Background/Aim: The acidic tumor microenvironment is associated both with the progression and drug resistance of cancer. We aimed to investigate the effects of alkalization therapy performed concurrently with chemotherapy on the survival of advanced pancreatic cancer patients (study registration: UMIN 000035659). Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight patients with metastatic or recurrent pancreatic cancer were assessed in this study. Alkalization therapy consisted of an alkaline diet with supplementary oral sodium bicarbonate (3.0-5.0 g/day). Results: The mean urine pH was significantly higher after the alkalization therapy (6.85±0.74 vs. 6.39±0.92; p<0.05). The median overall survival from the start of alkalization therapy of the patients with high urine pH (>7.0) was significantly longer than those with low urine pH (≤ 7.0) (16.1 vs. 4.7 months; p<0.05). Conclusion: An alkalization therapy may be associated with better outcomes in advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.

A 44-year-old woman was found to have an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray during a regular health checkup, and visited our department. Chest computed tomography showed multiple nodular shadows in both lungs. The patient had no history of neoplasm except for myomectomy for uterine leiomyoma 6 years previously. Eighteen months later, the nodules showed a gradual increase in size, and video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy of a nodule was performed. Histopathologically, the pulmonary nodule was composed of benign smooth muscle cells proliferating in fascicles, consistent with the diagnosis of benign metastasizing leiomyoma. Benign metastasizing leiomyoma is defined as a histologically benign uterine smooth muscle tumor that acts in a somewhat malignant fashion and produces benign metastases. Although it is a rare condition, it should be considered in asymptomatic women of reproductive age with a history of uterine leiomyoma, who present with solitary or multiple pulmonary nodules. Herein, we report a case of pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma.

Background/Aim: Neutralization of the acidic tumor microenvironment, which is associated with both progression and drug resistance of cancer cells, may be a new treatment option for progressing forms of cancer. We conducted a case-control study to investigate the effects of alkalization therapy, consisting of an alkaline diet with supplementary oral sodium bicarbonate, in patients with metastatic or recurrent pancreatic cancer (study registration no.: UMIN000036126). Patients and Methods: Thirty-six patients in the alkalization group (Karasuma Wada Clinic; alkalization therapy plus chemotherapy) were retrospectively compared to 89 patients in the control group (Kyoto University Hospital; chemotherapy only). Results: The median overall survival (OS) in the alkalization group was significantly longer than that in the control group (15.4 vs. 10.8 months; p<0.005). In the alkalization group, mean urine pH was significantly increased after alkalization therapy [6.38±0.85 (before) vs. 6.80±0.71 (after); p<0.05]. Furthermore, the median OS of patients with increased urine pH (pH>7.0 or ΔpH>1.0) in the alkalization group was significantly longer than that of the control group. Conclusion: Alkalization therapy may enhance the effects of chemotherapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Background/Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the combination of alkalization therapy (an alkaline diet and bicarbonate therapy) and intravenous vitamin C treatment on chemotherapy outcomes in patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) (study registration: UMIN000043056). Patients and Methods: Twelve patients with SCLC in the intervention group (receiving both alkalization therapy and vitamin C treatment together with chemotherapy) were retrospectively compared to 15 patients with SCLC in the control group (receiving chemotherapy only). Results: The mean urine pH of the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group (7.32±0.45 vs. 6.44±0.74, respectively; p<0.005). The median overall survival for the intervention group was 44.2 months (95% confidence interval=22.0−not reached), as compared with 17.7 months for the control group (95% confidence intervaI=13.5−not reached; p<0.05). Conclusion: The combination of alkalization therapy and intravenous vitamin C treatment may be associated with favorable outcomes in patients with SCLC receiving chemotherapy.