BACKGROUND: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an extremely rare tumor. Its early detection is difficult and its prognosis is poor. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 13 patients with ACC between 1995 and 2005 at Samsung Medical Center. Their clinical features and prognosis were evaluated. RESULTS: The average age of the patients with ACC was 40 years (2~75 years). Eight patients were men and five were women. On the first visit, eight of 13 patients (62%) complained abdominal pain, and abdominal mass was palpable in five of 13 patients (38%). Urinary concentration of 17-ketosteroid collected for 24 hours was increased in two of eight patients (25%). Three out of 13 patients were identified as having functioning adrenal tumors (1 Cushing's syndrome and 2 androgen-producing tumors), and the other 10 patients had hormonally inactive adrenal tumors. Ten patients had tumors in left adrenal gland, and three had in right adrenal gland. At the time of diagnosis, four patients were classified as having stage II, seven as stage III, and two as stage IV. Twelve patients underwent adrenalectomy. One of them received additional chemotherapy, and two patients were treated with external radiation therapy after surgery. The other one patient was treated only with chemotherapy due to the presence of liver metastasis. It was possible to continue the regular follow-up in eight of 13 patients. The median duration of follow-up was 39 months (7~114 months). Six of them are still alive (three have no evidence of disease, one had persistence of disease, and two had recurrence of disease during follow-up period). Two patients died of multiple metastases and lung metastasis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Radical surgery is the only curative approach and is recommended for all patients with resectable tumors, even though in those patients with recurrent disease. There is no consensus concerning adjuvant therapy.
Abdominal Pain ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma* ; Consensus ; Cushing Syndrome ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Male ; Medical Records ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue(MALT) lymphoma has an indolent natural course. However, extra-gastric MALT lymphoma has been reported to have more frequent relapses and shorter time to progress than gastric MALT lymphoma. We performed this study to analyze clinical features of extra-gastric MALT lymphoma. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients who were diagnosed as extra-gastric MALT lymphoma at the Samsung Medical Center from March 1995 to January 1999. The survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: During the study period, extra-gastric MALT lymphoma was diagnosed in 50 patients. The median age was 51(28-87)yaers. The male to female ratio was 22:28. Commonly involved sites were conjunctiva (25/50, 50%), lung (6/50, 12%) and intestine(6/50, 12%). Histopathologically, low to high grade ratio of extra-gastric MALT lymphoma was 47:3. Among 41 patients who were staged, 32 patients(78%) had stage I or II and 9 patients(22%)had stage IV. B symptoms were seen in only 3 patients. Bone marrow involvement was observed in 4 patients. The duration of median follow up was 22 months. The 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 95.1% and 91.4% retrospectively. CONCLUSION: Majoity of our cases with extra-gastric MALT lymphoma had low grade, early stage, good treatement reponse and good prognosis.
Bone Marrow ; Conjunctiva ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Male ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical and radiologic findings of coronary artery fistula (CAF) by reviwing adult patients in whom this condition had been diagnosed by coronary angiogram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the clinical findings, chest X-rays and angiographic findings of 37 adult CAF patients treated at three institutes over a period of is 15 years. RESULTS: On coronary angiogram, the origin of CAF was found to be the left coronary artery (LCA) in 20 cases (54%), the right coronary artery (RCA) in five (14%), and both in 12 (32%). By subdividing the coronary artery into four segments [RCA, left main coronary artery, left anterior descending artery(LAD), and left circumflex artery(LCX)], the origin of CAF (total 55 cases) was found to be the LAD in 23 cases (42%), the LCX in 12 (22%), the left main coronary artery in three (5%), and the RCA in 17 (31%). The draining site of CAF was the right heart [right atrium, right ventricle, and main pulmonary artery (MPA)] in 28 cases (75%) the left heart (left atrium and left ventricle) in 8 (22%), and both in one (3%). The fistula drained to the cardiac chamber in 12 cases (33%), the MPA in 23 (62%), and both in 2 (5%). Among 55 cases, the total number of fistulas to the MPA was 35, and their origin was the RCA in nine instances (26%), and the left coronary artery in26 (74%). CAF to the MPA was classified into four types : Type I (single, tortuous and not dilated) was seen in six patients (17%), type II (single, tortuous and dilated) in three (9%), type III (multiple and fine plexus) in 21 (60%), and type IV (multiple and dilated plexus) in five (14%). Eighteen cases (49%) were associated with the other cardiac disease. CONCLUSION: In these Korean adults, CAF originated most commonly from the LCA, especially from the LAD segment of this artery, and most frequently drained to the right cardic chamber, especially to the MPA. The morphology of the CAF to the MPA was mostly multiple and fine plexus. We suggest that to ensure the most suitable treatment, and for better prognosis, patients with other cardiac disease should be evaluated for the presence of CAF.
Academies and Institutes ; Adult* ; Arteries ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessels* ; Fistula* ; Heart ; Heart Atria ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Retrospective Studies ; Thorax