Background: Surgical procedures for proximal gastric cancer remain a highly debated topic. Total gastrectomy (TG) is widely accepted as a standard radical surgery. However, subtotal esophagectomy, proximal gastrectomy (PG) or even subtotal gastrectomy, when a small upper portion of the stomach can technically be preserved, are alternatives in current clinical practice. Methods: Using a cohort of the PGSAS NEXT trial, consisting of 1909 patients responding to a questionnaire sent to 70 institutions between July 2018 and December 2019, gastrectomy type, reconstruction method, and furthermore the remnant stomach size and the anti-reflux procedures for PG were evaluated. Results: TG was the procedure most commonly performed (63.0%), followed by PG (33.4%). Roux-en-Y was preferentially employed following TG irrespective of esophageal tumor invasion, while jejunal pouch was adopted in 8.5% of cases with an abdominal esophageal stump. Esophagogastrostomy was most commonly selected after PG, followed by the double-tract method. The former was preferentially employed for larger remnant stomachs (S3/4), while being used slightly less often for tumors with as compared to those without esophageal invasion in cases with a remnant stomach 2/3 the size of the original stomach. Application of the double-tract method gradually increased as the remnant stomach size decreased. Anti-reflux procedures following esophagogastrostomy varied markedly. Conclusions: TG is the mainstream and PG remains an alternative in current Japanese clinical practice for proximal gastric cancer. Remnant stomach size and esophageal stump location appear to influence the choice of reconstruction method following PG. (c) 2022 Asian Surgical Association and Taiwan Robotic Surgery Association. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Low skeletal muscle mass reflects poor nutritional condition, which may impair the functional status and quality of life (QOL) of survivors of gastrectomy. The present cross-sectional study examined the association between a relative change in skeletal muscle mass and perceived postoperative health and QOL in patients with gastric cancer. The study comprised 74 patients (48 men and 26 women; median age, 68.5 years) who underwent surgery for stage I-III gastric cancer. Outcomes were measured using the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45, which was specifically developed to measure post-gastrectomy symptoms, living status, dissatisfaction with daily life and generic QOL. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was estimated using computed tomography by tracing the area of the psoas major muscle to calculate the ΔSMI, defined as: (SMI before surgery-SMI at completion of the PGSAS-45 survey)/SMI before surgery x100. Associations between ΔSMI and health outcomes were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. The mean ΔSMI (SD) was 8.64% (10.6%). The effect size (Cohen's d) of ΔSMI <10% compared with ΔSMI ≥10% was 0.50 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.97) for total symptom scores, -0.51 (-0.98 to -0.03) for general health, and -0.52 (-0.99 to -0.05) for the physical component summary (PCS). Multiple regression analysis showed that ΔSMI was significantly associated with PCS decline, and its standardized regression coefficient was -0.447 (-0.209 to -0.685). Determining ΔSMI may help clinicians to facilitate the objective evaluation of low skeletal mass, which reflects poor nutritional condition that can impair functional status and QOL of postoperative patients surviving gastrectomy.

Histological response of Grade 3 is relatively rare in gastric cancer patients but has recently been observed occasionally. We report the histological response of Grade 3 achieved by S-1/oxaliplatin(SOX)therapy. A 66-year-old man had suffered from epigastralgia when hungry. After 1 month, he visited the department of gastroenterology of our hospital. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 3 tumor at the lesser curvature of middle gastric body, and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was detected by the biopsy examination. Abdominal/pelvic enhanced CT showed wall thickening of the lower gastric body, enlarged regional lymph nodes and para-aortic lymph nodes(No. 16b1). We diagnosed it with Stage Ⅳ. He received 4 courses of SOX therapy. After chemotherapy, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a residual tumor, although biopsy showed no cancer cells. Abdominal/pelvic enhanced CT showed significantly reduced lymph nodes despite the thickening of the gastric wall. PET-CT revealed indistinct para-aortic lymph nodes. Distal gastrectomy, D2 dissection without para-aortic lymph nodes dissection, and Billroth Ⅰ reconstruction were performed. Histological findings showed no cancer cells in the main lesion or lymph nodes, with only previous cancer cells suspected. The histological response was Grade 3. SOX therapy might be employed in the future as chemotherapy before conversion surgery for Stage Ⅳ gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND:The effects of various gastrectomy procedures on the patient's quality of life (QOL) are not well understood. Thus, this nationwide multi-institutional cross-sectional study using the Postgastrectomy Syndrome Assessment Scale-45 (PGSAS-45), a well-established questionnaire designed to clarify the severity and characteristics of the postgastrectomy syndrome, was conducted.AIM:To compare the effects of six main gastrectomy procedures on the postoperative QOL.METHODS:Eligible questionnaires retrieved from 2368 patients who underwent either of six gastrectomy procedures [total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (TGRY; n = 393), proximal gastrectomy (PG; n = 193), distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (DGRY; n = 475), distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I reconstruction (DGBI; n = 909), pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG; n = 313), and local resection of the stomach (LR; n = 85)] were analyzed. Among the 19 main outcome measures of PGSAS-45, the severity and characteristics of postgastrectomy syndrome were compared for the aforementioned six gastrectomy procedures using analysis of means.RESULTS:TGRY and PG significantly impaired the QOL of postoperative patients. Postoperative QOL was excellent in LR (cardia and pylorus were preserved with minimal resection). In procedures removing the distal stomach, diarrhea subscale (SS) and dumping SS were less frequent in PPG than in DGBI and DGRY. However, there was no difference in the postoperative QOL between DGBI and DGRY. The most noticeable adverse effects caused by gastrectomy were meal-related distress SS, dissatisfaction at the meal, and weight loss, with significant differences among the surgical procedures.CONCLUSION:Postoperative QOL greatly differed among six gastrectomy procedures. The severity and characteristics of postgastrectomy syndrome should be considered to select gastrectomy procedures, overcome surgical shortcomings, and enhance postoperative care.

This is a case of a 72-year-old woman who presented without anymajor complaint. An anemia was indicated during follow-up for diabetes at the internal medicine unit and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy(GS)was performed. A type 2 tumor was detected in the middle thoracic esophagus and biopsyrevealed a squamous cell carcinoma. A tumor was detected in the middle thoracic esophagus bycervical thoracoabdominal computed tomography(CT)scan and no invasion of surrounding organs was noted. The lymph node 104R had enlarged significantlybut no distant metastasis was observed. The patient was diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer, Mt, type 2, cT2N2M0, stage Ⅱ. For preoperative chemotherapy, CDDP plus 5-FU(FP)therapywas administered. Lung metastasis was found on CT examination and surgical resection was not indicated. Hence, 4 courses of docetaxel plus CDDP plus 5-FU(DCF)therapywere administered. Following treatment, lung and lymph node metastases disappeared on the image. However, the main tumor remained at the GS. Radiotherapy was administered as a local additional treatment. Thereafter, GS showed mucous membrane redness and white spots of the lesion. Biopsyfrom the same site showed no malignant findings. The patient has remained malignancy-free since 18 months.

The recent phase Ⅲ trials REGARD and RAINBOW have shown survival benefits and acceptable safetyprofiles of ramucirumab( RAM)alone and RAM plus paclitaxel. Based on this result, RAM is recommended as a secondarytreatment for advanced and recurrent gastric cancer bythe Japanese Gastric Cancer Association. Although the frequencyis not high, gastrointestinal perforation has been reported as a serious side effect. RAM is a human anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR-2)monoclonal antibodythat acts on vascular endothelial cells to inhibit angiogenesis. The detailed mechanism has not been elucidated, but it is thought that the ischemic state and delayed wound healing due to the inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factors could be the cause of perforation. Thus, the usage of angiogenesis inhibitors such as RAM while intestinal stents are placed, mayincrease the risk of gastrointestinal perforation. We report a case in which RAM was administrated with no adverse events after multiple gastrointestinal metal stents being inserted.

Rationale: Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is a very rare malignancy accounting for only 0.1% to 0.2% of all malignant esophageal lesions. Presently, there are no standard strategies or clear guidelines for PMME treatment. Patient concerns: Herein, we report a patient who had PMME with multiple lymph node metastases (LNMs) who was treated successfully by esophagectomy. In March 2018, a 74-year-old man with symptoms of continuous dysphagia was referred to our hospital. Diagnosis: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination revealed melanin pigmentation in the middle thoracic esophagus and a pigmented polypoid mass in the lower esophagus. Histopathological examination of the endoscopic biopsy specimen revealed malignant melanoma. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a 3 cm tumor lesion with several enlarged lymph nodes without distant metastasis. The preoperative diagnosis based on the TNM classification was cT2N2M0 stage III. Interventions: The patient underwent esophagectomy with lymph node dissection. Outcomes: Histopathological examination showed that the tumor extended to the submucosal layer of the esophageal wall, with multiple LNMs. Although multiple LNMs were detected, computed tomography scan 15 months after surgery showed no recurrence. Additionally, we analyzed the relationship between the overall survival and the clinicopathological factors including LNMs in 48 previously reported cases of PMME that were surgically treated. Lessons: To our knowledge, this is the first report on the effect of LNMs on the prognosis of PMME patients. The analysis revealed the prognostic value of the TNM stage. Early tumor detection and esophagectomy with lymph node dissection may play as key factors for achieving a better overall survival of PMME patients.

先天性第VII因子欠乏症（以下，第VII因子欠乏症と略記）は，まれな疾患である．第VII因子欠乏症併存胃癌症例に対し，遺伝子組換え活性型第VII因子製剤（以下，rFVIIaと略記）を投与し胃切除術を施行した．症例は58歳の男性で，B型肝炎治療のため検査を施行し，第VII因子欠乏症併存胃癌と診断された．プロトロンビン時間が18.0秒（control 12.7秒）と延長し，第VII因子活性は10%と低下していた．上部消化管内視鏡検査では胃角部前壁に胃癌を認めた．以上より，第VII因子欠乏症併存胃癌と診断し，術直前にrFVIIa 1.2 mg（18 μg/kg）を静脈注射し幽門側胃切除術を施行した．術後も第VII因子活性を測定しながら第4病日までにrFVIIa 1.2 mgを計13回静脈注射した．第VII因子欠乏症の手術報告例は少なく，第VII因子活性の測定およびrFVIIaの投与により安全に施行できた．

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor（以下:GIST）のリンパ節転移はまれである．リンパ節転移を伴った胃原発GIST の1例を経験したので報告する．症例は68歳，男性．近医にて上部消化管内視鏡検査を施行し胃体上部にSMTを認めたため，当院を紹介受診．当院でfine needle aspiration（以下:FNA）を施行し，胃GISTと診断．腹部造影CT所見では，腫瘍と小彎リンパ節腫大を認めた．以上より，胃GISTの診断にて手術を施行．開腹所見では，リンパ節転移を疑う所見も認めたため，胃全摘術，D2郭清を施行した．病理結果は40×30mm核分裂像（63/50HPFs）で，リスク分類はFletcher分類で高リスクであった．術後補助化学療法としてメシル酸イマチニブを開始したが，1カ月間の内服で全身倦怠感をきたし，以降中止とした．現在まで再発兆候は認めていない．GISTは，リンパ節転移はほとんどないことからリンパ節郭清の意義は少なく，リンパ節郭清を伴わない局所切除が行われることが多い．しかし，リンパ節転移を伴うGISTの場合は，完全切除のためにリンパ節郭清も選択肢の一つとして考慮すべきである．

We report the case of an 80-year-old man with unresectable, advanced gastric cancer and pulmonary cancer because of multiple liver metastases. The serum hemoglobin level declined to 5.3 g/dL during fourth-line chemotherapy. Radiation therapy of 30 Gy was administered in 10 fractions. After radiation treatment was completed, the serum hemoglobin level increased to 8.5g/dL. No new adverse event was observed. Subsequently, the progression of anemia stopped, and oral intake became possible. Thus, palliative radiation therapy is useful for hemorrhage control in unresectable, advanced gastric cancer patients with a poor general condition and difficult surgical treatment.

BACKGROUND:Gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma (GCLS) is a rare subtype of gastric cancer. There have been several reports demonstrating the favorable prognosis of early GCLS without lymph node metastasis (LNM) compared with gastric adenocarcinomas. However, it remains unknown whether advanced GCLS (AGCLS) with LNM has a similar prognosis and clinicopathological features. This study aimed to assess the clinicopathological features of GCLS of all stages.METHODS:We retrospectively assessed 375 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with gastric cancer and underwent curative surgical resection at Tokyo Medical University, Japan, between September 2013 and October 2019. Of these patients, 357 (95.2%) patients were pathologically diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinomas, and 18 (4.8%) patients were diagnosed with GCLS. The GCLS patients (n = 18) were compared with the gastric adenocarcinoma patients (non-GCLS patients, control) (n = 357) in terms of their clinicopathological features and clinical outcome.RESULTS:The GCLS patients showed significantly predominant upper gastric locations (P = 0.003), lower number of LNM (P = 0.01), and better overall survival rate than the non-GCLS patients (P = 0.029). The predominant upper gastric locations (P = 0.0002), lower number of LNM (P = 0.003), and better overall survival rate (P = 0.04) were significantly correlated in the AGCLS with LNM patients compared with the advanced non-GCLS with LNM patients. For survival analyses, surgical procedure, tumor location, and numbers of positive LNM were adjusted by 1:1 propensity score matching. After adjustment, the overall survival rate was significantly higher in the AGCLS group than in the advanced non-GCLS group (P = 0.03).CONCLUSION:AGCLS has distinct clinicopathological features and clinical behavior that are similar to those of early GCLS. AGCLS with LNM patients showed a significantly lower number of LNM and a better survival rate than advanced non-GCLS with LNM patients. To our knowledge, this study is the first report to describe the clinicopathological features of AGCLS.

The patient was a 26-year-old female who had undergone conservative treatment for acute appendicitis at another clinic and was referred to our hospital for interval appendectomy. We performed a single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy, and the patient was diagnosed with goblet cell carcinoid(GCC)based on the postoperative pathological examination. Since GCC is considered a high-grade tumor, we performed a laparoscopic ileocolic resection with D3 lymphadenectomy. There was no residual disease or lymph node metastasis detected in the resected specimen. Patients with advanced GCC typically have poor prognosis, because GCC is characterized by peritoneal dissemination and lymph node metastasis. However, our findings suggested that an additional laparoscopic surgery could be one of the curative and safe treatment options for selected pa- tients with GCC.

TS-1の有害事象として横紋筋融解症の報告がある．今回，TS-1が原因の一つと考えられる横紋筋融解症を経験したので報告する．症例は74歳，男性．既往歴に糖尿病と高血圧で内服加療歴があるが，現在は服薬していない．18カ月前に胃癌に対して胃全摘術，D2郭清，Roux-en-Y再建を施行されている．病理結果はT3（SS）N0（0/52）H0P0CY0M0，Stage II Aであった．術後補助化学療法として，術後42日目より2週内服1週休薬のスケジュールでTS-1を開始した．明らかな有害事象なく内服可能であった．本人の希望で継続していた15カ月目に全身筋力の低下，下肢の脱力感を自覚した．歩行困難となり，症状発症2日後に受診した．血液検査上，白血球23,600/ul，LDH 544U/l，CK 20,052U/l，CRP 26.7mg/dlと異常高値を呈し，血中ミオグロビン360ng/ml，尿中ミオグロビン2,800ng/mlとともに異常高値を示していた．以上より横紋筋融解症と診断した．入院後点滴加療にて改善し，第11病日に軽快退院となった．TS-1の内服中に横紋筋融解症を発症した症例を経験したので，若干の文献的考察を加えて報告する．

The patient was a 49-year-old man with persistent fever since the introduction of hemodialysis(HD). Vomiting and abdominal swelling appeared 4 months after initiating hemodialysis. Computed tomography(CT)scan revealed a tumor measuring 9 cm, and disorders of passage from the jejunum. Surgery was performed, and resection was impossible because of peritoneal dissemination. Histopathological examination of the disseminated nodes suggested an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma. Postoperatively, drainage from the gastric fistula was approximately 2,000mL/day. Chemotherapy was considered impossible because of HD, and palliative therapy was selected. However, the volume of drainage from the gastric fistula gradually decreased, and the disorders of passage reduced. CT scan confirmed marked reduction in the size of the intraperitoneal tumor and its subsequent disappearance. At the 2-year-and-5-month postoperative follow-up, no relapses were observed, and the course had been uneventful. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas develop in the soft tissue of adults and have a poor prognosis. However, mesenteric development is rare. Total tumorectomy is the first choice of treatment. A consensus on the usefulness of chemotherapy or radiotherapy has not been reached. Furthermore, no studies have reported spontaneous tumor disappearance in the absence of treatment. Here, we report a case of minor undifferentiated primary mesenteric sarcoma and its spontaneous disappearance and review the literature.

Objective: We evaluated the clinicopathologic factors associated with gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) in patients who underwent surgical resection. Gastric NEC is rare, accounting for only about 0.6% of all malignant gastric tumors. Neither its pathogenesis nor its treatment has been fully established. Methods: We assessed 10 patients with gastric NEC who underwent surgical resection in our hospital between September 2007 and June 2019. Results: The patients consisted of 9 men and 1 woman, aged 63 to 78 years. The tumors were localized in the upper region (n = 5), middle region (n = 3), and lower region (n = 2). The macroscopic types were evaluated as 0-IIc (n = 3), 1 (n = 3), 2 (n = 1), 3 (n = 2), and 4 (n = 1). The stages were ascertained as IA (n = 3), IIB (n = 3), IIIA (n = 2), IIIB (n =1), and IIIC (n =1). Radical resection was performed in all the patients. After surgery, relapse-free survival was achieved in 6 patients. The mean postoperative survival time was 63.5 months. On immunostaining, 6 patients were positive for CD56, and all were positive synaptophysin and chromogranin A. Of the 10 patients, standard-type adenocarcinoma was concomitantly present in 6. Conclusions: Some patients with surgically resected gastric NEC survived over a long period, suggesting the usefulness of radical resection. In future studies, the pathogenesis of gastric NEC should be fully clarified, and therapeutic strategies must be further developed.

Natural orifice specimen extraction(NOSE)can be considered a minimally invasive treatment method. We performed robotassisted laparoscopic lower anterior resection and total hysterectomy with transvaginal NOSE. The patient was a 44-year-old woman. When she underwent CS in the blood in 2017, the rectal Rs had a mass-like lesion. On pathological examination, sarcoma from the endometrial stroma was suspected, and an operation was planned. The surgical findings included the following: The camera port was inserted 4 cm from the navel, the first arm on the right side at the same height, the second arm on the left, the third arm in the lower left abdomen, and the 12mm port in the lower right abdomen. First, the uterus was removed, the vagina was opened, and the uterus was removed. Vacuum was maintained, and the operation for the anterior resection was performed without changing the arrangement of the arms. The IMAwas treated; the descending colon was also sufficiently peeled for NOSE surgery, and then the lower rectum was peeled until the levator muscle was exposed to secure the AW. The inter-rectal membrane was treated to secure the AW. The intestinal tract was induced from the vaginal stump, the anvil head of ILS 29 was inserted, and anal anastomosis was performed again by insufflation. The vaginal stump was closed with continuous sutures and covered with the bladder peritoneum.

Objectives: The present study was performed to examine operative cases of perforated diverticulitis and to consider the corresponding treatments.

Objective: This study measured skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in postoperative gastric cancer patients, to compare SMM to traditional postoperative assessment based on anthropomorphic measures and blood tests, and evaluated the methods of SMM measurement. Summary of Background Data: SMM, which helps to maintain general health and quality of life, is very important. Measurement of total psoas major muscle area (TPA) by computed tomography imaging has recently been reported to be a useful index of SMM. Methods: This retrospective study included 92 patients who underwent distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. SMM was measured by TPA index (computed tomography measurement of TPA / square of height) and bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA). Patients were divided into short-term (<3 years) and long-term (≥3 years) postoperative follow-up groups. SMM and traditional postoperative assessment, as well as body mass index, albumin, hemoglobin, and total cholesterol, were compared between the 2 groups. The correlations between the TPA index and the SMM of BIA and traditional postoperative assessment were examined by simple regression analysis. Results: The SMM of BIA was 24.1 ± 4.1 kg in the short-term and 22.0 ± 4.7 kg in the long-term group (P = 0.02), and TPA index was 783.4 ± 166.9 mm2/m2 in the short-term and 687.5 ± 167.2 mm2/m2 in the long-term group (P = 0.01), whereas there were no significant differences in traditional postoperative assessment. On simple regression analysis, TPA index showed the strongest correlation with SMM of BIA (R = 0.56). Conclusions: Measurement of SMM is essential because the traditional postoperative assessments do not reflect the change in SMM. And SMM measurement, especially by BIA, would be useful.

Background and aim Intramucosal gastric adenocarcinoma of the well-moderately differentiated type only exhibits lymph node metastasis in extremely rare cases. We encountered such case and investigated both the lymphangiogenic properties and somatic mutations in the cancer to understand the prometastatic features of early-stage gastric cancer. Methods We quantitatively measured the density of lymphatic vessels and identified mutations in 412 cancer-associated genes through next-generation target resequencing of DNA extracted from tumor cells in a formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue. Functional consequence of the identified mutation was examined in vitro by means of gene transfection, immunoblot, and the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. Results The intramucosal carcinoma was accompanied by abundant lymphatic vessels. The metastatic tumor harbored somatic mutations in NBN, p.P6S, and PAX8, p.R49H. The PAX8R49H showed significantly higher transactivation activity toward E2F1 than the wild-type PAX8 (P< 0.001). Conclusions Our data suggest that increased lymphangiogenesis and somatic mutations of NBN and/or PAX8 could facilitate lymph node metastasis from an intramucosal gastric carcinoma. These findings may potentially inform evaluations of the risk of developing lymph node metastasis in patients with intramucosal gastric cancer.

症例は83 歳，男性．経皮的冠動脈形成術後に伴う心室期外収縮に対してフレカイニド 50 mg 1回 1錠 1日 2 回で服用していた．中部胆管癌を併発し，食事摂取量が減り，体重も減少した．他院でビタミン C 大量静注中に心肺停止を来し，心肺蘇生により心拍再開を得た．当院救急搬送後，心電図にてQT 間隔の延長 (0.76秒) を認め，フレカイニドを中止した (血中フレカイニド濃度は治療域であった) ．さらに血清カリウム値が 2.0 mEq/L，血清アルブミン値が 2.7 g/dL と低値であったため，カリウム製剤による補正を行うとともにヒト血清アルブミン製剤 25 g/日の投与と中心静脈栄養を併用することで血清カリウム値も改善し QT 間隔が正常化した．本例では食事摂取不良による低栄養から低カリウム血症を来し，フレカイニドによる QT 延長作用が増強し心停止に至ったと考えられた．