No abstract available.
Adult ; Biomarkers/analysis ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Goiter/complications/diagnostic imaging/immunology/*surgery ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/*analysis ; Pain/diagnosis/*etiology ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Thyroid Gland/diagnostic imaging/immunology/pathology/*surgery ; *Thyroidectomy ; Thyroiditis/complications/diagnostic imaging/immunology/*surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography

Most epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations are detected in lung adenocarcinomas. In contrast, these mutations have rarely been reported in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). We herein report two cases of EGFR-mutant SCLC transformed from and combined with lung adenocarcinoma. In one case, SCLC appeared to be transformed from EGFR mutant 19-del adenocarcinoma when the patient became resistant to gefitinib. The other patient had combined EGFR-mutant 19-del SCLC and adenocarcinoma at the initial diagnosis, which was resistant to gefitinib at multiple sites. Further comparative molecular analyses of these histologically distinct tumors would provide useful information regarding the role of EGFR mutation in the pathogenesis of SCLC. In conclusion, despite the presence of the same EGFR mutation, gefitinib was not effective in treatment of SCLC. Therefore, confirmation of SCLC cell morphology may become an important means of predicting resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in addition to common secondary genetic alterations.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Resistance ; Humans ; Lung* ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor* ; Small Cell Lung Carcinoma*

Gastric metastasis from breast cancer is rare and only six cases have been reported in Korea. Colon metastasis is more rare than gastric metastasis. We report a 63-year-old woman with gastric and colon metastases of invasive lobular carcinoma of breast. She was diagnosed as right breast cancer, received right modified radical mastectomy 10 years ago and has been treated with chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Investigating for melena and a small caliber of stool, we found gastric and colon metastases. The diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer was made through gross pathologic and immunohistochemistry staining. We report a case with gastric and colon metastases from breast cancer and a review of the associated six case reports in Korea.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; Colon* ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Korea ; Mastectomy, Modified Radical ; Melena ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Stomach*

BACKGROUND: While qualitative analysis of methylation has been reviewed, the quantitative analysis of methylation has rarely been studied. We evaluated the methylation status of CDKN2A, RARbeta, and RASSF1A promoter regions in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) by using pyrosequencing. Then, we evaluated the association between methylation at the promoter regions of these tumor suppressor genes and the clinicopathological parameters of the NSCLCs. METHODS: We collected tumor tissues from a total of 53 patients with NSCLCs and analyzed the methylation level of the CDKN2A, RARbeta, and RASSF1A promoter regions by using pyrosequencing. In addition, we investigated the correlation between the hypermethylation of CDKN2A and the loss of p16INK4A immunoexpression. RESULTS: Hypermethylation of CDKN2A, RARbeta, and RASSF1A promoter regions were 16 (30.2%), 22 (41.5%), and 21 tumors (39.6%), respectively. The incidence of hypermethylation at the CDKN2A promoter in the tumors was higher in undifferentiated large cell carcinomas than in other subtypes (p=0.002). Hyperrmethylation of CDKN2A was significantly associated with p16INK4A immunoexpression loss (p=0.045). With regard to the clinicopathological characteristics of NSCLC, certain histopathological subtypes were found to be strongly associated with the loss of p16INK4A immunoexpression (p=0.016). Squamous cell carcinoma and undifferentiated large cell carcinoma showed p16INK4A immunoexpression loss more frequently. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves analysis showed that methylation level and patient survival were barely related to one another. CONCLUSION: We quantitatively analyzed the promoter methylation status by using pyrosequencing. We showed a significant correlation between CDKN2A hypermethylation and p16INK4A immunoexpression loss.
Carcinoma, Large Cell ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; DNA Methylation ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Genes, p16 ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Humans ; Incidence ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lung ; Methylation ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Receptors, Retinoic Acid ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins

PURPOSE: Even though adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have been spotlighted as a possible alternative for liver transplantation in an experimental setting, the mechanism by which ADSCs improve liver dysfunction remains poorly characterized. The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic ability of undifferentiated ADSCs, and find a few clues on how ADSCs alleviate liver damage by comparing the transplantation routes. METHODS: In vitro generated human ADSCs were checked for surface markers and stage-specific genes for characterization. Afterwards, they were transplanted into C57BL/6 mice with CCl4-induced liver injury. The transplantations were made via tail vein, portal vein, and direct liver parenchymal injection. At 1 and 3 post-transplantation days, serum biochemical parameters and/or liver specimens were evaluated. RESULTS: We have shown here that ADSCs have the characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells, and belong to endodermal and/or early hepatic differentiation stage. After transplantation into the mice with acute liver failure, markers of liver injury, such as alanineaminotransferase, aspartateaminotransferase, as well as ammonia, decreased. Of these transplantation routes, transplantation via tail vein rendered the most prominent reduction in the biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: Undifferentiated ADSCs have the ability to improve hepatic function in mice with acute liver injury. Moreover, our transplantation route study supports the theory that ADSCs in systemic circulation can exert endocrine or paracrine effects to ameliorate the injured liver.
Ammonia ; Animals ; Endoderm ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Diseases ; Liver Failure ; Liver Failure, Acute ; Liver Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mice ; Portal Vein ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; Transplants ; Veins

Here we report a case of Strongyloides stercoralis infection of the gastric and pancolonic mucosa in a 79-year-old female with a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Endoscopic biopsies were performed in gastric antrum, cecum, distal ascending colon, and hepatic flexure of the colon. On microscopic examination, there were many adult worms, larvae and eggs in the gastric and colonic mucosa. Worms, larvae, and eggs were located in the crypts and within the lumen of the crypts. The body wall of the adult worm was composed of cuticle and a weak muscle layer. A routine stool examination failed to detect larvae or ova. Based on the histopathologic examination, these parasites were confirmed as S. stercoralis.
Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Cecum ; Colon ; Colon, Ascending ; Eggs ; Female ; Humans ; Larva ; Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance ; Mucous Membrane ; Muscles ; Ovum ; Paraproteinemias ; Parasites ; Pyloric Antrum ; Stomach ; Strongyloides stercoralis ; Strongyloidiasis

Here we report a case of Strongyloides stercoralis infection of the gastric and pancolonic mucosa in a 79-year-old female with a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Endoscopic biopsies were performed in gastric antrum, cecum, distal ascending colon, and hepatic flexure of the colon. On microscopic examination, there were many adult worms, larvae and eggs in the gastric and colonic mucosa. Worms, larvae, and eggs were located in the crypts and within the lumen of the crypts. The body wall of the adult worm was composed of cuticle and a weak muscle layer. A routine stool examination failed to detect larvae or ova. Based on the histopathologic examination, these parasites were confirmed as S. stercoralis.
Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Cecum ; Colon ; Colon, Ascending ; Eggs ; Female ; Humans ; Larva ; Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance ; Mucous Membrane ; Muscles ; Ovum ; Paraproteinemias ; Parasites ; Pyloric Antrum ; Stomach ; Strongyloides stercoralis ; Strongyloidiasis

Myolipoma is a rare benign tumor, composed of irregularly admixed adipose tissue and smooth muscle fibers. Few literature studies have described the radiologic appearance of myolipoma, especially in the soft tissue. No MRI findings in subcutaneous myolipoma of an extremity have been reported. Here, we report on the case of a 34-year-old woman with myolipoma in the subcutaneous tissue of the ankle and describe MRI features of the lesion.
Adult ; *Ankle ; Female ; Humans ; Lipoma/*diagnosis/pathology ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle, Smooth/pathology ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Subcutaneous Fat/pathology

Ancient schwannoma is a rare variant of schwannoma and a slow growing benign tumor associated with degeneration that may be diagnosed as a malignant tumor, because it presents with a large size and an inhomogeneous signal intensity. The main differential diagnosis of plexiform soft tissue tumor includes plexiform neurofibroma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). In this case, we describe the MRI findings in a case of ancient schwannoma involving left thigh of a 63-year-old woman mimicking a plexiform MPNST. The tumor appeared as an inhomogeneous signal intensity and multinodular appearance, causing misdiagnosis as a plexiform MPNST.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Sheath Neoplasms ; Neurilemmoma ; Neurofibroma, Plexiform ; Peripheral Nerves ; Thigh