Case of clear-cell hepatocellular carcinoma that developed in the normal liver of a middle-aged woman

A 36-year-old woman was admitted to our department for close examination of a liver tumor that was found during a medical checkup. Abdominal US, CT and MRI showed a tumor in segment 7 (S7) of the liver. Although imaging suggested hepatocellular carcinoma, laboratory tests showed no abnormality in liver function, hepatitis virus markers were negative, and tumor markers including protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist Ⅱ (PIVKA-Ⅱ), α-fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were all within normal ranges. Upon aspiration biopsy of the liver, the histopathological diagnosis was moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, right hepatectomy was performed. Although a part of the tumor was necrotic, about 60% of the viable part showed a clear-cell variant. Consequently, it was diagnosed as clear-cell hepatocellular carcinoma. It was noted that the background liver tissue was normal. This case is worthy of reporting because development of clear-cell hepatocellular carcinoma in the normal liver of a middle-aged woman is rarely seen.

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome associated with myelodysplastic syndrome

We report a case of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome(CCS)associated with myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS).A 54-year-old woman,diagnosed as MDS the prior year after evaluation of anemia,visited our hospital with the chief complaint of epigastric discomfort.She also had dysgeusia,alopecia,atrophic nail change,and pigmentation of the palm,all of which began several months ago.Blood tests revealed severe hypoalbuminemia.Colonoscopy(CS)showed numerous,dense,red polyps throughout the colon and rectum.Biopsy specimens showed stromal edema,infi ltration of lymphocytes,and cystic dilatation of the crypt.Her clinical manifestations and histology were consistent with CCS.We prescribed corticosteroids,which dramatically improved her physical findings,laboratory data,and endoscopic fi ndings.This is the first report of CCS in a patient with MDS.

An automated spring-loaded needle for endoscopic ultrasound-guided abdominal paracentesis in cancer patients

AIM: To evaluate the feasibility of using an automatedspring-loaded needle device for endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)-guided abdominal paracentesis(EUS-P) to see if this would make it easier to puncture the mobile and lax gastric wall for EUS-P.METHODS: The EUS database and electronic medical records at Fukushima Medical University Hospital were searched from January 2001 to April 2011. Patients with a history of cancer and who underwent EUS-P using an automated spring-loaded needle device with a 22-gauge puncture needle were included. The needle was passed through the instrument channel and advanced through the gastrointestinal wall under EUS guidance into the echo-free space in the abdominal cavity and ascitic fluid was collected. The confirmed diagnosis of malignant ascites included positive cytology and results from careful clinical observation for at least 6 mo in patients with negative cytology. The technical success rate, cytology results and complications were evaluated.RESULTS: We found 11 patients who underwent EUS-P with an automated spring-loaded needle device. In 4 cases, ascites was revealed only with EUS but not in other imaging modalities. EUS-P was done in 7 other cases because there was minimal ascitic fluid and no safe window for percutaneous abdominal aspiration. Ascitic fluid was obtained in all cases by EUS-P. The average amount aspirated was 14.1 mL(range 0.5-38 mL) and that was sent for cytological exam. The etiology of ascitic fluid was benign in 5 patients and malignant in 6. In all cases, ascitic fluid was obtained with the first needle pass. No procedure-related adverse effects occurred.CONCLUSION: EUS-P with an automated springloaded needle device is a feasible and safe method for ascites evaluation.

Curative resection with endoscopic submucosal dissection of early gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease:A case report

BACKGROUND Adult-onset Ménétrier’s disease is strongly associated with Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection and an elevated risk of carcinogenesis.Cases of early-stage gastric cancer developed in H.pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease are extremely rare.We report a case of early gastric cancer in H.pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease that was curatively resected with endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD).CASE SUMMARY A 60-year-old woman was referred to our hospital after her medical examination detected anemia.Contrast-enhanced upper gastrointestinal(UGI)radiography revealed translucency of the nodule-aggregating surface with giant rugae.Blood tests showed hypoproteinemia and were negative for serum H.pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies.The 99mTc-DTPA-human serum albumin scintigraphy showed protein loss from the stomach.UGI endoscopy showed a 40-mm protruding erythematous lesion on giant rugae of the greater curvature of lower gastric body,suggesting early-stage gastric cancer due to Ménétrier’s disease.En bloc resection with ESD was performed for diagnosis and treatment.Histology of ESD showed well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma.The cancer was confined to the mucosa,and complete curative resection was achieved.Foveolar hyperplasia and atrophy of the gastric glands were observed in non-tumor areas,histologically corresponding to Ménétrier’s disease.Three years after ESD,gastric cancer had not recurred,and Ménétrier’s disease remained in remission with spontaneous regression of giant gastric rugae.CONCLUSION Complete curative resection was achieved through ESD in a patient with earlystage gastric cancer and H.pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease.

Acute inflammation occurring in gastric aberrant pancreas followed up by endoscopic ultrasonography

We describe a case of gastric aberrant pancreas with acute pancreatitis followed up with subsequent endoscopic ultrasound. A 20-year-old woman known to have aberrant pancreas in the stomach was admitted to our hospital because of severe epigastralgia. Laboratory tests showed slight C reactive protein elevation without hyperamylasemia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a swollen submucosal lesion (SML) to a greater degree compared with the previous findings. Subsequent endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) revealed a swollen lesion of 35 mm in diameter. The internal echo-pattern was more hypoechoic than in the previous EUS. The border between the fourth layer (muscularis propria) and the SML was unclear. The anechoic lumen in the mass, considered as the ductal lumen, was dilated. Based on these results, we diagnosed the patient as having acute inflammation, resembling pancreatitis, in the aberrant pancreas.

Development of autoimmune hepatitis type 1 after pulsed methylprednisolone therapy for multiple sclerosis: A case report

A 43-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) was treated with pulsed methylprednisolone and interferon β at a hospital. Four weeks after initiating treatment, liver dysfunction occurred and she was referred and admitted to our hospital. Clinical and laboratory findings were consistent with and fulfilled the criteria for drug-induced hepatitis, but not for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). She was successfully treated with corticosteroids. As ataxia developed after 1 year, she was treated with pulsed methylprednisolone for 3 d, then readmitted to our hospital when liver dysfunction occurred. Clinical and laboratory findings led to the diagnosis of AIH. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case of AIH developed after pulsed methylprednisolone for MS.

Whole circumferential endoscopic submucosal dissection of superficial adenocarcinoma in long-segment Barrett's esophagus:A case report

BACKGROUND Esophageal adenocarcinoma(EAC)derived from long-segment Barrett’s esophagus(LSBE)is extremely rare in Asia.LSBE-related EAC is often difficult to diagnose in the horizontal extent.If the tumor has spread throughout the LSBE,whole circumferential endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)should be performed,which is difficult to complete safely.Additionally,whole circumferential ESD can bring refractory postoperative stenosis.We hereby report a case of EAC involving the whole circumference of the LSBE,achieving complete endoscopic removal without complications.CASE SUMMARY An 85-year-old man with the chief complaint of dysphagia underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy.We suspected a flat-type cancerous lesion that extended the whole circumference of the LSBE(C 3.5,M 4.0)using narrow-band imaging magnification endoscopy(NBI-M).We achieved circumferential en bloc resection of the lesion safely with special ESD techniques.Histology of the ESD specimens demonstrated that the superficial EAC extended the whole circumference of the LSBE,and papillary or well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma was confined in the lamina propria mucosa showing a vertical negative margin.To prevent post-ESD stenosis,we performed endoscopic local injection of steroids,followed by oral administration of steroids.There was no evidence of esophageal refractory stenosis or tumor recurrence 30 mo after ESD.In summary,we experienced a rare case of LSBE-related EAC.The horizontal tumor extent was accurately diagnosed by NBI-M.Additionally,we achieve whole circumferential ESD safely without postoperative refractory stenosis.CONCLUSION NBI-M,ESD,and steroid therapy enabled the curative resection of superficial full circumferential LSBE-related EAC without refractory postoperative stenosis.