No abstract available.
Aspergillosis*

BACKGROUND: The survival rate of children with neuroblastoma has been improved over 20 years, excluding the metastatic disease, in which it does not exceed 20% so far. New treatment modalities have been developed to improve the outcome in metastatic disease. Preoperative chemotherapy reduce the size, the vascularity and the adhesiveness, so increase the resectability of the primary tumor. This retrospective clinical study was designed to review the survival rate in neuroblastoma and to analyze the effect of preoperative chemotherapy in the view point of neoadjuvant therapy on long-term survival in advanced disease. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-four cases were reviewed from 135 patients with neuroblastoma registered at the Department of Pediatrics in Seoul National University Children's Hospital from January, 1985 till December, 1995. The survival rate was reviewed according to the stage. The age, sex of the patients, the stage, anatomical site of the tumor, the level of serum ferritin and neuron-specific enolase were analyzed for the risk factors on survival. RESULTS: Ranges of age at diagnosis were from 1 month to 166 months with the median of 39 months. Five year survival rates and five year disease-free survival rates were 100%, 100% in stage 1(n=5), 90.9%, 90.9% in stage 2(n=13), 43.4%, 40.6% in stage 3(n=19), 27.1%, 19.8% in stage 4(n=95) and 100%, 100% in stage 4S(n=2), respectively. In stage 3, five year survival rate was 52.5% in group receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 28.6% in control group(P=0.02). Five year disease-free survival rate was also noted as 48.6%, 28.6% in each group(P=0.02). In stage 4, five year and ten year survival rates were 27.6%, 23.6% in group receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 26.9%, 0% in control group(P=0.02). Five year and ten year disease-free survival rates were 14.3%, 14.3% in group receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 20%, 0% in control group (P=0.11). In univariate analysis, the age, the stage, and the site of primary tumor appeared to affect the long-term survival. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and delayed primary surgery contribute for advance in survival in advanced neuroblastoma via increasing the resectability of the primary tumor.
Adhesiveness ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Drug Therapy* ; Ferritins ; Humans ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neuroblastoma ; Pediatrics ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seoul ; Survival Rate

No abstract available.
Induction Chemotherapy* ; Ovarian Neoplasms*

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative and granulomatous bacterial infection characterized by contiguous spread, abscess formation and sinus tract formation. There are four clinical forms according to the lesional site, as 1) cervicofacial, 2) thoracic, 3) abdominal, and 4) disseminated form. Recently, we experienced a case of 54 year-old patient with left mandibular actinomycosis. The pathognomonic findings of actinomycosis is sulfur granule with multiple filaments in Gram-stain and the treatment of actinomycosis is surgical excision of mass or sinus tract with massive antibiotics (esp. Penicillin) therapy for 6 to 12 months.
Abscess ; Actinomycosis* ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Humans ; Penicillins ; Sulfur

No abstract available.
Fetal Death*

BACKGROUND: It is well established that UV-induced DNA damage is involved in the mutation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, and the subsequent development of skin cancers. Langerhans cells (LC) are thought to play an important role in the presentation of tumor antigens for the induction of anti-tumor immunity. Cytokines may have a key role in the UV-induced modulation of the skin's immune system. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of Langerhans cells, cytokines in UV-irradiated Melanocytic Nevi vs non-irradiated melanocytic nevi. METHODS: Skin biopsies from 10 melanocytic nevi, taken from partially covered melanocytic navi and irradiated part with a defined UV dose, were examined. Immunohistochemical staining was used for the quantitative distribution of LC and the expression of cytokines which are related to LC migration and maturation (TNF-alpha and GM-CSF), Th1 response (IL-12), and Th2 response (IL-10). RESULTS: LC number increased in non-irradiated neoplastic epithelium compared to control skin. In UV-exposed nevi, LC density decreased significantly but a constant number was still maintained. TNF-alpha and GM-CSF were predominently expressed in lesional epithelium and some nevus cells, 2 days after irradiation. GM-CSF expression in nevus cells was maintained up to 7 days after exposure. IL-10 was expressed in epidermis 2 days after exposure. While IL-12 was weakly positive and maintained up to 7 days in unexposed lesional epidermis, it was not detected after 2 days but reappeared in an exposed lesion after 7 days. CONCLUSION: Langerhans cells (LC) modulated by cytokines in UV-exposed skin may have a functional role in UV-induced carcinogenesis.
Antigens, Neoplasm ; Biopsy ; Carcinogenesis ; Cytokines* ; DNA Damage ; Epidermis ; Epithelium ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Immune System ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukin-12 ; Langerhans Cells* ; Nevus ; Nevus, Pigmented* ; Oncogenes ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

PURPOSE: Non-blood transfusion is of increasing interest as more patients are refusing a blood transfusion because of religious belief, infection, or fear of a blood-transmitted disease such as AIDS. This study analyzed clinical findings to help the treatment and management of patients who want a non-blood transfusion. METHODS: Of the 83 patients who visited the non-blood transfusion center in Chosun University Hospital from June 2001 to December 2003, 59 patients had a sufficient clinical record, and these were reviewed retrospectively. We investigated sex, age, the reason for the visit, the reason for refusing a blood transfusion, the degree of anemia, the necessity of the blood transfusion, the histories of transfusion and attempted non-blood transfusion, and the histories of visits to emergency departments and the outcomes. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio was 1:2.93, and the most prevalent ages of the patients were in the forties (26 patients) and thirties (10 patients). The reasons for refusing a blood transfusion were religion (48 patients, 81.4%), risk of infection (1 patients, 1.7%), and other (10 patients, 16.9%). Among the specialty departments, the proportions of patients from the departments of obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, general surgery and orthopedics were 40.7% (24 patients), 25.4%, 11.9%, and 6.8%, respectively. Of the patients, 28 patients (47.5%) were admitted directly to the emergency department, and 39 patients (66.1%) were operated on. A blood transfusion was considered to be necessary for 16 patients (27.1%), but only a 2 patients (3.4%) actually received a blood transfusion. Of those 14 patients, 3patients (21.4%) died. After admission, 17 patients (29.8%) received a non-blood transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the patients visited the non-blood transfusion center for religious reasons, and the majority of the patients were admitted from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Many of the patients medically should have received blood transfusion, but only a few actually did.
Anemia ; Blood Transfusion* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Internal Medicine ; Obstetrics ; Orthopedics ; Religion ; Retrospective Studies

Background: Nodular hidradenoma is a relatively common benign cutaneous neoplasm, which usually presents as solitary intradermal nodule. In Korea, an extensive study on tumors with eccrine differentiation was performed in 2006; however, the study considered all eccrine tumors and detailed analysis of its differentiation was not performed. In addition, although most skin pathology textbooks classify it as a tumor showing eccrine differentiation, its differentiation remains controversial. Objective: This study investigated clinicopathological features of nodular hidradenoma in Koreans at a tertiary referral center. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 22 patients who presented with nodular hidradenoma at Yeungnam University Hospital between 2000 and 2021. Diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination in all the patients. Results: About half of the lesions were located on the head and neck area (45.5%), followed by the trunk (31.8%). Histopathological examination revealed that tumor cells in most of the cases consisted of cuboidal and clear cells; however, in some cases there were several specific modified cells such as clear cells (9.1%), squamoid cells (4.5%), and poroid cells (22.7%). Considering the morphological characteristic of tubular structures, most cases (90.9%) showed apocrine differentiation, and only 2 cases (9.1%) showed eccrine differentiation. Conclusion Considering the characteristics of cells and tubular structures constituting tumors, it is reasonable to consider nodular hidradenoma as a tumor with apocrine differentiation rather than with eccrine differentiation, which had previously been the predominant classification. Furthermore, there still is no distinct marker for determining whether cells differentiate into eccrine or apocrine tissues and further studies are therefore needed.

Midventricular obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (MOHCM) is a rare variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Apical dilatation and myocardial infarction can be complicated without significant coronary artery disease. We report a case of apical dilatation in a patient with MOHCM without atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. A 76-year-old woman was admitted for recent cerebral infarction and consulted to cardiologist for abnormal electrocardiographic findings. She had been suffering from exertional dyspnea (NYHA II) for about four years. Two dimentional-echocardiography revealed midventricular obstructive hypertrophy with an apical dilatation and paradoxical jet flow from the apical aneurysm to the left ventricular outflow tract during early diastole. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated dyskinesia in the apical wall with midventricular obstruction and a peak-to-peak intraventricular pressure gradient of 110 mmHg during pull-back from the apical high-pressure chamber to the subaortic low-pressure chamber in the left ventricle. Coronary angiograms showed no significant stenotic lesion of the coronary arteries. She was prescribed oral beta-adrenergic antagonist to decrease the intraventricular pressure gradient.
Aged ; Aneurysm* ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic* ; Cerebral Infarction ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Diastole ; Dilatation* ; Dyskinesias ; Dyspnea ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; Myocardial Infarction ; Ventricular Pressure

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES : The transradial approach has been increasingly used as an alternative to conventional transfemoral intervention. However, there is little data on the efficacy of transradial coronary intervention (TRI) in left main coronary arterial (LMCA) disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of TRI in selective patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for LMCA disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS : Between Jan 2003 and May 2005, 83 patients with LMCA stenosis were treated with PCI. Of these, 40 selected patients having undergone TRI were included in this study. RESULTS : The patients included 30 males and 10 females, with a mean age of 61+/-12 years. There were 28 cases (70%) involving coronary arteries other than the LMCA and 24 cases (60%) with bifurcation lesion involvement. In 28 cases (70%), a 6 Fr sized guiding catheter was used. No case required crossover from TRI to TFI due to procedural failure. During hospitalization, 2 patients who underwent primary PCI in the setting of STEMI died, but there were no other clinical events. CONCLUSION : In selected patients with LMCA disease, TRI can be a feasible and safe approach for PCI.
Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Catheters ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Radial Artery