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Biomedical subjects

K Akimaru

Publications and source records attributed to K Akimaru.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Influence of mouse hepatitis virus on the growth of human melanoma in the peritoneal cavity of the athymic mouse.

Mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) infection was found in 15 of 40 athymic mice (Balb/c nu/nu) used in an experimental model designed to study the effect of cell mediated immunity on target human melanoma cells growing in the peritoneal cavity. Most non-MHV-infected mice died of peritoneal tumor within predictable periods following injection of the melanoma cells. Twelve of 15 MHV-infected mice which showed either poor or no tumor growth died of MHV infection, whereas only 3 showed good tumor growth. Peritoneal macrophages in the ascites from the MHV-infected mice were greatly reduced in number compared to those in the ascites from the non-MHV-infected mice. Although the fibrohistiocytic reaction was more prominent in the MHV-infected mice, other aspects of spleen and lymph node lymphocytic reactions exhibited no remarkable differences between the two groups. The possible mechanisms whereby MHV infection influences tumor growth in nude mice are discussed.

Animals↗

A rupture of lung metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma causing haemothorax.

A 67 year old male with non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in both lobes and liver cirrhosis was treated with transcatheter arterial embolization and regional chemotherapy. He was doing well for 18 months. He was readmitted for fever, chest pain and multiple pulmonary metastases. During interleukin-2 therapy, he suddenly developed dyspnoea and palpitation, and was in shock. Left-sided haemothorax was confirmed by draining 3 L of fresh blood. In spite of intensive care, he died within 36 h. Autopsy showed that the haemothorax was caused by rupture of one of the metastases in the upper lobe of the left lung, and that the primary HCC was totally necrotic. Survey of the literature failed to find a report of fatal bleeding from a lung metastasis of HCC.

Aged↗

New techniques: splenic artery embolization followed by intraarterial infusion chemotherapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

We present a new intraarterial infusion chemotherapy technique for the treatment of inoperable cancer in the body and tail of the pancreas. The spleen was embolized at its hilum with coils to infuse an anti-tumor agent selectively into the pancreatic parenchyma and a catheter was placed into the splenic artery and connected to the reservoir. 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin+diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid (MAA+DTPA) was injected into the reservoir and the body and tail of the pancreas were visualized on the image. For inoperable cancer in the body and tail of the pancreas, splenic artery embolization followed by the placement of a catheter into the splenic artery can deliver a highly concentrated anti-tumor agent to the tumor.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Hypersplenism induced by hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We encountered a case of posthepatectomy splenic enlargement and hypersplenism followed by disseminated intravascular coagulopathy with airway hemorrhage causing death. METHODOLOGY: We, therefore, retrospectively investigated postoperative splenic enlargement, hypersplenism and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy by computed tomography and laboratory data in 57 hepatectomized patients with a malignant or benign disease in the postoperative period. RESULTS: Of 32 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or biliary tract carcinoma (group A), 12 with metastatic hepatic lesions (group B), and 13 with benign liver disease (group C); remarkable (20%) splenic enlargement was noted in 8 patients in group A, 2 in group B, and 2 in group C. Seven of the 12 patients were associated with liver cirrhosis, 5 with preoperative splenomegaly, and 8 had undergone major hepatectomy. Postoperative hypersplenism developed in 5 patients in group A, and one patient in group C. All of them were associated with liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis and preoperative splenomegaly, and five had undergone hepatic lobectomy or more extensive resections. All except for the disseminated intravascular coagulopathy case recovered. Statistically, splenic enlargement was significantly related to the extent of hepatectomy; lobectomy versus segmentectomy = 28.3 +/- 28.5% (n = 14) versus 12.4 +/- 13.8% (n = 20), (unpaired Student's t test, P = 0.037). Platelet counts of the patients with liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis is lower than those without the diseases, both pre- and postoperatively (14.0 +/- 6.0 x 10(4)/mm3 vs. 21.5 +/- 6.2 x 10(4)/mm3, P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative hypersplenism was noted only in the patients with liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis and preoperative splenomegaly, and developed more frequently after larger hepatectomies than after smaller hepatectomies; 5 (45%) of 11 versus 1 (7%) of 14, chi 2 test, P = 0.026).

Aged↗