Masayuki Fujino

Outcome of gastric carcinoma detected by gastric mass survey in Japan.

The outcome was studied of gastric carcinoma found in six selected mass survey groups. One-hundred-and-thirty-seven cases of gastric carcinoma were detected and followed-up postoperatively for 16 years at the longest. They consisted of 55 cases of early and 74 of advanced carcinoma with eight cases of unknown depth of involvement. Early carcinoma amounted to 42-6% of the cases with known depth of involvement. The relative five-year and 10-year survival rates calculated by the method of Ederer et al. (1961) in the 137 cases were 0-628 and 0-642, respectively, and those for early carcinoma were 0-959 and 1-016. These survival rates are remarkably high. The five-year survival rate in those who were followed-up after operation for more than five years (83 cases) was 0-554, which is much higher than that of the outpatient cases, who presented themselves for medical advice with some symptoms. The good prognosis is largely explained by a high incidence of early gastric carcinoma in the cases detected in the mass survey. Where methods of screening were concerned, the use of the gastrocamera markedly improved the detection rate of gastric carcinoma.

Identification of carcinoembryonic antigen in the C‐Cell of the normal thyroid

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) activity was confirmed in the C‐cell of the normal thyroid by immunohistochemical techniques. This suggests that CEA production in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is not initiated by carcinogenesis, but reflects a function of the normal C‐cell. It is not yet clear whether CEA production in the C‐cell may be influenced by carcinogenesis. The C‐cell is the first APUD cell that was confirmed to have CEA activity.

Effect of an intracellular calcium antagonist (TMB-8) on carbamylcholine-induced amylase release from dispersed rat pancreatic acini

During 10-min incubation with increasing concentrations of carbamylcholine (carbachol), amylase release from dispersed rat pancreatic acini increased, became maximal at 2 X 10(-6)M and then decreased. In the concentration range of 10(-7)M to 10(-4)M, 8-(N,N-diethylamino)-octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate hydrochloride (TMB-8) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of amylase release induced by a submaximal concentration of carbachol. No inhibitory effect was observed on basal and secretin-stimulated amylase release. TMB-8 showed a significantly greater ability of blocking the action of carbachol than verapamil and diltiazem. TMB-8 could reverse the submaximal stimulation of amylase release caused by supramaximal concentrations of carbachol to a maximal stimulation, while verapamil and diltiazem could not. These results confirm the hypothesis that mobilization of intracellular calcium is the primary step in the action of carbachol on pancreatin acinar cells and contributes to the submaximal secretory response of acinar cells induced by high concentrations of carbachol.

Effect of secretin on protein phosphorylation in dispersed acini from rat pancreas.

Dispersed acini from rat pancreas, incubated in the presence of KH2(32)PO4 to steady state 32P incorporation into cellular proteins, were exposed to secretin. 32P incorporated into selected proteins, separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, reached a plateau by 150 min. Effect of secretin on amylase release, cellular cyclic AMP levels and protein phosphorylation was then examined. Stimulation of amylase release was apparent with 10(-10)M and was maximal with 10(-7)M by 10 min incubation. Almost maximal increase in cellular cyclic AMP levels and 32P incorporation into selected proteins was also observed with 10(-7)M secretin by 10 min in the presence of 10 mM theophyllin. Both secretin (10(-8)M) and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (10(-3)M) induced the phosphorylation of similar proteins analyzed by counting 32P content in each peptide band after SDS gel electrophoresis. Addition of cyclic AMP (10(-6)M) to homogenates of acini also augmented 32P incorporation from [gamma-32P]ATP into similar proteins. These results indicate that secretin enhances protein phosphorylation in pancreatic acinar cells and cyclic AMP may mediate the action of secretin on protein phosphorylation.

Endoscopic analysis on the growth of early gastric carcinoma

SummaryEarliest endoscopic appearance and its subsequent changes were studied in 41 cases of early gastric carcinoma where gastrocamera photographs were available for detailed analysis over the period from three months up to 10 years.The earliest appearance of polypoid carcinoma was a small area of nodularity, and that of carcinoma with mucosal depression was patchy reddening. Both types of carcinoma were thought to occur initially as a lesion without mucosal elevation or depression (IIb). In carcinoma with shallow mucosal depression (IIc and IIc-+III), there were cases believed to have remained intramucosal for an extremely long period of several years, whereas, inpolypoid carcinoma (IIa and I), the growth seemed to be more rapid.In the cases with ulcer within the carcinomatous lesion, healing of the ulcer was confirmed in 37%, and “malignant cycles” were observed in 21 %.Malignant transformation of gastric ulcer was suggested in one case with linear ulcer.

Serum Levels of Polyamines in Cancer Patients

Serum polyamines were determined by Samejimas method.

The relationship between gastric secretion and gastritis of fundic and pyloric gland area

Correlative study of gastric acid secretion and the histology of fundic and pyloric gland areas were performed in 50 patients with active gastric ulcer or its scar, duodenal ulcer or X r a y and gastroscopy negative patients. Gastric acid secretion st imulated maximally by Histalog (100 mg) decreased significantly among the gastritis groups compared to the normal group in the midbody greater curvature area. Such correlation was not found among the normal, gastritis without atrophy, slight atrophy and modreate to severe atrophy groups in the antrum. Matched study between gastric acid secretion and each mucosal appearance in the antrum and in the midbody greater curvature did not reveal any significant difference. I t was suggested that the histology of pyloric gland area in the an t rum does not influence the acid secretion and that the close relationships was found between gastric acid secretion and histology in the midbody greater curvature area. Pyloric gland mucosa of the two-thirds of patients showed inflammatory or atrophic changes more advanced than the fundic gland area of the midbody lesser and of greater curvature.

Clinical studies of histalog in gastric juice analysis

Gastr ic juice analysis with h i s t amine s t imulat ion is f requent ly accompanied by untoward effects. Recently Betazole hydrochloride (Histalog) has come to be more widely used. Histalog has less side effects and its s t imulatory action is as s t rong as his tamine. The au thors are using 50 mg of Histalog in gastr ic juice analysis of out-patients. Of 61 cases of his tamine s t imula t ion (0.04 mg/kg), the subjects without side effects were only 31.1%, while 59.0% showed reddening of the face, 37.7% palpitat ion, 22.9% febrile sensation, 13.1% chil l iness, 8.2% headache, 9.9% sleepiness and marked hypotension in one case. Among 59 cases of Histalog adminis t ra t ion , no side effects were seen in 77.6%, reddening of the face in 18.9%, palpitat ion in 3.4% and febrile sensat ion in 8.6%; side effects in this group were obviously infrequent . His tamine and Histalog showed no difference in max imum acidity in normal subjects , gas t r ic cancer, gas t r ic ulcer, and duodenal ulcer. In chronic atrophic gastr i t is , h igher reading was obtained on Histamine st imulat ion. This difference between Histalog and His tamine seems to be a t t r ibu tabble to the discrepancy between endoscopic diagnosis and gast r ic secretory function.

Enzymological studies of the gastric mucosa (II)

below above ment ioned percentage, but 6.7% in the seventh decade, 13.6% in e ighth decade and 21.4% in the nineth decade, showing sharp increase of incidence in h igher age group. A prone position film with high voltage technique at the end of G. I . series may played the most important role in h igher incidence of duodenal divert iculum in our series comparing with most of other reports in our country.