We investigated whether there is differences in serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) between patients with colon and rectal cancer. Preoperative serum levels of CEA was determined in 65 patients with colon cancer and in 88 patients with rectal cancer. Cut-off value recommended by manufacturers is 5 ng/ml for CEA. At the recommended cut-off levels for CEA, overall sensitivity of CEA was 43.1 percent for colon and 42.0 percent for rectal cancer. In colon cancer CEA was elevated in 38.4, 46.2, 60 percent of patients with Dukes Stages B, C, and D, respectively. In rectal cancer CEA was elevated in 12.5, 31.6, 44.8, 84.6 percent of patients with Dukes Stages A, B, C, and D, respectively. In Stages B, and C, sensitivity of CEA was higher in colon than in rectal cancer, but the difference was not significant. In Stages D, sensitivity of CEA was higher in rectal cancer than in colon cancer, but the difference was not significant. In overall stages sensitivity of CEA was higher in colon than in rectal cancer, but the difference was not significant. The difference was not significant either in overall or in different stages of colon and rectal cancer.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms*

PURPOSE: We evaluated the usefulness of the cementless stem in treating hip fracture patients older than 70. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied elderly osteoporotic hip fractures in the neck and intertrochanter area who had received hip arthroplasty with over 2 years of follow up period. Among those, we analyzed the clinical and radiological results of hip arthroplasty with cemented stem (group 1) and hip arthroplasty with cementless stem (group 2). Each group was consists of fifty hips. RESULTS: The mean age at surgery was 75 years and mean follow-up period was 40 months (minimum 24 months). The admission period was 28.68+/-8.8 days for group 1 and 28.05+/-8.7 days for group 2 (p>0.05) and the average operation time was 87+/-21.2 minutes, and 80+/-17 minutes (p>0.05) and the total blood loss was 611+/-141.3 cc and 557+/-120.5 cc (p>0.05) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in all aspects. One case of pulmonary embolism occurred in group 1. Stem loosening was not observed in both groups at the last follow-up radiologic study. CONCLUSION: The hip arthroplasty with cementless stem for the osteoporotic hip fractures showed a competent results clinically and radiologically in short term follow up as compared with the cemented stem.
Aged ; Arthroplasty ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hip ; Hip Fractures ; Humans ; Neck ; Pulmonary Embolism

A barium granuloma of the colon and rectum is a rare complication of radiologic examination of the digestive tract using barium. This complication is exceptional. During the enema, the cannula may ulcerate the mucosa which is blown up secondarily by the barium. Clinically, the granuloma presents as a hard polyp like a malignant tumur. So, the recognition of this entity is important because it can mimic other lesions including a neoplastic process endoscopically. Moreover, hisological findings, though they may be characteristic, often go unnoticed with routine techniques only. The authors report a barium granuloma of the rectum which was diagnosed by endoscopic mucosal resection and radiographic study of the paraffin block.
Barium* ; Catheters ; Colon ; Enema ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Granuloma* ; Mucous Membrane ; Paraffin ; Polyps ; Rectum* ; Ulcer

PURPOSE: The needs of stem cell transplantation are increasing in Korea under the circumstance of medical insurance coverage since 1996. But allogeneic bone marrow transplants have the limitation in acquisition of matched donor because of small number of siblings in modern society. Although unrelated stem cell transplantations were made possible in Korea with the establishment of Korean Marrow Donor Program, less than one third of patients who need stem cell transplantation are seeking the matched donors through this program and it still takes too much time and efforts. In this clinical setting, cord blood offers an exciting alternative to traditional sources of stem cells. To implement the widespread clinical use of cord blood stem cells, it is necessary to establish the cord blood bank from which stem cell specimens are obtained. METHODS: To establish the cord blood bank in Korea, we started to develop the proper methods to obtain the cord bloods. Various ways of collecting the cord bloods, separation of red blood cells and storage methods were tried and the standard recommendations were made. RESULTS: Mean volume of collected umbilical cord blood was above 70mL by open or closed method in vaginal delivery and cesarean section. Among the RBC depletion methods by using 3% gelatin, Ficoll-Hypaque, or modified Ficoll-Hypaque method, 3% gelatin sedimentation showed the best result in viability and number of mononuclear cells(MNC), CD34+ cell, and day 14 CFU-GM. The recovery rate after freezing-thawing MNC was higher in the group of using 10% DMSO and programmed freezer starting from 4degrees C than in the group of using mixed with DMSO and hydroxyethyl starch and without programmed freezer. Nine patients underwent cord blood transplantation until December 1998. Among them, 6 patients showed the long-term successful engraftment. CONCLUSION: We have developed simple, efficient, and reproducible methods for collection, processing, and storage of cord blood to establish the cord blood bank. There are some administrative issues including the legal and financial problems that possibly will be resolved by the support of the government and the medical team.
Bone Marrow ; Cesarean Section ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Fetal Blood* ; Gelatin ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Progenitor Cells ; Humans ; Insurance Coverage ; Korea* ; Pregnancy ; Siblings ; Starch ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors

A squamous cell papilloma of esophagus is regarded as a rare tumor, and one of the distal esophagus is known to be not changed into a malignant neoplasm although squamous papilloma of the larynx, cervix and the upper esophagus may be associated with squamous cell carcinoma. We report the first case of a squamous papilloma associated with hig grade dysplasia at the lower esophagus. We think this case may have an important implication in the surveillance and management of esophageal papilloma found at endoscopy.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cervix Uteri ; Endoscopy ; Esophagus* ; Female ; Larynx ; Papilloma*