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Yi-Yin Jan

Publications and source records attributed to Yi-Yin Jan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Actinomycosis mimicking recurrent carcinoma after Whipple's operation.

Actinomycosis is a rare, chronic, spreading, suppurative, granulomatous and fibrosing infection. Actinomyces are normal inhabitants of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. They rarely cause disease and are seldom reported as pathogens. Herein, we reported on a 69-year-old male patient who had undergone Whipple's operation due to ampulla Vater carcinoma, and became infected with actinomycosis at the pancreaticojejunostomy, which mimicked a recurrent malignancy. He was treated with radical resection of the mass at the pancreaticojejunostomy and had an uneventful postoperative course.

Actinomycosis↗

Tumor necrosis factor alpha promotes invasiveness of cholangiocarcinoma cells via its receptor, TNFR2.

We studied the effect of TNF-alpha stimulation on a cholangiocarcinoma cell line, CCKS1. CCKS1 expressed only one type TNF receptor, TNFR2. Treatment of CCKS1 with TNF-alpha substantially activated NFkappaB, MAPK and Akt signalings which in turn activated matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) secretion and in vitro invasiveness of CCKS1. Pretreatment of cells with anti-TNFR2 neutralizing antibody inhibited the TNF-alpha-dependent signaling and MMP-9 secretion and subsequently blocked invasion in vitro. Moreover, an inhibitor for matrix metalloproteinase, Galardin, suppressed the invasion in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of signaling clearly suppressed the TNF-alpha dependent MMP-9 secretion. These results strongly suggest that TNF-alpha-TNFR2 signaling plays an important role to convert the cholangiocarcinoma cells to be more aggressive one.

Cholangiocarcinoma↗

Significance of cellular distribution of ezrin in pancreatic cystic neoplasms and ductal adenocarcinoma.

HYPOTHESIS: Pancreatic cystic neoplasms and ductal adenocarcinoma manifest diverse clinical features and prognoses, which might be related to cellular distribution of ezrin modulated through various trophic molecules. DESIGN: Laboratory investigation and retrospective analysis. SETTING: Medical school-affiliated university hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) (n = 12), mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) (n = 18), intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT) (n = 18), and ductal adenocarcinoma (PA) (n = 73) of the pancreas were studied. Expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) and ezrin were determined using immunohistochemistry. Epidermal growth factor receptor and ezrin expression in sodium butyrate (SB)-treated PA cell line PANC-1 was determined using immunocytochemistry. Messenger RNA expression of ezrin in the PANC-1 cell line treated with SB was determined using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Multivariate analysis of survival of patients with PA was performed. RESULTS: None of 12 SPTs displayed synchronous expression of EGF and EGFR, while all 3 malignant SPTs displayed membranous ezrin expression. One of 18 MCNs displayed synchronous expression of EGF and EGFR, while 4 of 6 borderline malignant and 8 of 8 malignant MCNs displayed membranous ezrin expression. Two of 4 borderline malignant and 11 of 11 malignant IPMTs displayed synchronous expression of EGF and EGFR, and all borderline malignant and malignant IPMTs displayed membranous ezrin expression. Less differentiated PA displayed EGF, EGFR, and membranous ezrin expression more frequently compared with more differentiated PA. Epidermal growth factor receptor expression of PANC-1 cells decreased in an SB dose dependent manner, in which PANC-1 cells became more differentiated and membranous ezrin expression of PANC-1 cells decreased correspondingly. Messenger RNA expression of ezrin in PANC-1 cells also decreased in an SB dose dependent manner. Patients with PA with membranous ezrin expression had a poorer prognosis compared with those without (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Membranous translocation of ezrin might play a role during malignant transformation of SPT, MCN, IPMT, and PA, which are either dependent on (IPMT and PA) or independent of (SPT and MCN) the EGF-EGFR pathway. Membranous ezrin expression represents a prognostic factor for PA.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗

Characterization of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma of the intraductal growth-type and its precursor lesions.

A cohort of patients with intraductal growth-type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IG-ICC) and its precursor lesions, collectively termed intraductal papillary neoplasm of the liver (IPNL), was characterized with respect to demographics, clinical manifestations, perioperative management, long-term survival, and molecular features associated with carcinogenesis. A total of 122 patients with IPNL types 1 through 4, 108 patients with non-IG-ICC and 210 patients with hepatolithiasis alone were studied. Expression of CDX2, TFF1, MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, EGFR, and p53 was determined by using immunohistochemistry. Females predominated in those with hepatolithiasis alone and IPNL. The mean age of patients with hepatolithiasis alone was 6 to 8 years younger than that of those with IPNL. The association with hepatolithiasis in patients with IPNL types 1 and 2, IPNL types 3 and 4, and non-IG-ICC was 100%, 79%, and 64%, respectively. Mucobilia, anemia, and elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels were helpful in distinguishing IG-ICC and its precursor lesions. The mean survival of patients with IPNL type 3, IPNL type 4, and non-IG-ICC was 55.5 months, 36.9 months, and 15.8 months, respectively. The incidence of expression of CDX2 and TFF1 was maximal in IPNL type 3. Expression and cellular distribution of MUC2 and CDX2 were similar. MUC5AC was strongly expressed in all patients with IPNL; EGFR and p53 were rarely expressed in patients with IPNL. In conclusion, hepatolithiasis appears to be a precipitating factor in the development of IPNL. Signs of mucobilia were specific for the diagnosis of IPNL. Expression of CDX2 and MUC2 are helpful in differentiating IPNL and non-IG-ICC. Significant differences in survival associated with the various lesions studied warrants a more aggressive surgical strategy in their management.

Bile Duct Neoplasms↗

Gallbladder carcinoma with biliary invasion: clinical analysis of the differences from nonbiliary invasion.

Gallbladder carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract. Because of a lack of specific presentations, this condition frequently is diagnosed only at an advanced stage. The clinical difference between gallbladder carcinoma with and without biliary involvement remains uncertain. This study recruited all patients with gallbladder carcinoma treated at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taoyuan, Taiwan) from 1987 to 2002. The sample included 120 patients aged 28 to 91 years (mean 65.5 +/- 12.3 years) (39 men, 81 women), whose medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Based on the 2002 newly revised TNM classification, 25, 38, 28, and 29 patients had stage I, II, III, and IV disease, respectively. After we excluded patients with stage I, the other patients were classified into two groups as follows: group I, gallbladder carcinoma with biliary invasion (n = 41); group II, carcinoma without biliary involvement (n = 54). The clinical presentations, laboratory data, operative methods, and outcome of these two groups were compared. The two groups did not differ in terms of age, sex distribution, cholelithiasis, and most clinical presentations. Chemistry laboratory data also identified patients in group I with significantly elevated liver function tests. Group II had a borderline tendency toward better curative resectability than group I (p = 0.09). Survival was significantly better for group I patients who underwent curative resection (n = 5) via cholecystectomy, partial hepatectomy, and bile duct resection than for those with noncurative resection (p < 0.05). However, long-term survival demonstrated that gallbladder carcinoma had the same poor prognosis in the two groups. In conclusion, gallbladder carcinoma with biliary invasion has been found to a more overt clinical presentation and abnormal laboratory data, which might alert clinicians to consider gallbladder carcinoma at an advanced stage or biliary invasion and examine the underlying disease. Generally, the outcome of gallbladder carcinoma is dismal, and radical curative resection combined with cholecystectomy, partial hepatectomy, and bile duct resection perhaps may offer good benefits for advanced gallbladder carcinoma. Furthermore, surgical resection should be performed whenever possible in patients with gallbladder carcinoma to increase life expectancy.

Adult↗

Clinicopathological factors predicting long-term overall survival after hepatectomy for peripheral cholangiocarcinoma.

Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (PCC) is clinically challenging because patients typically do not present until the disease is relatively advanced. Three-year to 5-year survival rates even with resection thus remain dismal. This study aimed to determine the clinicopathological factors for predicting overall survival longer than 5 years in PCC patients treated with hepatectomy. From 1977 to 1997, the clinicopatholgical features of 11 PCC patients who underwent hepatectomy with long-term overall survival (group A) were reviewed. Comparison was made with the clinical features and factors influencing the outcome of 70 PCC patients who survived less than 5 years after hepatectomy (group B). Of 81 PCC patients undergoing hepatectomy, 11 (13.6%) were 5-year survivors. The 81 PCC patients comprised 32 men and 49 women, with a mean age of 56.0 years (range: 34-83 years). Univariate analysis showed that female gender, absence of physical findings, a higher percentage of presence of mucobilia, early staged tumor, intraductal papillary tumor growth, and curative hepatic resection were more frequent in group A patients than group B patients. However, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that absence of physical findings, presence of mucobilia, early staged tumor, and curative hepatic resection were the four independent factors differentiating group A from B patients. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates of the group A patients were 100%, 100%, 100%, and 40%, whereas those of the group B patients were 46.0%, 9.5%, 0%, and 0%, respectively. Absence of physical findings, presence of mucobilia, early staged tumor, and curative hepatectomy could independently predict PCC patients with long-term overall survival after hepatectomy.

Aged↗

Perforation through small bowel malignant tumors.

Data on 19 patients (6 women and 13 men) with malignancy perforation through small bowel tissue were retrospectively reviewed. The median patient age was 57 years (range, 41-81 years). The histopathology included lymphoma (seven patients), leiomyosarcoma (two patients), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (one patient), adenocarcinoma (one patient), metastatic carcinomas with unknown primary tumor (four patients), metastatic adenocarcinoma from the lung (one patient), and metastatic carcinomas from the hypopharynx (one patient), cervix (one patient), and lung (one patient). Resection of a segment of perforated bowel with primary anastomosis was performed in 16 patients, wedge resection of perforated lesion with plication in two patients, and loop ileostomy in one patient. Postoperative deaths occurred in 10 (52.6%) patients, owing to sepsis and organ functional failure. Seven patients died from the primary malignancy at a median follow-up of 6.5 months (range, 5 months to 1 year 9 months) after surgery. Moreover, two patients with small bowel lymphoma were alive with disease at 4 years 8 months and 7 years 1 month after surgery. In conclusion, perforation through small bowel malignant tumors had a high postoperative mortality rate. High index of suspicion of the disease with early surgical treatment may improve treatment outcomes.

Adult↗

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma escapes from growth inhibitory effect of transforming growth factor-beta1 by overexpression of cyclin D1.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is involved in tumor progression by promoting angiogenesis or suppressing the immune system; yet TGF-beta1 also has a growth-inhibitory effect on epithelial cells including carcinoma cells. Several mechanisms of impaired TGF-beta1 responsiveness of carcinoma cells have been reported. In this study, we examined how TGF-beta1 participates in the development and progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) associated with hepatolithiasis, and how ICC cells escape from growth inhibitory effect of TGF-beta1. A total of 40 cases of hepatolithiasis were studied, including 16 cases of ICC, and in vitro studies were conducted with cultured murine non-neoplastic biliary epithelial cells (MBEC) and three ICC cell lines. Immunohistochemically, TGF-beta1 was expressed in mononuclear cells and mesenchymal cells around the stone-containing bile ducts and invasive ICC, and also in biliary epithelial cells (hyperplastic and precursor lesions, and ICC). TGF-beta type II receptor (TbetaR-II) was constantly expressed on biliary epithelial cells irrespective of biliary lesions. In cell culture studies, TGF-beta1 significantly inhibited proliferation of MBEC via downregulation of cyclin D1, cdk4, and cdk6, while TGF-beta1 did not influence the proliferation of ICC cells. After suppression of cyclin D1 expression in one ICC cell line using cyclin D1 small interfering RNA, TGF-beta1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of ICC cells. In conclusion, high levels of TGF-beta1 around ICC or its precursors may be involved in development and progression of ICC in hepatolithiasis. ICC cells could escape the growth inhibitory effect of TGF-beta1 by overexpression of cyclin D1.

Cell Division↗

Aggressive multimodality treatment for intra-hepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma following hepatic resection.

BACKGROUND: Intra-hepatic recurrence following hepatic resection is the primary challenge for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the long-term results of multimodality treatment of patients with intra-hepatic recurrent HCC following hepatic resection. METHODS: From January 1995 through December 2001, a total of 846 patients who underwent hepatic resection for primary HCC at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taoyuan, Taiwan) were analyzed through long-term follow-up; intra-hepatic recurrence of HCC was identified in 444 (52.5%) patients. Patients with intra-hepatic recurrence were categorized into two groups based on whether they underwent regional treatment. A comparison analysis of the survival rates of these two groups following treatment for recurrent intra-hepatic HCC was performed. RESULTS: Patients treated with multiple modalities exhibited significantly better survival results, both after initial hepatectomy and intra-hepatic recurrence compared with patients in the non-regional-treatment group. (p < 0.001) The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of patients in the regional-treatment group after initial hepatic resection were 88.1%, 60.1%, and 35.8%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, 5-year survival rates after treatment of intra-hepatic recurrence in the regional-treatment group were 74.8%, 39.3%, and 25.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The incidence of intra-hepatic recurrence following hepatic resection for HCC remains high. Aggressive multimodality treatment could extend the survival for patients with recurrent postoperative intra-hepatic HCC.

Adult↗

Outcome of pancreaticoduodenectomy for chronic pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Some patients with chronic pancreatitis may require surgery, mainly because of disabling medically intractable pain, suspicion of malignancy or complications related to chronic pancreatitis. This study analyzed the efficacy of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for patients with chronic pancreatitis in terms of pain relief, control of local complications and pancreatic endocrine/exocrine function. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 24 consecutive patients with chronic pancreatitis who received PD from April 1995 to March 2003. There were 21 men and 3 women. The age of the patients ranged from 21 years to 73 years, with a mean age of 44 years. Alcohol abuse, found in 14 patients (58.3%), was the most common predisposing factor. Local complications included stenosis of the pancreatic duct in 15 patients, biliary obstruction in 9, duodenal obstruction in 4 and left-sided portal hypertension in 1. The surgical indications were recurrent intractable pain (n=16), local complications (n=18), and suspicion of malignancy (n=6). Endocrine pancreatic function was assessed by the need to treat diabetes mellitus with dietary modification, oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin. Pancreatic exocrine function was assessed based on clinical symptoms. Pain severity was evaluated using a scoring system based on the use of analgesic medication. The mean duration of follow-up in 22 of 24 patients was 31 months, with a range of 4 to 90 months. RESULTS: Preoperatively, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency was detected in 3 patients (3/24, 12.5%), exocrine insufficiency in 5 (5/24, 20.8%) and intractable abdominal pain requiring morphine injection in 16 (16/24, 66.7%). After PD, 4 patients had 5 complications, resulting in a morbidity rate of 17% and a mortality rate of 4%. Postoperative diabetes mellitus developed de novo in 3 patients (3/20, 15%) and postoperative pancreatic exocrine insufficiency was detected in 14 patients (14/22, 63.6%). Complete pain relief after surgery was noted in 12 patients (12/14, 85.7%). CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with chronic pancreatitis, PD is a safe procedure and can effectively relieve pain and control local complications. Deterioration of pancreatic endocrine function after PD was mainly related to disease progression. Pancreatic resection plays an important role in progressing pancreatic exocrine function.

Adult↗

Hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi is uncommon, and few studies have examined the outcome of hepatectomy for HCC with this unusual entity. This study examined the clinicopathologic factors influencing the outcomes of 17 HCC patients with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi undergoing hepatectomy. The clinical features of 17 HCC patients with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi (group A) undergoing hepatectomy from 1986 to 1998 were reviewed. The clinical features and factors influencing the outcome of 555 HCC patients without biliary tumor thrombi (group B) undergoing hepatectomy were used for comparison. Of 572 patients with surgically resected HCCs, 17 (3.0%) were classified into group A. Right upper quadrant pain, physical signs of jaundice, low albumin level, elevated bilirubin level, small tumor size, more vascular invasion, and tumor rupture were characteristic of group A patients. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed no independently significant factor differentiating group A patients from group B patients. The disease-free survival was similar between the group A and B patients, although group B patients exhibited significantly better overall survival (p = 0.014). Vascular invasion may adversely influence overall survival in group A patients undergoing hepatic resection (p = 0.0709). When feasible, hepatic resection is the preferred treatment for HCC patients with obstructive jaundice due to biliary tumor thrombi. It can achieve a disease-free survival comparable to that of HCC patients without biliary tumor thrombi. However, HCC patients with biliary tumor thrombi had significantly worse overall survival than did those without biliary tumor thrombi, especially those with concomitant vascular invasion.

Adolescent↗

Influence of age on surgical treatment of peripheral cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (PCC) constitutes the second most common primary liver cancer. Information is lacking on patients with PCC <40 years old undergoing surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of age on surgical treatment of patients with PCC based on reviewing the clinicopathologic features and survival rate of 23 patients with PCC <40 years old who received surgical treatment. METHODS: The clinical features of 23 younger patients with PCC (<40 years old) who underwent surgical treatment between 1977 and 2000 were reviewed. Clinical features of 284 patients with PCC >40 years old were used for comparison. RESULTS: Three hundred seven patients with PCC with an age range between 28 and 93 years (mean 57.2, median 56.0) were investigated. The fiftieth decade was the peak PCC age in the series. Clinical presentations and physical findings were similar between younger and older PCC groups. Similar positive serum carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 rates (42.9% and 66.7% vs 41.2% and 74.4%, respectively) and a similar rate of hepatolithiasis associated with PCC were also observed between the 2 groups (43.5% vs 48.9%). Younger patients with PCC tended to show less mucobilia, less papillary-type PCC, and a more advanced stage of tumor compared with older patients with PCC. However, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were used more frequently in the older patients with PCC. Operative morbidity and mortality were similar between the 2 groups (surgical mortality rate 7.8%). Follow-up ranged from 1.0 to 167.6 months (mean 13.0, median 5.7). The 1- and 2-year actuarial survival rates were 6.3% and 0% in the younger PCC group and 31.3% and 15.0% in the older PCC group, respectively. Prognosis was dismal for the younger patients with PCC (P = 0.0008), but they may benefit from hepatic resection. CONCLUSIONS: Younger patients with PCC had a significantly worse survival rate than older patients with PCC. Hepatectomy is rational and may benefit younger patients with PCC.

Adult↗

Thalidomide salvages lethal hepatic necroinflammation and accelerates recovery from cirrhosis in rats.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The authors investigated the feasibility of thalidomide employed to treat liver fibrosis. METHODS: A cirrhotic model was established using Sprague-Dawley rats fed thioacetamide. Thalidomide-treated group was given thalidomide (10mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally for 10 consecutive days. Mortality, histopathological changes, TNFalpha, TGFbeta1, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 were determined. Expression of TNFalpha and TGFbeta1 mRNA of Kupffer's cells derived from the experimental rats were determined. RESULTS: The mortality rates of thalidomide-treated group and vehicle-treated group were 8 and 32%, respectively. The total Knodell score of thalidomide-treated rats was lower than those of vehicle-treated rats. Micro-nodular cirrhosis resolved grossly in thalidomide-treated rats on day 28; while vehicle-treated rats continued to display uneven liver surface on day 28. Expression of TNFalpha, TGFbeta1, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 was decreased in thalidomide-treated rats compared to those treated with vehicles. Finally, the expression of TNFalpha and TGFbeta1 mRNA of Kupffer's cells derived from rats treated with thalidomide were much lower than those treated with vehicle. CONCLUSIONS: Thalidomide salvages lethal hepatic necroinflammation, accelerates recovery from cirrhosis in rats, and works by suppressing of TNFalpha and TGFbeta1 production of Kupffer's cells.

Animals↗

Aberrant expression of CDX2 is closely related to the intestinal metaplasia and MUC2 expression in intraductal papillary neoplasm of the liver in hepatolithiasis.

Intraductal papillary neoplasia of the liver (IPNL) frequently presents gastrointestinal metaplasia with aberrant expression of MUC2 and MUC5AC and oversecretion of mucin into the ductal lumen. In this study, the involvement of CDX2, a homeodomain protein involved in the regulation of intestinal development and differentiation, in the expression of MUC2 was examined in mucinous intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) (n=7) and IPNL with hepatolithiasis (n=19) with comparison to conventional ICC (n=11), and intraductal papillary mucinous tumor and invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas (n=9 and 11, respectively). A total of 33 cases of hepatolithiasis, extrahepatic biliary obstruction and normal livers were used as the control. Immunohistochemically, both MUC2 and MUC5AC were frequently expressed in mucinous ICC and IPNL, while expression of MUC2 was not seen in conventional ICC. The nuclear expression of CDX2 was closely associated with the expression of MUC2 in mucinous ICC and IPNL. This intimate association of MUC2 and CDX2 was confirmed by double immunostaining. The cytoplasmic CDX2 expression was frequent in the mucinous and the conventional ICC and pancreatic carcinoma, irrespective of MUC2 and MUC5AC expression. CDX2 mRNA was detected in neoplastic cells showing cytoplasmic as well as nuclear expression of CDX2 by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. One IPMT expressed MUC2 associated with nuclear CDX2 expression, while the other IPMT and conventional pancreatic carcinoma expressed MUC5AC only. Aberrant expression of CDX2 is closely related to the overexpression of MUC2 in mucinous ICC and IPNL associated with hepatolithiasia, suggesting its role in intestinal differentiation and its association with carcinogenesis in these tumors.

Adult↗

Endo-GIA for ligation of dilated cystic duct during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: an alternative, novel, and easy method.

BACKGROUND: This study prospectively assessed the efficacy and applicability of Endo-GIA for difficult and dilated cystic duct (CD) closure in 24 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) due to CD stone. METHODS: From January 1998 to December 2002, 3325 patients underwent LC for gallbladder lesions at the department of general surgery at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taipei, Taiwan), and 24 (0.72%) were identified as having dilated and difficult CD, which were ligated by Endo-GIA. This study prospectively followed these 24 patients and evaluated the management outcomes. The indications for LC in the 24 patients were symptomatic gallstones with or without common bile duct (CBD) stones (11 patients), Mirizzi syndrome type I (two patients), acute cholecystitis (five patients), acute cholecystitis with acute cholangitis (two patients), acute cholangitis (one patient), biliary pancreatitis (two patients), and gallbladder polyp (one patient). RESULTS: No patients required conversion to open surgery. The CD were successfully ligated with Endo-GIA in all 24 patients with dilated and difficult CD during LC. The postoperative course was uneventful except in two patients. One patient suffered bile duct injury (Stewart-Way class II), and was managed successfully by repeated endoscopic stent. The other case was complicated with retained CBD stone due to migration of fragmented CD stone and was managed by endoscopic papillotomy and stone retrieval. Followup ranged from 1 to 40.2 months (median, 18.5 months) and no other complications were discovered during the followup period. CONCLUSIONS: Endo-GIA is a safe and effective procedure for closing dilated and difficult CD. Endo-GIA could alternatively be attempted in other selected cases because of its ease of application.

Adult↗

Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, apomucins, matrix metalloproteinases, and p53 in rat and human cholangiocarcinoma: appraisal of an animal model of cholangiocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the expression of molecular markers in an animal model of cholangiocarcinoma compared with those in human cholangiocarcinoma. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare disease characterized by early intrahepatic and extrahepatic spread, which seriously limits the efficacy of surgery. Establishing an experimental model to study the cholangiocarcinogenesis is desirable. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300 +/- 50 g were used for the study group. The animals were given 0.3% thioacetamide in tap water continuously. Thirty mass-forming peripheral cholangiocarcinoma patients also were studied. Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, MMP-2, MMP-9, and p53 in both human and experimental rat cholangiocarcinoma was examined using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Using thioacetamide 0.3% as a hepatoxin to induce cholangiocarcinoma in rats, microfoci of cancerous cells were detected from 12 weeks, and all experimental rats displayed diffuse mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma after 24 weeks. EGFR was strongly expressed in 14 (47%) of 30 human cholangiocarcinoms and 24 (100%) of 24 rat cholangiocarcinomas, respectively. MUC1 was strongly expressed in all human and rat cholangiocarcinomas, whereas MUC2 and MUC5AC were focally and weakly expressed. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were strongly expressed in 22 (73%) of 30 human cholangiocarcinomas and 24 (100%) of 24 rat cholangiocarcinomas, respectively. p53 overexpression was detected in 9 (30%) of 30 human cholangiocarcinoma and none of the rat cholangiocarcinoma, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of EGFR, apomucins, MMPs, and p53 in rat cholangiocarcinoma was strongly homologous to human cholangiocarcinoma. Thioacetamide-induced cholangiocarcinoma in rats provides an excellent model for investigating cholangiocarcinogenesis in vivo.

Animals↗

Hepatic resection of the intraductal papillary type of peripheral cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral cholangiocarcinoma (PCC) can be grossly classified into mass-forming, periductal-infiltrating, and intraductal papillary (IP) types. Information on IP-PCC patients undergoing hepatectomy is sparse because of the small number of cases. METHODS: The clinical features of 40 IP-PCC patients undergoing hepatectomy between 1977 and 2000 were reviewed. The clinical features of 94 PCC patients without IP growth undergoing hepatectomy were used for comparison. RESULTS: IP-PCC and non-IP-PCC groups had similar age distributions (P =.674), sex ratios (P =.079), and positive rates for serum carcinoembryonic antigen and CA 19-9 (P =.121 and.795, respectively). The two groups also exhibited similar rates of association between hepatolithiasis and PCC (P =.230). However, more IP-PCC patients exhibited signs during admission, and more had ALT values >36 IU/L; they also had smaller tumors, more mucobilia association, and tumors in earlier stages and had undergone more postoperative chemotherapy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only ALT >36 IU/L differentiated IP-PCC from non-IP-PCC patients. The two groups exhibited similar operative mortality (P = 1.0). Follow-up ranged from 1.6 to 125.2 months (mean and median, 44.6 and 5.7 months, respectively). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 72.9%, 41.2%, and 24.7%, respectively, in the IP-PCC group and 43.3, 6.03%, and 2.01% in the non-IP-PCC group. The prognosis was favorable for the IP-PCC patients (P <.00001), particularly for IP-PCC patients who received curative hepatectomy (P =.013). CONCLUSIONS: IP-PCC patients had significantly better survival than non-IP-PCC patients, and aggressive curative hepatic resection is associated with a longer survival.

Adult↗

Management of unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma discovered during or following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is widely used in the treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis. Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) discovered during or after LC presents a management problem because of the difficulty of intraoperative staging. We conducted a retrospective, 8-year review of 10 patients with GBC discovered during or after LC. Of 3050 patients undergoing LC for cholelithiasis, 10 (0.3%) had GBC. The histological diagnoses of the 10 GBC patients included well-differentiated adenocarcinomas (n = 5), papillary adenocarcinomas (n = 2), moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas (n = 2), and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (n = 1). Of these patients, four had TNM classified T1 tumors, three had T2 tumors, one had T2N0M0 tumor, one had T2N1M0 tumor, and one had T3N0M0 tumor. In three of them (T2N0M0, T2N1M0, and T3N0M0), the procedure was converted to open cholecystectomy, wedge resection of liver bed tissue in segment 5, and lymph node dissection after frozen-section biopsy of the laparoscopically removed gallbladder revealed GBC. Patients were closely followed at regular intervals until death or May 2000. The median follow-up period was 24.5 months. One patient died of carcinomatosis 6 months after undergoing the open procedure. The remaining nine patients did not have any recurrence during the follow-up period. No patient had a port site recurrence of GBC. Based on our limited experience, early GBC (T1a or T1s) can successfully be managed by simple cholecystectomy, either by LC or the open method.

Adenocarcinoma↗