[Capsule endoscopy].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S Faiss.
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In Germany the incidence of esophageal cancer is 6 - 10 per 100,000. At the time of diagnosis about 75 % of the patients suffer from UICC stage III or IV esophageal cancer. Less than 10 % of patients are diagnosed with early (T1) cancer. Diagnosis and staging relies on esophagoscopy including biopsies, endoscopic ultrasonography, and computerized tomography of the chest and abdomen. Intramucosal early cancer (T1a) and high-grade dysplasia can be treated either by surgery or by endoscopic mucosal resection. Chemoradiation is the definitive treatment of choice for localized squamous cell cancer of the proximal esophagus. As far as overall survival is concerned definitive chemoradiation is not inferior to esophagectomy even in patients with localized squamous cell cancer of the middle or lower esophagus. In case of high surgical risk chemoradiation should be offered to those patients as the therapy of choice. Esophagectomy should be performed in operable patients suffering from resectable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. Preoperative chemoradiation is recommended in locally advanced (non-resectable) adenocarcinoma. If staging reveals distant metastases, palliative therapy is indicated. Palliative chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin should be offered to patients with good performance status. Esophageal intubation (with expandable metal stents) is the palliative treatment of choice for firm stenosing, non-resectable tumors, where rapid relief of dysphagia is required.
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In a patient suffering from malignant obstructive jaundice and thrombocytopenia, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to guide percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, to avoid blind puncture of the bile ducts using fluoroscopy. The first puncture approach was successful, and an MRI-visible guide wire and drainage catheter were inserted successfully within 35 min. The course after the intervention was uneventful, and the patient's fever and itching improved. MRI guidance facilitated optimal procedure planning and high puncture accuracy.
C-11- or F-18-DOPA positron emission tomography (DOPA PET) is a new sensitive imaging technique for small neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumors which evaluates the decarboxylase activity. To further characterize the dopaminergic system in neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumor cells, we investigated the expression of both dopamine receptors and the transmembrane dopamine transporter (DAT) in the human neuroendocrine pancreatic cell line BON and in the neuroendocrine gut cell line STC-1. Both BON and STC-1 cells expressed mRNA of the dopamine receptors D2-D5 and DAT. mRNA of the dopamine receptor D1 was detected in BON cells only. Both in BON and STC-1 cells, expression of D2 and D5 receptors and DAT was also demonstrated immunocytochemically. For functional receptor characterization intracellular cAMP levels ([cAMP]i) were determined. Whereas in STC-1 cells dopamine and the D1-like (D1/D5) receptor agonist SKF 38393 increased [cAMP]i, [cAMP]i was decreased by dopamine or the D2-like (D2-D4) receptor agonist quinpirole in BON cells. Functional DAT activity was, however, not detected in either cell line. The presence of both dopamine receptors and of the DAT suggests an autocrine and/or paracrine function of dopamine in neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumor cells. Yet neither the transmembrane dopamine transporter nor dopamine receptors are likely to contribute to positive DOPA PET imaging of neuroendocrine gastrointestinal tumors. However, these molecules may be of diagnostic importance when applying other dopaminergic system tracers.
Due to advanced disease at the time of diagnosis the prognosis of oesophageal cancer is generally poor. As mass screening for oesophageal cancer is neither feasible nor reasonable, high-risk groups should be identified and surveilled. The aim of this study was to define the risk of oesophageal cancer in patients with (previous) head and neck cancer. A total of 148 patients with (previous) head and neck cancer were prospectively screened for oesophageal cancer by video-oesophagoscopy and random oesophageal biopsies. Even in a macroscopically normal looking oesophagus, four biopsy specimens were taken every 3 cm throughout the entire length of the squamous oesophagus. Low- or high-grade squamous cell dysplasia was detected histologically in 10 of the 148 patients (6.8%). All but one dysplasias were diagnosed synchronously with the head and neck cancers. In addition, oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 11 of the 148 patients (7.4%). Most invasive cancers (63.6%) occurred metachronously. The risk of squamous cell neoplasia of the oesophagus is high in patients with (previous) head and neck cancer. Surveillance is recommended in this high-risk group.
BACKGROUND: The implantation of a jejunal feeding tube, via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), is a possible method for the treatment of inadequate oral feeding in patients who are affected by gastroesophageal reflux. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study involves a retrospective analysis of all the patients up to 18 years of age, who were treated by means of jejunal feeding tubes at the Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, between 15 September 1995 and 1 August 2000. RESULTS: In all, 76 patients received a PEG, and 12 of them were also given jejunal feeding tubes. One of these patients has experienced no complications. In the other 11 children, 52 changes of jejunal tube have been required. The most important reason for these changes was displacement of the tube into the gastrointestinal tract, resulting from technical problems with the connecting section. CONCLUSIONS: Jejunal feeding tubes in patients with gastrostomy are an alternative to fundoplication and drugs. However, a high rate of changes is to be expected.
BACKGROUND: Intestinal metaplasia is considered a risk factor for the development of gastric adenocarcinomas of the intestinal type and is found in approximately 20% of gastric biopsies. Conventional histology only detects advanced stages of intestinal metaplasia. AIMS: To study expression of the enterocyte specific adhesion molecule liver-intestinal (LI)-cadherin in intestinal metaplasia as well as in gastric cancer, and to evaluate its use as a diagnostic marker molecule. PATIENTS: Gastric biopsies (n=77) from 30 consecutive patients (n=30; aged 28-90 years) as well as surgically resected tissue samples (n=24) of all types of gastric carcinomas were analysed. METHODS: Single and double label immunofluorescence detection on cryosections of gastric biopsies; alkaline phosphatase antialkaline phosphatase method on paraffin embedded carcinoma tissue sections. RESULTS: Of 77 biopsies (from 30 patients), 12 (from 10 patients) stained positive for LI-cadherin. LI-cadherin staining correlated with the presence of intestinal metaplasia. Conventional histological diagnosis however failed to detect subtle gastric intestinal metaplasia (three of 10 patients). In contrast, only LI-cadherin and villin were positive in these cases whereas sucrase-isomaltase also failed to detect intestinal metaplasia in four of 10 patients. Well differentiated gastric carcinomas showed intense staining for LI-cadherin while undifferentiated carcinomas showed only weak diffuse cytoplasmic staining. CONCLUSIONS: To detect early metaplastic changes in the gastric mucosa, LI-cadherin has a sensitivity superior to sucrase-isomaltase and conventional histology and comparable with that of villin. Its specificity exceeds that of villin. Thus LI-cadherin represents a new, reliable, and powerful marker molecule for early detection of gastric intestinal metaplasia and well differentiated adenocarcinomas.
Human adenocarcinomas of the gastroenteropancreatic system overexpress vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors and therefore represent logical diagnostic targets for receptor scintigraphy. Using iodine-123 labelled VIP, the newly employed diagnostic procedure termed VIP receptor scintigraphy (VIP-RS) appears to detect tumour tissue, especially pancreatic metastatic tumours, in almost all cases. So far, however, only a single centre has demonstrated convincing positive results. The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of VIP-RS with those of computer tomography (CT) and transabdominal ultrasound in patients with extensive pancreatic metastatic adenocarcinomas and neuroendocrine tumours. VIP was radiolabelled with carrier-free 123I using the chloramine T-method and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography for purification. Patients with metastatic pancreatic (n=12) and colorectal (n=3) carcinomas (adenocarcinoma: n=13, neuroendocrine tumour: n=2) were studied by VIP-RS, CT, ultrasound and, in one case, also by radioligand receptor autoradiography. Carrier-free radioiodinated VIP of maximum specific radioactivity maintained a high biological activity as determined by cAMP formation in receptor-expressing tumour cell lines. Intravenous injection of 123I-VIP did not cause any side-effects. Biodistribution, determined over 24 h, was high in the lungs and low in abdominal organs. Although all patients had extensive metastatic disease as evidenced by CT and ultrasound, VIP-RS was unable to detect either primaries or metastases in these patients. Only in two patients could a significant uptake of radiolabel be detected in organs directly infiltrated by the primary. To exclude false-negative findings, tumour tissue in one patient with a large primary, undetectable by VIP-RS, was analysed by radioligand receptor autoradiography and shown to be receptor positive. Moreover, in vitro receptor determinations showed that pancreatic carcinomas usually have fewer VIP receptors than the normal tissues to which they metastasize, like the liver. It is concluded that VIP can be radioactively labelled with maximum specific radioactivity while maintaining biological activity. Intravenous administration leads to a biodistribution almost identical to that reported previously. However, in contrast to these reports, very low sensitivity and specificity were observed for the detection of pancreatic cancers. In retrospect, these findings are not surprising since VIP receptor expression was observed to be higher in normal tissues than in neoplastic ones.
PURPOSE: To test the feasibility of MR imaging (MRI)-guided percutaneous biliary drainages in patients using an open MR-system. METHODS: 6 patients with mechanical cholestasis underwent MRI-guided puncture and catheterization of the biliary system following intervention planning with magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) in an open low-field MR system. Data on the number of punctures required, success in establishing external and internal drainage, and total procedure time were compared to those of 6 patients who underwent biliary drainage with fluoroscopic guidance. RESULTS: MRC facilitated intervention planning in all patients. Near-real-time MR imaging enabled interactive positioning of the devices. The bile ducts were punctured under MRI control in three patients in the first, in two in the second, and in one in the third attempt. MRI-guided puncture was faster than the fluoroscopic procedure. Catheterization for external drainage was successful in all patients. Passing the obstructions was not possible under MRI guidance. The procedure time for MRI-guided catheterization was longer than in the conventional technique. CONCLUSION: MRI-guidance allows reliable placement of an external biliary drainage in an open low-field MR system.
Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) of the upper gastrointestinal tract are mainly located in the pancreas, stomach or duodenum. The aims of preoperative work-up are the localization of primary tumour(s), determination of local tumour invasion, of lymph node metastases and of the hormones secreted by the tumour. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) offers ideal conditions to localize and stage NETs of the foregut. We report our results in localizing and staging NETs of the foregut in 40 patients examined between 1990 and 1997 by EUS, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transabdominal ultrasound (US). EUS shows the highest sensitivity in localizing insulinomas compared with SRS, US, CT and MRI. US and EUS should be the first-line diagnostics if insulinoma has been proven by a fasting test. Further diagnostic procedures are unnecessary in most cases. Further diagnostics such as CT or MRI to search for distant metastases are necessary in large tumours or local invasive tumours. EUS shows the highest accuracy to detect or exclude pancreatic gastrinomas, but fails to detect extrapancreatic gastrinomas in about 50%. The combination of EUS and SRS gives additional information. First-line diagnostics in gastrinoma patients should be SRS and CT or MRI. If no metastases are detected, EUS should be the next preoperative imaging procedure. In nonfunctional NETs, EUS provides the best information on local tumor invasion and regional lymph node involvement.
PURPOSE: To investigate interactive MR-assisted bile duct drainage in pigs with the passive visualization technique using near real-time imaging. METHODS: 8 bile duct drainages were placed in an open low-field MR system (0.2 Tesla) in 4 pigs with surgically induced cholestasis. After planning the intervention with magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC), both the puncture and catheter placement were interactively guided using a fast T2-weighted true FISP sequence. RESULTS: MRC enabled interventional planning in all puncture attempts. Punctures were unproblematic in all attempts, the bile ducts were punctured 6 times after the first and twice after the second attempt. Placement of the passively visible catheter was successful in all animals. The applied sequence enables interactive fluoroscopy-like positioning of the devices. CONCLUSION: The procedure introduced here enables reliable and fast placement of a bile duct drainage in an animal model using a low-field MR system.
AIM: To evaluate MR cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP) using an open low magnetic field apparatus in normals and in patients with mechanical cholestasis. METHODS: MRCP was performed on five normals and on 30 patients, using both an 0.2 Tesla and 1.5 Tesla apparatus. With the low field system, rapid acquisition by relaxation enhancement was used, for the high field system, half Fourier acquisition single shot turbo spin-echo sequences were used. In all patients, sonography and ERCP or PTC was performed; 23 underwent surgery. RESULTS: In all normals it was possible to show the bile duct, hepatic duct, gall bladder and intrahepatic ducts of the first order. Using the high field system, second order ducts could be shown and sometimes third order ducts. In the patients, MRCP, using either system, demonstrated all 21 obstructive sites due to tumours or stenoses. Stones were shown in 69% by the low field system and in 88% by the high field system. CONCLUSION: MRCP can be successfully carried out using the low field system. In the presence of mechanical cholestasis, image quality is adequate for the localisation of stenoses and occlusions, and, using an open magnet, is suitable for planning further intervention.
Successful treatment of neuroendocrine tumor disease of the gastroenteropancreatic system requires a multimodal approach. Radical tumor surgery is required before other therapies are initiated. So far, only surgery has proven to be curative. If surgical intervention is not possible or a tumor-free state cannot be achieved, biotherapy with the somatostatin analogues octreotide or lanreotide should then be preferably carried out in patients with functional tumors. Interferon-alpha can alternatively be given. In patients with gastrinoma, therapy with proton pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazol) is the initial treatment of choice. In patients with nonfunctional tumors, indication for treatment is only given in cases of documented tumor progress. In case of progressive tumor disease or functionality under the above-mentioned therapies, treatment with somatostatin analogues can be intensified by dose escalation or alternatively by a combination therapy with interferon-alpha and a somatostatin analogue. On the basis of the less favorable response of neuroendocrine foregut tumors to biotherapy, chemotherapy should be initiated after failure of biotherapy in documented tumor progression. A combination of streptozotocin and 5-fluorouracil, possibly combined with D,L-folinic acid, is the treatment of choice, considering the response and side effect rates. In case of predominantly anaplastic neuroendocrine tumors in advanced stages, good tumor response rates with a chemotherapeutic scheme consisting of cisplatin and etoposide can be achieved. Since the chemotherapy scheme is less effective in patients with midgut or hindgut tumors, chemoembolization of liver metastases should follow biotherapy. The response to chemoembolization may be increased by simultaneous systemic chemotherapy. Attention should always be paid to an adequate analgesic drug administration.
This paper considers the confirmation of diagnosis, made initially from histological analysis of tumour tissue, of neuroendocrine tumour disease, using elevated secretory products in the blood. These include hormones, peptides, neurotransmitters and packaging proteins of secretory vesicles such as chromogranin A.
Neuroendocrine tumours of the gastroenteropancreatic system represent a therapeutic challenge. Current therapeutic strategies will be presented and discussed with especial consideration given to biotherapeutic regimens in metastatic tumour disease.