BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Despite multiple approaches of treatments for salivary duct carcinoma, there has been a need for more successful treatment methods because of its poor prognosis. Treatment options like immunotherapy using new technologies have been attempted. Based on recent study results indicating that targeting programmed death receptors are effective in treating various cancers, this study aimed to identify the frequency of PD-L1 expression and its impact on survival rate in salivary duct carcinoma.MATERIALS #SPCHAR_X0026; METHODS: We studied 33 patients with salivary gland cancer who were available for histologic specimens. We examined the expression of PD-L1 in the tissues and analyzed the association with the survival rate and the association with various clinical parameters.RESULTS: According to this study and review of similar studies, we discovered that the expression of PD-L1 in salivary duct carcinoma was lower than other types of cancers. The impact of PD-L1 on survival rate also showed inconsistency in salivary duct carcinoma.CONCLUSION: Immunotherapy by PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade in salivary duct carcinoma needs further evaluation for clinical application.
Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Death Domain ; Salivary Ducts ; Salivary Gland Neoplasms ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: Employee Assistance Programs have recently been introduced to Korea as a potential solution to relieve workers's stress and improve their mental health. This study was conducted to determine the needs of EAPs among manufacturing industry workers in Gyeongsang-do Korea. METHODS: Responses to structured survey questionnaires were received from 556 workers at 7 mediumsized manufacturing factories. RESULTS: Among the 556 workers who responded to the questionnaire 'Prevention & management of work stress', 'Mental health & management of daily life stress', 'Physical exercise health promotion program'. 'Elderly care', 'Outplacement', 'Financial support for leisure activities', and 'Ensuring leisure time'were raised as the main issues and services that they expected to be provided by the company. CONCLUSION: EAPs have recently been introduced in Korean companies. The study results will be helpful to clarify the needs of individual Korean workers and to determine what EAP services should be provided.
Health Promotion ; Korea ; Leisure Activities ; Mental Health ; Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: Cement contains hexavalent chromium, which is a human carcinogen. However, its effect on cancer seems inconclusive in epidemiologic studies. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to elucidate the association between dust exposure in the cement industry and cancer occurrence. METHODS: The cohorts consisted of male workers in 6 Portland cement factories in Korea. Study subjects were classified into five groups by job: quarry, production, maintenance, laboratory, and office work. Cancer mortality and incidence in workers were observed from 1992 to 2007 and 1997-2005, respectively. Standardized mortality ratios and standardized incidence ratios were calculated according to the five job classifications. RESULTS: There was an increased standardized incidence ratio for stomach cancer of 1.56 (27/17.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-2.26) in production workers. The standardized mortality ratio for lung cancer increased in production workers. However, was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our result suggests a potential association between cement exposure and stomach cancer. Hexavalent chromium contained in cement might be a causative carcinogen.
Calcium Carbonate ; Chromium ; Cohort Studies ; Dust ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lung Neoplasms ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms

Cyclin D1, a cell cycle regulator essential for G1 phase progression, is a candidate proto-oncogene implicated in pathogenesis of several human carcinomas including breast carcinoma. We studied the cyclin D1 expression in 101 cases of primary breast carcinoma tissues. The overexpression of cyclin D1 was immunohistochemically demonstrated in 34 (37.8%) of 90 cases of invasive breast carcinoma. Positive cyclin D1 staining was seen in 32 of 79 invasive ductal carcinomas, and 2 of 3 mucinous carcinomas. All 5 medullary carcinomas, 2 invasive lobular carcinomas, and 1 metaplastic carcinoma were negative. Cyclin D1 overexpression was observed in 9 of 11 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Normal epithelial components, either ductal or lobular, were not immunoreactive for cyclin D1. No significant correlations were observed between cyclin D1 immunoreactivity and other parameters including tumor size, clinical stage, nuclear or histologic grades, lymphatic or angioinvasion, lymph node metastasis, and immunohistochemical status of progesterone receptor, p53 and c-erbB-2. The overexpression of cyclin D1 was positively correlated with estrogen receptor status (p=0.025). Based on our results, the cyclin D1 protein aberration may play a role in tumorigenesis of breast carcinoma, but does not seem to have prognostic value in invasive breast carcinoma without hormonal treatment.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; Carcinoma, Medullary ; Cell Cycle ; Cyclin D1* ; Cyclins* ; Estrogens ; G1 Phase ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Proto-Oncogenes ; Receptors, Progesterone

Ectopic thyroid is an uncommon congenital abnormality, but ectopic thyroid tissue can be present anywhere along the course of the thyroglossal duct and the embryologic descent from the base of the tongue. We report here on two cases with the ultrasonograpic findings of dual ectopy of the thyroid, and these findings were well correlated with the findings of nuclear scintigraphy.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Thyroid Dysgenesis ; Thyroid Gland ; Tongue

OBJECTIVE: Comprehensive neuropsychological tests are important in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with MCI; however, most were developed without consideration of illiteracy. We developed the Literacy Independent Cognitive Assessment (LICA) as a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment battery applicable to older adults who are either literate or illiterate. This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the LICA for diagnosis of MCI. METHODS: Normal controls (n=634) and patients with MCI (n=128) were recruited from 13 centers were included in this study. Participants were divided into illiterate or literate groups, based on their performance on a brief reading and writing test. The LICA, Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), and Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery (SNSB) were administered. RESULTS: Total LICA scores distinguished MCI patients from controls (p<0.001). They were closely and positively correlated to the K-MMSE scores (r=0.632, p<0.001) but negatively correlated to clinical dementia rating (CDR) (r=-0.358, p<0.001) and CDR sum of boxes (r=-0.339, p<0.001). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for patients with MCI by total LICA score was 0.827 (0.783-0.870), superior to that presented by the K-MMSE. For the classification of MCI subtypes, inter-method reliability of LICA with the SNSB was good (kappa 0.773; 0.679-0.867, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that the LICA may be reliably used to distinguish MCI patients from cognitively intact adults, to identify MCI subtypes and monitor progression toward dementia, regardless of illiteracy.
Adult* ; Classification ; Dementia ; Diagnosis ; Literacy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Mild Cognitive Impairment* ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Reproducibility of Results ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seoul ; Writing

BACKGROUND: Foundry workers are known to be exposed to silica and have an increased risk of silicosis. There are also reports that state these foundry workers were associated with asbestos-related change in the X-ray results of the lungs. This report discusses a case of localized asbestosis developed in a foundry worker who worked in 12 Korean foundries. CASE REPORT: A 49-year-old man who worked at molding and melting for 30 years, presented with sore throat, cough and yellow sputum for 1 month. From physical and clinical examination, pulmonary tuberculosis was highly suspicious; therefore, he was medicated for 6 months. After tuberculosis medication, the radiological finding was reactivation of tuberculosis, and an asbestos body was detected at a transbronchial lung biopsy. During an operation, operators found multiple palpable masses and bullae localized in the right upper lobe (RUL) and performed right upper lobectomy and right middle lobe wedge resection. Using hematoxylin-eosin stain and iron stain, we could detect asbestos bodies by light microscopy. We analyzed the asbestos fiber burden in dry lung tissue by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (TEM-EDX). The fiber type was chrysotile and the fiber burden was 23.26x106 fiber/g dry lung. DISCUSSION: This case study of a foundry worker with localized asbestosis is uncommon in Korea. We found an occupational relationship between the foundry worker and localized asbestosis through various investigative techniques such as measurements taken at his working environment, clinical, radiological and pathological examination of the foundry worker and mineralogical examination of the asbestos fiber.
Asbestos ; Asbestos, Serpentine ; Asbestosis ; Biopsy ; Blister ; Cough ; Freezing ; Fungi ; Humans ; Investigative Techniques ; Iron ; Korea ; Light ; Lung ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngitis ; Silicon Dioxide ; Silicosis ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Foundry workers are known to be exposed to silica and have an increased risk of silicosis. There are also reports that state these foundry workers were associated with asbestos-related change in the X-ray results of the lungs. This report discusses a case of localized asbestosis developed in a foundry worker who worked in 12 Korean foundries. CASE REPORT: A 49-year-old man who worked at molding and melting for 30 years, presented with sore throat, cough and yellow sputum for 1 month. From physical and clinical examination, pulmonary tuberculosis was highly suspicious; therefore, he was medicated for 6 months. After tuberculosis medication, the radiological finding was reactivation of tuberculosis, and an asbestos body was detected at a transbronchial lung biopsy. During an operation, operators found multiple palpable masses and bullae localized in the right upper lobe (RUL) and performed right upper lobectomy and right middle lobe wedge resection. Using hematoxylin-eosin stain and iron stain, we could detect asbestos bodies by light microscopy. We analyzed the asbestos fiber burden in dry lung tissue by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (TEM-EDX). The fiber type was chrysotile and the fiber burden was 23.26x106 fiber/g dry lung. DISCUSSION: This case study of a foundry worker with localized asbestosis is uncommon in Korea. We found an occupational relationship between the foundry worker and localized asbestosis through various investigative techniques such as measurements taken at his working environment, clinical, radiological and pathological examination of the foundry worker and mineralogical examination of the asbestos fiber.
Asbestos ; Asbestos, Serpentine ; Asbestosis ; Biopsy ; Blister ; Cough ; Freezing ; Fungi ; Humans ; Investigative Techniques ; Iron ; Korea ; Light ; Lung ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngitis ; Silicon Dioxide ; Silicosis ; Sputum ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

BACKGROUND: Conservative management for the trigger fingers includes splinting, steroid injection and other adjuvant methods. If conservative treatment fails, a surgical release of the A1 pulley is offered. Although the success rate of the surgical intervention is high, the complications, for example, a digital nerve injury, bowstringing, infection and continued triggering, have been reported. Percutaneous release with an 18 guage needle has been reported as a safe and effective procedure for the trigger fingers. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of the percutaneous release. METHODS: 33 patients received the percutaneous release of the A1 pulley with an 18 guage needle and steroid injection (Group A) and 36 patients did the only administration of steroid as a control group (Group B). Patients were examined with a clinical staging for the Watanabe stage (W stage) and 0-10 points verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS) score at 1 week, 3 months, 1 year after the initial treatment. RESULTS: After 1 year of the follow-up, 93.5% in the group A and 57.6% in the group B had complete release of the trigger fingers in the W stage. VNRS after the initial treatment demonstrated that the decrement of the pain score was more significant in the group A. CONCLUSIONS: We need to consider the percutaneous release with steroid injection at an early stage of the trigger fingers because of the more effective resolution of the symptoms and the better long-term prognosis than a steroid injection alone.
Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Needles ; Prognosis ; Splints

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mental health status of migrant workers. We focused on the relationship between depressive symptoms and job stress. METHEOD: A questionnaire was administered to 488 migrant workers who visited NGO migrant worker centers located in Kyung-gi province. A structured, self-reported questionnaire was used to assess each responder's sociodemographics, work related characteristics, health behaviors, past medical history, job stress and depression symptoms. The job stress questionnaire was used according to KOSS-26 and depression symptoms were measured using CES-D, which was translated into Korean. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the relationship between risk factors included job stress and depression symptoms. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression symptoms in survey subjects was 25.2%, but the prevalence of non-Chinese nationalities and illegal workers were 32.1% and 32.8%, respectively. Adjusting for confounding factors, job stress (OR 2.55, 95% CI=1.30-4.99) had a statistical meaningful relationship with depression symptoms. Among job stress domains, physical environment (OR 2.97, 95% CI=1.59-5.53), job demand (OR 2.33, 95% CI=1.26-4.32) and occupational climate(OR 3.10, CI=1.49-6.48) were most likely to experience depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among the study subjects was similar to the prevalence among the general population in Korea, but higher than that among the Korean workers. In particular, the prevalence among non-Chinese and illegal workers was higher. However, the job stress factor appeared to have a more direct correlation with depressive symptoms than the sociodemographic factors of nationality or residential status. Hence, in order to prevent depressive symptoms of the migrant workers, we believe that intervention on job stress is necessary.
Depression ; Ethnic Groups ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mental Health ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Transients and Migrants