Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is postulated to be a mediator of growth suppression signals. Here, we examined the methylation status of IGFBP-3 to correlate to clinicopathological factors in human cancers. The methylation status of IGFBP-3 was determined by bisulfite DNA sequencing and was correlated with expression semi-quantified by real-time RT-PCR to develop a methylation-specific PCR (MSP) assay for IGFBP-3. Using the MSP assay, we examined the methylation status of IGFBP-3 in gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), breast cancer (BC) and malignant mesothelioma (MM). IGFBP-3 methylation was detected in 6 of 13 (46%) and 16 of 24 (67%) GC cell lines and tumors, respectively; 4 of 8 (50%) and 15 of 26 (58%) CRC cell lines and tumors, respectively; 3 of 11 (27%) and 7 of 39 (18%) BC cell lines and tumors, respectively and 1 of 5 (20%) and 18 of 56 (32%) MM cell lines and tumors, respectively. Interestingly, the methylation status of MM specimens from Japanese patients (75%, 12 out of 16 patients) was significantly higher than those from the USA (15%, 6 out of 40 patients) (p < 0.0001), suggesting the presence of ethnic differences in the IGFBP-3 methylation status. We also found that IGFBP-3 methylation was preferentially present in GCs arising in the lower-third of the stomach (p 5 0.079). In summary, our results showed that IGFBP-3 methylation played an important role in the silencing of its expression, suggesting that IGFBP-3 may act as a tumor suppressor gene in several human cancers examined. ' 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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This report presents a very rare case of a primary diaphragmatic hemangioma, which was successfully treated by laparoscopic surgery. A 64-year-old man with a left diaphragmatic mass without any significant symptoms was treated by laparoscopic surgery and thus was diagnosed to have a diaphragmatic hemangioma following a pathological examination. Laparoscopic treatment in the deep and narrow abdominal spaces such as the diaphragmatic region is very useful as a less invasive treatment, as well as providing an excellent observation from which to make an accurate diagnosis.

A 25-year-old woman, at 38 weeks of gestation, suddenly developed a left lumbar pain. Emergency cesarean section was performed to rescue the fetus since there was fetal bradycardia. At operation, a slight amount of retroperitoneal hematoma was observed, but was left without further examination.After the surgery, the patient complained of severe lumbar pain and fell into shock.A ruptured aneurysm of the left renal artery was suspected by computed abdominal tomography.At the second operation, a massive hematoma was observed in the retroperitoneal space, and a ruptured aneurysm of the left renal artery was confirmed after mobilization of the left kidney with the aid of manual hemostasis. Aneurysmectomy with arterial reconstruction was not considered feasible, and complete left nephrectomy was done because the patient was severely ill, in addition to the fact that the aneurysm was located at the trifurcation of the left main renal artery.The postoperative course was uneventful. On the surgical specimen the aneurysm measured 27mm in circular length, the lower half of which was ruptured.Histologically, the internal elastic lamina was torn, and the medial smooth muscle fibers were sporadically replaced with fibroblastic cells. The prognosis of ruptured aneurysm of a renal artery is often lethal. Therefore it is very important to suspect this lesion when we have to manage physical problems with patients in pregnancy so that we can make an early diagnosis with better results.Jpn. J.