Biomedical subjects

M Ikeguchi

Publications and source records attributed to M Ikeguchi.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Flow cytometric analysis of the DNA content of tumor cells in cases of gastric cancer in the upper third of the stomach and in the remnant stomach.

Thirteen samples of gastric tumors that had developed in the remnant stomach (remnant gastric cancer) were compared with 63 samples of primary gastric tumors located in the upper third of the stomach (primary gastric cancer) by both clinicopathologic and flow cytometric analysis. The depths of invasion of all these tumors corresponded to the mucosa, submucosa, or muscularis propria layers and the histological stages were stages I, II, or III. There was no significant difference between the two groups of samples either histopathologically or clinically (the 5-year survival rates were 74.6% for patients with remnant gastric cancer and 90.4% for patients with primary gastric cancer). DNA aneuploidy was encountered in 23.1% of the cases of remnant gastric cancer and in 33.3% of the cases of primary gastric cancer. Little difference was found in the S-phase fractions between tumors and normal gastric mucosa of the upper third of the stomach and the remnant stomach. Thus, while the environments in the upper third of the stomach and in the remnant stomach are very different, histopathological and biological characteristics of adenocarcinomas that developed in the remnant stomach are very similar to those of adenocarcinomas in the upper third of the stomach.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Correlation between the lymphocytic infiltration of tumors and the proliferative activity of cancer cells from surgically treated esophageal carcinoma.

To evaluate the correlation among the biological behavior of cancer cells, the local immune response of the host, and survival of patients with esophageal carcinoma, we investigated the proliferative activity of cancer cells by immunostaining with the Ki-67 monoclonal antibody in 95 cases of surgically resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and compared them with the extent of lymphocytic infiltration of the tumor (LI) in the same specimens. The mean Ki-67 score of 43 tumors with low-grade LI was 46.7% and it was not different from that of 52 tumors with high-grade LI (49.4%, p = 0.441). A significant correlation between the Ki-67 score and the clinicopathological characteristics of tumors (depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, and stage) was detected. However, in the same stage, the survival of patients with a low Ki-67 score was not different from that of patients with a high Ki-67 score. On the other hand, even no significant correlation between the extent of LI and the clinicopathological characteristics of tumors was found; the 5-year survival rate of 17 patients with high-grade LI (13.9%) was significantly better than that of 15 patients with low-grade LI (0%, p = 0.07) in stage III. These facts indicate that proliferative activity might correlate with the tumor progression, however, when the survival is compared in the same stage, the local immune response such as the extent of lymphocytic infiltration of the tumor might be the better prognostic factor than proliferative activity in patients with esophageal cancer.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cell-proliferative activity and its relationship to the histologic type of early gastric cancer.

To evaluate the biological characteristics of gastric carcinoma and of the normal gastric mucosa from which carcinoma seems to develop, we analyzed the DNA content and proliferative activity of cells in 154 patients with primary mucosal gastric cancer and 40 patients with gastric ulcer by flow cytometric analysis. A total of 154 samples from mucosal gastric carcinomas, 154 samples from normal gastric mucosa adjacent to carcinomas and 40 samples from normal gastric mucosa adjacent to gastric ulcers were subjected to analysis. The incidence of DNA aneuploidy of differentiated carcinoma cells (34.3%) was significantly higher than that of undifferentiated carcinoma cells (14.5%, P=0.014). Among the cancers with diploid DNA, the mean value of the proportion of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle in differentiated carcinomas was 6.64% and it was significantly higher than that in undifferentiated carcinomas (5.53%, P=0.01). The mean values for the S and G2 + M phases for cells in the normal gastric mucosa from sites adjacent to the differentiated carcinomas were 5.29% and 1.81%. These values were higher than those for cells in normal gastric mucosa from sites adjacent to undifferentiated carcinomas (4.89% and 1.40%, respectively) and than those for cells in normal mucosa from sites adjacent to gastric ulcers (4.48% and 1.68%, respectively). During the early phase of gastric cancer, differentiated carcinoma seems to develop from gastric mucosa where cells have high proliferative activity. Reflecting this biological characteristic, the cells of differentiated carcinomas also have high proliferative activity.

Aneuploidy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical significance of dendritic cell infiltration in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

We investigated the clinicopathological significance of dendritic cell infiltration (DCsI) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and in regional lymph nodes of 88 patients. The expression of mutated p53 protein and the degree of positive cancer cells of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA labeling index) in tumors were analyzed as biological markers. These factors were compared with the degree of DCsI in tumors and in lymph nodes. The number of dendritic cells (DCs) were counted and scored as per mm2 in each case. The degree of DCsI of tumors with expression of p53 (19/mm2, n=50) was significantly lower than that of DCsI in 38 tumors without expression of p53 (27/mm2, P=0.0411). However, no significant correlation was detected between the PCNA labeling index and the degree of DCsI in 88 primary tumors (P=0.1273). The degree of DCsI in 53 metastatic lymph nodes (30/mm2) was significantly lower than that of DCsI in 264 cancer-free regional lymph nodes (48/mm2, P=0. 02). Although the degree of DCsI in tumors was not an independent prognostic factor for the 78 surviving patients (P=0.2647), the 3-year survival rate of patients in stage III and IV who underwent curative operation and who had tumors with high DCsI (>9/mm2, n=16, 72%) was significantly higher than that of the 24 patients who had tumors with low DCsI (< or = 9/mm2, 21%, P=0.008). These findings indicate that DCs infiltrated in and around the esophageal cancer may play a defensive role of the hosts against the tumors. This immune defense of the hosts might be an important prognostic factor for patients with advanced esophageal cancer. However, cancer cells which express a mutated p53 protein might regulate the function or activity of DCs.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunohistochemical detection of occult metastases in paraaortic lymph nodes in advanced gastric cancer.

Some Japanese surgeons have examined the utility of super-extended paraaortic lymphadenectomy (PAL) as part of the surgical treatment for advanced gastric cancer. However, therapeutic value of this PAL remains controvertial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate appropriate candidates who might benefit from PAL by the immunostaining with cytokeratin (CK) of the macroscopically intact paraaortic nodes. A total of 525 paraaortic nodes from 35 patients was serially sectioned and stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and CK staining. A total of 17 nodes (3.2%) from 7 patients (20.0%), among 525 macroscopically intact paraaortic nodes, was determined to be immunopositive for CK. In 4 patients, 8 H&E-positive nodes with metastases were all immunopositive and, in addition, 4 H&E-negative nodes were also immunopositive. Furthermore, 3 patients with H&E-negative nodes had five immunopositive nodes. Immunostaining with CK was useful for detection of occult metastases. Survival was prolonged in 3 of these 7 patients. The incidence of CK-positive nodes was significantly higher in patients with gross type of 3 or 4 gastric cancer and in patients with H&E-detected nodal metastasis within group 3 (N3) nodes. It seems that such patients would benefit from prophylactic PAL.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nuclear accumulation of p53 protein in gastric cancer strongly correlates with enlargement of nuclear area of cancer cells.

The nuclear area (NA) of cancer cells have been reported to be a useful prognostic indicator in various tumors. However, this image analysis of cancer nucleus has only rarely been applied to gastric adenocarcinoma. Moreover, it remains to be shown what types of biological factors influence this nuclear feature. In this study, we analyzed the area of cancer nuclei in tumors from 97 patients with advanced gastric cancer (t3, n0, stage II) by using hematoxylin and eosin stained slides with a computer-assisted image-analysis system. The morphometric data were compared with clinicopathological and biological status of the tumors. The mean NA of 50 tumors with venous invasion (50 microm2) was significantly larger than that of 47 tumors without venous invasion (38 microm2, p<0.0001). There was a significant correlation between the NAs of cancer cells and the p53 labeling indices of tumors (p=0.0012) and Ki-67 labeling indices of tumors (p=0.0324). However, no significant correlation was detected between the NAs of cancer cells and other factors, such as, tumor size, DNA ploidy pattern, expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), or microvessel density of tumors. The five-year survival rate of 49 patients with large nuclear area (NA > or =41 microm2, 63%) was significantly lower than that of 48 patients with small nuclear area (NA <41 microm2, 78%, p=0.043). Data from computerized morphometry are objective and can be obtained rapidly by conventional microscopic analysis. The NA of cancer cells in advanced gastric cancer appears to predict the ability to invade the microvessels in the gastric wall. This nuclear morphological feature strongly correlated with p53 accumulation in the nuclei of gastric adenocarcinoma.

Cell Nucleus↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Expressions of thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) and vascular endothelial growth factor on angiogenesis in intestinal-type gastric carcinoma.

We examined the clinical and pathological significance of thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human gastric carcinomas, in terms of intratumoral microvessel density (IMVD), P53 expression, and patient prognosis in a total of 128 patients. Mean IMVD was significantly higher in the carcinomas with dThdPase or VEGF expression than in carcinomas without the expression. The simultaneous expression of dThdPase and VEGF was correlated with increased IMVD of human gastric carcinomas. VEGF expression was associated with P53 expression and poor patient prognosis, but dThdPase expression was not.

Adenoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activity of cancerous and non-cancerous tissues in liver and large intestine.

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for various carcinomas. However, the therapeutic effect of 5-FU differs among patients. The differences in the effectiveness of 5-FU are thought to be based on the different enzymatic activity which inactivates 5-FU of the host tissue. 5-FU is catabolized to 2-fluoro-beta-alanine by dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) in liver and tumors. In this study, we investigated the clinical significance of detecting DPD activity in patients with hepatocellular and colorectal carcinomas. DPD activity in 63 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 3 cholangiocellular carcinomas (CCCs), 63 non-cancerous liver tissues adjacent to HCCs (N-HCCs), 6 normal livers (NLs), 189 colorectal carcinomas (CRCs), and 189 non-cancerous colorectal mucosas (N-CRCs) was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean DPD activities of these tissues were 209 +/- 187 Unit (U)/mg protein (HCC), 140 +/- 34 (CCC), 105 +/- 50 (N-HCC), 93 +/- 24 (NL), 58 +/- 45 (CRC), and 83 +/- 92 (N-CRC). DPD activity of HCC was higher than that of CRC (p < 0.0001). DPD activity of N-HCC was higher than that of N-CRC (p < 0.0001). DPD activity of HCC was higher than that of N-HCC (p = 0.0014), on the other hand, DPD activity of CRC was lower than that of N-CRC (p < 0.0001). Tumor DPD activity in HCC and CRC did not correlate with tumor differentiation or progression nor with patient survival. In 20 CRC patients with synchronous liver metastasis, who underwent post-operative 5-FU chemotherapy through the hepatic artery, the mean survival time (29 months) of 9 patients with high DPD was not significantly different from that of 11 patients with low DPD (18 months, p = 0.3412). These findings could provide an explanation for the relative 5-FU resistance of HCC compared with CRC. However, the DPD activities of tumors may not reveal tumor differentiation or progression in HCCs or in CRCs. Moreover, the DPD activity of primary CRC may not be a good indicator of the 5-FU chemosensitivity of synchronous liver metastasis.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Combined analysis of tumour neoangiogenesis and local immune response in advanced gastric carcinoma.

Neovascularization and host immune response are important in the growth and metastasis of solid tumours. Thus, microvessel density, and dendritic cell (DC) infiltration, which was thought to be an indicator of local immune function, were examined by immunohistochemistry and their prognostic significance was determined in patients with advanced gastric carcinoma. The 5-year survival rates in patients with both low microvessel counts and marked DC infiltration, in patients with either low microvessel counts or marked DC infiltration, and in patients with both high microvessel counts and slight DC infiltration were 82.6%, 68.6%, and 30.2%, respectively, the differences were statistically significant. Moreover, the multivariate analysis showed that combined analysis of microvessel counts and DC density was an independent prognostic indicator. Our findings indicate that combined analysis of tumour neoangiogenesis and local immune response might be useful for predicting prognoses of patients with advanced gastric carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mutated p53 protein expression and proliferative activity in advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: When the DNA of cells is damaged, wild-type p53 protein induces the expression of p21 (Waf1/Cip1/Sdi1), and regulates the progression of the cell cycle by inducing G1 arrest. Thus, wild type p53 or p21 protein negatively regulates cancer cell proliferation. However, in tumor with loss of expression of functional wild-type p53 protein by mutation or allelic deletion of the gene for p53, whether the proliferative activity of cancer cells might be accelerated or not is unclear. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the level of expression of mutated p53 protein and the proliferative activity of cancer cells in advanced gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: Ninety-seven samples from patients with gastric cancer that had invaded the serosa without lymph node metastasis (t3, n0, stage II) were investigated by immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against p53 and against p21, and with the monoclonal antibody Ki-67. DNA ploidy patterns were analyzed by flow cytometry. The immunoreactivity against p53 and the proliferative activity of cancer cells were scored in terms of a labeling index (LI; percentage of immunostained cells) in each case. Moreover, the prognostic values for 93 surviving patients were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The mean p53 LI was 24% (range: 0-82.4%) and the mean Ki-67 LI was 23.1% (range: 0-70.7%) in 97 tumors. The expression of p21 protein was detected in 30 of 97 tumors (30.9%) and DNA aneuploidy was detected in 36 of 97 tumors (37.1%). There was significant correlation between the p53 LI and the Ki-67 LI (r = 0.61, t = 7.456, p < 0.001) in 97 tumors. Although, no significant difference was detected, the mean p53 LI (18.3%) of 30 tumors with expression of p21 protein was lower than that of 67 tumors without expression of p21 protein (26.6%, p = 0.096). However, no significant correlation between expression of p21 protein and Ki-67 LI was observed. The p53 LI was not an independent prognostic factor in 93 surviving patients by multivariate survival analysis (p = 0.069). However, the 5-year survival rate of 50 patients with a low level of p53 LI (p53 LI (< or = 10%, 78.3%) was significantly better than that of 43 patients with a high level of p53 LI (p53 LI > 10%, 62.1%, p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Accumulation of mutated p53 protein might suppress the expression of p21 protein in gastric adenocarcinoma, and cancer cells with overexpression of mutated p53 protein might have a high proliferative activity.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The expression of thymidine phosphorylase and its correlation with angiogenesis in gastric adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: It has been recently reported that thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase) is identical to platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF). dThdPase is known to be one of the angiogenic factors. Expression of dThdPase has been detected both in cancer cells and in stroma cells. However, the role of dThdPase, in cancer cells and in stroma cells regarding, neovascularization in gastric adenocarcinoma is still unclear. In this study, we analyzed the correlation between dThdPase activity and neovascularization in gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained fresh samples (tumors and adjacent normal mucosas) from 67 patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy between 1993 and 1994. The dThdPase activity was analyzed by the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method and by the immunohistochemical staining. Microvessel density (MVD) and vascular endothelial growth factor expression of tumors were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The dThdPase activity of tumors (117 +/- 98 U/mg protein) was significantly higher than that of normal mucosas (46 +/- 36 U/mg protein, P < 0.0001). The expression of dThdPase was detected by immunostaining in stroma cells but not in mucosal cells in normal tissues. Based on the immunostaining results, 16 tumors expressed dThdPase both in cancer cells and stroma cells. The mean dThdPase activity and the mean MVD of these 16 tumors were significantly higher than those of 15 tumors with expression of dThdPase only in the stroma cells, and than those of 36 tumors with expression of dThdPase in neither the cancer cells or the stroma cells. The MVD of tumors strongly correlated with the dThdPase activity of tumors detected by the ELISA method (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The total amount of dThdPase produced by cancer cells and stroma cells may influence tumor angiogenesis in gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between loss of heterozygosity at microsatellite loci and computerized nuclear morphometry in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 4 microsatellite loci (chromosomes 8p23, 8q24, 13q14 and 17p13) and the nuclear morphometric data were analyzed in 28 tumors from 28 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). LOH was detected in 63.2% of the tumors with marker D8S264 (chromosome 8p23), in 52.6% with marker D8S1801 (chromosome 8q24), in 25.0% with marker D13S328 (chromosome 13q14), and in 52.4% with marker D17S796 (chromosome 17p13). LOH on 17p13 was most frequent in tumors that had reached more advanced stages (p < 0.05). The frequencies of LOH on 17p13 were significantly higher in tumors with portal invasion of cancer cells or intrahepatic metastasis than those without (p < 0.05). Moreover, capsule infiltration of cancer cells or hepatitis B viral infection were more frequently detected in patients with LOH on 17p13 in their tumors. The mean nuclear area (MNA) and the standard deviation (SDNA) of tumors with LOH on 17p13 were significantly larger than those of the other sites (p < 0.01). No significant relationships were found between the LOH on 8p23, 8q24 or 13q14 of HCC and the clinicopathologic data, MNA or SDNA. Therefore, LOH on 17p13 of HCC correlates with the stage, portal invasion of cancer cells, intrahepatic metastasis, and nuclear morphometry. These findings suggest that the LOH on 17p13 is closely connected to the progression of HCC and that nuclear morphometry is useful as an indicator of genetic alterations in HCC.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prognostic benefit of extended radical lymphadenectomy for patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic value of extensive gastric lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer is controversial. We retrospectively investigated the effect of extended lymphadenectomy on survival in 882 patients with gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 882 patients who underwent gastrectomy, D0 or D1 lymphadenectomy was performed on 137 patients, D2 lymphadenectomy on 524 and D3 lymphadenectomy on 221. Curative gastrectomy was performed on 771 patients and the 5-year survival rate of patients had undergone D0 or D1 lymphadenectomy (D1 group) and that of patients who had undergone D2 lymphadenectomy (D2 group) was compared with that of patients had undergone D3 lymphadenectomy (D3 group). RESULTS: In each stage, the 5-year survival rates of patients who had undergone curative operations (n = 771) were compared among the D1, D2 and D3 groups. The 5-year survival rates were as follows: Stage I: n = 510, 89.3% (D1 group: n = 91, 85.8%; D2 group: n = 384, 90.3%; D3 group: n = 35, 88.1%; p = 0.539), Stage II: n = 83, 77.8% (D2 group: n = 35, 82.7%; D3 group: n = 48, 74.3%; p = 0.601), Stage III: n = 133, 50.2% (D2 group: n = 46, 39%; D3 group: n = 87, 56.1%; p = 0.027), Stage IV: n = 45, 8.9% (D2 group: n = 10, 0%; D3 group: n = 35, 11.4%; p = 0.588). Postoperative complications were detected in 10.4% of the cases and the in-hospital mortality rate was 2.4%. The postoperative morbidity rate of the D3 group (15.8%) was significantly higher than that of the other groups (D1 group: 7.3% and D2 group: 9%; p = 0.008). However, the in-hospital mortality rate of the D3 group (1.4%) was not different from that of the other groups (D1 group: 3.7% and D2 group: 2.5%; p = 0.374). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that D3 lymphadenectomy might be performed as safely as D1 or D2 lymphadenectomy on patients with gastric cancer. In addition, D3 lymphadenectomy might provide a survival benefit for patients with Stage III or Stage IV gastric cancer.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pharmacokinetics of hypotonic cisplatin chemotherapy administered into the peritoneal and the pleural cavities in experimental model.

The pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intrapleural (i.pl.) hypotonic cisplatin (CDDP) were compared under the same experimental conditions. The same dose of CDDP was administered in hypotonic (62 mOsm/L) and isotonic (308 mOsm/L) solutions to the peritoneal and pleural cavities of Ehrlich carcinoma cell bearing mice. The intracellular amount of platinum increased for more than 60 minutes after an i.pl. injection of the hypotonic solution of CDDP, whereas it increased for up to 30 minutes after an i.p. injection. Although hypotonic conditions augmented the amount of platinum taken-up by Ehrlich cells, the amount was significantly greater in the pleural cavity than in the peritoneal cavity. In Donryu rats, the levels of platinum in the i.p. and i.pl. fluids decreased rapidly after injection of hypotonic solution as compared with isotonic solution. The extent of this decrease was greater in the peritoneal cavity than in the pleural cavity. In the hypotonic condition, the area under the curve of concentration versus time (AUC) for platinum of i.pl. fluid was greater than that of i.p. fluid. When i.p. and i.pl. hypotonic CDDP were administered, the osmolarity of the fluid returned rapidly to the isotonic level, with equilibration in 30 or 180 minutes respectively. The lower osmolarity continued for a longer duration in the pleural cavity than in the peritoneal cavity. These results indicate that the pleural cavity may require a smaller amount of CDDP to achieve the same effect on intracellular uptake of platinum than the peritoneal cavity.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An elevated serum level of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Overexpression of transforming growth factor beta s (TGF-beta s), multifunctional polypeptides, have been reported in the tissue of various types of carcinomas, including gastric carcinoma. To our knowledge, serum levels of TGF-beta 1 have not previously been examined in patients with gastric carcinoma as a possible indicator of prognosis. METHODS: Preoperative serum levels of TGF-beta 1 were measured in 111 patients with gastric carcinoma by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: An elevated level of TGF-beta 1 was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. Moreover, the preoperative serum levels of TGF-beta 1 in patients with peritoneal recurrence were significantly higher than those in patients both with lymph node recurrence and without recurrence. CONCLUSION: The serum level of TGF-beta 1 might be useful for predicting recurrence patterns and prognosis in patients with gastric carcinoma.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Telomerase activity and p53 gene mutation in familial polyposis coli.

BACKGROUND: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a dominantly inherited disorder and it is difficult to know when polyps change to carcinoma. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated whether telomerase activity and p53 gene mutations are useful parameters for detecting malignant changes in polyps in patients with FAP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-one tissue samples (carcinoma: 5, large polyp: 8, and small polyp: 8) were obtained from 8 patients with FAP. Colorectal carcinomas were detected in 5 patients. As a control, 68 colorectal carcinomas and 11 adenomatous polyps with synchronous colorectal carcinoma from 68 patients and 8 polyps from 8 patients without colorectal carcinoma were obtained. The telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay was used for the detection of telomerase activity. In 21 samples from FAP patients, mutations of exon 5 to 8 in the p53 gene were analyzed by the polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method. RESULTS: In 5 patients with FAP who had carcinomas in their colon and rectum, all the samples (carcinomas, large polyps and small polyps) showed telomerase activity. In contrast, in the 3 patients with FAP who had no carcinomas, telomerase activity was not detected in either the large or small polyps. Telomerase activity was detected in 51 out of 68 control colorectal carcinomas (75%) and in 6 out of 19 adenomas (32%). The p53 gene mutation was detected in only 2 carcinomas from 2 patients with FAP and was not detected in any large and small polyps. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that telomerase is activated before the occurrence of the p53 gene mutation. In FAP, genetic changes associated with the development of colonic adenoma into carcinoma might activate telomerase and such genetic changes might occur in whole polyps of the colon and rectum.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prediction of survival period for patients with postoperative recurrence after curative resection for advanced gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although many studies have attempted to clarify the prognostic indicators for gastric carcinoma, there have been few studies regarding the factors that correlate with the survival period of patients with postoperative recurrence. METHODOLOGY: Among 504 advanced gastric adenocarcinoma patients who had undergone curative gastrectomy, 188 patients who had died of recurrence were used in this study. RESULTS: Univariate analysis indicated that age, the presence of lymph node metastasis and blood vessel invasion, the number of positive lymph nodes, and gastrectomy significantly correlated with the survival period. Multivariate analysis indicated that the length of the survival period was independently influenced by the number of positive lymph nodes and blood vessel invasion. The survival time of patients with less than 3 positive lymph nodes and no accompanying blood vessel invasion was significantly longer than that of other patients. CONCLUSIONS: The number of positive lymph nodes and the presence of blood vessel invasion are the most important factors predicting the survival period of patients with postoperative recurrence after curative resection for advanced gastric carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Pharmacokinetics of intraoperative intrapleural cisplatin chemotherapy of various osmolarities in cases of esophageal cancer.

Intraoperative intrapleural (i.pl.) cisplatin (CDDP) treatment during thoracotomy was performed for esophageal cancers. Three patients underwent isotonic (308 mOsm/l) CDDP treatment. Hypotonic CDDP treatments with a 154 mOsm/l solution and a 62 mOsm/l solution were administered to 4 and 9 patients, respectively. The maximum concentrations (Cmax) of both total and filterable platinum in the plasma after injection of the hypotonic solution were significantly higher than those after injection of the isotonic solution. The area under the curve of concentration versus time (AUC) of the plasma of the 62 mOsm/l solution was significantly higher than that of the 154 mOsm/l and isotonic solution. Although higher levels of the Cmax may increase side-effects, the hypotonic condition of the i.pl. fluid and increased AUC in the plasma may escalate the accumulation of platinum in i.pl. cancer cells. These results suggest that hypotonic i.pl. CDDP is tolerable and may be useful for treatment of the incipient phase of pleural carcinomatosis and for prophylaxis of postoperative recurrence.

Aged↗