Preoperative serum CEA is a reliable predictive factor of recurrence after curative surgery in CRC patients and a useful indicator of the optimal treatment after resection, particularly for cases classified as stage II or stage III.

The pancreas-to-muscle SI ratio on T1-weighted MR images of the pancreas may be a potential biomarker for assessment of pancreatic fibrosis and prediction of postoperative pancreatic fistula.

Our nomogram was a useful tool for precise prediction of anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection for rectal cancer.

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T cells in mice treated with PC61 was approximately twice that in mice treated with PBS. The numbers of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ and natural killer cells were also increased significantly. To test the antimetastatic effects of IL-2 treatment in combination with Treg-cell depletion, human recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) and PC61 were administered to mice implanted with MC38/ mock cells in the spleen, and hepatic metastasis was investigated. The average liver weight in mice treated with rIL-2 plus PC61 was 1.04 ± ± ± ± 0.03 g, less than that in mice treated with rIL-2 (2.04 ± ± ± ± 0.51 g) or PC61 alone (1.81 ± ± ± ± 0.38 g). We conclude that IL-2-induced antitumor immunity is enhanced by Treg-cell depletion and is due to expansion of the tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic CD8 + T-cell population. (Cancer Sci 2007; 98: [416][417][418][419][420][421][422][423]

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Background and purposeThe optimal chemotherapeutic protocol for the treatment of esophageal cancer has not yet been established. A dose-escalation study of docetaxel combined with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was performed to determine the optimal dose in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Patients and methodWe studied a total of 18 patients who had previously untreated thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with T4 tumors and/or metastasis. The patients received an infusion of docetaxel at different dose levels (levels 1, 2, 3: 30, 35, 40 mg/m2, respectively) and an infusion of cisplatin (40 mg/m2) on days 1 and 15 plus a continuous infusion of 5-FU (400 mg/m2/day) on days 1–5 and 15–19.ResultsDose-limiting toxicities (DLT) included febrile neutropenia and leukopenia. DLT occurred in 2 of 6 patients at level 1, 2 and in 3 of 6 patients at level 3. The response rate was 88.9%, including a complete response rate of 33.3%.ConclusionsTo minimize toxicity and maximize dose intensity, we elected to investigate a biweekly regimen. The maximum tolerated dose was level 3, and the recommended dose was determined to be docetaxel 35 mg/m2 with cisplatin 40 mg/m2 plus 5-FU 400 mg/m2, administered biweekly. This regimen was tolerable and highly active. A phase II study has been started.

It might be possible to evaluate the appearance of immune responses to cryosurgery by monitoring serum cytokine levels.