Madoka Itoh

Assessment of chemoembolization therapy for primary liver cancer using a stabilized Adriamycin-lipiodol suspension

SummaryWe formulated a new lipiodol-Adriamycin suspension (ADM/lipiodol, 50 mg/10 ml) that remained stable for 48 h (half-life, 25±3 days). In five cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) resected after intra-arterial infusion of this agent, the ADM concentration in the tumor was quite high and the tumor necrosis rate was more than 80% on histological examination. Over a 5-year period, 180 patients with unresectable HCC underwent transcatheter arterial embolization therapy (TAE) in the presence or absence of this agent. The regimens consisted of suspension injection alone (A,n=54), suspension injection+TAE using gelatin sponge (B,n=29), TAE followed by suspension injection (C,n=34), and TAE alone (D,n=63). The estimated 1-year survival values determined for patients treated with these regimens were 70%, 73%, 43%, and 39% respectively, and the corresponding 3-year survival values were 27%, 31%, 15%, and 10%. The survival achieved using suspension injection was thus superior to that obtained using conventional TAE, and combined therapy with suspension injection followed by TAE seemed to enhance survival, although there were some biases in tumor size and in the stage of tumor progression. For patients with tumors measuring 5 cm or more in diameter, the survival obtained using regimen A was lower than that achieved using regimen D, but the combination of TAE and suspension injection improved the 1-year survival value obtained using regimen D from 34% to 52%. For patients with tumors measuring less than 5 cm in diameter, the survival achieved using regimen A was markedly better than that obtained using regimen D, although no difference was found between the survival value achieved using regimen A and that obtained using regimens B and C. On the basis of these results, our newly formulated ADM-lipiodol suspension was surmised to be effective by itself against relatively small HCC tumors, whereas it enhanced the efficacy of conventional TAE in large lesions.

Intestinal tuberculosis: Findings on double-contrast barium enema

Seven cases of intestinal tuberculosis in an active stage were studied by the double-contrast barium enema (DCBE) method. Formerly, diagnosis of intestinal tuberculosis in the early stage by single-contrast barium enema (SCBE) and barium meals was based on functional phenomena, such as spasm and hypermotility of the ileocecal region. Presently, this can be better accomplished by DCBE. DCBE enables the detection of shallow ulcers with their characteristic elevated margins. These ulcers are frequently slim and transversally oriented. Confluence of ulcers may create whole girdle ulcers or affecte entire segments. In more advanced stages, characteristic deformities, also evident by SCBE, such as symmetrical annular stenoses, shortening, retraction, pouch formation, and the frequently observed pathology of the ileocecal valve and the cecal region, acquire a new dimension with DCBE.

Treatment of choice for unresectable small liver cancer: percutaneous ethanol injection therapy or transarterial chemoembolization therapy

Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become easier with recent advances in imaging diagnosis, but the tumor is frequently unresectable due to underlying advanced liver cirrhosis. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) and transarterial chemoembolization therapy (TACE) for small liver cancers measuring 3 cm or less in diameter and discussed the treatment of choice for unresectable cases. The tumors were divided into two groups on the basis of size: 1.5 cm or less (group A) and 1.6–3 cm in diameter (group B). In group A, the estimated 1- and 3-year survival rates were both 82% for a total of 19 cases. The survival value determined for 10 patients treated with PEIT was slightly higher than that found for 9 patients treated with TACE. In group B, the overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival values for a total of 56 patients were estimated at 83%, 60%, and 35%, respectively. The survial rates for 41 patients treated with TACE were 82%, 53%, and 28% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. PEIT was performed on only 6 patients, whose survival rate was equivalent to that of a surgical resection group. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates for 9 patients who underwent surgical resection were estimated to be 100%, 85%, and 68%, respectively. Based on these results, PEIT seems to be the treatment of first choice for patients with small liver cancers measuring less than 1.5 cm in diameter if the tumor is thought to be unresectable because of associated severe liver cirrhosis. On the other hand, tumors measuring 1.6–3 cm in diameter must first be treated with TACE using a long-acting Lipiodol-carcinostatic suspension, even if resectable. In addition to the tumor size, dynamic CT is also useful for prospective decision of the therapeutic strategy. If the mass is demonstrated to be a hypervascular lesion by dynamic CT, TACE must be selected as the treatment of first choice, even for small lesions measuring 1.5 cm or less in diameter.

Intrahepatic portal-systemic shunt: Its etiology and diagnosis

SummaryFour cases of enormous shunt between portal and hepatic veins (portal-hepatic venous shunt) are reported with special reference to sonographic and portographic findings. Ultrasonography, an examination for screening, delineated a snail-like anechoic area in the liver, its connection with the portal and hepatic veins, and marked dilatation of the veins connecting with the shunt. Transarterial or percutaneous transhepatic portography, a method for definitive diagnosis, demonstrated large pooling of the contrast medium flowing from the dilated portal branch and subsequent visualization of the hepatic vein. The etiology and prognosis are unknown at present. The most likely pathogenesis for this shunt seemed to be a congenital anomaly, namely, persistence of the omphalomesenteric venous system. With recent advances in and the more frequent use of real-time ultrasonography, detection of this kind of vascular abnormality will doubtless increase.

A large inferior mesenteric-caval shunt via the internal iliac vein

SummaryA large portosystemic shunt between the inferior mesenteric vein and the right internal iliac vein in a 28-yr-old non-cirrhotic man is presented. This collateral was discovered by ultrasound done as a screening examination for gastrointestinal bleeding. The direct communication of the inferior mesenteric vein with the internal iliac vein was demonstrated by computed tomography and percutaneous transhepatic portography. Surgical ligation of the collateral, performed to prevent future portosystemic encephalopathy, resulted in reduction of serum ammonia level and cessation of long-standing hemorrhoidal bleeding.

Immunohistochemical Study of Neuron- Specific Enolase and CA 19-9 in Pancreatic Disorders The Value of Neuron-Specific Enolase as a Marker for Islet Cell and Nerve Tissue

Immunohistochemical studies of neuron-specific enolase were performed on pancreatic tissues from patients with insulinoma, nonfunctioning islet cell tumor, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and from 5 normal patients. The concentration of neuron-specific enolase was also measured in the sera of patients and in the pancreatic tissue, and the tissues were stained for carbohydrate antigen 19-9 by immunohistochemical techniques. Neuron-specific enolase was localized in nerve fibers, normal islet cells, and islet cell tumors; its concentration was elevated only in the tissue of islet cell tumors and in serum from patients with insulinoma. In the pancreatic tissue of pancreatitis or pancreatic adenocarcinoma, various changes in acini and islets were present. The altered islets stained clearly for neuron-specific enolase and could easily be distinguished from altered, unstained acini in cases of pancreatitis or pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Islets in the pancreatic tissue remained intact with various morphologic changes, although acini had degenerated severely. Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 was localized in all the carcinoma cells in the pancreatic tissue and in some of the normal pancreatic ducts. No cells were simultaneously immunostained by anti-neuron-specific enolase and anti-carbohydrate antigen 19-9 antibodies. Thus, neuron-specific enolase is a good marker for islet cell tumor, and is valuable for examining islets in pancreas with various disorders both alone and in combination with other tumor markers.

Multiple bile duct cancers presenting 3 years after resection of early gallbladder cancer: Case report

A 76-year-old woman underwent combined resection of the gallbladder plus partial hepatectomy for early gallbladder cancer. From the pathology results, the surgical treatment was deemed to have been curative. However, 3 years later, the patient was readmitted to the hospital with an elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography demonstrated irregularity of the common hepatic duct and the left intrahepatic bile duct, and percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy revealed two separate papillary tumors at these sites. A diagnosis of multiple carcinomas of the bile duct was made and left hepatic lobectomy and resection of the extrahepatic bile duct was performed; reconstruction was carried out with a right hepatico-jejunostomy with Roux-en-Y anastomosis. Microscopic study revealed that both of the lesions were papillary adenocarcinomas, and normal biliary mucosa was confirmed to exist between them.

A long-survival case of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma treated with nonsurgical interventions.

患者は49歳男性で,腹部膨満感を主訴に1984年5月11日に入院した.腹部超音波検査にて,肝右葉の表面に突出する径4cmの腫瘤と大量の腹水およびその中に浮遊する点状高エコーを認め,肝細胞癌の破裂による腹腔内出血を疑った.腹腔穿刺にて血性腹水を確認した後,止血と肝腫瘍の治療を目的に緊急血管栓塞術を行った.治療後のCTでは腫瘍の完全壊死が示唆され,2ヵ月後には退院となったが,6ヵ月後に肝左葉に新たな結節が出現し,再び血管栓塞療法を行った.その2年後より,次々に腫瘍の再発を認めたが,化学栓塞療法(計3回)や経皮的エタノール注入療法(計6回)などで7年10ヵ月の生存が得られた.剖検ではほとんどの腫瘍は壊死に陥っており,尾状葉に発生した腫瘍よりの出血とそれに伴う肝不全が死因と思われた.腹腔内出血で発症する肝細胞癌の予後は極めて不良とされているが,本例では集学的治療で約8年の生存が得られた.