[A Case of Intestinal Fistula Associated with Small Intestinal Metastasis from Small Cell Lung Carcinoma].

A 53-year-old man who complained of dyspnea and prolonged cough visited to our hospital. Computed tomography (CT)revealed massive tumors of right lung and small intestine. CT-guided fine-needle aspiration(FNA)on lung lesion was performed and the lung tumor was diagnosed as small cell carcinoma. We subsequently performed surgical resection for the tumor of small intestine, but part of tumor lesion remained due to pelvic wall invasion. The resected tumor was diagnosed as metastasis from lung carcinoma by histopathological examination. After surgery the patient was treated with atezolizumab and carboplatin-etoposide chemotherapy, but the remnant metastasis caused intestinal fistula. Treatment was continued carefully with fistula management using pouches. Although the fistula was closed during chemotherapy response, it recurred after discontinuation of treatment due to severe adverse events. The patient died 325 days after the surgery.

[A Case of Severe Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy in a Dialysis Patient Following mFOLFOX6 Therapy].

A 69-year-old man on hemodialysis for chronic renal failure was diagnosed with ascending colon cancer, and received surgical resection. Multiple liver metastases were detected after surgery. He was administered modified FOLFOX6 therapy (reducing the dose to 50%), and showed severe disturbance of consciousness due to hyperammonemia on treatment day 6. After treatment with daily hemodialysis, branched-chain amino acid solutions, lactulose and rifaximin, his conscious level improved on day 9. Intensive chemotherapy in dialysis patients should be carefully performed considering the serious adverse events including hyperammonemia.

[Gastric Conduit Ulcer Pentration into the Right Middle Lobe after Esophageal Cancer Surgery;Report of a Case].

A 55-year-old man with esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy along with lymph node dissection and reconstruction with gastric conduit through the sternal route. He developed a continuous cough with sputum production, 3 years postoperatively. Chest radiography revealed a right middle lung field infiltrate. Chest computed tomography revealed communication between the reconstructed esophagus and the gastric conduit( pull-up) and right middle lobe airways. Upper gastrointestinal examination revealed ulcerative lesions involving the gastric mucosa;however, biopsy of the ulcer showed no malignancy. Conservative therapy including fasting and proton-pump inhibitor administration did not improve symptoms caused by gastropleural fistula. Thoracotomy was performed through the anterolateral intercostal space under the right-up supine position, and the partial lung resection and direct closure of the stomach with muscle flap wrapping was performed.

Physiological evaluation of residual stomach motility after local resection in conscious dogs.

PURPOSE: To investigate the phenomenon of remnant gastric motility and emptying after local resection. METHODS: Fifteen dogs were divided into three groups: a control (CONT) group, a group that underwent local resection of the greater (GREAT) curvature, and a group that underwent resection of the lesser (LESS) curvature. We conducted a strain gauge force transducer study, a [(13)C]octanoic acid breath test ((13)C-OBT), and a mosapride citrate effect test. Based on these results, we worked out the receptive relaxation (RR), motility index (MI), and postprandial period (PP) in the postprandial state, and the frequency, duration, and MI of phase III in the fasted state. The half emptying time (T (1/2)) of (13)C-OBT was also calculated. The MI was compared according to the mosapride effect test results. RESULTS: Postprandial RR, antro-pyloro-duodenal coordination, and fasting contractions were maintained in all three groups. Receptive relaxation was significantly shorter in the LESS group than in the other groups. Motility index was significantly lower in both treatment groups than in the CONT group. The PP was significantly longer in the GREAT group than in the other two groups. The (13)CO(2) excretion curves did not differ significantly among the groups. The duration of phase III was remarkably less in the treatment groups than in the CONT group, and MI was significantly lower in the LESS group than in the other groups in the fasted state. The MI increased remarkably after mosapride administration in the CONT group, showing no differences in other objective groups. CONCLUSION: Gastric function was maintained after gastric local resection, although its motility decreased.

Accuracy of linear-array EUS for preoperative staging of gastric cardia cancer.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility of a less invasive operation for early stage cancer of the gastric cardia with a low frequency of lymph node involvement has been previously demonstrated by us. Precise discrimination among mucosal, submucosal, and advanced cancers, as well as accurate evaluation of the proximal tumor margin are prerequisites for such stage-specific treatment. EUS is considered the most reliable staging modality. However, there is no EUS study specifically of cardia cancer. METHODS: Forty-five patients with gastric cardia cancer who underwent gastrectomy with at least first-tier lymphadenectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The results of preoperative linear-array echoendoscopy (7.5 MHz) with respect to cancer depth, lymph node involvement, and esophageal invasion were compared with postoperative histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Overall diagnostic accuracy for depth of invasion was 71%. Sensitivity for T1, T2, and T3 lesions was 100%, 31% and 75%, respectively. Overstaging of T2 cancers was the main diagnostic error. Mucosal (pT1-m) and submucosal (pT1-sm) cancers were correctly discriminated in 81% of patients. Diagnostic accuracy for lymph node involvement was 80%. EUS had positive and negative predictive values of 90% and 80%, respectively, for esophageal invasion. CONCLUSIONS: For gastric cardia cancer, the linear-array echoendoscope yielded satisfactory results with respect to depth of invasion, lymph node involvement, and esophageal invasion evaluation. The information obtained is useful to the performance of stage-specific treatment.

Peppermint oil reduces gastric spasm during upper endoscopy: a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: GI endoscopy without general anesthesia causes a hyperperistaltic state in the stomach, which frequently necessitates the use of antispasmodic agents, such as hyoscine-N-butylbromide, but these drugs have side effects. Peppermint oil is harmless and acts locally to inhibit GI smooth muscle contraction. METHODS: A randomized double-blind, double-dummy, controlled trial was conducted in 100 patients to compare the antispasmodic effects of hyoscine-N-butylbromide administered intramuscularly and a placebo solution administered intraluminally by means of the endoscope, and also the effects of a placebo solution administered intramuscularly with those of a peppermint oil solution administered intraluminally. The percent change in diameter of the pyloric ring before and after the administrations was defined as the opening ratio, and the percent change in diameter between the maximally and minimally opened pyloric ring states was defined as the contraction ratio. Time until disappearance of the contraction ring(s) in the gastric antrum and side effects of the drugs were also determined. RESULTS: The opening ratio was significantly higher in the peppermint oil administration group than in the hyoscine-N-butylbromide injection group. The contraction ratio after peppermint oil administration was significantly lower than that after hyoscine-N-butylbromide injection. The time required for disappearance of the antral contraction ring(s) was shorter in the peppermint oil group (97.1 +/- 11.4) than in the hyoscine-N-butylbromide group (185.9 +/- 10.1 s; p < 0.0001). No significant side effects were associated with peppermint oil, whereas hyoscine-N-butylbromide injection produced side effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision, and urinary retention. CONCLUSIONS: Peppermint oil solution administered intraluminally can be used as an antispasmodic agent with superior efficacy and fewer side effects than hyoscine-N-butylbromide administered by intramuscular injection during upper endoscopy.

Activity and safety of a low dose, fractional administration of irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) in combination with cisplatin for relapsed gastric cancer patients: a preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) in combination with cisplatin has emerged as a new therapeutic option for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. So far, very few combination trials have been reported, and a relatively high frequency of grade 3/4 toxicities in previous trials has been a major problem. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the efficacy and safety of a low dose, fractional administration of CPT-11 and cisplatin that is principally based on recently acquired knowledge of the synergistic antitumor activities between these two agents. METHODS: Five relapsed gastric cancer patients were treated every 2 weeks with a starting dose of CPT-11 (30 mg/m(2)) and a fixed dose of cisplatin (30 mg/m(2)). All patients were of performance status 0 and had received prior chemotherapy. Dose escalation of CPT-11 to 40 mg/m(2) or to 50 mg/m(2) was performed whenever possible. Responses, toxicities, and at-home ratio during chemotherapy were evaluated. RESULTS: The response rate reached 40%. Toxicities were grade 1/2, and no grade 3/4 hematological toxicities or diarrhea were observed. Repeated subsequent treatments could be performed in an outpatient setting without treatment delay or cancellations, which resulted in an 83%-92% at-home ratio in four patients receiving five or more cycles of treatment. There were no treatment-related deaths. CONCLUSION: A low dose, fractional administration of CPT-11 and cisplatin seems rational, encouraging, and safe, and compares well with other trials of the combination. Outpatient administration provides the patients with a better quality of life, suggesting a meaningful therapeutic option for relapsed gastric cancer patients in particular.