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Background/Aim: This study aimed to assess the association of the modified albumin-bilirubin (mALBI) grade with the endoscopic findings of gastroesophageal varices (GEVs). Patients and Methods: A total of 141 patients with histologically proven cirrhosis who underwent a liver biopsy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy were enrolled. The relationships between the mALBI grade and endoscopic findings were evaluated. Results: The incidence of GEVs and high-risk GEVs differed among mALBI grades. Patients with mALBI grades of 2b-3 had higher rates of GEVs and highrisk GEVs in comparison to those with mALBI grades of 1- 2a (p<0.0001). In addition, patients with mALBI grade 2b or grade 3, but not those with mALBI grade 2a, had significantly higher rates of complicated GEVs and high-risk GEVs in comparison to those with mALBI grade 1. Conclusion: The mALBI grade may be useful in predicting the presence of GEVs and for stratifying their bleeding risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: At present, there are no biomarkers to predict the effects of molecular targeted drugs in patients with CRC with liver metastasis. Thus, we performed this study to explore potential biomarkers for these patients. Materials and Methods: We obtained cancer tissue specimens from liver metastasis-bearing CRC patients who received the following preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapies with molecular targeted drugs: i) no therapy (n=3), ii) 5-FU+oxaliplatin+anti-EGFR (n=3), iii) and 5- FU+oxaliplatin+anti-VEGF (n=3). Results: We investigated the RNA expression of 84 genes related to cancer drug resistance using an RT-PCR array. The MYC gene was the only gene that was significantly up-regulated in CRC tissue specimens from anti-EGFR group in comparison to the anti- VEGF group. Conclusion: MYC up-regulation in the primary CRC tissues may be a potentially useful biomarker for selecting anti-EGFR combination therapy in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for CRC with liver metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To elucidate the common and different points between sarcopenia and frailty in chronic liver damage (CLD). Patients and Methods: Patients with both grip strength decline and skeletal muscle index decline were regarded as sarcopenia. Frailty was defined as a syndrome in which 3 or more of the following criteria were met: i) exhaustion, ii) body weight loss, iii) slow walking speed, iv) muscle weakness, and v) low physical activity. Results: Sarcopenia and frailty were identified in 52 patients (15.2%) and 46 (13.5%), respectively. The prevalence of sarcopenia and frailty was well stratified according to age and the liver cirrhosis (LC) status. In the multivariate analysis, we identified significant factors for sarcopenia: i) age, ii) LC, iii) body mass index and iv) extracellular water (ECW) to total body water (TBW) ratio, while only the ECW to TBW ratio was significant for frailty. Conclusion: Sarcopenia and frailty in CLD should be separately evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: To elucidate the influence of calf circumference (CC) on sarcopenia in patients with chronic liver damages (CLDs, n=525, 255 men). Patients and Methods: Anthropometry parameters including arm circumference, arm muscle circumference, CC, arm muscle area, triceps skinfold thickness, waist circumference and body mass index were measured. Patients with both grip strength (GS) decline and skeletal muscle index (SMI) decline were diagnosed as sarcopenic. Results: Liver cirrhosis was identified in 103 cases (40.4%) in males and 87 cases (32.2%) in females. Sarcopenia was identified in 23 male patients (9.0%) and 38 female patients (14.1%). CC had the strong positive correlation with SMI both in male (r=0.79, p<0.0001) and female (r=0.83, p<0.0001). Among the above mentioned 7 anthropometry parameters, CC had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) for sarcopenia both in males (AUC=0.88) and females (AUC=0.86). Conclusion: CC can be helpful for predicting sarcopenia in CLDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study assessed the epigenomic changes in hepatoma-derived cells through HDGF stimulation. Materials and Methods: We used two hepatoma-derived cell lines (HepG2 and SK-Hep1) and searched for microRNAs whose expression commonly changed in response to HDGF administration. We further explored a genetic database to investigate the association of the candidate microRNAs with the survival of HCC patients. Results: Despite both HepG2 and SK-Hep1 cells being categorized as hepatoma-derived cells, the microRNA profile differed between these two lines. However, HepG2 and SK-Hep1 cells shared 30 up-regulated and 2 down-regulated microRNAs. Of these, miR-6072 and miR-3137 were significantly associated with a poor prognosis in HCC patients. Conclusion: We identified two candidate microRNAs whose expression increased in response to HDGF stimulation. Both these molecules were associated with a poor prognosis of HCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: A bioimpedance analysis (BIA) can indicate an overhydrated state as the extracellular water/total body water (ECW/TBW) value. This study aimed to assess the clinical significance of this value in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLDs). Patients and Methods: A total of 552 CLD patients who received a liver biopsy and underwent anthropometric assessment and BIA-based body composition analysis were enrolled. The association of the ECW/TBW value with the liver fibrosis and nutritional status was assessed. The relationship between the ECW/TBW value and the prognosis of cirrhotic patients (N=209) was also evaluated. Results: The ECW/TBW value increased as liver fibrosis progressed and was also related to decreased muscle mass/sarcopenia. The presence of overhydration was associated with a poor prognosis of cirrhotic patients. Conclusion: An increased ECW/TBW value was associated with progressive liver fibrosis and malnutrition and related to the prognosis of cirrhotic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: This study aimed to assess the clinical significance of measuring the arm skeletal muscle mass in patients with cirrhosis. Patients and Methods: Using body composition data measured with the bioimpedance analysis (BIA) method, the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) values of the arm (arm skeletal muscle mass/height²) and leg (leg skeletal mass muscle/height²) were calculated for 353 patients with cirrhosis, and the relationships of these indices to their prognosis were assessed. In addition, overhydration of the upper and lower limbs was compared. Results: Arm SMI was significantly positively associated with the prognosis of patients with cirrhosis (p=0.0002) but leg SMI was not (p=0.0829). The rate of overhydration in the lower limbs was significantly higher than that in the upper limbs (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Arm SMI measured with the BIA method was suggested to be minimally affected by water retention, and might be clinically useful for patients with cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: The bioimpedance analysis (BIA) can provide anthropometric data on patients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical relevance of these automatically obtained values. Patients and Methods: We studied the arm circumference (AC) and arm muscle circumference (AMC) of 197 histologically proven cirrhotic patients. The BIA-based anthropometric data were compared to the manually measured data. In addition, we evaluated whether or not the BIA-based anthropometric data were associated with the prognosis of the patients. Results: The data of %AC and %AMC obtained using the two methods were well correlated (p<0.001) with relatively inconspicuous differences (approximately 6.0% for %AC and 16.0% for %AMC). The data of %AC and %AMC obtained from the BIA method were significantly associated with the prognosis of the patients. Conclusion: The BIA-based anthropometric data were associated with the direct measurement data and related to the prognosis of cirrhotic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Umbilical metastasis from intra-abdominal or pelvic malignancy, which is called Sister Mary Joseph's nodule (SMJN), is rare, and it has a poor prognosis. Its most common primary sites are the stomach and ovaries. SMJN caused by colon cancer is uncommon. A 42-year-old woman visited local clinics with complaints of an umbilical mass. After a detailed examination, she was diagnosed with peritoneal and umbilical metastasis caused by colon cancer. A radical surgery was performed after 12 months of chemotherapy. 6 months later, local recurrence and ovarian metastasis were suspected. Further radical surgery was performed, and 14 months after that (50 months after starting treatment), no recurrences have been observed. We experienced a long-term survival case of SMJN caused by colon cancer and treated with a multidisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To the best of our knowledge, there are few previous studies that have investigated the effect of decreased skeletal muscle mass (DSMM) on survival in patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer (APC) who are undergoing systemic chemotherapy. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of DSMM, as determined by the psoas muscle index (PMI) following computed tomography and prior to systemic chemotherapy, on the outcomes of patients with unresectable APC (n=61). The primary endpoint used was the overall survival (OS) rate. The OS rates in the PMI-High group (exceeds the median PMI value in each gender) were retrospectively compared with those in the PMI-Low group (below the median PMI value in each gender), and factors associated with OS were investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses. The study cohort included 31 male and 30 female patients with a median age of 72 years, 13 of whom were stage IVA, and 48 were stage IVB. The median PMI in males was 4.3 cm2/m2 (range, 1.6-8.2 cm2/m2), while that in females was 2.3 cm²/m² (range, 0.7-6.1 cm²/m²). The proportion of patients with performance status 0 in the PMI-High group was significantly high, compared with that in the PMI-Low group [83.3% (25/30) vs. 58.1% (18/31); P=0.0486]. Body mass index in the PMI-High group was significantly higher compared with that in the PMI-Low group (P=0.0154). The 1-year cumulative survival rate was 43.3% in the PMI-High group and 12.9% in the PMI-Low group (P=0.0027). Following multivariate analysis, PMI (P=0.0036), prothrombin time (P=0.0044) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (P=0.0451) were identified to be significant predictors of OS. In conclusion, DSMM, as determined by the PMI, could be a significant predictor of prognosis in patients with unresectable APC who are receiving systemic chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We aimed to examine changes in skeletal muscle mass in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients undergoing interferon (IFN)-free direct acting antivirals (DAAs) therapy who achieved sustained virological response (SVR). Patients and methods: A total of 69 CHC patients treated with DAAs were analyzed. We compared the changes in skeletal muscle index (SMI) using bio-impedance analysis at baseline and SMI at SVR. SMI was calculated as the sum of skeletal muscle mass in upper and lower extremities divided by height squared (cm²/m²). Further, we identified pretreatment parameters contributing to the increased SMI at SVR. Results: SMI in males at baseline ranged from 6.73 to 9.08 cm²/m² (median, 7.65 cm²/m²), while that in females ranged from 4.45 to 7.27 cm²/m² (median, 5.81 cm²/m²). At SVR, 36 patients (52.2%) had increased SMI as compared with baseline. In the univariate analysis, age (p = 0.0392), hyaluronic acid (p = 0.0143), and branched-chain amino acid to tyrosine ratio (BTR) (p = 0.0024) were significant pretreatment factors linked to increased SMI at SVR. In the multivariate analysis, only BTR was an independent predictor linked to the increased SMI at SVR (p = 0.0488). Conclusion: Pretreatment BTR level can be helpful for predicting increased SMI after SVR in CHC patients undergoing IFN-free DAAs therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS: To investigate the influence of skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) as determined by bioimpedance analysis (BIA) (appendicular skeletal muscle mass/(height)²) on survival by comparing the Child-Pugh score in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC, n = 383, average age = 65.2 years). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In terms of comparison of the effects of SMI and other markers on survival, we used time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: The average SMI for male was 7.4 cm²/m² whereas that for female was 6.0 cm²/m² (p < 0.0001). As for the Child-Pugh score, five points were in the majority, both in males (51.7%, (106/205)) and females (44.9%, (80/178)). For both genders, the survival curve was well stratified according to SMI (p < 0.0001 for males and p = 0.0056 for females). In the multivariate analysis for survival, SMI and Child-Pugh scores were found to be significant both in males and females. In time-dependent ROC analyses, all area under the ROCs (AUROCs) for SMI in each time point were higher than those for Child-Pugh scores in males, while in females AUROCs for Child-Pugh scores at each time point were higher than those for SMI. CONCLUSION: SMI using BIA can be helpful for predicting outcomes, at least in male LC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to examine the effect of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) level on survival comparing with other laboratory liver fibrosis markers in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related compensated liver cirrhosis (LC) (n = 165). For assessing prognostic performance of continuous fibrosis markers, we adapted time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for clinical outcome. In time-dependent ROC analysis, annual area under the ROCs (AUROCs) were plotted. We also calculated the total sum of AUROCs in all time-points (TAAT score) in each fibrosis marker. WFA+-M2BP value ranged from 0.66 cutoff index (COI) to 19.95 COI (median value, 5.29 COI). Using ROC analysis for survival, the optimal cutoff point for WFA+-M2BP was 6.15 COI (AUROC = 0.79348, sensitivity = 80.0%, specificity = 74.78%). The cumulative five-year survival rate in patients with WFA+-M2BP ≥ 6.15 COI (n = 69) was 43.99%, while that in patients with WFA+-M2BP < 6.15 COI (n = 96) was 88.40% (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, absence of hepatocellular carcinoma (p = 0.0008), WFA+-M2BP < 6.15 COI (p = 0.0132), achievement of sustained virological response (p < 0.0001) and des--carboxy prothrombin < 41 mAU/mL (p = 0.0018) were significant favorable predictors linked to survival. In time-dependent ROC analysis in all cases, WFA+-M2BP had the highest TAAT score among liver fibrosis markers. In conclusion, WFA+-M2BP can be a useful predictor in HCV-related compensated LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In hepatitis B virus- (HBV-) positive patients, the relationship between the metabolic variables and histological degree of liver fibrosis has been poorly investigated. Methods. A total of 176 HBV-positive patients were assessed in whom the ratios of glycated albumin-to-glycated hemoglobin (GA/HbA1c) were calculated in order to investigate the relationship with the degree of liver fibrosis. Results. The GA/HbA1c ratio increased in association with the severity of fibrosis (METAVIR scores: F0-1: 2.61 ± 0.24, F2: 2.65 ± 0.24, F3: 2.74 ± 0.38, and F4: 2.91 ± 0.63). The GA/HbA1c ratios were inversely correlated with four variables of liver function: the prothrombin time (PT) percentage (P < 0.0001), platelet count (P < 0.0001), albumin value (P < 0.0001), and cholinesterase value (P < 0.0001). The GA/HbA1c ratio was positively correlated with two well-known markers of liver fibrosis, FIB-4(P < 0.0001) and the AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the GA/HbA1c showed better correlations with two variables of liver function (PT percentage and cholinesterase value) than did FIB-4 and with all four variables than did the APRI. Conclusion. The GA/HbA1c ratio is associated with the degree of liver fibrosis in HBV-positive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) has become popular for the treatment of early gastric cancer. Furthermore, the use of totally laparoscopic gastrectomy (TLG), a more difficult procedure than LADG, has been increasing in Japan. Laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy is currently performed more frequently than laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) in hospitals in Japan. Method: Reconstruction after LDG is commonly performed extra-abdominally and lymph node dissection of the lesser curvature is performed at the same time. We have developed a new method of intra-abdominal lymph node dissection for the lesser curvature. Results: Our technique showed positive results, is easy to perform, and is reasonable in terms of general oncology theory. Conclusion: In oncological therapy, this technique could be a valuable surgical option for totally laparoscopic surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]