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Zinc is an essential dietary component for humans and the second most prevalent trace element; however, serum zinc levels after gastrectomy have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between clinicopathologic features and serum zinc levels in patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer. The study enrolled 617 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer at the Kochi Medical School. Clinical data were obtained to investigate associations between clinicopathological features, including nutritional indicators and serum zinc levels. Serum zinc deficiency was defined as serum zinc level

Sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome associated with portal hypertension is very rare. A 68-year-old female presented with a 5 kg weight loss in 6 months. Soluble interleukin-2 receptor activity was increased and total platelet count was decreased. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed the presence of hepatosplenomegaly and a 3 cm-sized tumor in segment 3 of the liver. The hepatic venous catheterization showed mild portal hypertension. On fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography, progressive malignant lymphoma was suspected. However, bone marrow biopsy showed multiple noncaseating granulomas. A laparoscopic liver biopsy revealed that the liver tumor had features of Hodgkin lymphoma. There were multiple noncaseating epithelioid granulomas in the portal tracts of the liver. Splenectomy for splenomegaly and partial hepatectomy for the liver tumor were performed. Pathological examination of the resected specimens revealed multiple noncaseating epithelioid granulomas in the liver and spleen. Histopathology of th e liver tumor confirmed classic Hodgkin lymphoma with mixed cellularity. We conclude that hepatic venous catheterization, positron emission tomography/computed tomography, and pathological examinations of bone marrow, liver, and spleen are crucial for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome associated with portal hypertension.

Background and Aim Objective measurements are not available for determining bowel sounds. The present study sought to evaluate the efficacy of a novel bowel sound monitoring system for perioperative use in patients undergoing gastric surgery. Methods The study enrolled 14 patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer at Kochi Medical School from 2017 to 2018. Preoperative and postoperative bowel sounds were recorded using a newly developed real‐time analysis system in the operating theater and recovery room. Clinical information and bowel sound count data were obtained to compare preoperative and postoperative measures. Results The median preoperative and postoperative bowel sound counts across all patients were 1.4 and 2.5 counts per minute (cpm), respectively. In patients who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy, the postoperative bowel sound count was significantly higher than that recorded preoperatively (2.3 vs. 1.6 cpm, P = 0.005). The findings also revealed a significant negative correlation between postoperative bowel sound count and operation time (r = −0.714, P = 0.003). Conclusions The real‐time bowel sound analysis system tested herein presents a promising diagnostic tool to quantitatively evaluate bowel movements associated with surgery. Our results suggested a need for shorter operation times for gastric procedures with respect to peristalsis recovery and supported the use of minimally invasive surgery., We prospectively evaluated bowel sound counts using newly developed analysis system in patients who underwent gastric surgery. A real‐time bowel sound analysis system is promising as a diagnostic tool to quantitatively evaluate bowel movement. In this study, analysis of bowel sounds in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery suggested a need for shorter operation times from the aspect of peristalsis recovery and supporting the use of minimally invasive surgery.

Background Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a rare congenital condition in which the thoracic and abdominal organs are inverted like a mirror image. Case report We present a case of synchronous gastric cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) associated with SIT in a 74-year-old man who was admitted to our department to treat gastric cancer. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a depressed lesion and a submucosal tumor (SMT) in the middle-third of the stomach. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed complete inversion of the internal organs, and the common hepatic artery branched from the superior mesenteric artery. The patient underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection and Billroth I reconstruction. The macroscopic observation of the resected specimen revealed a depressed lesion measuring 2.0×1.5 cm in diameter and an SMT measuring 2.2×1.8 cm. Conclusion Careful preoperative anatomic evaluation is important in SIT because the situs anomalies may be accompanied by major vascular anomalies.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of enteral supplementation of vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency in patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Methods: The study enrolled 133 patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Kochi Medical School. Clinical data were obtained to investigate associations between vitamin B12 supplementation and vitamin B12 levels. Vitamin B12 deficiency was defined as serum vitamin B12 less than 200 pg/mL. Baseline characteristics and changes in hematological variables, including vitamin B12 levels, were examined. Results: Vitamin B12 deficiency was present in 71.4% of the 133 patients. Vitamin B12 levels at 3, 6, and 12 months after enteral supplementation were 306 pg/mL, 294 pg/mL, and 367 pg/mL, respectively, which were all significantly higher than those before supplementation (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). The median red blood cell count at 3, 6, and 12 months after enteral supplementation were 380 × 104/mm3, 394 × 104/mm3, and 395 × 104/mm3, respectively, which were all significantly higher than those before supplementation (p = 0.020, p = 0.001, and p = 0.003, respectively). Vitamin B12 levels at 3, 6, and 12 months after supplementation were significantly higher in patients supplemented enterally than those supplemented parenterally (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusions: Vitamin B12 deficiency was found in 71.4% of postoperative patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, and enteral vitamin B12 supplements might be effective to improve anemia in these patients.

To investigate the usefulness of clinicopathological systemic inflammatory response and nutritional biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of nivolumab in patients with advanced gastric cancer. The subjects of this study were 29 patients who received nivolumab treatment for advanced gastric cancer at the Kochi Medical School between 2017 and 2019. Clinicopathological information, including systemic inflammatory response data, were obtained to investigate the associations between baseline cancer-related prognostic variables and survival outcomes. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of any grade were identified in 34.5% (10/29) of the patients. The median progression-free survival of patients with irAEs was significantly greater than that of patients without irAEs (5.8 months vs. 1.2 months, respectively; P = 0.028). The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) after 4 weeks of treatment in the complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) group was significantly lower than that in the stable disease (SD) or progression disease (PD) group (2.2 vs. 2.9, respectively; P = 0.044). The prognostic nutrition index (PNI) before treatment in the CR or PR group was significantly higher than that in the SD or PD group (37.1 vs. 32.1, respectively; P = 0.011). The PNI 8 weeks after treatment and the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) before treatment were significantly associated with a poor outcome. The irAE, NLR, PNI, and GPS may be useful predictive markers for nivolumab efficacy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Background Spontaneous mesenteric hematoma (SMH) is a rare condition characterized by intraperitoneal hemorrhage of unknown etiology. SMH without worsening of general status allows conservative management; however, patients showing chronological changes on imaging require surgical intervention to rule out possible malignancy. Case presentation A 69-year-old man was referred to our hospital to evaluate an abdominal mass with no associated clinical symptoms. He had a history of chronic hepatitis C and diabetes mellitus. Six months earlier, computed tomography (CT) revealed a 75-mm tumor arising from the jejunum, suspected to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) of the small intestine. Following a further 6 months of observation, the patient was referred to our hospital. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT revealed a well-defined heterogeneous round tumor with a maximum diameter of 75 mm adjacent to the upper jejunum. The tumor was accompanied by calcification at the periphery, with no evidence of augmentation over the prior 6 months. Diffuse lymphadenopathy was observed around the aorta and splenic artery. Under the diagnosis of GIST arising from small intestine, the patient underwent elective surgery. The resection revealed an elastic soft tumor at the mesentery adjacent to the upper jejunum with severe adhesion between the tumor and jejunum. The tumor origin was unclear; thus, we performed mesenteric excision and partial enterectomy without lymph node dissection. The tumor was surrounded by fibrous capsular tissue containing massive hemosiderin deposits and cholesterol crystals showing partial calcification, resulting in a diagnosis of spontaneous hematoma of the mesentery. Conclusions We report a case of SMH mimicking small intestinal GIST. It is difficult to diagnose long-established SMH because its radiological features change with time, and more case reports are needed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis.

Aortoesophageal fistula (AEF) is a highly life-threatening condition, even when treated promptly. However, little is known about the treatment for AEF in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. We report the case of a 69-year-old man diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) that was admitted to our hospital for ESCC treatment. On diagnosis of unresectable ESCC invading the thoracic aorta, chemotherapy was administered. The response to treatment after two courses was evaluated as stable disease. We performed radiation therapy followed by bypass operation for esophageal stenosis. After radiation therapy, AEF was detected. His condition improved after hemostasis using thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). He was discharged from our care after treatment with antibiotics; he died due to cancer progression 7 months after TEVAR. AEF with ESCC is a lethal condition that may occur during cancer treatment; however, TEVAR might help improve the patient's condition.

To evaluate the correlation between blood supply speed in the gastric tube (GT), assessed by the intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence method, and postoperative endoscopic assessment (PEA) of the anastomosis or anastomotic leakage (AL). The subjects of this retrospective analysis were 66 consecutive patients who underwent GT reconstruction using ICG fluorescence during esophageal surgery. We measured the ICG visualization time, from ICG injection to visualization at the top of the GT. We performed PEA on 54 patients and classified ulcer formation as involving less than or more than half of the circumference. PEA revealed that nine patients (16.7%) had an anastomotic ulcer involving more than half of the circumference and ten (15.4%) had AL. The ICG visualization time in these patients was significantly delayed compared with that in those with less than half of the circumference involved by ulcer formation (37 s vs. 27 s; P = 0.015) and without AL (36 s vs. 28 s; P = 0.045). Multivariate analysis revealed that delay in the ICG visualization time (> 36 s) of the pulled-up GT (odds ratio, 6.098; 95% confidence interval, 1.125–33.024; P = 0.036) was an independent risk factor associated with AL. Delay in the ICG visualization time of pulled-up GT was associated with ulcer formation on the anastomosis and AL after esophageal surgery.

Background and Aim Disorders in bone metabolism have long been recognized as typical sequelae of gastrectomy; however, the pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, resulting in a variation of reported incidence. This study aimed to evaluate current bone health by measuring bone mineral density (BMD) in patients treated by gastrectomy for gastric cancer, with a focus on incidence and risk factors of osteoporosis. Methods The study enrolled 81 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Kochi Medical School. BMD of the lumbar spine was measured by dual‐energy X‐ray mineral absorptiometry, with the results expressed as a percentage of the young adult mean (YAM). Clinical data were also obtained to investigate associations with BMD. Results Of the 81 study patients, 12 (14.8%) were deemed to have osteoporosis, defined by a percentage of YAM, We found osteoporosis in 14.8% of outpatients receiving periodic follow‐up physical examinations after gastrectomy for gastric cancer, and identified low BMD as a clear indicator of increased bone fragility and risk for fracture in these patients. In these patients, female gender, low body weight, low hemoglobin, and low ALP were potential risk factors for osteoporosis.

This report describes a patient with early gastric cancer with gastroesophageal varices who underwent laparoscopic-endoscopic cooperative surgery. The patient, a 75-year-old woman, was referred to our hospital for the treatment of gastric cancer. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a superficial spreading-type tumor on the posterior wall of the upper third of the stomach that was very close to the gastric varices. Biopsy specimens showed a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT showed an enhanced submucosal area with noticeably dilated veins around the perigastric region and no masses in the liver. The patient underwent local resection of the stomach using laparoscopic-endoscopic cooperative surgery; this procedure was chosen because of the patient's risk of bleeding from the gastric varices in the area adjacent to the cancer during endoscopic submucosal dissection. Macroscopic examination of the resected specimen showed a superficial spreading lesion measuring 55 × 50 mm. The pathological diagnosis was moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma invading the gastric submucosal layer without lymphovascular invasion.

Aim: To determine whether markers of systemic inflammatory response and nutrition are a predictor of treatment response in patients with trastuzumab-treated unresectable advanced gastric cancer. Patients and Methods: Twenty-one patients who received chemotherapy for unresectable advanced gastric cancer at Kochi Medical School from 2013 to 2020 were enrolled. Clinicopathological information and systemic inflammatory response data were obtained retrospectively to investigate associations between baseline cancer-related prognostic variables and survival outcomes. Results: The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for the whole cohort were 24.5 (range=1.9-88.4) months and 7.0 (range=2.0-23.4) months, respectively. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 52.4% and 81.0%, respectively. The median PFS for patients with a neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR)

Definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is the major treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and prediction of the response to dCRT is important so as not to miss an opportunity to cure an ESCC. Nevertheless, few validated markers are available. Here, we aimed to identify a highly reproducible marker using multi-layer omics analysis. 117 ESCC samples from 67 responders and 50 non-responders were divided into screening, validation, and re-validation sets. In the screening cohort (n = 41), somatic mutations in 114 genes showed no association with dCRT response. Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis using Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array identified four genic regions significantly associated with dCRT response. Among them, FGF5 methylation was validated to be associated with dCRT response (n = 34; P = 0.001), and further re-validated (n = 42; P = 0.020) by bisulfite-pyrosequencing. The sensitivity and specificity in the combined validation and re-validation sets (n = 76) were 45% and 90%, respectively, by using the cut-off value established in the screening set, and FGF5 methylation had predictive power independent from clinicopathological parameters. In ESCC cell lines, FGF5 promoter methylation repressed its expression. FGF5 expression was induced by cisplatin (CDDP) treatment in three unmethylated cell lines, but not in two methylated cell lines. Exogenous FGF5 overexpression in a cell line with its methylation conferred resistance to CDDP. In non-cancerous esophageal tissues, FGF5 was not expressed, and its methylation was present in a small fraction of cells. These results showed that FGF5 methylation is a validated marker for ESCC sensitivity to dCRT.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of enteral supplementation of vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency in patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.The study enrolled 133 patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Kochi Medical School. Clinical data were obtained to investigate associations between vitamin B12 supplementation and vitamin B12 levels. Vitamin B12 deficiency was defined as serum vitamin B12 less than 200 pg/mL. Baseline characteristics and changes in hematological variables, including vitamin B12 levels, were examined.Vitamin B12 deficiency was present in 71.4% of the 133 patients. Vitamin B12 levels at 3, 6, and 12 months after enteral supplementation were 306 pg/mL, 294 pg/mL, and 367 pg/mL, respectively, which were all significantly higher than those before supplementation (p0.001 for all comparisons). The median red blood cell count at 3, 6, and 12 months after enteral supplementation were 380 × 104/mm3, 394 × 104/mm3, and 395 × 104/mm3, respectively, which were all significantly higher than those before supplementation (p = 0.020, p = 0.001, and p = 0.003, respectively). Vitamin B12 levels at 3, 6, and 12 months after supplementation were significantly higher in patients supplemented enterally than those supplemented parenterally (p0.001 for all comparisons).Vitamin B12 deficiency was found in 71.4% of postoperative patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, and enteral vitamin B12 supplements might be effective to improve anemia in these patients.

Duodenal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is an extremely rare tumor. Herein, we report multidisciplinary treatment of a patient with synchronous development of primary MALT lymphoma of the duodenum and gastric cancer. A 70-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for examination of a gastric cancer initially diagnosed by a local medical doctor. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed an elevated lesion with a central ulcer in the lower body of the stomach, and a partially whitish aggregated lesion in the descending portion of the duodenum. Histopathological examination of biopsy specimens from the gastric lesion showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, and duodenal specimens showed low-grade MALT lymphoma composed of atypical lymphoid cells with a lymphoepithelial lesion. The patient underwent distal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection for the gastric cancer. Histological examination showed muscularis propria invading adenocarcinoma with two lymph node metastases. After operation, four courses of systemic rituximab treatment were administered for the MALT lymphoma, followed by adjuvant S-1 (tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil) chemotherapy for the gastric cancer. In the 4 months after operation, the patient was well with no evidence of recurrence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case of synchronous gastric adenocarcinoma and duodenal MALT lymphoma in the English literature.

A 72-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for further examination of para-aortic lymph node swelling and elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels. Thirteen years ago, she had undergone distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer, and the final diagnosis was T4N1M0, Stage ⅢA. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)showed an enlarged para-aortic lymph node measuring 25 mm. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration was performed, and biopsy specimens showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Under the clinical diagnosis of gastric cancer recurrence, the patient received chemotherapy with cisplatin plus S-1. After 5 cycles of systemic treatment, abdominal CT revealed a marked shrinkage of the para-aortic lymph node metastasis, with an 84% decrease. At 15 months after treatment, we switched to S-1 monotherapy because of general fatigue and the patient's preference. However, 22 months after the treatment, the patient was treated with ramucirumab due to the progression of para-aortic lymph node metastasis. After 33 months, the patient developed metastasis in the left ovary, measuring 11.0×8.5 cm. Because there was no evidence of further metastatic lesions in any other organs, she underwent left oophorectomy. After 37 months, the patient developed metastasis in the left cerebellum, measuring 3.2×2.5 cm, accompanied with headache and nausea. The patient underwent metastasectomy of the left cerebellum as palliative treatment. Simultaneous physical examination revealed a painful nodular elevated lesion in the subcutaneous tissue of the posterior neck region, measuring 18×15 cm. Pathological examination of the biopsy specimen showed infiltration of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cells into the subcutaneous mass. The patient received radiation therapy; however, she died due to septic shock with hydronephrosis 39 months after starting chemotherapy. Although late recurrence of gastric cancer is rare, identification of risk factors and the development of novel treatments should be achieved through further studies and accumulation of data from such cases.

This study evaluated the prognostic value of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) together with host-related factors in patients with unresectable advanced gastric cancer. The study enrolled 262 patients who received chemotherapy for unresectable advanced gastric cancer at Kochi Medical School from 2007 to 2015. Clinicopathological information and systemic inflammatory response data were analyzed for associations between baseline cancer-related prognostic variables and survival outcomes. The median survival time was significantly lower for patients with high ALP, high LDH, high total bilirubin, high aspartate aminotransferase, high alanine transaminase, high gamma-glutamyltransferase, high creatinine, a Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) of 1 or 2 score compared to GPS 0, higher compared to lower neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) 3.9, lower compared to higher prognostic nutrition index 36.1, T3–4 compared to T1–2 tumor and diffuse-type compared to intestinal-type histology. Multivariate survival analysis identified high ALP 322 (HR 1.808; 95% CI 1.015–3.220; P = 0.044), T2–3 (HR 2.622; 95% CI 1.224–5.618; P = 0.013), and diffuse-type gastric cancer (HR 2.325; 95% CI 1.341–4.032; P = 0.003) as significant independent predictors of worse prognosis in the studied group of cancer patients. High level of ALP is an independent, worse prognosis factor for patients receiving chemotherapy for unresectable and recurrent gastric cancer.

Background: The present study sought to evaluate host-related factors as predictors in patients receiving chemotherapy for recurrent advanced gastric cancer. Methods: Sixty-three patients were enrolled in the study and received chemotherapy for recurrent gastric cancer at the Kochi Medical School from 2008 to 2015. Clinicopathological information and systemic inflammatory response data were obtained retrospectively to investigate associations between baseline cancer-related prognostic variables and survival outcomes. Results: The median survival time was significantly higher for patients with a Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) of 0 compared to a GPS of 1 or 2 (18.2 vs. 7.1 months; p = 0.006), and for patients in the normal range for carbohydrate antigen-125 (CA125) compared to higher levels (17.9 vs. 4.1 months; p = 0.003). There was no significant influence on overall survival by age, gender, disease status, metastatic site, time to recurrence, carcinoembryonic antigen level, CA19–9 level, prognostic nutrition index, or neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio according to the results of the univariate log-rank tests. Multivariate survival analysis identified a GPS of 1 or 2 (hazard ratio, 3.520; 95% confidence interval, 1.343–9.227; p = 0.010) and a high CA125 level (hazard ratio, 3.135; 95% confidence interval, 1.276–7.697; p = 0.013) as significant independent predictors associated with a poorer prognosis in the studied group of cancer patients. Conclusions: A GPS of 1 or 2 and a high level of CA125 are independent predictors of a poorer prognosis in patients receiving chemotherapy for recurrent gastric cancer.

Background Although a recent randomized clinical trial has demonstrated that the objective response rate to nivolumab for metastatic gastric cancer was 11.2%, there was no patients confirmed complete response. Herein, we report on a case of liver metastasis arising from early gastric cancer in which a complete clinical response was achieved to nivolumab as third-line therapy. Case presentation A 77-year-old man was referred to Kochi Medical School Hospital for the treatment of liver metastases from gastric cancer. The patient had undergone laparoscopic total gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection 30 months prior for early gastric cancer, with a final diagnosis of T1N0M0, stage IA. The patient developed solitary splenic metastasis measuring 42 mm 28 months later and underwent splenectomy because there was no evidence of further metastatic lesions in any other organ. The patient was treated with S-1 plus oxaliplatin based on negative immunohistochemical staining of the resected specimens for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Four months after the splenectomy, the patient developed multiple liver metastases and was treated with ramucirumab plus paclitaxel. Because of disease progression, the patient was administered 3 mg/kg, i.v., nivolumab every 2 weeks. After 4 cycles of systemic treatment using nivolumab, abdominal computed tomography revealed marked shrinkage of the liver metastases. After 12 cycles of nivolumab, the liver metastases had disappeared completely. The patient did not develop any adverse reactions, including immune-reactive adverse events, during treatment. The patient continues to receive nivolumab, and there is no evidence of disease recurrence in the 8-month period since starting nivolumab. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report in the English literature of a gastric cancer patient achieving a complete clinical response to nivolumab, and highlights the potential for successful treatment of metastatic gastric cancer using nivolumab.

The natural amino acid 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) precursor and a new-generation photosensitive substance that accumulates specifically in cancer cells. When indocyanine green (ICG) is irradiated with near-infrared (NIR) light, it shifts to a higher energy state and emits infrared light with a longer wavelength than the irradiated NIR light. Photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) using ALA and ICG-based NIR fluorescence imaging has emerged as a new diagnostic technique. Specifically, in laparoscopic examinations for serosa-invading advanced gastric cancer, peritoneal metastases could be detected by ALA-PDD, but not by conventional visible-light imaging. The HyperEye Medical System (HEMS) can visualize ICG fluorescence as color images simultaneously projected with visible light in real time. This ICG fluorescence method is widely applicable, including for intraoperative identification of sentinel lymph nodes, visualization of blood vessels in organ resection, and blood flow evaluation during surgery. Fluorescence navigation by ALA-PDD and NIR using ICG imaging provides good visualization and detection of the target lesions that is not possible with the naked eye. We propose that this technique should be used in fundamental research on the relationship among cellular dynamics, metabolic enzymes, and tumor tissues, and to evaluate clinical efficacy and safety in multicenter cooperative clinical trials.

Conversion therapy for gastric cancer is a new therapeutic concept. We report a case of a patient with advanced gastric cancer who underwent conversion surgery due to a remarkable regression of multiple liver metastases following chemotherapy. A 71-year-old man was referred to our hospital with gastric cancer. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed an irregular, nodular, ulcerated lesion in the lower third of the stomach. Analysis of biopsy specimens revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed multiple liver mass lesions. The patient was clinically diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer with liver metastases and received S-1 plus oxaliplatin chemotherapy. After 6 cycles of chemotherapy, CT and magnetic resonance imaging showed complete resolution of the liver metastases, and EGD detected mucosal irregularities only. Since there was no evidence of further metastatic lesions in other organs, the patient underwent distal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy. The gross appearance of the surgically resected specimen showed a slightly elevated tumor measuring 4.5 × 3.5 cm. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a moderately differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma invading the muscularis propria with no lymph node metastases. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient has continued to receive S-1 and oxaliplatin chemotherapy, and there has been no evidence of recurrence for 3 months following the operation. We propose that conversion therapy might be an effective treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer; however, further studies and assessments are needed to confirm and establish this treatment strategy.

We report a case of esophageal cancer with a non-recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve associated with aberrant right subclavian artery that was treated by neck dissection using intraoperative neurological monitoring followed by thoracoscopic esophagectomy. A 76-year-old man had dysphagia. Endoscopy revealed thoracic esophageal cancer, and computed tomography revealed the presence of an aberrant right subclavian artery between the esophagus and vertebrae. We performed neck dissection followed by thoracoscopic esophagectomy. During the neck dissection, we confirmed a non-recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve through intraoperative neurological monitoring. No postoperative complications were observed, and the patient was discharged 19 days after surgery. We recommend using intraoperative neurological monitoring to avoid injury to the non-recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve associated with the aberrant right subclavian artery.

This study aimed to compare the outcomes of the prior cervical and thoracic approaches of thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position for esophageal cancer. We reviewed the records of 103 consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position for esophageal cancer. Seventy-four patients underwent the prior cervical approach (Cervical group); the other 29 underwent the thoracic approach (Thoracic group). The perioperative outcomes of the two groups were compared. Total operative time and volume of blood loss were not different between the two groups, but the median thoracoscopic time was significantly longer in the Thoracic group than in the Cervical group (296 vs. 210 min; P

Background Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) induces respiratory tract and kidney granulomatous inflammation due to small-vessel vasculitis. However, gastrointestinal involvement, and especially colon perforation, is rare. Case presentation A 40-year-old man diagnosed with GPA was admitted to our hospital for GPA management. He was started on anti-cluster of differentiation 20 antibody (rituximab) therapy after admission and suffered severe abdominal pain 2 weeks later. A clinical diagnosis of sigmoid colon perforation was made, and we performed sigmoid colon resection with colostomy. Histopathological examination revealed loss of vascular wall and neutrophil infiltration. He was discharged from the hospital after intravenous immune globulin therapy. Conclusions Although gastrointestinal involvement is rare in GPA, severe complications require surgical intervention. Bowel perforation should be considered an important complication of GPA.

A case of early gastric cancer involving multiple submucosal gastric glands that was treated by distal gastrectomy was described in the present case report. An 85-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the treatment of gastric cancer. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an irregular, nodular, elevated lesion on the posterior wall of the middle third of the stomach, and biopsy specimens indicated well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. Submucosal tumor (SMT)-like lesions were detected in the area adjacent to the nodular lesion, in the anterior wall side of the middle third of the stomach. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed cystic lesions in the middle part of the stomach, and no mass lesions in the liver. The patient underwent distal gastrectomy with regional lymphadenectomy. Macroscopic examination of the resected specimen showed an SMT-like lesion measuring 2.8×2.6 cm in contact with a superficial, depressed lesion measuring 1.7×0.9 mm in the middle third of the stomach, and another SMT-like lesion measuring 1.5×1.4 cm in diameter, which was also in the middle third of the stomach. The pathological diagnosis was well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma invading the gastric submucosal layer without lymph node metastasis, but with nearby submucosal heterotopic gastric gland (SHGG) detected. Following surgery, the patient remained symptom-free without evidence of recurrence for 3 months. The finding of SHGG remains a rare entity, and further studies are warranted to clarify the association between these submucosal lesions and the development of cancer.

New diagnostic techniques based on photodynamic medicine, such as near-infrared fluorescence using indocyanine green (NIR-ICG) and 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic diagnosis (ALA-PDD), are aiding navigation tasks across various fields of surgery. Specifically, NIR-ICG is being used for the intraoperative identification of sentinel lymph nodes or blood vessels in organ resection and for blood flow evaluation in surgery. These ICG-fluorescent imaging techniques could provide an additional and potentially valuable way to identify vascular and lymphatic structures in surrounding tissue. 5-Aminolevulinic acid is a precursor of a photosensitizing substance with affinity for tumors; thus, diagnostic laparoscopy using ALA-PDD in combination should improve the accuracy of detecting peritoneal dissemination in patients with advanced gastric cancer. The ability to overlay fluorescent imaging with conventional color images in real time using ALA-PDD and NIR with ICG would be of immense benefit to surgeons, providing good visualization and detection of target lesions not seen with the naked eye. A multi-center clinical study examining the safety and efficacy of ALA-PDD during laparoscopic examination for patients with advanced gastric cancer is currently underway in the form of doctor-initiated trials, and further verification studies will be conducted. Such imaging capability could have broad potential across cancer and vascular surgery.

A 50-year-old man was referred to our hospital with gastric cancer. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD)revealed an irregular nodular lesion with an ulcer in the esophagogastric junction, the biopsy specimens of which showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Abdominal computed tomography(CT)showed a lymph node measuring 1.2 cm in the perigastric area. A clinical diagnosis of advanced gastric cancer was made, and the patient underwent total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy followed by Roux-en-Y reconstruction. Microscopic examination confirmed that the moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma invaded the muscularis propria with 1 lymph node metastasis and lymphovascular invasion. The final diagnosis according to the Japanese classification of gastric carcinoma was UE, Less, Type 2, 3.8×1.7 cm, T2(MP), M0, H0, P0, N1(1/15), tub2, ly1, v2, StageⅡ. The postoperative course was uneventful, and he received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1. The patient underwent periodic follow-up physical examinations, and 1 year after the surgery, CT showed a well-defined mass measuring 1.0 cm in diameter located in the middle lobe of the right lung. Because there was no evidence of further metastatic lesions in any other organs, he underwent surgical resection of the solitary pulmonary lesion by video-assisted thoracic surgery. Pathological examination confirmed the presence of moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, and the proliferating tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin(CK)7 and CK20, and negative for thyroid transcription factor 1, which confirmed metastasis from gastric cancer. After the surgery, the patient received combination chemotherapy with S-1 plus cisplatin, followed by S-1 monotherapy. Five years after pulmonary metastasectomy, we discontinued chemotherapy because of no evidence of recurrence and the patient's wishes. The patient has remained in good health without evidence of recurrence for 7 years following the second surgery. Resection of the metastatic lesion might be a promising treatment for solitary pulmonary metastasis of gastric cancer; however, further investigations involving the accumulation of a large number of cases and prospective cohort studies are required to verify the above issue, and future development of multidisciplinary therapy is expected.

Background/aim The aim of this study was to assess the effects of scheduled intravenous acetaminophen for postoperative management of patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Patients and methods The records of 56 consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position for esophageal cancer were reviewed. For postoperative pain control, twenty-eight patients underwent the scheduled intravenous acetaminophen (SIVA group), whereas the other 28 were managed with intravenous flurbiprofen (Control group). The perioperative outcomes of the two groups were compared. Results The incidence of pneumonia and the total numerical rating scale of postoperative pain level were significantly lower in the SIVA group than in the Control group (3.6% vs. 25.0%; p=0.022, 40 vs. 93; p=0.027). Patients' fever on the third day after surgery in the SIVA group was significantly lower than in the Control group (36.9°C vs. 37.2°C; p=0.029). However, the incidence of anastomotic leakage, laryngeal nerve palsy, the changes of postoperative C-reactive protein level, and the duration of hospital stay were not different between the two groups. Conclusion Scheduled intravenous acetaminophen after thoracoscopic esophagectomy in patients with esophageal cancer was a useful strategy in reducing the incidence of postoperative pneumonia.

Glomus tumor of the stomach is a rare submucosal mesenchymal tumor. The present study reports a patient with gastric glomus tumor treated by laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. A 39-year-old male was referred to Kochi Medical School Hospital for examination of a gastric submucosal tumor (SMT) initially diagnosed following a medical check-up. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a solitary, well-defined, submucosal lesion in the antrum of the stomach. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) revealed a hypoechoic solid mass primarily connected to the gastric muscular layer. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography confirmed a 1.5 cm, well-defined mass lesion demonstrating homogeneous strong enhancement in the gastric antrum. Subsequent EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration produced a clinical diagnosis of neuroendocrine neoplasm and the patient underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection. Histopathology revealed solid proliferation of round, α-smooth muscle actin-immunopositive tumor cells with dilated vessels lined by endothelial cells without atypia, prompting a diagnosis of gastric glomus tumor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the seventh case of gastric glomus tumor treated by laparoscopy reported in English literature. The present case suggested that glomus tumor should be considered in the differential diagnosis for SMT of the stomach.

The most common sites of breast cancer metastasis are the bone, liver, lung and brain, while gastrointestinal metastasis from breast cancer is rare. We herein present the case of a 68-year-old woman who was admitted to our department with nausea and appetite loss. The patient's medical history included right mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy 5 years earlier for invasive lobular carcinoma, measuring 6.2 cm in greatest diameter, without lymphovascular invasion. Two years after the surgery, the patient developed brain metastasis and underwent metastasectomy to control the neurological symptoms, including unsteadiness and asthenia. After the second surgery, the patient received systemic chemotherapy using S-1, followed by bevacizumab plus paclitaxel. However, due to bevacizumab-related cardiotoxicity, the treatment was switched to eribulin. On esophagogastroduodenoscopy, an elevated lesion was identified in the antrum, causing severe narrowing of the gastric outlet. Biopsy and histological examination of the tumor revealed infiltration of the gastric wall by undifferentiated neoplastic cells with poor adhesion, morphologically similar to invasive lobular carcinoma, and immunohistochemical staining was positive for estrogen receptor, mammaglobin and GATA3. Finally, 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography imaging revealed FDG uptake across the thickness of the antral wall. The patient was diagnosed with gastric metastasis from the original breast cancer and subsequently underwent endoscopic self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement. There were no procedure-related adverse events, and the patient remained alive under best supportive care 4 months after SEMS placement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of gastric outlet obstruction caused by metastatic breast carcinoma managed by SEMS placement. While such a diagnosis is rare, clinicians treating patients with gastric metastases should be aware of possible gastric outlet obstruction and SEMS placement as an effective palliative intervention.

We report a case of intrahepatic bile duct adenoma (BDA) detected during laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. A 70-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the treatment of gastric cancer. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an irregular, nodular, and elevated lesion on the greater curvature side of the middle third of the stomach. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed wall thickening with homogeneous enhancement in the middle part of the stomach, and no lesions in the liver. The patient underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with regional lymphadenectomy, and during the operation a small whitish nodule was observed on the lateral segment of the liver surface. The lesion was excised by partial resection of the liver for the purpose of both histological diagnosis and treatment. Pathological examination of the liver lesion revealed no structural or cellular atypia, no stromal invasion, and immunohistochemical positivity for CK7 and CK19, but negativity for p53. The final diagnosis was well-differentiated adenocarcinoma invading the gastric serosal layer without lymph node metastasis, and intrahepatic BDA measuring 0.4 × 0.3 cm. Following surgery, the patient remained symptom-free without evidence of recurrence for 5 months. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of BDA with gastric cancer. Because it is difficult to distinguish BDA from other liver tumors including metastatic cancer due to its characteristically small size and lack of specific morphological features on standard imaging, surgical resection should be considered as the most suitable approach for both accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Background The demand for breast reconstruction after mastectomy is rising. The use of deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap in autologous reconstruction is a popular approach. There were some reports about abdominal complications after breast reconstruction. However, there was no report about spontaneous rupture of abdominal wall. Case presentation A 46-year-old female patient was diagnosed with left breast cancer. Left mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed, and the breast was reconstructed using DIEP flap simultaneously. She suffered heavy abdominal pain and vomiting at postoperative day 4. Computed tomography showed bowel herniation into the subcutaneous tissue caused by left abdominal wall rupture. The abdominal wall was sutured and repaired using mesh by emergency surgery. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case about spontaneous rupture of abdominal wall after breast reconstruction using DIEP flap to be reported in the English literature. DIEP flap on breast reconstructive surgery may cause spontaneous rupture of abdominal wall.

Extended lymph node dissection in patients with gastric cancer with liver cirrhosis can lead to severe morbidity and mortality, especially in those with Child-Pugh class B or C cirrhosis. We, herein, report a case of advanced gastric cancer with alcoholic liver cirrhosis that was successfully treated by surgery. A 58-year-old male patient was diagnosed with gastric cancer with alcoholic liver cirrhosis Child-Pugh class B. A red blood cell transfusion was performed to treat cancer-related hemorrhage; however, the patient's hemoglobin level did not improve and distal gastrectomy with D1 lymph node dissection was subsequently performed to prevent further bleeding. He was able to leave the hospital at postoperative day 16 without severe complication. Patients with liver cirrhosis can undergo distal gastrectomy with D1 lymph nodes dissection even in those with Child-Pugh class B.

Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a congenital anomaly characterized by a complete mirror-image transposition of the thoracic and abdominal viscera. We report on a rare case of superficial spreading gastric cancer associated with SIT in a 66-year-old woman referred to our hospital for examination of gastric cancer initially diagnosed by medical check-up. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a slightly depressed lesion in the lesser curvature side of the stomach. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed complete transposition of the abdominal viscera, confirming SIT. The patient underwent total gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection and Roux-en-Y reconstruction. Gross examination of the surgically resected specimen showed a slightly depressed lesion measuring 12×8 cm in diameter, and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of signet-ring cell carcinoma, confined to the gastric mucosal layer without lymph node metastasis. The postoperative course was favorable, and the patient has been well without evidence of recurrence for 11 years following the operation. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second case of a superficial spreading-type gastric cancer in a patient with SIT reported in the English literature.