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Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Naoyoshi Onoda,
Yuka Asano,
Mao Watanabe,
Tamami Morisaki,
Naoki Aomatsu,
Masanori Nakamura,
Hidemi Kawajiri,
Tsutomu Takashima,
Masahiko Ohsawa,
Tetsuro Ishikawa,
Kenichi Wakasa,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: Aspiration biopsy cytology (ABC) is commonly performed for the diagnosis of thyroid tumor. Because ABC may not provide sufficient tissue for pathological diagnosis, we performed needle biopsy using a Monopty Biopsy Instrument for the accurate diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Furthermore, it is difficult to safely perform a core needle biopsy (CNB) for the diagnosis of breast cancer in the thyroid gland region. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using a Monopty Biopsy Instrument as an alternative to conventional ABC or CNB for the biopsy-based diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Twenty patients with clinically suspected thyroid cancer were enrolled, and all patients were thoroughly examined. Seven cases of thyroid cancer were diagnosed, of which 5 cases were papillary carcinoma and 2 were undifferentiated carcinoma.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2012; 39(12):2407-9.
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ABSTRACT: Case: A 104-year-old female patient with a left breast mass was admitted to our hospital. Ultrasonography showed an irregular and low-echoic mass of about 2.4×2.4×1.4 cm size in the left breast EAC area. Core needle biopsy examination indicated invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast: ER (+), PR (+), and HER2 (-). An overall examination did not show a distant metastasis. We diagnosed her with left breast cancer(luminal A type) T2N0M0, stage IIA. We administered anastrozole at a dose of 1 mg/day. After 6 months, the primary tumor diameter was reduced to 2.1 cm, and the effect of anastrozole was considered a clinical partial response. The patient did not experience any adverse events during treatment. The partial response was maintained for about 2 years. We experienced a successful case of a super-elderly breast cancer patient treated with anastrozole. We conclude that hormone therapy is a useful treatment for super-elderly postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2012; 39(12):2042-4.
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ABSTRACT: Case: The patient was an 82-year-old woman. Three years ago, she was aware of a tumor in her left breast that was gradually increasing in size and bleeding, prompting her to visit our hospital. Ultrasonography showed an irregular and low- echoic mass with a skin ulcer of about 2×2 cm in size in the left breast A area. Skin biopsy examination indicated adenocarcinoma, estrogen receptor-positive, progesterone receptor-positive, and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2-negative. An overall examination did not show a distant metastasis. We diagnosed left breast cancer (luminal A type) with T4bN0M0, stage IIIB. We administered tamoxifen at a dose of 20 mg/day. After 8 months of tamoxifen treatment, no signs of an apparent mass were observed by palpation and ultrasonography. The effect of tamoxifen was considered a clinical complete response (CR). The patient did not experience any adverse events during treatment. Although CR was maintained for nearly 6 years by continuation of hormone therapy, tumor growth was observed after 6 years and 9 months. We performed partial resection of the left breast under local anesthesia. At present, 3 months after the operation, our patient is alive with no recurrence. We conclude that hormone (tamoxifen) therapy is a useful treatment for elderly postmenopausal woman with estrogen receptor-positive advanced breast cancer.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2012; 39(12):2039-41.
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Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Yuka Asano,
Mao Watanabe,
Mamiko Takii,
Tamami Morisaki,
Naoki Aomatsu,
Masanori Nakamura,
Hidemi Kawajiri,
Tsutomu Takashima,
Naoyoshi Onoda,
Tetsuro Ishikawa,
Kenichi Wakasa,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: In the early stages of breast cancer when axillary lymph node dissection is avoidable, we performed same day surgery with a breast-conserving operation following sentinel lymph node navigation biopsy under local anesthesia. Initial sentinel lymph node biopsy under local anesthesia is performed to avoid false-negative sentinel lymph node metastasis. Resected sentinel lymph nodes were examined in fixed sections by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. The enrolled subjects were 20 patients with breast cancer whose diagnoses were confirmed before treatment. Two (10.0%) patients had metastasis.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2012; 39(12):1914-6.
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Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Yuka Asano,
Mao Watanabe,
Tamami Morisaki,
Naoki Aomatsu,
Masanori Nakamura,
Hidemi Kawajiri,
Tsutomu Takashima,
Naoyoshi Onoda,
Tetsuro Ishikawa,
Kenichi Wakasa,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: Carcinomatous meningitis due to breast cancer is comparatively rare in Japan. Here, we report 4 cases of carcinomatous meningitis due to breast cancer. Meningeal metastasis was present in only 1 of the 4 cases, and the other 3 cases were associated with brain metastasis. Meningeal metastasis frequently causes symptoms associated with intracranial hypertension. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid cytology were useful for the diagnosis of meningeal metastasis. Multidisciplinary therapy, such as radiation and chemotherapy, was performed. Two of the 4 patients were treated with combined intrathecal administration of methotrexate and whole brain radiation. The quality of life was improved by multidisciplinary therapy.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2012; 39(12):1917-9.
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ABSTRACT: Sequential administration of anthracyclin and taxane for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is the standard treatment for operable breast cancer. The pathological complete response (pCR) is a significant predictor of overall survival (OS), regardless of treatment. In this study, the pCR rate was retrospectively examined and compared with the treatment efficacy and the characteristics of pCR patients were analyzed. A total of 54 female patients with operable breast cancer, treated with FEC 100 followed by weekly paclitaxel between December 2005 and May 2009 at the Osaka City University Hospital, Osaka, Japan, were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 21 patients (39%) achieved pCR. The overall response rate was 91%. Only one patient had progressive disease. The pCR rate was significantly higher in those patients with estrogen receptor (ER)- and progesterone receptor (PR)-negative tumors and in those patients who completed the treatment course. An NAC regimen incorporating FEC 100 followed by weekly paclitaxel is effective for treating operable breast cancer.
Oncology letters 10/2012; 4(4):612-616. · 0.11 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is a standard care regimen for patients with breast cancer. However, the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate remains at 30%. We hypothesized that a cancer stem cell marker may identify NAC-resistant patients, and evaluated CD133 and ALDH1 as a potential surrogate marker for breast cancer. The aim of this study was to find a surrogate maker to predict chemosensitivity of NAC for breast cancer.
A total of 102 patients with breast cancer were treated with NAC consisting of epirubicin followed by paclitaxel. Core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens and resected tumors were obtained from all patients before and after NAC, respectively. Chemosensitivity and prognostic potential of CD133 or ALDH1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Clinical CR (cCR) and pCR rates were 18% (18/102) and 29% (30/102), respectively. Forty-seven (46%) patients had CD133-positive tumors before NAC, and CD133 expression was significantly associated with a low pCR rate (p = 0.035) and clinical non-responders. Multivariate analysis revealed that CD133 expression was significantly (p = 0.03) related to pCR. Recurrence was more frequent in patients with CD133-positive tumors (21/47, 45%) than that in patients with CD133-negative tumors (7/55, 13%). The number of patients with CD133-positive tumors (62%) after NAC was higher than that (46%) before NAC. Furthermore, most patients with CD133-positive tumors before NAC maintained the same status after NAC.
CD133 before NAC might be a useful marker for predicting the effectiveness of NAC and recurrence of breast cancer after NAC.
PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(9):e45865. · 4.09 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is characterized by negativity for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), is a high risk breast cancer that lacks specific targets for treatment selection. Chemotherapy is, therefore, the primary systemic modality used in the treatment of this disease, but reliable parameters to predict the chemosensitivity of TNBC have not been clinically available.
A total of 190 TNBC patients who had undergone a curative resection of a primary breast cancer were enrolled. The adjuvant chemotherapy was performed for 138 (73%) of 190 TNBC cases; 60 cases had an anthracyclin-based regimen and 78 a 5-fluorouracil-based regimen. The prognostic value of E-cadherin, Ki67 and p53 expression in the outcome of TNBC patients with adjuvant chemotherapy was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.
The adjuvant therapy group, especially those with Stage II TNBC, had a more favorable prognosis than the surgery only group (P = 0.0043), while there was no significant difference in prognosis between the anthracyclin-based regimen and 5-fluorouracil-based regimen. Patients with E-cadherin-negative and Ki67-positive expression showed significantly worse overall survival time than those with either E-cadherin-positive or Ki67-negative expression (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the combination of E-cadherin-negative and Ki67-positive expression was strongly predictive of poor overall survival (P = 0.004) in TNBC patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. In contrast, p53 status was not a specific prognostic factor.
Adjuvant therapy is beneficial for Stage II TNBC patients. The combination of E-cadherin and Ki67 status might be a useful prognostic marker indicating the need for adjuvant chemotherapy in Stage II TNBC patients.
Breast cancer research: BCR 11/2011; 13(6):R122. · 5.24 Impact Factor
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Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Tsutomu Takashima,
Yuka Asano,
Tamami Morisaki,
Naoki Aomatsu,
Junko Matsuoka,
Masanori Nakamura,
Hidemi Kawajiri,
Naoyoshi Onoda,
Tetsuro Ishikawa,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: We studied and analyzed therapeutic outcomes of a radical surgery under local anesthesia for breast cancer in our department. Subjects were 42 patients with breast cancer whose diagnoses were definitely made before surgery. Indications were: localized DCIS diagnosed preoperatively; invasive carcinoma less than 3 cm in tumor diameter on ultrasound; and clinically tumors with negative axillary lymph nodes. Operative procedures included lumpectomy associated with sentinel lymph node navigation biopsy. We could perform the operation under local anesthesia in all of the 42 patients, and were not demanded to shift from local to general anesthesia. Two patients had sentinel lymph nodes metastasis. Surgical stumps were positive in 14 patients( 33.3%). None of serious complications were encountered. Today's radical operation under local anesthesia for breast cancer is a useful procedure as minimally invasive surgery as for the indications employed in this study.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2011; 38(12):2017-9.
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ABSTRACT: We report two resected cases of extragastric gastric cancer growth with gastrocolic fistula whose prognoses were fairly good with surgery and chemotherapy. CASE 1: A 45-year-old man was admitted to a nearby clinic complaining of fever and abdominal pain. Endoscopy revealed gastric mucosa-associated white moss under tumor-like lesions to the mucous cancer biopsy results. The patient underwent surgery; the transverse colon had adhered to the posterior wall of the stomach, so a distal gastrectomy and a partial resection of the transverse colon were performed. He enjoyed a good QOL for 56 months after the surgery. CASE 2: A 69-year-old man. An upper GI examination revealed a protrusion at the posterior wall of the stomach, and the barium leaked from the lesion to the colon. Diagnosis of stomach cancer surgery took place. He died 20 months after the surgery.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2011; 38(12):2125-7.
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Naoki Aomatsu,
Hidemi Kawajiri,
Tsutomu Takashima,
Tamami Morisaki,
Toshiki Hirakawa,
Tatsunari Fukuoka, Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Masanori Nakamura,
Naoyoshi Onoda,
Tetsuro Ishikawa,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: CASE 1: A 59-year-old female patient with left inflammatory breast cancer (HER2 type) T4N1M0, stage III B. Although a partial response (PR) was observed after chemotherapy, an increase of the tumor was confirmed, and thus she underwent pectoralis-conserving mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with a rectus abdominis flap. After the surgery, the patient continued to undergo radiotherapy and administration of trastuzumab. At present, after 1 year and 3 months, she is alive with no recurrence. CASE 2: A 67-year-old female patient with left inflammatory breast cancer (triple negative) T4N2M0, stage III B. Since a variety of chemotherapeutics were ineffective, she underwent mastectomy with pectoralis resection and immediate reconstruction with a rectus abdominis flap to control pain/bleeding caused by the increased tumor. Although radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed after the surgery, lung and hepatic metastases were developed 6 months after the surgery, and she died in the 10th month after the surgery. CONCLUSION: In mastectomy for inflammatory breast cancer, an immediate reconstruction with a muscle cutaneous flap enabled unhesitating mastectomy in a wide area, and thus we consider this will be a useful technique.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2011; 38(12):2165-7.
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Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Kiyoshi Maeda,
Yuhiko Fuyuhiro,
Hisashi Nagahara,
Kenjiro Kimura,
Ryosuke Amano,
Eiji Noda,
Naoshi Kubo,
Hiroaki Tanaka,
Kazuya Muguruma,
Masakazu Yashiro,
Nobuya Yamada,
Bunzo Nakata,
Masaichi Ohira,
Tetsuro Ishikawa,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: XELOX for unresectable advanced colorectal cancer has been approved in Japan. We report here an experience of the treatment with XELOX±bevacizumab in our department. We thought that the regimen has some merits in the patient's quality of life. Forty-five patients were treated with XELOX±bevacizumab. In evaluable 23 cases, partial response (PR) was obtained in 13 cases and stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD) were in 5 and 5 cases, so that the response rate and disease control rate were 56.5% and 78.2%, respectively. In the first-line administration of 19 cases, the response rate and disease control rate were respectively 80.0% and 90.0%. Hand-foot syndrome was observed in 13.2% (grade 2) and 6 .6% (grade 3). We think that it is important to control hand-foot syndrome for a continuation of XELOX±bevacizumab.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2011; 38(12):1936-8.
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Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Naoyoshi Onoda,
Yuka Asano,
Tamami Morisaki,
Naoki Aomatsu,
Mami Yoshii,
Masanori Nakamura,
Hidemi Kawajiri,
Tsutomu Takashima,
Masahiko Osawa,
Tetsuro Ishikawa,
Kenichi Wakasa,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: Tailor-made treatment for lymphoma has been proposed, based on the information on prognostic on predictors or on molecular targets. This recent evolutions necessitated the collection of sufficient tissue samples for their preoperative evaluation. Since needle biopsy or needle aspiration cytology may not provide enough tissue for histo-pathologic diagnosis, incisional and excisional biopsies are commonly performed. In this study, we applied a handheld vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) system, as an alternative to the conventional incisional and excisional biopsies, to evaluate its feasibility in the biopsy -based diagnosis of malignant lymphoma. The subjects were nine patients with clinically suspected malignant lymphoma. All of them were correctly diagnosed with a diagnostic accuracy of 100%, and lymphoma sub-types could be defined according to the New WHO classification. There was no complication associated with the procedure. Lymph node biopsy for diagnosis of malignant lymphoma using this minimally invasive VAB technique allows a simple and safe collection of sufficient samples with good-quality, and promises to contribute to a precise molecular-based diagnosis.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2011; 38(12):2526-8.
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Yukihiro Kato,
Masakazu Yashiro,
Yuhiko Fuyuhiro, Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Junko Matsuoka,
Toshiki Hirakawa,
Satoru Noda,
Naoki Aomatsu,
Tsuyoshi Hasegawa,
Taro Matsuzaki,
Tetsuji Sawada,
Masaichi Ohira,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of hypoxia on radiosensitivity and to analyze the mechanisms responsible for radiation resistance in gastric and esophageal cancer.
A gastric cancer cell line, OCUM-12, and an esophageal cancer cell line, TE-6, were used. The effects of hypoxia with irradiation on the growth-activity, cell cycle distribution, and gene expression were examined.
Both acute and chronic hypoxia decreased radiosensitivity of cancer cells. The radiosensitivity of chronic hypoxic cells was significantly enhanced by reoxygenation. Acute and chronic all hypoxia reduced the percentage of cells in the G(2)/M and S phases, respectively. In acute hypoxia, the mRNA expression of BRCA1 and BRCA2 was reduced in cancer cells. Reoxygenation increased the expression of BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Hypoxia is associated with radiation resistance. Therefore, reoxygenation may enhance the radiosensitivity of hypoxic cells. BRCA1 and BRCA2 may be associated with factors for radiation resistance by regulation of cell cycle progression.
Anticancer research 10/2011; 31(10):3369-75. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Seven patients with rectal cancers which were difficult to ensure surgical margins for because of huge tumors(over 60mm in diameter), invasion to other organs, or severe nodal metastases, were treated with preoperative chemotherapy consisting of 2-10 courses of mFOLFOX6.The response rate was 85. 7%.Complete response was observed in one patient, and partial response was observed in 5 patients.Four to 5 weeks after chemotherapy, surgery was performed for all patients.Following surgical procedures, abdominoperineal resections were performed in 4 cases, low anterior resections in 3 cases, and removal of the liver metastases(not diagnosed preoperatively)in 2 cases.R0 resections were also performed in all patients. According to the histological regression grading of the resected specimens, one patient had a complete disappearance of tumor, 5 had grade 1a regression, and one had grade 1b regression.One of the 7 patients had recurrence at the lung. However, another patient survived without recurrence. In this study, preoperative mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy was expected to be an effective treatment for improving the curative resection rate of patients with tumors which were difficult to ensure surgical margins because of huge tumors, invasion to other organs, or severe nodal metastases.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 08/2011; 38(8):1297-300.
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ABSTRACT: The small guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Rho and its downstream effector Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) is one of a key mediator involved in controlling focal adhesions and the dynamics of actin stress fibers. The molecular mechanisms for the function of Rho/ROCK pathway leading to the progression in scirrhous gastric carcinoma cells have not been defined. The activation of RhoA in several gastric carcinoma cells was examined. The role of RhoA/ROCK pathway in the metastatic processes of gastric carcinoma cells, using a human scirrhous gastric cancer cell line, OCUM-2MD3 was investigated by in vitro adhesion and invasion assay. The effect of ROCK inhibitor, Y-27632 on the mRNA expression of the integrin family and MMP in gastric carcinoma cells was subsequently examined by Reverse transcriptional (RT)-PCR analysis. Finally, Random OCUM-2MD3 cell motility was evaluated using Time-lapse microscopy. ROCK inhibitor significantly increased the adhesion of OCUM-2MD3 cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein matrigel. Further examination using ECM components showed enhanced binding ability was obtained only in laminin and Integrin subunits α3-integrin was clearly up-regulated by treatment with Y-27632 in OCUM-2MD3 cells. ROCK inhibitor also enhanced the invasion of OCUM-2MD3 cells through matrigel and the expression of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP). Time-lapse microscopy showed conversion of OCUM-2MD3 cells from round to more elongated morphology in the presence of Y-27632, suggesting that inhibition of RhoA/ROCK pathway undergo a so-called 'amoeboid to mesenchymal' transition. The fact that Rac1 inhibitor decreased the facilitated invasion by ROCK inhibitor suggested the possibility that increased invasion ability of OCUM-2MD3 cells was related to Rac activity. These data may suggest that RhoA/ROCK regulate plasticity of metastatic gastric carcinoma via mesenchymal-amoeboid transition, leading to provide new insights for designing a new and effective treatment for this type of refractory carcinoma.
Clinical and Experimental Metastasis 06/2011; 28(7):627-36. · 3.52 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Vimentin expression in epithelial cells is reported to be associated with the malignant phenotype of cancer cells in vitro. However, the clinical significance of vimentin expression in carcinomas is not well understood. The aim of this study was to clarify the significance of vimentin-positive gastric cancer (GC).
A total of 265 GCs were examined by immunofluorescent staining with antibodies against vimentin and carcinoembryonic antigen. GCs were determined to be vimentin-positive when cells were positive for both vimentin and carcinoembryonic antigen staining.
A total of 86 (32%) of 265 GCs were vimentin positive. There was a statistically significant correlation between vimentin-positive GCs and advanced clinical stage (p<0.001), macroscopic scirrhous-type (p < 0.001), histological diffuse-type (p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.008) and lymphatic invasion (p = 0.013). The prognosis of patients with vimentin-positive GCs was significantly (p < 0.001) worse than that with vimentin-negative GCs.
Vimentin expression might contribute to the high invasive phenotype of GC, and may be a useful biomarker to determine the biological aggressiveness of GC.
Anticancer research 12/2010; 30(12):5239-43. · 1.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A 61-year-old woman was visited our hospital for a left breast tumor. Ultrasonography (US) demonstrated two tumors comprising a tumor 3.3 cm in diameter in the A area and another one 0.9 cm in diameter in the C area of the left breast, and US-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) was performed. The histological findings showed invasive ductal carcinoma, ER (+)/PR (-)/HER2 (+) in the A lesion and ER (+)/PR (+)/HER2 (-) in the C lesion. At this point in time, US demonstrated a new tumor 1.9 cm in diameter in the outside C area of the left breast, and CNB was performed. The histological findings showed invasive ductal carcinoma, ER (+)/PR (+)/HER2 (-) in the outside C lesion. Chemotherapy was estimated as PD, and an operation was performed (Bt + Ax). Histopathological examination showed pCR in the A lesion, invasive lobular carcinoma in the C lesion and solid-tubular carcinoma in the outside C new lesion. Depend on each subtype, HER2/new targeting trastuzumab therapy, radiation therapy and ER/PR targeting hormone therapy were tried as a post operative treatment.
Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy 11/2010; 37(12):2775-7.
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Yosuke Doi,
Masakazu Yashiro,
Nobuya Yamada,
Ryosuke Amano,
Go Ohira,
Masahiro Komoto,
Satoru Noda, Shinichiro Kashiwagi,
Yukihiro Kato,
Yuhiko Fuyuhiro,
Kosei Hirakawa
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ABSTRACT: Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) are mainly expressed by endothelial cells, but they are also expressed by some cancer cells, including pancreatic cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the significance of VEGFRs expression in pancreatic cancer cells. A total of 107 primary pancreatic tumors were stained with antibodies against VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, phospho-VEGFR-2 (pVEGFR-2), VEGFR-3, VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D. VEGFR-2 and pVEGFR-2 expression were positive in 74 (69%) and 54 (50%) of 107 pancreatic cancers. There was a significant correlation (P < 0.001) between VEGFR-2 expression and pVEGFR-2 expression. pVEGFR-2 was significantly associated with invasion to the anterior capsule of pancreas (P = 0.032) and arterial invasion (P = 0.012). In contrast, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-3 expression was only observed in 13 (12%) and 15 (14%) of 107 pancreatic cancers, and was not associated with any clinicopathological features. The prognosis of pVEGFR-2 positive patients with stage IIA tumors was significantly (P = 0.0441) poorer than that of pVEGFR-2-negative patients. VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D expression was positive in 42 (39%), 82 (77%), and 39 (36%) of 107 pancreatic cancers, respectively. The prognosis for VEGF-A-positive patients was significantly (P = 0.0425) poor, but not for VEGF-C-positive and VEGF-D-positive patients. A multivariate analysis indicated pVEGFR-2 expression to be an independent prognostic factor, but not VEGF-A. These findings suggested that VEGFR-2 signaling might therefore be associated with the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. The expression of pVEGFR-2 might be a novel predictive prognostic marker for patients with pancreatic cancers, especially at clinical stage IIA.
Cancer Science 03/2010; 101(6):1529-35. · 3.33 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Gastric cancers are characterized by a heterogeneously hypoxic environment. Hypoxia might stimulate the malignant potential of cancer cells. The purpose of our study was to clarify the significance of hypoxia in gastric carcinoma by evaluating the expression of a hypoxic marker, namely carbonic anhydrase-9 (CA-9).
A total of 265 patients who had undergone a resection of the primary tumor and were confirmed histologically to have sporadic gastric cancer were enrolled in this study. We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of CA-9 in the paraffin-embedded specimens of 265 gastric adenocarcinomas.
The CA-9 expression was positive in 88 (33%) of 265 gastric carcinomas. The CA-9 expression level was significantly high in cases of type 4 carcinoma (60%, p < 0.001) and diffuse type carcinoma (41%, p < 0.001), and significantly correlated with the invasion depth (p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001) and lymphatic invasion p = 0.002). The prognosis for CA-9-positive patients was significantly poorer than that of CA-9-negative patients (p = 0.003, log-rank).
Hypoxia might be associated with aggressive tumor phenotypes of gastric carcinomas. The hypoxic marker CA-9 may be a useful prognostic indicator.
Digestion 01/2010; 82(4):246-51. · 2.05 Impact Factor
