Even in cases of HCC ≤ 2 cm, patients who are suspected of having invasive gross type tumors in preoperative imaging diagnosis or who have a high DCP level (>100 mAU/ml) are at risk for MI. Therefore, in such patients, hepatic resection with a wide tumor margin should be recommended.

Elevated soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) in sera is observed in patients with malignant lymphoma (ML). Therefore, sIL-2R is commonly used as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for ML, but the mechanisms responsible for the increase in sIL-2R levels in patients with B-cell lymphomas have not yet been elucidated. We first hypothesized that lymphoma cells expressing IL-2R and some proteinases such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the tumor microenvironment can give rise to increased sIL-2R in sera. However, flow cytometric studies revealed that few lymphoma cells expressed IL-2R α chain (CD25) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL), and most CD25-expressing cells in the tumor were T-cells. Distinct correlations between CD25 expression on B-lymphoma cells and sIL-2R levels were not observed. We then confirmed that MMP-9 plays an important role in producing sIL-2R in functional studies. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis also revealed that MMP-9 is mainly derived from tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We therefore evaluated the number of CD68 and CD163 positive macrophages in the tumor microenvironment using IHC analysis. A positive correlation between the levels of sIL-2R in sera and the numbers of CD68 positive macrophages in the tumor microenvironment was confirmed in FL and extranodal DLBCL. These results may be useful in understanding the pathophysiology of B-cell lymphomas.

Obesity alone may not have an adverse effect on the surgical outcomes of patients with primary HCC. However, greater caution seems to be required when planning a repeat hepatectomy for obese patients with recurrent HCC.

Obesity alone may not have an adverse effect on the surgical outcomes of patients with primary HCC. However, greater caution seems to be required when planning a repeat hepatectomy for obese patients with recurrent HCC.

14059 Background: There is currently no standard treatment for gastric carcinoma patients (pts) who failed initial chemotherapy. Since performance status of these pts deteriorates rapidly, moderate and dose-fractionated single agent regimens have been preferred in Japan in the second line setting. Weekly paclitaxel, one of commonly used regimens in this setting, was explored for the first time in a formal phase II study. Methods: Pts with histologically confirmed gastric carcinoma who had unresectable or recurrent disease with ≥1 measurable lesions per RECIST were eligible. Other eligibility criteria included confirmed progressive disease (PD) per RECIST during a front line chemotherapy, PS ≤2, adequate liver, kidney, and marrow functions, no active gastrointestinal bleeding, and written informed consent. Patients received 80 mg/m2 of paclitaxel weekly for 3 successive weeks with one week of rest. The cycle was repeated until objective disease progression or drug intolerance. Results: 35 pts were enrolled: 29 men and 6 women, age 62 (48∼74), 6 unresectable and 29 recurrent cancers, 13 with poorly differentiated phenotype and 20 with differentiated type, 22 PS0, 8 PS1, and 6 PS2. All front line treatments involved oral fluoropyrimidines and had been S-1 in 29, S-1/CDDP in 5, S-1/CPT-11 in one, and UFT in one patient. One pt declined to continue the treatment due to a Grade 2 taste disturbance after a single dose of paclitaxel, and 34 other pts were evaluable for response. Partial response was observed in 6 pts (response rate 17.6%). Median time to progression was 97 days and median survival time was 214 days (467 days among 22 PS0 patients). The incidence of ≥Grade 3 adverse events were as follows: neutropenia in 7 pts, leucopenia in 5, anemia in 4, anorexia in 4, neurological disorder, nausea, diarrhea, asthenia, and dyspnea in one. Conclusions: Activity of weekly paclitaxel was modest for pts with fluoropyrimidine-refractory gastric carcinoma, but median survival time was satisfactory, with a mild toxicity profile. Further phase II study under less strict eligibility criteria (e.g. inclusion of patients with elevated tumor markers or subjective evidence of clinical deterioration during the front line therapy as the sole indication of disease progression) is underway. No significant financial relationships to disclose.