BACKGROUND: Cell-cell adhesion in tissue is mainly regulated by hornotypic interaction of cadherin molecules, which are anchored to the cytoskeleton via cytoplasmic proteins, including a-and / 3-catenin. Loss of E-cadherin and catenin have been attributed a pathogenetic role in tumor invasion. METHODS: We examined the expression of E-cadherin and a-catenin in human thyroid carcinoma by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Normal tissue strongly expressed E-cadherin and a-catenin. However, E-cadherin and a-catenin expression were frequently reduced in thyroid carcinoma (E-cadherin: 62.5%, a-catenin: 81.3%). But the expression of E-cadherin and a-catenin in tumors with metastatic spreading were not different with tumors without metastasis. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that reduced E-eadherin and a-catenin expression may be a sensitive marker for disturbance in the adhesive function of the junctional complex, but further evaluation with more cases is needed for confirmation of the result of the same degree of expression in tumors with metastasis.
Adhesives ; Cadherins* ; Cytoplasm ; Cytoskeleton ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVE: p16INK4 and p15INK4B genes are known to be tumor suppressor genes which reside in p21 region of chromosome 9 and are related to cell cycle control as an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent-kinase. We designed this study to search for deletion and decreased expression of p16INK4 and p15INK4B genes in advanced ovarian carcinomas. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based analysis was performed to search for deletion of p16INK4 and p15INK4B using DNA extracted from frozen tissue in liquid nitrogen of thirty-one advanced ovarian carcinoma patients. The intensities of PCR bands were analyzed using an imaging densitometer to determine gene dosage in tumor samples and the relative gene dosage was calculated by comparing band intesity of p16INK4 or p15INK4B with that of beta-globin gene. Homozygous deletions were assigned to tumors in which the ratio was reduced to less than 25% in any one of exons of p16INK4 and p15INK4B. Immunohistochemical techniques were used to study the expression of p16INK4. p16-negative cells were characterized by the absence of nuclear staining, whereas cytoplasmic staining was variable. Clinico-pathologic features, complete remission rates and survivals were analyzed according to the status of p16INK4 and p15INK4B genes. RESULTS: Homozygous deletion of p16INK4 was detected in 12.9% of advanced ovarian carcinoma patients and that of p15INK4B in 35.5%. Clinico-pathologic features such as FIGO stage, histological grade, serum CA-125 levels were not different from groups with homozygously deleted p16INK4 and p15INK4B to those with normal genes. The survival of patients (13 [6-20] months) with homozygously deleted p16INK4 was significantly shorter than that (30 [8-52] months) of patients with normal p16INK4 (p=0.046; Log-rank test). CONCLUSION: These observations indicate that deletions of p16INK4 and p15INK4B gene might be involved in tumorigenesis of ovarian carcinoma and could be useful as a prognostic factor. A prospective, controlled study with more patients will be mandatory in the future.
beta-Globins ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Exons ; Gene Dosage ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Nitrogen ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Optic ataxia is characterized by an impaired visual control of the direction of arm reaching to a visual target, accompanied by defective hand orientation and grip formation. In humans, optic ataxia is associated with lesions of the superior parietal lobule, which also affect visually guided saccades and other forms of eye-hand coordination. A 67-year-old woman presented with sudden, unilateral, direct optic ataxia in the right homonymous half field and saccadic abnormalities which consisted of prolonged latency, undershoot dysmetria, and decreased velocity. Brain MRI showed a left parieto-occipital watershed infarction. It is suggested that lesions of the superior parietal lobule and the adjacent parietal eye field are responsible for optic ataxia and saccadic abnormalities, respectively.
Aged ; Arm ; Ataxia* ; Brain ; Cerebellar Ataxia ; Female ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Rabeprazole ; Saccades

No abstract available.
Capsaicin* ; Lymphocytes* ; Lymphoid Tissue*

A rare case of mesothelial/monocytic incidental cardiac excrescences (cardiac MICE) is described in the aspect of pathological interest. This cardiac lesion is pathologically characterized by exuberant proliferation of mixed mesothelia and monocytes and might be misdiagnosed as metastatic carcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and histiocytoid hemangioma, if the disease is not in the minds of pathologists. The reactive nodular hyperplasia due to irritation to mesothelia by various causes is a most prevailing pathogenetic mechanism. About 20 cases have been reported in the worldwide literature. A 67-year-old female patient presented with cough and dyspnea for 2 months, without any history of previous cardiac operation. 2D echocardiography of the heart revealed moderate amount of pericardial effusion with posterior wall thickening. Under the impression of metastatic malignancy, pericardiostomy was performed. Grossly, the tissue was dark hemorrhagic and friable and the histologic sections revealed the solid tumor-like proliferation of round to polygonal histiocytic cells admixed with small cuboidal mesothelial cells which formed strips and tubular arrays. They were found within the fibrinous network and there were scattered empty vacuolar spaces. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed their biphasic nature with the CD68 positivity of the histiocytes and the cytokeratin positivity of the cuboidal cells. Factor VIII positivity was not detected in any cell components. The lesion was considered the monocytic and mesothelial proliferation of reactive nature, so-called cardiac MICE in the pericardial cavity. We report a typical case of so-called MICE first in the Korean literature.
Aged ; Animals ; Cellular Structures ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Factor VIII ; Female ; Fibrin ; Heart ; Hemangioma ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Keratins ; Mice ; Monocytes ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardial Window Techniques ; Rhabdomyosarcoma

Neurilemmoma is rare benign tumor originating from the Schwann cell of the nerve sheath. Intrabronchial neurilemmoma are extremely rare and only few cases have been reported previously in Korea. Neurilemmoma at all ages but are most common in persons between the ages of 20 and 50 years. It affects the head, neck, flexor regions of the extremities. Neurilemmoma was confirmed histologically because of the presence of Verocay bodies, Antoni A or B tissue pattern and of S-100 protein. We report two cases of intrabronchial neurilemmoma with chronic coughing and nonspecific radiologic findings.
Cough ; Extremities ; Head ; Humans ; Korea ; Neck ; Neurilemmoma* ; S100 Proteins

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the point prevalence of anxiety, depression and the associated risk factors in hospitalized patients with cancer. METHODS: A total of 114 patients with cancer who admitted to the Cancer Center in St. Mary's Hospital were enrolled for a day. The patients were asked to complete Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). Sociodemographic and cancer related clinical variables were also evaluated. RESULTS: The point prevalence of anxiety and depression was 10.5% and 34.2%, respectively, as assessed with HADS. Logistic regression models revealed that distant metastasis was significantly associated with anxiety in patients with cancer and previous chemotherapy and Low socioeconomic status were significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that more than one third of patients with cancer suffer from either anxiety or depression. In addition, previous chemotherapy as well as low socioeconomic status and distant metastasis were associated risk factors of anxiety and depression, respectively. These findings suggest the need for screening and systematized psychosocial intervention for psychological distress in hospitalized patients with cancer.
Anxiety* ; Depression* ; Drug Therapy ; Hospitals, General* ; Humans ; Inpatients* ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prevalence* ; Risk Factors ; Social Class

Until recently, cranial base tumors or midfacial tumors were deemed unresectable due to an inability to accurately diagnose the extent of the involvement and to approach and excise the tumor safely. With refinements in CT and NMR scanning, as well as the development of craniofacial technique, reconstruction has become absolutely crucial in allowing successful resection of these tumors. Resection of these tumors may sometimes result in massive and complex extirpation defects that are not amendable to local tissue closure. In such cases, free tissue transfer was an effective alternative because it can provide a large amount of well-vascularized tissues arts reliable separation of the intracranial space from bacterial flora of the upper airway. Microvascular free tissue transfer was used in 15 patients at our center to reconstruct the cranial base and/or midfacial defects. Of these 12 were free rectus muscle flaps, 2 were free latissimus dorsi muscle flaps, 1 was a free scapular osteocutaneous flap and 1 was a free scapular fasciocutanegus flap. There were 2 cases of total flap loss. In those cases, revisions were performed using latissimus dorsi muscle free flap in one case and STSG in the other. One patient had a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak which was spontaneously resolved by conservative management. The large complex defects were successfully reconstructed by one-stage operation and the functional and esthetic results wee satisfactory with acceptable complication rates.
Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Skull Base* ; Superficial Back Muscles

We report a case of MALT lymphoma in a 49-year-old woman. Her disease occurred simultaneously in the mucosa of her right upper eyelid conjunctiva and in her left nostril as ulcerating tumors associated with itchy ichthyosiform skin lesions on the trunk, hyperkeratotic palms and soles, and dystrophic nails. Histopathological examinations revealed consistent findings of MALT lymphoma with dissemination; i.e., diffuse infiltrates of lymphoplasmacytoid cells with a few Russel body-like structures, eosinophils, some shoddy granulomas under the irregularly hyperplastic epidermis, and diffuse infiltrates of CCL ( centrocyte-like ) cells and small lymphocytes inside and outside many lymphoid follicle-like structures in the subcutaneous tissue forming florid lymphoepithelial lesions. She died after 27 months duration of her disease with worsening of ichthyosiform skin lesions and dystrophic nails in spite of total excision of the tumors. We discuss the clinical and histopathologic features of MALT lymphoma with dissemination and the various similar diseases to differentiate.
Conjunctiva ; Eosinophils ; Epidermis ; Eyelids* ; Female ; Glycogen Storage Disease Type VI ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Lymphocytes ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Skin ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Ulcer

No abstract available.
Lower Extremity* ; Melanoma*