Pulmonary carcinosarcoma(Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung) is a rare pulmonary malignancy, which is defined as having an admixtture of both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. Pulmonary carcinosarcoma occurs most frequentlly in males between 50 and 80 years of age. It predominantly affects the upper lobe and/or the principal bronchi, and is associated with a history of smoking. Here, we report a case of pulmonary carcinosarcoma with a left lobe atelectasis due to an endobronchial mass in a 56-year-old male. After a left pneumonectomy, the pathologic stage was IIb (T3N0M0). Four months later, an abdominal mass was observed and exploratory laparotomy revealed metastases of the pulmonary carcinosarcoma to the pelvic cavity.
Bronchi ; Carcinosarcoma* ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pneumonectomy* ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Smoke ; Smoking

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology of non ulcer dyspepsia remains unknown. But Several related factors have been investigated and psychologic factor is one of the possible mechanism. Alexithymia was introduced to explain the psychopathology of psychosomatic disorder. Until now alexithymia has been variously shown to be associated with many psychosomatic disorder, psychiatric disorder, even medical patients. This study is designed to investigate whether non ulcer dyspepsia has more relationship with alexithymia than other illness. METHODS: To compare alexithymia tendency between non ulcer dyspepsia and general medical patients, we collected sample from January to September 1999. Each group of 72 patients were tested using Toronto Alexithymia Scale. RESULTS: A rate of 37.5% of alexithymia was found in the non ulcer dyspepsia group compared with significant lower rate of 19.4% in the general medical patients group. CONCLUSION: Non ulcer dyspepsia patients had more alexithymia compare to general medical patients. This finding shows the alexithymia could be part of the pathophysiology of non ulcer dyspepsia.
Affective Symptoms* ; Dyspepsia* ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Psychopathology ; Psychophysiologic Disorders ; Ulcer*

No abstract available.
Foot* ; Hand*

No abstract avaiable.
Glucose* ; Homeostasis*

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of localized resectable genitourinary sarcomas in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September, 1996 and November, 2008, 18 consecutive cases of adults (12 men and 6 women; median age 48.8 years) who were treated for primary genitourinary sarcomas were identified. The following variables were analyzed: patient age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, primary organ, tumor histology, size, necrosis, Federation Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer (FNCLCC) grade, and surgical margin positivity. Recurrence-free survival and disease-specific survival were the study end-points. RESULTS: The most common presenting symptom was a palpable mass (six cases, 33.3%), the most common site was the kidney (six cases, 33.3%), and the most common histological subtype was leiomyosarcoma (eight patients, 44.4%). Complete resection with negative surgical margins was achieved in 13 patients (72.2%). The median follow-up period was 49.9 months (range 6.4 to 147.6). The recurrence-free survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 81.6%, 66.5%, and 66.5%, respectively. Recurrence-free survival only associated significantly with ASA score (p=0.018). The disease-specific survival rate at 1, 3, and 5 years was 88.9%, 76.2%, and 67.7%, respectively. Disease-specific survival was associated significantly only with FNCLCC grade (p=0.042). CONCLUSION: Although genitourinary sarcomas in adults are a rare group of tumors with a poor prognosis, some patients may have a favorable prognosis. Our findings suggest that FNCLCC grade is the most important prognostic factor for these patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Grading ; Prognosis ; Republic of Korea ; Sarcoma/metabolism/pathology/*surgery ; Urogenital Neoplasms/metabolism/pathology/*surgery ; Young Adult

Adult intussusception is rare involving of only 1% of the causes of bowel obstruction. We report a case of a 39-year-old female with intussusceptions due to inverted Meckel's diverticulum. She visited our hospital for diffuse abdominal pain during 1 week and aggravated abdominal pain for 2 days. Vital signs were stable, and there was periumbilical tenderness. She had no history of abdominal operation. CT scan showed a 3.7x2.1 cm of fatty mass with focal intussusception in the distal ileum. When the emergency operation was performed, the patient was found to be suffering from ileocolic intussusception. A manual reduction of intussusception showed inverted Meckel's deverticulum at 65 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve, and the segmental resection of small bowel including a Meckel's diverticulum was performed. Pathologic examination revealed a Meckel's diverticulum containing a 0.6x0.6 cm sized aberrant pancreas.
Abdominal Pain ; Adult ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Ileocecal Valve ; Ileum ; Intussusception ; Meckel Diverticulum ; Pancreas ; Stress, Psychological ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to assess propofol as sedative agents for colonoscopy in the safety and efficacy, compared with midazolam plus meperidine. METHODS: 120 patients undergoing colonoscopy in a prospective study were randomly assigned to one of three medication regimens. Patients in group A (n=42) received i.v. 25 mg of meperidine and 2.5 mg of midazolam. Patients in group B (n=41) received i.v. a median dose of 96.59 mg of propofol (range 40-180) and patients in group C (n=37) received i.v. 25 mg of meperidine and a median dose of 77.03 mg of propofol (range 40-150), administered by a nurse with endoscopist supervision. Endpoints were patient satisfaction, procedure and recovery times and complications. RESULTS: The mean time to sedation was much faster in 2 groups using propofol (group A: 152+/-105.9 sec, group B: 52.9+/-46.5 sec, group C: 56+/-63.7sec; p<0.001). The mean time to reach the cecum was not different among the 3 groups. There were total 3 episodes of oxygen desaturation to <90%, as one in each group, but the patients were spontaneously recovered with only increasing O2 concentration and arousal. Patients in group C expressed better overall mean satisfaction than patients in group A (p=0.049), but difference was not found between group A and group B. The amnestic effect was better in two groups using propofol than group A (p=0.017) The mean dose of propofol was lower in the patients who received propofol combined with low dose of meperidine than those with propofol only (77.03 mg vs 96.59 mg, p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Nurse-administered propofol sedation with endoscopist supervision is believed to be safe and useful for colonoscopy with careful monitoring.
Arousal ; Cecum ; Colonoscopy ; Conscious Sedation* ; Humans ; Meperidine ; Midazolam ; Organization and Administration ; Oxygen ; Patient Satisfaction ; Propofol* ; Prospective Studies*

Primary mesenteric carcinoid tumor is very rare, although secondary mesenteric involvement is common, reported as 40% to 80%. And distant metastasis rate reported as 80% to 90%, when the size is larger than 2 cm. We present a case of very rare primary mesenteric carcinoid tumor showing benign character though large size. The patient visited St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea with increasing palpable abdominal mass. At laparotomy, a well encapsulated mass arising from the mesentery near the ligament of Treitz was found without any adjacent organ invasion or distant metastasis. The mass was measured as 8.2 x 7.3 cm and histopathologically benign character. At 11 months of follow up, the patient was recurrence free.
Carcinoid Tumor ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Korea ; Laparotomy ; Ligaments ; Mesentery ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Recurrence

PURPOSE: The effect of PTK inhibitors (herbimycin A and genistein) on the induction of radiation-induce d apoptosis in Ph-positive K562 leukemia cell line was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: K562 cells in exponential growth phase were irradiated with a linear accelerator at room temperature. For 6 MV X-ray irradiation and drug treatment, cultures were initiated at 2x10' cells/mL. The cells were irradiated with 10 Gy. Stock solutions of herbimycin A and genistein were prepared in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). After incubation at 37C for 0-48 h, the extent of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis and TUNEL assay. The progression of cells throughth the cel l cycle after irradiation and drug treatment was also determined with flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to monitor bcl-2, bcl-X and bax protein levels. RESULTS: Treatment with 10 Gy X-irradiation did not result in the induction of apoptosis. The HMA alone (500 nM) also failed to induce apoptosis. By contrast, incubation of K562 cells with HMA after irradiation resulted in a substantial induction of nuclear condensation and fragmentation by agarose gel electro-phoresis and TUNEL assay. Genistein failed to enhance the ability of X-irradiation to induce DN A fragmentation. Enhancement of apoptosis by H MA was not attributable to downregulation of the bcl-2 or bcl-X anti-apoptotic proteins. When the cells were irradiated and maintained with HMA, the percentage cf cells in G2/M phase decreased to 30-40% at 48 h. On the other hand, cells exposed to 10 Gy X-irradiation alone or maintained with genistein did not show marked cell cycle redistribution. CONCLUSION: We have shown that nanomolar concentrations of the PTK inhibitor HMA synergize with X-irradiation in inducing the apoptosis in Ph (+) K562 leukemia cell line. While, genistein, a PTK inhibitor which is not selective for p2 10""'' failed to enhance the radiation induced apoptosis in K562 cells. It is unlikely that the ability of HMA to enhance apoptosis in K562 cells is attributable to bcl-2 family. It is plausible that the relationship between cell cycle delays and cell death is essential for drug development based on molecular targeting designed to modify radiation-induced apoptosis.
Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins ; Apoptosis* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Death ; Cell Line ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; Down-Regulation ; Electrophoresis, Agar Gel ; Flow Cytometry ; Genistein ; Hand ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; K562 Cells* ; Leukemia ; Particle Accelerators ; Sepharose

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to observe the pattern of methylation of the p16INK4a and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) genes and the p16 and hTERT protein expressions in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. In addition, we evaluated the relationship between the methylation status of the two genes and their protein expressions. METHODS: We performed methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and immunohistochemical staining in 63 breast cancer specimens. RESULTS: There was no statistical association between p16INK4a gene methylation and the histological grade (tumor grade, tumor size and lymph node status). Methylation of the hTERT promoter did show significant differences according to the histological tumor grade and tumor size, but there was no clinical significance. Methylation of the p16INK4a and hTERT genes was found in 22.2% and 31.8% of the specimens, respectively. A negative p16 protein expression (0-10% expression rate) was observed in 38.1% of the specimens (24 of 63). A positive hTERT expression (more than a 25% expression rate) was observed in 73.0% of the specimens (46 of 63). There was no statistical significance in the relationship between the methylation status and the protein expression. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that methylation of the p16 and hTERT genes is not associated with their protein expressions according to Immunohistochemisty. There seemed to be another complicated mechanism for p16 inactivation and hTERT activation in breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Genes, p16 ; Humans* ; Lymph Nodes ; Methylation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Telomerase