PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the expressions of alpha-1 -antichymotrypsin(ACT) and/or p53 protein in advanced prostate cancer were related with bony metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The immunohistochemical study with ACT and p53 included 7 archival transurethral resection and 14 prostate biopsy specimens from patients with prostate cancer who showed high serum PSA level(>10ng/ml) and periprostatic or lymph node involvement on imaging study. Whole body bone scan was perfomed to detect bony metastatis in all patients. RESULTS: Four out of 5 cases showing strong expression patterns with ACT protein showed abnormal hot uptakes on whole body bone scan. ACT proteins were weakly expressed in seven out of eight cases without bony metastases. p53 protein was expressed in 13 cases, but there was no statistically significant relation between the expression of p53 protein and bony metastasis. Either, there was no significant relation between ACT and p53 protein expression patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the strong expression of ACT protein combined with high serum PSA level(>10ng/ml) and whole body bone scan could be the useful method for confirming bony metastasis although not adequate for screening test. The expression of p53 protein appears to be associated with progression of prostate cancer, but there was no statistically significant relation with bony metastasis.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms*

More than 90% of bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinomas. Transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder ordinarily does not pose diagnostic difficulties and is well known its clinical behavior. However, variation from the classic histology can cause problems in recognition. Recently several variants of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder have been described to promote the recognition of, or to draw attention to, possible differences in clinical behavior. The presence of a micropapillary component in transitional cell carcinoma is associated with high-stage and high-grade transitional cell carcinoma with a tendency of vascular invasion, and with poor prognostic histologic feature. We report a case of micropapillary transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.
Carcinoma, Transitional Cell* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms ; Urinary Bladder*

True hermaphroditism represents the rarest of all intersex disorders. The condition is defined by the presence of both ovarian and testicular tissue in the same individual. True hermaphroditism is usually diagnosed during the newborn period in the course of evaluating ambiguous genitalia. We present an unusual case of a 15-year-old boy with phenotypically normal male genitalia and bilaterally descended ovotestis, who was seen for evalution of intermittent scrotal swelling and pain.
Adolescent ; Disorders of Sex Development ; Genitalia, Male ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Ovotesticular Disorders of Sex Development*

PURPOSE: We compared CT findings of thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer with those of complicated cholecystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal CT scans of ten patients with thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer and eight patients with complicated cholecystitis, from March 1991 to November 1995. RESULTS: CT findings of thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer showed diffuse or focal wallthickening. Wall thickness was 5.3-18.0 mm(mean value, 12.2mm ; n=10). Gallbladder wall thickness of complicatedcholecystitis was 3.0-14.0mm (mean value, 6.6mm ; n=8). Statistical significance was noted between thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer and complicated cholecytitis(p<0.0029). Irregular wall thickening was noted in 7/10cases of thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer(70%). Regular wall thickening was noted in 6/8 cases of complicated cholecystitis(75%). The luminal diameter of thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer was 3.3-5.4cm (meanvalue, 4.2cm ; n=10). The luminal diameter of complicated cholecystitis was 5.2-8.0cm (mean value, 6.5cm ; n=8).Statistical significance was noted between thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer and complicated cholecystitis(p<0.0003). The halo sign was noted in only 3/8 cases of complicated cholecystitis(38%). Secondary findings of thickened wall-type gallbladder caner was lymphadenopathy in 3/10 cases(30%), and liver invasion in 2/10 cases(20%). Secondary findings of complicated cholecystitis were liver abscess in 2/8 cases(25%), and RLQ abdominal fluid collection and pleural effusion in 4/8 cases(50%). CONCLUSION: Differential factors of thickened wall-type gallbladder cancer from complicated cholecystits are gallbladder wall thickness, regularity of wall thickness, halo sign, secondary findings and luminal distention.
Cholecystitis* ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Abscess ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Phenobarbital ; Pleural Effusion ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

PURPOSE: To describe modes of transarticular invasion, with reference to the size and location of a tumor, the anatomic characteristics of invaded cartilage, and the existence of ankylosis in SI joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven histologically confirmed malignant pelvic bone tumors involving transarticular invasion of sacroiliac joints, were retrospectively analysed. Transarticular invasion of a joint was defined as involvement of its opposing bones. The anatomic site and size of the tumors were analysed, and invaded sacroiliac joint was divided into upper, middle and lower parts on the basis of the anatomic characteristics of the intervening cartilage: synovial hyaline or fibrous ligamentous. The existence of ankylosis was determined, and transarticular invasion directly across a joint was classified as direct invasion. Extension of tumors around a joint from its periphery to the opposing bone were considered as indirect invasion. RESULTS: All tumors were located near the sacroiliac joint, eight at the ilium and three at the sacrum. Six invasions were indirect and five were direct. Average tumor area was larger in indirect cases than in direct: 191.8 cm2 vs. 69.6 cm2. In all indirect invasions, a huge soft tissue mass abutted onto the peripheral portion of the sacroiliac joint. In five of six cases of indirect transarticular invasion, the upper part of the joint posteriorly located fibrous ligamentous cartilage. In the other, the lower part was invaded, and this involved a detour around the joint space, avoiding the invasion of intervening cartilage. Ankylosis occurred in one of the indirect cases. Among the five cases of direct invasion, there was invasion of the posteriorly located ligamentous fibrous cartilage in three without ankylosis. In the other two cases, involving ankylosis, the synovial hyaline cartilage was invaded directly at the lower part of the joint. CONCLUSION: Transarticular invasions of sacroiliac joint via fibrous cartilage are most common. Ankylosis of the sacroiliac joint facilitates hyaline cartilage invasion. We consider that in transarticular invasion of malignant pelvic bone tumors, indirect invasion is more common than direct.
Ankylosis ; Cartilage ; Hyalin ; Hyaline Cartilage ; Ilium ; Joints ; Ligaments ; Pelvic Bones* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sacroiliac Joint* ; Sacrum

Capillary hemangioma of the testis is extremely rare. Because it is difficult to differentiate from malignant testicular tumors clinically and radiologically, radical orchiectomy is usually performed. Although the fate of hemangiomas of the testis left untreated is unknown, there is no evidence that hemangiomas become malignant. We report a case of a 2-year-old child with capillary hemangioma of the testis which was diagnosed as a malignant tumor preoperatively.
Capillaries* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Capillary* ; Humans ; Orchiectomy ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis*

OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to develop KAVLT (Korean Auditory Verbal Learning Test)and to examine its reliability and validity. The KAVLT is a modified Korean version of RAVLT (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) The KAVLT assesses immediate supraspan memory, registration, retention, retrieval, recognition, learning strategy, and interference effect. METHODS: Final version of KAVLT was developed through preliminary trials. The KAVLT was administered to 75 normal healthy adults and 30 organic brain syndrome patients. Twenty-five normal controls were retested 3 weeks after the first trial to examine the test-retest reliability. The scores of basic and combined indices of KAVLT were compared between normal controls and patients. Factor analysis was done to investigate the construct validity. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between the test-retest scores of most of the basic indices. Discriminant validity which differentiates organic brain syndrome patients from normal controls was excellent. In order to accomplish the structure analysis of the KAVLT, different sets of scores were submitted to factor analysis procedure. Factor analysis of KAVLT basic indices revealed 2 factors, 'aquisition' and 'retention'. In the factor analysis of KAVLT's basic and combined indices, 4 factors emerged: 'general learning', 'retroactive interference', 'proactive interference', and 'primacy/recency effect'. CONCLUSION: The newly developed KAVLT was found to be a reliable and valid tool for evaluating multifactorial assesment of verbal memory and learning in Korean subjects.
Adult ; Brain ; Equidae ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Humans ; Learning ; Memory ; Reproducibility of Results ; Verbal Learning*

PURPOSE: To compare the CT findings of peritoneal tuberculosis (PT) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) based on the morphologic features of the peritoneum and assess the relationship between the degree of peritoneal thickness and the severity of omental infiltration in PT and PC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the CT findings of 15 patients with PT and 14 with PC. We checked the morphologic changes of the peritoneum as seen on CT, for the following points: 1) the presence of peritoneal change: 2) the pattern of any change-diffuse thickening, plaque or nodularity, combined thickening (diffuse and plaque, or nodularity); 3) the degree of thickness on the whole peritoneum - mild (grossly definite, but not more than 3 mm), moderate (more than 3mm); 4) the presence of irregularity on the peritoneal surface. We also evaluated the significance of the relationship between peritoneal thickness and omental infiltration in both disease entities. The degree of omental infiltration was described as follows : grade I (no change or focal smudge pattern); grade II ( diffuse smudge), grade III (omental cake regardless extent). RESULTS: Peritoneal change was seen in 12 of 15 PT patients and in 7 of 14 PC patients. In all 12 PT patients, the pattern of change was diffuse thickening, and among the seven PC patients, there was diffuse thickening in one, plaque or nodular thickening in four, and combined thickening in two. In PT patients, the degree of thickness on the whole peritoneum was mild in six and moderate in six, and in PC patients it was mild in two and moderate in one. An irregular peritoneum surface was seen in one patient with PT and in two with PC. The degree of omental infiltration in PT was grade I in four patients, grade II in six andgrade III in five. In PC, it was grade I in six patients, grade II in two and grade III in six. Smooth diffuse thickening of the peritoneum was seen in 11 of 15 PT cases and in one of 14 PC (P<0.01). Accompanying plaque or nodularity was seen only in PC, in six of 14 patients (P<0.001). The relationship between the degree of peritoneal thickness and severity of omental infiltration was significantly proportional in PT (r=0.900, P<0.001), but not in PC (r=0.068, P>0.5). CONCLUSION: In PT and PC different CT findings based on peritoneal morphologic changes might be useful in differentiating these two entities. In addition, careful observation of relationship between the peritoneal change and the severity of omental infiltration is necessary.
Carcinoma* ; Humans ; Peritoneum ; Peritonitis, Tuberculous* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis

CD44 is a glycoprotein expressed in a wide variety of cell types. Recently expression of some alternatively-spliced variants of CD44 transcripts (CD44v) has been suggested to play a potential role in tumor metastasis and the detection of CD44v containing exon 6 to 11 may be helpful for the diagnosis of cancers. Expressions of CD44v containing exon 6 to 11 were investigated in 20 human colorectal cancer samples, peripheral blood leukocytes isolated from colorectal cancer patients, and 4 colorectal cancer cell lines using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis. The standard form of CD44 transcripts was expressed in all samples tested. CD44v containing exon 6 to 11 was expressed in 18 cases of colorectal cancers (sensitivity = 90%), 3 out of 4 cell lines, and one normal tissue (specificity = 95%). These results suggest that the expression of CD44v containing exon 6 to 11 can be regarded as tumor specific and that this marker may be helpful for the early diagnosis of colon cancers, if specimens from the early stage are available.
Adenocarcinoma/*genetics ; Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD44/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Blotting, Southern ; Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis/*genetics ; DNA Primers ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Feces/chemistry/cytology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/genetics ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA Splicing/*physiology ; RNA, Messenger/analysis ; Tumor Cells, Cultured/*physiology ; Tumor Markers, Biological

BACKGROUND: It is well known that some trace elements such as zinc and copper play a significant role in many forms of hair loss. However, the effect of zinc and copper in the pathogenesis of hair loss is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the zinc and copper status in each of four types of hair loss. METHODS: A study was carried out with 30 health controls and 312 patients who were diagnosed with alopecia areata (AA), male pattern hair loss, female pattern hair loss and telogen effluvium (TE) (2008 to 2011; Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital). Zinc and copper serum concentrations were evaluated between controls and each of four types of hair loss patients. RESULTS: In all of the hair loss patients, the mean serum zinc was 84.33+/-22.88, significantly lower than the control group (97.94+/-21.05 microg/dl) (p=0.002), whereas the serum copper was 96.44+/-22.62, which was not significantly different (p=0.975). The analysis of each group showed that all groups of hair loss had statistically lower zinc concentration, but not copper concentrations. However, the ratio of the patients with serum zinc concentration lower than 70 microg/dl was significantly high in only the AA group (odds ratio, OR 4.02; confidence interval, CI 1.13 to 14.31) and the TE group (OR 1.12; CI 1.12 to 17.68). CONCLUSION: The data led to the hypothesis of zinc metabolism disturbances playing a key role in hair loss, especially AA and TE, whereas the effect of copper on hair growth and shedding cycles still needs more study.
Alopecia ; Alopecia Areata ; Copper* ; Female ; Hair* ; Heart ; Humans ; Male ; Metabolism ; Trace Elements ; Zinc*