BACKGROUND: Tumor angiogenesis is required for tumor growth and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the correlation between the intensity of angiogenesis and stage, nodal status, histologic type, metastasis and survival rate of non-small cell lung cancer. METHOD: Formalin fixed, paraffin embedded surgical specimens of 45 patients who had surgically resected primary non-small cell lung cancers without pre or post perative adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy were examined. The microvessel count(MVC) was demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining for CD31(platelet ednothlial cell adhesion molecule, PECAM). RESULTS: Microvessel counts(MVCs)in stage IIIA and IIIB were higher than in stage I and II(p<0.05). The MVC in patients with lymph node metastasis was higher than that in patients without lymph node metastasis, although the difference was not statistically significant(p>0.05). However, in adenocarcinoma, the MVC in patients with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that seen in patients without lymph node metastasis(p<0.05). The MVC in adenocaricinoma was higher than that in squamous cell carcinoma(p<0.05). The difference between the MVCs of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma was not statistically significant in stage Iand II or NO stage(p>0.05). However, in stage IIIA and IIIB or N1~3 stage, the MVC in adenocarcinoma was higher than that in squamous cell carcinoma(p<0.05). MVC was more increased when metastasis developed within 12 months. In the same histologic type and stage, the duration of survival time in patients with high MVC was shorter than in patients with low MVC, however the difference was not statistically significant(p>0.05). The survival rate in patients with high MVCs was lower than that in patients with low MVCs(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: In non-small cell lung cancer, MVC correlated relatively well with pathologic stage, nodal status (limited in patients with adenocarcinoma), histologic type, postoperative metastasis and survival rate. However, in the same histologic type and stage, MVC was not significantly related to the duration of survival. Therefore the assessment of the intensity of angiogenesis in non-small cell lung cancer may be helpful in predicting prognosis and in selecting patients for systemic adjuvant therapy of potential metastasis according to the results.
Adenocarcinoma ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cell Adhesion ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Formaldehyde ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lymph Nodes ; Microvessels ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Paraffin ; Prognosis* ; Radiotherapy ; Survival Rate

Nonossifying fibromas are not uncommon, but those described in the rib are unique. We report the case of a 15-year-old patient with symptoms of chest wall pain for 5 days who underwent a video-assisted thoracoscopic rib resection for a 2.5-cm rib mass. Unexpectedly, pathological results revealed a nonossifying fibroma of the rib. The results showed excellent cosmesis and new bone formation because of the preservation of the overlying periosteum.
Adolescent ; Fibroma* ; Humans ; Osteogenesis ; Periosteum* ; Ribs* ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted* ; Thoracic Wall

BACKGROUND: Coal workers' pneumoconiosis is a fibrotic lung disease resulting from chronic inhalation of coal dust. The precise mechanism of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis is uncertain. However, a relationship between the stimulation of fibroblast proliferation and collagen production by mediators released from inflammatory and resident lung cells is thought to be a major factor. The transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β), a multifunctional cytokine and growth factor, plays a key role in the scarring and fibrotic processes due to its ability to induce extracellular matrix proteins and modulate the growth and immune function of many cell types. To determine the involvement of TGF-βin the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis, the TGF-β1 level in plasma was measured in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis. METHODS: Plasma was collected from 40 patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (20 with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and 20 with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis) and from 10 normal controls. The ELISA method was used to measure the plasma TGF-β1 concentration. RESULTS: Compared to the control group (0.63±0.18 ng/mL), there was no significant difference in the plasma TGF-β1 level in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis (0.64±0.17 ng/mL) (p>.05). However, in patients with complicated coal workers' pneumoconiosis the plasma TGF-β1 level (0.79±0.18 ng/mL) was significantly higher than in patients with simple coal workers' pneumoconiosis and control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The data suggests that TGF-β1 has some influence in the development of lung fibrosis in coal workers' pneumoconiosis.
Cicatrix ; Coal* ; Collagen ; Dust ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins ; Fibroblasts ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Plasma* ; Pneumoconiosis* ; Pulmonary Fibrosis

The purpose of this study is to provide a fundamental basis for defining measures to prevent suicide by specifically examining the relationship between suicide and alcohol consumption, which is thought to be a key factor in suicide. This study reviewed 426 suicide autopsies diagnosed by the department of forensic medicine, National Forensic Service (2007-2009) and analyzed the preliminary data on variables such as gender, age, and cause of death, with particular focus on the relationship between these variables and blood alcohol concentration. The relationship between each variable and alcohol consumption was as follows. First, alcohol was present in 48.4% of suicides. Second, blood alcohol concentration wrere twice as high in women as in men. Third, the relationship between suicide and alcohol consumption was greater in people in their 30s and 40s. The correlation between suicide and alcohol intake was evident this age group. These results are more specific and practical than the results of previous studies on the correlation between suicide and alcohol intake. The results of this study will help define measures to facilitate suicide prevention as an important reference and may eventually help lower the suicide rate in Korea.
Alcohol Drinking ; Autopsy ; Cause of Death ; Drinking ; Female ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Suicide

BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration cytology serves as a safe, economical tool in evaluating thyroid nodules. However, about 30% of the samples are categorized as indeterminate. Hence, many immunocytochemistry markers have been studied, but there has not been a single outstanding marker. We studied the efficacy of CD56 with human bone marrow endothelial cell marker-1 (HBME-1) in diagnosis in the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) category III. METHODS: We reviewed ThinPrep liquid-based cytology (LBC) samples with Papanicolaou stain from July 1 to December 31, 2016 (2,195 cases) and selected TBSRTC category III cases (n = 363). Twenty-six cases were histologically confirmed as benign (six cases, 23%) or malignant (20 cases, 77%); we stained 26 LBC slides with HBME-1 and CD56 through the cell transfer method. For evaluation of reactivity of immunocytochemistry, we chose atypical follicular cell clusters. RESULTS: CD56 was not reactive in 18 of 20 cases (90%) of malignant nodules and showed cytoplasmic positivity in five of six cases (83%) of benign nodules. CD56 showed high sensitivity (90.0%) and relatively low specificity (83.3%) in detecting malignancy (p = .004). HBME-1 was reactive in 17 of 20 cases (85%) of malignant nodules and was not reactive in five of six cases (83%) of benign nodules. HBME-1 showed slightly lower sensitivity (85.0%) than CD56. The specificity in detecting malignancy by HBME-1 was similar to that of CD56 (83.3%, p = .008). CD56 and HBME-1 tests combined showed lower sensitivity (75.0% vs 90%) and higher specificity (93.8% vs 83.3%) in detecting malignancy compared to using CD56 alone. CONCLUSIONS: Using CD56 alone showed relatively low specificity despite high sensitivity for detecting malignancy. Combining CD56 with HBME-1 could increase the specificity. Thus, we suggest that CD56 could be a useful preoperative marker for differential diagnosis of TBSRTC category III samples.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Bone Marrow ; Cytoplasm ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endothelial Cells ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Nodule

BACKGROUND: Human selenium binding protein 1 (SELENBP1) is a protein that binds selenium as a cofactor. The decreased expression of SELENBP1 in several types of carcinomas and its association with a poor prognosis have previously been reported on. In this study, we evaluated the expression of SELENBP1 in low-grade and high-grade epithelial dysplasia/ adenomas and adenocarcinomas. METHODS: We analyzed 45 cases of low-grade epithelial dysplasia/adenomas, 42 cases of high-grade epithelial dysplasia/adenomas and 64 cases of adenocarcinomas and all of them were obtained from endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection. We analyzed all of them for their SELENBP1 expression by immunohistochemistry. Eight triple-paired cases of gastric mucosa, adenoma and adenocarcinoma from the same patient were selected for RT-PCR analysis. RESULTS: There was a progressive decrease in the expression of SELENBP1 from the low-grade dysplasia/adenomas (42/45, 93%) to the high-grade dysplasia/adenomas (29/42, 69%) and finally to the adenocarcinomas (24/64, 37%), (p<0.001). The progressive decrease in the SELENBP1 expression was also evident in the eight paired cases that were analyzed by RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that the SELENBP1 expression is suppressed in gastric epithelial dysplasia/adenomas and adenocarcinomas. The suppression of SELENBP1 was significantly more frequent and severer in the adenocarcinomas than that in the low-grade dysplasia/ adenomas, and this implies that the suppression of SELENBP1 is a late event in gastric carcinogenesis.
Humans ; Adenocarcinoma ; Adenoma

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the associations of sarcopenia-defined both in terms of muscle mass and muscle strength-and sarcopenic obesity with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Secondary data pertaining to 309 subjects (85 men and 224 women) were collected from participants in exercise programs at a health center in a suburban area. Muscle mass was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and muscle strength was measured via handgrip strength. Sarcopenia based on muscle mass alone was defined as a weight-adjusted skeletal muscle mass index more than two standard deviations below the mean of a sex-specific young reference group (class II sarcopenia). Two cut-off values for low handgrip strength were used: the first criteria were <26 kg for men and <18 kg for women, and the second criteria were the lowest quintile of handgrip strength among the study subjects. Sarcopenic obesity was defined as the combination of class II sarcopenia and being in the two highest quintiles of total body fat percentage among the subjects. The associations of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity with metabolic syndrome were evaluated using logistic regression models. RESULTS: The age-adjusted risk ratios (RRs) of metabolic syndrome being compared in people with or without sarcopenia defined in terms of muscle mass were 1.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 1.47, p=0.008) in men and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.19, p<0.001) in women, which were found to be statistically significant relationships. The RRs of metabolic syndrome being compared in people with or without sarcopenic obesity were 1.31 in men (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.56, p=0.003) and 1.17 in women (95% CI, 1.10 to 1.25, p<0.001), which were likewise found to be statistically significant relationships. CONCLUSIONS: The associations of sarcopenia defined in terms of muscle mass and sarcopenic obesity with metabolic syndrome were statistically significant in both men and women. Therefore, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity must be considered as part of the community-based management of non-communicable diseases.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Electric Impedance ; Exercise ; Female ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolic Syndrome X/*etiology ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Strength/*physiology ; Muscle, Skeletal/*physiology ; Obesity/*complications ; Odds Ratio ; Sarcopenia/*complications ; Young Adult

Cancer of the vulva accounts for approximately 0.5% of all gynecologic malignancies. At diagnosis, one-third of these cases is detected in an advanced stage (FIGO stages III, IV), and local extension of primary vulvar cancer may involve adjacent midline structures such as the clitoris, urethra, vagina, and anus. Initial surgical therapy of such locally advanced primary cancers may compromise the functional integrity of midline structures, necessitating ultraradical surgery including pelvic exenteration. In view of the relatively elderly age of the patients and the morbidity of this ultraradical dissection, concomitant chemoradiation therapy - that the efficacy had been proven in head and neck cancer, anal cancer has approached for patients with locally advanced vulvar cancer. We experienced a case of stage III vulvar cancer patient, who underwent concomitant chemoradiation therapy with 5-fluorouracil(FU) and cisplatin and who showed complete response. So, we report this case with brief review of the literatures.
Aged ; Anal Canal ; Anus Neoplasms ; Cisplatin ; Clitoris ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Head and Neck Neoplasms ; Humans ; Pelvic Exenteration ; Urethra ; Vagina ; Vulvar Neoplasms*

BACKGROUND: The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES) III using the circumplex model has been widely used in investigating family function. However, the criticism of the curvilinear hypothesis of the circumplex model has always been from an empirical point of view. This study examined the relationship between adolescent adaptability, cohesion, and adolescent problem behaviors, and especially testing the consistency of the curvilinear hypotheses with FACES III. METHODS: We used the data from 398 adolescent participants who were in middle school. A self-reported questionnaire was used to evaluate the FACES III and Youth Self Report. RESULTS: According to the level of family adaptability, significant differences were evident in internalizing problems (P = 0.014). But, in externalizing problems, the results were not significant (P = 0.305). Also, according to the level of family cohesion, significant differences were in internalizing problems (P = 0.002) and externalizing problems (P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The relationship between the dimensions of adaptability, cohesion and adolescent problem behaviors was not curvilinear. In other words, adolescents with high adaptability and high cohesion showed low problem behaviors.
Adaptation, Psychological ; Adolescent ; Adolescent Behavior ; Family Relations ; Humans ; Korea

BACKGROUND: When differential diagnosis is difficult in thyroid follicular lesions with overlapping histological features, the immunohistochemical staining can help confirm the diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of rapid immunohistochemical stains of CD56 and cytokeratin 19 on frozen sections of thyroid follicular lesion and explore the possible gains and limitations of the practice. METHODS: Eighty-six nodules of 79 patients whose intraoperative frozen sections were selected as the control group, and 53 nodules of 48 patients whose intraoperative frozen sections were subject to rapid immunohistochemistry were selected as the study group. RESULTS: Five nodules (6%) in the control group were diagnosed as follicular neoplasm and six nodules (7%) were deferred. In the study group, six nodules (11%) were follicular neoplasm and none were deferred. Three nodules (4%) in the control group showed diagnostic discrepancy between the frozen and permanent diagnoses, but none in the study group. The average turnaround time for the frozen diagnosis of the control group was 24 minutes, whereas it was 54 minutes for the study group. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative rapid immunohistochemical stains significantly decreased the diagnostic discrepancy in this study. Considering the adverse effects of indefinite frozen diagnosis or discrepancy with permanent diagnoses, the intraoperative rapid immunohistochemical stain can help to accurately diagnose and hence provide guidance to surgical treatment.
Coloring Agents ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Frozen Sections ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratin-19 ; Thyroid Gland*