Clinical Characteristics of Multiple Primary Cancer in Breast Cancer Patients / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Since 2001, breast cancer has been the most common type of cancer observed in Korean women. Due to improved screening and treatment, multiple primary cancer (MPC) in association with breast cancer has been more prevalent. However, there is a lack of information regarding MPC in Korea. Therefore, this study was conducted to provide an overview of the clinical characteristics of MPC that occurs in association with breast cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 149 patients with MPC, including breast cancer patients, who were treated between July 1989 and December 2005 at the Breast clinic in Asan Medical Center. Patients with contra-lateral breast cancer as well as patients that experienced a recurrence of breast cancer were excluded from this study. We studied the clinical characteristics of patients including the mean age, stage of disease, hormone receptor status, cause of death, common cancers that were combined with breast cancer, the time interval between the onset of breast cancer and other cancers, and mean survival. We considered the cancer to be synchronous if a second cancer has been diagnosed at least six months before the diagnosis of an initial primary cancer, however, other forms of cancer were considered to be metachronous. RESULTS: Of 149 patients, 146 patients were female (98.0%) and 3 were male (2.0%). The mean age of the study group was 51.5, which is higher than the mean age of 47.3 that was observed in breast cancer patients at our hospital during the same period (p<0.001). Forty-four of the patients evaluated in this study had synchronous cases of cancer, whereas the remaining 88 patients had metachronous MPC. In metachronous cancers, the average time between diagnosis with the primary cancer and the secondary cancer was 5.2 yr. The most common cancer found to be combined with breast cancer included cancer of the thyroid (45, 29.2%), cervix and uterus (28, 18.2%), stomach (19, 12.3%), colon and rectum (15, 9.7%), ovary (11, 7.1%) and lung (9, 5.8%). CONCLUSION: Thyroid cancer is the cancer most commonly associated with breast cancer, and the mean age of MPC patients was higher than that of patients who only had breast cancer. Due to the improved survival length and treatment, MPC associated with breast cancer is now a greater concern.

A Case of Intestinal Obstruction Caused by Strangulated Femoral Hernia Accompanying Soft Tissue Necrosis / 대한소화기학회지

Intestinal obstruction involves a partial or complete blockage of the bowel which results in the failure of intestinal contents to pass through. The mechanical causes of obstruction may include the followings: hernias, postoperative adhesions or scar tissue, impacted feces, gallstones, tumors, granulomatous processes, intussusception, volvulus, foreign bodies, and etc. Hernias are the third leading cause of intestinal obstruction by 10% approximately. However, most hernias are the cases with abdominal wall, inguinal or internal hernia. Femoral, obturator, lumbar, or sciatic hernia as the cause of obsturction is rare. Furthermore, the cases accompanying soft tissue necrosis are seldomly reported. Herein, we report a case of intestinal obstruction caused by strangulated femoral hernia accompanying soft tissue necrosis in a 78-years-old female patient.

Appendiceal Intussusception Caused by the Mucocele of the Appendix

Mucocele of the appendix is basically a cystic dilatation of the appendix distal to an obstruction of the appendiceal lumen. It develops in unusual situations in which the distal lumen does not contain enough bacteria to initiate appendicitis when obstruction develops. The continuing mucous secretion causes gradual distention of the appendix and thinning of the wall until mucous secretion stops. The changes after the sudden blocking of the lumen of the appendix depend on the amount and character of the content distal to the obstruction. If the lumen is empty, the appendix distends with mucus to form a mucocele. Here we report a case which we experienced a 68-years-old female patient whose vermiform appendix had mucoceles with appendiceal intussusception.

Characterization of Peroxiredoxins in the Gray matter in the spinal cord after Acute Immobilization Stress

PURPOSE: Many stresses produce reactive oxygen species and bring about mechanism of antioxidant reaction. Cytokine and a neurotransmitter through the cell membrane, as well as signal transduction through the cell membrane, are used for various pathological condition of the brain, such as neurodegenerative disease. There are several antioxidant enzymes in cells (superoxcide dismutase, glutathion peroxidasae, peroxiredoxin catalase, etc.) METHODS: This study used single- or double-label immunohistochemical techniques to analyze mouse spinal neuron cells expressing Prx I and Prx III after acute mobilization stress. RESULTS: Prx I was observed in dendritic cell of the gray matter of the spinal cord, and Prx III was observed in the cytoplasm of the GM of the spinal cord. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will help to explain differences of expression in the distributions of the peroxiredoxin enzymes of the spinal cord.

Characterization of Peroxiredoxins in the Gray matter in the spinal cord after Acute Immobilization Stress

PURPOSE: Many stresses produce reactive oxygen species and bring about mechanism of antioxidant reaction. Cytokine and a neurotransmitter through the cell membrane, as well as signal transduction through the cell membrane, are used for various pathological condition of the brain, such as neurodegenerative disease. There are several antioxidant enzymes in cells (superoxcide dismutase, glutathion peroxidasae, peroxiredoxin catalase, etc.) METHODS: This study used single- or double-label immunohistochemical techniques to analyze mouse spinal neuron cells expressing Prx I and Prx III after acute mobilization stress. RESULTS: Prx I was observed in dendritic cell of the gray matter of the spinal cord, and Prx III was observed in the cytoplasm of the GM of the spinal cord. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will help to explain differences of expression in the distributions of the peroxiredoxin enzymes of the spinal cord.

A Case of Chronic Acalculous Cholecystitis Diagnosed by Delayed Contrast Emptying in Gallbladder / 대한소화기학회지

Chronic acalculous cholecystitis is a diagnosis of exclusion in patients complaining acalculous biliary pain. The possible causes of acalculous biliary pain are chronic gallbladder (GB) inflammation, GB dysfunction, cholesterolosis, cystic duct stenosis or microlithiasis. Recently, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the choice of treatment for acalculous biliary pain. We experienced a 32-year-old woman whose initial symptoms were right upper quadrant pain and nausea only. The abdominal computed tomography, DISIDA scan, and upper and lower endoscopic examinations were nonspecific. Up to 48 hours after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, contrast emptying of GB was delayed, implying dysfunctional GB. As the patient's right upper quadrant pain and tenderness became aggravated, the laparoscopic cholecystectomy was done and the final diagnosis of chronic acalculous cholecystitis was confirmed.

A Case of Triple Synchronous Primary Colon Cancer Diagnosed by Colonoscopy before Operation / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Multiple primary colorectal carcinomas are not rare and occur more often than what can be ascribed to chance, but the frequencies on record vary. The tumors are usually classified as synchronous if they are present at the same time. It is often difficult to detect all these multiple lesions preoperatively:a correct diagnosis is frequently obtained only upon examination of the resected specimen. Triple synchronous primary colon cancer is an exceedingly rare disease. Despite of its rarity, multiple colon cancers should be investigated in the patients in whom clinical or laboratory evidence of colon cancer is suspected. Recently, we experienced one case of triple synchronous primary colon cancer diagnosed by colonoscopy before operation and report here with the review of the literature.

Clinical Review of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND: The laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the treatment of choice for the majority of patients with cholecystopathy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy by reviewing of the case histories of three hundred ten consecutive patients treated with a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the initial 310 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at the Department of General Surgery, Sun General Hospital, from May 1993 to December 1998. Sex, age, associated diseases, previous history of abdominal operation, duration of operation, reason for conversion to open cholecystectomy, hospital stay, and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS: The postoperative diagnosis was chronic cholecystitis in 213 patients, acute cholecystitis in 53 patients, cholesterolosis in 17 patients, gallbladder (GB) empyema in 13 patients, acalculous cholecystitis in 9 patients, and gallbladder carcinomas in 3 patients. The common associated diseases were diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The mean durations of operation, diet, and hospital stay were 77.6 minutes. 1.2 days, and 5 days, respectively. The mean numbers of drainages and injected analgesics were 0.8 and 1.6, respectively. Conversion to an open cholecystectomy was necessary in 8 of the 310 patients (2.6%) who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy either because of severe adhesion (n=6), difficulty with anatomic identification in Calot's triangle (n=1), or severe GB empyema (n=1). The overall postoperative complication rate was 2.6% (8/310). A laparotomy was not required for the treatment of bleeding (5 cases) and residual stones (2 cases). There was no bile duct injury. One patient who had a cerebral infarction died of a cerebrovascular accident. CONCLUSION: We conclude that for benign cholecystopathy the laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be safe and feasible treatment with low morbidity.

Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer: One Case Report / 대한흉부외과학회지

Thoracoscopic esophagectomy can be performed in esophageal diseases to reduce the postoperative complications. Recently, We encountered a case of esophageal cancer and successfully treated it by thoracoscopic esophagectomy with gastric pull-up. A 59-year-old male was presented with swallowing difficulty and an esophagogram, esophagoscopy, and chest CT showed an ulcerating tumor on the lower esophagus. The operation was performed in three stages: mobilization of the esophagus by thoracoscopic surgery, construction of a gastric tube through a laparotomy, and cervical anastomosis between the esophagus and the gastric pull-through. Hoarseness developed postoperatively, and the postoperative esophagogram showed leakage at the esophagogastric anastomotic site. The anastomotic leakage was healed following surgical drainage and the patient was discharged in good health. Hoarseness subsided spontaneously two months after surgery.