Fumiro Mochizuki

Evaluation of serum CEA and CA19-9 levels as prognostic factors in patients with gastric cancer

Background. This clinicopathological study evaluated the utility of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 as predictors of locoregional recurrence and long-term disease-free survival in patients with gastric cancer. Methods. During the period January 1989 to December 1994, 485 patients with primary gastric cancer were evaluated. Gastrectomies were performed in 434 patients. Prognostic factors were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate analysis, using Cox regression. Results. Elevated serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were observed in 92 of the 485 patients (19.0%), and in 95 of the 435 patients (21.8%), respectively, and both markers were elevated in 29 of these 435 patients (6.7%). Elevated serum CEA and CA19-9 levels correlated well with lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion, vessel invasion, stage grouping, depth of invasion, and curability. Patients with elevated serum CEA levels were at significantly higher risk of having all recurrence factors than were those with normal serum CEA levels. Patients with elevated serum CA19-9 levels were at significantly higher risk of having peritoneal metastases and distant metastases than were those with normal serum CA19-9 levels. A significant difference in the cumulative survival curves of patients was demonstrated between those with elevated and those with normal serum CEA or CA19-9 levels, even for patients at the same disease stage (stage III). Patients with elevated levels of both markers had a significantly worse prognosis than patients in whom the levels of both markers were normal. In patients who underwent gastrectomy, elevated serum CEA levels either preoperatively or within 3 weeks after gastrectomy were associated with significantly worse prognosis than were normal levels. When the cutoff level of serum CEA was increased to 10 ng/ml, serum CEA, age, lymph node metastasis, and surgical stage grouping were selected as independent prognostic factors by multivariate analysis of 14 prognostic factors, using Cox regression. Conclusion. Serum CEA and CA19-9 levels provide additional prognostic information in patients with primary gastric cancer. In particular, an elevated serum CEA level provides additional prognostic information and is a useful indicator of curability in patients who undergo gastrectomy. Serum CEA level is an independent prognostic factor in patients with primary gastric cancer.

Is there a benefit of pancreaticosplenectomy with gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND In Japan, wide resection with extended lymph node dissection has been performed for advanced cancer with good prognosis. Pancreaticosplenectomy with gastrectomy is performed to facilitate dissection of the lymph nodes around the splenic artery. We attempted to evaluate the effects of pancreaticosplenectomy and splenectomy with gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer. METHODS Gastric cancer patients underwent splenectomy with gastrectomy (78 cases), pancreaticosplenectomy with gastrectomy (105 cases), or gastrectomy alone (1,755 cases). Survival rates were compared among the three groups for each factor of the depth of invasion, stage, and curability. RESULTS There were no significant differences among the three groups. Pancreaticosplenectomy or splenectomy with gastrectomy to dissect lymph nodes does not improve survival but is associated with severe complications. CONCLUSIONS The spleen should be resected when a patient has clearly positive node metastasis around the splenic hilus and artery, and pancreaticosplenectomy be performed when the cancer lesion invades the pancreas.

Clinicopathological study of brain metastasis in gastric cancer patients

Brain metastasis from cancers of the gastrointestinal tract is uncommon; brain metastasis from gastric cancer is rare and its incidence is low. Brain metastasis of gastric cancer is often difficult to treat and is resectable in only a few cases. We have treated three patients who had a solitary brain metastasis after a gastrectomy. These three cases are reviewed along with eight other previously reported cases of brain metastasis to clarify the clinicopathological features and to suggest guidelines for patients with metastatic brain tumors. The clinicopathological features of 11 cases of brain metastasis were analyzed. For comparison purposes, the 11 cases were classified into three groups as follows: a resection group, a chemoradiotherapy group, and a nontreatment group. All the patients had advanced gastric cancer of stage III or more. The resection group had the most survivors, and survival rates decreased in the order of the resection group, the chemoradiotherapy group, and the nontreatment group. There was a statistically significant difference between the resection group and the nontreatment group (P 5 0.0177). Aggressive multidisciplinary treatment, including a resection, for brain metastasis should improve the quality of life and prolong life expectancy.

Clinicopathological features of the superficial spreading type of early gastric cancer.

Background. During a 10-year period (1986–1995), 59 of 538 patients with early gastric cancer (11.0%) had the superficial spreading type of gastric cancer. We attempted to elucidate the clinicopathological features and investigated the influence of those features on surgical procedures and patient prognoses. Methods. These 59 superficial spreading lesions were analyzed with respect to macroscopic type, lymph node (LN) metastasis, recurrent pattern, and method of surgical operation. In addition, the lesions were compared with those of 393 other patients with small-sized cancer. Results. In both groups, the IIc type macroscopic lesion occurred most frequently, and the depressed subtype occurred more frequently than the elevated subtype. There was no significant histologic difference between the groups. The incidence of LN metastasis was 8.7% in early gastric cancer, 7.1% in small-sized cancer, and 20.3% in superficial spreading cancer. The incidence of lymphovascular invasion was 24.4% in small-sized cancer and 50.8% in superficial spreading cancer. The incidences of LN metastasis and lymphovascular invasion were greater in superficial spreading cancer than in small-sized cancer. Despite extensive preoperative examination, determination of the tumor margin was impossible in 26 of the 59 patients with superficial spreading cancer. The incidence of recurrence was 2.0% in small-sized cancer and 5.1% in superficial spreading cancer. Conclusions. A wide resection with extensive lymph node dissection (D2 or more) seems to be an appropriate treatment for the superficial spreading type of early gastric cancer.