The t(3;21) (q26;q22) is associated with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blast crisis, leukemia evolving from therapy-related myelodysplasia, and with leukemia following other hematopoietic proliferative diseases. The t(3;21) is rare secondary aberration in blast crisis of Philadelphia(Ph)-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, which may be restricted to patients entering myeloid blast crisis. We report here in one case of chronic myeloid leukemia in blast crisis which reveals both t(9;22) (q34;q11), and t(3;21) (q26 ;q22). A 62-year-old male was diagnosed as chronic myeloid leukemia 5 years ago, received hydroxyurea therapy, and admitted because of gingival bleeding and fever. On examination, splenomegaly and leukocytosis with proliferated blasts(91%) in peripheral blood were noted. Bone marrow aspirate showed hypercellularity with severe blast proliferation(92.5%) which revealed all negative in peroxidase and PAS stain. Cytogenetic study of bone marrow cells showed the karyotype 46, XY, t(3;21) (q26;q22), t(9;22) (q34;q11), which might be suspected as myeloid blast crisis. Above finding was confirmed by the result of immunophenotyping(CD13 43.6%, CD34 68.2%, HLA-DR 91.6%). He received intensive chemotherapy, but still sustained proliferation of blasts was noted . The follow up cytogenetic study was as follows: 46, XY, 4(3;21) (q26:22), t(9;22) (q34;q11)/46, XY, t(3;21)(q26;q22), del(8) (q22), t(9:22) (q34,q11)/46, XY (16/3/1). He died soon from severe pancytopenia and sepsis.
Blast Crisis* ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Cytogenetics ; Drug Therapy ; Fever ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; HLA-DR Antigens ; Humans ; Hydroxyurea ; Karyotype ; Leukemia ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive* ; Leukocytosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancytopenia ; Peroxidase ; Sepsis ; Splenomegaly

Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a rare and occurs mainly in the upper aerodigestive tract such as the oral cavity, esophagus and vocal cords. It is a unique variant of squamous cell carcinoma. We report the case of a patient with spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma involving the mandible. At initial examination, overlying mucosa of that lesion was normal appearance. One week later, that lesion showed ulcerative and bloody change and rapid growth in size. This case showed unpredictable rapid growth although rapid growth in size was suspected of undergoing malignancy.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Esophagus ; Humans ; Mandible ; Mandibular Neoplasms ; Mouth ; Mucous Membrane ; Ulcer ; Vocal Cords

PURPOSE: Silver-enhanced in situ hybridization (SISH) is a newly developed method to evaluate HER2 gene amplification in invasive breast carcinomas. Most laboratories widely use fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to evaluate the HER2 gene amplification status because FISH is a very sensitive and accurate technique. However, this technique is not the best because it requires specialized equipment and interpretation skills. We compared a new technique of SISH with FISH for assessing HER2 gene amplification in invasive breast carcinomas. METHODS: HER2 gene amplification was assessed in 165 cases of invasive breast carcinoma by FISH and SISH with constructing a tissue microarray. The tumors were assessed by the guidelines of the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP). Positivity was defined as a HER2/Chromosome 17 ratio greater than 2.2. Negativity was defined if the ratio was less than 1.8. The tumor was considered as equivocal for HER2 gene amplification if the ratio was between 1.8 and 2.2. The HER2 protein status was assessed. Immunostaining for HER2 protein was performed in a Benchmark automatic immunostaining device with using whole tissue sections. RESULTS: There was agreement of the HER2 gene amplification status by SISH and FISH in 162 of 165 cases, which is a concordance rate of 98.2% (kappa=0.94). There were three discrepant cases, with two of them being FISH positive and SISH negative (one case was IHC negative and one case was IHC positive) and one case was FISH negative and SISH equivocal. CONCLUSION: The 98.2% concordance between FISH and SISH meets the ASCO/CAP requirements for test validation of >95% concordance. These results indicate that SISH can be used as an alternative to FISH for assessing the HER2 gene amplification status in breast carcinomas.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Fluorescence ; Genes, erbB-2 ; In Situ Hybridization ; Receptor, erbB-2

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of the microvessel density and macrophage and mast cell counts in invasive breast carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 45 invasive breast carcinomas were immunohistochemically stained with the endothelial antigen, CD34, and macrophage marker, CD68. 0.1% toluidine blue was used to highlight mast cells. The microvessel and mast cell counts were performed at x200 magnification and the macrophages at x400 magnification. RESULTS: With the 45 invasive breast carcinomas, there were no statistically significant associations between the mast cell, macrophage and microvessel counts and the tumor size and lymph node status. ER and PR negative mast cells infiltrated more than in cases of positive stati, with statistical significance (p-value=0.010 and 0.005, respectively). The macrophage counts were negatively correlated with the PR status (p-value=0.030). With respect to the c-erbB-2 status, there was no significance correlation with the mast cell, macrophage and microvessel counts. The mast cell counts showed significantly positive correlation with the microvessel counts in the invasive breast carcinomas (p-value=0.015). In a comparison of the macrophage counts with the microvessel counts, a positive tendency for both parameters, but without statistical significance (p-value=0.310). CONCLUSION: Increasing numbers of mast cells and macrophages were recruited in invasive breast carcinomas, which contribute to angiogenesis. The microvessel density in invasive breast carcinomas had no statistically significant association with the tumor size, lymph node status, and histological grade, presence of DCIS component, estrogen/progesterone receptor status and cerbB-2 status. The evaluation of angiogenesis using these methods is not thought to provide an independent clinicopathological factor in invasive breast carcinomas.
Antigens, CD34 ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Lymph Nodes ; Macrophages* ; Mast Cells* ; Microvessels* ; Tolonium Chloride

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to prove the significance of the oligohydramnios in the intrauterine growth restriction. METHODS: Eighty two patients were identified to have intrauterine growth restriction with oligohydramnios (Group of IUGR+Oligihydramnios) and fifty six patients were identified to have intrauterine growth restriction without oligohydramnios (Group of IUGR) on ultrasound examination from January 1st, 2005 to December 31st, 2007 at St. Vincent Hospital of Catholic University of Korea. Perinatal outcomes were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were not shown between two groups in the maternal characteristics and fetal clinical features except amniotic fluid index and the duration between diagnosis and delivery. The incidence of hyperbilirubinemia and complications in the urogenital system were significantly increased in the group of IUGR+ Oligihydramnios. The other complications were not shown significant difference between two groups. CONCLUSION: Oligohydramnios may not seem to be significant predictor of adverse neonatal outcome of IUGR except the development of hyperbilirubinemia and urogenital complications.
Amniotic Fluid ; Female ; Fetal Growth Retardation ; Humans ; Hyperbilirubinemia ; Incidence ; Korea ; Oligohydramnios ; Pregnancy ; Urogenital System

BACKGROUND: Primary splenic vascular lesions include the tumor and the inflammatory condition. A primary splenic vascular tumor is rare but is the most common tumor of the benign primary splenic tumors. METHODS: We describe the clinicopathological, radiological, and immunophenotypical findings of 40 cases of primary vascular lesions identified at our hospital from 1996 to 2009. RESULTS: The patients included 18 men and 22 women, aged 12 to 74 years, with a mean of 43.3-years and median of 40-years. They comprised 14 hemangiomas (35%), 13 lymphangiomas (32.5%), three hamartomas (7.5%), three littoral cell angiomas (7.5%), three sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformations (SANT, 7.5%) and four angiosarcomas (10%). The majority of the patients (65%) were asymptomatic. Some of the patients (32.5%) complained of abdominal pain, and 2.5% of the patients presented with fever. Metastases were identified in 75% of the patients with an angiosarcoma at the initial work-up. One angiosarcoma patient died of the disease despite adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The radiological findings for hamartoma, littoral cell angioma, and SANT were nonspecific. Microscopically, six types of vascular lesions showed classic morphological and immunophenotypical features of their type. CONCLUSIONS: One should be aware of rare splenic vascular lesions when radiological findings are nonspecific. Histomorphological and immunophenotypical features are helpful for the differential diagnosis.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fever ; Hamartoma ; Hemangioma ; Hemangiosarcoma ; Humans ; Lymphangioma ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Spleen ; Splenic Neoplasms ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND: The overexpression of cyclin D1 and galectin-3 and the loss of p27 in thyroid cancers have recently been reported by many studies. The S-phase kinase associated protein 2 (skp2) plays an important role in the degradation of p27. We compared the correlation of the expressions of galectin-3, p27, cyclin D1 and skp2 in thyroid lesions. METHODS: Sixty five cases were included in this study and immunohistochemical staining for galectin-3, skp2, p27 and cyclin D1 was performed. RESULTS: The expression of galectin-3 increased in the order of nodular hyperplasia, follicular adenoma, follicular carcinoma and papillary carcinoma (p<0.01). The expression rate of skp2 was 0% for nodular hyperplasia, 16.7% for follicular adenoma, 33.3% for follicular carcinoma and 16.7% for papillary carcinoma. The loss of the expression of p27 was more frequently detected in papillary carcinoma as compared with nodular hyperplasia (p<0.01). The increased expression of cyclin D1 was noted in follicular adenoma and carcinoma as compared with nodular hyperplasia (p=0.043). The expression of galectin-3 was related with the loss of a p27 expression (p<0.01), and the expression of skp2 was related with the expression of the cyclin D1 (p=0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Galectin-3 appears to be the most useful marker for making the diagnosis of thyroid lesions. The loss of a p27 expression can help differentiate nodular hyperplasia and papillary carcinoma, and the determining the expression of cyclin D1 may be helpful for the differential diagnosis of nodular hyperplasia and follicular neoplasm.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Adenoma ; Thyroid Neoplasms

The study was conducted from May to July in 1995 to investigate lifestyle variables associated with anemia in some female workers of the six large plants in Taegu. Cases were selected by a doctor based on symptoms and physical exmination and controls were matched according to age limits (?) and plant employed. The final subjects analyzed were 385 excluding. 36 who had underlying diseases associated with anemia or many missing values. Anemia was defined by the blood hemoglobin level less than 12 g/dL. Anemic subjects were 190(49.4%) with nonsignificant age distribution between cases and controls. Univariate logistic regression showed that there was no statistically significant difference in sociodemographic and occupational variables. Number of pad used during menstruation (odds ratio, OR=1.03, 95% Confidence interval ei,1.00-l-1.05) was the only significant among the menstruation-related variables. None of the lifestyle variables were significant but those who consume more than 4 cups of coffee a day vs. none and animal iron intake showed borderline statistical significance with the ORs 2.60 and 0.99, respectively. After controlling for marital status, native place and number of pad with the multiple logistic regression, those who consume more than 4 cups of coffee a day vs. none showed statistically significant OR 2.93(95% CI 1.01-8.49). Animal iron intake and diet to lose weight indicated borderline significance with ORs 0.99(p=0.06) and 1.47(p=0.09), respectively. These results suggest that there are some anemia-associated lifestyle variables and these variables may be important for the behavior modification to prevent anemia in female workers.
Age Distribution ; Anemia* ; Animals ; Behavior Therapy ; Coffee ; Daegu ; Diet ; Female* ; Humans ; Iron ; Life Style* ; Logistic Models ; Marital Status ; Menstruation ; Plants

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS) modulates the expression of cyclooxy- genase-2 (COX-2) and also whether COX-2 is involved in the LPS induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 activation in human trophoblastic (TL) cell line. METHODS: We used the TL (trophoblast-like) cells and evaluated the effect of LPS on expression of COX-2 mRNA and protein and on activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Also, we pretreated cell line with LPS and NS398, a COX-2 inhibitor, and compared MMPs activities with LPS only group. In the present study, COX-2 was analyzed by RT-PCR and western blot analysis and gelatin zymography was done for the evaluation of gelatinase activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expressions of COX-2 were increased by LPS in time- and dose-dependant fashions. COX-2 mRNA expression began to rise from 1 hour of LPS treatment and was increased steadily thereafter. COX-2 protein expression was detected from 1 hour of LPS treatment, but maximally increased by the 3 hours of treatment. LPS also increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in time and dose dependant fashions. Especially, active form of MMP-9 was observed in the high concentration of LPS (>50 microgram/ml). When adding COX-2 inhibitor (NS398) to LPS pretreated cell line, the MMPs activities increased in two or three fold compared to LPS only group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that LPS induces expression COX-2 and up-regulates activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in trophoblastic cell, but COX-2 although involved in LPS mediated MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation, may act through a different pathway than the commonly known prostaglandin metabolites mediated one.
Blotting, Western ; Cell Line* ; Gelatin ; Gelatinases ; Humans* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2* ; Matrix Metalloproteinases ; RNA, Messenger ; Trophoblasts*

BACKGROUND: Survivin belongs to the inhibitor of apoptosis family, and it has recently been found to be expressed in most solid tumors. Therefore, its expression is suggested to have prognostic significance. However, no data are available concerning the significance of survivin for the carcinogenesis of bladder cancer. METHODS: In order to induce urothelial tumor in the rat urinary bladder, 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN) was administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 30 weeks. We used immunohistochemistry to investigate the expressions of survivin, HSP90, Bcl-2 and Bax in rat bladder carcinogenesis. RESULTS: Urothelial cell hyperplasia, papilloma, non-invasive urothelial carcinoma and invasive urothelial carcinoma appeared at 5, 10, 20 and 30 weeks, respectively. The expressions of survivin and HSP90 increased sequentially from normal mucosa, hyperplasia, papilloma, non-invasive urothelial carcinoma to invasive urothelial carcinoma. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax did not increase, however the number of cases with more than 1 of Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio increased sequentially during the progression of urothelial lesion. The expression of survivin showed a statistically significant correlation with the expression of HSP90 and the Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that survivin may be involved in the carcinogenesis of rat bladder and its expression is correlated with the expression of HSP90 and the Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein* ; Butylhydroxybutylnitrosamine ; Carcinogenesis* ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Papilloma ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder*