Because autonomous proliferating cancer cells are often exposed to hypoxic conditions, there must be an alternative metabolic pathway, such as autophagy, that allows them to obtain energy when both oxygen and glucose are depleted. We previously reported finding that autophagy actually contributes to cancer cell survival in colorectal cancers both in vitro and in vivo. Pancreatic cancer remains a devastating and poorly understood malignancy, and hypoxia in pancreatic cancers is known to increase their malignant potential. In the present study archival pancreatic cancer tissue was retrieved from 71 cases treated by curative pancreaticoduodenectomy. Autophagy was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining with anti-LC3 antibody, as LC3 is a key component of autophagy and has been used as a marker of autophagy. The results showed that strong LC3 expression in the peripheral area of pancreatic cancer tissue was correlated with a poor outcome (P = 0.0170) and short disease-free period (P = 0.0118). Two of the most significant correlations among the clinicopathological factors tested were found between the peripheral intensity level of LC3 expression and tumor size (P = 0.0098) or tumor necrosis (P = 0.0127). Activated autophagy is associated with pancreatic cancer cells, and autophagy is thought to be a response to factors in the cancer microenvironment, such as hypoxia and poor nutrient supply. This is the first study to report the clinicopathological significance of autophagy in pancreatic cancer. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 1813-1819) C ancers are abnormal tissue masses whose growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with that of adjacent normal tissues, and which persist in the same excessive manner after cessation of the stimulus that evoked them.(1) All cancers ultimately depend on the host for their nutrition and blood supply, but as the preexisting vasculature is obviously insufficient to support the cancers' unlimited requirements for energy and nutrition as a result of their unregulated growth, angiogenesis has been considered pivotal to providing proliferating cancer cells with an adequate source of oxygen, energy, and nutrients. However, recent studies have revealed that even after new blood vessels have formed, both the oxygen and glucose supply is insufficient for the aggressively proliferating cancer cells in locally advanced cancers.(2-4) Tumor hypoxia has been used as a marker of poor prognosis; (5,6) however, how cancer cells become more malignant or survive with an extremely poor blood supply, as for example in pancreatic cancer, is poorly understood.(7) When cancer cells are exposed to hypoxia, anaerobic glycolysis increases and provides energy for cell survival, but as the glucose supply is also insufficient because of the poor blood supply, there must be an alternative metabolic pathway that provides energy when both oxygen and glucose are depleted. (8,9) We have reported that several cancer cell lines, including pancreatic cancer-and colorectal cancer-derived cell lines, are resistant to nutrient-deprived co...

Background Combinations of exercise and nutritional interventions might improve the functional prognosis for cachectic cancer patients. However, high attrition and poor compliance with interventions limit their efficacy. We aimed to test the feasibility of the early induction of new multimodal interventions specific for elderly patients with advanced cancer Nutrition and Exercise Treatment for Advanced Cancer (NEXTAC) programme. Methods This was a multicentre prospective single‐arm study. We recruited 30 of 46 screened patients aged ≥70 years scheduled to receive first‐line chemotherapy for newly diagnosed, advanced pancreatic, or non‐small‐cell lung cancer. Physical activity was measured using pedometers/accelerometer (Lifecorder ® , Suzuken Co., Ltd., Japan). An 8 week educational intervention comprised three exercise and three nutritional sessions. The exercise interventions combined home‐based low‐intensity resistance training and counselling to promote physical activity. Nutritional interventions included standard nutritional counselling and instruction on how to manage symptoms that interfere with patient's appetite and oral intake. Supplements rich in branched‐chain amino acids (Inner Power ® , Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Japan) were provided. The primary endpoint of the study was feasibility, which was defined as the proportion of patients attending ≥4 of six sessions. Secondary endpoints included compliance and safety. Results The median patient age was 75 years (range, 70–84). Twelve patients (40%) were cachectic at baseline. Twenty‐nine patients attended ≥4 of the six planned sessions (96.7%, 95% confidence interval, 83.3 to 99.4). One patient dropped out due to deteriorating health status. The median proportion of days of compliance with supplement consumption and exercise performance were 99% and 91%, respectively. Adverse events possibly related to the NEXTAC programme were observed in five patients and included muscle pain (Grade 1 in two patients), arthralgia (Grade 1 in one patient), dyspnoea on exertion (Grade 1 in one patient), and plantar aponeurositis (Grade 1 in one patient). Conclusions The early induction of multimodal interventions showed excellent compliance and safety in elderly patients with newly diagnosed pancreatic and non‐small‐cell lung cancer receiving concurrent chemotherapy. We are now conducting a randomized phase II study to measure the impact of these interventions on functional prognosis.

Purpose: To determine the maximum tolerable dose (MTD), safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary efficacy of lenvatinib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Experimental Design: This multicenter, open-label, phase I, dose-escalation study included patients aged 20 to 80 years, refractory to standard therapy, and stratified by hepatic function measured using Child-Pugh (CP) scores: CP-A (score, 5-6) and CP-B (score, 7-8). Lenvatinib was administered continually once daily for 4-week cycles. MTD was defined as the maximum dose associated with 1 dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) occurring in cycle 1 among 6 patients.Results: In total, 20 patients (9 in CP-A and 11 in CP-B) were enrolled. The MTD was 12 and 8 mg once daily in CP-A and CP-B, respectively; DLTs included proteinuria, hepatic encephalopathy, and hyperbilirubinemia. The most common grade 3 toxicities included hypertension in CP-A and hyperbilirubinemia in CP-B. Lenvatinib plasma concentration at 24 hours after administration (C 24 h ) for 12 mg once daily was higher in patients with HCC than in patients with other solid tumors shown in a previous phase I study, but C 24 h for 25 mg once daily lenvatinib was comparable. After lenvatinib treatment, the number of circulating endothelial and c-Kit þ cells decreased and the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL10, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor increased (P < 0.05). Partial responses were observed in 3 patients and tumor shrinkage occurred in 14 patients. Conclusions: Lenvatinib (12 mg once daily) demonstrated preliminary efficacy with manageable toxicity and is the recommended dose for phase II studies in patients with HCC and CP-A.

Cisplatin and etoposide combination as the first-line chemotherapy for hepatobiliary or pancreatic poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma had only marginal antitumor activity and relatively severe toxicity compared with previous studies on extrapulmonary poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma treated with the same regimen.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are candidate histological factors in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the pancreas. Tumorassociated macrophages can be affected by cancer-related inflammation and pancreatitis and interact with important invasive behavior in a recurrent manner in pancreatic IDC. These features may help elucidate the aggressiveness of pancreatic IDC. The aim of this study was to characterize TAMs in pancreatic IDC in comparison with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and to reveal TAM-related factors and the clinical impact of TAMs. CD68 (a pan-macrophage marker) and CD204 (an M2 macrophage marker) immunohistochemistry was carried out in pancreas head specimens from 107 IDC cases and 11 CP cases. Immunopositive cell areas were calculated at the periphery and center of the tumor. The distributions of macrophages in IDC and CP and the relationship between TAMs and histological tumor factors, survival, and recurrence were evaluated. Macrophages were more frequently observed in the lesion periphery than the center in IDC and CP. The density of macrophages was elevated in IDC compared to CP. Dense M2 macrophages at the tumor periphery were frequently seen in large tumors and showed an independent impact on overall survival and disease-free time. Early recurrence in the liver or the local manipulated area was associated with high accumulation of peripheral M2 macrophages. More M2 macrophages were seen in IDC than in CP in both the periphery and the center. High numbers of peripheral M2 macrophages were associated with large tumor size, early recurrence in the liver, local recurrence, and shortened survival time in patients with pancreatic IDC. (Cancer Sci 2012; 103: 2012-2020 T he prognosis of patients undergoing resection for pancreatic invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) remains poor.(1-5) Histological studies have been carried out to elucidate the aggressiveness of pancreatic IDC and have revealed prognostic factors including tumor size, lymph node involvement, nerve plexus invasion, positive resected margin, and low tumor grade.(1-8)Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have recently been reported as a candidate factor in poor prognosis. (9) Macrophages are the most abundant cancer stromal cells involved in the host immune system, (10) and TAMs have been found to play important roles in tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, matrix remodeling, and metastasis.(11-13) Tumor-associated macrophages have a prognostic impact in prostate, breast, and lung cancers, as well as pancreatic IDC.(9,14-16) The heterogeneity of macrophages has been discussed with regard to their different responses to various microenvironmental stimuli. Macrophages are classically activated towards the M1 phenotype by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-c. M1 macrophages are characterized by high expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor. Alternatively, macrophages are activated towards the M2 phenotype by IL-4, IL-13, and IL-10. M2 macrophages are characterized by high expression of ...