The olfactory neuroblastoma, first described in 1924, is a rare tumor arising from the olfactory epithelium. Because of its rarity, it is difficult to accrue a large individual series. To elucidate the characteristics of olfactory neuroblastomas in Japan, we report herein on our institutional experience of 14 cases and reviewed 104 cases reported from Japan. In our cases, one out of nine surgically treated patients died during treatment and the remaining 8 patients are alive without disease. Among the five non-surgically treated patients, four patients experienced local treatment failure and the other one patient died of metastasis. In the 104 Japanese cases, 54 patients were treated with multimodality treatment including surgery and radiation. The 3-year overall survival rates for surgically treated patients and non-surgically treated patients were 85% and 73%, respectively. The prognostic factors for survival were modified Kadish stage, Hyams' grade and surgical treatment. Further investigation is required for the validation of endoscopic resection.

The efficacy of treatments involving lapatinib for patients with metastatic breast cancers was evaluated in a Bayesian metaanalysis of published data from randomized controlled clinical trials. Four randomized controlled trials including 2,708 patients met the inclusion criteria. Among these patients, 568 were positive for the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2). The clinical benefit rate(CBR)for HER2-positive patients was the primary outcome of the analysis, and the overall survival(l OS) and the number needed to treat(NNT)were the secondary outcomes of the reported meta-analysis. The Bayesian metaanalysis was conducted according to the Markov-chain Monte-Carlo technique in WinBUGS. The CBR for HER2-positive patients was significantly improved(odds ratio[OR]: 2.281, 95% confidence interval[CI]: 1.490-3.628), whereas no statistically significant improvement was seen in the overall patient CBR(OR: 1.559, 95% CI: 0.768-3.238). The OS hazard ratio (HR)and NNT for the CBR were also estimated for HER2-positive patients. The difference in the OS HR was not statistically significant(HR: 0.789, 95% CI: 0.556-1.086)for HER2-positive patients. The improvement in the NNT for the CBR was statistically significant(NNT 5.164, 95% CI: 3.803-8.723)for HER2-positive patients.

The PubMed and Ichushi databases were searched to identify cases of spontaneous regression of cancer that were featured in original papers and abstracts presented at conferences and these cases were examined. First,6 3 cases of spontaneous regression reported from Japan in 2011 were examined in detail. The most common types of cancer were lymphoma,hepatic carcinoma,and pulmonary cancer. The incidence of spontaneous regression was estimated at 1 per 12,000 patients with cancer and was calculated on the basis of the estimated number of patients who were newly diagnosed as having cancer during 1 year in Japan. Next, 83, 40,and 37 cases of spontaneous regression of hepatic carcinoma,pulmonary cancer,and lung metastases from primary malignant tumors,respectively,reported worldwide between 2006 and 2011, were analyzed. The cause of spontaneous regression in all 3 pathologies often involved an immunological mechanism. Other common factors that contributed to spontaneous regression were impaired tumor blood flow in patients with hepatic carcinoma,paraneoplastic syndrome in those with pulmonary cancer,and removal of the primary tumor in patients with lung metastasis.

The main therapy for primary breast cancer is not surgery, but a systemic therapy involving administration of cytotoxic chemotherapy or the use of ablative or additive endocrine therapy to control disseminated micrometastasis. The results of randomized trials and meta-analysis show that CMF, the standard adjuvant chemotherapy, is effective regardless of axillar lymph node involvement or menopausal status. Effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy with an anthracyclin-based regimen remains controversial. The trial by CUBC and NSAS-BC comparing UFT, widely used in the management of patients with breast cancer in Japan, with CMF is on-going.