PURPOSE: Single-agent interferon (IFN) is no longer regarded as a standard option for first-line systemic treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in Western countries. However, some patients with favorable-risk RCC may still achieve complete and long-lasting remission in response to IFN treatment. The present study compared favorable-risk Japanese patients with metastatic RCC Japanese patients who had been treated with IFN or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy as a first-line systemic therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1995 to 2014, a total of 48 patients with favorable risk as defined by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center criteria who did not receive adjuvant systemic therapy were retrospectively enrolled in this study. We assessed the tumor response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The objective response rate for first-line therapy was 29% in the IFN group and 47% in the TKI group, but this difference did not reach the level of statistical significance. Median OS for IFN and TKI was 71 and 47 months, respectively (p=0.014). Median first-line PFS for IFN and TKI was 20 and 16 months, respectively (no significant difference). First-line IFN therapy did not prove inferior to TKI therapy in terms of OS according to metastatic sites. CONCLUSIONS: IFN is associated with a survival benefit in Japanese patients with favorable-risk metastatic RCC in the era of targeted therapy. Further prospective study is needed.
Adult ; Aged ; Antineoplastic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell/*drug therapy ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Interferons/*therapeutic use ; Japan ; Kidney Neoplasms/*drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis/drug therapy ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome

AIMChromosome 13 is one of the most frequently altered chromosomes in prostate cancer. The present study was undertaken to examine the role of human chromosome 13 in the progression of prostate cancer.

METHODSHuman chromosome 13 was introduced into highly metastatic rat prostate cancer cells via microcell-mediated chromosome transfer.

RESULTSMicrocell hybrid clones containing human chromosome 13 showed suppression of metastasis to the lung without any suppression of tumorigenicity, except for one clone, which contained the smallest sized human chromosome 13 and did not show any suppression on lung metastasis. Expression of two known tumor suppressor genes, BRCA2 and RB1, which map to chromosome 13, was examined by reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction analysis. BRCA2 was expressed only in the metastasis-suppressed microcell-hybrid clones, whereas RB1 was expressed in all clones.

CONCLUSIONHuman chromosome 13 contains metastasis suppressor gene(s) for prostate cancer derived from rat. Furthermore, the RB1 gene is unlikely to be involved in the suppression of metastasis evident in this system.

Animals ; Animals, Genetically Modified ; Cell Division ; genetics ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosome Mapping ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 ; Disease Progression ; Genetic Markers ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; Kinetics ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Rats ; genetics

Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) score of 3 or 4.Patients and Methods: We reviewed the data of 287 patients with native papillae who underwent therapeutic ERCP for biliary disease at our hospital between October 2016 and October 2018. The patients were divided into two groups; those with an ECOG-PS score of 3 or 4 (group A; n=78) and those with an ECOG-PS score of 0–2 (group B; n=209).Results: The rate of technical success was not significantly different between the two groups (95% versus 89%, P=0.13). Although the occurrence rate of overall adverse events (10% versus 11%, P=0.95) was not significantly different between the groups, the occurrence rates of aspiration pneumonia (3.8% versus 0%, P=0.0044) and heart failure (2.6% versus 0%, P=0.020) were significantly higher in group A.Conclusion: The rates of technical success and overall adverse events did not significantly differ between patients with an ECOG-PS score of 3 or 4 and those with a score of 0–2; however, aspiration pneumonia and heart failure were more likely to occur among patients with an ECOG-PS score of 3 or 4.

Objectives: Rectus sheath hematoma (RSH) can result from bleeding into the rectus abdominis muscle or a direct muscular tear; nontraumatic spontaneous RSH is a rare condition. Here, we report a case of spontaneous RSH associated with warfarin administration for the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).Patient: An 87-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting for 3 days. She was receiving warfarin for treating CTEPH. She had a bulging and hard lower abdomen with ecchymosis. Moreover, the bulging portion was highly tender, and a positive Carnett’s sign was also observed. She reported no history of abdominal trauma. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan revealed right RSH.Results: She was diagnosed with spontaneous RSH and admitted to our hospital. Warfarin was antagonized with an intravenous injection of vitamin K; hemostatic agents were intravenously administered. Gradually, her abdominal pain improved. She was finally discharged 12 days after the admission. Abdominal CT scan performed 17 days after the discharge revealed a reduction in the size of RSH.Conclusion: Despite not having a history of trauma, it is necessary to consider the possibility of RSH for patients receiving warfarin and complaining of abdominal pain.