The origin of blood supply for cavernous hemangioma of the liver

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the origin of blood supply to cavernous hemangioma of the liver (CHL). METHODS: To observe the relation of cavernous hemangioma of the liver to the hepatic artery and portal vein, we performed serial selective hepatic arteriography in 22 patients. Five patients after ligation of the right hepatic arteries underwent portography and liver staining by in jection of methylene blue into the portal veins and 2 patients had hepatic specimens resected, which were made into a model cast by filling the hepatic veins (yellow) and portal venous branches (blue) with methyl methacrylate after vascular lavage. RESULTS: Serial selective hepatic arteriography showed that hepatic arteries and hemangioma were displayed simultaneously, and that hemangioma was supplied by one to numerous arterial branches. In the portal phase of portography, contrast medium failed to enter the tumor and the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein were pushed aside by the tumor; in the liver parenchymal phase, however, the tumor appeared to be a low-density area. Hepatic arteriography and portography revealed that the fistula between the artery and portal vein may not be existed. The liver stained with methylene blue showed that the normal hepatic parenchyma could be stained with deep blue; in contrast, the tumor was not stained at all. The casting specimens showed that the eroded tumor left a round vacant area because of its total shedding, and no blue stained branches of the portal vein extended into the tumor. CONCLUSION: Blood supply of CHL may originate from the hepatic artery.

PIK3CA gene mutations in Northwest Chinese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM To evaluate PIK3 CA gene mutational status in Northwest Chinese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) patients, and examine the associations of PIK3 CA gene mutations with clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcome.METHODS A total of 210 patients with ESCC who underwent curative resection were enrolled in this study. Pyrosequencing was applied to investigate mutations in exons 9 and 20 of PIK3 CA gene in 210 Northwest Chinese ESCCs. The associations of PIK3 CA gene mutations with clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcome were examined.RESULTS PIK3 CA gene mutations in exon 9 were detected in 48 cases(22.9%) of a non-biased database of 210 curatively resected Northwest Chinese ESCCs. PIK3 CA gene mutations were not associated with sex, tobacco use, alcohol use, tumor location, stage, or local recurrence. When compared with wild-type PIK3 CA gene cases, patients with PIK3 CA gene mutations in exons 9 experienced significantly better disease-free survival and overall survival rates.CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that PIK3 CA gene mutations could act as a prognostic biomarker in Northwest Chinese ESCC patients.