PURPOSE: Phosphorylated ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (pS6K1) is a major downstream regulator of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Recent studies have addressed the role of S6K1 in adipogenesis. pS6K1 may affect the outcome of estrogen depletion therapy in patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer due to its association with adipogenesis and increased local estrogen levels. This study aimed to investigate the potential of pS6K1 as a predictive marker of adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy outcome in postmenopausal or ovarian function-suppressed patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. METHODS: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed in postmenopausal or ovarian function-suppressed patients with estrogen receptor-positive and node-positive primary breast cancer. pS6K1 expression status was scored on a scale from 0 (negative) to 3+ (positive) based on immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 428 patients were eligible. The median follow-up duration was 44 months (range, 1–90). In patients with positive pS6K1 expression, AIs significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS) compared to selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) (5 year-DFS: 83.5% vs. 50.7%, p = 0.016). However, there was no benefit of AIs on DFS in the pS6K1 negative group (5 year-DFS 87.6% vs. 91.4%, p = 0.630). On multivariate analysis, AI therapy remained a significant predictor for DFS in the pS6K1 positive group (hazard ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.16–0.96; p = 0.041). pS6K1 was more effective in predicting the benefit of AI therapy in patients with ages < 50 (p = 0.021) compared to those with ages ≥ 50 (p = 0.188). CONCLUSION pS6K1 expression may predict AI therapy outcomes and serve as a potential predictive marker for adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal and ovarian function-suppressed patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. AIs may be more effective in patients with pS6K1 positive tumors, while SERM could be considered an alternative option for patients with pS6K1 negative tumors.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Little research has been done to evaluate the effect of stress in exacerbating the symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux (GER). We aimed to investigate the effect of acute stress on esophageal motility and GER parameters in healthy volunteers. METHODS: A total of 10 (M:F = 8:2, median age 34 years-old) healthy volunteers without any recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms participated in this study. They underwent esophageal high-resolution manometry with 10 wet swallows (Experiment I) and esophageal impedance-pH monitoring (Experiment II) in the basal period and in the stress period. In the stress period, either real stress or sham stress was given in a randomized cross-over design. The stress scores, symptom severity, and pulse rates were measured. RESULTS: The stress scores and the severity of nausea were significantly greater under real stress, compared with sham stress. The percentages of weak, failed, rapid, premature, and hyper-contractile contractions were not significantly altered during real stress and during sham stress, compared with the basal period. The median resting pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter and distal contractile integral of esophageal contractions did not differ in the stress period, compared with the basal period. Contractile front velocity and distal latency of esophageal peristaltic contractions were significantly changed during real stress, which was not observed during sham stress. GER parameters were not significantly altered during real stress and during sham stress. CONCLUSION: Although acute auditory and visual stress seems to affect esophageal body motility, it does not induce significant motor abnormalities or increase GER in healthy humans.
Cross-Over Studies ; Esophageal Sphincter, Lower ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Heart Rate ; Humans* ; Manometry ; Nausea ; Swallows

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the clinical implications of a pathologically complete response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by local excision for patients with cT2 rectal cancer who refused radical surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients with cT2 primary rectal cancer within 6 cm from the anal verge who received neoadjuvant CRT and local excision because of patient refusal of radical surgery or poor performance status were included. Two patients had clinical involvement of a regional lymph node. Preoperative radiotherapy was delivered to the whole pelvis at a dose of 44 to 50.4 Gy in 22 to 28 fractions. All patients underwent transanal excision and eight patients (47%) received postoperative chemotherapy. RESULTS: Ten patients (59%) achieved ypT0. At a median follow-up period of 75 months (range, 22 to 126 months), four (24%) patients developed recurrence (two locoregional and two distant). The 5-year disease-free survival of all patients was 82%, and was higher in patients with ypT0 (90%) than in patients with ypT1-2 (69%, p=0.1643). Decreased disease-free survival was also observed in patients receiving capecitabine compared with 5-fluorouracil (54% vs. 100%, p=0.0298). CONCLUSION: Local excision could be a feasible alternative to radical surgery in patients with ypT0 after neoadjuvant CRT for cT2 distal rectal cancer without further radical surgery.
Chemoradiotherapy* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Disulfiram ; Drug Therapy ; Fluorouracil ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Pelvis ; Radiotherapy ; Rectal Neoplasms* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies* ; Capecitabine

Although the prediction of a delayed spinal cord injury after a low voltage electrical accident is difficult, we present a young paraplegic man who had delayed spinal cord injury after a low voltage electrical accident while working. Because the passage of an electric current is variable, the tissues far distant from the point of entry may be damaged, including the spinal cord. Low voltage itself is not a safe.
Paraplegia ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries

OBJECT: The surgical management of patients with intracranial aneurysm continues to be controversial, but the best results of treating an aneurysm can be achieved with treating it before it ruptures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the surgical risk of treating unruptured intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: Between January 2000 to December 2007, 46 unruptured intracranial aneurysms were treated with aneurismal neck clipping. The clinical outcome was retrospectively evaluated according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale about one month after surgery. RESULTS: The patients consisted of 24 females and 22 males. The mean age was 56.6 years (range: 37-80). For the aneurysm location, 27 (58.8%) were at the middle cerebral artery, 10 (21.7%) were at the anterior communicating artery, three (6.5%) were at the posterior communication artery, two (4.3%) were at the internal carotid artery, two (4.3%) were at the anterior choroidal artery, one (2.2%) was at the anterior cerebral artery and one (2.2%) was at the vertebral artery. The size of the aneurysm was below 5mm for 6 patients (13%), 6 to 10mm for 30 patients (65.2%), 11 to 25mm for 9 patients (19.6%) and > or =25mm for 1 patient (2.2%). The clinical outcome was good for 39 patients (84.8%), moderate disability was noted for 5 patients (10.9%) and severe disability was noted for 2 patients (4.3%). CONCLUSION: In this study, the morbidity and mortality rates were favorable compared with those of the previous reports. Our results suggest that aneurysms associated with a ruptured lesion or those larger than 10mm could be considered for treatment. These results will be very helpful to determine whether or not to proceed with surgery.
Aneurysm ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Choroid ; Female ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Neck ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Vertebral Artery

BACKGROUND:Thoracoscpic sympathicotomy is an effective treatment for essential hyperhidrosis. Patients are generally satisfied with the surgery at the early post operative period, but they suffer from recurrence and compensatory sweating at the late post operative period. There are many sympathicotomy methods for minimizing recurrence and the compensatory sweating. We compared the outcome from between the R3 and R4 sympathicotomy methods for the symptoms, satisfaction, recurrence and compensatory sweating. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From January 1999 to July 2007, 39 cases of thoracoscopic sympathicotomy at the 3rd rib (R3) and 72 cases of thoracoscopic sympathicotomy at the 4th rib (R4) for treating palmar hyperhidrosis were compared for the early and late satisfaction, the compensatory sweating and recurrence. RESULT: There is no difference of gender and age for the 2 groups. Early satisfaction was reported by 94.9% of the R3 patients and by 98.7% of the R4 patients. 84.6% of the R3 patients reported late satisfaction and 87.5% of the R4 patients reported late satisfaction. There were no significant differences between the groups for the early and late satisfaction. But there was a difference between the groups for compensatory sweating (23.1% in the R3 group and 9.7% in the R4 group (p=0.020)). The reoperation rate due to recurrence was 5.1% in the R3 group and 4.2% in the R4 group. There was no significant difference between the groups for recurrence. CONCLUSION: R4 sympathicotomy has excellent therapeutic results for compensatory sweating as compared to R3 sympathicotomy for treating palmar hyperhidrosis.
Humans ; Hyperhidrosis ; Recurrence ; Reoperation ; Ribs ; Sweat ; Sweating

This is a report on the sudden onset of the Brown-Se`quard Syndrome on a patient following extradural cervical disc herniation. Earlier diagnosis and prompt surgical decompression in the lateral cord syndrome yielded a good outcome.
Decompression, Surgical ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Diseases

The mortality of left ventricular free wall rupture after acute myocardial infarction is high; however, subactue myocardial rupture can be diagnosed by echocardiogram and the use of the intraaortic balloon pump reduces the incidence of re-rupture. Bleeding from subacute myocardial rupture can be managed by employing fibrin glue and several patches. We report here on a case of successfully managed case of subactue left ventricular free wall rupture after acute myocardial infarction with using the sutureless technique and fibrin glue.
Fibrin Tissue Adhesive* ; Fibrin* ; Heart Rupture* ; Hemorrhage ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Rupture

BACKGROUND: Primary malignant lymphoma of the lung is a very rare neoplasm. Although the prognosis of lymphoma is favorable, the clinical features, prognostic factors and management have not been clearly defined. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 8 patients we managed between 1994 and 2006. They all had malignant lymphoma on the pathologic examination of the lung with no evidence of mediastinal adenopathy and extrathoracic disease, and no past history of lymphoma. RESULT: The study group consisted of 3 males and 5 female patients with a mean age of 53.9 years. Three patients were asymtomatic and 5 patients were seen with pulmonary or systemic symptoms. The diagnostic methods were 3 CT needle aspiration biopsies, 1 bronchoscopic biopsy and 4 surgical methods (wedge resection, lobectomy). There were 3 patients with MALT lymphoma, two with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, two with small lymphocytic lymphom, and one with follicular lymphoma. The 8 patients were treated with a variety of modalities, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and combination therapy. The 8 patients have survived for a median follow-up of 38 months. CONCLUSION: Although this entity of lymphoma appears to have a good prognosis, further clinical experience and long-term follow-up are needed to identify its clinical features, prognostic factors and management.
Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung* ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Lymphoma, Follicular ; Male ; Needles ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies

A rupture of an innominate artery caused by blunt trauma is relatively rare because this artery is short and protected by the chest bony cage. This report describes a 25-year-old man who suffered a traffic accident, that resulted in an innominate artery rupture, which was detected by a chest computed tomogram and angiogram. This patient underwent urgent surgery through a right clavicular incision and median sternotomy without a cardiopulmonary bypass due to multiple injuries. An approximately 3 cm sized injury was found from the innominate artery to the proximal right subclavian artery and the origin of the common carotid artery. The injured lesion was repaired with a saphenous vein patch. After surgery, he was discharged from hospital without complications.
Accidents, Traffic ; Adult ; Arteries ; Brachiocephalic Trunk* ; Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Humans ; Multiple Trauma ; Rupture* ; Saphenous Vein ; Sternotomy ; Subclavian Artery ; Thorax*