OBJECTIVES: Angiogenesis is a critical factor in the growth, progression, and metastatic spread of solid tumors. Angiogenic factors are soluble molecules released by the tumor itself and are able to induce an angiogenic response. Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) is a multifunctional cytokine that has been shown to be an important regulator of tumor angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the value of serum VEGF levels in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer and in the differential diagnosis of adnexal masses. And we questioned whether the serum VEGF levels are related to cancer stages and prognosis of patients. METHODS: Serum samples were taken from 85 patients; healthy women(n=15), the patients with benign ovarian cyst(n=36), and the patients with ovarian cancer(n=34). The concentration of VEGF, CA-125, and CA 19-9 were determined in the serum of each patients before and after treatment with an enzyme linked immunoassay(EIA), RESULTS: There are statistical differences among the serum VEGF levels in patients with ovarian cancer(491.5+/-335.6 pg/ml), and benign ovarian cyst (247.7+/-183.6 pg/ml)(p<0.05). The patients undergoing cancer therapy had lower values than those without cancer therapy(p<0.05). The serum VEGF levels were not correlated with the cancer stages and histologic types(p>0.05) CONCLUSION: The serum VEGF level appears to be a helpful tool in the differential diagnosis of ovarian cancer and may help in predicting the therapeutic effects of patients with ovarian cancer.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Ovarian Cysts ; Ovarian Neoplasms* ; Prognosis ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*

OBJECTIVES: The TGF-Beta1 (transforming growth factor-Beta1 ), which has been shown to inhibit cellular proliferation in vitro as a growth regulator, has been demonstrated to enhance tumori-genicity in vivo. The proteolytic processes of cancer are thought to be the crucial point in tumor invasion and metastasis, mainly by matrix metalloproteinases.(MMPs) We investigated the serum TGF-Beta1 and MMP-2 levels in patients with cervical cancer in contrast to those of normal, patients with benign myoma, and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). And we questioned whether these serum levels are different according to the therapy of cancer or not. METHODS: We measured serum TGF-Beta1, MMP-2 concentrations by ELISA in 34 patients with cervical cancer, as well as 5 normal volunteers, 14 patients with benign myoma and 23 patients with CIN. Especially in 7 patients with cervical cancer, we measured serum TGF-Beta1, MMP-2 levels before and after therapy. RESULTS: The serum TGF-Beta1 levels in patients with cervical lancer(37.8 +/-15.4pg/ml) were significantly lower than those of the patients with CIN(46.2+/-9.2pg/ml)(p<0.05). But there is no differences among the serum MMP-2 levels in the patients with cervical cancers(680.30+/-116.6pg/ml), CIN(715.2+/-150.0pg/ml), and benign myoma(682.4+/-112.5pg/ml)(p>0.05). Patients undergoing cancer therapy did not have different values of serum TCF-Beta1 and MMP-2 levels as those without cancer therapy.(p>0.05) CONCLUSION: So we suggest that serum TGF-Beta1 may be helpful in differential diagnosing cervical cancers from CIN.
Cell Proliferation ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Myoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

In comparison with normal cervix, mitosis occur more frequently in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) and are seen at high levels, suggesting that CIN may be associated with a progressive dysfunction in proliferative activity of cervical cells. This study aims that expression of proliferative cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) was examined to determine proliferative activity at the cell of CIN. Sixty four colposcopic biopsies from patients with cytologically and/or colposcopically dtagnosed condyloma and CIN. The cases were classified as follows ; 19 as normal cervix and condyloma, 15 as CIN I, 16 as CIN II and 14 as CIN III. Immunohistochemical detection of PCNA was performed on paraffin sections by the streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method using the monoclonal antibody PC10. There was a statisically significant correlation between the CIN grade and the PCNA grade(p<0.05). In addition, the PCNA grade showed significant correlation with mitotic grade(p<0.05) and the CIN grade was also observed(p<0.05). This study suggests that the cell proliferation index as detected immunohistochemically using PCNA may be a useful adjunct to histopathological diagnosis of various grades of CIN.
Biopsy ; Cell Proliferation ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia* ; Cervix Uteri ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Mitosis ; Paraffin ; Peroxidase ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Microcomputers* ; Stomach Neoplasms*

OBJECTIVE: SCC-Ag(Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen) is a tumor marker for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. It has shown that the SCC-Ag was well related with the response of cancer therapy and course of cervical cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the presence of pelvic lymph node metstasis can be predicted by the measurement of the preoperative SCC-Ag levels in the patients with early staged squamous cell carcinoma of cervix. METHODS: The preoperative serum SCC-Ag levels were measured in 45 patients with stage I-II squamous cell carcinoma of cervix undergoing radical hysterectomy from September 1995 to December 1997. The serum SCC-Ag levels were analyzed for the clinicopathologic characteristics and other prognostic factors using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The serum SCC-Ag levels of the patients exhibited pelvic lymph node metastasis were above 4.8ng/ml. An elevated preoperative serum SCC-Ag level, and tumor size were independent predictors for the presence of lymph node metastasis(p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The determination of the preoperative serum SCC-Ag levels provides a new prognostic factor in early staged cervical cancer.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Cervix Uteri ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Lymph Nodes ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging in determining the metastatic lymph nodes in uterine cervical carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty nine patients with histologically proven cervical carcinoma underwent Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging. One hundred and thirty-eight pelvic regions(69 right,69 left) in 69 patients were analyzed for lymph node metastases. Pelvic lymph nodes were considered to be abnormal if they were greater than lcm in diameter and were enhanced on postcontrast T1 weighted images. RESULTS: Metastatic lymph nodes were found in 22 pelvic regions by surgicopathologic examinations. On MR imaging there were 14 true positives, 106 true negatives, 10 false positives and 8 false negatives. Gd-DTPA enhanced MR image had an accuracy of 86.9%, a sensitivity of 58.3%, a specificity of 91.4%, a positive predictive value of 58.3% and negative predictive value of 92.9% in evaluation of pelvic lymph node metastases. CONCLUSION: MR imaging with contrast enhancement may be useful in the evaluation of pelvic lymph node metastases in patients with uterine cervical carcinoma.
Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pelvis ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: To describe the MR features of intraspinal cysticercosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records and MR images of four cases of intraspinal cysticercosis were retrospectively reviewed. The MR findings were described with regard to the location and signal intensity of the lesions, contrast enhancement, presence or absence of associated intracranial cysticerci, and other findings. RESULTS: There were three cases of subarachnoidal form and one case of intramedullary form. Cysticerci of subarachnoidal form in three cases were located in retromedullary space at C2 level, anterior to cord at C1 -C6 levels, and lumbosacral area, respectively. The signal intensities of the lesions were same as those of CSF. Localized arachnoidal enhancement was found in all three cases. In one case there was a large area of high signal intensity within the spinal cord on T2 weighted image suggesting either ischemia secondary to vascular compromise or inflammatory edema. All of these three cases accompanied intracranial cysticercosis. Intramedullary cysticercosis in one case was shown as a single I cm cystic lesion at C2 level, which showed hypointense signal on T1 weighted image, hyperintense signal on T2-weighted image, and signet-ring-like enhancement. This lesion did not accompany intracranial cysticerci. CONCLUSION: lntraspinal cysticercosis manifested as single or multiple cysts within either spinal cord or subarachnoid space, and were frequently associated with arachnoiditis.
Arachnoid ; Arachnoiditis ; Cysticercosis* ; Edema ; Ischemia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Medical Records ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Cord ; Subarachnoid Space

No abstract available.
Catheterization* ; Catheters* ; Edema* ; Subclavian Vein* ; Upper Extremity*

OBJECTIVES: Angiogenesis takes place during both physiological and pathological processes, such as tumor development. Basic FGF is one of angiogenic factors. We investigated the serum and urine bFGF levels in patients with cervical cancer in contrast to those of normal control group to assess whether the serum and urine bFGF levels are useful markers to predict therapeutic effects of the patients with cervical cancer. METHODS: We measured serum and urine bFGF concentrations by ELISA in 28 patients with cervical cancer, as well as 25 normal volunteers and 38 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Especially in 22 patients with cervical cancer, we measured serum bFGF levels before and after radiotherapy or radical hysterectomy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: There were statistical differences among the serum bFGF levels in patients with cervical cancer (28.6+/-30.4 pg/ml), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (8.8+/-11.3 pg/ml), and normal control group (5.2+/-6.2 pg/ml) (p<0.05). Patients undergoing cancer therapy had lower values than those without cancer therapy (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum bFGF may help in diagnosing and predicting the therapeutic effects of the patients with cervical cancer. So we suggest that serum bFGF may be useful as a dignostic and prognostic factor in cervical cancers.
Angiogenesis Inducing Agents ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Drug Therapy ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Pathologic Processes ; Radiotherapy ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

The carpal injury is difficult to diagnose due to anatomical complexity and the like. So, in order to get radiological knowledge of normal wrist, the authors measured the values which will be described on the wrist PA and lateral roengenogram obtained from 440 normal wrists(male : 188 cases, female : 252 cases) in randomly selected patients. The following results were obtained. l. Ulnar variance(mm±standard deviation): Total 1.1±1.2 : negative variance : 9.3%, positive variance : 56.1%, 2. Scapholunate Gap(mm±standard deviation): Total 0.4±0.7, 3. Ulnar Tilt(degrees±standard deviation): Total 23.6±5.3, 4. Volar Tilt, 5. Carpal height rstio : Total 0.52±0.05 male 0.53±0.04 female 0.51±0.05 : Total 13.1±5.9, 6. Carpal ulnsr distance ratio Total 0.05±0.05, 7. Scapholunate Angle : Total 49.9'±10.1', 8. Capitatolunate Angle Total 17.5'±10.0', 9. Radiolunate Angle Total 8.8'±6.7', 10. Carpal width ratio Total 0.72±0.08 11. Carpal thickness ratio Total 0.49±0.07.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Wrist