In liver injury, hepatic stellate cells are considered to depart from the sinusoidal wall and accumulate in the necrotic lesion through migration and proliferation. In this study, we investigated the migratory capacity of quiescent stellate cells in vitro and analyzed the relationship with proliferative response. Freshly isolated stellate cells that were seeded in the upper chamber of Cell Culture Insert (Becton Dickenson, Franklin Lakes, NJ) started to migrate to the lower chamber at 1 day and increased in migration index to 19% at 2 days. Cells in the lower chamber were stretched in shape with many lipid droplets and showed quiescent properties, i.e., negative expression of ␣-smooth muscle actin (␣-SMA) or platelet-derived growth factor receptor-␤ (PDGFR-␤). Migratory capacity in quiescent cells was also shown in the Matrigel-coated insert.

Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration can be a useful alternative for most patients with AC, including those at high risk. Elective cholecystectomy can be performed safely regardless of the timing of PTGBA or surgery.

The present study demonstrated the safety and acceptability of treatment with PTGBA for AC at our center. This elective treatment strategy may be a useful alternative option in the treatment of AC.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the validity of gastric cancer surgery in elderly patients. Methods: A total of 544 patients who underwent elective gastrectomy for gastric cancer were divided into an elderly group (age ≥75 years, n = 171) and a control group (age <75 years, n = 373). The clinicopathological data of the patients were reviewed. Results: The overall morbidity rate (26.3 vs. 16.1%, p = 0.005) and the incidence rate of anastomotic leakage (6.4 vs. 1.6%, p = 0.003) were significantly higher in the elderly group. The proportion of patients who had severe complications (≥grade IIIa) was relatively higher in the elderly group (10.5 vs. 5.7%); however, the difference was not significant (p = 0.074). A stage-matched survival analysis revealed no significant differences between the groups (stage I: p = 0.978; stage II: p = 0.964; stage III: p = 0.199). For the pathological stages II and III, the overall survival of the patients in the elderly group who received adjuvant chemotherapy for >3 months was significantly better than that of the patients who received it for ≤3 months or did not receive it (p = 0.023). Conclusions: An aggressive treatment strategy should be adopted in selected elderly patients with gastric cancer.

A 62-year-old man had been followed because of an elevated serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen without the detection of any cancer lesions. However, there was a sudden increase in the serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen, and abdominal imagings showed a hepatic tumor with peripheral intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, and a submucosal tumor at the sigmoid colon with intact mucosa. Histopathological findings showed that the hepatic tumor had perineural invasion, suggesting an intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and that the colon tumor infiltrated the submucosa, while its mucosa was intact. Both tumors showed similar pathological features and were positive for cytokeratin 20 and 7. These findings suggested intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with metastatic sigmoid colon cancer.