Prostatic carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States in men. Prostatic carcinoma in Korean men is uncommon and accounts for less than 1% of total cancer: however, the incidence of prostatic carcinoma is continuously increasing. Several clinicopathologic parameters including stage, Gleason score, and serum PSA level have been widely accepted as well established prognostic factors. To study the clinicopathologic features of prostatic carcinoma in Korean men, 58 cases of prostatic carcinoma, which were diagnosed on radical prostatectony specimens at Asan Medical Center from Jan. 1993 to June 1998 (1993; 3 cases, 1994; 3, 1995; 6, 1996; 12, 1997; 24, 1998; 10), were evaluated. The prostatic carcinomas were divided into three groups according to Gleason score. Tumors with Gleason score 6 or lower, 7, and 8 to 10 were categorized as low-grade, intermediate-grade and high-grade tumor, respectively. The overall mean age of the patients was 62.6 years (range, 4 6~76 years); mean age was 65.4, 62.8 and 61.1 in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor, respectively (p>0.05). The overall mean serum PSA level was 38.6 ng/ml (range, 0.3~276.0 ng/ml); mean serum PSA level was 17.0, 29.0 and 60.9 ng/ml in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor, respectively (p=0.002). The mean T stage was 2.3, 2.4 and 3.1 in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor (p=0.001). The percentage of positive resection margin was 33.3, 50.0 and 91.0 % in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor (p=0.001). The overall presence of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) was 79.3 %; percentage of the presence of PIN was 100, 79.2 and 68.2 % in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor (p>0.05). As reported in the literature, our results indicated that Gleason score was a good predictor of stage and prognosis. The higher Gleason score, the more cases were with positive surgical margins, advanced pathologic stage, and high serum PSA level (p<0.05).
Adenocarcinoma* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Neoplasm Grading ; Prognosis ; Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; United States

Prostatic carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States in men. Prostatic carcinoma in Korean men is uncommon and accounts for less than 1% of total cancer: however, the incidence of prostatic carcinoma is continuously increasing. Several clinicopathologic parameters including stage, Gleason score, and serum PSA level have been widely accepted as well established prognostic factors. To study the clinicopathologic features of prostatic carcinoma in Korean men, 58 cases of prostatic carcinoma, which were diagnosed on radical prostatectony specimens at Asan Medical Center from Jan. 1993 to June 1998 (1993; 3 cases, 1994; 3, 1995; 6, 1996; 12, 1997; 24, 1998; 10), were evaluated. The prostatic carcinomas were divided into three groups according to Gleason score. Tumors with Gleason score 6 or lower, 7, and 8 to 10 were categorized as low-grade, intermediate-grade and high-grade tumor, respectively. The overall mean age of the patients was 62.6 years (range, 4 6~76 years); mean age was 65.4, 62.8 and 61.1 in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor, respectively (p>0.05). The overall mean serum PSA level was 38.6 ng/ml (range, 0.3~276.0 ng/ml); mean serum PSA level was 17.0, 29.0 and 60.9 ng/ml in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor, respectively (p=0.002). The mean T stage was 2.3, 2.4 and 3.1 in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor (p=0.001). The percentage of positive resection margin was 33.3, 50.0 and 91.0 % in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor (p=0.001). The overall presence of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) was 79.3 %; percentage of the presence of PIN was 100, 79.2 and 68.2 % in low, intermediate and high-grade tumor (p>0.05). As reported in the literature, our results indicated that Gleason score was a good predictor of stage and prognosis. The higher Gleason score, the more cases were with positive surgical margins, advanced pathologic stage, and high serum PSA level (p<0.05).
Adenocarcinoma* ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Neoplasm Grading ; Prognosis ; Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; United States

BACKGROUND: The histogenesis and interrelationship of the various types of germ cell tumors (GCTs) have been proposed. Dysgerminoma/seminoma (D/S) is a primitive GCT that has not acquired the potential for further differentiation, whereas other types of GCTs are in a dynamic process of differentiation towards a somatic or extraembryonal direction. A primordial germ cell giving rise to a GCT undergoes a developmentally regulated erasure and resetting of imprinted genes, but changes in the imprinting pattern in GCTs as the tumor differentiates have not been well defined. We aimed to investigate the changes of the SNRPN methylation pattern between the germinomas and non-germinomatous GCTs, as compared with the somatic methylation pattern. METHODS: We used formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 97 GCTs (18 Ds, 21 Ss, 17 yolk sac tumors (YSTs), 19 immature teratomas, and 22 mature teratomas). DNA methylation was evaluated after bisulfite modification, PCR amplification, and restriction enzyme digestion. RESULTS: The SNRPN methylation pattern was changed in 53/74 (71.6%) of GCTs as non-somatic patterns. There were significant differences in the methylation pattern between the germinomas and non-germinomatous GCTs, the GCTs being frequently hypo- methylated in Ds/Ss (73.3%), in contrast to the frequent hypermethylation seen in the YSTs and teratomas (47.7%, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The methylation status of an imprinting gene may be involved in the mechanism causing cellular differentiation and tumorigenesis of GCTs.
Carcinogenesis ; Digestion ; DNA Methylation ; Endodermal Sinus Tumor ; Genomic Imprinting ; Germ Cells* ; Germinoma ; Humans* ; Methylation* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear* ; snRNP Core Proteins ; Teratoma

A 18 year-old man presented with dyspnea and a swelling of the neck. On physical examination, maculopapular rashes were noted on the face and the whole body and crepitus was noted at the thorax and upper arms. His chest X-ray showed bilateral interstitial infiltrates of the lung, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema. On serologic examination, measles IgM was positive. Under the diagnosis of measles pneumonia, the patient was treated with oral ribavirin, which resulted in a complete resolution of the pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, pneumonic infiltrate, and subjective symptoms of dyspnea and swelling of the neck in 7 days. Here we report this case with a brief review of the relevant literature.
Adolescent* ; Arm ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Exanthema ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; Lung ; Measles* ; Mediastinal Emphysema* ; Neck ; Physical Examination ; Pneumonia* ; Ribavirin ; Subcutaneous Emphysema* ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Classification* ; Leukemia*

Cone-beam digital tomosynthesis (CBDT) has greatly been paid attention in the image-guided radiation therapy because of its attractive advantages such as low patient dose and less motion artifact. Image quality of tomograms is, however, dependent on the imaging conditions such as the scan angle (beta(scan)) and the number of projection views. In this paper, we describe the principle of CBDT based on filtered-backprojection technique and investigate the optimization of imaging conditions. As a system performance, we have defined the figure-of-merit with a combination of signal difference-to-noise ratio, artifact spread function and floating-point operations which determine the computational load of image reconstruction procedures. From the measurements of disc phantom, which mimics an impulse signal and thus their analyses, it is concluded that the image quality of tomograms obtained from CBDT is improved as the scan angle is wider than 60 degrees with a larger step scan angle (Delta beta). As a rule of thumb, the system performance is dependent on . If the exact weighting factors could be assigned to each image-quality metric, we would find the better quantitative imaging conditions.
Artifacts ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Radiotherapy, Image-Guided ; Thumb

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*pathology ; Cholangiocarcinoma/*pathology ; Female ; Human ; Liver Neoplasms/*pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/*pathology

Immunoglobulin G4-related systemic disease (IgG4-RSD) is a recently defined emerging entity characterized by a diffuse or mass forming inflammatory reaction rich in IgG4-positive plasma cells associated with fibrosclerosis and obliterative phlebitis. IgG4-RSD usually affects middle aged and elderly patients, with a male predominance. It is associated with an elevated serum titer of IgG4, which acts as a marker for this recently characterized entity. The prototype is IgG4-related sclerosing pancreatitis or autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). Other common sites of involvement are the hepatobiliary tract, salivary gland, orbit, and lymph node, however practically any organ can be involved, including upper aerodigestive tract, lung, aorta, mediastinum, retroperitoneum, soft tissue, skin, central nervous system, breast, kidney, and prostate. Fever or constitutional symptoms usually do not comprise part of the clinical picture. Laboratory findings detected include raised serum globulin, IgG and IgG4. An association with autoantibody detection (such as antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor) is seen in some cases. Steroid therapy comprises the mainstay of treatment. Disease progression with involvement of multiple organ-sites may be encountered in a subset of cases and may follow a relapsing-remitting course. The principal histopathologic findings in several extranodal sites include lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, lymphoid follicle formation, sclerosis and obliterative phlebitis, along with atrophy and destruction of tissues. Immunohistochemical staining shows increased IgG4+ cells in the involved tissues (>50 per high-power field, with IgG4/IgG ratio >40%). IgG4-RSD may potentially be rarely associated with the development of lymphoma and carcinoma. However, the nature and pathogenesis of IgG4-RSD are yet to be fully elucidated and provide immense scope for further studies.
Autoimmune Diseases/*immunology ; Cholangitis, Sclerosing/*immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*immunology ; Lacrimal Apparatus/immunology ; Lymphatic Diseases/*immunology ; Pancreatitis, Chronic/*immunology ; Salivary Glands/immunology ; Sclerosis/immunology

Although the liposarcoma is a common malignant mesenchymal tumor of the retroperitoneum, its occurrence in the kidney is very rare. A few cases involving only the renal parenchyma have been reported. The histologic features of these cases are not different from those of other body sites. We report a case of pleomorphic liposarcoma arising in the kidney of a 36-year-old man. He had been suffering from pain in the right flank for two weeks. A computed tomographic scan demonstrated a large mass in the right kidney. He underwent a radical nephrectomy under the clinical impression of renal cell carcinoma. There was a 11 cm-sized well demarcated solid mass in the lower pole of the right kidney. Microscopically, the tumor consisted of pleomorphic spindle and epithelioid cells with focal areas showing distinct adipocytic differentiation and geographic necrosis. A few diagnostic lipoblasts were present. Despite extensive search on samples, no carcinomatous component was found. Immunohistochemically, all of the tumor cells were negative for cytokeratin but positive for vimentin. Lipoblasts were positive for S-100 protein as well as for vimentin. When the kidney tumor is exclusively sarcomatous, a generous sampling with proper immunohistochemical staining is recommended to differentiate a primary sarcoma of the kidney from a sarcomatoid carcinoma.
Adult ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; Epithelioid Cells ; Humans ; Keratins ; Kidney* ; Liposarcoma* ; Necrosis ; Nephrectomy ; S100 Proteins ; Sarcoma ; Vimentin

PURPOSE: Ticlopidine, which has platelet inhibitory property, is currently used in peripheral arterial obstructive disease, ischemic stroke, and coronary artery disease. It is also known to have antiangiogenesis effect. We studied the effect of ticlopidine on rabbit corneal angiogenesis induced by VEGF. METHODS: In control group, a hydron pellet containing 300ng VEGF and phosphate buffered saline(PBS) was implanted intrastromally in the superior cornea. In treatment group, a hydron pellet containing 300ng VEGF and 375micro gram ticlopidine was implanted as the same manner. At 3, 5, and 7 day after implantation, we examined corneas under the microscope and estimated the angiogenesis score. RESULTS: At 5 and 7 day after implantation, ticlopidine-treated group had mean angiogenesis score of 27.9 and 49.1(p=0.014, independent t-test), while control group scored 13.0 and 25.3(p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In a rabbit corneal pocket assay, ticlopidine appears to have inhibitory effect on VEGF-induced corneal angiogenesis.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases ; Blood Platelets ; Cornea ; Corneal Neovascularization* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Stroke ; Ticlopidine* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A*