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Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) is an angiogenesis inhibitor, while vasohibin-2 (VASH2) is a proangiogenic factor. The roles of VASH1 and VASH2 expression in gastroenterological cancers remain unclear. We searched for relevant literature, specifically studies on gastroenterological cancer, and evaluated the relationship between VASH expression and clinical outcomes. Nine studies on VASH1 involving 1,574 patients were included. VASH1 expression was associated with the TNM stage [OR (odds ratio) 2.05, 95% CI (confidence interval) 1.24-3.40], lymph node metastasis (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.24-2.58), lymphatic invasion (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.41-2.68), and venous invasion (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.60-3.88); poor clinical outcomes were associated with high VASH1 expression. High VASH1 expression was associated with a significantly shorter overall survival (OS) [HR (hazard ratio) 1.69, 95% CI 1.25-2.29] and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.28-3.15). Three studies on VASH2 involving 469 patients were analyzed. VASH2 expression was associated with the TNM stage (OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.89-9.51) and venous invasion (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.15-3.84); poor clinical outcomes were associated with high VASH2 expression. High VASH2 expression was associated with a significantly lower OS (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.09-2.37). In conclusion, high VASH1 and VASH2 expression levels were associated with poor clinical outcomes and prognosis in patients with gastroenterological cancers.

Esophageal cancer is the seventh most common malignancy and sixth most common cause of cancer-related death globally. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with aortic or tracheal invasion is considered unresectable, and has an extremely poor prognosis; its standard treatment is definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). In recent years, induction chemotherapy (ICT) has been reported to yield high response rates for locally advanced ESCC, and the efficacy and safety of ICT followed by conversion surgery (CS) have been investigated. Multimodal treatment, combining surgery with induction chemoradiotherapy (ICRT) or ICT, is necessary to improve ESCC prognosis. CS is generally performed for locally advanced ECC after ICRT or ICT when tumor downstaging is achieved, although its prognostic benefit remains controversial. The Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) has conducted a three-arm phase III randomized controlled trial (JCOG1510) to confirm the superiority of DCF (docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil) ICT, over conventional dCRT, among patients with initially unresectable ESCC. In recent years, researchers have reported favorable outcomes of induction therapy followed by CS and salvage surgery, after dCRT or systemic immunochemotherapy. In this review, we will describe the latest developments in the multimodal treatment including chemotherapy, CRT, surgery, and immunotherapy, which may improve oncological and survival outcomes for patients with cT4 ESCC.

Background Intestinal knot formation, in which two segments of the intestine become knotted together, can result in intestinal obstruction. An ileo-ileal knot refers to knot formation between two ileal segments and is a very rare benign disease. We report a case of strangulated bowel obstruction caused by true ileo-ileal knot formation. Case presentation An 89-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with the diagnosis of intestinal obstruction. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed the small bowel forming a closed loop, with poor contrast effect. Based on the findings, the patient was diagnosed as having strangulated bowel obstruction, and emergency surgery was performed. At laparotomy, two segments of the ileum were found to be tied together forming a knot, and both segments were necrotic. Although it was necessary to release the strangulated small bowel, we did not immediately release the knot, but first proceeded with ligation of the mesenteric vessels to the strangulated small bowel to prevent dissemination of toxic substances from the necrotic bowel into the systemic circulation. The surgery was completed with resection of the necrotic ileum and anastomosis of the small intestine. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged home. Conclusion We encountered a case of strangulated bowel obstruction caused by true ileo-ileal knot formation. Resection of the necrotic small intestine without releasing the knot could be performed safely, and might be considered as an option of surgical procedure.

The study aimed to determine whether magnetic resonance thoracic ductography (MRTD) is useful for preventing injury to the thoracic duct (TD) during thoracoscopic esophagectomy and for reducing the incidence of postoperative chylothorax. A total of 389 patients underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy between September 2009 and February 2019 in Tokai University Hospital. Of them, we evaluated 228 patients who underwent preoperative MRTD (MRTD group) using Adachi’s classification and our novel classification (Tokai classification). Then, the clinicopathological factors of the MRTD group (n = 228) were compared with those of the non-MRTD group (n = 161), and comparative analyses were conducted after propensity score matching (PSM). The TD could be visualized by MRTD in 228 patients. The MRTD findings were divided into 9 classifications including normal findings and abnormal TD findings (Adachi classification vs Tokai classification; 5.3% vs 16.2%). After PSM, both groups consisted of 128 patients. The rate of postoperative chylothorax after thoracoscopic esophagectomy was significantly lower in the MRTD group (0.8%) than in the non-MRTD group (6.3%) (p = 0.036). In the multivariate analysis for risk factors for chylothorax, the independent prognostic factors were preoperative therapy and the presence of MRTD. This study revealed that MRTD was useful for preventing of chylothorax after thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Esophageal leiomyomas are common benign tumors. Although surgical resection is warranted in symptomatic patients, the procedure used to enucleate a giant, circumferential tumor is complicated. A 38-year-old man was referred to our institution with a diagnosis of submucosal esophageal tumor. An endoscopic examination revealed a protruding submucosal mass in the lower third of the esophagus. Computed tomography scans demonstrated a circumferential mass measuring 90 × 40 mm. Examination of the biopsy specimens resulted in a diagnosis of leiomyoma of the esophagus, and thoracoscopic enucleation of the tumor via the right thorax with the patient in the prone position was planned. Histopathological and immunohistochemical staining of the surgical specimen confirmed the preoperative diagnosis of benign leiomyoma. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 7 without any complications.

Near-infrared fluorescence using indocyanine green (ICG) has been applied as a real-time navigation tool to observe blood flow in gastric conduit wall after esophagectomy. Atherosclerosis might impair the blood flow of the systemic organs. The aim of the study was to investigate the significances of ICG blood flow speed in the gastric conduit wall and atherosclerotic calcification for the prediction of anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy. The 109 esophageal cancer patients were prospectively enrolled. ICG fluorescence blood flow speed in the gastric conduit wall and abdominal aortic calcification index (ACI), celiac artery (CA) calcification, and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) calcification were determined. Then, the correlation between ICG fluorescence blood flow speed and anastomotic leakage as well as ACI, CA, and SMA calcification were evaluated. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 15 patients. ACI ranged from 0 to 65. CA calcification and SMA calcification were present in 25 and 12 patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that ICG fluorescence blood flow speed in the gastric conduit wall of 2.07 cm/s or less (P

In our previous research, we developed a robot that can climb various columnar objects, without measuring the shape and size, by mimicking the motion of an octopus. However, the octopus-like motion is achieved through the flexibility of the legs, which are too soft to walk on the ground. The goal of this research is to develop a robot that can both walk on the ground and climb pipes. To achieve these goals, we propose a switchable leg that is flexible to optimize the climbing ability but rigid enough, when needed, to facilitate walking. From the results of our experiments, we were able to confirm that the legs which we developed were stiff enough to reliably walk on the ground, and the mechanism for flexibility makes it highly adaptable to various pipes when climbing.

It was recently identified that the vasohibin family may regulate angiogenesis through suppression by the vasohibin-1 gene and promotion by the vasohibin-2 gene. We assessed vasohibin expression in gastric cancer patients and its effect on their prognosis. We evaluated vasohibin immunohistochemical expression in 210 patients with gastric cancer, who underwent radical surgery. The patients were divided first into a vasohibin-1-positive group and a vasohibin-1-negative group, and then into groups with high or low vasohibin-2 expression, to allow us to investigate the clinicopathological factors of prognosis retrospectively. There were 139 patients in the vasohibin-1-positive group and 71 patients in the vasohibin-1-negative group, among which there were and 108 with high vasohibin-2 expression and 102 with low vasohibin-2 expression. Vasohibin-1 was associated with Ly (P = 0.003) and pT (P = 0.037), whereas vasohibin-2 was associated with Ly (P

Objective: We reviewed the surgical outcomes of minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), especially the number of lymph nodes retrieved, for the patients with esophageal cancer to clarify the surgical benefits of MIE in patients with esophageal cancer. Material and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed, and articles that fully described the surgical results of MIE were selected. Parameters such as operative time, blood loss, the number of lymph nodes retrieved, and postoperative complications were compared among patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) in the left lateral decubitus position (MIE-LP), MIE in the prone position (MIE-PP), and open thoracic esophagectomy (OE). Results: The conversion rate from MIE to OE was very low. MIE-PP was associated with lower blood loss than OE and MIE-LP. Results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial demonstrated that pneumonia and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in MIE-PP significantly reduced compared with OE. Although postoperative complications were not different between MIE-PP and MIE-LP, the number of lymph nodes retrieved in MIE-PP was higher than that in MIE-LP. Conclusion: MIE-PP has potential benefits in terms of less surgical invasiveness and improvement of mediastinal lymph node dissection. A prospective randomized control trial using a large number of cases and long-term follow-up is recommended for analyses of appropriate mediastinal lymph node dissection and its impact on oncological benefit.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) has been performed increasingly more frequently for the treatment of esophageal cancer, ever since it was first described in 1992. However, the incidence of postoperative complications of MIE has not yet been well‐characterized, because (a) there are few reports of studies with a sufficient sample size, (b) a variety of minimally invasive surgical techniques are used, and (c) there are few reports in which an established system for classifying the severity of complications is examined. According to an analysis performed by the Esophageal Complications Consensus Group, the most common complications of MIE are pneumonia, arrhythmia, anastomotic leakage, conduit necrosis, chylothorax, and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Therefore, we decided to focus on these complications. We selected 48 out of 1245 reports of studies (a) that included more than 50 patients each, (b) in which the esophagectomy technique used was clearly described, and (c) in which the complications were adequately described. The overall incidences of the postoperative complications of MIE for esophageal cancer were analyzed according to the MIE technique adopted, that is, McKeown MIE, Ivor Lewis MIE, robotic‐assisted McKeown MIE, robotic‐assisted Ivor Lewis MIE, or mediastinoscopic transmediastinal esophagectomy. Pneumonia, arrhythmia, anastomotic leakage, and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurred at an incidence rate of about 10% each; Ivor Lewis MIE was associated with a relatively low incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. It is important to recognize that the incidences of complications of MIE are influenced by the MIE technique adopted and the extent of lymph node dissection., The overall incidences of the postoperative complications of MIE for esophageal cancer were analyzed according to the MIE technique adopted, that is, McKeown MIE, Ivor Lewis MIE, robotic‐assisted McKeown MIE, robotic‐assisted Ivor Lewis MIE, or mediastinoscopic transmediastinal esophagectomy. Pneumonia, arrhythmia, anastomotic leakage, and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurred at an incidence rate of about 10% each; Ivor Lewis MIE was associated with a relatively low incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. It is important to recognize that the incidences of complications of MIE are influenced by the MIE technique adopted and the extent of lymph node dissection.

Vasohibins (VASH), which are angiogenesis regulators, consist of Vasohibin-1 (VASH1) and Vasohibin-2 (VASH2). VASH1 is an angiogenesis inhibitor, while VASH2 is a proangiogenic factor. Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with high tumor expression levels of VASH1 and VASH2 have been reported to show a poor prognosis. The clinical significance of VASH concentrations in the blood of patients with ESCC has not yet been investigated. Plasma samples from 89 patients with ESCC were analyzed, and the relationships between the plasma VASH concentrations and the clinicopathological factors of the patients were evaluated. Immunohistochemical examination (IHC) of the resected tumor specimens for VASH was performed in 56 patients, and the correlation between the plasma VASH concentrations and tumor expression levels of VASH was analyzed. The patient group with high plasma concentrations of VASH1 showed a higher frequency of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.01) and an invasive growth pattern (P = 0.05). Furthermore, poorly differentiated cancer occurred at a higher frequency in the patient group with high plasma concentrations of VASH2 (P

Purpose This study compared the pros and cons of two post-distal gastrectomy (DG) reconstruction methods by comparing the patient quality of life and functional dynamics at one year postoperatively. Methods We compared functional outcomes between Billroth I following laparoscopic 1/2 DG (L-B1; n = 27) and Roux en Y following laparoscopic 4/5 DG (L-RY; n = 24), including laparoscopic total gastrectomy (L-TG; n = 25), at one year postoperatively. Clinical investigations were performed in each patient, and functional evaluations by the acetaminophen (AAP) absorption test and plasma gastrointestinal hormone measurements were performed in consenting patients in each group (L-B1: n = 10, L-RY: n = 10, L-TG: n = 5). Results Postoperative/preoperative body weight ratios were significantly higher in the L-B1 and L-RY groups, in descending order than the L-TG group, although the meal intake ratio was not significantly different between the L-B1 and L-RY groups. The incidence of remnant gastritis was significantly higher in the B1 than in the RY group. AAP levels, glucose and glucagon-like peptide 1 were significantly lower in the L-B1 than in the L-RY group. Active ghrelin levels (AGL) were similar between the L-B1 and L-RY groups. Conclusions L-B1 maintains gradual intestinal absorption and physiological meal passage and prevents postoperative weight loss. L-RY results in maintenance of the postoperative meal intake via high AGL, equivalent to that in the L-B1 group.

The thoracic inlet space might influence the blood vessel perfusion in the gastric conduit. The purpose of this study was to clarify the impacts of the thoracic inlet space on blood vessel perfusion in the gastric conduit and anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy.One hundred and forty-two esophageal cancer patients underwent esophagectomy followed by gastric conduit reconstruction via the retrosternal route. The blood flow speed in the gastric conduit was measured using indocyanine green fluorescence before and after reconstruction. Parameters at the thoracic inlet space were measured using CT. We then investigated the correlation between these two parameters and whether they could predict anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy.Blood flow speed in the gastric conduit was slower after reconstruction than before reconstruction (P 0.001). The incidence of anastomotic leakage (n = 23) was higher among patients with a delayed blood flow speed before reconstruction (n = 27) than among those with a non-delayed blood flow speed before reconstruction (n = 115) (P 0.001). Among the patients with a non-delayed blood flow speed before reconstruction, the thoracic inlet area (TIA, sternum-tracheal distance × clavicle head distance) was positively correlated with the blood flow speed after reconstruction (P = 0.023) and was identified as an independent predictor of anastomotic leakage (P 0.001).A narrow TIA was associated with a delayed blood flow speed in the gastric conduit after reconstruction and was capable of predicting anastomotic leakage in the patients with a non-delayed blood flow speed before reconstruction.

The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of prone-position computed tomography (CT) for predicting relevant thoracic procedure outcomes in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for thoracic esophageal cancer. Methods A total of 59 patients underwent esophagectomy between May 2019 and December 2020 in Tokai University Hospital. Preoperative CT imaging was conducted with the patient in both the supine and prone positions, and the magnitude of change in the intramediastinal space was calculated. In the 56 patients (94.9%) who had undergone MIE, the effects of such a difference on the surgical outcomes were analyzed. Results A significant correlation of the magnitude of change in VE (distance between ventral aspect of vertebral body and the midpoint of esophagus) with the surgical outcome was revealed in the 17 patients (30.4%) in whom the magnitude of change in VE was over the 75th percentile. That is, in this subgroup, VE showed a negative correlation with the thoracic operation time (p = 0.01) and blood loss during the thoracic procedure (p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified a magnitude of change in VE □9 mm as an independent risk factor for postoperative pneumonia. Conclusion This study indicates that preoperative prone-position CT imaging is useful for predicting the level of ease or difficulty of securing an adequate operative field, surgical outcomes, and the risk of postoperative pneumonia in MIE.

In this study, we investigated how the blood flow of gastric conduit changed due to the difference in the lesser curvature cut line using ICG fluorescence imaging in patients with esophageal cancer. Methods A total of 193 cases of esophageal cancer surgery with gastric conduit reconstruction were included. (Conventional method) The lesser curvature cut line of the stomach was started from a distance of 5 cm from the pylorus (141 cases). (Current method) Gastric lesser curvature dissection was started from the last branch of the left gastric artery (52 cases). Blood flow of the gastric conduit was measured by the ICG fluorescence imaging, and the correlation between the changes in the gastric conduit and both blood flow and anastomotic failure was examined. Results Median length of the lesser curvature cut line was 10 cm from the pylorus in the current method, which was significantly longer than that in the conventional method (P Conclusion By preserving the right gastric artery and vein, improvement of venous return is expected, and it is suggested that blood flow in the gastric conduit wall can be well maintained.

The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of prone-position computed tomography (CT) for predicting relevant thoracic procedure outcomes in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for thoracic esophageal cancer. A total of 59 patients underwent esophagectomy between May 2019 and December 2020 in Tokai University Hospital. Preoperative CT imaging was conducted with the patient in both the supine and prone positions, and the magnitude of change in the intramediastinal space was calculated. In the 56 patients (94.9%) who had undergone MIE, the effects of such a difference on the surgical outcomes were analyzed. A significant correlation of the magnitude of change in VE (distance between ventral aspect of the vertebral body and the midpoint of the esophagus) with the surgical outcome was revealed in the 17 patients (30.4%) in whom the magnitude of change in VE was over the 75th percentile. That is, in this subgroup, the magnitude of change in VE showed a negative correlation with the thoracic operation time (rs = − 0.57, p = 0.01) and blood loss during the thoracic procedure (rs = − 0.46, p = 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified a magnitude of change in VE ≥ 9 mm (OR = 0.14, p = 0.03) as an independent risk factor for postoperative pneumonia. This study indicates that preoperative prone-position CT imaging is useful for predicting the level of ease or difficulty of securing an adequate operative field, surgical outcomes, and the risk of postoperative pneumonia in MIE.

Background Bone marrow transplantation is now an established treatment for some hematopoietic disorders and hematopoietic malignancies, and secondary solid tumors that develop after bone marrow transplantation have begun to attract attention. Case presentation Herein, we report 3 cases of esophageal carcinoma that developed after bone marrow transplantation. Case 1: 40-year-old female received cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation at 12 Gy for acute myeloid leukemia, followed by related bone marrow transplantation. She developed chronic graft-versus-host disease manifesting as pulmonary complications and was administered cyclosporine. Nine years after the transplantation, she was diagnosed as having esophageal carcinoma Stage II and underwent radical surgery. She died of the primary disease 17 months after the surgery. Case 2: A 45-year-old male patient received cyclophosphamide, VP-16 and total body irradiation at 13.2 Gy for acute lymphocytic leukemia, followed by related bone marrow transplantation. He developed chronic graft-versus-host disease manifesting as liver dysfunction. Fifteen years after the transplantation, he was diagnosed as having esophageal carcinoma Stage II and underwent radical surgery. Seven months after the surgery, he died of the primary disease. Case 3: A 30-year-old female patient received cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation at 3 Gy for Fanconi anemia, followed by unrelated bone marrow transplantation. She developed chronic graft-versus-host disease manifesting as a rash and was administered tacrolimus and methotrexate. Fifteen years after the transplantation, she was diagnosed as having esophageal carcinoma Stage III and underwent radical surgery. She died of sepsis 7 months after the surgery. Conclusion The esophageal carcinomas developing after bone marrow transplantation had the characteristics of secondary solid tumors in all 3 patients, such as early onset, after total body irradiation, association with chronic graft-versus-host disease, and history of use of immunosuppressive drugs. Patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation require long-term follow-up after the transplantation, considering the possible development of secondary solid tumors, and in regard to secondary solid tumors developing in the gastrointestinal tract, it must be borne in mind that the risk of esophageal carcinoma is particularly high.

We investigated the effectiveness of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence blood flow imaging of the gastric conduit to evaluate anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy. We identified 19 articles using the PRISMA standard for systematic reviews. The more recent studies reported attempts at objective quantification of ICG fluorescence imaging, rather than qualitative assessment. Anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy occurred in 0-33% of the patients who underwent ICG fluorescence imaging. According to the six studies that compared the incidence of anastomotic leakage in the ICG group and the control group, it ranged from 0 to 18.3% in the ICG group and from 0 to 25.2% in the control group, respectively. Overall, the incidence of anastomotic leakage in the ICG group (8.4%) was lower than that in the control group (18.5%). Although the incidence of anastomotic leakage was as high as 43.1% in patients who did not undergo any intraoperative intervention for poor blood flow, it was only 24% in patients who underwent intraoperative intervention. This systematic review revealed that ICG fluorescence imaging may be a crucial adjunctive tool for reducing anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy, suggesting that it should be performed during esophageal reconstruction.

We have previously demonstrated that the flow speed of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence in the gastric conduit wall could predict anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy. Surround organs via retrosternal route is considered to affect the blood flow in the gastric conduit and anastomotic leakage. In the study, we investigated the impact of the flow speed of ICG fluorescence in the gastric conduit wall and thoracic inlet space on anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy. Methods A total of 142 patients, who underwent esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection, simultaneous reconstruction using a gastric conduit, and cervical anastomosis via retrosternal route, were prospectively investigated. Using ICG fluorescence imaging, blood flow speed of the gastric conduit wall was assessed before and after anastomosis (pre speed and post speed (cm/s)) and correlated with clinicopathological findings. Parameters of thoracic inlet space was assessed using CT scan and correlated with blood flow speed of the gastric conduit wall and anastomotic leakage. Results Median pre speed was 2.54 (0.73–6.10) cm/s and median post speed was dropped by 1.77 (0.32–8.67) cm/s. Speed reduction (pre speed—post speed) and speed reduction rate ((pre speed—post speed)/pre speed) were negatively correlated with thoracic inlet area (TIA) (P = 0.004, P = 0.021). Pre speed and post speed of the patients with anastomotic leakage were significantly slower than those of the patients without anastomotic leakage, respectively (P Conclusion We clearly demonstrated that retrosternal route reduced the blood flow of the gastric conduit wall using ICG fluorescence imaging. Narrow thoracic inlet space might obstruct the blood flow of the gastric conduit wall and cause anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy.

Background Surgery for cases of thoracic esophageal cancer with a right aortic arch is rare, and the anatomic abnormalities in such patients necessitate a different surgical approach. Since the position of the recurrent laryngeal nerve often differs from the usual in these cases, the lymph node dissection around the recurrent laryngeal nerve, which is an important step in surgery for thoracic esophageal cancer, requires careful attention. There are some reports on the usefulness of intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring during esophageal cancer surgery. Herein, we report a case of successful thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in a patient with a right aortic arch using intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring. Case presentation A 70-year-old man was diagnosed as having esophageal cancer (Ut, type 0-IIc, T1b/MtLt, type 0-IIc, T1b, N2, M0, cStage II) and was treated by neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery. Preoperative CT examination revealed a right aortic arch, and based on the findings of 3D-CT, we classified the right aortic arch as type IIIB1 (Edwards classification), which is the most frequent type of right aortic arch. We performed thoracoscopic esophagectomy via a left thoracic approach with the patient placed in the prone position, cervical esophagogastric conduit reconstruction via the retrosternal route, and three-field lymph node dissection. Although Kommerell’s diverticulum could be easily confirmed, the descending aorta took a meandering course, making it difficult for the esophagus to be mobilized and detached and therefore also to identify the ductus arteriosus and left recurrent laryngeal nerve. Intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring using NIM-RESPONSE® 3.0 (Medtronic Japan, Tokyo, Japan) allowed the position of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve to be accurately determined, and upper mediastinal lymph node dissection and mobilization of the upper thoracic esophagus were performed safely. Postoperatively, the patient showed no evidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, but needed conservative treatment for anastomotic leakage. The patient was discharged 46 days after the surgery. Conclusion It was suggested that intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring is useful in esophageal cancer with a right aortic arch undergoing surgery, in whom anatomic abnormalities of the recurrent laryngeal nerve can be expected.

Patients with esophageal neuroendocrine carcinoma (ENEC), which is a rare disease, are considered to have a poor prognosis because of aggressive progression and widespread dissemination (1). The optimal treatment strategy for ENEC remains to be established. In this report, we describe a patient with ENEC who successfully achieved a pathologically complete response with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Preoperative simulation of the thoracic duct using magnetic resonance thoracic ductography (MRTD) would enable a safe lymph node dissection near the thoracic duct and the prevention of chylothorax after an esophagectomy. The aim of this study was to determine whether MRTD is useful for preventing injury to the thoracic duct during surgery and for reducing the incidence of chylothorax after surgery. We evaluated 130 patients who underwent preoperative MRTD followed by a thoracoscopic esophagectomy for the treatment of thoracic esophageal cancer between August 2014 and April 2017 (MRTD group). These patients were then compared with 160 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent a thoracoscopic esophagectomy without preoperative MRTD (non-MRTD group). Four patients in the non-MRTD group developed Type IIIB chylothorax (International Consensus on Standardization), while none of the patients in the MRTD group developed Type III chylothorax. Some type of abnormal finding was found during MRTD in 24 patients (18.5%). Among them, 13 patients (10.0%) exhibited abnormal divergence, which was the most frequent finding, followed by 5 patients (3.8%) with window formation and 2 patients (1.5%) with stitch formation. The present study revealed the frequencies of abnormal findings of the thoracic duct and of patients with false-negative MRTD findings. Injury to the thoracic duct can be avoided through the use of appropriate care during procedures performed in patients with abnormal findings on preoperative MRTD.

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSC) of the esophagus is classified as an epithelial malignant tumor and is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Most previous reports have suggested that advanced BSC has a poorer prognosis than typical SCC because of its high biological malignancy, but the biological activity of superficial BSC remains unclear. Twenty cases of superficial BSC, which underwent surgical resection in Tokai University Hospital between January 2004 and December 2013, were analyzed retrospectively. Among these cases, 19 cases with a T1 depth of invasion (BSC group) were compared with 180 cases of SCC that were resected during the same period and were pathologically diagnosed as T1 (SCC group). The frequency of lymph node metastasis in the T1 BSC group was significantly lower (2 patients, 11%) than that in the SCC group (84 patients, 47%) (P = 0.005). The frequency of lymphatic invasion in the BSC group was also lower (9 patients, 47%) than that in the SCC group (131 patients, 73%) (P = 0.021). The pathological type of the metastatic lymph node was BSC in all the superficial BSC cases with lymph node metastasis. This study demonstrated that lymph node metastasis was less likely to occur in cases with superficial BSC than in cases with superficial SCC.

A 65-year-old woman with no significant medical history visited the emergency department complaining of epigastric discomfort. A computed tomography of the thorax and abdomen showed the attenuation of the pulmonary artery and a posterior mediastinal hematoma. Angiography showed a tortuous esophageal branch of the left gastric artery and a pseudoaneurysm, and during the later phase, the left lower lobe of the lung was enhanced, and finally, the left pulmonary vein was enhanced. We considered that the patient was exhibiting hypoperfusion of the left pulmonary artery arising from left pulmonary artery hypoplasia, since the left lung was supplying the systemic circulation. Transcatheter arterial embolization was performed. The patient has not experienced any recurrence of a ruptured pseudoaneurysm or epigastric discomfort. Here, we report the first documented case of pulmonary artery hypoplasia associated with posterior mediastinal hematoma accompanied by a ruptured aneurysm of the left gastric artery.

The present study investigated prognostic factors in patients with resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) among various clinicopathological features related to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and surgery, and the indications for additional treatment after surgery were considered. A total of 113 patients with clinical stage II or III ESCC, who had undergone NAC followed by a thoracic esophagectomy with a three-field lymphadenectomy were retrospectively reviewed. NAC consisted of either two courses of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil or three courses of docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, with a new course beginning every 3 weeks. The overall survival (OS) rate was poorer in the pN-positive group than in the pN-negative group (P

SUMMARY The relationship between lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and prognosis in patients with superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC) is unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate prognostic factors in patients with lymph node-negative SESCC. A total of 195 patients with pathologically confirmed T1a-MM, T1b, and lymph node-negative SESCC were retrospectively reviewed in this study. Overall, the disease-free survival (DFS) rate was poorer in the lymphatic invasion-positive group than in the lymphatic invasion-negative group (p = 0.002) and a multivariate analysis suggested that lymphatic invasion was the only independent prognostic factor of DFS in patients with lymph node-negative SESCC (HR = 4.075, p = 0.005). Distant organ recurrence occurred in one patient (1/52, 1.9%) in the T1b-SM2 group and in six patients (6/61, 9.7%) in the T1b-SM3 group; all of these patients had LVI. LVI-positive patients had a poorer DFS than invasion-negative patients in the T1b-SM2 and SM3 groups (p = 0.026), and a multivariate analysis suggested that LVI was the only independent prognostic factor of DFS in patients with lymph node-negative SM2 and SM3 SESCC (HR = 5.165, p = 0.031). Lymph node-positive patients had a significantly poorer DFS rate than lymph node negative and LVI positive patients among the SM2 and SM3 SESCC patients (p = 0.018). The present results suggested that LVI was an independent prognostic factor in patients with SM2 and SM3 lymph node-negative SESCC; however their prognosis was not worse than that of patients with lymph node-positive SM2 and SM3 SESCC, for whom adjuvant therapy is indicated as a standard treatment.

SUMMARY Nononcological prognostic factors in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC) patients remain unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between sarcopenia and surgical outcome in patients with SESCC who had undergone definitive surgery. A total of 194 SESCC patients who had undergone thoracic esophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy without neoadjuvant therapy at Tokai University Hospital between January 2006 and December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Manual tracing using CT imaging was used to measure the cross-sectional areas of the skeletal muscle mass. The cutoff values for the skeletal muscle index used to define sarcopenia were based on the results of a previous study. Twenty-eight patients (14.4%) had sarcopenia, while the remaining 166 patients (85.6%) did not. A multivariate analysis suggested that sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for postoperative pulmonary complications (OR = 3.232, P = 0.026). The overall survival rate and the disease-free survival rate were both significantly worse in the sarcopenia group than in the nonsarcopenia group (P

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is very rare in adults. The first choice of treatment is surgery, but the optimal surgical method remains unclear. We performed laparoscopic surgeries for two types of congenital diaphragmatic hernias using a novel mesh coated with a chemically modified substance. The first patient was a 65-year-old man with a Bochdalek hernia without a hernial sac, and the other patient was an 80-year-old woman with a Morgagni hernia with a hernial sac. The short-term outcomes of both cases were good, and laparoscopic repair seems to be a useful strategy regardless of the presence or absence of a hernial sac.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by surgery is the standard treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed as clinical stage II/III in Japan, and the indications for chemotherapy for esophageal cancer are increasing. Here, we report two patients who suffered from upper gastrointestinal perforation during NAC for esophageal cancer. NAC with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (CF regimen) was performed for both patients. Emergency operations were performed in all the patients prior to curative surgery for esophageal cancer. Endoscopic examination should be performed to confirm peptic ulcers or scars before NAC with CF regimen, and premedication with a proton pump inhibitor and the avoidance of steroid use are recommended for patients with a history of peptic ulcer to prevent perforation during NAC. Whether the occurrence of perforations during NAC is a risk factor for recurrence or a poor prognosis should be investigated in patients with esophageal cancer.

Simple Summary In Japan, the therapeutic strategies for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are based on the results of multi-institutional trials conducted by the Japan Esophageal Oncology Group (JEOG), a subgroup of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG). Since there are several differences in the factors influencing the treatment approach for esophageal cancer between Eastern and Western countries, the therapeutic strategies adopted in Asian countries, especially Japan, are often different from those in Western countries. Because a transthoracic esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection has been performed as a standard surgical procedure for advanced thoracic ESCC in Japan, multimodal treatment for ESCC has been developed to improve the surgical outcomes after this relatively invasive surgical procedure. In this review, we describe the history and current status of therapeutic strategies for ESCC in Japan with a focus on the results of clinical trials conducted by the JEOG. Abstract In Japan, the therapeutic strategies adopted for esophageal carcinoma are based on the results of multi-institutional trials conducted by the Japan Esophageal Oncology Group (JEOG), a subgroup of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG). Owing to the differences in the proportion of patients with squamous cell carcinoma among all patients with esophageal carcinoma, chemotherapeutic drugs available, and surgical procedures employed, the therapeutic strategies adopted in Asian countries, especially Japan, are often different from those in Western countries. The emphasis in respect of postoperative adjuvant therapy for patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) shifted from postoperative radiotherapy in the 1980s to postoperative chemotherapy in the 1990s. In the 2000s, the optimal timing of administration of perioperative adjuvant chemotherapy returned from the postoperative adjuvant setting to the preoperative neoadjuvant setting. Recently, the JEOG commenced a three-arm randomized controlled trial of neoadjuvant therapies (cisplatin + 5-fluorouracil (CF) vs. CF + docetaxel (DCF) vs. CF + radiation therapy (41.4 Gy) (CRT)) for localized advanced ESCC, and patient recruitment has been completed. Salvage and conversion surgeries for ESCC have been developed in Japan, and the JEOG has conducted phase I/II trials to confirm the feasibility and safety of such aggressive surgeries. At present, the JEOG is conducting several trials for patients with resectable and unresectable ESCC, according to the tumor stage. Herein, we present a review of the JEOG trials conducted for advanced ESCC.

Background Mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) is a tumor of the gastrointestinal tract that contains both exocrine and endocrine components, with each component exceeding 30% of the total tumor area. Because MANECs are exceedingly rare, no therapeutic strategies have been established yet. Case presentation An 81-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a 5-month history of dysphagia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an ulcerated mass in the lower thoracic esophagus, extending up to the esophagogastric junction (33 to 40 cm from the incisors). The initial biopsy diagnosis was adenocarcinoma. Computed tomography revealed no evidence of lymph node or distant metastasis. The patient was treated by thoracoscopic esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection and gastric tube reconstruction via a posterior mediastinal approach, under the diagnosis of esophagogastric junctional cancer (T3N0M0, stage IIA). Histopathological examination revealed two distinct components, namely, a neuroendocrine carcinoma component and an adenocarcinoma component, and the patient was diagnosed as having mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC). He presented with liver metastasis 6 months after the surgery. Thereafter, the tumor became even more aggressive, and the patient died 8 months after the surgery. Conclusions We report a patient with MANEC of the esophagogastric junction. Close attention should be paid to such patients, as MANEC can be a highly aggressive tumor, showing rapid progression. In the treatment of MANEC, it is necessary to carefully consider the pathological features in each individual case.

Vasohibin (VASH) -1 and -2 are novel angiogenic regulators. The aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic values of VASH1 expression and VASH2 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A total of 209 patients with ESCC were investigated. Resected tumor specimens were immunostained using anti-CD34 antibody, anti-VASH1 antibody and anti-VASH2 antibody. The ratio of the microvessels density and the VASH1 density as the VASH1-positive ratio were defined and the patients were divided into two groups (a high VASH1 group and a low VASH1 group) according to the average value. The patients were also divided into two groups (a high VASH2 group and a low VASH2 group) according to VASH2 expression upon immunostaining. The clinical outcomes of these two groups were then evaluated. The high VASH1 group contained 106 patients (50.7%). The high VASH2 group contained 48 patients (23.0%). Long-term survival was significantly poorer in the high VASH1 group compared with that in the low VASH1 group. A slight correlation between VASH1 expression and VASH2 expression was observed. The low VASH1/low VASH2 group had a better prognosis than the other three groups with different combinations of VASH1 and VASH2 expression levels. The present study showed that high VASH1 expression and high VASH2 expression may be novel independent predictors of a poor prognosis in patients with ESCC and that a slight correlation between VASH1 and VASH2 expression existed. The present findings suggest that combined evaluation of VASH1 and VASH2 expression should provide an improved understanding of their clinicopathological features.

The Wnt signaling pathway is widely implicated in various types of cancer. Canonical Wnt signaling, including Wnt3a, may be a key component of cancer progression or chemoresistance. Consequently, it was hypothesized that Wnt3a expression may be a prognostic factor of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) due to its roles in chemoresistance and tumor progression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between Wnt3a expression and prognosis in patients with ESCC. Wnt3a expression was evaluated in resected specimens from 139 patients with thoracic ESCC who were subjected to curative surgery without neoadjuvant therapy in Tokai University Hospital between 2007 and 2009. Samples were assessed using immnohistochemistry. Patients with ESCC were divided into two groups according to the expression of Wnt3a in tumor tissue. The influence of Wnt3a expression on clinicopathological findings and prognosis of ESCC were subsequently investigated. Immnohistologically, 68 cases were Wnt3a-positive in the cytoplasm of cancer cells, whereas 71 cases were negative. Multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazard model showed the association between pN (HR=3.539, P=0.001), venous invasion (HR=2.798, P=0.012), Wnt3a expression (HR=1.691, P=0.046) and overall survival (OS). OS rate and disease-free survival rate were poorer in Wnt3a-positive group compared with those in the Wnt3a-negative group as indicated by the log-rank test (P=0.012 and P=0.023, respectively). In pathological stages I and II, there was no significant difference in the OS rate between Wnt3a-positive and Wnt3a-negative groups; however, the OS rate of the Wnt3a-positive group was significantly worse than that of Wnt3a-negative group in pathological stage III (log rank test; P=0.017). Wnt3a-positive patients with recurrence had a significantly poorer prognosis compared with Wnt3a-negative patients (log-rank test; P=0.023). The present findings suggested that Wnt3a may be a prognostic factor of ESCC.

Background Plication of an esophageal hiatus during surgery for esophageal hiatal hernia is a common practice; however, a mesh may be used if the hiatus is markedly enlarged. Recently, various late complications occurring as a result of mesh-induced esophageal and/or gastric wall injuries have been reported. Case presentation A 71-year-old woman presented at a neighborhood clinic in November 2010 with chief complaints of respiratory distress on exertion and heartburn. She was diagnosed as having a large esophageal hiatal hernia and was treated at our hospital using a laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication with mesh repair of the esophageal hiatus. Two years and 1 month after the operation, the patient complained of a bowel obstruction. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed that part of the mesh had extruded into the esophageal lumen, resulting in ulceration and stricture of the esophageal wall. Endoscopic balloon dilatation failed to improve the esophageal stricture. In July 2012, the patient underwent a lower esophagectomy with proximal gastrectomy and was discharged on the 25th hospital day. Conclusions We experienced a rare case requiring surgical treatment for a mesh-induced esophageal wall injury after surgery for a giant esophageal hiatal hernia. The selection of a soft, durable mash and its firm securement at a position distant from the gastrointestinal wall may be important to avoid late esophageal wall injury.