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Owing to the advantages of a laparoscopic approach, laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is thought to be the treatment of choice in gallbladder disease, even in cases of suspected malignancy. However, it is difficult to differentiate between cholecystitis and gallbladder carcinoma (GBC). We performed radical hepatectomy in patients with pT2 GBC diagnosed by full-thickness frozen biopsy. A 75-year-old Japanese man presented to our hospital with discomfort in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. This patient was diagnosed with suspected GBC and was scheduled to undergo LC and intraoperative histological examination. Following the procedure, we made a diagnosis of GBC with negative invasion of the cystic duct stump. We converted the laparoscopic procedure to an open surgery involving wedge liver resection with lymphadenectomy. The patient was discharged from our hospital in remission 14 days following the radical hepatectomy. Histological examination showed that the GBC had invaded the liver (T3a), but there was no lymph node metastasis (N0): stage IIIA. Between April 2009 and September 2018, 580 patients underwent cholecystectomy for gallbladder disease at our hospital. Among these, 8 (1.4%) were suspected to have GBC preoperatively and underwent laparoscopic excisional cholecystectomy. We performed elective surgery in the early stage in two patients and second-look surgery in two patients recently. We were able to perform what we termed a laparoscopic excisional cholecystectomy, involving LC with a full-thickness frozen biopsy, even in situations where intraoperative histological examination was not available. Altogether, laparoscopic excisional cholecystectomy is an effective surgical treatment for suspected early GBC.

Introduction and importance: Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a benign, mesenchymal tumor that originates from Schwann cells. Case presentation A 75-year-old Japanese woman was referred to our hospital due to epigastric discomfort. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an ulcerated cancer lesion, approximately 1.2 cm in diameter, at the angle of the stomach in the posterior gastric wall and a yellowish submucosal tumor, 5 mm in diameter, near an anal ulcerated lesion. Based on these findings, the patient was scheduled for laparoscopic distal gastrectomy and lymph node dissection. The pathological diagnosis was a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma invading mucosal stroma without lymph node metastasis and GCT in the stomach. Tumor cells were positive for S-100 and were consistent with the characteristics of GCT. Clinical discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is an extremely rare case with reports of only 6 cases of such a combination, including our case. Conclusions We believe that the coexistence of a GCT and gastric cancer in our patient was accidental and that there was no relation between them.

Highlights • A 76-year-old Japanese man had invasive intraductal papillary carcinoma (IPMC). • IPMC recurred in the remnant pancreas five years after initial pancreaticoduodenectomy. • Most likely, recurrence was due to multifocal disease that developed a new cyst. • Remnant pancreatectomy is the preferred approach for remnant pancreatic carcinoma due to better median long-term survival outcome., Introduction and importance The prognosis of non-invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasma (IPMN) is better than that of pancreatic cancer. However, if the first surgical finding revealed an invasive IPMC, the risk of recurrence was found to be 7–21%. Case presentation A 76-year-old Japanese man had undergone subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy for intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma non-invasive type at our hospital. No signs of adenocarcinoma at the resection margin were found by pathological examination of frozen sections. Five years later, a blood analysis showed increased serum CA19-9 level. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed a mass adjacent to the pancreaticogastrostomy anastomosis. The patient underwent a total pancreatectomy. The tumor was identified as a recurrent IPMC with subserosal invasion, but without nodal involvement. The resection margins were negative. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged after 12 days. He is being followed up without adjuvant chemotherapy. Discussion The prognosis of IPMN is better than that of pancreatic cancer. However the risk of recurrence in invasive IPMC was found to be 7–21%. Therefore, IPMC must be surveilled every three months using tumor markers and imaging. Local recurrence in remnant pancreas is usually treated with systemic therapy. The median long-term survival after total pancreatectomy (range 7–24 months) was shown to be better than when chemotherapy alone was used (range 10–13 months). Conclusion We chose secondary surgery in term of survival time although there are quality of life drawbacks that currently make total pancreatectomy more inappropriate in patients than chemotherapy.

Currently, complete surgical resection is the most effective and the only potentially curative treatment for gallbladder carcinoma (GBC). However, GBC frequently presents various manifestations as it progresses, including liver invasion, bile duct invasion, hepatoduodenal invasion, venous invasion, and lymphatic invasion. Although there is a clear need for effective chemotherapeutic methods in the management of GBC, no standard chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced GBC has been established to date, and the prognosis remains poor. Herein, we report a case of successful treatment in a patient with advanced GBC who showed a great response to combination chemotherapy and who was subsequently able to undergo curative resection. A 38-year-old Japanese woman was first diagnosed with unknown primary cancer with bilateral ovarian, hepatic, and peritoneal metastases. Combination paclitaxel plus carboplatin chemotherapy was started at a dose of 653 mg of carboplatin and 248 mg of paclitaxel once a week for 3 weeks. After 6 cycles, the tumor had shrunk in size and was detected as only a slightly contrasted lesion in Couinaud's hepatic segments 4 and 5. One month after the final cycle of chemotherapy, we performed cholecystectomy and right lobectomy of the liver with D2 lymph node dissection. The patient exhibited an uneventful postoperative course. Five months have passed since the operation, with no signs of recurrent disease. Our findings suggest that combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin may be effective against advanced GBC.

Highlights • IHPT is difficult to distinguish from malignant tumors • Knowledge of IHPT is necessary to allow for treatment, even without experience., Introduction Inflammatory hepatic pseudotumor (IHPT) is an important benign liver disease because it is difficult to clinically and radiologically distinguish from malignant tumors. Presentation of case Here, we describe a case of a 67-year-old male patient diagnosed with multiple inflammatory hepatic pseudotumors. The patient had undergone left hemicolectomy for descending colonic cancer (T3 N0 M0 stage IIA) 2 years prior. He underwent segment 6 and segment 7 partial hepatectomy because of suspected liver metastasis. The patient had an unremarkable postoperative course and was discharged 7 days after surgery. Marked infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed on histological examination. The patient was finally diagnosed with IHPT of the fibrohistiocytic type. Discussion Repeated imaging studies over 1 month showed the spontaneous regression of the hepatic tumors. Therefore, knowledge regarding this condition is necessary to allow for treatment, even in the absence of experience. During examination, it may be important to ascertain lesion size. Moreover, percutaneous needle biopsy and follow-up examinations are necessary for cases of suspected IHPT. Conclusion Hepatectomy should be considered if the lesion is suspected to be an IHPT.

A 75-year-old woman presented complaining of anorexia. A malignant gastrointestinal lymphoma was diagnosed, and chemotherapy was initiated. After 2 months, she developed vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) revealed thickening of the jejunal wall and dilatation of the intestine proximal to that area. Positron emission tomography-CT showed no uptake. Small bowel stenosis due to cicatricial stenosis after chemotherapy was suspected. Laparoscopic partial resection of the stenotic small bowel segment was performed. Histopathologically, only granulation tissue was seen with no evidence of tumor. Occasionally, cicatricial stenosis can develop after chemotherapy for malignant gastrointestinal lymphoma. Therefore, this condition must be considered an important complication of treatment for this disease.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is characterized by extensive mucinous ascites following rupture of mucinous neoplasms of an intra-abdominal origin, and contain secreted gel-forming mucins such as MUC2 and MUC5AC. We encountered a 66-year-old Japanese man complaining of abdominal distension. Ascites at the site was gelatinous upon gross examination, and needle aspirate smears showed histiocytes and many mucinous balls wrapped in spindle cells, which were positive for vimentin, pan-cytokeratin, and podoplanin. The cell block showed several adenocarcinoma clusters, which were positive for MUC2, MUC5AC, CK20, and CDX-2, and negative for CK7. From these findings, a diagnosis of PMP arising from colon cancer was indicated. Cytoreductive surgery was performed, and the cystic diverticulum was found to be infiltrated by tumor cells in the sigmoid colon that caused PMP. Mucinous balls surrounded by mesothelial cells and MUC2-positive adenocarcinoma cells are useful clues in the diagnosis of PMP. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:628-631. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with poor prognosis. We previously showed that expression of Delta-like 3 (DLL3), a member of the family of Delta/Serrate/Lag2 ligands for the Notch receptor, is silenced by aberrant DNA methylation and that overexpression of DLL3 in an HCC cell line induces cellular apoptosis. However, how DLL3 expression is regulated during hepatocarcinogenesis is still unclear. Here, we show that silencing of DLL3 during hepatocarcinogenesis is closely related to viral infection, especially hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (p = 0.005). HepG2.2.15 cells, which are stably transformed with the HBV genome, showed lower DLL3 expression than the parent cell line, HepG2 cells. Treatment with Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) small interfering RNA upregulated DLL3 expression in HepG2.2.15 cells, and overexpression of HBx in HepG2 cells downregulated DLL3 expression. Treatment of cells with a histone deacetylase inhibitor induced DLL3 expression in HepG2.2.15 cells. These data suggest that DLL3 expression is silenced during hepatocarcinogenesis in association with HBV infection via an epigenetic mechanism.

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) undergoing curative hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Clinicopathological data and treatment outcomes in 100 elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) and 120 control patients (≤ 70 years old) with HCC who underwent curative hepatectomy between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively collected and compared.The overall survival rate was similar between the two groups, but the disease-free survival rate was worse in the elderly group when compared with the control group. Prognostic factors for overall and disease-free survival were the same when comparing the two groups. The elderly group had higher rate of females (p = 0.0230), higher hepatitis C virus infection rate (p = 0.0090), higher postoperative pulmonary complication rate (p = 0.0484), lower rate of response to interferon (IFN) therapy (p = 0.0203) and shorter surgical time (p = 0.0337) when compared with the control group. The overall recurrence rate was higher in the elderly group than in the control group (p = 0.0346), but the rate of recurrence within 2 years after the operation was similar when comparing the two groups.The survival of elderly patients with HCC was similar to that of younger patients. However, the disease-free survival was worse in elderly patients than in younger patients. Aggressive antiviral therapy (e.g. IFN therapy) may be necessary to improve the disease-free survival, even in elderly patients. Additionally, clinicians should be aware of the risk of pulmonary complications in elderly patients after hepatectomy.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is characterized by extensive mucinous ascites following rupture of mucinous neoplasms of an intra-abdominal origin, and contain secreted gel-forming mucins such as MUC2 and MUC5AC. We encountered a 66-year-old Japanese man complaining of abdominal distension. Ascites at the site was gelatinous upon gross examination, and needle aspirate smears showed histiocytes and many mucinous balls wrapped in spindle cells, which were positive for vimentin, pan-cytokeratin, and podoplanin. The cell block showed several adenocarcinoma clusters, which were positive for MUC2, MUC5AC, CK20, and CDX-2, and negative for CK7. From these findings, a diagnosis of PMP arising from colon cancer was indicated. Cytoreductive surgery was performed, and the cystic diverticulum was found to be infiltrated by tumor cells in the sigmoid colon that caused PMP. Mucinous balls surrounded by mesothelial cells and MUC2-positive adenocarcinoma cells are useful clues in the diagnosis of PMP. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:628-631. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

症例は80歳女性．近医で肝機能障害を指摘され，当科受診．AST 423 IU/l ， ALT 222 IU/l ，ALP 481 IU/l ，T-Bil 6.7 mg/dl と上昇，抗核抗体が160倍と陽性，IgGが3238 mg/dl と上昇し，またIgM-HA抗体が陽性であった．自己免疫性肝炎（AIH）の国際診断基準によるスコアが12点疑診であることから，背景にAIHの存在が示唆された．またRT-PCR法で血清HAV-RNAが検出されたことよりA型肝炎ウイルス（HAV）感染の存在も示唆された．安静にて経過観察を行ったが，AST，ALTの上昇が持続していたため，肝生検施行した．結果，AIHと矛盾しない組織所見であった．その後，プレドニゾロンの内服を開始し，速やかに肝機能の改善を認めた．背景に存在したAIHの急性増悪にHAV感染が併存したと考えられる高齢女性の一例を経験したので報告する．

Invasive breast cancer is divided into luminal A, luminal B, HER2 overexpression, basal-like (BL) and normal-like subtypes, among which the BL subtype has the worst prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinicopathological and cytological characteristics of BL breast cancer (BLBC). Fine-needle aspiration cytology samples from 17 patients with consecutive BLBC were investigated, and the findings were compared with those of other subtypes (10 cases each) for the following cytomorphological features: necrosis; lymphocyte infiltration; mitotic index; apoptosis; naked nuclei; nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio; nuclear margin, size and pleomorphism; chromatin granularity and density; and nucleolar appearance. Histologically, the BLBCs were heterogeneous, and included medullary carcinoma and metaplastic carcinoma, in addition to invasive ductal carcinoma. Cytologically, high mitotic index, naked nuclei, and irregular nuclear margin were significantly observed when compared with both the luminal A and B subtypes. Large nuclei with nucleoli and lymphocyte infiltration were frequently seen compared with the luminal A and B subtypes, respectively. Squamous nodules were seen in all metaplastic cases, but not in the HER2 overexpression subtype. Lymphocyte infiltration, squamous metaplasia, and nuclear findings such as a high mitotic index, naked or large nuclei, an irregular nuclear margin and the presence of nucleoli, may be clues indicating BLBC.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) shows a high rate of recurrence after hepatectomy; predictive factors for early recurrence would help determine optimal therapeutic and management strategies. Among 163 patients with HCC undergoing hepatectomy with curative intent, 46 patients developed recurrence within 1 year. Clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed to identify predictive parameters for early recurrence. Survival rates in cases of recurrence within 1 year were worse than those of no recurrence within 1 year or recurrence after 1 year. Protein induced by vitamin K absence/antagonist II (PIVKA-II) greater than 150, positive fucosylated alpha-fetoprotein (L3-AFP), and deviancy from Milan criteria (MC) on preoperative imaging were associated with high risk of early recurrence and total number of these three risk factors predicted the survival. With multivariate analysis, 1) preoperatively, positive factors of two or more among three items of PIVKA-II, L3-AFP, and deviancy from MC; 2) and postoperatively, pathological cancer spread (microscopic vascular invasion and/or intrahepatic metastasis) both represented risks for early recurrence. A combination of three preoperative factors, PIVKA-II, L3-AFP, and MC status, in conjunction with the postoperative factor of cancer spread status represents a significant indicator for recurrence within 1 year. Improving the prognosis of patients with HCC would depend on how to adequately treat those at high risk of early recurrence.

p59fyn, a protein tyrosine kinase belonging to the src-family, is involved in the regulatory mechanism of acute response to ethanol in the central nervous system. A previous report showed an association between src-family kinase activity and fatty acid oxidation, and it also reported that hepatic free fatty acid levels were low in Fyn−/− mice. We examined, using Fyn−/− mice whether Fyn is also involved in fatty acid metabolism and the development of pathological changes in the liver in response to chronic ethanol consumption. C57BL/6J Fyn−/− and Fyn+/+ mice were fed for 8 weeks with either a liquid diet comprising ethanol or one in which the calories from ethanol were replaced with carbohydrates. Chronic ethanol consumption for 8 weeks resulted in remarkable hepatic steatosis in Fyn+/+ mice but not in Fyn−/− mice. Chronic ethanol consumption induced a significant decrease in hepatic FFA and triglyceride levels in Fyn−/− mice. Levels of interleukin-6, which is associated with the enhancement of fatty acid oxidation, was also increased significantly in the livers of ethanol-fed Fyn−/− mice. The results suggest that Fyn is involved in the enhancement of fatty acid oxidation and the development of hepatic steatosis caused by chronic ethanol consumption.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) can develop into end-stage disease such as cryptogenic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hence, it is important to understand the pathogenesis of NASH. In general, the "two-hit theory" has prevailed as a pathogenic mechanism of NASH. According to this theory, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) contained in normal portal blood are the "second hit," but their role is not completely understood. Based on this theory, we evaluated the role of LPS in NASH pathogenesis. For the first hit to develop metabolic abnormalities, a synthetic diet rich in disaccharide (synthetic diet: 12.1 cal% disaccharide) was fed to Zucker (fa/fa) rats for 12 weeks. For the second hit, 100 microg/kg LPS was injected intraperitoneally once daily for 2 weeks. Synthetic diet-fed rats treated with LPS showed an increase in the triglyceride content and higher expression of profibrogenic mRNAs in the liver. Plasma alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly elevated using this protocol. Furthermore, histological examination demonstrated that this protocol induced mild hepatic fibrosis and focal necrosis in the livers of all rats. Synthetic diet-fed Zucker (fa/fa) rats treated with LPS could be useful for understanding the development of hepatic fibrosis in the two-hit theory.

Reported herein is a case of focal hepatic steatosis surrounding a metastatic insulinoma in the liver of a 69-year-old woman. The patient complained of losing consciousness after meals, and hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia were confirmed. On CT and abdominal angiography a mass, 1 cm in diameter, was seen in the tail of the pancreas. In the early phase of dynamic CT a mass, 5 mm in diameter, was seen in the liver. In the late phase this mass appeared to be 3 cm in diameter. An arterial calcium stimulation/venous sampling test showed insulin levels after calcium injections in the hepatic artery to be extremely high. Thus, the liver tumor was diagnosed as a metastatic insulinoma, and distal pancreatectomy and partial resection of the liver were performed. The pancreatic tumor cells were immunohistochemically positive for insulin. The liver tumor was pale yellow. A white area surrounded the tumor. Histologically, the liver tumor was an insulinoma and the white area was focal fatty change of the liver. High insulin levels are said to inhibit oxidation of free fatty acids into triglycerides, causing free fatty acids to accumulate in hepatocytes. Focal hepatic steatosis caused by the local effects of insulin can present as a focal rim surrounding a metastatic insulinoma.

目的 : 乳癌細胞のHER2蛋白発現程度およびHER2 遺伝子増幅の有無と細胞異型度との関連について検討した.方法 : 浸潤性乳管癌50例を対象とした. 乳腺穿刺吸引細胞診標本を用いて, 乳癌細胞のPapanicolaou染色, HER2蛋白免疫染色およびHER2 遺伝子検索を行った. 乳癌細胞の異型度は, 1) 背景の壊死の有無, 2) 細胞の大きさ, 3) N/C比, 4) 核縁の不整, 5) 核小体の大きさ, 6) 核小体の数, 7) 核の大きさ, 8) 核の大小不同, 9) クロマチン顆粒の形状, 10) クロマチンの濃度および11) 核分裂数の11項目について検討した. 各項目を0～3にスコア化し, HER2蛋白発現程度およびHER2 遺伝子増幅の有無との関連について統計学的に検討した.成績 : HER2蛋白発現程度と細胞異型11項目すべてとの間には有意の関係は認められなかった. HER2 遺伝子増幅の有無と細胞異型との間では, 「背景の壊死」 の項目との間にのみ有意の関係が認められた.結論 : 浸潤性乳管癌の穿刺吸引細胞診標本における 「背景の壊死」 の有無は, HER2 遺伝子増幅の有無を示唆する所見であり, 術前の予後や治療効果の予測に役立つものと考えられる.

The performance of the base Mobile IP handover algorithm for moving the Mobile Node's network layer point of attachment from one subnet to another has been recognized as a potential performance bottleneck for some time. In this paper, we discuss a collection of algorithms that use a link synchronous approach to Mobile IP handover. In the link synchronous approach, information on the progress of switching the link is used to drive handover at the IP level. We present a comprehensive analysis of handover packet drop, and develop analytical models of how the link synchronous algorithms help to mitigate it. We use data from a handover emulator to test the analytical models, and to compare the performance of the different algorithms under a variety of link conditions. Data from implementations on IS-2000 and 802.11b show how the link synchronous algorithms behave on real radio protocols. The results indicate that the link synchronous algorithms can reduce packet loss substantially, with best results possible if the link layer provides information on the move prior to the link switch.

There are currently no universally accepted indications and criteria for additional surgical resection of the colorectum after endoscopic resection of the submucosal invasive cancer. The purpose of the present study is to establish accurate indications and criteria for additional surgical resection of the colorectum, based on the prediction of lymph node metastasis, after endoscopic resection of the submucosal invasive cancer. We investigated 140 submucosal invasive colorectal cancers and analyzed the pathologic factors of lymph node metastasis. The tumors were evaluated for pathologic factors in the invasive area of the submucosal carcinoma and were compared between the cases with lymph node metastasis and those without lymph node metastasis. Lymph node metastasis was observed in 13 cases (9%). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the depth of invasion, cribriform-type structural atypia, absence of lymphoid infiltration, lymphatic permeation, and venous permeation were statistically significant as risk factors for lymph node metastasis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the important risk factors included, in decreasing order, lymphatic permeation, absence of lymphoid infiltration, cribriform-type structural atypia, venous permeation, and depth of invasion. Submucosal invasion of 2 mm or more, and/or, depth of lymphatic permeation of 2 mm or more are risk factors for lymph node metastasis. The pathologic criteria based on our results for additional colectomy enables greater accuracy selection of patients who will undergo further surgical treatment after endoscopic resection.

Recently, embedded assembly programs have properties dependent on hardware (direct operation of address spaces, memory mapped I/O, interruption, etc.) in the process of development. Thus, demands about the established method of formal verifications corresponding to those properties are increasing from the point of view of shorter development and high reliability. Our work aims at enabling formal verification for embedded software. We propose the detailed verification method with SMT-Based BMC for the Assembly Code Block (ACB). In addition, we have developed the automatic verification. Our method is based on the verification for the assembly program [1] and the verification using SMT-Based BMC for the embedded ANSI-C program [2] [3]. In this paper, we have developed the parser and the model converter for source codes of assembly program (assembly codes). Moreover, we show the validity of our method by experiments.

症例は52歳,女性.右下腹部の鶏卵大腫瘤の精査のために入院した.注腸造影検査では,盲腸を下方から圧排する管外性腫瘤が認められた.内視鏡検査では盲腸底部内側に表面平滑な粘膜下腫瘍様の隆起性病変が認められた.悪性腫瘍の可能性も否定できないため,回盲部切除術が施行された.盲腸前面内側に,虫垂および大網が強固に癒着し,一塊となり,硬い腫瘤を形成していた.切除標本の検索では,盲腸,虫垂および大網の癒着部を主座とする黄色肉芽腫性炎が盲腸の粘膜下層に波及し,隆起性病変を形成していた.黄色肉芽腫性炎が盲腸に粘膜下腫瘍様の病変を引き起こすことは稀であるが,回盲部腫瘤の鑑別疾患に加える必要があると考えられる.

We report the case of a 55-year-old Japanese woman with adult onset Still's disease in whom hemophagocytic syndrome and severe liver dysfunction developed. High serum levels of ferritin, macrophage colony stimulating factor and interferon-gamma, which imply the presence of hemophagocytic syndrome, were detected. It is known that hemophagocytic syndrome is associated with adult onset Still's disease. In our case, many markedly swollen Kupffer cells with phagocytized red blood cells were found in the liver, as well as macrophages in the bone marrow and spleen. Accordingly, we believe that severe liver dysfunction in this case may have been related to hypercytokinemia due to hemophagocytic syndrome.

症例, 73歳, 女性. 肝右葉を置換するように高度に増殖した胆管細胞癌症例の左葉に典型的な結節性再生性過形成がみられた. 結節性再生性過形成の発生機序は門脈枝閉塞による肝内血流の不均等がもたらす肝細胞の萎縮とそれに対する代償反応であると一般に考えられているが, 本症例では門脈枝の病変はごく軽度であった. これに対して, 肝静脈枝は胆管細胞癌の侵襲とそれによると考えられる内膜肥厚のために狭窄, 閉塞していた. したがって, 本症例の結節性再生性過形成の発生には, 右葉の癌置換による肝細胞消失に対する代償性の左葉肝細胞の増生と, 左葉肝静脈枝の癌侵襲による狭窄, 閉塞の結果としての肝内血流の不均等が関与していると考えられた.

症例は69歳, 女性. 左顔面の鈍痛, 左眼瞼下垂および下垂体機能低下で発症し. 頭蓋骨, 下垂体に原発不明の癌転移が認められ, 剖検によって胆管細胞癌と判明した症例を報告した. その転移経路は, 肺には肺動脈末梢枝にごく少量の癌塞栓がみられるのみであり, 外椎骨静脈叢に高度の癌塞栓がみられたことから, Batsonの提唱した椎骨静脈系を介するものと考えられた. すなわち, 門脈に侵入した胆管細胞癌が奇静脈に流入し, 椎骨静脈系, 脳底静脈叢および海綿静脈洞を経て下垂体および頭蓋骨に転移したと推測される. 胆管細胞癌が椎骨静脈系を介する経路で頭蓋骨および下垂体に転移することは稀であるが, 肺転移のみられない症例ではこのような可能性を念頭において原発巣を検索する必要がある.