Biomedical subjects

Nobuaki Funata

Publications and source records attributed to Nobuaki Funata.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in human breast cancer: association with nodal spread.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is known to exert pleiotropic functions including inhibition of macrophage migration, anchoring, and counteraction of the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity of glucocorticoids. Ninety-three primary breast cancer tissues and 64 sera of primary breast cancer patients were analyzed for the expression of MIF. The clinico-pathological significance of MIF expression was evaluated. It was found that MIF was frequently over-expressed in primary breast cancer tissues. RT-PCR and western blotting analysis confirmed that wild-type MIF is expressed, and immunohistochemical analysis showed that MIF expression was localized at tumor cells as well as stromal cells, including tumor-associated macrophages. Intratumoral MIF protein concentrations detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) varied with a median value of 1821 ng/mg protein (range: 8 - 8126 ng/mg protein), and correlated inversely with nodal involvement (P = 0.039). No significant correlation was observed with other clinico-pathological factors including tumor size, menopausal status and hormone receptors. The circulating level of MIF protein ranged up to 105.7 ng/ml (median: 17.3 ng/ml), and it was also found to correlate inversely with the number of involved nodes (P = 0.02). A comparative study with other soluble inflammatory mediators showed that intratumoral levels of MIF were significantly associated with those of interleukin-1 beta, suggesting that interactions between tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages play an important role in the up-regulation of MIF. The multifunctional inflammatory/immune mediator MIF was frequently expressed in primary breast cancer, and its expression level was inversely associated with nodal spread. Thus, MIF seems to play a role in tumor-stroma interactions of primary breast cancers, particularly those with a phenotype of node-negative or minimal nodal spread.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Interleukin-1beta expression in human gastric carcinoma with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

The KT tumor is a transplantable strain of a human Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC), established in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice, with which the cytokine expression of EBVaGC can be investigated without interference from the infiltrating lymphocytes. As a part of a high-density oligonucleotide array (GeneChip) analysis of EBVaGC, the interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) gene was the only cytokine gene that showed markedly higher expression in the KT tumor cells than in two tumor strains of EBV-negative GC. The results were confirmed by Northern blotting, Western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Furthermore, we demonstrated a positive signal for IL-1beta mRNA in the carcinoma cells of a surgically resected EBVaGC, but not in EBV-negative GC, by in situ hybridization. In vitro, IL-1beta increased the cell growth of a GC cell line, TMK1. Thus, IL-1beta may act as an autocrine growth factor in EBVaGC.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2002

A case of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas and tumor doubling time.

BACKGROUND: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas is a rare tumor with unique clinicopathological features. Although it is considered to grow slowly, little is known about its doubling time. METHOD: We encountered a young Japanese woman with a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas that had been detected at another hospital 5 years previously but was resected at our hospital. The tumor showed only a solid component without any cysts. Computed tomographic scans taken 5 years apart were compared to determine the tumor doubling time. RESULT: The tumor doubling time according to the formula of Schwartz and co-workers was determined to be 765 days. CONCLUSION: These findings confirm that this tumor grows quite slowly and also support long disease-free periods even in patients who have recurrence or metastases.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An investigation of primary malignancies associated with ampullary carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: As ampullary carcinoma has a favorable prognosis, associated malignancies have potential prognostic significance in these patients. This study focused on the incidence and characteristics of preexisting, coexisting and subsequent malignancies in patients with ampullary carcinoma. METHODOLOGY: Sixty-four cases of ampullary carcinoma were retrospectively identified. Fifty-four patients underwent surgical resection, while in the other ten, histological diagnosis was reached after biopsy and/or autopsy. Other primary malignancies associated with ampullary carcinoma, occurring in the prediagnostic or postdiagnostic period, were investigated. The mean postdiagnostic follow-up period was 3.9 years (range, 0-23 years). RESULTS: Other malignancies occurred in 17 patients (27%), being found before (n=9), at (n=7), or after (n=5) diagnosis of ampullary carcinoma. The total number of associated lesions was 23, including one case of quadruple and four cases of triple carcinoma. The major associated malignancies were colonic carcinoma (n=9), gastric carcinoma (n=5), and uterine carcinoma (n=3). Twenty-one lesions were treated surgically or endoscopically. One patient died from synchronous extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma and one from leukemia, and one died from subsequent urinary bladder carcinoma. Development of other malignancies was related to age but not to gender, family history, adjuvant chemo/radiotherapy, or tumor pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Ampullary carcinoma is associated with a high incidence of other malignancies, particularly colonic and gastric carcinomas. The possibility of associated malignancies should therefore be considered in preoperative screening and postoperative follow-up of patients with ampullary carcinoma.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Thermo-chemo-radiotherapy for advanced gallbladder carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Many gallbladder carcinomas are detected at an advanced stage, and the outcome of the patients with these tumors is dismal despite aggressive tumor removal. We have treated advanced gallbladder carcinoma with chemoradiotherapy combined with hyperthermia. In this study, clinical effectiveness of thermo-chemo-radiotherapy (TCRT) for advanced gallbladder carcinoma was evaluated in comparison with other treatment modalities. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred and seventy patients with advanced gallbladder carcinoma (Stage VI) were treated. According to treatments received, they were divided into five groups as follows: group 1; 30 patients treated with TCRT, group 2; 19 patients underwent R0-resection, group 3; 39 patients underwent R1,2-resection, group 4; 57 patients treated with chemo- and/or radiotherapy, group 5; 125 patients with only supportive therapy. RESULTS: In group 1, there were 19 objective responses (5 complete response and 14 partial response) in respect to tumor regression, and 15 (6 complete response and 9 partial response) of 20 patients with obstructed bile duct showed resolution of the bile duct. The survival rate was best in group 2. A significant improvement of long-term survival was exhibited in group 1 and 3 compared to group 4 and 5, and there was no significant difference between group 1 and 3 (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: TCRT can produce significant response and improvement of survival time in patients with advanced gallbladder carcinoma, and may be a favorable alternative to aggressive surgical approaches.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of radiological and histological findings in autoimmune pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Autoimmune pancreatitis displays radiological findings that are sometimes difficult to differentiate from pancreatic carcinoma. To understand the essential radiological features of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), we compared imaging and histological findings in resected AIP specimens. METHODOLOGY: Findings of ultrasonography, computed tomography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and angiography were examined retrospectively for 6 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy on suspicion of pancreatic carcinoma, and compared with histological findings of the resected specimens. RESULTS: Ultrasonography showed an enlarged hypoechoic pancreas with sausage-like appearance and no lobulation in the contour of the pancreas. On computed tomography imaging, delayed enhancement of the swollen pancreatic parenchyma became evident. Dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with fibrosis involving peripancreatic tissue was observed throughout almost the entire pancreas. Periductal non-occlusive fibrosis with lymphoplasmacytic infiltration induced narrowing of the pancreatic duct. Stenosis of the common bile duct is frequently associated with autoimmune pancreatitis and is induced by diffuse thickening of the duct wall by the same inflammatory process as that of the pancreas. The fibroinflammatory process also involves blood vessels. CONCLUSIONS: Characteristic radiological findings of autoimmune pancreatitis are induced with systemic histological changes of lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with fibrosis, and differ from schirrous invasion of pancreatic carcinoma.

Aged↗