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Thoracic SMARCA4‐deficient undifferentiated tumors (SMARCA4‐UT) have a poor prognosis and are often diagnosed at an inoperable advanced stage. Herein, we report a case of SMARCA4‐UT diagnosed by endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial cryobiopsy (EBUS‐cryo). The patient was a 42‐year‐old man with a history of smoking. Chest computed tomography revealed a right upper lobe nodule and an enlarged #11s lymph node. Core tissues could not be obtained by EBUS‐guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS‐TBNA) for diagnosis and mediastinal staging; hence, EBUS‐guided intranodal forceps biopsy (EBUS‐IFB) was performed. However, a detailed diagnosis beyond poorly differentiated carcinoma could not be obtained. Subsequent EBUS‐cryo provided sufficient specimens for immunohistochemical and molecular evaluation and SMARCA4‐UT was definitively diagnosed. Thus, EBUS‐cryo could be of additional diagnostic value for uncommon tumors, such as SMARCA4‐UT, conjointly with EBUS‐IFB as well as EBUS‐TBNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background and objective: In order to survey the current status of the use and complications associated with respiratory endoscopy, the Japan Society for Respiratory Endoscopy conducted a nationwide postal questionnaire survey. Methods: The survey was mailed to all 538 facilities certified by the society. The subjects were patients who underwent respiratory endoscopy in 2010. The numbers of procedures, and associated complications and deaths were investigated according to lesion and procedure using a specific inventory. Results: The inventory was completed by 483 facilities (89.8%). The total number of diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy procedures performed was 103 978, and four patients died (0.004%). The complication rate according to lesion ranged from 0.51% to 2.06%, with the highest rate being observed in patients with diffuse lesions. The complication rate according to procedure ranged from 0.17% to 1.93%, with the highest rate being observed in patients who underwent forceps biopsy. The complication rate after forceps biopsy of solitary peripheral pulmonary lesions was 1.79% (haemorrhage: 0.73%, pneumothorax: 0.63%), and that after endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration of hilar and/or mediastinal lymph node lesions was 0.46%. Therapeutic bronchoscopy was performed in 3020 patients; one patient (0.03%) died due to haemorrhage induced by insertion of an expandable metallic stent. The complication rate according to procedure was highest for foreign body removal (2.2%). Medical pleuroscopy was performed in 1563 patients. The highest complication rate was for biopsy without electrocautery (1.86%). A total of 228 facilities (47.2%) experienced breakage of bronchoscopes and/or devices. Conclusions: Respiratory endoscopy was performed safely, but education regarding complications caused by new techniques is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric noninvasive neoplasia (NIN) diagnosed by endoscopic forceps biopsy specimen, whether as a follow-up or 'total incisional biopsy', is controversial. To validate the use of ESD for total incisional biopsy in NIN, we examined the underdiagnosis rate of NIN and the rates of complication associated with ESD. Methods: This is a cross-sectional multicenter retrospective study from 10 hospitals. Subjects diagnosed with NIN (equivalent to category 3 or 4.1 of the Vienna classification) by endoscopic forceps biopsy and treated with ESD were included. From March 2003 to December 2009, a total of 468 subjects were included and analyzed. The underdiagnosis rate was defined as the proportion of lesions diagnosed with adenocarcinoma after ESD. We assessed the complete en-bloc resection rate and the complication rate of ESD. Results: Among the 468 subjects with NIN, 205 were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma after ESD, with an underdiagnosis rate of 44% (95% confidence interval: 39-49%). Two submucosal cancer lesions had invaded beyond 500 μm and one had lymphatic involvement. The complete en-bloc resection rate was 97%. The incidences of post-ESD bleeding, perforation, and serious complications were 5.5, 4.7, and 0.43%, respectively. There were no procedure-related deaths. Conclusions: In this large-scale, multicenter cross-sectional study, over 40% of the noninvasive gastric neoplasia specimens were determined to have adenocarcinoma, and the ESD-related complication rate was relatively low. Therefore, ESD was useful and may be a therapeutic option for gastric NIN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: In order to obtain information on the clinical application of bronchoscopy in Japan, the Japan Society for Respiratory Endoscopy (JSRE) conducted a postal survey. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 526 authorized institutes of the JSRE. The subject was bronchoscopy procedures performed during 2006. Results: The response rate was 71.3%. The total number of bronchoscopies performed was 74 770. Of these, 74 412 were flexible bronchoscopies and 358 were rigid bronchoscopies. At least one JSRE-authorized specialist had worked with 97% of respondents. Eighty-five per cent of respondents performed bronchoscopy under topical anaesthesia for almost all patients. Seventy-five per cent of respondents routinely used the oral route. The reported numbers of diagnostic bronchoscopies was 12 509 for simple bronchoscopy, 25 971 for forceps biopsy, 26 289 for brush biopsy, 25 659 for bronchial washing, 1387 for transbronchial needle aspiration and 6716 for BAL. Three deaths were caused by forceps biopsy (0.012%). The morbidity rates for these diagnostic procedures ranged from 0.14% to 2.5%. The reported numbers of therapeutic bronchoscopies was 476 for tracheobronchial stent, 164 for neodymium (Nd): yttrium-aluminium garnet (YAG) laser photoresection (LPR), 40 for photodynamic therapy, 81 for balloon dilatation, 145 for endobronchial electrocautery, 120 for argon plasma coagulation, 109 for microwave coagulation (MWC), 116 for ethanol injection, 110 for foreign body removal and 89 for bronchial occlusion. Deaths occurred only as a consequence of Nd : YAG LPR (0.61%). The morbidity rates for these therapeutic procedures ranged from 0% to 5%. Conclusions: The preparation for, and practice of, bronchoscopy varied greatly between respondents. Diagnostic bronchoscopy was well tolerated and safe. Therapeutic procedures did not appear to be practised widely or frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 66-year-old Japanese man had a positive fecal occult blood test at a regular check-up, and a large polypoid mass was detected in the cecum by barium enema study. Colonoscopy showed a submucosal tumor with ulcer protruding into the cecal lumen. A large-forceps biopsy specimen was taken from the bottom of the ulcer. With the tentative diagnosis of neurogenic tumor, ileocecal resection was performed. The tumor showed spindle-cell proliferation in a concentric or fascicular pattern. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for S-100 protein, and they had intracytoplasmic periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-positive crystalloids. The mitosis count was low (about 1 per 20 high-power fields). The pathological diagnosis of this tumor was benign gastrointestinal schwannoma. A large number of schwannoma cases have been reported since 1910 when Verocay reported it as a true tumor that stemmed from Schwann cells and did not contain neuroganglion cells. However, gastrointestinal schwannomas are rare, and schwannomas of the large intestine are extremely rare. We reviewed 40 cases already reported in Japan and this present case in order to clarify the clinicopathological features of this tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]