The effect of androgen in the development of the normal prostate and the evolution of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and prostatic adenocarcinoma has been proven. In addition to androgen, estrogen and progesterone are also thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of BPH and carcinoma. However, their exact roles are not yet known because there is no conclusive evidence. Thirty cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma and 16 cases of BPH were studied. Immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in epithelial and stromal cells, respectively was performed and the results were assessed semiquantitatively based on the number of positive cells per 100 total cells. Slides were scored as negative; less than 5% of cells, 1 ; 6~15% of cells, 2 ; 16~25% of cells, and 3 ; more than 26% of cells. The relationship between ER and PR expression and the patient's age, histologic grade, and clinical stage was evaluated in prostatic adenocarcinomas. ER was negative in epithelial and in stromal cells for all prostatic adenocarcinomas and BPH cases. The PR expression in epithelial cells and in stromal cells of BPH was noted in 15 (93.8%) and 16 (100.0%) out of 16, respectively. The PR expression of carcinoma cells and stromal cells in prostatic adenocarcinoma was found in 28 (93.3%) and 23 out of 30 (76.7%), respectively. The PR immunoreactivities of stromal cells around carcinoma were 3 in 18 cases, 2 in one case, and 1 in 4 cases, but those of epithelial and stromal cells of BPH and carcinoma cells of prostatic carcinoma were similar to each other with a value of 3 in most cases. The PR expression rate of stromal cells around carcinoma was significantly correlated with the patient's age (p=0.044), but not with histologic grade and clinical stage. In summary, estrogen does not have a direct effect on the biological behavior of BPH and prostatic adenocarcinoma, but progesterone appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of BPH and prostatic adenocarcinoma. Further studies should clarify the biological role of progesterone in the human prostate.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Epithelial Cells ; Estrogens* ; Humans ; Progesterone* ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Receptors, Progesterone* ; Stromal Cells

Detailed mechanism of uterine cervical cancer progression still remains unclear. Altered programmed cell death (apoptosis) and cellular proliferation are associated with the development of neoplasia. The authors investigated the expressions of bcl-2, which inhibit apoptosis, and caspase-3, which is involved in the induction of apoptosis and has been considered to be correlated with apoptosis, and proliferating activity according to the degree of malignancy in the squamous neoplasia of the uterine cervix. Correlation between bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression and proliferating activity was done. The materials were low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL, n=15), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL, n=15), microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma (n=15), and squamous cell carcinoma (n=15). Immunohistochemical stainings for bcl-2, caspase-3, and MIB-1 were done. bcl-2 and MIB-1 expressions were progressively increased in accordance with the increasing degree of malignancy, but caspase-3 immunoreactivity was higher in LSIL than invasive cancers. There was an inverse relationship between bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. No significant correlation between MIB-1, bcl-2, and caspase-3 expressions was observed. These results suggest that an inhibition of apoptosis and the augmentation of proliferating activity of tumor cells might be separately involved in the development of the cervical squamous neoplasia.
Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Caspase 3* ; Cell Death ; Cell Proliferation ; Cervix Uteri* ; Female ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

Myxofibrosarcomas (MFSs), which consist of multiple nodules with a variable cellular population in a myxoid matrix, are primarily located in subcutaneous tissue. Pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumors (PHATs) are rare soft-tissue tumors characterized by a proliferation of highly pleomorphic spindle or polygonal cells and abundant ectatic blood vessels in cellular or myxoid stroma. We present here an unusual case of a high-grade MFS with a PHAT-like appearance. A 67-year-old man presented with an asymptomatic subcutaneous mass in the right forearm. The tumor had myxoid, hypo-, and hypercellular areas with highly pleomorphic spindle or polygonal tumor cells that showed frequent mitoses and nuclear pseudoinclusions. Foci of punctuate necrosis and inflammatory infiltration were present throughout the tumor, and abundant ectatic, thick-walled vessels containing blood clots were noted. The tumor cells were immunohistochemically positive for vimentin but negative for CD34, S-100 protein, smooth muscle actin, desmin, and bcl-2.
Actins ; Aged ; Blood Vessels ; Desmin ; Forearm ; Humans ; Hyalin ; Mitosis ; Muscle, Smooth ; Necrosis ; S100 Proteins ; Sarcoma ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Vimentin

Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare but potentially fatal complication that occurs acutely during pregnancy or within 12 h of delivery. The management of AFE focuses initially on supportive measures for cardiopulmonary stabilization. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation should be considered in patients who are unresponsive to medical treatment in order to prevent additional hypoxia and subsequent organ failure. We present a 41-year-old woman with clinical AFE who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and was treated successfully with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Adult ; Amniotic Fluid* ; Anoxia ; Embolism ; Embolism, Amniotic Fluid* ; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation* ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult

Heat shock protein of 72 kDa (HSP70) has a role in the functional modulation of sex steroid hormone receptors and in p53-associated oncogenesis and inhibits apoptosis associated with bcl-2. However, the exact role of HSP70 in the development of endometrial adenocarcinoma has not been well established. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of HSP70 in relation with ER, PR, p53 and bcl-2 expressions and apoptosis in benign and malignant endometrial lesions. Immunohistochemical studies for HSP70, ER, PR, p53, bcl-2 and TUNEL method for apoptosis were performed in 30 cases of adenocarcinoma and 30 cases of benign endometrial lesions consisted of each 10 cases of disordered proliferative endometrium (DP), simple or complex hyperplasia (HP), and atypical hyperplasia (AH). There were no significant differences of HSP70 and bcl-2 expression rates and apoptotic index (AI) between DP, HP, AH, and adenocarcinoma. p53 expression rate in adenocarcinoma was 36.7%, but no p53 expression was identified in DP, HP and AH (p<0.05). In adenocarcinoma, HSP70 expression rate was higher in ER and PR negative adenocarcinoma (p<0.05), and p53 expression rate was higher in nonendometrioid type and FIGO grade II and III (p<0.05), but no significant difference of bcl-2 expression rate according to the histological type and FIGO grade. AI was higher in nonendometrioid type (p<0.05). There was no correlation between HSP70, p53 and bcl-2 expressions, and no significant difference of AI according to HSP70, ER, PR, p53, and bcl-2 expressions. In conclusion, higher HSP70 expression rate in poorly differentiated and ER and PR negative adenocarcinoma suggests that HSP70 inhibits ER and PR expression and may be involved in the development of poorly differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Apoptosis* ; Carcinogenesis ; Endometrium ; Female ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Hyperplasia ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling

A wide range of denomination has been used for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). IMT is not entirely homogeneous, even though it shows some overlapping histologic features such as haphazard proliferation of spindle cell and polymorphic chronic inflammatory cell infiltraion. The spindle cell is considered to be of myofibroblastic origin but follicular dendritic cell origin was reported recently. IMT is known as nonneoplastic, aberrant inflammatory response. However, IMT could show local invasion, recurrence, vascular invasion, and malignant transformation, and clonal characteristics and aneuploidy of IMT support the hypothesis that IMT may be a neoplastic process. In order to define the nature of spindle cell of IMT, immunohistochemical stains for smooth muscle actin (SMA), vimentin (VMT), lysozyme, S-100 protein, cytokeratin, CD21 were done. Additional immunohistochemical stains for MIB-1 for proliferating activity and LMP (latent membrane protein) for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were done. IMTs were composed of each 2 cases from lung, liver and lymph node and one case from common bile duct, maxillary sinus, bladder and thigh, and were histologically subclassified according to Coffin et al. Nine cases (90%) were positive for SMA and VMT, but no correlation between SMA and VMT immunoreactivity and histologic types was identified. Five cases (50%) were positive for lysozyme and S-100 protein, and histologic type III was negative for lysozyme and S-100 protein, and immunoreactivity for S-100 protein was different according to the histologic subtypes. All 11 cases were negative for CD21 and EBV LMP. MIB-1 labelling index was less than 1% in all cases. In summary, the spindle cell is regarded as myofibroblastic origin rather than follicular dendritic cell origin. Relationship with EBV is not clear, and negligible MIB-1 reaction suggests that IMT might have a good prognosis.
Actins ; Aneuploidy ; Coloring Agents ; Common Bile Duct ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratins ; Liver ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Maxillary Sinus ; Membranes ; Muramidase ; Muscle, Smooth ; Myofibroblasts* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; S100 Proteins ; Thigh ; Urinary Bladder ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: Chronic urticaria is a disorder characterized by the appearance of wheals for more than 6 weeks; in most cases, the etiology is unknown. This study was aimed to discover the clinical aspects, the etiologic factors, and the course of chronic urticaria. METHODS: 51 children who were diagnosed with chronic urticaria in the past 4 years, and who had had follow-ups more than 6 months after diagnosis in the pediatric department of Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Bucheon, were enrolled in the study. The laboratory findings, clinical aspects, and courses were retrospectively investigated by medical record review and telephone interview. RESULTS: The median age of children with chronic urticaria was 4 years (8 months to 16 years) and the ratio of male to female was 1.4:1. Of the total, 39.2% of patients had a history of atopy. Angioedema occurred concurrently with urticaria in 11.8% of patients, and dermographism was seen in 41.2%. Results of thyroid function tests were normal and thyroid autoantibodies were absent in all cases. Regarding etiology, most cases (74.5%) were forms of idiopathic urticaria. Urticaria was induced by physical factors in 19.6% of patients. Open challenge tests revealed that 3 patients were allergic to food additives (glutamate 2, glutamate, and sulfite 1). In this study, most of the patients reported good response after medication of 1st- or 2nd-generation antihistamines alone. Follow-up at 6 months revealed that 70.6% of patients had experienced remission, and 84.8% of children who had follow-up at 1 year presented remission. CONCLUSION: Chronic urticaria in most patients was idiopathic. Remission occurred within 1 year of diagnosis, in most cases so chronic urticaria in children seems to have good prognosis.
Angioedema ; Autoantibodies ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Food Additives ; Glutamic Acid ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Thyroid Gland ; Urticaria

Objective: To evaluate circularity as a quantitative shape factor of small renal tumor on computed tomography (CT) in differentiating fat-poor angiomyolipoma (AML) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and Methods: In 257 consecutive patients, 257 pathologically confirmed renal tumors (either AML or RCC less than 4 cm), which did not include visible fat on unenhanced CT, were retrospectively evaluated. A radiologist drew the tumor margin to measure the perimeter and area in all the contrast-enhanced axial CT images. In each image, a quantitative shape factor, circularity, was calculated using the following equation: 4 x π x (area ÷ perimeter 2 ). The median circularity (circularity index) was adopted as a representative value in each tumor. The circularity index was compared between fat-poor AML and RCC, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent predictor of fat-poor AML. Results: Of the 257 tumors, 26 were AMLs and 231 were RCCs (184 clear cell RCCs, 25 papillary RCCs, and 22 chromophobe RCCs). The mean circularity index of AML was significantly lower than that of RCC (0.86 ± 0.04 vs. 0.93 ± 0.02, p < 0.001).The mean circularity index was not different between the subtypes of RCCs (0.93 ± 0.02, 0.92 ± 0.02, and 0.92 ± 0.02 for clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe RCCs, respectively, p = 0.210). The area under the ROC curve of circularity index was 0.924 for differentiating fat-poor AML from RCC. The sensitivity and specificity were 88.5% and 90.9%, respectively (cut-off, 0.90). Lower circularity index (≤ 0.9) was an independent predictor (odds ratio, 41.0; p < 0.001) for predicting fat-poor AML on multivariable logistic regression analysis. Conclusion Circularity is a useful quantitative shape factor of small renal tumor for differentiating fat-poor AML from RCC.

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate difficulties in daily activities and tingling from patients having treatment of FOLFOX chemotherapy after colon resection. METHOD: This study included 103 patients hospitalized for FOLFOX chemotherapy in one of the university affiliated hospital from August 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Data were collected using the questionnaire comprised general symptoms, tingling, difficulties in daily activities and coping behavior. Using the SPSS 14.0 program, data analytic methods include Chi-Square test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test. RESULTS: The tingling sensation occurred in hands, feet, mouth, throat. Contacts with cold objects and the number of chemotherapy cycle worsen tingling sensation. Patients experienced difficulties in daily activities such as personal hygiene, kitchen work, eating cold food, sleeping cold, using fine motors like button up, writing, or using knife. The coping behavior included drinking warm water, sleeping warm, using gloves and socks, wearing comfortable shoes, massaging hands and getting help from supporters. CONCLUSION: An educational guideline for promoting coping behavior to relieve tingling sensation and difficulty in daily living in patients with FOLFOX chemotherapy is needed.
Activities of Daily Living ; Adaptation, Psychological ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols ; Cold Temperature ; Colon ; Drinking ; Eating ; Fluorouracil ; Foot ; Hand ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Leucovorin ; Mouth ; Organoplatinum Compounds ; Pharynx ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sensation ; Shoes ; Writing

Objective: To evaluate circularity as a quantitative shape factor of small renal tumor on computed tomography (CT) in differentiating fat-poor angiomyolipoma (AML) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and Methods: In 257 consecutive patients, 257 pathologically confirmed renal tumors (either AML or RCC less than 4 cm), which did not include visible fat on unenhanced CT, were retrospectively evaluated. A radiologist drew the tumor margin to measure the perimeter and area in all the contrast-enhanced axial CT images. In each image, a quantitative shape factor, circularity, was calculated using the following equation: 4 x π x (area ÷ perimeter 2 ). The median circularity (circularity index) was adopted as a representative value in each tumor. The circularity index was compared between fat-poor AML and RCC, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent predictor of fat-poor AML. Results: Of the 257 tumors, 26 were AMLs and 231 were RCCs (184 clear cell RCCs, 25 papillary RCCs, and 22 chromophobe RCCs). The mean circularity index of AML was significantly lower than that of RCC (0.86 ± 0.04 vs. 0.93 ± 0.02, p < 0.001).The mean circularity index was not different between the subtypes of RCCs (0.93 ± 0.02, 0.92 ± 0.02, and 0.92 ± 0.02 for clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe RCCs, respectively, p = 0.210). The area under the ROC curve of circularity index was 0.924 for differentiating fat-poor AML from RCC. The sensitivity and specificity were 88.5% and 90.9%, respectively (cut-off, 0.90). Lower circularity index (≤ 0.9) was an independent predictor (odds ratio, 41.0; p < 0.001) for predicting fat-poor AML on multivariable logistic regression analysis. Conclusion Circularity is a useful quantitative shape factor of small renal tumor for differentiating fat-poor AML from RCC.