Mami Kanamoto

Real time elastography for noninvasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE The accurate preoperative evaluation of liver fibrosis stage is important in determining surgical procedures. Although percutaneous liver biopsy is the gold standard, it may cause undesirable complications, such as bleeding. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of real-time tissue elastography for the preoperative assessment of liver fibrosis stage. METHODS We focused on a new mode of sonogram, real-time elastography, which can show tissue elasticity on images, and express the elasticity numerically. The elastic ratio of the liver for the intercostal muscle for each patient was calculated preoperatively, using the sonography device. The liver fibrosis stages were finally determined in the operative specimens from 41 patients. We examined the correlation between the elastic ratio and the histological fibrosis stage. RESULTS The lower the elastic ratio, the more advanced was the liver fibrosis stage. There was a significant correlation between the elastic ratio and the histological fibrosis stage. The area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve for the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis using this device was superior to those conventionally determined by blood parameters. CONCLUSIONS Real-time elastography is a promising sonography-based noninvasive method for the preoperative assessment of liver fibrosis.

Homing effect of adipose-derived stem cells to the injured liver: the shift of stromal cell-derived factor 1 expressions

Whether systemically transplanted human adipose‐derived stem cells (ADSCs) homed to the injured liver in nude mice under stress with subsequent hepatectomy (Hx) and ischemia‐reperfusion (I/R) was investigated in the present study. The types of cells in the liver that were involved in the homing of ADSCs were clarified, with focus on the stromal‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1)/C‐X‐C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR‐4) axis.

Sclerosed hemangioma of the liver: Report of a case and review of the literature.

A sclerosed hemangioma of the liver is an extremely rare type of benign hepatic tumor. A 77‐year‐old female was referred to Tokushima University Hospital with fever, abnormal liver function tests and a large liver mass. The tumor, 10 × 5 cm in size and located in segment 5–6 of the liver, was depicted as a low density tumor with enhancement by computed tomography (CT). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed it to be a tumor with a low signal on T1‐weighted and a high signal on T2‐weighted images. The patient was negative for hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C antibody. She underwent a right hepatectomy for possible malignant liver tumors, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma or fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. The following histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed the tumor to be a hepatic sclerosed hemangioma with characteristic dense collagenous tissues. We report here on the case of this unusual tumor and review the relevant literature.

Specific miRNA expression profiles of non‐tumor liver tissue predict a risk for recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma

It is reasonable to investigate non‐tumor liver tissues to predict a risk for development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A molecular analysis of chronically damaged liver tissues may identify specific miRNA expression profiles associated with a risk for multicentric (MC) HCC.

Loss of FBXW7 expression is associated with poor prognosis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

FBXW7 acts as a tumor suppressor gene by targeting several oncogenic regulators of proliferation, growth and apoptosis for proteasomal degradation. However, the significance of this protein is not yet well understood in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC). In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between FBXW7 expression and clinicopathological variables in IHCC patients.

Hypoxia Inducible Factor Expression in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIMS Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) is known to be one of the most malignant tumors. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor, which plays a central role in biologic processes under hypoxic conditions. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of HIF-1 in IHCC. METHODOLOGY Thirty-five patients with IHCC who underwent hepatic resection were enrolled in this study. The expression of HIF-1a was determined immunohistochemically and the patients were divided into two groups: HIF-1a positive group (n=22) and HIF-1a negative group (n=13). Clinicopathological variables including prognosis were compared between the two groups. The prognostic factors were investigated by multivariate analysis using Coxs proportional hazard model. RESULTS HIF-1a expression correlated significantly with higher stage, and tended to correlate with tumor diameter (>4cm), vessels infiltration and intrahepatic metastasis. The prognosis in HIF-1a positive group was poorer than that in HIF-1a negative group (5-year survival: 62.9% vs. 18.3%). Furthermore, HIF-1a positive expression was identified as an independent prognostic factor for both overall and disease free survival. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggested that the intratumoral HIF-1a regulated malignant behavior and was a new prognostic indicator of IHCC.

The role of Fbxw7 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent non‐tumor liver tissue

Fbxw7 is a tumor suppressor gene through ubiquitination and degradation of multiple oncoproteins. Loss of Fbxw7 expression is frequently observed in various human cancers. In the present study, we examined the role of Fbxw7 expression in both non‐tumor liver tissues and tumor tissues on clinicopathological significance.

Benefits of simultaneous laparoscopic resection of primary colorectal cancer and liver metastases

Recently, consensus on the optimal strategy for resectable synchronous colorectal liver metastases (LM) seems to have shifted toward simultaneous resection. However, there are still relatively few reports about simultaneous laparoscopic resection. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of patients who underwent simultaneous laparoscopic resection.

Clinical role of Notch signaling pathway in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas

This study was performed to elucidate the expression of the Notch signaling pathway and its correlations to clinicopathological factors of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). It is incontrovertible that regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role in tumor immunity. However, the whole mechanism of control of peripheral Tregs remains unclear. It is also known that the Notch signaling pathway is involved in Treg suppressor function. Moreover, IPMNs have a high malignant potential.

Effect of Twist and Bmi1 on intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a well‐established entity among pancreatic neoplasms that ranges from low‐grade dysplasia to invasive carcinoma. Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to tumor progression in various cancers. Moreover, Notch signaling is one of the important upstream effectors of EMT promotion. Currently, it is unclear whether EMT causes pathological progression of IPMN.