Biomedical subjects

N Shibata

Publications and source records attributed to N Shibata.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2001

Enantioselective fluorination mediated by cinchona alkaloid derivatives/Selectfluor combinations: reaction scope and structural information for N-fluorocinchona alkaloids.

Cinchona-alkaloid/Selectfluor combinations efficiently fluorinate a variety of carbonyl compounds in a highly enantioselective manner to furnish chiral alpha-fluorocarbonyl compounds. The DHQB/Selectfluor combination is effective for the enantioselective fluorination of indanones and tetralones 1 in up to 91% ee. The first enantioselective syntheses of chiral derivatizing reagents 3 was accomplished with high ee and in high chemical yields by the DHQDA/Selectfluor combination. 3-Fluorooxindoles 7 were prepared with ee up to 83% using the (DHQ)2AQN/Selectfluor or the (DHQD)2PYR/Selectfluor combination. Since the combinations are conveniently prepared in situ from readily available reagents, the present system represents a practical method for enantioselective fluorination. X-ray crystallography and 1H NMR analyses of the cinchona alkaloids/Selectfluor combination have established that the species that mediate this novel reaction are N-fluoroammonium cinchona alkaloid tetrafluoroborates, which adopt open conformations.

Cinchona Alkaloids↗

PubMed2001

Ground-state phase diagram of 2D electrons in a high Landau level: a density-matrix renormalization group study.

The ground-state phase diagram of 2D electrons in a high Landau level (index N = 2) is studied by the density-matrix renormalization group method. Pair correlation functions are systematically calculated for various filling factors from nu = 1/8 to 1/2. It is shown that the ground-state phase diagram consists of three different charge density wave states called stripe phase, bubble phase, and Wigner crystal. The boundary between the stripe and the bubble phases is determined to be nu(s-b)c approximately 0.38, and that for the bubble phase and Wigner crystal is nu(b-W)c approximately 0.24. Each transition is of first order.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Evaluation of an intestinal pressure-controlled colon delivery capsules prepared by a dipping method.

A new method for preparation of large amounts of empty pressure-controlled colon delivery capsules (PCDCs) by a dipping method has been developed. Empty PCDCs are composed of two polymer membranes. The inner one was a water-insoluble polymer membrane, ethylcellulose (EC). The outer one was an enteric polymer membrane, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP) or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS). By consequently dipping into an ethanolic EC solution and an alkalized enteric polymer solution, empty PCDCs were obtained after both the capsule body and cap were adjusted to the size of #2 capsules. With each enteric polymer, two types of empty PCDCs of different thickness were prepared. Fluorescein (FL) was formulated with suppository base, PEG1000, and used as a model drug. FL/PEG1000 suspension was introduced into empty PCDCs which were then sealed with enteric polymer solution. The PCDCs were evaluated by an in vivo experiment using beagle dogs. After oral administration of the test PCDC preparations containing 30 mg of FL, blood samples were obtained from the jugular vein and serum FL levels were measured. The thickness of the EC membrane layer varied in both the capsule body and cap. HPMCAS PCDCs had 62.1+/-5.0 (S.E.) microm (body) and 49.7+/-3.3 microm (cap) with thicker ones and 55.7+/-6.6 microm (body) and 46.8+/-6.2 microm (cap) with thinner ones. HPMCP PCDCs had 28.1+/-3.3 microm (body), 30.9+/-1.0 microm (cap) with thinner ones and 43.1+/-9.8 microm (body), 42.4+/-8.2 microm (cap) with thicker ones. The mean T(i) values, the first appearance time, of FL in the serum of HPMCAS PCDCs were 2.0+/-0.7 h for thicker ones and 3.8+/-0.5 h for thinner ones, while the mean T(i) values of HPMCP PCDCs were 2.0+/-0.0 h for thinner ones and 3.5+/-0.7 h for thicker ones. Since the colon arrival time in beagle dogs was 3.5+/-0.3 h as determined by a sulfasalazine test, thinner HPMCAS PCDCs and thicker HPMCP PCDCs were thought to deliver FL to the colon.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Supernatant protein factor, which stimulates the conversion of squalene to lanosterol, is a cytosolic squalene transfer protein and enhances cholesterol biosynthesis.

Squalene epoxidase, a membrane-associated enzyme that converts squalene to squalene 2,3-oxide, plays an important role in the maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis. In 1957, Bloch and colleagues identified a factor from rat liver cytosol termed "supernatant protein factor (SPF)," which promotes the squalene epoxidation catalyzed by rat liver microsomes with oxygen, NADPH, FAD, and phospholipid [Tchen, T. T. & Bloch, K. (1957) J. Biol. Chem. 226, 921-930]. Although purification of SPF by 11,000-fold was reported, no information is so far available on the primary structure or biological function of SPF. Here we report the cDNA cloning and expression of SPF from rat and human. The encoded protein of 403 amino acids belongs to a family of cytosolic lipid-binding/transfer proteins such as alpha-tocopherol transfer protein, cellular retinal binding protein, yeast phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (Sec14p), and squid retinal binding protein. Recombinant SPF produced in Escherichia coli enhances microsomal squalene epoxidase activity and promotes intermembrane transfer of squalene in vitro. SPF mRNA is expressed abundantly in the liver and small intestine, both of which are important sites of cholesterol biosynthesis. SPF is expressed significantly in isolated hepatocytes, but the expression level was markedly decreased after 48 h of in vitro culture. Moreover, SPF was not detectable in most of the cell lines tested, including HepG2 and McARH7777 hepatomas. Transfection of SPF cDNA in McARH7777 significantly stimulated de novo cholesterol biosynthesis. These data suggest that SPF is a cytosolic squalene transfer protein capable of regulating cholesterol biosynthesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity in the spinal cord in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

We investigated the spinal cords of 15 patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) immunohistochemically using an anti-human neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) antibody to examine whether there is increased nNOS immunoreactivity in anterior horn neurons. Specimens from 16 patients without any neurological disease served as controls. In the controls, nNOS immunoreactivity of large anterior horn neurons was detected in 10 out of 16 cases. However, there were few nNOS-positive neurons, and most of large anterior horn neurons were spared. In the ALS patients, the mean number of nNOS-positive anterior horn neurons per transverse section of L4 and L5 was significantly larger (16.2 +/- 10.9) than that in the controls (7.0 +/- 9.2) (P < 0.0001). Moreover, 41.4% of large anterior horn neurons in ALS showed nNOS immunoreactivity in remarkable contrast to 7.6% in the controls. All ALS patients, whether showing mild, moderate or severe depletion of anterior horn neurons, displayed a higher percentage of nNOS-positive anterior horn neurons than the control patients showing nNOS immunoreactivity (P < 0.01). Most of the remaining anterior horn neurons in ALS showed more intense nNOS immunoreactivity on the surface of the neurons and their neuronal processes compared with the controls. Degenerated anterior horn neurons frequently demonstrated more intense nNOS immunoreactivity on the surface of the neurons than normal-appearing neurons. Some anterior horn cells displayed nNOS immunoreactivity in the somata. Dot-like nNOS deposits on anterior horn neurons were also positively immunoreactive with anti-synaptophysin antibody. Thus, increased nNOS expression is located mainly at the synaptic sites on the anterior horn neurons in sporadic ALS, which may be related to the degeneration of anterior horn neurons in this disease. Further studies are needed to determine whether the increased nNOS immunoreactivity plays a neuroprotective or neurotoxic role in the anterior horn neurons, and to show nitric oxide production in ALS.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Clinicopathological study on eyes from cases of Fukuyama type congenital muscular dystrophy.

Fukuyama type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by progressive muscular dystrophy and dysgenesis of the central nervous system and eyes. To clarify the pathomechanism of the ocular involvement in FCMD, we performed postmortem pathological analyses of eyes from three postnatal FCMD cases, two fetal FCMD cases, and three control cases by macroscopic, histopathological, immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization approaches. The macroscopic and histopathological examinations revealed a variety of ocular abnormalities such as folding, fusion or dysplasia of the retinas in the FCMD cases both with and without ophthalmological alterations. Immunoreactivities for collagen IV and laminin, produced by Müller cells, as the basement membrane components, were less intense in the inner limiting membrane of the FCMD retinas than in that of the control retinas. A number of the perivascular glial cells containing S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein were increased in the postnatal FCMD cases. Immunoreactivities for vimentin, glutamate transporter-1, glutamine synthase and ornithine aminotransferase, expressed in the Müller cells, were undetectable in the fetal FCMD retinas, and reduced in the postnatal FCMD retinas compared with the control retinas. Fukutin mRNA signals were distributed diffusely in the retinoblast layer of the control retinas, focally in the retinoblast layer of the fetal FCMD retinas, and only in the dysplastic areas with rosette formation of the postnatal FCMD retinas, composed of retinoblasts and other retinal cells including the Müller cells. The present findings suggest that the Müller cells are implicated in the retinal pathology of FCMD.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Synthesis of variously oxidized abietane diterpenes and their antibacterial activities against MRSA and VRE.

Variously oxidized 12 natural abietanes, 6,7-dehydroferruginol methyl ether (3), ferruginol (5), 11-hydroxy-12-oxo-7,9(11),13-abietatriene (7), royleanone (9), demethyl cryptojaponol (12), salvinolone (14), sugiol methyl ether (16), sugiol (17), 5,6-dehydrosugiol methyl ether (19), 5,6-dehydrosugiol (20), 6beta-hydroxyferruginol (23), and taxodione (25) were synthesized. Antimicrobial activities of synthesized phenolic diterpenes and their related compounds against MRSA and VRE were evaluated. Phenols (12-hydroxyabieta-8,11,13-trien-6-one 22 and 23), catechols (12 and 14) and taxodione 25 showed potent activity with 4-10 microg/mL of MIC against MRSA and 4-16 microg/mL of MIC against VRE. (-)-Ferruginol showed more potent activity than natural type (+)-ferruginol. Quinone methide 7 showed the most potent activity with 0.5-1 microg/mL of MIC against both MRSA and VRE.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2001

Transgenic mouse model for familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with superoxide dismutase-1 mutation.

Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with mutations in the gene for superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) is clinicopathologically reproduced by transgenic mice expressing mutant forms of SOD1 detectable in familial ALS patients. Motor neuron degeneration associated with SOD1 mutation has been thought to result from a novel neurotoxicity of mutant SOD1, but not from a reduction in activity of this enzyme, based on autosomal dominant transmission of SOD1 mutant familial ALS and its transgenic mouse model, clinical severity of the ALS patients independent to enzyme activity, no ALS-like disease in SOD1 knockout or wild-type SOD1-overexpressing mice, and clinicopathological severity of mutant SOD1 transgenic mice dependent on transgene copy numbers. Proposed mechanisms of motor neuron degeneration such as oxidative injury, peroxynitrite toxicity, cytoskeletal disorganization, glutamate excitotoxicity, disrupted calcium homeostasis, SOD1 aggregation, carbonyl stress and apoptosis have been discussed. Intracytoplasmic vacuoles, indicative of increased oxidative damage to the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, in the neuropil and motor neurons appear in high expressors of mutant SOD1 transgenic mice but not in low expressors of the mice or familial ALS patients, suggesting that overexpression of mutant SOD1 in mice may enhance oxidative stress generation from this enzyme. Thus, transgenic mice carrying small transgene copy numbers of mutant SOD1 would provide a beneficial animal model for SOD1 mutant familial ALS. Such a model would contribute to elucidating the pathomechanism of this disease and establishing new therapeutic agents.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗

PubMed2001

Structure of [110] tilt grain boundaries in zirconia bicrystals.

Cubic stabilized zirconia bicrystals with [110] symmetric tilt grain boundaries were fabricated by diffusion bonding of two single crystals with the composition of ZrO2-9.6mol%Y2O3. The structures of symmetric tilt small angle grain boundary and two types of symmetric tilt sigma3 grain boundaries with different grain boundary planes were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HREM) observations clarified that the [110] small angle tilt grain boundary consists of periodic array of b = a/2[110] type edge dislocations. This result is consistent with Frank's dislocation model for small angle grain boundary. HREM observation also revealed that the 70.5 degrees sigma3 grain boundary shows atomically coherent grain boundary structure with the boundary plane of [111], while the 109.5 degrees sigma3 grain boundary accompanies grain boundary facets taking [111]/[115] asymmetric grain boundary plane. Because of the very low surface energy of [111] plane and/or high lattice matching of [111] and [115] type planes, the grain boundary faceting may be preferred in spite of increasing grain boundary area to about 6%. TEM-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses were performed on both sigma3 grain boundaries, and the segregation of yttrium ions to the boundaries was detected in both cases. The amount of segregation is about the same in both sigma3 boundaries. It can be concluded that the segregation of yttrium ions to sigma3 grain boundary exists in cubic zirconia.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Synchronous double cancer of the stomach and rectum with situs inversus totalis and polysplenia syndrome.

Situs solitus refers to the normal arrangement of body organs. Situs inversus totalis is a complete mirror image or reverse isomeric form of the thoracic and abdominal viscera. Any arrangement of organs between these two extremes is designated by heterotaxia. Several patterns of vascular and visceral abnormalities are associated with heterotaxia, and two loosely defined syndromes of splenic anomalies (asplenia and polysplenia) are most common. We present the case of a 71-year-old woman with situs inversus totalis and polysplenia syndrome who developed synchronous double cancer originating from the stomach and rectum. Abdominal manifestations were situs inversus totalis combined with multiple lobulated spleen, azygous continuation of the interrupted inferior vena cava, direct drainage of hepatic vein to left atrium, preduodenal portal vein, short pancreas, incomplete rotation of the colon, and malrotation of the intestine. Histologically, gastric cancer was diagnosed as papillary adenocarcinoma and rectal cancer, as moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient was successfully treated with total gastrectomy for gastric cancer and low-anterior resection of the rectum for rectal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2001

Pacemaker shift in the rabbit sinoatrial node in response to vagal nerve stimulation.

Effects of brief postganglionic vagal nerve stimulation on the activation sequence of the rabbit sinoatrial (SA) node were investigated. Activation sequences in a small area (7 mm x 7 mm) on the epicardial surface were measured in a beat-to-beat manner using an extracellular potential mapping system composed of 64 modified bipolar electrodes with high-gain and low-frequency band-pass filtering. The leading pacemaker site was recognised clearly from both the activation sequence and the characteristic morphology of the potentials. Vagal stimulation resulted in a short-lasting initial slowing of spontaneous rate followed by a long-lasting secondary slowing; a brief period of relative or absolute acceleration was interposed between the two slowing phases. During these changes of spontaneous rate, the leading pacemaker site shifted in a complex beat-to-beat manner by 1-6 mm alongside the crista terminalis in the superior or inferior direction. For the first spontaneous excitation following stimulation, the greater the slowing, the larger the distance of the pacemaker shift. There was no such linear relationship between the extent of slowing and the distance of pacemaker shift for the subsequent beats. These changes in the leading pacemaker site in response to vagal stimulation may be the result of the functional and morphological heterogeneity of the mammalian SA node in terms of innervation, receptor distribution and ion channel densities. Experimental Physiology (2001) 86.2, 177-184.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

[Antimicrobial activities and mechanisms of carbapenem resistance in clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp].

We tested the antimicrobial activities of meropenem (MEPM), imipenem (IPM), panipenem (PAPM), piperacillin (PIPC), cefepime (CFPM), aztreonam (AZT), amikacin (AMK), and levofloxacin (LVFX) against 106 clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and 64 clinical Acinetobacter spp. isolates with reduced susceptibility to carbapenems. Using NCCLS breakpoints, the percentages of P. aeruginosa strains susceptible to AMK and Acinetobacter spp. strains susceptible to LVFX were found to be 51.1% and 55.6%, respectively, which represented the highest activity among 8 antimicrobial agents in each organism. Referring to the correlations among MICs of carbapenems, MEPM showed a higher activity than IPM and PAPM in both organisms; 29 of the 94 strains (30.9%) of IPM-resistant P. aeruginosa were susceptible to MEPM. Further study for resistance mechanisms to carbapenems by the disk diffusion method using 2-mercaptopropionic acid revealed that 8 of the 64 Acinetobacter spp. isolates (12.5%) were metallo-beta-lactamase producers, while none of 106 P. aeruginosa isolates were metallo-beta-lactamase producers. PCR analysis using blaIMP-specific primers confirmed that 4 of the 8 metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Acinetobacter spp. isolates detected by the disk diffusion method were carrying the blaIMP gene. The identification of metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Acinetobacter spp. isolates implies that metallo-beta-lactamase genes have been disseminated among various gram-negative pathogens.

Acinetobacter↗

PubMed2001

Apoptotic signaling pathway activated by Helicobacter pylori infection and increase of apoptosis-inducing activity under serum-starved conditions.

The enhanced gastric epithelial cell apoptosis observed during infection with Helicobacter pylori has been suggested to be of significance in the etiology of gastritis, peptic ulcers, and neoplasia. To investigate the cell death signaling induced by H. pylori infection, human gastric epithelial cells were incubated with H. pylori for up to 72 h. H. pylori infection induced the activation of caspase -8, -9, and -3 and the expression of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins Bad and Bid. The peak of the activity of the caspases occurred at 24 h. At this time, the inhibition of caspase-8 or -9 almost completely suppressed H. pylori-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of caspase-8 suppressed the expression of Bad and Bid and the subsequent activation of caspase-9 and -3. These observations indicate that H. pylori induces apoptosis through a pathway involving the sequential induction of apical caspase-8 activity, the proapoptotic proteins Bad and Bid, caspase-9 activity, and effector caspase-3 activity. Activation of the pathway was independent of CagA or vacuolating toxin. A membrane fraction of H. pylori was sufficient to activate this pathway, and treatment with proteinase K eliminated the activity. Apoptotic activity of the membrane fraction was significantly increased by incubating the bacteria under serum-starved conditions for 24 h. These observations suggest that environmental conditions in the human stomach could induce H. pylori-mediated pathogenesis, leading to a variety of clinical outcomes.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2001

Application of pressure-controlled colon delivery capsule to oral administration of glycyrrhizin in dogs.

A colon delivery system has been used to improve the bioavailability of glycyrrhizin, a glycoside of glycyrrhetic acid. The bioavailability of glycyrrhizin is low when administered in conventional oral galenic dosage forms because glycyrrhizin is enzymatically hydrolysed both in the stomach and in the intestine. It was reasoned that if large amounts of glycyrrhizin were directly delivered to the colon, enzymatic activity should be reduced due to saturation so that intact glycyrrhizin could be absorbed into the systemic circulation. Based on this assumption, pressure-controlled colon delivery capsules (PCDCs) were used as a colon delivery system. Eight types of glycyrrhizin solution were prepared and were introduced into PCDCs. After oral administration of the test PCDCs to beagle dogs, blood samples were obtained over 24 h and plasma glycyrrhizin concentrations were measured by an HPLC method. With PCDCs containing aqueous glycyrrhizin and propylene glycol solutions, plasma glycyrrhizin levels were extremely low and the bioavailabilities of glycyrrhizin were 0.6% and 0.4%, respectively. When Labrasol was added to both types of glycyrrhizin solution, the bioavailability was improved to 4.6% for aqueous solution and 3.8% for propylene glycol solution. When a surfactant, Polysorbate 80, was added in combination with Labrasol, synergistic effects were not obtained. Furthermore, dose-dependent effects of Polysorbate 80 were not obtained. Labrasol, which is a component of self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS), has been shown to strongly improve the bioavailability of glycyrrhizin from the colon.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2001

Application of Eudragit P-4135F for the delivery of ellagic acid to the rat lower small intestine.

Based on the assumption that the delivery of ellagic acid to its site of action would show an antiinflammatory activity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we have prepared microspheres using a new pH-sensitive polymer, Eudragit P-4135F (P-4135F), to deliver ellagic acid to the lower small intestine in rats. The microspheres were spherical in shape and the mean diameters were approximately 100-150 microm. The amount of ellagic acid released from the microspheres decreased by increasing the formulated amount of P-4135F. The release characteristics of ellagic acid were pH-dependent. By considering the factors loading efficiency and microsphere particle size distribution, ellagic acid-2 microspheres (P-4135F/ellagic acid = 1.65) were selected for further investigation. In a dissolution study, more than 95% ellagic acid was released within 0.5 h in pH 7.4 and 8.0 buffers. The release percent of ellagic acid was less than 40% in pH 6.8 and 7.0 and was less than 10% in pH 5.6 and 5.9. To observe the dissolution sites of the microspheres in the rat small intestine fluorescein was formulated in the microspheres as a tracer drug along with ellagic acid (50 mg kg(-1)). After intraduodenal administration of fluorescein-labelled microspheres to rats, the plasma fluorescein level started to increase at 0.5 h, by which time the microspheres had reached the middle part of the ileum. Microspheres started to dissolve within 1.0 h and the peak plasma fluorescein concentration was observed at 3.0 h, when the majority of the administered microspheres were dissolved in the terminal ileum. These results suggested that P-4135F microspheres could deliver ellagic acid to the lower part of the small intestine, and that the released ellagic acid would be distributed into the caecum and the ascending colon.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2001

Pur alpha protein implicated in dendritic RNA transport interacts with ribosomes in neuronal cytoplasm.

We have previously reported that pur alpha, known to be a regulator of DNA replication and transcription, links neural BC1 RNA to microtubules via dendrite-targeting RNA motifs. Here we demonstrate the subcellular localization of pur proteins within the brain. Pur proteins were detected in neurons but not in glia. Immunohistochemical staining was prominent in perikarya and proximal dendrites and also extended into primary dendritic processes, but no significant signals were detected in the distal regions of dendrite. When homogenates of mouse brain were fractionated, pur alpha was most concentrated in the microsomal pellet. Consistently, pur alpha co-fractionated with free polysomes as well as with membrane-bound polysomes and the association with polysomes was mediated by binding ribosomal subunits. Levels of ribosomes with pur alpha progressively increased during postnatal development of the brain.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Systemic and eosinophilic lesions in rats with spontaneous eosinophilia (mes rats).

The mes rat is from an inbred mutant colony of rats with spontaneous eosinophilia. In order to investigate the pathogenesis of the mes rat, the histopathology and hematology for 76 mes rats were examined at several weeks of age. Tissue eosinophilia developed at 8 weeks of age when the blood eosinophil was 500 cells per microliter or more. Subsequently, eosinophilia progressed with age, and splenic eosinophilopoiesis and erythropoiesis appeared simultaneously. Many inflammatory lesions were induced after 10 weeks of age when the blood eosinophils became 1,000 cells per microliter or more. Gastroenteritis and mesenteric lymphadenitis were seen in 44 of 47 (94%) and 31 of 47 (66%) rats, respectively, after 10 weeks of age. Aortitis that deteriorated with age was found in 19 of 39 (49%) rats after 12 weeks of age. Hepatic fibrosis was found in four rats that exhibited severe eosinophilia and anemia. These results are comparable to the features of a hypereosinophilic syndrome in humans and other animals.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Alcohol consumption as a major risk factor in the development of early esophageal cancer in patients with head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the incidence of concomitant esophageal cancers in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), and to investigate which risk factors are responsible for this association. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1994 to 2000, 134 patients with HNC underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy using the 0.8% Lugol stain method to detect esophageal cancer. A case-control study was designed to compare HNC patients with and without esophageal cancer. Logistic-regression analysis was used to obtain odds ratios of risk factors. RESULTS: Out of 134 patients with HNC, Lugol unstained area was detected in 42 patients. Biopsy specimens revealed squamous cell carcinoma in 17 (12.7%), dysplasia in 9 patients (6.6%), and normal in the others. Gastric carcinoma was also detected in 7 patients (5.2%). The estimated depth of cancer invasion was mucosa in 9 patients, submucosa in 5 patients, and proper muscle or deeper in 3 patients. In the results of statistical analysis, high alcohol consumption of more than 75 g per day increased the risk of esophageal cancer (odds ratio: 20.2, p<0.01). Intake of hard liquor showed a high odds ratio (whisky: 28.7, p<0.05, shochu: 12.7, p<0.05). The amount of cigarette smoking was not related to this association. CONCLUSION: High incidence of esophageal cancer was found in the patients with HNC. A high alcohol consumption level, and in particular hard liquor, participated in the development of esophageal cancer in the patients with HNC. But cigarette smoking was not related to this association.

Adult↗