diagnosis and therapy.]]>
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Stomach Diseases ; Stomach Neoplasms

diagnosis of advanced gastric cancer, for which he underwent subtotal gastrectomy and chemotherapy; however, he later died of the cancer. Patient B: A 71-year-old man had worked in shipbuilding and repair workplaces for approximately 49 years, being employed in pipe laying, asbestos insulation installation, grinding, and other ship repair work. In 2003, he was diagnosed of rectal cancer by abdominal computed tomography. He accordingly underwent surgical removal of the cancer. Based on the occupational history of the 2 patients and our review of the relevant literature addressing the occupational environment, we concluded that both patients had continuous exposure to high levels of asbestos while performing their jobs for 40 and 49 years, respectively.CONCLUSION: Both patients had a history of smoking and drinking (non-occupational personal risk factors). However, the possibility of an increased risk of gastric and rectal cancers from asbestos exposure cannot be excluded. Therefore, we considered that occupational exposure to asbestos had contributed to the cancer diagnosis in these cases. Workers exposed to asbestos should be made aware of the possibility of gastric or rectal cancer, and should undergo monitoring and medical examinations. Appropriate compensation for gastric and rectal cancers that occur in workers exposed to asbestos are anticipated in future.]]>
Academies and Institutes ; Aged ; Asbestos ; Biopsy ; Compensation and Redress ; Diagnosis ; Drinking ; Drug Therapy ; Endoscopy ; Gastrectomy ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health ; Oxygen ; Power Plants ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Ships ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stomach Neoplasms

Gastric cancer involving the placenta during pregnancy is rare; however, we present 1 such case in this report. A 31-year-old Japanese woman was referred at 26 weeks of gestation for the evaluation of a swollen left supraclavicular lymph node. Biopsy revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsy of the stomach confirmed the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Her epigastric and back pain became more pronounced and her general status worsened, and we performed a cesarean delivery at 29 weeks. Microscopic examination of the placental specimen revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cells diffused into the intervillous space. Postpartum chemotherapy consisted of S-1 plus oxaliplatin. Unfortunately, this treatment was ineffective, and the patient died 3 months after delivery. The infant did well, without clinical or laboratory manifestations of metastasis. In patients with advanced gastric cancer during pregnancy, it is important to perform a microscopic examination of the placenta to evaluate for metastatic involvement.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Back Pain ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Endoscopy, Digestive System ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Placenta ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

Early detection and accurate monitoring of cancer is important for improving clinical outcomes. Endoscopic biopsy and/or surgical resection specimens are the gold standard for diagnosing gastric cancer and are also useful for selecting therapeutic strategies based on the analysis of genomic/immune parameters. However, these approaches cannot be easily performed because of their invasiveness and because these specimens do not always reflect tumor dynamics and drug sensitivities during therapeutic processes, especially chemotherapy. Accordingly, many researchers have tried to develop noninvasive novel biomarkers that can monitor real-time tumor dynamics for early diagnosis, prognostic evaluation, and prediction of recurrence and therapeutic efficacy. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are metastatic cells that are released from the primary tumors into the blood stream and comprise a crucial step in hematogenous metastasis. CTCs, as a liquid biopsy, have received a considerable amount of attention from researchers since they are easily accessible in peripheral blood, avoiding the invasiveness associated with traditional biopsy techniques; they can also be used to derive clinical information for monitoring disease status. In this review, with respect to CTCs, we summarize the metastatic cascade, detection methods, clinical applications, and prospects for patients with gastric cancer.
Biomarkers ; Biopsy ; Drug Therapy ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplastic Cells, Circulating ; Recurrence ; Rivers ; Stomach Neoplasms

Due to advances in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer, many women survive long after treatment, and therefore express concerns about the impact of estrogen deficiency on their quality of life. Cancer treatment can induce menopause through surgical removal of the ovaries, chemotherapy, or radiation. Women who undergo induced menopause usually experience more sudden and severe menopausal symptoms, including vasomotor symptoms, psychological symptoms, genitourinary symptoms, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is especially important in women younger than 40. In this review, we consider the role of MHT after the diagnosis of breast, gynecologic, colorectal, stomach, liver, lung, and hematologic cancers. MHT is advantageous in endometrial cancer type I, cervical squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hematologic malignancies. However, MHT is not recommended for use in breast cancer, endometrial stromal sarcoma, hormone receptor–positive gastric cancer, and lung cancer survivors because it is linked to an increased risk of cancer recurrence. Depending on the type of cancer, clinicians should recommend that cancer survivors receive appropriate MHT in order to reduce vasomotor symptoms and to benefit from its positive effects on the cardiovascular and skeletal systems.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Estrogens ; Female ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Menopause ; Osteoporosis ; Ovary ; Quality of Life ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Survivors

Gastric cancer with double metastasis to the orbit and duodenum is extremely rare. We report the case of a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma who presented with synchronous orbital and duodenal metastases at the time of initial diagnosis. A 60-year-old man presented with a 1-month history of visual disorder and pain in his right eye. He underwent ophthalmological examinations. The biopsy results suggested intraocular metastatic carcinoma. We conducted a systemic evaluation to identify primary malignancy. Finally, a diagnosis of advanced gastric adenocarcinoma with multi-organ metastasis was made. He planned to be treated with systemic chemotherapy.
Adenocarcinoma ; Biopsy ; Choroid ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Duodenum ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Orbit ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Vision Disorders

BACKGROUND: Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is an uncommon, but devastating complication of advanced cancer and has no standard treatment. Herein, we analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with solid tumors who were diagnosed with LM. METHODS: Between January 2007 and December 2017, we retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with solid tumors who were diagnosed with LM. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age of patients was 51 years (range, 27–72 years), and 62.1% had a poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) (>2). The common types of primary tumor were breast cancer (39.7%), gastric cancer (25.9%), and non-small cell lung cancer (20.7%). Forty-two patients (72.4%) were diagnosed with LM by MRI of the brain and/or spine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, 14 were diagnosed by CSF analysis alone, and 2 were diagnosed by MRI alone. Treatments for LM were performed in 53 patients (91.4%), and best supportive care was provided for 5 patients (8.6%). Intrathecal chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy were administered in 43 (74.1%), 17 (29.3%), and 24 (41.4%) patients, respectively. The median overall survival of the entire cohort was 2.4 months (95% confidence interval, 1.0–3.7). In the analysis of prognostic factors for survival, a good ECOG PS (≤2), administration of systemic chemotherapy after LM diagnosis, and a prior history of brain radiation were associated with prolonged survival. CONCLUSION: Although the prognosis of LM in patients with solid tumors is poor, systemic chemotherapy might improve survival in selected patients with a good PS.
Brain ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Meningeal Carcinomatosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies* ; Spine ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival in locally advanced gastric cancer, but it is associated with significant toxicity. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity have been studied in several types of cancers and have been reported to be associated with higher chemotherapy toxicity and morbi-mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of sarcopenia/sarcopenic obesity in patients with gastric cancer, as well as its association with chemotherapy toxicity and long-term outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using an academic cancer center patient cohort diagnosed with locally advanced gastric cancer between January 2012 and December 2014 and treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed body composition (skeletal muscle and visceral fat index) in axial computed tomography images. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 68±10 years, and 33 patients (69%) were men. Dose-limiting toxicity was observed in 22 patients (46%), and treatment was terminated early owing to toxicity in 17 patients (35%). Median follow-up was 17 months. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were found at diagnosis in 23% and 10% of patients, respectively. We observed an association between termination of chemotherapy and both sarcopenia (P=0.069) and sarcopenic obesity (P=0.004). On multivariate analysis, the odds of treatment termination were higher in patients with sarcopenia (odds ratio 4.23; P=0.050). Patients with sarcopenic obesity showed lower overall survival (median survival of 6 months [95% confidence interval 3.9–8.5] vs. 25 months [95% confidence interval 20.2–38.2]; log-rank test P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were associated with early termination of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer; additionally, sarcopenic obesity was associated with poor survival.
Body Composition* ; Cohort Studies ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Obesity ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sarcopenia ; Stomach Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric hepatoid adenocarcinoma (GHA), a rare type of primary gastric cancer, is characterized by a histology resembling hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous case studies reported that patients with GHA have a poor prognosis due to early lymph node or liver metastasis, but information concerning GHA is still limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological features of GHA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 9 patients who were diagnosed as having GHA between January 2011 and December 2016. The clinicopathological characteristics of these patients were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The median age of the patients at diagnosis was 68.9 years. Seven of the 9 patients were male. Serum AFP levels were elevated in 3 of 4 patients. All the tumors were >4 cm (range, 4~12 cm), and 7 tumors were located at the lower third of the stomach. Five tumors were classified as Borrmann's type 3, with a purple, berry-like surface. Of the 6 patients without distant metastasis, 5 received curative-intent surgery and 3 received adjuvant chemotherapy. Three patients with distant metastasis received either palliative operation and/or chemotherapy. Their median survival time was 11.8 months (range, 1~36 months). Two patients with elevated serum CEA levels had poor outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: GHA is a rare subtype of gastric cancer that is prone to liver metastasis. All GHAs are advanced gastric cancer with a purple, berry-like surface at diagnosis. Although the prognosis of advanced-stage GHA is poor, active multimodality treatment might provide some benefit.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Endoscopy ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to suggest a treatment strategy for stage IV gastric cancer by investigating the behavioral difference between initially and recurrent metastatic disease. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of the patients who underwent chemotherapy alone for metastatic gastric cancer between January 2006 and September 2013. Patients were divided into those who underwent chemotherapy for metastatic disease since initial diagnosis (IM group) and for metastatic recurrence after curative surgery (RM group). Survival and causes of death were compared between the 2 groups, and significant prognostic factors were also investigated. RESULTS: A total of 170 patients were enrolled in this study. Of these patients, 104 were included in the IM group and 66 in the RM group. Overall survival of the IM group did not differ from that of RM (P = 0.569). In the comparison of the causes of death, the IM group had a greater tendency to die from bleeding (P = 0.054) and pneumonia (P = 0.055). In multivariate analysis, bone metastasis (P < 0.001; HR = 2.847), carcinoma peritonei (P = 0.047; HR = 1.766), and the frequency of chemotherapy (P < 0.001; HR = 0.777) were significantly associated with overall survival of IM group. CONCLUSION: Disease-burden mainly contributes to the prognosis of metastatic gastric cancer, although noncurative gastrectomy may be helpful in reducing the mortality of initially metastatic disease. Therefore, disease-burden should be also prioritized in determining the treatment strategies for stage IV gastric cancer.
Cause of Death ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Gastrectomy* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pneumonia ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Stomach Neoplasms*