Apocrine carcinoma is an uncommon, poorly characterized type of breast tumor. The histologic characteristics of apocrine epithelium in malignant breast lesion were first noted by Krompecher(1916), while the first detailed description of an apocrine carcinoma is credited to Ewing in 1928. The reported incidence of apocrine carcinoma is approximately 0.4% of breast cancers. Apocrine carcinoma has distinct histologic and ultrastructural features that distinguish it as a specialized form of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The finding of a uniform pattern of apocrine differentiation with dense granularity typifying the majority of cells characterizes this variant. We experienced two cases of invasive apocrine carcinoma of the breast and report with a review of the related literature.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Epithelium ; Incidence

BACKGROUND: Survival time of patients with multiple myeloma has been reported to be closely related to the cytology of bone marrow smears and the histologic features of bone marrow biopsies. However, there have been many differences in morphological criteria applied by various authors. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic relevance of bone marrow features in patients with multple myeloma by investigation of the cytologic feature and the histologic patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and seven previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma, admitted to Asan Medical Center, between 1989 and 1997, were studied. Bone marrow aspirations and biopsies were analyzed according to the criteria such as cytologic differentiation, volume of infiltration, pattern of infiltration, degree of hematopoiesis, and presence of fibrosis. RESULTS: 64 cases (59.8%) of 107 patients with multiple myeloma were plasmacytic type and 43 cases (40.2%) were plasmablastic type. Each median survival time was 35.0 months and 18.0 months (P<0.05). The patients with more than 25% of plasmablasts showed shorter median survival time than those with 1ess than 25% (18 months vs 38.9 months, P<0.05). The patients with nodular or packed marrow pattern revealed poorer prognosis than those with interstitial or interstitial/nodular pattern (P<0.05). The patients of plasmablastic type disclosed larger volume of myeloma cell infiltration and more packed marow pattern than those of plasmacytic type. CONCLUSIONS: The cytologic differentiation, the volume of infiltration and the patterns of infiltration were reliable predictors of survival in myeloma patients. Thus, for the prognostic evaluation and therapeutic plans, the descriptions for cytologic differentiation (especially percentage of plasmablasts), volume of infiltration and pattern of infiltration should be included in the bone marrow interpretation of multiple myeloma.
Aspirations (Psychology) ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Fibrosis ; Hematopoiesis ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma* ; Prognosis

BACKGROUND: Nm23 gene was identified by the hybridization between two murine melanoma cell lines which had low or high metastatic potential and was located in chromosome 17q22. A number of tumor cohort studies have shown an inverse relationship between the levels of expression of nm23 protein and disease aggressiveness and tumor metastatic potential. METHODS: In order to determine the significance of overexpression of the antimetastatic gene nm23 protein in human-lymph node-negative breast cancer and to compare it with established clinicopathologic prognostic factors such as the tumor size, histologic grades, TNM stages, and hormonal receptor status, we analyzed the nm23 protein expressions by immunohistochemical staining in 53 lymph-node-negative breast-cancer tissue specimens. RESULTS: The nm23 protein expression was positive in 35 cases (66%). There was no relationship between nm23 protein overexpression and menopause status, tumor size, histologic grade, and hormonal receptor status, but tumor stage correlated with nm23 protein overexpression. Also, overexpression of the nm23 protein was significantly correlated with a longer disease-free survival rate. CONCLUSION: Expression of nm23 protein may be of value for predicting the long-term disease-free survival rate in lymph-node-negative breast-cancer patients.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Cell Line ; Cohort Studies ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Melanoma ; Menopause ; Staphylococcal Protein A*

PURPOSE: Among more than 500 microRNAs, microRNA-21 (miR-21) is known to act as an oncogene. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of miR-21 expression level in relation with clinicopathological factors and prognosis in breast cancer. METHODS: MicroRNA was extracted from cancer and normal breast tissue of 109 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery from 2002 to 2004 using the Taqman(R) MicroRNA Assay. The correlation between miR-21 expression and clinicopathologic features was analyzed and the significance of miR-21 as a prognostic factor and its relationship with survival was determined. RESULTS: MiR-21 expression was higher in cancer tissues than in normal tissues (p<0.0001). High miR-21 expression was associated with mastectomy, larger tumor size, higher stage, higher grade, estrogen receptor (ER) negative, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive, HER2 positive breast cancer subtype, high Ki-67 expression, and death. On multivariate analysis, prognostic factors for overall survival were ER and miR-21. High miR-21 expression was significantly related to lower overall survival (p=0.031). CONCLUSION: This study supports the role of miR-21 as an oncogene and a biomarker for breast cancer with its high expression in cancer tissues and its relationship with other prognostic factors and survival.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; MicroRNAs ; Multivariate Analysis ; Oncogenes ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Receptor, erbB-2

No abstract available.
Animals ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone* ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger* ; Testis*

PURPOSE: This study was prospectively carried out to determine the concordance between the immunohistochemical assay (IHC) and the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) assessing estrogen receptor (ER) and progesteron receptor (PR) in breast cancer tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Breast carcinoma tissues were obtained from 36 patients. Hormonal receptors were determined by IHC assay using polyclonal antimouse antibody and by EIA. The concordance between two methods and the concordance according to in age, tumor size, stage, and lymph node metastasis of breast cancer patient were analyzed. RESULTS: The concordant rate of ER status was 88.9% between IHC and EIA. ER-IHC(+)/EIA(-) were 3 cases and ER-IHC(-)/EIA(+) was 1 cases. ER-positive was 63.9% in IHC and 53.8% in EIA. The concordant rate of PR status was 86.1% between IHC an EIA. PR-IHC(+)/EIA(-) were 4 cases and PR-IHC(-)/EIA(+) was 1 cases. PR-positive was 61.1% in IHC and 52.8% in EIA. There was high concordance (76.2-100%) in age, tumor size, stage, and lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: There was high concordance between immunohistochemical assay and enzymeimmunoassay determining estrogen and progesteron receptors in the breast cancer. The IHC assay appears to be a resonable substitute for the EIA to determine hormonal receptors.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prospective Studies

PURPOSE: Since fine needle localization biopsy has been introduced, surgeons can have performed biopsies for nonpalpable microcalcified breast lesions, but there are many controversies in determining the disease characteristics and guideline for biopsy with only the findings on mammography. This study was designed to determine the breast cancers according to microcalcification type. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 91 cases with only microcalcifications on mammography and with performing localization biopsies from January 1995 to June 1998 at department of surgery, Korea University Hospitals. We subdivided the type of microcalcifications into casting-type, crushed stone like-type and amorphous-type. RESULTS: The mean age was 49 years old (25-82 years). 16 patients (17.6%) among the 91 patients were diagnosed as the breast cancer. Four (22.2%) of 18 patients with casting type, eight (21.6%) of 37 patients with crushed stone-like type, and four (11.1%) of 36 patients with amorphous type microcalcifications were detected in the breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancers by mammographic microcalcificated breast lesions was more prevalent in casting and crushed stone-like types than amorphous types. The mean size of the benign and malignant lesions was 13.11+/-10.89mm, 13.13+/-.51mm, and there was no difference in the size of microcalcifiations between benign and malignant lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have had clustered microcalcifications of more than 5 within 1 cm circle in diameter on mammography should be undergone biopsies especially in case of casting or crushed stone-like type to detect early breast cancers.
Biopsy ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Classification* ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Korea ; Mammography* ; Middle Aged ; Needles

BACKGROUND: In unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), the obstructed kidney is characterized by interstitial fibrosis and an increase in transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1. Interstitial expression of TGF-beta1 is important in tublointerstitial fibrosis. The objectives of this study is to make new ribbon-type antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) for TGF-beta1 which are resistant to exonuclease and to examine the effcets of TGF-beta1 on reducing tubulointerstitial fibrosis of the kidney. METHODS: We introduced a new ribbon-type antisense ODN for TGF-beta1 in rats using the UUO model to block interstitial fibrosis by tail vein injection. A combination of one antisense sequences for TGF-beta1 was adopted to construct a large antisense molecule with a loop and stem. Artificial viral envelope (AVE)-type hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)-liposomes were used as a vector system for the delivery of antisense ODN. RESULTS: The levels of TGF-beta1 mRNA was decreased more in the cultured mesangial cells treated with ribbon-type antisense ODN than in that of a linear-type antisense ODN for TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1 mRNA was increased markedly in the interstitium of untreated obstructed kidneys. Northem analysis revealed that the levels of TGF-beta1 mRNA were decreased in the obstructed kidneys treated with antisense ODN. The fibrosis of the obstructed kidneys treated with ribbon-type antisense ODN was dramatically less than that of the untreated group. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the introduction of new ribbon-type antisense ODN for TGF-beta1 may be a potential therapeutic maneuver for preventing interstitial fibrosis.
Animals ; Fibrosis ; Kidney ; Mesangial Cells ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides* ; Rats ; RNA, Messenger ; Sendai virus ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; Transforming Growth Factors ; Ureter* ; Ureteral Obstruction* ; Veins

BACKGROUND: The CD34+ cell dose and infused number of committed progenitor cells in transplantation are important factors in hematologic engraftment. However, the relationship between expansion potential of progenitor cells and hematologic engraftment remains controversial. We evaluated whether expansion potential of progenitor cells is a predictive factor of post-transplantation hematologic engraftment. METHODS: Mononuclear cells isolated from mobilized peripheral blood and bone marrow were cultured with cytokine cocktail for 7 days. Progenitor cells and committed progenitors were analyzed using stem cell markers (CD34 and CD133) and lineage specific markers. Hematologic engraftment was defined as neutrophil counts over 500/microliter and platelet counts over 20,000/microliter without transfusion. Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were investigated. RESULTS: There was inverse tendency between the number and fold expansion of progenitor cells or committed (granulocytic or megakaryocytic) progenitors and time to engraftment. Especially, fold expansion of CD34(+)/CD33(+) cells was significantly correlated with time to neutrophil engraftment in bone marrow transplantation (r=-0.56, P=0.04). The infused number and fold expansion of lymphoid progenitors were not related to the occurrence of acute or chronic GVHD. CONCLUSIONS: We could not prove that expansion potential of progenitor cells and committed progenitor cells is correlated to hematologic engraftment although there is a correlation between CD34(+)/ CD33(+) cells and time to neutrophil engraftment. But, a further study on the value of expansion potential is required because there is an inverse tendency.
Bone Marrow ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Graft vs Host Disease ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells* ; Neutrophils ; Platelet Count ; Stem Cells

The bcl-2 proto-oncogene was first described as a result of the chromosomal translocation t(14:18) seen in a large number of follicular B-cell lines. Bcl-2 is so far unique a proto-oncogene in that it codes for an inner mitochondrial membrane protein. This protein regulates the programmed cell death called apoptosis. This study was designed to investigate expression of bcl-2 protein in 81 human breast cancer by using immunohistochemical staining with the monoclonal antibody of bcl-2 protein. Also this factor was compared with established clinicopathological prognostic factors and hormone receptors. The bcl-2 protein expression was positive in 38(47%) cases and was negative in 43(53%) cases. There was significant correlation between bcl-2 protein expression and histologic grade(p=0.014). Positive expression of bcl-2 protein was correlated with positive estrogen(p=0.051) and progesterone(p=0.059) receptors, but this correlation was not significant. Bcl-2 expression failed to show its prognostic role for overall(p=0.115) and disease free(p=0.214) survival. In conclusion, the bcl-2 protein is often expressed in half of breast cancer, and its expression is associated with histologic grade and hormone receptor status, but the overall and disease free survival of breast cancer patient do not appear to be influenced by bcl-2 protein expression.
Apoptosis ; B-Lymphocytes ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cell Death ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Mitochondrial Membranes ; Proto-Oncogenes ; Translocation, Genetic