, and surgery should be performed as soon as possible after the final diagnosis.

Effects of starch content of calf starter on feed intake, growth performance, and fecal properties in dairy calves under a high plane of milk replacer feeding.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different starch contents in calf starter on the growth, feed intake, and fecal characteristics in dairy calves fed under a high plane of nutrition. Twenty-seven Holstein calves were assigned equally to one of three calf starter treatment groups in a randomized block design: high (H) starch (41.8%); medium (M) starch (31.9%); and low (L) starch (22.0%). Milk replacer was fed up to 1.2 kg/day as fed, gradually reduced from 6 weeks of age; calves were weaned at 8 weeks of age. Each starter (up to 3.5 kg/day as fed) and chopped hay were provided ad libitum from 5 days of age. Fecal samples, along with body measurements, were collected from 4 to 13 weeks of age. The average daily gain after weaning was greater in the H group than in the L group. The average starter intake for 3 days before weaning was not different among treatments but was greater after weaning in the H group than in the L group. Starter starch content did not affect the number of days with diarrhea or fecal starch concentration. The high-starch starter had no adverse effects during the weaning transition.

Death-and-culling rates of calves and associated economic losses in the first month of life on dairy farms in eastern Hokkaido, Japan.

The objective of this study was to analyze death and culling (DC) of calves during the first month of life and associated economic losses on dairy farms in eastern Hokkaido, Japan. The DC in the first month of life of 4411 Holstein and Wagyu crossbred calves born in the year 2019-2020 on 39 dairy farms milking Holsteins was investigated. Based on a target DC rate of 6.75%, farms were classified into two groups, those with high DC rates (HDC, 11.68%, n = 18) and those with low DC rates (LDC, 2.67%, n = 21), and analyzed for DC factors (breed, sex, parity of dams, and housing type of dams) and diseases causing DC, their loss estimates, and replenishment of DC calves (birth rate, purchase of heifers, and housing type of dams). Comparisons between groups were made using the Kaplan-Meier method, the Mann-Whitney U test, and chi-square test. The DC rate of Holsteins was significantly higher (P < 0.001) for HDC farms than for LDC ones. But, the DC rate of Wagyu crossbreds was not different between the groups, which suggested hybrid vigor. The DC rates for digestive diseases were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the HDC farms, except for congenital diseases and deaths of unknown cause. The overall loss estimates of DC per calf-month for all farms was 8892, JPY/calf-months, 14,726 for HDC farms, and 4065 for LDC farms. The loss estimates of items with significant differences in DC rates were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the HDC farms, with higher loss estimates for Holsteins and digestive diseases being the most common characteristics of HDC farms. In binomial logistic regression analysis with "HDC farms or not" as the response variable and replenishment of DC calves as the explanatory variable, HDC was significantly more likely (OR: 1.10, P < 0.05) on farms with a higher birth proportion of Holsteins, and HDC farms supplemented the DC calves by increasing the birth proportion of Holsteins.

Ultrasonographic verification of hepatic hydatidosis in a female dromedary camel: a case report.

This report describes for the first time, the antemortem diagnosis of hydatidosis in dromedary camel based on the WHO informal working groups on echinococcosis guidelines of echinococcosis classification. The case was admitted at the University Veterinary Hospital, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, with a history of progressive weight loss and decreased appetite for the past 4 months. Alterations in hematobiochemical parameters included leukopenia, neutropenia, decreased hematocrit percent, red blood cells count and hemoglobin concentration, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, hyperglobulinemia, hyperglycemia and azotemia. Ultrasonographically, multiple cysts were imaged within the hepatic tissue containing anechoic fluid and fibrin tags. Ultrasound-guided aspiration of a cyst revealed a clear non-turbid fluid. Ultrasonographic diagnostic is recommended for the work-up of cystic lesions of camel liver suspected to be due to Echinococcus granulosus.

Systemic cisplatin increases the number of patients showing positive off-frequency masking audiometry.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of systemic cisplatin administration on off-frequency masking audiometry. METHODS: Among 26 patients receiving systemic cisplatin, 48 ears were included in the analysis. All patients underwent pure-tone audiometry with ipsilateral narrow-band masking noise (off-frequency masking audiometry). In the off-frequency masking audiometry, 70 dBHL band-pass noise (center frequency 1000 Hz, 1/3 octave bandwidth) was administered to the tested ear. The acquired thresholds were compared to those of standard pure-tone audiometry, and threshold elevations greater than 10 dB were regarded as significant. The number of patients showing abnormal threshold elevation was compared between before and after the cisplatin administration. RESULTS: Before cisplatin administration, 91.7, 93.8, 97.9, and 93.8% of ears showed normal off-frequency masking audiometry outcomes at 125, 250, 6000, and 8000 Hz, respectively. After cisplatin administration, a higher number of patients showed abnormal off-frequency masking audiometry outcomes. This change was more prominent with increasing doses of cisplatin. After the cisplatin administration of 100∼200 mg/m2, the prevalence of patients with normal off-frequency masking audiometry outcomes was 77.3, 70.5, 90.9, and 88.6% at 125, 250, 6000, and 8000 Hz, respectively. At 250 Hz, the change was statistically significant (p = 0.01, chi-squared test).

A case of complete remission of Hodgkin lymphoma confirmed histopathologically by neck dissection.

BACKGROUND: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is diagnosed definitively by biopsy, and treatment is based on stage. Owing to the nature of the disease, post-treatment efficacy is determined mainly by fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography, and the efficacy of treatment is not confirmed by histopathology. We report a case of tongue cancer after treatment for HL, in which a post-treatment lymph node with complete remission was histopathologically confirmed by neck dissection. CASE: The patient was a 74-year-old man who was referred to our hospital for cancer on the right side of his tongue. He had previously undergone chemotherapy for HL involving the right side of his neck and achieved complete remission. Because he had cT3N2cM0 tongue cancer, glossectomy and bilateral neck dissection were performed. Surprisingly, histopathological examination revealed that there was neither metastatic lymph nodes nor lymphoma cells in his right neck. Moreover, there was no lymphatic structure in his remnant lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: This was a rare case in which complete remission of HL was confirmed by histopathological analysis. The absence of lymph node structure and lymphatic flow led to contralateral neck lymph node metastases of tongue cancer.

Epidemiological Features of Postpartum Subclinical Ketosis in Dairy Herds in Hokkaido, Japan.

This study was carried out as an observational study in order to determine the prevalence of postpartum subclinical ketosis (SCK) in dairy herds in Hokkaido, Japan. From April 2012 to March 2014, blood ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentration was measured once within 3-88 days in milk (DIM) in 1394 apparently healthy cows from 108 farms to diagnose SCK (≥1.2 mM). In cows within 14 DIM, this was classified as SCK II, and from 15 DIM, this was classified as SCK I. Herds with a combined percentage of SCK I and SCK II of less than 10% were classified as SCK-negative herds, those with percentages of 10-25%, were classified as alert herds, and those with one of 25% or more, we classified as positive herds. The prevalence of SCK in the entire DIM was 17.6%. The prevalence of SCK II (20.2%) tended to occur more frequently than SCK I (16.5%, p = 0.094). The frequency of SCK I was higher at the fourth parity. The number of milking cows in SCK-positive herds was significantly smaller than those of the other two types of herds (p = 0.004). The frequency of SCK-positive herds in tie stalls and with component feeding was higher than for free stall or free barn and with total mixed ration (p = 0.054 and p = 0.002). This study reveals the prevalence of SCK in Hokkaido, Japan, and shows that SCK is associated with parity and the management system.

Sodium butyrate administration modulates the ruminal villus height, inflammation-related gene expression, and plasma hormones concentration in dry cows fed a high-fiber diet.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of sodium butyrate on the ruminal villus morphology, mRNA expression associated with nutrient metabolism and inflammation in the ruminal epithelium, and plasma concentrations of metabolites and hormones in non-lactating cows fed a high-fiber diet. Four Holstein cows with a rumen cannula were assigned to two treatments in a crossover design. The treatments were ruminal administration of sodium butyrate premix or control premix before feeding to cows fed the same total mixed ration mainly composed of glass silage once a day. Sodium butyrate was provided at a butyrate dose of 0.04% per kg body weight. The control premix was made by replacing sodium-butyrate with wheat bran. The plasma ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration increased 3 to 6 h after the butyrate premix administration but returned to a concentration similar to that of the control before feeding. After continuous administration, increases in the ruminal villus height and plasma concentration of glucagon-like peptide-2, and lower gene expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and TLR-2 in the rumen epithelium were observed in cows supplied with the butyrate premix. These results showed that sodium butyrate affects rumen epithelial morphology and plasma concentrations of hormones even under a low fermentable diet.

Treatment Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy With Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and Fluorouracil in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Although the efficacy of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-Fluorouracil (TPF) as induction chemotherapy has been confirmed, the therapeutic outcome and prognostic factors of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) should be investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Laboratory data of patients who underwent CCRT for advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck were investigated to clarify the grade of side effects. Survival rates and prognostic scores were also calculated. Multivariate analysis was performed to examine the prognostic factors of the patients. RESULTS: Although there were significantly more advanced cases in the TPF group (n=72) than those in the cisplatin group (n=50), there were no significant differences in patient survival rates. In the TPF group, the lymphocyte count, albumin level, and C-reactive protein level of the patients before treatment were significantly correlated with patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: CCRT using the TPF regimen had remarkable treatment effects in advanced head and neck cancer.

Challenges of Surgical Resection of Carotid Body Tumors - Multiple Feeding Arteries and Preoperative Embolization.

BACKGROUND: Carotid body tumor is a hypervascular tumor with multiple feeding arteries and unique orientation at the carotid bifurcation. Although resection is a radical therapy for this tumor, complete resection is challenging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Articles reporting carotid body tumor treatment and surgical resection were reviewed including case-control series and review articles. RESULTS: Selected reports were reviewed and discussed focusing on choice of treatment, surgical difficulties and preoperative embolization of feeding arteries. CONCLUSION: Multiple feeding arteries and adhesion of the tumor to the carotid arterial wall are causes of difficulties in carotid body tumor resection. The effectiveness of preoperative embolization remains controversial due to the varied situations in performing surgical resection among the institutions. However, perfect embolization and resection immediately after embolization reduce blood loss and operative time of surgery for carotid body tumor.

The effect of sodium butyrate supplementation on ruminal and fecal pH and serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein after ruminal acidosis challenge in nonlactating cows.

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of sodium-butyrate supplementation on gastrointestinal function and the inflammatory response to ruminal acidosis (RA) challenge in cows. Four nonlactating cows with a rumen cannula were assigned to two treatments in a crossover design. Treatments were ruminal administration of sodium-butyrate (BUT) or control (CON). Sodium-butyrate was provided as Gustor BP70 and administered at a butyrate dose of 0.04% per kg body weight. The CON premix was made by replacing sodium-butyrate with wheat bran. Experimental periods were 28 days long with 21-day washout period separating the treatments. On Day 25 of each period, corn starch was ruminally administered at 0.7% per kg body weight as RA challenge. After RA challenge, ruminal pH was lower, and endotoxin concentration was higher for cows provided with BUT than those with CON, but the increase in fecal starch and the decrease in fecal pH were attenuated by BUT. The effect of butyrate supplementation on serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein after RA challenge was not found. From these findings, butyrate supplementation mitigated rectal acidosis by reducing the flux of fermentable carbohydrate into the large intestine. An anti-inflammatory effect of butyrate was not observed, possibly due to lower pH and higher endotoxin concentration in the rumen.

Preliminary Study of Chemoradiotherapy Using Modified Docetaxel, Cis-diaminodichloroplatinum, and 5-Fluorouracil for Sinonasal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the safety and efficacy of concomitant chemoradiotherapy using a modified TPF regimen (docetaxel + cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil) in patients with advanced sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary center (university hospital). METHODS: Seven patients with previously untreated T3-T4 SNSCC were enrolled. They underwent radiotherapy once daily (total dose, 70 Gy) with 2 courses of concomitant 120-hour infusion of 5-fluorouracil (600 mg/m2/d), docetaxel (50 mg/m2, day 2), and cisplatin (60 mg/m2, day 2). RESULTS: Grade 4 leukopenia, grade 4 neutropenia, and grade 3 lymphopenia were observed in 1, 3, and 4 patients, respectively. Grade 4 creatinine elevation was observed in 1 patient. However, other grade 3 or 4 adverse events were not common. Complete response was obtained in all patients. At 60 months there was 85.7% disease-free survival and 100% overall. CONCLUSION: Concomitant chemoradiotherapy with a modified TPF regimen may be feasible and effective in patients with advanced SNSCC.

A case report of interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma originating from the oropharynx.

Interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma is an extremely rare tumor and typically originates from lymph nodes. Here, we report a patient with tumor originated from the oropharynx who received successful surgical treatment.

The Influence of Young Age on Difficulties in the Surgical Resection of Carotid Body Tumors.

This study evaluated patient characteristics that affect the complexity and difficulties of performing surgery to resect carotid body tumors (CBTs). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 20 patients with 21 CBTs who were enrolled in the study. The median patient age was 46 years and the mean tumor diameter was 37.6 mm. The mean blood loss and operative time were 40.3 mL and 183 min, respectively. Four patients underwent resection of the carotid artery followed by reconstruction. These four patients were between 18 to 23 years of age at the time of surgery. The mean blood loss and operative time in these patients were 166 mL and 394 min, respectively, which differed significantly from those of older patients. Therefore, young age influenced the difficulties faced in surgical resection of CBT, with an increased risk of blood loss and carotid artery resection.