We reported the development of an effective cancer treatment using a multidisciplinary treatment, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) with indocyanine green (ICG) liposomes and a combination of Lentinula edodes mycelia (LEM) and hydrogen gas inhalation therapy. ICG liposomes were prepared by adding 5 mg of ICG to 50 mL liposomes. Later, 25 mL of ICG liposomes were diluted with 250 mL of 5% glucose solution and administered intravenously to the patient. We selected the multi-laser delivery system (MLDS), a laser irradiator for performing PDT. Further, the patients received a combination of LEM and hydrogen gas inhalation therapy throughout the treatment. We reported two cases of PDT therapy, one with middle intrathoracic esophagus carcinoma and the other with hypopharyngeal cancer. In the first case, the MLDS laser was directly attached to the endoscope and directed to the cancer area with wavelengths of 810 nm. After the treatment, a biopsy demonstrated no tumor recurrence. In the second case, the patient was treated with endovascular PDT using ICG liposomes and MLDS fiber optics. Later, tumor shrinkage was demonstrated after the first round and disappeared after six months. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that the effect of PDT using ICG liposomes with LEM and hydrogen gas may eradicate cancer without burdening patients by enhancing tumor immunity.

Background: Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare abdominal disease; that occasionally occurs congenitally in younger calves. Cytologic examination of peritoneal effusion (PE) was utilized to diagnose this disease, and was not diagnostic. Diagnostic accuracy has been elevated by recent use of ultrasonography (US), despite most diagnoses have been obtained post-mortem in slaughter houses or during clinical necropsy. In humans, ante-mortem diagnosis is highly associated with clinical use of computed tomography (CT) and laparoscopy together with imaging-assisted biopsy. The present report evaluates the diagnostic applicability of CT and laparoscopy as well as US via the practical application of these imaging modalities in an affected calf, and compares the cytologic and histologic findings among in PE, and specimens obtained from fine-needle aspiration and core-needle biopsy. In addition, the present results were reviewed in comparison with those of previous bovine and human reports.Case presentation: A 58-day-old male Japanese black calf presented first with scrotal swelling, followed by progressive abdominal distention. Abnormalities of the case included: 1) accumulation of anechoic PE inside the swollen scrotum and abdomen; 2) formation of multiple echogenic nodules within the peritoneal membrane based on US images; 3) presence of hyper-dense spots (suspected calcification) along the margins of the nodules; 4) anatomic connections between intra-abdominal nodular lesions and the swollen tunica vaginalis via the inguinal region based on CT images; 5) serosanguineous-colored and less-turbid characteristics of PE; and 6) formation of multiple nodules over all of the serosa of the rumen as well as the peritoneal wall based on laparoscopic views. Fine-needle aspiration and core-needle biopsy were successfully performed under US and laparoscopic observations, respectively. Histology findings of the core-needle biopsy specimen appeared more indicative (characterization of tubular structures comprised of cubical or columnar abnormal mesothelial cell linings) diagnostically of peritoneal mesothelioma than did findings of the fine-needle aspiration specimen.Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first description of clinical applications of CT and laparoscopy to diagnose peritoneal mesothelioma in a calf. Laparoscopy enhanced the diagnostic accuracy due to clear gross visualization of the intra-abdominal abnormalities and applicability to imaging-guided core-needle biopsy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) utilizes the enhanced permeability retention effect of photosensitizers and is less invasive and more selective than traditional chemotherapy. We constructed a chemotherapeutic PDT (chemo-PDT) nanoscale drug delivery system using a liposomally formulated indocyanine green derivative (ICG-Lipo) that encapsulated carboplatin and docetaxel (ICG-Lipo-C&D). The antitumor effect of chemo-PDT mediated by ICG-Lipo-C&D was evaluated in a murine colon 26 CDF1 mouse model. Gene expression in tumor tissues was analyzed by RNA sequencing. Chemo-PDT using ICG-Lipo-C&D demonstrated an even stronger PDT-enhancing effect than did ICG-Lipo due to the synergistic effect of carboplatin and docetaxel. In addition, gene expression analysis showed that PDT with ICG-Lipo-C&D increased the expression of immune-related genes and decreased the expression of cytoskeleton-related genes. Chemo-PDT using ICG-Lipo as a photosensitizer as well as a drug delivery system with an enhanced permeability retention effect may be a promising cancer therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved, minimally invasive treatment for malignant tumors. Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), derived from 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) as the prodrug, is one of the photosensitizers used in PDT. Recently, we reported a significant difference in response to 5-ALA-mediated PDT treatment in two canine primary lung adenocarcinoma cell lines (sensitive to PDT: HDC cells, resistant to PDT: LuBi cells). This study aimed to examine the difference in cytotoxicity of 5-ALA-mediated PDT in these cells. Although intracellular PpIX levels before irradiation were similar between HDC and LuBi cells, the percentage of ROS-positive cells and apoptotic cells in LuBi cells treated with 5-ALA-mediated PDT was significantly lower than that in HDC cells treated with 5-ALA-mediated PDT. A high dosage of the NO donor, DETA NONOate, significantly increased the cytotoxicity of 5-ALA-mediated PDT against LuBi cells. These results suggest that the sensitivity of 5-ALA-mediated PDT might be correlated with NO.

This case report describes the clinical utility of computed tomography (CT) in preoperative evaluation of otitis media in three calves, each exhibiting unilateral head tilt and ear droop. Of the three animals examined by CT, right-sided and left-sided involvements of this disease could be diagnosed in two animals and one animal, respectively, as represented by the accumulations of hyperattenuating contents within the extended tympanic bulla. These cases were treated with a ventral bulla osteotomy, which was conducted between the sternothyroid muscle and the omohyoid muscle via an incision made caudally to the area of the thyroid cartilage. The postoperative outcome was satisfactory in one case. However, the remaining two cases showed unsatisfactory outcomes; one calf died on the 10th postoperative day, as it was already seriously ill. The other animal died suddenly during surgery, potentially due to stimulation of the vagus nerve. The use of CT could allow effective visualization of unilateral lesions, proving helpful for the recommendation of surgical intervention. Based on the unfavorable results in two cases, we note that to prevent surgical complications, the clinical applicability of CT such as the creation of severity criteria and development of imaging-assist procedure should be advanced.