Clinical Factors Related to Suspected Second Primary Lung Cancer Development in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The rate of second primary lung cancer development for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) has been noted. The aim of our study was to evaluate the incidence and clinical features of suspected second primary lung cancer that developed in patients with primary HNC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 469 patients who were newly diagnosed with HNC at the Korea University Medical Center between January 2000 and December 2006. RESULTS: A total of 469 patients were included (389 men and 80 women). Eighteen patients (3.8%) had suspected second primary lung cancers. Statistically significant clinical variables for lung cancer development included the origin site for the primary HNC (oro-hypopharynx and larynx) (p=0.048), abnormal chest x-ray findings (p=0.027) and the histological HNC type (squamous cell carcinoma) (p=0.032). When the second primary lung cancers were combined with HNCs, the adjusted overall survival of patients with a second primary lung cancer was 16 months (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the relative risk factors for a second primary lung cancer developing in patients with HNC, advanced diagnostic tools, such as chest CT or PET CT scan, should be applied for the early detection of a second primary lung cancer.

The Bone Morphogenesis Protein-2 (BMP-2) is Associated with Progression to Metastatic Disease in Gastric Cancer / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) are members of the TGF-beta superfamily and it has been demonstrated that BMPs enhance migration, invasion and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to identify the association between the serum BMP-2 level and the progression status of gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-five patients with metastatic gastric cancer (metastatic disease group), six patients with early gastric cancer without lymph node metastasis (the EGC group), and ten healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. The serum BMP-2 level was quantified by use of a commercially available ELISA kit. In EGC group patients and patients with metastatic disease, whole blood was obtained before endoscopic mucosal resection and before the commencement of a scheduled cycle of systemic chemotherapy, respectively. RESULTS: No significant difference in the mean serum BMP-2 levels was observed between the control subjects and the EGC group patients (87.95 pg/ml for the control subjects and 84.50 pg/ml for the EGC group, p=1.0). However, the metastatic disease group patients had a significantly higher level of serum BMP (179.61 pg/ml) than the control subjects and EGC group patients (87.95 pg/ml for the control subjects and 84.50 pg/ml for the EGC group, p<0.0001). Moreover, the mean serum BMP-2 level from patients with a bone metastasis was significantly higher than the mean serum BMP-2 level from patients without a bone metastasis (204.73 pg/ml versus 173.33 pg/ml, p=0.021). CONCLUSIONS: BMP-2 seems to have a role in progression to metastatic disease in gastric cancer, especially in the late stage of tumorigenesis, including invasion and metastasis. BMP-2 may facilitate bone metastasis in gastric cancer. To confirm these findings, further studies are required with tissue specimens and the use of a cancer cell line.

High-dose Immunoglobulin Infusion for Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Refractory to Plasma Exchange and Steroid Therapy

The outcomes of the treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) have been shown to be improved by the administration of plasma exchange. However, treatment options are currently limited for cases refractory to plasma exchange. The autoantibodies that block the activity of ADAMTS13 have been demonstrated to play a role in the pathogenesis of TTP; therefore, high-dose immunoglobulin, which can neutralize these autoantibodies, may be useful for refractory TTP. However, successful treatment with high-dose immunoglobulin for TTP refractory to plasma exchange and corticosteroids has yet to be reported in Korea. Herein, we describe a refractory case which was treated successfully with high-dose immunoglobulin. A 29-year-old male diagnosed with TTP failed to improve after plasma exchange coupled with additional high-dose corticosteroid therapy. As a salvage treatment, we initiated a 7-day regimen of high-dose immunoglobulin (400 mg/kg) infusions, which resulted in a complete remission, lasting up to the last follow-up at 18 months. High-dose immunoglobulin may prove to be a useful treatment for patients refractory to plasma exchange; it may also facilitate recovery and reduce the need for plasma exchange.

A case of multiple myeloma recurred as skin involvement / 대한내과학회지

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell disorder that constitutes 10% of all haematopoietc neoplasias. Although it is a systemic disorder affecting various organs involving bones and kidneys, skin involvement is a rare finding which has never been reported in Korea. Recently, we experienced a case of multiple myeloma recurring as a single lesion of erythematous nodular rash and herein we report this case with brief review of literatures.