Ependymomas are originated from the ependymal cells and are mostly confined to the central nervous system. Rarely, they may occur in extradural sites such as skin or subcutaneous tissue of sacrococcygeal region. The myxopapillary ependymoma is the most common type of ependymoma in the sacrococcygeal region. We operated on 54-years old female with a sacrococcygeal mass. Tumor was removed totally and histologic study revealed as myxopapillary ependymoma. Clinicopathologic features are discussed along with pertienent literature.
Central Nervous System ; Ependymoma* ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Sacrococcygeal Region ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue

The incidence of multiple primary malignancy is extremely rare although the prevalence rate is increasing recently. There are several reasons of increment of multiple primary malignancy. First, the advances in the treatment and the diagnostic modality of malignancy have led to increased survival rate. So many of the patients who survived the first cancer could live long enough to develop additional primary cancers. Second, the long term effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been proved oncogenic. Third, increasing age, environmental carcinogen, some kinds of viral infection, and genetic predisposition have potentials for multiple carcinogenesis. Most of multiple primary cancer is double primary, however triple primary cancer is rare. We experienced a case of triple primary cancer involving endometrium, colon, and stomach. We report this case with a review of literatures.
Carcinogenesis ; Colon ; Drug Therapy ; Endometrial Neoplasms* ; Endometrium ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prevalence ; Stomach ; Survival Rate

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant tumor of mesenchymal origin. It is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood and approximately 250 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. The most common sites for rhabdomyosarcoma are the head and neck (parameningeal, orbit, paryngeal etc.), the extremities, and the genitourinary tract. Histologically, it can be classified into embryonal, alveolar, pleomorphic, and undifferentiated. Alveolar subtype accounts for approximately 25%. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma is very rare and its prognosis is very poor. Especially, cases that reported from vulva are extremely rare, and informations regarding treatment and prognosis are not standardized. We present a case of a girl with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of vulva with a review of a literature.
Extremities ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Neck ; Orbit ; Prognosis ; Rhabdomyosarcoma ; Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar* ; Sarcoma ; Vulva*

OBJECTIVES: This non-randomized retrospective study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and to evaluate the actual 5-year survival rate of the patients with invasive cancer of the cervix. METHODS: 489 evaluable patients with invasive cancer of the cervix were treated at Korea Cancer Center Hospital from January to December 1992. In this retrospective study, we studied the clinico-pathologic characteristics(age, FIGO stage, histologic type, nodal metastasis) and treatment modalities by the review of medical records. Especially, the survival was confirmed by the support of the police and government office. RESULTS: The most common subsets of patients were found in the group of FIGO stage IIb(32.5%) and age between 51 and 60(33%). Surgery was the main treatment in stage Ib/IIa(65%) and radiation in stage IIb or more(97%). Nodal metastasis were surgically identified in 6% of stage Ib, 29% of stage IIa and 36% of stage IIb. Overall actual 5-year survival rate was 72.2%; stage Ia(100%), Ib(94%), IIa(82%), IIb(63%), IIIa(36%), IIIb(47%), and IV(0%). The five-year survival rate according to LN status in surgically confirmed FIGO stage Ib-II patients were 91.9% in negative patients and 73.1% in positive patients respectively. Five-year survival rate was significantly different according to stage(P < 0.02) and nodal metastasis(p < 0.01). However, age and histologic type did not show any significant differences in survival. CONCLUSION: Overall actual five-year survival rate of 489 evaluable patients with invasive cancer of the cervix who were treated at Korea Cancer Center Hospital from January to December 1992 was 72.2%. Five-year survival rate was different according to stage and nodal metastasis.
Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Police ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate clinicopathologic findings of patients with small cell carcinoma of uterine cervix, and to evaluate the recurrence pattern and prognosis of patients with small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Methods: From Jan. 1990, to Dec. 1997, 23 patients with small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were registered and followed-up at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. Clinical characteristics, survival of these patients were studied retrospectively. RESULTS: Among the 23 cases of small cell carcinoma of uterine cervix, 17 cases(74%) were of the neuroendocrine type (NE group), and 6 cases(26.0%) of the squamous cell type (SCC group). The median age, FIGO stage, and treatment modality were not significant difference between two groups. Pelvic lymph node metastases were found 53% in NE group, and 33% in SCC group, but there were not significant difference between two groups(p>0.05). Three patients showed distant metastases in NE group(bone 18%, bladder 9%), but there was no distant metastasis in SCC group. The 3 year survival rate was 50.0% in SCC group and 32.1% in NE group, but there were not statistical significance(p>0.05). Six patients showed recurrence after treatment (4/17 cases in NE group, 2/6 cases in SCC group). Recurrence sites were liver (3/6, 50%), and lung (2/6, 33%), brain (2/6, 33%), retroperitoneum (1/6, 17%), and axillae lymph node (1/6, 17%). CONCLUSION: This study showed neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma may have more aggressive than squamous small cell carcinoma, but there were not significant difference in prognosis between the two groups. Because of limitation of number of patients, further large scaled multicenter studies are needed.
Axilla ; Brain ; Carcinoma, Small Cell* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Urinary Bladder ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical feasibility of FDG-PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan in patients with clinically no evidence of disease after treatment of cervical cancer. METHODS: One hundred and one patients with clinically NED(no evidence of disease) state after treatment of cervical cancer underwent PET scan. FDG-PET scan was obtained with a GE Advance Scanner, beginning at 50 minutes after injection of 370-555 MBq(10-15 mCi) of 18F FDG. Regional scan was also obtained with emission image. Uptake exceeding 3.0 SUV was determined as a positive finding. Recurrence was confirmed by CT, MRI, and needle biopsy if possible. RESULTS: Among 101 patients showing no evidence of disease, 17 patients(16.8%) showed abnormal PET scan findings. Clinically, 8 patients(7.9%) were confirmed to have recurrent lesion by CT, MRI or by needle biopsy. PET scan could detect recurrent lesions in the mediastinum or lung(10/17), pelvis(7/17), and supraclavicular lymph node(2/17). The sensitivity and specificity of PET scan in patients with cervical cancer showing no evidence of disease were 100% and 90.3%, respectively. The positive predictive value, negative predictive value and false positive rate were 47.1%, 100% and 52.9%. CONCLUSION: PET scan could detect 7.9% of early recurrence in patients with cervical cancer with NED status. FDG-PET scan may be a useful method in detecting metastases or recurrence of a cervical cancer showing no evidence of disease by routine conventional imaging studies.
Biopsy, Needle ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mediastinum ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Recurrence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Cervical cancer is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract in Korea. The most common histologic type of cervical cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. The simultaneous occurrence of histologically distinct squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix and invasive adenocarcinoma of the cervix is extremely unusual. We have experienced two cases of synchronous squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. We report these cases with a brief review of the literature.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Primary tumors of the mesentery are uncommon, and primary leiomyosarcoma of the mesentery is especially rare, and thus an accurate preoperative diagnosis is difficult. We experienced a case of 32-year female with primary leiomyosarcoma of the mesentery. We report this case with a brief review of the literature.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Leiomyosarcoma* ; Mesentery* ; Neoplasm Metastasis*

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic factors of primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC). METHODS: Clinicopathologic variables were obtained by examining the medical records of patients with PPC who were diagnosed and treated at our institute, between January 1996 and December 2005. To find prognostic factors, the association of clinicopathologic variables with survival was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: All patients had advanced-stage tumors. Residual tumor was smaller than 1 cm in 12 patients and was equal or larger than 1 cm in nine patients. The response rate to adjuvant chemotherapy was 47.6%. The median progression-free survival was eight months (range 1~95) and the median overall survival was 14 months (range 1~99). In univariate analysis, stage, the response to adjuvant chemotherapy, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were associated with survival. However, in multivariate analysis, no variables were associated with survival. CONCLUSION: In spite of aggressive treatments, patients with PPC had poor prognosis. No prognostic factors were identified in this study.
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerance and outcome of elderly cervical cancer patients who were treated with radiation therapy retrospectively. METHODS: Fourteen patients over 80 years with pathologically proven stage I-IV cervical cancer who were treated with definitive RT between 1993 and 2003 were analyzed. We investigated response rates, recurrence rates, complications, progression free intervals, and current status of subjects. RESULTS: The age of the 14 patients ranged from 80 to 88 (median age: 81). The distribution of clinical stage by FIGO classification were > or =stage IIB (78.6%). The most common histologic type was squamous cell carcinoma. Nine patients (64.3%) underwent definitive radiation therapy. Among the 9 patients who had undergone radiotherapy, 7 patients (77.8%) showed complete response. One patient underwent surgical intervention followed by chemotherapy due to progression of disease despite radiotherapy. Two patients experienced radiation cystitis and 1 patient suffered from radiation colitis, however, other patients did not manifestate significant complications. One patient who underwent palliative chemotherapy due to persistent disease experienced mild marrow suppression and neurologic symptoms temporarily. CONCLUSION: The elderly patients over 80 years with good performance status may tolerate definitive pelvic radiation administered according to conventional fractionation schedules to control cervical cancer. Definitive radiation therapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy should not be excluded as a treatment option even for patients older than 80 years.
Aged* ; Appointments and Schedules ; Bone Marrow ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Classification ; Colitis ; Cystitis ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Radiotherapy ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*