PURPOSE: Cancer staging is essential in clinical cancer practice in medical and surgical oncology. Staging based on the guidelines of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) is the most popular and is widely used in clinical fields. Early this year, the 7th edition of the AJCC cancer staging manual was published. I have compared and described the changes in the new edition from the older version to facilitate staging in clinical settings, especially for liver and intrahepatic bile duct malignancies. METHODS: On the basis of the new 2010 edition of the 7th AJCC TNM cancer staging manual, I have compared hepatobiliary malignancy in Chapter 18, liver malignancy and intrahepatic bile duct malignancy in Chapter 19. RESULTS: One of the major changes in the 7th AJCC manual compared to the 6th AJCC staging manual published in 2002 is separation of the Liver and Intrahepatic bile duct cancer chapters. In the previous edition, intrahepatic bile duct cancer was included in the liver malignancy chapter. CONCLUSION: There are no universal and permanent staging systems for cancer. The staging systems are ever changing to adjust for changes in treatment and prognosis of malignancies. We need to collect data in order to modify the staging correctly in collaboration with multi-institutional efforts to reduce biases in staging liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancers.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Collodion ; Cooperative Behavior ; Joints ; Liver ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prognosis

We analyzed the prostate cancer data of 317 Korean men with clinically localized prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy at Asan Medical Center between June 1990 and November 2003 to construct nomograms predicting the pathologic stage of these tumors, and compared the outcome with preexisting nomograms. Multinomial log-linear regression was performed for the simultaneous prediction of organ-confined disease (OCD), extracapsular extension (ECE), seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) using serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score and clinical stage. Nomograms representing percent probabilities were constructed and compared with those presented by Partin et al. by calculating areas under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. Median serum PSA at surgery was 10.8 ng/mL, and median biopsy Gleason score was 7. Overall OCD, ECE, SVI and LNM rates were 59.6%, 20.5%, 11.7% and 8.2%, respectively, and areas under the curves were 0.724, 0.626, 0.662, and 0.794, respectively. Pathologic stage of localized prostate cancer in Korean men may be predicted using the Partin table, with acceptable accuracy for OCD and LNM, but less so for ECE and SVI.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms/blood/ethnology/*pathology ; ROC Curve

PURPOSE: To assess the prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival after salvage radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1990 and 2003, 20 patients underwent RT for biochemical failure after a radical prostatectomy (prostate-specific antigen; PSA>0.2ng/ml). The biochemical failure developed at a mean of 17.3 months (3-58) after the RP, and the mean PSA level at failure was 0.62ng/ml (0.4-1.0). All patients received curative radiation (mean dosage 64.5Gy); with a mean follow-up of 42.7 months after the RT. The pre-RT clinical and pathological parameters were evaluated to find prognostic factors affecting the biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS) after RT. RESULTS: The mean time to RT from biochemical failure was 5.1 months (1-21), with a mean PSA level at the commencement of RT of 1.39ng/ml (0.36-6.70). In 18 patients, the serum PSA declined to an undetectable level, at a mean of 4.9 months (1-12) after RT. Of these, 8 (44.4%) showed a biochemical relapse, at a mean of 19.3 months (1-38). The actuarial 1, 3 and 5-year bRFS were 75.0, 48.5 and 39.0%, respectively. The bRFS was significantly increased with an interval to RT after failure of within 3 months (p=0.002) and the PSA level at RT was below 0.7ng/ml (p=0.036). No other clinicopathological factors had a significant influence. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage RT for biochemical failure provides effective local tumor control, with a modest durable biochemical response. A more favorable outcome may be expected when the RT is instituted earlier, with a lower PSA level after failure.
Biochemistry ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy* ; Recurrence ; Treatment Failure

PURPOSE: Gallbladder cancer had poor prognosis because it is usually detected at a late stage. Some GB polyps are diagnosed as cancerous on the postoperative pathology. Because of the significance of the early detection of the cancer, the relationship between GB polyp and cancer is important. METHODS: From January 1994 to May, 2004, 94 cases of GB polypoid lesions were identified and diagnosed after cholecystectomy was performed at the Korea University Medical Center Anam hospital. The pateints' age, gender, the symptoms and signs, the diagnostic tools, the operative methods and the histopathologic findings were investigated. RESULTS: For the 94 patients, the mean age was 50.3+/-13.1 years and there were 42 males (44.7%). 92 patients were evaluated by abdominal ultrasonography, and it had a sensitivity of 72.8%. On the histopathologic results, there were 76 cases of benign polyps and 18 cases of malignant polyps. The diameter of the malignant polyps was 17.3+/-8.5 mm and the diameter of the benign polyps was 6.4+/-3.0 mm, so the malignant polyps were larger than the benign polyps. The mean age of the malignant polyp group was 62.6+/-14.2 years and the mean age of the benign polyp group was 47.1+/-11.1. The patients of the malignant polyp group were older than the patients of the benign polyp group. 19 GB polyps were greater than 10 mm in diameter and among them, there were 15 cases of malignant polyps (78.94%). CONCLUSION: The size of the polyps and the patient's age could be risk factors for malignant polyps, and the malignant potential was high for the polyps that exceeded 10 mm and for a patient age that exceeded 60 years. Surgical treatment is recommended for these patients.
Academic Medical Centers ; Cholecystectomy ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Pathology ; Polyps* ; Prognosis ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in gynecological malignancies. Over 70% of ovarian cancer cases are high-grade serous ovarian cancers and have high death rates due to their resistance to chemotherapy. Despite advances in surgical and pharmaceutical therapies, overall survival rates are not good, and making an accurate prediction of the prognosis is not easy because of the highly heterogeneous nature of ovarian cancer. To improve the patient's prognosis through proper treatment, we present a prognostic prediction model by integrating high-dimensional RNA sequencing data with their clinical data through the following steps: gene filtration, pre-screening, gene marker selection, integrated study of selected gene markers and prediction model building. These steps of the prognostic prediction model can be applied to other types of cancer besides ovarian cancer.
Drug Therapy ; Filtration ; Mortality ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; RNA ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: We mapped the location of prostate cancer in Korean men, and investigated the volume and tumor distribution in relation to clinicopathological variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The volume of cancer and the anatomic location of each tumor foci were determined from 186 radical prostatectomy specimens, which were digitized to fit into a prototype prostate model. Using the computer-based digital images, the zonal cancer volume and distributional frequency were analyzed with respect to the clinical and pathological parameters, which were demonstrated in gray scales. RESULTS: The preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level ranged from 2.0 to 38.9ng/ml. The mean cancer volume of the 186 specimens was 4.5ml (median 1.9ml, range 0.01-37.7). The impalpable cancers were located more anteriorly and in the transition zone, and were also were smaller in volume (2.7ml vs. 5.5ml, p=0.004) than the palpable cancers. Cancers with seminal vesicle invasion were located more medially in the peripheral zone, and were larger in volume than organ-confined cancers or cancers with extracapsular extension (13.2ml vs. 3.0ml, p<0.001). For Gleason scores of 2-6, 7, and 8-10, the mean cancer volumes were 2.2, 3.7 and 8.2ml, respectively (p<0.001). High grade cancers were located more medially in the peripheral zone, especially when approaching the apex. CONCLUSIONS: T1c cancers are located more anteriorly and in the transition zone; therefore, inclusion of these areas for targeted biopsy may help to improve the detection of cancer in patients with elevated PSA levels and impalpable prostate cancer. A medial location of seminal vesicle invasive cancers may imply an ejaculatory ducts route of invasion rather than a direct extracapsular extension.
Biopsy ; Ejaculatory Ducts ; Fluconazole ; Humans ; Male ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Seminal Vesicles ; Tumor Burden ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: In this multi institutional study, the data of 604 men with clinically localized prostate cancer, who underwent radical prostatectomy, with updated nomograms predicting the pathological stage, were analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prostate biopsies and prostatectomy specimens from men treated with radical prostatectomy, obtained between 1990 and 2003, were included. The patient distribution with respect to clinical stage, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and biopsy Gleason score, as well as final pathological findings, including organ-confined disease (OCD), extracapsular extension (ECE), seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), and lymph node metastasis (LNM), were analyzed for the construction of nomograms representing the percent probabilities of each respective pathological outcome. RESULTS: The median serum PSA at the time of surgery and biopsy Gleason score were 9.9ng/ml and 7, respectively. The preoperative serum PSA was 4ng/ml or less in 38 (6.3%) patients and the tumor was impalpable in 292 (48.2%) of patients. The biopsy Gleason scores were 7 and 8 or higher in 186 (30.7%) and 169 (27.9%), respectively. Throughout the clinical stages and PSA ranges, the Gleason score was 7 or higher in more than 50% of patients, but 8-10 in 20-30%. The overall OCD, ECE, SVI and LNM rates were 57.1, 27.8, 10.9 and 4.2%, respectively. CONCLISIONS: A significantly high proportion of prostate cancers arising in Korean men exhibited poor differentiation, with Gleason scores of 7 or higher, regardless of the clinical stage or initial serum PSA. Updated nomograms acknowledging such characteristics have been developed, which may aid in the treatment planning of these individuals.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Grading ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nomograms* ; Prostate* ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Seminal Vesicles

BACKGROUND: Soman, a potent irreversible acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor, induces delayed neuronal injury by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Midazolam is used in patients with pathologic effects of oxidative stresses such as infection, hemodynamic instability and hypoxia. We investigated whether midazolam protects the Central Nervous System (CNS) from soman intoxication. The present study was performed to determine whether midazolam protects B35 cells from ROS stress for the purpose of exploring an application of midazolam to soman intoxication. METHODS: Glucose oxidase (GOX) induced ROS stress was used in a B35 neuroblastoma cell model of ROS induced neuronal injury. To investigate the effect of midazolam on cell viability, LDH assays and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis was performed. Western blotting was used for evaluating whether Akt-phosphorylation is involved in cell-protective effects of midazolam. RESULTS: GOX derived ROS injury decreased cell viability about 1.6-2 times compared to control; midazolam treatment (5 and 10 microg/ml) dose-dependently increased cell viability during ROS injury. On western blots, Akt-phosphorylation was induced during pretreatment with midazolam; it was diminished during co-treatment with LY-294002, an inhibitor of Akt-phosphorylation. FACS analysis confirmed that the cell protective effect of midazolam is mediated by an anti-apoptotic effect. GOX-induced apoptosis was inhibited by midazolam and the finding was diminished by LY-294002. CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam protects neuronal cells from GOX-induced ROS injury; this effect is mediated by an anti-apoptotic effect through Akt-phosphorylation. This shows that midazolam may be useful in soman intoxication.
Acetylcholinesterase ; Anoxia ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Survival ; Central Nervous System ; Chromones ; Flow Cytometry ; Glucose Oxidase ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Midazolam ; Morpholines ; Neuroblastoma ; Neurons ; Oxidative Stress ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Soman

PURPOSE: The aims are to: (i) display the multidimensional learning curve of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, and (ii) verify the feasibility of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy after learning curve completion by comparing it with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2005 to June 2012, 247 patients who underwent laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (n=136) and totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (n=111) for early gastric cancer were enrolled. Their clinicopathological characteristics and early surgical outcomes were analyzed. Analysis of the totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy learning curve was conducted using the moving average method and the cumulative sum method on 180 patients who underwent totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. RESULTS: Our study indicated that experience with 40 and 20 totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy cases, is required in order to achieve optimum proficiency by two surgeons. There were no remarkable differences in the clinicopathological characteristics between laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy and totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy groups. The two groups were comparable in terms of open conversion, combined resection, morbidities, reoperation rate, hospital stay and time to first flatus (P>0.05). However, totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy had a significantly shorter mean operation time than laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (P<0.01). We also found that intra-abdominal abscess and overall complication rates were significantly higher before the learning curve than after the learning curve (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Experience with 20~40 cases of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy is required to complete the learning curve. The use of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy after learning curve completion is a feasible and timesaving method compared to laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy.
Abdominal Abscess ; Flatulence ; Gastrectomy ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Learning ; Learning Curve ; Length of Stay ; Reoperation ; Stomach Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Enolase is a cytoplasmic enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 2-phosphoglycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate in the glycolytic pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the overexpression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) can serve as a prognostic factor in patients with gastric cancer (GC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: To assess its prognostic value in GC, NSE expression was measured by immunohistochemistry in a clinically annotated tissue microarray comprising of 327 human GC specimens. Cytoplasmic NSE expression was scored from 0 to 4, reflecting the percentage of NSE-positive cells. RESULTS: In terms of histology as per the World Health Organization criteria (P=0.340), there were no differences between the NSE overexpression (NSE-OE) and NSE underexpression (NSE-UE) groups. The NSE-OE group showed a significantly lower rate of advanced GC (P<0.010), lymph node metastasis (P=0.010), advanced stage group (P<0.010), cancer-related death (P<0.010), and cancer recurrence (P<0.010). Additionally, a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the NSE-OE group had longer cumulative survival times than the NSE-UE group (log-rank test, P<0.010). However, there were no significant differences in the serum levels of NSE expression in patients with GC and healthy volunteers (P=0.280). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NSE overexpressing GC tissues showed better prognostic results, implying that NSE could be a candidate biomarker of GC.
Cytoplasm ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Phosphoenolpyruvate ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; World Health Organization