Various cancer types have been associated with cancer-related cerebral infarction. In this study, we describe the first case of cancer-related cerebral infarction in which the underlying disease was primary bone marrow lymphoma (PBML). A 79-year-old man presented with abruptly developed bilateral lower extremity weakness and confusion. Diffusion-weighted imaging on admission showed multiple cortical and subcortical embolic infarction lesions in multiple vascular territories. Diagnostic evaluations to determine the embolic source revealed no abnormalities. Laboratory testing demonstrated elevated D-dimer (2.59 μg/mL) but no other prothrombotic abnormalities. In suspicion of cancer-related stroke, we performed chest CT, abdomen CT, and FDG-PET to detect the hidden malignancy. Findings revealed no evidence of cancer; however, they did reveal signs of anemia (hemoglobin 9.0 g/dL). Bone marrow aspiration biopsy showed large atypical B cell involvement suggestive of high-grade B cell lymphoma. The patient was diagnosed with primary bone marrow diffuse large B-cell lymphoma initially presenting with ischemic stroke. Our case suggests that primary bone marrow cancer may be a candidate for the differential diagnosis of hidden malignancy in patients with suspected cancer-related stroke. Bone marrow biopsy may be essential for establishing an appropriate differential diagnosis in patients with abnormal hematologic findings.

PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and histological features of tumors in caruncles. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 126 eyes of 126 patients who underwent incisional or excisional biopsy of conjunctival masses between March 2008 and December 2016. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients (19.0%) including 10 males and 14 females had a mass located on the caruncle. The mean age at diagnosis was 41.8 ± 13.4 years (range, 15–67 years). Most patients (75%) visited us for a cosmetically visible mass without other symptoms. The mean duration of symptoms was 73.8 ± 113.0 months (range, 1–240 months). The most common histological diagnosis was a melanocytic tumor (50%) followed by a sebaceous gland tumor (12.5%), an epidermoid cyst (12.5%), and papilloma (12.5%). The symptom duration of the melanocytic tumor was significantly longer than other types of tumors (153.6 ± 139.8 months, p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Caruncular tumors accounted for 19% of all conjunctival tumors. The most common pathological diagnosis of a caruncular tumor was a melanocytic tumor, which had a characteristically long symptom duration.
Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Epidermal Cyst ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Papilloma ; Retrospective Studies ; Sebaceous Glands

Factitious fever has been a rare cause of fever of unknown origin. We herein report a case of a young soldier, who presented with persistent fever of unusual pattern and bullae on both palms. After numerous investigations had excluded organic diseases, factitious fever was diagnosed with measurement of the freshly voided urine temperatures and body temperatures while directly observed. Biopsy of skin lesions revealed friction blister. Early recognition of this cause of fever is needed to avoid the unnecessary investigation and prolonged hospitalization.
Biopsy ; Blister ; Body Temperature ; Factitious Disorders ; Fever of Unknown Origin ; Fever* ; Friction ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Skin

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a sudden intensive orofacial pain disorder characterized by a unilateral recurrent paroxysmal lancinating pain occurring in the area of trigeminal nerve distribution. Diagnosis is made with characteristic clinical presentations and requires brain magnetic resonance imaging to rule out intracranial tumor or multiple sclerosis which potentially causes secondary TN. Among the various interventional managements, the conventional radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of Gasserian ganglion results in the highest rate of complete pain relief. We report two cases who presented severe facial pain due to intractable TN of V2 division. For pain relief, Gasserian ganglion RFT was planned. However, both patients could not tolerate the neck extension and chin-up position. Therefore, ultrasound guided infraorbital nerve RFT which does not require such position was performed successfully. When the patients came to the pain clinic 2 weeks later, the numerical rating scale for TN was 2/10 with mild hypoesthesia of V2 division. Infraorbital nerve RFT is an alternative option in patients who is unable to tolerate the ganglion RFT.

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of conjunctival myxoma invading the caruncle. CASE SUMMARY: A 46-year-old man presented with a medical canthal conjunctival mass in his left eye. The mass was a semi-transparent, yellowish, movable mass 10 mm x 6 mm in size in the subconjunctival space. There was no pain and no tenderness. Excisional biopsy of the mass was performed. Histopathologic examination revealed findings suggestive of myxoma. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively transparent, movable, yellowish to pinkish conjunctival masses at medial canthal area without pain or tenderness can be diagnosed as myxoma on biopsy and myxoma can be seen at caruncle.
Biopsy ; Eye ; Myxoma

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the causal relationship between the genetically determined amount of alcohol consumption and the occurrence of major cancers. METHODS: The data used in this study were from 129,324 people selected from the Korean Cancer Prevention Study-II, the participants of which visited 18 health examination centers between 2004 and 2013. Cancer incidence was confirmed as of 2020 using data from the National Cancer Center. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) on alcohol consumption was performed using PLINK 2.0, and sex, age, chip type, and principal components were adjusted. RESULTS: From the GWAS, a genetic risk score for alcohol consumption was calculated and genetically determined alcohol consumption (GDAC) was estimated. GDAC was divided into quintile groups and showed significant causal relationships with rectal cancer and liver cancer, but not with other cancers. For liver cancer, an association was shown in the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative group, and a particularly strong association was found in the over-60-year-old HBsAg-negative group, in which, compared to the GDAC Q1 group, the Q4 group had a 2.35 times higher risk (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 to 5.23), and the Q5 group had a 2.40 times higher risk (95% CI, 1.09 to 5.30). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study provided evidence that the amount of alcohol consumed is causally related to the occurrence of rectal cancer and liver cancer in HBsAg-negative individuals. Additional studies should be continued for other cancer types through long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effect of remifentanil pretreatment on Cos-7 cells exposed to oxidative stress, and the influence of remifentanil on intracellular autophagy and apoptotic cell death. METHODS: Cells were divided into 4 groups: (1) Control: non-pretreated cells were incubated in normoxia (5% CO₂, 21% O₂, and 74% N₂). (2) H₂O₂: non-pretreated cells were exposed to H₂O₂ for 24 h. (3) RPC+H₂O₂: cells pretreated with remifentanil were exposed to H₂O₂ for 24 h. (4) 3-MA+RPC+H₂O₂: cells pretreated with 3-Methyladenine (3-MA) and remifentanil were exposed to H₂O₂ for 24 h. We determined the cell viability of each group using an MTT assay. Hoechst staining and FACS analysis of Cos-7 cells were performed to observe the effect of remifentanil on apoptosis. Autophagy activation was determined by fluorescence microscopy, MDC staining, and AO staining. The expression of autophagy-related proteins was observed using western blotting. RESULTS: Remifentanil pretreatment increased the viability of Cos-7 cells exposed to oxidative stress. Hoechst staining and FACS analysis revealed that oxidative stress-dependent apoptosis was suppressed by the pretreatment. Additionally, fluorescence microscopy showed that remifentanil pretreatment led to autophagy-induction in Cos-7 cells, and the expression of autophagy-related proteins was increased in the RPC+H₂O₂ group. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that remifentanil pretreatment stimulated autophagy and increased viability in an oxidative stress model of Cos-7 cells. Therefore, we suggest that apoptosis was activated upon oxidative stress, and remifentanil preconditioning increased the survival rate of the cells by activating autophagy.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Autophagy* ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Death ; Cell Survival ; COS Cells* ; Hydrogen* ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Oxidative Stress ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) and the optimal cut-off value for predicting recurrence in cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients with complete remission after primary treatment. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 783 cervical squamous cell cancer patients who underwent primary therapy and showed complete remission at our institution between January 2000 and April 2014. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimal SCC-Ag threshold to predict recurrence. Cox regression model for disease free survival was used to assess differences in outcome. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 41.2 months, and 154 patients (19.7%) had recurrent disease. The median pretreatment and posttreatment SCC-Ag level was 2.6 ng/mL (range, 0.1 to 532.0 ng/mL) and 0.7 ng/mL (range, 0.0 to 46.8 ng/mL), respectively. Both pretreatment and posttreatment SCC-Ag levels were higher in the recurrence group (P=0.017 and P=0.039). Optimal cut-off value of pretreatment and posttreatment SCC-Ag for predicting recurrence was 1.86 ng/mL (area under the curve, 0.663; P=0.000), and 0.9 ng/mL (area under the curve, 0.581; P=0.002), respectively. In the multivariate Cox regression model, pretreatment SCC-Ag >1.86 ng/mL (odds ratio, 2.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.38 to 3.22; P=0.001) and posttreatment SCC-Ag >0.9 ng/mL (odds ratio, 1.64; 95% confidence interval, 1.18 to 2.28; P=0.003) were significantly associated with poor disease free survival. CONCLUSION: Patients with pretreatment SCC-Ag >1.86 ng/mL or posttreatment SCC-Ag >0.9 ng/mL should be considered at high risk for cancer recurrence after complete remission, and therefore, closer surveillance is needed.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasms, Squamous Cell ; Recurrence* ; ROC Curve

PURPOSE: To report two cases of acute retinal necrosis following viral meningitis. CASE SUMMARY: A 52-year-old woman who has had viral meningitis presented with visual loss of right eye. Slit-lamp examination showed conjunctival injection and inflammatory cells (2+) in the anterior chamber of the right eye. Funduscopic examination showed multiple yellow-whitish spots in the peripheral retina. Fluorescein fundus angiography showed early hypofluorescence and the late vascular leak in the peripheral retina. After the patient was diagnosed with Acute retinal necrosis (ARN), intravenous acyclovir (2,100 mg/m²/day) was administered. During the treatment period, the retinal detachment of the right eye was found, so the authors performed pars plana vitrectomy. After the surgery, new retinal lesions weren't observed in both eyes during follow-up. A 57-year-old man previously treated with possible viral meningitis presented with visual loss of his right eye. Funduscopic examination showed multiple yellow-whitish spots in the peripheral retina. Fluorescein fundus angiography showed the late vascular leak in the peripheral retina. In the systemic evaluation, Herpes simplex virus and Cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G were detected. With the impression of ARN, intravenous acyclovir (2,100 mg/m²/day) was administered. No new retinal lesions were observed in both eyes during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We report rare cases of ARN occurring after viral meningitis. Uveitis in patients with recent history of meningitis should be examined carefully under the suspicion of ARN.
Acyclovir ; Angiography ; Anterior Chamber ; Cytomegalovirus ; Female ; Fluorescein ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Meningitis ; Meningitis, Viral* ; Middle Aged ; Retina ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinal Necrosis Syndrome, Acute* ; Retinaldehyde ; Simplexvirus ; Uveitis ; Vitrectomy

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of oral progestin treatment in women diagnosed with complex atypical hyperplasia (CAH) or grade 1 endometrial cancer (G1EC), who desire to preserve their fertility, as alternative treatment to a hysterectomy. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of women younger than 45 years old that had been diagnosed with CAH or G1EC, who expressed a desire to preserve their fertility using alternative treatment at our institution. Women without evidence of myometrial invasion on pelvic magnetic resonance imaging scans were included. The study period was between 2004 and 2014. Endometrial biopsies were taken at follow-up appointments. RESULTS: We identified 31 young women with CAH or G1EC. The median age was 33 years old (range, 20 to 41), and the median period of time undertaking the treatment was 5 months (range, 1 to 12). Twenty-three patients (74.2%) achieved complete remission (CR; median time to CR was 3 months; range, 1 to 22), 16 patients (88.9%) with CAH and 7 (53.8%) with G1EC achieved CR. 6 patients (26.1%) who had achieved CR, had recurrence of the disease (median time from CR to recurrence was 12.5 months; range, 4 to 18). Eight patients (25.8%) finally underwent a hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Oral progestin therapy is an alternative treatment for women with CAH or G1EC who desire fertility preservation. However, more prospective studies are needed for standard progestin regimen. Also, there still remains a risk of disease progression and recurrence. Therefore, close follow-up is important during treatment and after CR. In addition, a hysterectomy is recommended as a definitive treatment after completion of childbearing.
Appointments and Schedules ; Biopsy ; Disease Progression ; Endometrial Hyperplasia ; Endometrial Neoplasms* ; Female ; Fertility ; Fertility Preservation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperplasia* ; Hysterectomy ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Mortuary Practice ; Progestins ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence