PURPOSE: Although influenza is regarded as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients, vaccine coverage remains poor. We evaluated the immunogenicity of influenza vaccines in colorectal cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 40 colorectal cancer patients who received an influenza vaccine at the Korea Cancer Center Hospital during the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 influenza seasons were analyzed. The blood samples were collected at prevaccination and 30 days post vaccination, and antibody titers were measured using the hemagglutination-inhibition tests. RESULTS: In the 2009-2011 season, the seroprotection rate for H1N1 (94.7%) was significantly higher than that for H3N2 (42.1%) and B (47.3%). The seroconversion rate was 52.6%, 26.3%, and 36.8% for H1N1, H3N2, and B, respectively. Fold increase of geometric mean titer (MFI) was 3.86, 1.49, and 3.33 for H1N1, H3N2, and B, respectively. In the 2010-2011 season, the seroprotection rate for H1N1 (57.1%) was significantly higher than that for H3N2 (52.4%) and B (38.1%). The seroconversion rate was 52.4%, 47.6% and 33.3% for H1N1, H3N2, and B, respectively. MFI was 12.29, 3.62 and 4.27 for H1N1, H3N2, and B, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study cohort showed an acceptable immune response to an influenza vaccine without significant adverse effects, supporting the recommendation for annual influenza vaccination in colorectal cancer patients.
Cohort Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms* ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Influenza Vaccines* ; Influenza, Human* ; Korea ; Mortality ; Seasons ; Vaccination

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most high-risk cancers; however, it has been suggested that estrogen signaling in CRC could have a protective effect. Therefore, we focused on the function of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) among the estrogen receptors in CRC. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of resveratrol via GPER in CRC (RKO and WiDr) cells, CRC cell-derived xenograft models, and organoids (30T and 33T). Resveratrol significantly suppressed cell viability and proliferation in highly GPER-expressing RKO cells compared to that in low GPER-expressing WiDr cells. In xenograft models, resveratrol also delayed tumor growth and exhibited a high survival rate depending on GPER expression in RKO-derived tumors.Furthermore, resveratrol significantly inhibited the viability of organoids with high GPER expression. Additionally, the anticancer effect of resveratrol on CRC showed that resveratrol rapidly responded to GPER, while increasing the expression of p-ERK and Bax and cleaving PARP proteins.

PURPOSE: Among the various stoma complications, the parastomal hernia (PSH) is the most common. Prevention of PSH is very important to improve the quality of life and to prevent further serious complications. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence and the risk factors of PSH. METHODS: From January 2002 and October 2008, we retrospectively reviewed 165 patients who underwent an end colostomy. As a routine oncologic follow-up, abdomino-pelvic computed tomography was used to examine the occurrence of the PSH. The associations of age, sex, body mass index (BMI), history of steroid use and comorbidities to the development of the PSH were analyzed. The median duration of the follow-up was 36 months (0 to 99 months). RESULTS: During follow-up, 50 patients developed a PSH and the 5-year cumulative incidence rate of a PSH, obtained by using the Kaplan-Meier method, was 37.8%. In the multivariate COX analysis, female gender (hazard ratio [HR], 3.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.77 to 6.11; P < 0.0001), age over 60 years (HR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.26 to 4.46; P = 0.01), BMI more than 25 kg/m2 (HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.16; P = 0.04), and hypertension (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.14 to 3.81; P = 0.02) were all independent risk factors for the development of a PSH. CONCLUSION: The 5-year incidence rate of a PSH was 37.8%. The significant risk factors of a PSH were as follows: female gender, age over 60 years, BMI more than 25 kg/m2, and hypertension. Using a prophylactic mesh during colostomy formation might be advisable when the patients have these factors.
Body Mass Index ; Colostomy ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hernia ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in the acute postoperative setting is a syndrome that presents with various symptoms such as microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, fever, renal failure, and change of the patient's mental status. Though most of the previous reports of postoperative TTP have been in conjunction with cardiac or vascular surgery, it has also been reported following orthopedic and abdominal surgeries. We present here a case of a 78 year-old female who was diagnosed with rectal cancer and who developed TTP the 2nd day following her cancer surgery. Because the presentation can be confused with other early postoperative complications, TTP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of the patient who develops unexplained anemia and thrombocytopenia following an abdominal surgery. Awareness of this syndrome is essential because starting plasmapheresis early can be life-saving.
Anemia ; Anemia, Hemolytic ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Orthopedics ; Plasmapheresis ; Postoperative Complications ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic ; Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic ; Rectal Neoplasms ; Renal Insufficiency ; Thrombocytopenia ; Thymine Nucleotides

PURPOSE: Even though the importance of micrometastases (MMS) and isolated tumor cells (ITC) has been brought up by many physicians, its impact on the prognosis in stage II colorectal cancer is uncertain. In this research, we tried to investigate the clinical features of MMS and ITC and to prove any correlation with prognosis. METHODS: The research pool was 124 colorectal cancer patients who underwent a curative resection from April 2005 to November 2009. A total of 2,379 lymph nodes (LNs) were examined, and all retrieved LNs were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining with anti-cytokeratin antibody panel. Clinicopathologic parameters and survival rates were compared based on the presence of MMS or ITC and on the micrometastatic lymph node ratio (mmLNR), which is defined as the number of micrometastatic LNs divided by the number of retrieved LNs. RESULTS: Out of 124 patients (26.6%) 33 were found to have MMS or ITC. There were no significant differences in clinicopathologic features, such as gender, tumor location and size, depth of invasion, histologic grade, except for age (P = 0.04). The three-year disease-free survival rate for the MMS or ITC positive group was 85.7%, and that for MMS and ITC negative group was 92.8% (P = 0.209). The three-year disease-free survival rate for the mmLNR > 0.25 group was 73.3%, and that for the mmLNR < or = 0.25 group was 92.9% (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The presence of MMS or ITC was not closely correlated to the prognosis. However, mmLNR is thought to be a valuable marker of prognosis in cases of stage II colorectal cancer.
Colorectal Neoplasms ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Micrometastasis ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: This current study examined the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with splenic flexure (SF) colon cancer and the association with the surgical outcomes to find the optimal procedure to treat this malady. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 167 operated patients with SF colon cancer were consecutively recruited between 1993 and 2003. The clinicopathological, operative and survival data was reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: For the SF colon cancer patients, the proportion of males was higher than that for the right-sided colon patients or the sigmoid-descending junction & sigmoid (SD & S) colon patients (p< or =0.05, respectively) and the age at the time of diagnosis was younger (p< or =0.05). Obstruction was more frequent in the patients with SF colon cancer than that for the patients with colon cancer at other sites (p< or =0.001). The incidence of mucinous adenocarcinoma for the SF patients was similar to that for the patients with right-sided colon cancer, but it was higher than that for the patients with SD & S colon cancer (11.4% vs. 6.5%, p=0.248 or 2.5%, respectively, p=0.001). Disease-free and overall survival did not differ between the patients who underwent a left hemicolectomy and extended surgery such as combined splenectomy or subtotal colectomy. Multivariate analysis showed that old age (> or =60 years) and a N1-2 and M1 status were the independent risk factors for overall survival. CONCLUSION: The SF colon cancers exhibited exclusively different characteristics as compared to colon cancers at other site colon cancers. It appears that left hemicolectomy was generally sufficient for a satisfactory oncological outcome, obviating concurrent splenectomy.
Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; Colectomy ; Colon ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colon, Transverse ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Splenectomy

OBJECTIVE: In addition to obliterating the aneurysm using clipping or coiling, decompressive surgery for control of rising intracranial pressure (ICP) is thought to be crucial to prevention of adverse outcomes in patients with poor grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients with poor-grade aSAH, and compared outcomes of aneurysmal clipping with simultaneous decompressive surgery to those of coil embolization followed by decompression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 591 patients with aSAH, 70 patients with H-H grade IV and V underwent decompressive surgery including craniectomy, lobectomy, and hematoma removal. We divided the patients into two groups according to clipping vs. coil embolization (clip group vs. coil group), and analyzed outcomes and mortality. RESULTS: Aneurysmal clipping was performed in 40 patients and coil embolization was performed in 30 patients. No significant differences in demographics were observed between the two groups. Middle cerebral artery and posterior circulation aneurysms were more frequent in the clip group. Among 70 patients, mortality occurred in 29 patients (41.4%) and 61 patients (87.1%) had a poor score on the Glasgow outcome scale (scores I-III). No significant difference in mortality was observed between the two groups, but a favorable outcome was more frequent in the coil group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, despite aggressive surgical and endovascular management for elevated ICP, there were high rates of adverse outcomes and mortality in poor-grade aSAH. Despite poor outcomes overall, early coil embolization followed by decompression surgery could lead to more favorable outcomes in patients with poor-grade aSAH.
Aneurysm ; Decompression* ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Demography ; Embolization, Therapeutic* ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Intracranial Pressure ; Microsurgery ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Mortality ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage*

To evaluate the effectiveness of centralizing device, three groups of patients on whom cemented total hip arthroplasty with three types of implant was performed respectively were analyzed and compared; SL stems without centralizing device were used in Group I, Interlok stems with central sleeve in Group II, and MS-30 stems with distal centralizer in Group III .The size of each group was 20. Cement mantle thickness, the amount of displacement of stem tip, and axis alignment of femoral stem on A-P radiograph checked at 2 weeks after operation were assessed. More optimal cement mantle thickness (3~6mm) was achieved in Group II (P=0.046) and Group III (P=0.01) than in Group I. Centralizing effect of the distal femoral stem in the intramedullary canal was significantly better (P<0.05) in Group III ( 4.55% ) than in Group I (11.60%) and Group II (12.35%). Neutral alignment of femoral stem was achieved in 15% of Group I, in 90% of Group II, and in 95% of Group III. Compared to stem without centralizing device, cemented femoral stem with distal centralizer resulted in 1) significantly more centralized distal femoral stem, 2) significantly more neutrally aligned femoral stem,and 3) significantly more optimal cement mantle thickness at zone V. Compared to stem without centralizing device, cemented femoral stem with central sleeve resulted in 1) significantly more neutrally aligned femoral stem, and 2) significantly more optimal cement mantle thickness at zone VI.
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Humans

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) according to the method of appendiceal stump closure. Methods: Patients who underwent LA for appendicitis between 2010 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified into locking polymeric clip (LPC) and loop ligature (LL) groups. Clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Results: LPC and LL were used in 188 (56.6%) and 144 patients (43.4%), respectively for appendiceal stump closure. No significant differences were observed in sex, age, comorbidities, and the severity of appendicitis between the groups. The median operative time was shorter in the LPC group than in the LL group (64.5 minutes vs. 71.5 minutes, P=0.027). The median hospital stay was longer in the LL group than in the LPC group (4 days vs. 3 days, P=0.020). Postoperative incidences of intraabdominal abscess and ileus were higher in the LL group than in the LPC group (4.2% vs. 1.1%, P=0.082 and 2.8% vs. 0%, P=0.035; respectively). The readmission rate was higher in the LL group than that in the LPC group (6.3% vs. 1.1%, P=0.012). Conclusion Using LPC for appendiceal stump closure during LA for appendicitis was associated with lower postoperative complication rate, shorter operative time, and shorter hospital stay compared to the use of LL. Operative time above 60 minutes and the use of LL were identified as independent risk factors for postoperative complications in LA. Therefore, LPC could be considered a more favorable closure method than LL during LA for appendicitis.

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of primary tumor resection (PTR) in asymptomatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with unresectable metastases using the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method to minimize selection bias. Methods: We selected 146 patients diagnosed with stage IV CRC with unresectable metastasis between 2001 and 2018 from our institutional database. In a multivariate logistic regression model using the patients’ baseline covariates associated with PTR, we applied the IPTW method based on a propensity score and performed a weighted Cox proportional regression analysis to estimate survival according to PTR. Results: Upfront PTR was performed in 98 patients, and no significant differences in baseline factors were detected. The upweighted median survival of the PTR group was 18 months and that of the non-PTR group was 15 months (P = 0.15). After applying the IPTW, the PTR was still insignificant in the univariate Cox regression (hazard ratio [HR], 0.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5–1.21). However, in the multivariate weighted Cox regression with adjustment for other covariates, the PTR showed a significantly decreased risk of cancer-related death (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.40–0.94). Conclusion In this study, we showed that asymptomatic CRC patients with unresectable metastases could gain a survival benefit from upfront PTR by analysis with the IPTW method. However, randomized controlled trials are mandatory.