BACKGROUND: Although actinic keratosis and Bowens disease ar considered as carcinoma in situ, most of them are biologically benign and dont progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. It is little known why they take the benign courses and which factors are involved in the tumorigenesis. Keratoacanthoma, self-regresi;ing benign tumor, may be sometimes or fused morphologically with well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. So it is necessary to find a useful marker to help us distinguish them. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study to gain a better understani ling of biologic behaviour and tumerigenesis of epidermal keiatinocytic neoplasms. METHODS: We investigated the expression of p53 protein and priliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by an immunohistochemical method on the formalin-fixed, araffinembedded tissue specimens of epidermal keratinocytic neoplasms. RESULTS: Fourteen out of 20 cases of squamous cell carcinoma(70.0%), 14 out of 22 cases of actinic keratosis(63.6%), and 13 out of 20 cases of Bowens disease(65.0%) showed p53 protein expression, but keratoacanthoma was negative. All the tumors studied sho ved significantly increased numbers of PCNA-positive eells when compared with normal epidermis and characteristic distribution pattern. of PCNA-positive cells. Most cases of actinic keratosis exhibited the basal dysplastic pattern, but Bo wenoid variants showed diffuse dysplastic pattern. Karatoacanthoma revealed the marginal pattern and Bowens disease showed the diffuse dysplastic pattern. Well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoria showed the basal dysplastic pattern, while poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma revealed d ffuse dysplastic pattern. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that p53 mutation is a common and early genetic change in the epidermal tumorigenesis and may be used as a good marker for malignan transformation, but it does not seem to correlate with the biollagic behavior or prognosis of epidermal neoplasms. PCNA, which is considered as a proliferation-relaited marker, was expressed with chavaceristic distribution patterns according to the type of tumors, but the frequency of PCNA expression is unlikely to reflct the malignant potential of epidermal neoplasms.
Actins ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; Keratoacanthoma ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen*

BACKGROUND: Although actinic keratosis and Bowens disease ar considered as carcinoma in situ, most of them are biologically benign and dont progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. It is little known why they take the benign courses and which factors are involved in the tumorigenesis. Keratoacanthoma, self-regresi;ing benign tumor, may be sometimes or fused morphologically with well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. So it is necessary to find a useful marker to help us distinguish them. OBJECTIVES: We performed this study to gain a better understani ling of biologic behaviour and tumerigenesis of epidermal keiatinocytic neoplasms. METHODS: We investigated the expression of p53 protein and priliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by an immunohistochemical method on the formalin-fixed, araffinembedded tissue specimens of epidermal keratinocytic neoplasms. RESULTS: Fourteen out of 20 cases of squamous cell carcinoma(70.0%), 14 out of 22 cases of actinic keratosis(63.6%), and 13 out of 20 cases of Bowens disease(65.0%) showed p53 protein expression, but keratoacanthoma was negative. All the tumors studied sho ved significantly increased numbers of PCNA-positive eells when compared with normal epidermis and characteristic distribution pattern. of PCNA-positive cells. Most cases of actinic keratosis exhibited the basal dysplastic pattern, but Bo wenoid variants showed diffuse dysplastic pattern. Karatoacanthoma revealed the marginal pattern and Bowens disease showed the diffuse dysplastic pattern. Well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoria showed the basal dysplastic pattern, while poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma revealed d ffuse dysplastic pattern. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that p53 mutation is a common and early genetic change in the epidermal tumorigenesis and may be used as a good marker for malignan transformation, but it does not seem to correlate with the biollagic behavior or prognosis of epidermal neoplasms. PCNA, which is considered as a proliferation-relaited marker, was expressed with chavaceristic distribution patterns according to the type of tumors, but the frequency of PCNA expression is unlikely to reflct the malignant potential of epidermal neoplasms.
Actins ; Bowen's Disease ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Epidermis ; Keratoacanthoma ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Prognosis ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen*

DiGeorge syndrome, a developmental defect of the third and fourth pharyngeal pouches, is characterized by aplasia or hypoplasia of the thymus and parathyroid glands and by conotruncal cardiac malformation. This syndrome is usually associated with deletion of long arm in chromosome 22 (22q11-). We experienced a case of partial DiGeorge syndrome in a 2-month-old male who had hospitalized because of recurrent hypocalcemic tetany and tetralogy of Fallot. Immunologic studies revealed the decreased percentage of T lymphocyte and increased percentage of B lymphocyte. Chromosomal study with high resolution banding, showed 46, XY, 22q13 deletion. We report a case of partial Digeorge syndrome with a brief review of literatures.
Arm ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 ; DiGeorge Syndrome* ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphocytes ; Male ; Parathyroid Glands ; Tetany ; Tetralogy of Fallot ; Thymus Gland

No abstract available.
Thromboangiitis Obliterans*

We performed a clinicopathological study of nineteen patients with chronic inflammatory nodose lesions of the legs which responded to the treatment with isolniazid. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Seven patients had a personal or family history of tuberculcsis and all patients showed a high tuberculin sensitivity. But, no one showed the evidence of active pulmonary tuberculosis. 2. The inflammatory nodules and swelling of the legs were resolved within 12 months in all cases. Resolution of the nodules was more rapid than that of leg swelling. 3. The clinical characteristics of the patients with chronic inflanimatory nodules were the same as those of the cases with erythema nodosum or erytiema induratum reported previously in Korea. The basic histopathologic process of inflarr matory nodules seemed to be vasculitis.
Erythema Nodosum ; Humans ; Isoniazid* ; Korea ; Leg* ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Vasculitis

A 65-year-old female patient visited our clinic complaining of multiple skin lesions since one year ago. There were yellowish to brownish colored, bean to walnut-sized nodules on both lower extremities. Dylon stain with polarizing microscopy, immunohistochemical stain to amyloid P and immunoglobuhn-kappa chain showed positive reactivities but keratin stain was negative. According to histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings, she was diagnosed as nodular amyloidosis.
Aged ; Amyloid ; Amyloidosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Microscopy ; Skin

Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) is a rare, benign hepatic tumor which was usually discovered incidentally by imaging procedure performed for some other reasons. FNH is typically asymptomatic and, it seldom bleeds. There is no evidence to support any relation with primary liver cancer. Accordingly, the preferred management is conservative, and excision is reserved for large symptomatic and complicated lesion, or when the diagnosis remains uncertain. Although many cases of FNH has been described to date in the other countries, only four cases of FNH has been reported in Korean literature. In the present report we describe a 7 cm sized asymptomatic lesion of FNH in a 23-year-old woman, that was disclosed by various kinds of imaging procedure. The left lateral segmentectomy was performed. The mass was firm and showed areas of localized growth of mature hepatocytes and septal fibrosis accompanied with marginal ductal proliferation, consistent with FNH. It also displayed an incomplete stellate architectual configration consisted of a central fibrous scar.
Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Focal Nodular Hyperplasia* ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; Liver* ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Young Adult

It is occasionally difficult to distinguish Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) from other diseases including malignancy, tuberculosis, and various types of vasculitis because of the overlapping symptoms and signs. We report on a patient with NK/T cell lymphoma who was treated with a limited form of WG. At his first visit, he presented with left foot drop and recurrent nasal swelling. Necrosis and massive infiltration of inflammatory cells were identified on a nasal tissue biopsy. Sural nerve biopsy findings also showed infiltration of inflammatory cells in both the endoneurium and perivascular area; thus, a diagnosis of a limited form of WG was made. After combination therapy with a glucocorticoid and oral cyclophosphamide was initiated, his condition completely recovered without recurrence for the next 2 years. However, he visited the hospital again for recurrence of nasal swelling. Repeated biopsy of nasal tissues, combined with an immunophenotypic analysis revealed NK/T cell lymphoma. The possibility of NK/T lymphoma should be considered when evaluating a limited type of WG, which shows atypical findings on biopsy as well as recurrent deterioration, as a suboptimal dose of immunosuppressive therapy may mask its expression and lead to a poor prognosis.
Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Foot ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Masks ; Necrosis ; Organic Chemicals ; Peripheral Nerves ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Sural Nerve ; Tuberculosis ; Vasculitis ; Wegener Granulomatosis

Acinetobacter species encounters frequently with clinical specimens and now accounts for a substantial proportion of endemic nosocomial infections in Korea. Recent trends indicate that the antimicrobial resistant strains of Acinetobacter species are increasing. Sixty-one strains were isolated from specimens of patients suspected of nosocomial infections during 1991 to 1996. At present, phenotypic identification of Acinetobacter using biochemical test may not be reliable and resulted in the difficulty to clarify the source of infections and epidemiological study of hospital-acquired infections. Aware of the importance of rational taxonomic proposal for these isolates, correct species identification of these organisms by molecular typing method was carried out. A total of fifty-four strains of A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex species which were identified to genospecies 2 and 13 by biochemical characteristics was subjected to identify by ribotyping using restriction endonuclease EcoRI, ClaI, and SalI. Of fifty-four strains, twenty-five strains were identified as A. baumannii (genospecies 2) and twenty-one strains as genospecies 13, and six strains changed to genospecies 3, and the rest two strains were confirmed as A. haemolyticus (genospecies 4). This result suggests that the ribotyping may be of value for identification of genospecies and epidemiological information of Acinetobacter strains.
Acinetobacter baumannii* ; Acinetobacter calcoaceticus* ; Acinetobacter* ; Cross Infection ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; Humans ; Korea ; Molecular Typing ; Ribotyping*

We report a case of malignant melanoma of soft parts presented with a hard mass on the dorsum of the left second toe. Malignant melanoma of soft parts has also been known as clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses, which indicates the histologic feature of clear cell predominance and the origin of tumor cells, tendinous or aponeurotic structures. Although our case presented with many characteristic clinicopathologic features of malignant melanoma of soft parts, diagnosing this case as malignant melanoma of soft parts was made with great difficulty because of a rather unusual finding that the major cell component of neoplasm was spindle shaped cells in stead of clear cells. Cases featuring this distinctive histopathologic finding have not been reported individually to our knowledge, but described briefly in the literature. We think this case deserves special attention because of its close resemblance to various sarcomas.
Cellular Structures ; Melanoma* ; Sarcoma ; Sarcoma, Clear Cell ; Tendons ; Toes