Higt energy electron beam therapy is a method which is used for the treatment of superficial tumors (less than 5 cm deep) with a characteristically sharp drop-off in dose beyond the tumor. This method offers distinct advantages in dose uniformity and in minimizing the dose to deeper tissues. We report herein three cases of epithelial skin cancer treated with high energy electron beam. The first patient was a 79-year-old male who had primary basal cell carcinoma(BCC) on the right lateral canthus. The second patient was a 67-year-old male who had recurreiit BCC on the right cheek. Both of them received electron beam therapy on the lesion and there were no clinical relapse signs over 1 year. The third patient was a 46-year-old male who had squamous cells, carcinoma on the lower lip. He also received electron beam therapy on the lesion, but it recurred.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Basal Cell ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cheek ; Humans ; Lip ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recurrence ; Skin Neoplasms* ; Skin*

Trichilemmal carcinoma is a rare adnexal tumor originating from outer root sheath of hair follicle. We report a case of trichilemmal carcinoma occurring on the scalp. A 71-year-old women presented with a nodule on the vertex of scalp. Histopathologically, tumor cells showed a lobular proliferation in continuity with the epidermis. The lobules showed peripheral palisading and trichilemmal keratinization. The prominent tumor cells were large cells with PAS-reactive, diastase-sensitive, clear cytoplasm. Striking cytologic atypia and high mitotic index were found. Total excision was done and the patient has been free of recurrence or metastasis for 1 year.
Aged ; Cytoplasm ; Epidermis ; Female ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Mitotic Index ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence ; Scalp ; Strikes, Employee

For cervical cancer, the combination chemotherapy could increase the trial of radical hysterectomy due to reduction in tumor volume even in advanced stage and help to decrease corrected dose of radiotherapy. It also reduces postoperative radiotherapy to avoid the side effect and therefore make the quality of life better. Cisplatin chemotherapy alone was known to result in objective response rates of 20%. Todays animal experiment studies stated that Ifosfamide could accelerate the efficacy of Cisplatin. Thus in this study, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was applied to those cervical cancer patients in the use of the combination chemotherapy including Ifosfamide, PI(Cisplatin+ Ifosfamide) and PAIB(Cisplatin+ Ifosfamide+ Adriamycin+ Bleomycin). A total of 43 patients were entered in this trial, 23(53%) achieved at least a 50% reduction in tumor volume, 20(47%) showed no change. After completion of combination chemotherapy, 30(70%) of the 43 were done radical hysterectomy, 13(30%) given to radiotherapy. 9(30%) of the 30 patients were applied postoperative radiation therapy. Nausea and vomiting occurred in 35 of the 43 patients(81%) and alopecia 15(34%) for toxicity. Severe CNS toxicity(Grade 4) was detected in one patient. This study suggest that Ifosfamide combination chemotherapy is effective in tumor reduction and minimal toxity and can performed radical operation in cases of large tumor volume.
Alopecia ; Animal Experimentation ; Cisplatin ; Doxorubicin* ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Ifosfamide* ; Nausea ; Quality of Life ; Radiotherapy ; Tumor Burden ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* ; Vomiting

In order to observe the development of ventricular arrhythmia during regional myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, especially under the presence or absence of ST-T electrical alternans on epicardial EKG. The proximal left descending coronary artery(LAD) was ligated for 20 minutes and then reperfused suddenly in twenty-three cats. Standard lead EKG(Lead??, chest lead EKG and epicardial lead EKG were recorded simultaneously during the occlusion and reperfusion respectively. During the ligation of LAD, STEA was observed in thirteen cats(56.5%). In occlusion period, the incidence of ventricular tachycardia in STEA positive group was significantly higher than in the negative group(p<0.01) and arrhythmic score was significantly higher(p<0.005) also In the reperfusion period the incidence of vefntricular fibrillation in STEA positive group was significantly higher than in the negative group(p<0.025). But there was the tendency to be higher in arrhythmic score of STEA positive group. There were no differences in heart rate, systolic left ventricular pressure, ST elevation and ST width in both groups. Most forms of ST-T of sinus rhythm before and after development of ventricular premature beat was low form(L). It was concluded that at the presence of STEA on EKG, the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia was more prevalent. So, STEA can be available as a marker of ventricular arrhythmia and prognostic factor.
Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac* ; Cardiac Complexes, Premature ; Cats ; Electrocardiography* ; Heart Rate ; Incidence ; Ligation ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Reperfusion ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Thorax ; Ventricular Pressure

We report a case of a 58 year-old male with polysplenia and left inferior vena cava draining into the right atrium via hemiazygous vein; the left superior vena cava and the coronary sinus in order. He presented dyspnea on exertion and atrial fibrillation. Originally, through findings of mediastinal widening in chest X-ray and the double lumen of the descending aorta in transesophageal echocardiography, he was erroneously diagnosed with aortic dissection. The anomalous venous connection was discovered via spiral CT and venography. We also found three to five small spleens via CT. We emphasize that normal left superior vena cava mimic aortic dissection on chest X-rays and transesophageal echocardiographys.
Aorta, Thoracic ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Coronary Sinus ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography, Transesophageal ; Heart Atria* ; Heterotaxy Syndrome* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phlebography ; Spleen ; Thorax ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; Veins ; Vena Cava, Inferior* ; Vena Cava, Superior*

Mycobacterium neoaurum is rapidly growing mycobacteria that can cause human infections. It commonly causes bloodstream infections in immunocompromised hosts, and unlike other mycobacteria species, it rarely causes pulmonary infections. We confirmed the first pulmonary infection case in Korea caused by M. neoaurum using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Diseases/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Mycobacterium/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Mycobacterium Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Nontuberculous Mycobacteria/genetics/isolation & purification ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Republic of Korea ; Sequence Analysis, RNA

The major purpose of this study was to assess the post-operative quality of life after performing a pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) in early gastric cancer patients, comparing the results with patients who underwent a conventional gastrectomy (CG). There were 48 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgical intervention at the Department of Surgery, Taejon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea School of Medicine from November 1995 through June 1996. Out of 48 gastric cancer patients, 13 patients (27.1 %) were early gastric cancers. Seven patients of these 13 patients underwent a PPG and the others underwent a CG. The indications for PPG were ; 1) a lesion at least 5 cm proximal to the pyloric ring, 2) a lesion in the middle third of the stomach, 3) a lesion less than 40 mm in maximum length, and 4) especially a lesion located at the greater curvature. Localization of the lesion was precisely performed through a gastrotomy during the operation. Dissections of the No. 7, 8, and 9 nodes (D1 +) were performed in cases of ulcerated lesions (type III) or poorly differentiated lesions. The proximal and distal portions of the stomach were anastomosed together 2-3 cm proximal to the pyloric ring to preserve the pyloric function. Gastrografin studies were performed on the sixth or the seventh day following PPG, and disclosed that the pylori were almost normal in appearance and function. Compared to a CG, the duration of nasogastric decompression was longer by one day, the start of oral feeding was delayed by two days, and the duration of the hospital stay was longer by five days after PPG. Three months following PPG, the amount of food taken in a meal was 70-90 % compared to that of the pre-operative amount, oral feedings took place three to four times a day, and the performance status was excellent (grade 0). Endoscopic examination revealed two cases of food stasis without subjective symptoms and a case of bile reflux with minimal mucosal edema after the PPG. After the CG, three out of the six cases had bile reflux with mucosal redness and erosion. In conclusion, it seemed that for early gastric cancer a pylorus-preserving gastrectomy, with selective lymphnodal dissection, was superior to the standard operation in terms of post-operative quality of life.
Bile Reflux ; Daejeon ; Decompression ; Diatrizoate Meglumine ; Edema ; Gastrectomy* ; Humans ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Meals ; Quality of Life ; Stomach ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: Although the overall survival and recurrence rates after open or laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer are similar, the potential oncological benefits of laparoscopic surgery have not been established. This study compared the effects of the two surgical approaches (open and laparoscopic) on the intraoperative inferior mesenteric vein (IMV) carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in patients who were undergoing open or laparoscopic surgery for sigmoid colon and rectal cancer. METHODS: Between December 2005 and July 2008, a total of 37 patients were enrolled in this study. Twenty one patients underwent open surgery and 16 patients were operated on laparoscopically. The baseline peripheral CEA level was measured preoperatively. The IMV blood was taken before and after mobilization of the cancer-bearing bowel segment and the CEA levels in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The baseline CEA levels in the peripheral vein were similar in the two groups. After mobilization, the overall CEA level was elevated. The median pre-mobilization CEA levels of the open and laparoscopic group were 2.3 (range: 1.2~3.7) ng/ml and 1.5 (range: 1.0~2.6) ng/ml, respectively. Hence, the degree of CEA elevation after mobilization was significantly higher in the open surgery group compared with that of the laparoscopic approach (4.2 vs. 1.6, respectively, p=0.004). CONCLUSION: The CEA levels measured from the IMV after mobilization were elevated to a lesser degree after laparoscopic mobilization of the cancer-bearing bowel segment, as compared with that of open surgery. However, the long term oncological effects need to be examined by conducting longer, larger scale studies.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Mesenteric Veins ; Recurrence ; Veins

PURPOSE: This study was performed to demonstrate a correlation among urinary 15d-PGJ2, proinflammatory cytokines (i.e. IL-23, IL-6, and TGF-beta1), and CRP, and to determinate the contributors to prognostic score and proteinuria in IgAN patients. METHODS: Fifty-four patients with biopsy-proven IgAN were enrolled. For comparison with IgAN, five MCD patients were also enrolled. Immunohistochemical staining for PPAR-gamma in kidney tissue and measurements of urinary IL-6, IL-23, TGF-beta1, 15d-PGJ2 and serum CRP were performed RESULTS: There was no difference according to PPAR-gamma staining. 15d-PGJ2 was negatively correlated with urinary IL-23, TGF-beta1, and CRP. Among proinflammatory cytokines and CRP, there were positive relationships with each other except for IL-23 and CRP. TGF-beta1 in the group having proteinuria more than 3 g/day was statistically higher than that in the sole hematuria group. However, in multivariate regression analysis, not a single relation was found between TGF-beta1 and proteinuria. Prognostic score was correlated with IL-6, IL-23, TGF-beta1, CRP, 15d-PGJ2, and 24hr proteinuria. 24hr proteinuria was correlated with IL-6 and 15d-PGJ2. In multivariate regression analysis, CRP, 15d-PGJ2, and 24hr proteinuria contributed to prognostic score, and only 15d-PGJ2 contributed to 24hr proteinuria. Last, urinary 15d-PGJ2 in IgAN was higher than that in MCD. CONCLUSION: Endogenous 15d-PGJ2 was associated with inflammation and might be considered as a material which could delay the damage of kidney in IgAN. In the future, larger cohort and long-term follow-up studies are needed to demonstrate the role of 15d-PGJ2 as prognostic indicator or marker of kidney damage.
Cohort Studies ; Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary ; Cytokines ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; Hematuria ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-23 ; Interleukin-6 ; Kidney ; Prostaglandin D2 ; Proteinuria ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

BACKGROUND: It is known that non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the amount of proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome. It is based on the facts that the NSAIDs block the production of prostaglandins. Therefore selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor may be expected to play a role in reduction of the proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome. METHODS: Twenty-seven Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups. After 3 to 5 days of adaptation, we gave puromycin aminonucleoside to groups A and B via intraperitoneal route. The third group C was a normal control group. Selective COX-2 inhibitor was orally given to group A for 2 weeks. Each group was divided again into 3 subgroups by the day of experiment: 1, 14 and 21-day subgroups. We checked the changes in the serum and urine creatinine, albumin concentrations, creatinine clearances, the amount of proteinuria and the pathologic findings. The differences between groups were tested by 2-way ANOVA and Dunnett T-test, and the changes of proteinuria were tested by Repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: The changes of 24-hour urine protein excretion were significantly different between three groups (p<0.01). Protein excretion of group A was significantly decreased, especially between 14 and 21 days (p<0.05). The changes of creatinine clearance were significantly different between three groups (p<0.05), between 1 and 21 days (p<0.05). Electron microscopy showed morphological recovery of foot processes after administration of selective COX-2 inhibitor in PAN nephropathy rats (group A). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that selective COX- 2 inhibitors may be effective in reducing proteinuria and protecting the renal function in nephrotic syndrome.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Creatinine ; Cyclooxygenase 2* ; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors ; Foot ; Microscopy, Electron ; Nephrotic Syndrome ; Prostaglandins ; Proteinuria ; Puromycin Aminonucleoside* ; Puromycin* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley