Primary Pulmonary Plasmacytoma Presenting as Multiple Lung Nodules

No abstract available.

A Case of Trousseau's Syndrome with Catastrophic Course Triggered by an Intravenous Injection / 결핵및호흡기질환

Trousseau's syndrome is an unexplained thrombotic event that precedes the diagnosis of an occult visceral malignancy or appears concomitantly with the tumor. Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis is prevalent in patients with a central venous catheter. Furthermore, a peripheral intravenous injection may cause upper extremity deep vein thrombosis as well. However, a deep vein thrombosis has not been reported in the form of Trousseau's syndrome with a catastrophic clinical course triggered by a single peripheral intravenous injection. A 48-year-old man presented with a swollen left arm on which he was given intravenous fluid at a local clinic due to flu symptoms. Contrast computed tomgraphy scans showed thromboses from the left distal brachial to the innominate vein. The patient developed multiple cerebral infarctions despite anticoagulation treatment. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer by endoscopic biopsy to evaluate melena and had a persistently positive lupus anticoagulant. After recurrent and multiple thromboembolic events occurred with treatment, he died on day 20.

A case of peripheral T-cell lymphoma with central nervous system and bilateral pulmonary involvement / 대한내과학회지

Mature T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has more frequent extranodal involvement and is less sensitive to chemotherapy than B-cell lymphoma. Peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified (PTCL-U) is rarely combined with pulmonary or CNS involvement. We report a case of PTCL-U with lung and CNS involvement that was treated with high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). A 62-year-old man was admitted with right-side weakness and paresthesias, and was diagnosed with PTCL-U after alung biopsy. Successful complete remission was achieved after threecycles of IMEP (ifosfamide, methotrexate, etoposide, and prednisone) chemotherapywith concurrent intrathecal chemotherapy and subsequent high-dose chemotherapy with ASCT to treat potential advanced stage PTCL-U. The non-anthracycline-containing IMEP regimen can be effective for PTCL-U, especially in cases with CNS involvement.

T-cell Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case Report

T cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGL leukemia) is defined as a clonal proliferative disorder of CD3+ cytotoxic T cells. T-LGL leukemia usually expresses CD3+, CD4-, CD8+, CD16+, CD56- and CD57+ cell markers, and this represents a rearrangement of the T cell receptor (TCR) gene. The clinical course is indolent in most cases, but on rare occasions, when CD3+ and CD56+ are expressed on the leukemic cells, it can be more aggressive. We experienced a patient with T-LGL leukemia and the disease was indolent at the time of diagnosis, and so any specific treatment was not required. Two years after the initial diagnosis, her clinical course became quite aggressive as the CD 56+ cell surface antigen was expressed. We report here on the first case of T-LGL leukemia in Korea and we review the relevant literature.

Mutation of the N-ras Gene in a Patient Suffering from the Blast Phase of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

The blast phase in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is associated with mutation of several genes. It is well known that p53 gene mutation plays a key role in the myeloid or lymphoid blast phase of CML. But for the case of the N-ras gene, the association between N-ras mutations and the blast phase of CML is not yet known. We report here on a case of detecting N-ras point mutation without p53 mutation in a 64 year-old man who suffered from the lymphoblastic blast phase of CML.

A Case of Kikuchi Fujimoto's Disease Accompanied by Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

Kikuchi's disease and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) present different clinical characteristics, especially in prognosis, although both diseases have the clinical similarity in initial presentations. Kikuchi's disease usually has a self-limiting clinical course, but HLH can be fatal. Accordingly, it is important that the differential diagnoses and decision as to initial treatment be made as soon as possible, at the time of clinical presentation. In the case of Kikuchi's disease accompanied with HLH, the decision concerning initial treatment can be very difficult, because these cases have been rarely reported and the prognosis is unpredictable. We report a case of a 21-year-old female diagnosed with Kikuchi's disease accompanied with HLH. Treatment involved steroid therapy, as for treatment of HLH. Recovery was complete. Kikuchi's disease with HLH can be completely treated with more aggressive therapy than used for Kikuchi's disease alone.

Correlation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-D Expression and VEGFR-3-Positive Vessel Density with Lymph Node Metastasis in Gastric Carcinoma

Lymph node metastasis is an important prognostic factor in gastric cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor-D (VEGF-D) is a lymphangiogenic growth factor that activates VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-3, a receptor expressed in the lymphatic endothelium. We investigated the clinical value of VEGF-D expression and VEGFR-3 positive vessel density in gastric carcinoma with regard to lymphangiogenesis. Immunohistochemical staining was used to determine the expression of VEGF-D and VEGFR- 3 in specimens from 104 cases of resected gastric cancer. VEGF-D expression was observed in 62.5% of the gastric cancers and in 9.6% of the non-neoplastic gastric tissue. The VEGFR-3-positive vessel density was significantly greater in the VEGFD positive group than the negative group. VEGF-D expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, increased serum CEA levels, and the nonsignet ring cell type. The VEGFR-3-positive vessel density was correlated with tumor size, lymphatic invasion, and lymph node metastasis. The VEGF-D expression and high VEGFR-3-positive vessel density were significant poor prognostic factors for relapse-free survival. These results suggest that VEGF-D and VEGFR-3-positive vessel density are potential molecular markers that predict lymphatic involvement in gastric carcinoma.

A Case of Paraneoplastic Limbic Encephalitis Associated with Primary Adenocarcinoma of Lung / 결핵및호흡기질환

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis is a rare disorder that is characterized by personality changes, irritability, depression, seizures, memory loss and dementia, and is commonly associated with small cell lung cancer. The cause is unknown but it is believed to be an autoimmune disorder that develops secondary to a carcinomatous process. We report a patient with the clinical feature consistent with limbic encephalitis. A 64-year-old women developed disorientation, memory loss and general weakness. She was diagnosed with NSCLC (adenocarcinoma) with a brain metastasis 1 year earlier and was treated with radiation and chemotherapy. Although the lung mass and brain metastatic lesions had improved, the brain T2-weighted MRI showed high signal intensity in the right temporal region. This lesion consisted of with limbic encephalitis and was negative to the other viral and immune markers. The patient's symptoms did not improve after steroid treatment. Our case demonstrated that a NSCLC (adenocarcinoma) also can be associated with paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Concurrent Chemoradiation in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Surgery with postoperative radiotherapy has been the standard treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the prognosis still remains dismal. To increase survival rate and organ preservation rate, alternative approach is needed. Incorporating the taxane regimen into the treatment of HNSCC, the new treatment strategy of sequential therapy has been introduced. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy for the HNSCC. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Between January 2001 and June 2005, 19 patients with HNSCC were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The sites of primary tumors were hypopharynx in eight patients, oropharynx in six patients, and larynx in five patients. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy included 70 mg/m2 of docetaxel on day 1, 70 mg/m2 of cisplantin on day 2 and 800 mg/m2 of 5-fluorouracil on day 2-4. The cycles were repeated every three weeks. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy starts after two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Radiation dose was 200 cGy/dayx5/week with a total of 6,000-7,000 cGy, and the concurrent chemotherapy of 20 mg/m2 of docetaxel or 20 mg/m2 of cisplantin was given weekly. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 21 months. The overall 2-year survival rate was 70.1% and the 2-year organ preservation rate was 59.4%. The survival rate and organ preservation rate of larynx cancer patients were higher than those of hypopharynx and oropharynx cancer patients, but it was not statistically significant (p=0.09, 0.16). The patients of the lower stage showed higher survival rate and organ preservation rate, but it was not statistically significant (p=0.19, 0.48). The most common Grade 3 or 4 toxicities of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were leukopenia, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, whereas the most common Grade 3 or 4 toxicities during concurrent chemoradiotherapy were mucositis, stomatitis, and leukopenia. One patient died due to sepsis during treatment. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with three combined regimens followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy might be effective treatment modality for HNSCC. Further studies with large number of patients and longer follow-up will be needed.

Phase II Study of Oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and Leucovorin in Relapsed or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer as Second Line Therapy / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of biweekly oxaliplatin in combination with leucovorin (LV)-modulated bolus plus infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in patients with relapsed or metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) as a second line therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between November 2002 and October 2005, 26 patients with histologically confirmed relapsed or metastatic CRC were enrolled. All patients were previously treated with irinotecan-based combination chemotherapy. The chemotherapy regimen consisted of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 on day 1; LV 200 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2; and 5-FU 400 mg/m2 bolus IV with 600 mg/m2 with a 22-hour infusion on days 1 and 2 every 2 weeks. RESULTS: The median age of the 26 patients was 50.5 years (range, 31~72). Their metastatic sites included: the liver (42.3%), peritoneum (26.9%), lung (23.1%) and ovary (7.7%). Twenty five patients were evaluated for their response. Four patients achieved partial responses and 15 patients had stable disease. The overall response rate was 16% (95% confidence interval; 1.7~30.3%). The median follow-up duration for the surviving patients was 7.4 months (range, 2.08~21.2). Median overall survival (OS) and 1-year OS rates were 16.7 months and 63.9%, respectively. The most common hematological toxicities were: NCI grade I/II leucopenia (49.3%), grade I/II neutropenia (41%) and grade I/II anemia (65.2%). The main non-hematological toxicities were: grade I/II peripheral neuropathy (16.1% and 21.5%, respectively) and nausea/ vomiting (23.6%/18.5%). There was no life-threatening toxicity. CONCLUSION: The oxaliplatin, 5-FU and LV combination chemotherapy, scheduled as a biweekly protocol, was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of relapsed or metastatic colorectal cancer patients as second line chemotherapy.

Tumor Lysis Syndrome in Lymphoblastic Crisis of CML

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) defines the metabolic derangements that occur with tumor breakdown following the initiation of cytotoxic therapy. TLS results from the rapid destruction of malignant cells and the abrupt release of intracellular materials and their metabolites into the extracellular space. The syndrome causes hyperuricemia, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, secondary hypocalcemia and uremia. It can result in acute renal failure and be fatal. Early recognition of patient at risk and preventive measures are important. There is a high incidence of TLS in tumors with high proliferative rates and large burden such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia and Burkitt's lymphoma. It less commonly occurs in solid tumors such as testicular cancer, breast cancer and small cell lung cancer. There are only a few reports on TLS complicated in CML in blast crisis. So we report a 45-yr-old woman presenting with TLS associated with CML in lymphoblastic crisis after the initiation of cytotoxic chemotherapy.

A Case of Steroid Refractory Acute GVHD Treated with IL-2 & TNF-alpha Blocker in a Myelodysplastic Syndrome Patient who Underwent Unrelated Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has evolved as a central treatment modality for the management of various hematologic malignancies. Despite adequate posttransplantation immunosuppressive therapy, acute GVHD remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, even for the patients who have received HLA identical sibling grafts. Once established, acute GVHD is difficult to treat, and the best primary treatments such as corticosteroid have shown responses of approximately 50%. Once GVHD becomes steroid-refractory, the chances of survival are slim at best, and the possibility of long-term complications from chronic GVHD is almost always the rule. Many agents are currently being evaluated to treat this malady, including ATG, monoclonal antibodies, pentostatin, denileukin diftitox, etc. We reported here on a case of steroid refractory acute GVHD that was treated with IL-2 and TNF-alpha blocker in myelodysplastic syndrome patient who underwent unrelated allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

Epstein-Barr virus-associated Hodgkin's disease following renal transplantation

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) have been recognized as a complication of immunosuppression and occur with a reported incidence of 1 to 8% of recipients receiving solid organ transplantation. PTLD are classified into two major categories, polymorphic and monomorphic PTLD. The majority of the monomorphic PTLD cases are non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of B-cell origin. Hodgkin's disease is not part of the typical spectrum of PTLD; however, it has been rarely reported. We describe a case of Hodgkin's disease following renal transplantation. A 41-year-old man developed right cervical lymphadenopathy following renal transplantation 116 months previously for chronic renal failure of unknown origin. He had been taking cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone. A lymph node biopsy revealed mixed cellularity Hodgkin's disease. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for CD30 and EBV-latent membrane protein-1. No other site of disease was identified. The immunosuppressive agents were reduced (mycophenolate mofetil was discontinued, cyclosporine dose reduced from 200 mg to 150 mg and prednisone continued at 5 mg). After 2 cycles of ABVD followed by radiation therapy (3600 cGy), he achieved complete remission.

A Case of Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head as Initial Presentation of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a malignant clonal disorder of hemopoietic stem cells characterized by abnormal proliferation and accumulation of immature granulocyte. Leukostasis is one of the complications of CML and is characterized by partial or total occlusion of microcirculation by aggregation of leukemic cells and thrombi leading to respiratory, ophthalmic or neurologic symptoms. We experienced a rare case of avascular necrosis of the femoral head as the initial presentation of chronic myelogenous leukemia. A 24-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with pain in the right hip joint. The patient was diagnosed to be suffering from chronic myelogenous leukemia by packed marrow with granulocytic and megakaryocytic hyperplasia and the presence of Philadelphia chromosome. The right hip joint pain was attributed to avascular necrosis of the femoral head. And the avascular necrosis could be considered as the complication of chronic myelogenous leukemia due to microcirculatory obstruction of the femoral head. The avascular necrosis of the right femoral head was treated with bipolar hemiarthoplasty.

Clinical Aspects of Pregnancy and Delivery in Patients with Chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a condition that often develops in young women and, consequently, physicians should frequently manage and monitor pregnant patients with this disorder. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of 30 women with chronic ITP delivered in 31 pregnancies from January 1995 to December 2003. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were diagnosed with ITP before pregnancy and sixteen patients were diagnosed during pregnancy. The mean platelet counts before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and at delivery were 70, 040/mm3, 83, 960/mm3, and 62, 680/mm3, respectively. The symptoms of hemostatic impairment were not noted in most of the pregnancies (77%, 24/31). During pregnancy and at delivery, most of the women (61%, 19/31) received various kinds of treatment to raise platelet counts. At delivery, the most commonly used therapy was platelet transfusion (48.4%, 15/31). Seven pregnancies (22.6%) were treated with corticosteroids during pregnancy and at delivery. Five pregnancies (16.1%) were treated with IV IgG during pregnancy and at delivery. Fifteen deliveries (51.7%) were performed by cesarean section and fourteen (48.3%) with vaginal delivery. Bleeding was uncommon at delivery. There were no cases of infants with any clinical signs of hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Our current results suggest that ITP in pregnancy can proceed safely with low hemorrhagic risk in both infants and mothers, and that mothers with ITP can deliver healthy infants without serious hemorrhagic complications.

Thymidylate Synthase, Thymidine Phosphorylase, VEGF and p53 Protein Expression in Primary Colorectal Cancer for Predicting Response to 5-fluorouracil-based Chemotherapy / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: In the treatment of advanced metastatic colorectal cancer, several new agents, such as irinotecan and oxaliplatin, have been developed, which have improved both disease free and overall survivals. Among these agents, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) still remains one of the most active agents, and the selection of patients who can benefit from 5-FU-based chemotherapy is still important, as those unlikely to benefit could be spared the harmful side effects. The expression levels of thymidylate synthase (TS), thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and p53 have been known to be associated with the clinical response to 5-FU-based therapy as well as the prognosis, and that of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is associated with poor survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The relationship between the expressions of TS, TP, VEGF and p53 in primary tumors, using immunohistochemistry, and the response of 45 metastatic colorectal cancer patients (M: F=25: 20, median age 59 yrs) to 5-FU-based chemotherapy were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were treated with 5-FU/ LV/irinotecan (FOLFIRI) and 8 with 5-FU/LV/oxaplatin (FOLFOX). The overall response rate was 28.9% (13/45). When immunohistochemically analyzed with monoclonal antibodies against TS, TP, VEGF and p53, 55.6% of the patients (25/45) were positive for TS, 48.9% (22/45) for TP, 82.2% (37/45) for VEGF, and 80% (36/45) for p53. There was a significant difference in the intensity of TS expression between the clinical responders and non-responders (p=0.036). In terms of the staining pattern of TS expression, diffuse staining was correlated with a poor response (p=0.012) and poor survival (p=0.045). However, there was no correlation between the expressions of TP, VEGF or P53 and the response to chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the expression of TS in primary colorectal cancer might be an important prognostic factor for chemotherapy response and survival, and might be a useful therapeutic marker for the response of chemotherapy.

A Case of Primary Plasmacytoma of Lymph Nodes

Extramedullary plasmacytoma may originate in any organ, either as a primary tumor or as a facet of systemic multiple myeloma. These solid lesions most commonly affect the upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal and urogenital tract, skin, and lung. Primary plasmacytoma of the lymph node is a rare hematologic neoplasm, which usually manifests as an enlargement of the cervical lymph nodes with no evidence of any other plasma cell dyscrasia. A 56-year-old man was admitted, due to the presence of multiple palpable masses in the right cervical and submandibular areas. Surgical resection revealed plasmacytoma of the lymph nodes. According to our full work-up, no evidence of the systemic involvement of plasma cell dyscrasia was discovered and thus, the diagnosis of primary plasmacytoma of the lymph node was made. Radiotherapy was administered, and the remnant mass was reduced substantially, to 1 x 2 cm in size. The patient was scheduled to be monitored by a PET CT scan, as well as by a neck CT scan.

A Case of Erythema Nodosum and Serositis Associated with Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a heterogenous group of stem cell disorders usually characterized by progressive refractory cytopenias, which could progress to acute myeloid leukemia. MDS may be associated with a wide spectrum of skin lesions, including neoplastic cell infiltration, Sweet's syndrome, pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema elevatum diutinum, vasculitis, and panniculitis. However, erythema nodosum is rarely associated with MDS. Unusual rheumatologic manifestations in patients with MDS also have been reported, which range from asymptomatic serological abnormalities to classic connective tissue disorders such as Sjogren's syndrome, relapsing polychondritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and mixed connective tissue disease. However, concurrent erythema nodosum and serositis has rarely been reported. We describe a case of MDS with erythema nodosum and immune-mediated pericardial effusion in a 34-year-old woman.

Comparison of WHO and RECIST Criteria for Response in Metastatic Colorectal Carcinoma / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: This study compared the WHO criteria with the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) in the same patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in order to determine the significance of the RECIST. In addition, this study compared the estimations of medical oncologists with those of a radiologist. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2002 and 2005, a total of 48 patients (male: female ratio, 29: 19; median age, 58 years) with measurable lesions receiving chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal carcinoma were enrolled in this study. Two medical oncologists and one radiologist, who were blinded to the patients' condition, independently reviewed all the CT images. The results were compared using a kappa test. RESULTS: The kappa test for concordance between the WHO and RECIST criteria of the medical oncologists and the radiologist were 0.908 and 0.841, respectively. The level of concordance between the investigators using the WHO and RECIST were 0.722 and 0.753, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The RECIST criteria are comparable to the WHO criteria in evaluating the response of colorectal carcinoma, but have simple and reproducible guidelines. The use of RECIST is recommended for evaluating the treatment efficacy in clinical trials and practice.

Combination Chemotherapy of Heptaplatin, Paclitaxel and 5-Fluorouracil in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer: a Pilot Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of heptaplatin, paclitaxel, and 5-fluorouracil combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 2002 and September 2003, nineteen patients were enrolled in this study. Paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2) iv on day 1, heptaplatin 400 mg/m(2) iv on day 2 and 5-fluorouracil 800 mg/m(2) on day 2~4 were administered and the regimen was repeated every 3 weeks. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 60 years (range: 32~74) and the most common sites of metastasis were liver and lymph nodes. In the 16 evaluated patients, the overall response rate was 43.8%, but this was without any complete response. The median time to disease progression was 3.93 months (range: 0.26~8.1) and the median response duration for the 7 responding patients was 3.83 months (range: 1.48~6.07). The median overall survival for 19 patients was 7.01 months (range: 0.26~17.44). A median of 3 cycles (range: 1~7) and a total of 65 cycles were administered and evaluated for toxicity. The most common hematologic toxicities were NCI grade I/II anemia (47.7%), neutropenia (9.2%) and thrombocytopenia (6.2%). The most common non-hematologic toxicities more than grade II were nausea/vomiting (30.8%/9.2%). One elderly patient with ECOG 2 had a life- threatening complication of pneumonia. CONCLUSION: The combination of heptaplatin, paclitaxel, and 5-fluorouracil showed significant activity and favorable toxicity profiles in patients with advanced gastric cancer. However, one elderly patient who had poor performance experienced a life-threatening toxicity/complication. Our results suggest that the efficacy of this combination chemotherapy can be maximized when administered to the patients with good performance status. Further studies with large numbers of patients and long-term follow-up study will be needed.