Objective: Chordoma, a rare malignant tumor originating from embryonal notochord remnants, exhibits high resistance to conventional treatments, making surgical resection imperative. However, the factors influencing prognosis specifically for cervical spine chordoma have not been clearly identified. We investigate the prognosis of cervical spine chordoma with factors influential in a nationwide multicenter retrospective study. Methods: This study included all patients diagnosed with cervical spine chordoma at 7 tertiary referral centers from January 1998 to March 2023, excluding those with clivus and thoracic spine chordomas extending into the cervical spine. Local recurrence (LR) was identified through follow-up magnetic resonance imaging, either as reappearance in completely resected tumors or regrowth in residual tumors. The study assessed LR and overall survival, analyzing factors influencing LR and death. Results: Forty-five patients with cervical spine chordoma had a mean age of 46.4 years. Over a median follow-up of 52 months, LR and distant metastasis were observed in 21 (46.7%) and 4 patients (8.9%), respectively, and 16 patients (36%) were confirmed dead. The 5-year and 10-year cumulative LR rates were 51.3% and 60%, respectively, while the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 82% and 53%. Age was the only significant factor affecting mortality (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.07; p=0.015). Notably, the degree of resection and adjuvant therapy did not statistically significantly impact local tumor control and mortality. Conclusion This study, the largest multicenter retrospective analysis of cervical spine chordoma in Korea, identified age as the only factor significantly affecting patient survival.

Objective: Chordoma, a rare malignant tumor originating from embryonal notochord remnants, exhibits high resistance to conventional treatments, making surgical resection imperative. However, the factors influencing prognosis specifically for cervical spine chordoma have not been clearly identified. We investigate the prognosis of cervical spine chordoma with factors influential in a nationwide multicenter retrospective study. Methods: This study included all patients diagnosed with cervical spine chordoma at 7 tertiary referral centers from January 1998 to March 2023, excluding those with clivus and thoracic spine chordomas extending into the cervical spine. Local recurrence (LR) was identified through follow-up magnetic resonance imaging, either as reappearance in completely resected tumors or regrowth in residual tumors. The study assessed LR and overall survival, analyzing factors influencing LR and death. Results: Forty-five patients with cervical spine chordoma had a mean age of 46.4 years. Over a median follow-up of 52 months, LR and distant metastasis were observed in 21 (46.7%) and 4 patients (8.9%), respectively, and 16 patients (36%) were confirmed dead. The 5-year and 10-year cumulative LR rates were 51.3% and 60%, respectively, while the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 82% and 53%. Age was the only significant factor affecting mortality (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.07; p=0.015). Notably, the degree of resection and adjuvant therapy did not statistically significantly impact local tumor control and mortality. Conclusion This study, the largest multicenter retrospective analysis of cervical spine chordoma in Korea, identified age as the only factor significantly affecting patient survival.

Objective: Chordoma, a rare malignant tumor originating from embryonal notochord remnants, exhibits high resistance to conventional treatments, making surgical resection imperative. However, the factors influencing prognosis specifically for cervical spine chordoma have not been clearly identified. We investigate the prognosis of cervical spine chordoma with factors influential in a nationwide multicenter retrospective study. Methods: This study included all patients diagnosed with cervical spine chordoma at 7 tertiary referral centers from January 1998 to March 2023, excluding those with clivus and thoracic spine chordomas extending into the cervical spine. Local recurrence (LR) was identified through follow-up magnetic resonance imaging, either as reappearance in completely resected tumors or regrowth in residual tumors. The study assessed LR and overall survival, analyzing factors influencing LR and death. Results: Forty-five patients with cervical spine chordoma had a mean age of 46.4 years. Over a median follow-up of 52 months, LR and distant metastasis were observed in 21 (46.7%) and 4 patients (8.9%), respectively, and 16 patients (36%) were confirmed dead. The 5-year and 10-year cumulative LR rates were 51.3% and 60%, respectively, while the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 82% and 53%. Age was the only significant factor affecting mortality (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.07; p=0.015). Notably, the degree of resection and adjuvant therapy did not statistically significantly impact local tumor control and mortality. Conclusion This study, the largest multicenter retrospective analysis of cervical spine chordoma in Korea, identified age as the only factor significantly affecting patient survival.

Objective: Chordoma, a rare malignant tumor originating from embryonal notochord remnants, exhibits high resistance to conventional treatments, making surgical resection imperative. However, the factors influencing prognosis specifically for cervical spine chordoma have not been clearly identified. We investigate the prognosis of cervical spine chordoma with factors influential in a nationwide multicenter retrospective study. Methods: This study included all patients diagnosed with cervical spine chordoma at 7 tertiary referral centers from January 1998 to March 2023, excluding those with clivus and thoracic spine chordomas extending into the cervical spine. Local recurrence (LR) was identified through follow-up magnetic resonance imaging, either as reappearance in completely resected tumors or regrowth in residual tumors. The study assessed LR and overall survival, analyzing factors influencing LR and death. Results: Forty-five patients with cervical spine chordoma had a mean age of 46.4 years. Over a median follow-up of 52 months, LR and distant metastasis were observed in 21 (46.7%) and 4 patients (8.9%), respectively, and 16 patients (36%) were confirmed dead. The 5-year and 10-year cumulative LR rates were 51.3% and 60%, respectively, while the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 82% and 53%. Age was the only significant factor affecting mortality (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.07; p=0.015). Notably, the degree of resection and adjuvant therapy did not statistically significantly impact local tumor control and mortality. Conclusion This study, the largest multicenter retrospective analysis of cervical spine chordoma in Korea, identified age as the only factor significantly affecting patient survival.

Objective: Chordoma, a rare malignant tumor originating from embryonal notochord remnants, exhibits high resistance to conventional treatments, making surgical resection imperative. However, the factors influencing prognosis specifically for cervical spine chordoma have not been clearly identified. We investigate the prognosis of cervical spine chordoma with factors influential in a nationwide multicenter retrospective study. Methods: This study included all patients diagnosed with cervical spine chordoma at 7 tertiary referral centers from January 1998 to March 2023, excluding those with clivus and thoracic spine chordomas extending into the cervical spine. Local recurrence (LR) was identified through follow-up magnetic resonance imaging, either as reappearance in completely resected tumors or regrowth in residual tumors. The study assessed LR and overall survival, analyzing factors influencing LR and death. Results: Forty-five patients with cervical spine chordoma had a mean age of 46.4 years. Over a median follow-up of 52 months, LR and distant metastasis were observed in 21 (46.7%) and 4 patients (8.9%), respectively, and 16 patients (36%) were confirmed dead. The 5-year and 10-year cumulative LR rates were 51.3% and 60%, respectively, while the 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 82% and 53%. Age was the only significant factor affecting mortality (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.07; p=0.015). Notably, the degree of resection and adjuvant therapy did not statistically significantly impact local tumor control and mortality. Conclusion This study, the largest multicenter retrospective analysis of cervical spine chordoma in Korea, identified age as the only factor significantly affecting patient survival.

BACKGROUND: Moyamoya disease is characterized by a progressive stenosis or occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid artery and/or the proximal portion of the anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery. Whether the onset time was childhood or adulthood, the bony carotid canal diameter might be different, but reflects the size of internal carotid artery passing through the bony carotid canal. In this study, we aimed to identify the relationship between bony carotid canal diameter and clinical manifestation. METHODS: 146 consecutive patients diagnosed with moyamoya disease by brain imaging studies were included. We measured the diameter of a transverse portion of bony carotid canal on bone window of a brain computed tomography(CT) image. Patients were divided into two groups, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke according to clinical manifestation. As a result, 115 patients were included. The Suzuki stage was used as criteria for disease progression. RESULTS: Bony carotid canal diameter was 3.6 ± 0.5 (right) and 3.6 ± 0.4 (left) in the hemorrhagic stroke group, and 3.7 ± 0.4 (right) and 3.6 ± 0.4 (left) in the ischemic stroke group. The bony carotid canal diameter of the moyamoya vessels (3.6 mm) was smaller than the diameter of non-moyamoya vessels (3.8 mm), significantly (p= 0.042). However, there was no difference in the collateral patterns and clinical manifestation in a comparison of both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, there was no significant difference of clinical manifestations and collateral patterns depend on the bony carotid canal diameter in patients with moyamoya disease. These findings suggest that the clinical presentations of moyamoya disease are not related to the onset time of the disease.
Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Disease Progression ; Humans ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Moyamoya Disease* ; Neuroimaging ; Stroke

No abstract available.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Subacute Combined Degeneration*

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic resection for transverse colon cancer is a technically challenging procedure that has been excluded from various large randomized controlled trials of which the long-term outcomes still need to be verified. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term oncologic outcomes for transverse colon cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy (LAC) or open colectomy (OC). METHODS: This retrospective review included patients with transverse colon cancer who received a colectomy between January 2006 and December 2010. Short-term and five-year oncologic outcomes were compared between these groups. RESULTS: A total of 131 patients were analyzed in the final study (LAC, 84 patients; OC, 47 patients). There were no significant differences in age, gender, body mass index, tumor location, operative procedure, or blood loss between groups, but the mean operative time in LAC was significantly longer (LAC, 246.8 minutes vs. OC, 213.8 minutes; P = 0.03). Hospital stay was much shorter for LAC than OC (9.1 days vs. 14.5 days, P < 0.01). Postoperative complication rates were not statistically different between the two groups. In terms of long-term oncologic data, the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival were not statistically different between both groups, and subgroup analysis according to cancer stage also revealed no differences. CONCLUSION: LAC for transverse colon cancer is feasible and safe with comparable short- and long-term outcomes.
Body Mass Index ; Colectomy ; Colon ; Colon, Transverse* ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Disease-Free Survival ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Surgical Procedures, Operative

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, p27 and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The thyroid tissue samples were obtained randomly from the department of pathology at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. The specimens were from 72 patients, comprising 25 patients with thyroid nodular hyperplasia (TNH), 23 PTC without LNM, and 24 PTC with LNM between January 2006 and May 2008. Immunohistochemical staining for Bcl-2, Bax, and p27 was performed, and quantified blindly by three pathologists who had no clinical information of the patients. Immunohistochemical expression was scored as high (>25% of cells stained) or low (0-25%). RESULTS: Expression of Bcl-2 was scored as high for 1 (4%) TNH, 3 (13%) PTC without LNM and 4 (17%) PTC with LNM cases. Expression of Bax was scored as high for 0 (0%) TNH, 9 (39%) PTC without LNH and 16 (67%) PTC with LNM cases. Expression of p27 was scored as high for 13 (52%) TNH, 12 (52%) PTC without LNM and 13 (54%) PTC with LNM cases. Expression of Bax in the PTC with LNM group was scored higher than TNH (p<.01) and PTC without LNM (p<.05). There was no statistically difference in the immunoreactivity for Bcl-2 and p27 among the three groups. However, some positive expressions of p27 were noted at the cytoplasm of the PTC. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that immunohistochemical analysis of Bax may be helpful in the diagnosis of PTC and in the evaluation of lymph node metastatic potential in PTC.
Carcinoma, Papillary ; Cytoplasm ; Factor IX ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Neoplasms

Dengue fever is an acute febrile disease caused by the dengue virus, which belongs to the flaviviridae family, and this virus is transmitted by the bite of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. It occurs in the tropical climates of the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, India, Africa and the subtropical zone of America. Imported cases of Dengue fever and Dengue hemorrhagic fever are rapidly increasing as many Koreans are now traveling abroad. Liver injury is usually detected by laboratory investigation according to a surveillance protocol. Although liver injury by dengue virus has been described in Asia and the Pacific islands, the pathogenic mechanisms are not yet fully clarified. It is usually expressed in a self-limiting pattern and the patient has a complete recovery. We report here on a case of a young woman who presented with general weakness, nausea and significant elevation of the aminotransferase levels, and she was diagnosed with dengue fever.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever/complications/*diagnosis/virology ; Dengue Virus/*isolation & purification ; Female ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human/*diagnosis/virology ; Humans