Carcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation (CASTLE) is a very rare malignant neoplasm of the thyroid, which resembles lymphoepithelioma or squamous cell carcinoma of the thymus. It originates from ectopic thymic tissue or remnants of the branchial pouches. We recently experienced a case of CASTLE in the thyroid gland of a 65-year-old woman. The patient presented with a non-tender mass in the right thyroid gland and dyspnea and coughing upon bending. The patient was diagnosed with ‘cystic change of adenomatous goiter’ of the thyroid by fine needle aspiration cytology. Right thyroidectomy was performed because of nodular hyperplasia on frozen biopsy. Histologic examination of the resected tumor showed that the tumor was lobulated and expansive growth pattern, with fibrous septa dividing the tumor and infiltrated by lymphocytes and plasma cells. Tumor cells possessed oval, large vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli, and the immunohistochemical staining was positive for CD5. The patient was diagnosed with thyroid CASTLE. We performed complete thyroidectomy. There has been no local regional recurrence.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Lymphocytes ; Plasma Cells ; Recurrence ; Thymus Gland* ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroidectomy

A case of rare pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor (PHAT) of soft parts is reported. A 35-year-old woman presented with a subcutaneous solid mass in the left inguinal area, which had been present for 3 months, was presented to us. The tumor was histologically characterized by sheets of mitotically inactive oval and pleomorphic cells, mono-and multinucleated giant cells, intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions, and prominent clusters of thinwalled ectatic vessels with perivascular hyalinization. A focal hemangiopericytoma-like vascular pattern, pseudovascular spaces, stromal collagen with degenerative change and abundant mast cells were observed. The tumor cells were reactive for vimentin and CD34. This tumor shared several features with malignant fibrous histiocytoma, ancient schwannoma, giant cell angiofibroma, giant cell fibroblastoma and solitary fibrous tumor. The patient was well with no evidence of disease for 10 months.
Adult ; Angiofibroma ; Collagen ; Female ; Giant Cells ; Histiocytoma, Malignant Fibrous ; Humans ; Hyalin* ; Inclusion Bodies ; Mast Cells ; Neurilemmoma ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors ; Vimentin

Clinical and pathological manifestation of leukemic involvement of the central nervous system have been known from any years. Infiltration and enlargement of organ is quite common in acute leukemia ; however, the formation of solid tumor masses is very rare. Most of the described tumor occur predominantly around the orbits or arise from bones, with only a few cases of soft tissue tumors reported. A case of chloroma is reported, in which a large solid tumor of immature granulocytic cells was over the cerebral convexity compressing the brain diffusely on the right and not preceded by myelogenic leukemia.
Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Leukemia ; Orbit ; Sarcoma, Myeloid*

Clinical and pathological manifestation of leukemic involvement of the central nervous system have been known from any years. Infiltration and enlargement of organ is quite common in acute leukemia ; however, the formation of solid tumor masses is very rare. Most of the described tumor occur predominantly around the orbits or arise from bones, with only a few cases of soft tissue tumors reported. A case of chloroma is reported, in which a large solid tumor of immature granulocytic cells was over the cerebral convexity compressing the brain diffusely on the right and not preceded by myelogenic leukemia.
Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Leukemia ; Orbit ; Sarcoma, Myeloid*

Neurological disorders induced by long-term exposure to organic solvents typically have a slowly progressive clinical course, which may be arrested or even reversed following discontinuation of exposure. We report an unusual case of rapidly progressive toxic leukoencephalomyelopathy in a 29-year-old man who had worked at a chemical factory that used toluene for the manufacture of nylon 66 for 5 years. He presented with progressive weakness of legs, recurrent seizures, and cognitive decline. Widespread white-matter changes in the brain and spinal cord, and myelodysplastic syndrome were noted. He died 6 months after the onset of his symptoms, and autopsy showed discrete multifocal demyelination and necrosis in the central nervous system, and dysplastic cells of erythroid, myeloid, and megakaryotic lineages in blood vessels. The co-occurrence of leukoencephalomyelopathy and myelodysplastic syndrome highlights the vulnerability of the white matter and bone marrow to injury from organic solvents. Intravascular congestion of dysplastic hematopoietic cells might have led to his unusually rapid progression of leukoencephalomyelopathy.
Adult ; Autopsy ; Blood Vessels ; Bone Marrow ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Demyelinating Diseases ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Humans ; Leg ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes* ; Necrosis ; Nervous System Diseases ; Nylons ; Seizures ; Solvents ; Spinal Cord ; Toluene

We presented a case of cerebral cysticercosis which involved the right frontal subcortical region. Five years old girl was admitted to the hospital because of repeated vomitings and severe headaches which developed and progressed gradually following head injury 15 days prior to admission. On admission, there were no localizing or lateralizing neurological abnormalities except for bilateral optic papilledemas and signs of increased intracranial pressure. Right carotid angiogram disclosed an avascular zone in the right frontoparietal region suggesting an intracranial space occupying lesion. At operation, rather well circumscribed mass, walnut sized, was found deeply in the right frontal subcortical area but no hematomas epidurally or subdurally. The mass was totally excised. Histological diagnosis of the specimen was cysticercosis to be granulomatous mass in big size. It would be controversial whether cerebral cysticercosis should be operated surgically or not, but surgery may be indicated if there are signs of increased intracranial pressure in the presence of single large granulomatous mass in the portion of the cerebral hemisphere.
Cerebrum ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Cysticercosis* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Headache ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Juglans ; Papilledema

PURPOSE: We designed this study to find out the risk factors affecting the patency rate after creation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) for hemodialysis. METHODS: Between March 1997 and December 2001, a total of 397 AVF operations in 314 patients were performed by a single surgeon using the same surgical technique and principles. One hundred and forty cases (35.3%) were reoperations due to previous AVF failure. Artificial vessels (=PTFE, polytetrafluoroethylene) were used for the AVF in 39 cases (9.8%). The sex, age, diabetes mellitus, previous operation history and type of dialysis center were considered as a possible risk factors affecting the patency rate. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 18.3 months, there were 63 cases of patient death, 15 of kidney transplantation, and 104 of AVF failure identified. The overall patency rates of 1, 2 and 3 year were 76.2, 70.9, and 66.9%, respectively. From the multivariate analysis, the previous operation history was the only significant factor affecting the patency rate of AVF (P=0.001, odd ratio=2.58). Although the diabetic patient (odd ratio=1.43) and artificial vessel groups (odd ratio=1.678) showed high odd ratios, these factors were not statistically significant (P>0.05). From the univariate analysis, the reoperation cases also showed a significantly inferior patency rate compared to the first operation cases (1 year patency rate was 65.2% and 83.7%, P=0.001). However, the diabetes and types of vessel showed no significant differences in patency rates. CONCLUSION: A reoperation of an AVF creation was the most significant risk factor affecting the patency rate after its original creation. The first attempt AVF creations showed-favorable patency rates. To improve the overall patency rate of an AVF creation, a more delicate preoperative study and accurate surgical technique will be required at the time of the first AVF operation.
Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dialysis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Multivariate Analysis ; Renal Dialysis* ; Reoperation* ; Risk Factors

A 74-year-old man suffered from jejunal perforation and adhesion to sigmoid colon due to adenocarcinoma associated with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) arising in a jejunal heterotopic pancreas. The jejunal lesion showed direct extension to the sigmoid colon, which was mistaken as sigmoid colon cancer by surgeons. Malignant transformation is a rare complication of a heterotopic pancreas. About half of malignancies in reported cases were ductal adenocarcinoma arising in the stomach, and the jejunal location is extremely rare. Furthermore, IPMN is also uncommon finding in a heterotopic pancreas.
Adenocarcinoma ; Aged ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Humans ; Jejunum ; Mucins ; Pancreas ; Sigmoid Neoplasms ; Stomach

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is the most common type of sporadic encephalitis worldwide, and it remains fatal even when optimal antiviral therapy is applied. There is only a weak consensus on the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with HSE. This study examined whether the radiological and electrophysiological findings have a prognostic value in patients with HSE. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients who were diagnosed with HSE by applying the polymerase chain reaction to cerebrospinal fluid and who received intravenous acyclovir at our hospital from 2000 to 2014. We evaluated the clinical outcomes at 6 months after onset and their correlations with initial and clinical findings, including the volume of lesions on MRI, the severity of EEG findings, and the presence of epileptic seizures at the initial presentation. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled (18 men and 11 women). Univariate analysis revealed that the presence of severe EEG abnormality and epileptic seizures at the initial presentation were significant correlated with a poor clinical outcome at 6 months (p=0.005 and p=0.009, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the presence of severe EEG abnormality was the only independent predictor of a poor outcome at 6 months (p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: In cases of HSE, the initial EEG severity and seizure presentation may be useful predictive factors for the outcome at 6 months after acyclovir treatment.
Acyclovir ; Cerebrospinal Fluid ; Consensus ; Electroencephalography* ; Encephalitis ; Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex* ; Epilepsy ; Herpes Simplex* ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; Simplexvirus

PURPOSE: Surgery is the standard care in the treatment of rectal cancer. However, after surgery alone, local recurrence and distant metastasis remain high for locally advanced rectal cancer. Preoperative chemoradiation therapy (pre-CRT) has been thought to be effective for increasing resectability and decreasing the rate of local recurrence for locally advanced rectal cancer. This study was designed to assess the efficacy of preoperative concurrent chemoradiation therapy in the management of locally advanced rectal cancer. METHODS: Between July 1999 and December 2003, 29 patients had locally advanced rectal cancer (uT3/ T4, uN1 by endorectal ultrasonography) or were ineligible to undergo sphincter-preserving surgery. All patients were treated with pre-CRT, followed by surgery in 25 patients. Patients were treated with radiation therapy with a total dose of 45~50.4 Gy to the surgical bed and pelvic lymph- node area for 5.5 weeks. We analyzed the degree of toxicity and the therapeutic resopnse from CRT, the type of surgery, including sphincter-saving procedures, and the mid- term outcome. RESULTS: Of the 29 patients who received pre-CRT, a radical resection was possible in 25 patients. A low anterior resection and an ultra-low anterior resection- coloanal anastomosis were performed in 13 (52%) and 7 (28%) cases, respectively. Sphincter-preserving surgery was performed in 80% of the patients. The postoperative pathological response rates of CRT were 25% complete remission, 45% partial remission, 30% no response. Postoperative complications and toxicity from CRT were acceptable. The duration of median follow-up was 24 months (9~62 months). Recurrence was seen in 6 cases. Distant recurrence alone was seen in 5 patients (19.2%) and distant and local recurrences were seen in only one patient (4%). The 3-year overall survival rate was 72.4%, and 3-year disease-free survival rate was 59.5%. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that preoperative concurrent CRT therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer is safe and tolerable. These data showed a high local control rate and a high 3-year survival rate. Preoperative CRT was an effective modality for sphincter preservation in selected patients who would have required an abdominoperineal resection. Additional studies with larger numbers of patients and long-term follow up are warranted to confirm our results. In addition, more effective chemotherapeutic regimens are needed to decrease distant metastasis.
Disease-Free Survival ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Postoperative Complications ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate