Ependymomas constitute no more than 5 to 7% of all primary CNS neoplasm and their biologic behavior is difficult to predict by microscopic appearances. Recently, many studies have attempted to correlate biologic behavior with tumor proliferation index, tumor suppressor gene and oncogene using immunohistochemical stains. We evaluated 25 cases of surgically resected intracranial ependymomas for the proliferation activity using Ki-67, and expression of p53 and bcl-2 protein with regard to the prognosis. The cases were divided into 17 ependymomas (WHO Grade II), 3 papillary ependymomas (WHO Grade II), and 5 anaplastic ependymomas. Clinically, the patients were divided into two groups, recurrent (18 cases) or non-recurrent (7 cases). The Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in the recurrent group (p<0.05) and in the younger ages (correlation index=0.534). Although Ki-67 proliferation index was higher in anaplastic ependymoma, it was not significant statistically (p>0.05). p53 protein expression tended to increase in the patients who had anaplastic ependymoma and in the recurrent group. bcl-2 expression was not correlated with histologic grade or recurrence of the tumor. We conclude that Ki-67 proliferation index and p53 expression are important markers for predicting biologic behavior of ependymoma.
Coloring Agents ; Ependymoma* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Oncogenes ; Prognosis ; Recurrence

No abstract available.
Sepsis*

To assess the value of CT and MR in the detection of local tumor recurrence after hysterectomy, we evaluate CT and MRI findings of the vaginal stump in fifteen patients who underwent hysterectomy for uterine cervical carcinoma (N=14) or endometrial carcinoma (N=1). The presence of stump recurrence was confirmed by needle biopsy in 7 patients and by reoperation in 1 patient. The absence of stump recurrence was diagnosed by needle biopsy in 3 patitients and by clinical follow-up in 4 patients. In eight patients with vaginal stump recurrence, six patients were correctly diagnosed by CT and seven patients by MRI. In remaining seven patients who had no evidence of tumor recurrence, four patients were correctly diagnosed with CT and all the rester patients with MRI. ON the bases of our results, MRI seems to be superior to CT in the evaluation of local tumor recurrence after hysterectomy.
Biopsy, Needle ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Recurrence* ; Reoperation

To assess the value of CT and MR in the detection of local tumor recurrence after hysterectomy, we evaluate CT and MRI findings of the vaginal stump in fifteen patients who underwent hysterectomy for uterine cervical carcinoma (N=14) or endometrial carcinoma (N=1). The presence of stump recurrence was confirmed by needle biopsy in 7 patients and by reoperation in 1 patient. The absence of stump recurrence was diagnosed by needle biopsy in 3 patitients and by clinical follow-up in 4 patients. In eight patients with vaginal stump recurrence, six patients were correctly diagnosed by CT and seven patients by MRI. In remaining seven patients who had no evidence of tumor recurrence, four patients were correctly diagnosed with CT and all the rester patients with MRI. ON the bases of our results, MRI seems to be superior to CT in the evaluation of local tumor recurrence after hysterectomy.
Biopsy, Needle ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Recurrence* ; Reoperation

It has been claimed that CNS lymphoma, a rare neoplasm accounting for only a small fraction of malignant brain tumors, occurs with increasing frequency in immunologically normal as well as immunocompromised individuals. We investigated the prognostic value of Ki-67 index, p53, and bcl-2 oncoprotein expression in relation to the clinicopathological parameters in the primary CNS lymphoma patients. The tumors were graded by Kiel classification and the Working formulation and included 33 high-grade, 4 intermediate-grade, and 5 low-grade lymphomas. The phenotype was determined in 38 cases: 30 were B cell type and 8 were T cell type. All cases displayed variable degrees of nuclear Ki-67 staining from 1.0% to 92.0% (mean 51.1%). A highly significant correlation was established between the proportion of Ki-67 positive cells and the classification into grades (p=0.0002) and phenotypes (p=0.0002). Overexpression of p53 and bcl-2 protein was found in 37.1% and 51.4% of 35 patients, respectively. And p53 expression was significantly increased in B cell type (p=0.02). On Kaplan-Meier survival curve, the phenotype, grade of tumors, and p53 and bcl-2 protein expression were not correlated with overall survival. On multivariate analyses, overall survival was independently influenced by Ki-67 index. In conclusion, it is suggested that Ki-67 proliferating index is the most important marker for predicting biologic behavior of the primary CNS lymphoma.
Brain Neoplasms ; Central Nervous System* ; Classification ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Multivariate Analysis ; Phenotype

No abstract available.
Hemoperitoneum*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of antegrade balloon dilatation and uteteral stenting in benign ureteral strictures. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Percutaneous antegrade balloon dilatation was attempted in 46 patients with benign ureteral strictures. The underlying causes of the strictures were urinary tract tuberculosis in 20 patients, congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction in eight, ureteroneocystostomy or ureteroileostomy state in five, postoperative or post-extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy state for ureteral calculi in eight, ureteral injury during surgery in four, and retroperitoneal fibrosis in one. RESULTS: Antegrade balloon dilatation was performed with initial technical success in 43 patients but the procedure was aborted in the remaining three with urinary tract tuberculosis due to the failure in passing a guidewire through the stenotic lesions. Intravenous urograms obtained 4-76 months after the procedure showed improvements in 76%(13/17) with urinary tract tuberculosis, in 63%(5/8) with congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction, in 88%(7/8) with strictures associated with ureteral calculi, and in 100%(4/4) with iatrogenic ureteral injury. The results were relatively poor in strictures of the ureteral anastomosis(1/5) and in ureteralstrictures associated with retroperitoneal fibrosis(0/1). CONCLUSION: Antegrade balloon dilatation of the urinary tract combined with ureteral stenting was an effective technique for the management of the benign ureteral strictures.
Constriction, Pathologic* ; Dilatation* ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Retroperitoneal Fibrosis ; Shock ; Stents* ; Tuberculosis ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Calculi ; Urinary Tract

458 female workers working in the small and medium scaled industries in Inchon area were surveyed to study their general characteristics, health behavior, working and environmental conditions, current health status etc. Self-administered questionnaire was developed by authors and distributed to the female workers with the explanation by trained interviewer on the purpose of survey and the method how to answer. The results were as follows: t. General characteristics showed that most(75.3%) of workers were living in their own home, and their age distribution was relatively even from teenagers to the forties. The level of education was high school graduate(including drop-out) in 69.4%, suggesting that the education level of female workers was increasing gradually. The marrital status was 69% in unmarried, and 31% in married state. 2. Survey on their health status showed that more than 20% of female workers complained that they have some kind of disease and most of them complained that they have chronic symptoms more than three kinds. Also, they complained at least two or three symptoms in physical, mental or sensoryneural symptoms respectively. But their medical care utility rate was only 22%. 3. There were no significantly correlated variables between health status and general characteristics(by x2-test). Among the variables on the health behavior, only alcohol drinking was significant to health status. Perceived health status related to the working environment was significantly different to the degree of work satisfaction and awareness for the exposure to harzadous materials. 4. Multivariable analysis showed that work satisfaction, awareness for the exposure to harzadous materials, alcohol drinking, type of employment were significantly related to the physical or mental health index, and also marrital status was to the physical health index. Work satisfaction, awareness for the exposure to harzadous materials, marrital status were related to the sensoryneural health index. Alcohol drinking, work satisfaction, awareness for the exposure to harzadous materials, marrital status were significantly related to the number of complained chronic symptoms. In summary, this study showed that inspite of wide and various range of the general characteristics of female industrial workers in Korea comparing to the past, there was high prevalence of disease due to the poor working conditions and low work satisfaction etc. Therefore, more detailed disease preventive policies or improvement of the work environment, and systematic management to raise the work satisfaction of female workers are urgently needed. And also, occupational health policies increasing the access to health care to provide the adequate health service for the workers who have perceived need are necessary.
Adolescent ; Age Distribution ; Alcohol Drinking ; Education ; Employment ; Female* ; Health Behavior ; Health Services ; Health Services Accessibility ; Humans ; Incheon ; Job Satisfaction ; Korea ; Mental Health ; Occupational Health ; Prevalence ; Single Person ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Nose*

A case of fibrocalcifying pseudotumor occuring at a very unusual site, the intraosseous region of axis, is presented. Previous reports of similar lesions in skull base, intracranial parenchyme, soft tissue around spine, mediastinum, and pleura have been described under the designation 'fibro-osseouslesions' and 'calcifying pseudoneoplasm' The etiology, pathogenesis and natural course of the lesion are still unknown. Bvt the lesion is probably benign nature and reactive lesion rather than neo-plastic. Authors performed resection of lamina, spinous process, and a portion of pedicles and occipitocervical fusion to prevent spinal cord compression due to cortical expansion or fracture. Microscopically, amorphous, basophilic, hyaline, and chondroid calcifying masses were rimmed by palisading histiocytes and foreign body-type giant cells. No evidence of malignancy was found.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra* ; Basophils ; Giant Cells, Foreign-Body ; Histiocytes ; Hyalin ; Mediastinum ; Pleura ; Skull Base ; Spinal Cord Compression ; Spine