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Biomedical subjects

M Higashiyama

Publications and source records attributed to M Higashiyama.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

p16 protein expression is associated with a poor prognosis in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

An immunohistochemical analysis for p16 protein was performed in 171 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Sixty-two carcinomas (36.3%) were classified as p16-negative. p16-negative tumours in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) were significantly more than those in adenocarcinomas (P = 0.039). There was no significant difference in survival according to tumour p16 status in patients with NSCLCs or in patients with adenocarcinomas. In contrast, of patients with SCCs, the 5-year survival rate of patients with p16-negative tumours was significantly lower than those with p16-positive tumours (P = 0.001). Especially, the survival of patients with p16-negative tumours was significantly worse than that of patients with p16-positive tumours in the early stage of the SCC, e.g. stage I (P = 0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that p16 status and nodal status were significant prognostic factors for the survival of patients with SCCs of the lung (P = 0.024 and P = 0.008 respectively). In conclusion, our study showed that alteration of p16 was one of the significant factors of a poor prognosis in SCCs of the lung, and that p16 might play an important role in some SCCs of the lung due to its high prevalence and prognostic value.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Vasopressin-dependent upregulation of aquaporin-2 gene expression in glucocorticoid-deficient rats.

We determined alterations in renal aquaporin-2 (AQP2) gene expression in association with impaired water excretion in glucocorticoid-deficient rats. After adrenalectomy, Sprague-Dawley rats were administered aldosterone alone by osmotic pumps (glucocorticoid-deficient rats). As a control, both aldosterone and dexamethasone were administered. These animals were subjected to the studies on days 7-14. The expressions of AQP2 mRNA and protein in kidney of the glucocorticoid-deficient rats were increased by 1.6- and 1.4-fold compared with the control rats, respectively. An acute oral water load test verified the marked impairment in water excretion in the glucocorticoid-deficient rats. One hour after the water load, the expressions of AQP2 mRNA and protein were significantly reduced in the control rats, but they remained unchanged in the glucocorticoid-deficient rats. However, there was no alteration in [(3)H]arginine vasopressin (AVP) receptor binding and AVP V(2) receptor mRNA expression in the glucocorticoid-deficient rats. A V(2)-receptor antagonist abolished the increased expressions of AQP2 mRNA and protein in the glucocorticoid-deficient rats. These results indicate that augmented expression of AQP2 participates in impaired water excretion, dependent on AVP, in glucocorticoid deficiency.

Adrenalectomy↗

Demonstration and diagnostic significance of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide in medullary thyroid carcinoma.

The expression of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (proGRP) in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and other histological types of thyroid carcinoma was studied by an immunohistochemical technique, using polyclonal anti-proGRP antiserum. Immunoreactivity for proGRP was detected exclusively in MTC (n = 7); other histological types (n = 12) were all negative for proGRP. In addition, serum proGRP levels were elevated in patients with primary or recurrent MTC (n = 3), and they changed in parallel with serum calcitonin (CT), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). These results show that proGRP, which is considered to be a specific marker for small-cell lung carcinoma, may be also a potential tumor marker for MTC, in addition to CT and CEA.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Crucial role of insulin in leptin maintenance: profound decrease in serum leptin by octreotide acetate in insulinoma subjects.

To further clarify the relationship between insulin and leptin, time course changes in plasma glucose, serum insulin and leptin levels were analyzed after subcutaneous administration of 100 microg octreotide acetate in two insulinoma subjects. Octreotide acetate induced a prompt decrease in serum insulin level, accompanied with an increase in plasma glucose in both patients. Following the decrease in serum insulin level, serum leptin concentrations were profoundly decreased by 66% and 44%, 8-12 hrs after octreotide injection; that is, the concentrations decreased from 41.1 to 13.8 ng/ml in patient 1, and from 17.5 to 9.8 ng/ml in patient 2. Daily profiles of plasma glucose, serum insulin and leptin without octreotide administration did not show such alterations in these indexes in patient 1. These data show that circulating leptin may be susceptible to decline dependent on the decrease in serum insulin, suggesting that insulin plays a crucial role in the maintenance of leptin secretion in humans.

Blood Glucose↗

Significance of integrin alpha5 gene expression as a prognostic factor in node-negative non-small cell lung cancer.

The integrin family plays a major role in complex biological events such as differentiation, development, wound healing, and the altered adhesive and invasive properties of tumor cells. Integrin (alpha5beta1 is a classical fibronectin receptor, and it has been known as a tumor suppressor gene because tumor cells overexpressing alpha5beta1 are less tumorigenic than their parent cells. However, this finding conflicts with some recent data that suggests that the emergence of alpha5beta1 expression correlates with the tumor progression. We, therefore, investigated the expression of alpha5beta1 integrin in 20 lung cancer cell lines by flow cytometric analysis and in 88 node-negative non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical assays to determine the significance of this prognostic factor. In the 20 lung cancer cell lines, 8 (40.0%) cell lines strongly expressed integrin alpha5, 3 (15.0%) cell lines had moderate or weak alpha5 expression, and the remaining 9 (45.0%) cell lines expressed no integrin alpha5. In the 88 node-negative NSCLC patients, 44 samples (50.0%) were evaluated as having integrin alpha5 overexpression, and the integrin alpha5 expression was significantly associated with the status of differentiation and the age of the patients (P = 0.0379 and 0.0312, respectively). In the node-negative patients, the overall survival rate for patients with integrin alpha5 overexpressed tumors was significantly worse than for those individuals whose tumors had normal integrin alpha5 expression (P = 0.016).

Aged↗

[Diagnosis and treatment of small peripheral lung cancer].

Recently, routine clinical use of CT scan has enabled the detection of many small pulmonary nodules. Concurrently, high-resolution CT(HRCT) has made great advances in the diagnosis of small peripheral lung cancer. In the tumor of adenocarcinoma, non-invasive bronchioloalveolar carcinoma(BAC) component having a replacement growth pattern of alveolar lining cells shows ground-glass opacity(GGO) on HRCT. On the basis of analysis of small peripheral adenocarcinoma (= < 2 cm), patients with tumors showing > = 50% GGO had no metastatic tendency. Therefore, simple wedge resection may be acceptable as a radical operation. On the other hand, since patients with tumors < 50% GGO had slight metastatic tendency depending upon the tumor size, segmentectomy with mediastinal lymph node sampling should be considered only for tumors = < 15 mm.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Use of percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) for extended surgery in patients with T4 tumor].

Since 1991, we have performed operations for tumors invading the upper airway, left atrium or main pulmonary artery with percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) stand by support available. Of 15 cases with PCPS stand by, 6 patients actually underwent operation using PCPS. There were three esophageal cancers invading the carina, two lung neoplasms with left atrial invasion and one neoplasm extending to the main pulmonary artery. One of three patients with esophageal cancer had massive bleeding in the trachea resulting in airway obstruction. For this patient, emergency PCPS was carried out followed by the total removal of the thoracic esophagus and combined resection of membranous portion of the carina. As a result, a substantial amount of time (6 hours) was required. The two patients with reconstruction of the carina due to esophageal cancer were also successfully treated by using PCPS. Two patients with malignant pulmonary neoplasms invading the left atrium underwent combined resection of the lung and left atrium using a combination of PCPS and ventricular fibrillation under normothermia. In conclusion, PCPS should be accepted as a standard technique for patients with advanced thoracic malignancies in whom cardiac arrest or ventilation support is thought to be necessary for the complete removal of the tumor.

Adult↗

[Prognostic assessment of resected lung cancer based on the new international staging system: analysis by histologic types].

The purpose of this study is to assess the validity of the new international staging system for lung cancer revised in 1997 and to clarify the prognostic value of histologic type. Of 1,042 patients with primary lung cancer who underwent resection from 1982 to 1995, 549 patients with adenocarcinoma (AD) and 363 with squamous cell carcinoma (SQ) were included in this study. Overall deaths including operative deaths were treated as the terminal event. For patients with AD, 5-year survival rates were 83% in T1N0M0, 70% in T2N0M0, 46% in T2N1M0, 45% in T3N0M0, 43% in T1N2M0, 32% in T1N1M0, 27% in T2N2M0, 25% in T3N1M0, and 10% in T3N2M0, respectively. For patients with SQ, 5-year survival rates were 80% in T1N0M0, 78% in T1N1M0, 67% in T1N2M0, 60% in T3N0M0, 56% in T2N0M0, 47% in T2N1M0, 36% in T3N1M0, 26% in T2N2M0, and 10% in T3N2M0, respectively. Survival of T1N2M0 was significantly better than that of T2N2M0 and similar to that of T3N0M0 and T2N1M0 both in AD and SQ. In AD survival was dominantly affected by N factor, while in SQ survival was strongly correlated with T factor. In conclusion, we propose that T1N1M0, T2N1M0, T3N0M0 and T1N2M0 should be classified as stage II and T3N2M0 be included into stage IIIB for AD. The TNM grouping for SQ is same as that for AD except setting T1N1M0 as stage IB and T2N0M0 as stage II.

Aged↗

Up-regulation of Lewis enzyme (Fuc-TIII) and plasma-type alpha1,3fucosyltransferase (Fuc-TVI) expression determines the augmented expression of sialyl Lewis x antigen in non-small cell lung cancer.

Sialyl Lewis a and x antigens are well-known tumor-associated antigens expressed in many cancer tissues. The expression of the genes encoding 5 alpha1,3fucosyltransferases, which are able to synthesize the sialyl Lewis antigens, was examined in normal and cancerous lung tissues of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma. In all 20 cases examined, the transcripts only for the Lewis gene, encoding the Lewis enzyme (alpha1,3/4fucosyltransferase, Fuc-TIII), were abundantly expressed in lung tissue, and interestingly they were markedly up-regulated in the lung cancer tissues of all 20 cases in comparison with normal lung tissues. Myeloid-type alpha1,3fucosyltransferase (Fuc-TIV) was expressed at an intermediate level but was not up-regulated in lung cancer tissues. The transcripts for plasma-type alpha1,3fucosyltransferase (Fuc-TVI) gene were detected at a very low level but were apparently up-regulated in cancer tissues. Fuc-TVI was found to exhibit stronger relative activity for sialyl Lewis x synthesis (almost 6. 4-fold that of Fuc-TIII). The amount of sialyl Lewis x antigen on mucins in the lung cancer tissues was found to be determined by both enzymes, the Lewis enzyme (Fuc-TIII) and Fuc-TVI. However, the amount of the sialyl Lewis a antigens was not determined by any of the alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases, although the expression of sialyl Lewis a antigens definitely required the Lewis enzyme.

Adenocarcinoma↗

A novel molecular staging protocol for non-small cell lung cancer.

A molecular staging protocol using reliable markers is of importance in predicting the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and for instituting their appropriate post-surgical treatment. We analysed tumor tissues from 187 NSCLC patients. The DNA and mRNA were extracted from frozen specimens, and then polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and direct sequencing were performed to investigate mutations of p53 from exons 5-8, and mutations of K-ras at exon 1. To determine MRP-1/CD9 gene and KA11/CD82 gene expression, which have been postulated to be metastasis suppressor genes, we have applied quantitative RT-PCR. A Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that nodal status, MRP-1/CD9 and K-ras status were significant factors for prognosis (P<0.0001, P=0.0083 and P=0.0004, respectively). Based on these results, we classified the patients into three groups according to their MRP-1/ CD9 and K-ras status. Patients with both MRP-1/CD9 positive and wild K-ras tumors were defined as group A, patients with either reduced MRP-1/CD9 or mutant K-ras tumors were defined as group B and patients with both reduced MRP-1/CD9 and mutant K-ras tumors were designated as group C. This new classification was significantly correlated with the tumor status and pathological stage (P=0.0098 and P=0.0017, respectively). The overall survival rate of the group A patients was significantly better than the group B patients (59.6% vs 27.9%, P=0.0001) and also that of group B patients was better than the group C patients (27.9% vs 20.0%, P=0.0378). This tendency was also found in patients with 110 node-negative NSCLCs (A vs B vs C=75.8% vs 34.9% vs 0.0%, P<0.0001). A Cox multivariate regression analysis in NSCLC patients demonstrated that an evaluation for both MRP-1/CD9 expression and K-ras mutations had a significant prognostic effect as well as nodal status (P<0.0001).

Adult↗

Mediastinal lymph node involvement as the initial manifestation of occult thyroid cancer in the surgical treatment of lung cancer: report of a case.

A 63-year-old man was referred to our institute for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper lobe of his right lung. A right upper lobectomy of the lung was performed with a mediastinal lymph node dissection. The postoperative pathological examination of the dissected specimens revealed one of the superior mediastinal lymph nodes to be morbid with micrometastasis of occult thyroid cancer, while no node involvement was seen due to lung cancer. A right lobectomy of the thyroid gland with a modified radical neck dissection was done 4 years later after the confirmation of the absence of any recurrent sign of lung cancer. In the resected specimen, papillary thyroid microcarcinoma was observed with several intraglandular metastases and right regional lymph node involvement. Eight months later, a new primary lung cancer developed in the left lung, and a left upper lobectomy of the lung with a mediastinal lymph node dissection was performed. At that time, the absence of mediastinal lymph node metastasis from lung cancer or thyroid cancer was confirmed. Mediastinal lymph node involvement as the initial manifestation of occult thyroid cancer in surgical treatment for lung cancer is rare, but it is important to be aware of the possibility of incidentally detecting occult thyroid cancer in surgical dissections in this area for lung cancer. The appropriate surgical treatment should be determined while carefully considering the prognosis of the lung cancer as well as that of any coexisting malignancy.

Carcinoma, Papillary↗

Surgical treatment for metastatic lung tumors with incidentally coexisting lung cancer.

We report four surgically resected cases of a metastatic lung tumors with incidentally coexisting lung cancer. Two patients (Cases 1 and 2) were admitted for surgical treatment for pulmonary metastases from colon cancer, and the other two (Cases 3 and 4) were for pulmonary metastases from renal cell carcinoma. In only one patient (Case 3), one lesion among the multiple shadows on the preoperative computed tomography examination was rather strongly suspected to be primary lung cancer. In three patients (Cases 1, 2 and 3), one of the resected lesions in each individual case was diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma by an intraoperative examination using frozen sections, and was later histologically confirmed. In Case 4, one of the resected lesions was postoperatively determined to be lung adenocarcinoma. All coexisting lung cancers, treated with partial resection of the lung, were well-differentiated small-sized adenocarcinoma (T1N0), while the other lesions resected in each case were metastases from the individual cancer. Problems in preoperative diagnosis and surgical treatment for metastatic lung tumors with incidentally coexisting lung cancer are discussed.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Survival and postoperative complications after extended surgery for non-small-cell lung cancer. A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated survival after extended surgery in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer and the effects of induction therapy on results and complications. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Between April 1987 and March 1998, 127 patients with pathological T3 (pT3) or T4 (pT4) non-small-cell lung cancer underwent extended surgery combined with resection of neighboring organs. Of these, 35 received induction therapy. In the remaining 92, surgery preceded other therapy. Long-term results and postoperative respiratory complications were analyzed and compared between the patients with and without induction therapy. RESULTS: Overall 5-year survival after extended surgery was 37%. Five-year survival rates in the pT3 was 41% and that in the pT4 group 28% (p = 0.030). Five-year survival rate in the pN0-1 was 46% and that in the pN2-3 group 26% (p = 0.003). No significant difference was observed in survival curves between patients with and without induction therapy. Induction therapy responders showed better survival than nonresponders. To prevent postoperative fatal complications due to bronchopleural fistula, we prophylactically covered the bronchial stump using autologous tissue in 31 induction therapy patients, and no mortality due to complications was seen in this group. CONCLUSION: Long-term survival after extended surgery was observed in pT3 and pT4 patients, especially among those with a pN0-1 status. Induction therapy responders may be considered good candidates for extended surgery because of the favorable prognosis in contrast to that for nonresponders.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

Combined resection of the aorta for an esophageal carcinoma invading the aorta through a right transthoracic approach.

The prognosis of esophageal carcinoma invading the thoracic aorta has been extremely poor, as it has been either not resected or only palliatively resected. In recent years a remarkable improvement in survival has been achieved in advanced esophageal carcinoma through an aggressive dissection of the upper mediastinal lymph nodes. This implied that resection only of the aorta without lymph node dissection in these patients was not adequate for curability. Although a resection of the aorta would seem to be performed more easily through a left thoracotomy than through a right thoracotomy, the upper mediastinal lymph node dissection was unsatisfactory through a left thoracotomy. Therefore, we performed combined resection of the aorta using a temporary aorta-aorta bypass together with upper mediastinal lymph node dissection through a right thoracotomy for four patients with the esophageal carcinoma invading the thoracic aorta. This operative procedure was performed safely, and had the advantage that full observation on the extent of the carcinoma was attained together with subsequent radical lymph node dissection in the same field through only the right thoracic approach. This operation may provide a possibility for cure to patients with an esophageal carcinoma invading the aorta, who would otherwise receive only palliative treatment.

Aged↗

Prognostic value of bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma component of small lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma (BAC) is often observed in lung adenocarcinoma, but its clinicopathological and prognostic significance, especially in small peripheral lung adenocarcinoma, remains undetermined. METHODS: We assessed 206 consecutive cases of surgically resected small peripheral lung adenocarcinoma (less than 2 cm in diameter) recorded between 1973 and 1997. According to the component area of well differentiated BAC within maximally cut surface specimens of tumor tissue, we semiquantitatively classified the tumors into four types: those in which the BAC component comprised 0% (type I), 1% to 49% (type II), 50% to 99% (type III), and 100% (type IV) of the tumor tissue. RESULTS: Forty tumors were classified as type I, 75 as type II, 74 as type III, and 17 as type IV. The tumors with less BAC, especially type I and II, showed a significantly more aggressive nodal involvement and tumor stage, and consequently a worse prognosis, while type IV tumors had no nodal involvement and the most favorable prognosis. The patients with type III showed clinicopathological characteristics somewhere between those of type II and type IV patients. Among stage I patients, however, those with type II had the worst prognosis, while those with type I showed as good a prognosis as the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This novel classification based on the degree of BAC involvement in small peripheral lung adenocarcinoma may reflect clinicopathological and prognostic characteristics. This classification may prove practical for planning therapeutic strategies, in particular surgical treatment.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Activation of monocytes in vivo causes intracellular accumulation of lipoprotein-derived lipids and marked hypocholesterolemia--a possible pathogenesis of necrobiotic xanthogranuloma.

Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG) is a rare histiocytic disease with generalized xanthomatosis. However, most cases with NXG are normolipidemic or hypolipidemic. The mechanism for the formation of xanthoma in NXG has not yet been clarified. We observed a case of NXG with severe hypocholesterolemia (total cholesterol: 1.69 mmol/l) and analyzed the function of monocytes in this case. Histological examinations by light microscopy revealed a large amount of lipid deposition in the patient's freshly isolated monocytes. The patient's monocytes showed a 3-fold increase in cholesteryl ester content and a 3-fold enhancement of acetyl low density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake compared with the control monocytes. However, no significant difference was noted in the expression of CD36 protein and the mRNA levels of scavenger receptor-class A (SR-A) between the monocytes of the patient and the control. The phagocytotic ability of the patient's monocytes was enhanced 1.5-fold compared with that of the control monocytes. These findings suggest that the activated monocytes may have degraded the modified LDL via a pathway other than CD36 or SR-A, and accumulated a great amount of lipids in vivo. In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated a possible pathogenesis of NXG that the activation of monocytes in vivo may contribute to the intracellular accumulation of lipoprotein-derived lipids leading to non-inherited xanthomatosis and the marked hypocholesterolemia.

Aged↗

Serum levels of leptin and changes during the course of recovery from diabetic ketoacidosis.

Secretion of leptin, the obese gene product, is stimulated by insulin and glucocorticoids and reduced by fasting. In subjects with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), severe insulinopenia and prolonged fasting might cause a decrease in serum leptin levels, and subsequent insulin therapy would reverse the decrease. Otherwise, some other confounding factors, neither insulin nor fasting, might affect serum leptin levels in patients with DKA. The present study was undertaken to address these issues. Eleven patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (seven males and four females, aged 44+/-6 years, mean +/- SEM), admitted to Jichi Medical School Hospital presenting DKA, were studied during the therapeutic period. Thirty-five sex-, age- and body mass index-matched healthy subjects served as controls. Serum leptin levels at the hospitalization were significantly greater than those of the matched control subjects (5.5+/-1.0 vs. 3.2+/-0.3 microg/l, P < 0.01). After the start of therapy with a small dose of short-acting insulin and a large volume of fluid infusion, serum leptin concentrations further increased to 10.6+/-3.6 microg/l at 24 h, and thereafter the concentrations gradually decreased and normalized at the discharge (3.3+/-0.7 microg/l, day 24+/-4). The peak levels at 24 h were significantly higher than the levels at the discharge (P < 0.05), and also +77+/-34% higher than those at the hospitalization (P < 0.005). Serum cortisol levels (1830+/-200 nmol/l) were markedly elevated at hospitalization. These results indicate that serum leptin levels are increased even under insulinopenia and fasting in the patients with DKA. Such a finding may be associated with marked hyperglycemia or enhanced secretion of glucocorticoid hormone, although the exact mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We speculate that leptin may serve as a stress peptide in DKA, but further analysis is necessary to explore a physiological role of leptin in DKA.

Adolescent↗