sophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is one of the most aggressive cancers. Esophageal SCC is relatively common in countries in Eastern Asia, such as China and Japan, and is characterized by poor prognosis and rapid clinical progression, with a high frequency of lymph node metastasis and recurrence. The 5-year survival rate of patients with esophageal SCC showing submucosal invasion is low (40-75%) 1-5) compared with that for patients with colon cancer (over 80%). 4,5) In addition, lymph node metastasis is commonly found in esophageal SCC, even when the tumor invades only the submucosa. Lymph node metastasis is the main cause of the poor prognosis for the patients with esophageal SCC.Consequently, the identification of the genes associated with metastasis of esophageal SCC is very important. Microarray analysis has been used to investigate the gene expression profiles of esophageal SCC tissues and esophageal cancer cell lines with various characteristics.6-10) When clinical materials are used for microarray analysis, it might be necessary to look at the overall expression profiles of genes (if possible) by clustering analysis in the different pathological stages, such as dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, and invasive cancer with or without metastasis. However, to isolate gene(s) related to metastasis, it would be convenient to use cell lines with different metastatic potentials derived from the same parental cells, and a reliable model system is therefore required for examining the metastatic potential of cancer cells.In our previous experiments, we established in vitro and in vivo model systems for studying invasion and metastasis of esophageal SCC cells. 11,12) We first clarified in detail the molecular and genetic characteristics of a human non-metastasizing esophageal SCC cell line, T.Tn, 12) and then developed an orthotopic inoculation model for esophageal cancer cells in nude mice.11) In the present study, we isolated a metastasizing subclone from the parental non-metastasizing T.Tn cell line by in vitro selection and by the use of a nude mouse orthotopic inoculation model. Then, we compared the expression profiles of 9206 genes in the parental T.Tn cells and the metastasizing subclone by cDNA microarray analysis, and identified several genes differentially expressed in the metastasizing subclone. Materials and MethodsCell line. A human esophageal SCC cell line, T.Tn 13) was obtained from JCRB (Japanese Collection of Research Bioresources, Osaka). T.Tn cells were grown in 1:1 mixture of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (Nissui, Tokyo) and F-12 (Life Technologies, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS; Sigma, St. Louis, MO), 100 µg/ml streptomycin, 100 units/ml penicillin (Life Technologies, Inc.), and 0.25 µg/ml amphotericin B (Life Technologies, Inc.) in a humidified atmosphere of 95% air and 5% CO 2 at 37°C. HT1080 cells are derived from a human fibrosarcoma cell line known to secrete a large amount of several matrix-degrading enzymes (purchased from Dai-Nippon Seiyaku, Osa...

An 81-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency room of our hospital with complaints of respiratory distress, abdominal ache, nausea, and intermittent vomiting. A plain X-ray of the abdomen and chest revealed air-fluid levels on the abdomen and the right side of the chest. Laboratory tests showed severe acidemia with a blood base excess level of -24.9 mmol/L. Since the patient was considered to have acute intestinal obstruction due to transverse colon herniation into the thorax through a foramen of Morgagni, emergency surgery was performed. Operative findings revealed that the retrosternal diaphragm had a defect of 5 cm in diameter and 20 cm in length with the transverse colon herniated into the thorax. The diaphragm defect was sutured first, and partial resection of the transverse colon was performed. After the operation, the patient had no symptoms and no recurrence has been observed during the 1-year follow-up. There have been 263 reported cases of Morgagani hernia in Japan. The case of the Morgagni hernia is reported here with some bibliographical comments.

No abstract

No abstract

Lymphatic type of adrenal cysts is most common; however, this type of endothelial cyst is quite rare in excessively large adrenal cysts. A 37-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to our institution with distension of her left flank and the upper quadrant of her abdomen. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a cystic lesion with a homogenous anechoic texture, and measuring 21 cm in diameter. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging displayed a giant cystic lesion adjacent to the liver, pancreas, kidney, and spleen. The origin of the cyst was not identified. We were not able to make a preoperative diagnosis; therefore, the patient underwent resection of the mass by open laparotomy for therapeutic diagnosis. Intraoperatively, the mass was identified to be cystic and adhered to the left adrenal gland. It was filled with more than 2000 mL of serous brown-red fluid. The content of the cyst contained no atypical cells on cytological examination. The wall of the cyst was composed of a lining of a single layer of lymphatic vessel-derived cells, and the cyst was pathologically classified as a true cyst. No abdominal symptoms were observed and a postoperative radiological work-up showed no evidence of recurrence during a 6-year follow-up period. We describe a case of a patient with a giant lymphatic cyst of the adrenal gland. The preset data suggest that surgeons should decide treatment strategy for large adrenal cysts in consideration of hormonal function, degree of size, and possibility of malignancy.