ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lumbosacral transforaminal epidural injection (TFEI) is an effective treatment for spinal disease. However, TFEI may have several types of complications, some of which can be attributed to intravascular injection. We reviewed studies to compare the intravascular injection rate among different needle types. METHODS: We searched the literature for articles on the intravascular injection rate among different needle types used in TFEI. The search was performed using PubMed, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science. RESULTS: A total of six studies comprising 2359 patients were identified. Compared with the Quincke needle, the Whitacre needle reduced the intravascular injection rate (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = [0.44–0.73], P < 0.001). However, compared with the Quincke needle, the Chiba needle did not reduce the intravascular injection rate (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = [0.44–1.45], P = 0.46). In one study, the intravascular injection rate using a blunt-tip needle was lower than that using a sharp needle. In another study, the Whitacre and the blunt-tip needle have similar intravascular injection rates, while, the catheter-extension needle showed a reduced intravascular injection rate. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that the Whitacre needle reduced the intravascular injection rate as compared with the Quincke needle, but failed to establish that the Chiba needle can decrease the intravascular injection rate in TFEI. Moreover, the blunt-tip needle can reduce the intravascular injection rate compared with the Quincke needle, and the catheter-extension needle can reduce the intravascular injection rate compared with the Whitacre and the blunt-tip needle.
Subject(s)
Humans , Anesthesia, Epidural , Injections, Epidural , Needles , Spinal DiseasesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To report the clinical features of six patients diagnosed with cases of inferior vestibular neuritis based on abnormal vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) responses with normal caloric test results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 62 patients presenting with dizziness. All patients underwent a battery of audiovestibular testing, including hearing tests, caloric test and VEMP test. RESULTS: Six patients were diagnosed as inferior vestibular neuritis. All patients presented with acute onset of prolonged vertigo. The pure tone audiograms and caloric test results were normal. VEMP response was absent unilaterally, and normal in the contralateral ear. CONCLUSION: Inferior vestibular neuritis should be considered in patients presenting with acute vertigo, but normal caloric responses. Comprehensive vestibular testing including VEMP is necessary.
Subject(s)
Humans , Caloric Tests , Dizziness , Ear , Hearing Tests , Retrospective Studies , Vertigo , Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials , Vestibular Function Tests , Vestibular NeuronitisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is an essential process for the growth and metastatic ability of solid tumors. One of the key factors known to be capable of stimulating tumor angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The serum VEGF concentration has been shown to be a the malignant pleural effusion showing a correlation with the biochemical parameters. The VEGF has been shown to play a role in the inflammatory diseases, but rarely in the tuberculosis (TB). The serum and pleural fluid VEGF levels were measured in patients with lung cancer and TB. Their relationship with the clinical and laboratory parameters and repeated measurement 3 months after various anticancer treatments were evaluated to assess the utility of the VEGF as a tumor marker. METHODS: Using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the VEGF concentration was measured in both sera and pleural effusions collected from a total of 85 patients with lung cancer, 13 patients with TB and 20 healthy individuals. RESULTS: The serum VEGF levels in patients with lung cancer (619.9±722.8ph/ml) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls (215.9±191.1pg/ml), However, there was no significant difference between the VEGF levels in the lung cancer and TB patients. The serum VEGF levels were higher in large cell and undifferentiated carcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The serum VEGF levels of lung cancer patients revealed no significant relationship with the various clinical parameters. The VEGF concentrations in the malignant effusion (2,228.1±2,103.0pg/ml) were significantly higher than those in the TB effusion (897.6±978.8pg/ml). In the malignant pleural effusion, the VEGF levels revealed significant correlation with the number of red blood cells (r=0.75), the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)(r=0.70), and glucose concentration (r=-0.55) in the pleural fluid. CONCLUSION: The serum VEGF levels were higher in the lung cancer patients. The VEGF levels were more elevated in the malignant pleural effusion than in the tuberculous effusion. In addition, the VEGF levels in the pleural fluid were several times higher than the matched serum values suggesting a local activation and possible etiologic role of VEGF in the formation of malignant effusions. The pleural VEGF levels showed a significant correlation with the numbers of red blood cells, LDH and glucose concentrations in the pleural fluid, which may represent the tumor burden.
Subject(s)
Humans , Adenocarcinoma , Carcinoma , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Erythrocytes , Glucose , L-Lactate Dehydrogenase , Lung Neoplasms , Lung , Pleural Effusion , Pleural Effusion, Malignant , Tuberculosis , Tuberculosis, Pleural , Tumor Burden , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor AABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The exact role of postoperative radiotherapy following curative surgery of rectal carcinoma has been debated. In this retrospective study, we examined the effect of radiotherapy on the survival and recurrence rate of rectal cancer patients who underwent total mesorectal excision (TME). METHODS: Since June of 1994, we have recommended postoperative chemoradiation (6 cycles of 5-FU with folinic acid plus 5040 cGy external irradiation) for stage II and III rectal cancer patients. Among 134 stage II and III rectal cancer patients who underwent TME, 100 patients received postoperative chemoradiation (group A) and 34 patients decided not to receive radiation therapy (group B). For these two groups, survival and recurrence rates were compared. Follow-up times were 6 to 60 months (mean 24.7). There was no difference between two groups with regard to sex, stage of the disease, mean tumor location from dentate line, status of lateral margins, type of operation and mean follow-up duration. However, mean age was higher in group B (65.6 vs 53.9, P0.05). Local recurrence rate was also similar (11.0% vs 3.0%). There was no significant difference in duration between surgery and initial recurrence (14.0 months vs 11.0 months, P=0.18). The 5-year-disease-free survival rate was 57.0% in group A and 63.0% in group B (P=0.33). CONCLUSION: In this study, we found no beneficial effect of postoperative radiation therapy following TME for the rectal cancer.
Subject(s)
Humans , Fluorouracil , Follow-Up Studies , Leucovorin , Radiotherapy , Rectal Neoplasms , Recurrence , Retrospective Studies , Survival RateABSTRACT
Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid is rare, presenting much less than one percent of all primary thyroid malignancies. Most cases have been reported in elderly patients with a history of goiter. It is necessary to differentiate between primary squamous cell carcinoma and secondary involvement from other sites. Secondary involvement of the thyroid may be more amenable to palliation or cure. The treatment of choice in primary squamous cell carcinoma is radical surgery in resectable cases, but the squamous cell carcinoma behaves aggressively and carries a uniformly poor prognosis regardless of the treatment. We had an experience of a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid in two elderly patients. These patients presented a typical feature of a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid, which has been rarely reported in Korea.
Subject(s)
Aged , Humans , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Goiter , Korea , Prognosis , Thyroid GlandABSTRACT
PURPOSE: It has been theorized that p53 may be involved in the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. We evaluated the chemosensitivity of wild p53 after transduction into gastric cancer cell lines with mutant p53. MATERIALS AND METHODS: YCC-3(parent cell line with mutant p53), YCC-3v(parent cell line transduced with vector alone) and YCC-3C3(clone with wild p53) cell lines were used in this study. p53 protein expression was measured by ELISA assay. Tumorigenicity and drug sensitivity were evaluated by soft agar and proliferation assay, respectively. Cell cycle analysis was performed by flowcytometry. Telomerase activity was measured by TRAP assay and terminal restriction fragment(TRF) length was measured after Southern blot analysis. RESULTS: Even though p53 production from the YCC-3C3 cell line was three times higher than those of YCC-3 and YCC-3v cell lines, the cell cycle was the same in these three cell lines. In the YCC-3C3 cell line, drug sensitivity to etoposide and cisplatin was increased when we compared it to those of the YCC-3v cell line(etoposide, 50% versus 83%; cisplatin, 67% versus 83%). However, there was no chemo-sensitization effect with vincristine, vinblastine and carboplatin. After exposure to cisplatin, a G0/G1 check-point effect was found in the YCC-3C3 cell line, but not in the YCC-3v cell line. No differences were found in telomerase activity, TRFs length or DNA fragmentation between the YCC-3v and YCC-3C3 cell lines after cisplatin treatment. CONCLUSION: Wild-type p53 gene transduction in the gastric cancer cell line induced sensitization to the cytotoxicity of etoposide and cisplatin. This suggests the possible application of combined chemo-gene therapy with an EP regimen and wild-type p53 in gastric cancer patients with p53 mutation.
Subject(s)
Humans , Agar , Blotting, Southern , Carboplatin , Cell Cycle , Cell Line , Cisplatin , DNA Fragmentation , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Etoposide , Genes, p53 , Stomach Neoplasms , Telomerase , Vinblastine , VincristineABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of wild type p53 gene transduction on the malignant phenotypes for metastasis in gastric cancer, we compared the biological phenpotypes of gastric cancer cell lines based on p53 gene status. Then, after retrovirus-mediated wild-type p53 gene transduction, we compared those phenotypes among parent YCC-3 cell line, vector transduced YCC-3v cell line and a clone of YCC-3C3. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four human gastric cancer celi lines were used; YCC-l(mutant), YCC-2(wild), YCC-3(mutant) and AGS(wild). DNAs of the cell lines were analyzed to evaluate the mobility shift with PCR-SSCP. Tumorigenecity and proliferation were evaluated by soft agar assay and proliferation assay. Migratory capacity was measured by adhesion assay and Boyden chamber assay. p53 protein expression was measured by Western blot analysis and VEGF, WAF-1 were measured by ELISA assay. Angiogenic activity was measured by cross-feeding assay and cell cycle analysis was performed by flowcytometry. In vivo tumorigenicity was measured by xenograft in nude mice. RESULTS: YCC-3 cell line with mutant p53 gene expressed all the phenotypes for the metastasis such as tumorigenicity, migration and angiogenesis. In a stable clone of YCC-3C3, no differences were found in proliferation, cell cycle and WAP-1 expression when compared to those of the control YCC-3v and parent YCC-3 cell line, even if increased p53 protein production was found by Western blot analysis. However, both in vitro and in vivo tumorigenicity were decreased in a stably transduced YCC-3C3 clone. The adhesive capacity was also decreased in YCC-3C3 clone whereas the endothelial cell growth stimulatory effect and VEGF production showed no difference compared to those of the YCC-3v cell line. CONCLUSION: Wild-type p53 gene transduction in gastric cancer cell line decreased tumorigenicity which resulted from decreased colony forming activity and adhesive capacity but not formed changes of angiogenic activity. This suggested the possible application of anti- metastasis strategy with p53 gene therapy in gastric cancer.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Mice , Adhesives , Agar , Blotting, Western , Cell Cycle , Cell Line , Cell Proliferation , Clone Cells , DNA , Endothelial Cells , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Genes, p53 , Heterografts , Mice, Nude , Neoplasm Metastasis , Parents , Phenotype , Stomach Neoplasms , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor AABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Humans , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Cell Line , Genes, p53ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Humans , Cyclosporine , Drug Resistance, Multiple , Lung Neoplasms , Lung , Tamoxifen , VerapamilABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Humans , Drug Therapy , Granulocytes , Lung , NeutropeniaABSTRACT
We have studied the patterns of P-glycoprotein expression before and after 3 cycles of induction chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide) using immunohistochemically stained paraffin-embedded specimen of 28 patients with locally advanced breast cancer. The frequency of P-glycoprotein expression in untreated breast cancer turned out to be very low: only one out of 28 untreated, biopsy specimen at the time of diagnosis was positive. The frequency of P-glycoprotein expression was markedly increased from 9.1% before chemotherapy to 63.6% after induction chemotherapy (p = 0.006). After 3 cycles of induction chemotherapy, 25 patients had obtained clinical response to chemotherapy (4, CR; 21, PR). Eleven out of 25 tumors (44%) showing clinical response and all three tumors (100%) with minimal response have expressed P-glycoprotein. One out of 6 patients (16.7%) with microscopic residual tumor seen in mastectomy specimen expressed P-glycoprotein, whereas 13 of 22 patients (59.1%) with gross residual tumor showed the presence of P-glycoprotein (p = 0.08). The frequency of intrinsic P-glycoprotein expression in untreated breast cancer was quite low, but approximately half of the patients do acquire P-glycoprotein expression during the cycles of induction chemotherapy. Therefore, the results suggest that the immunohistochemical detection of P-glycoprotein on residual tumor cells after induction chemotherapy can predict acquired drug resistance in breast cancer.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Breast Neoplasms/chemistry , Breast Neoplasms/chemistry , Drug Resistance , Drug Resistance , Immunohistochemistry , Membrane Glycoproteins/analysis , Middle Aged , ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 , Stomach NeoplasmsABSTRACT
Within the past few years, an increasing number of reports of Hodgkin's disease following the diagnosis of, and frequently coexisting with, mycosis fungoides have appeared. Previously, Hodgkin's disease found in the lymph nodes of the patient diagnosed as mycosis fungoides was considered as a transformed form of the mycosis fungoides. But, now it has been proven that Hodgkin's disease and mycosis fungoides are histologically and immunohistochemically distinct disease entities. We report a well-documented case of a man who developed Hodgkin's disease and mycosis fungoides simultaneously as a composite lymphoma. Our case emphasizes the importance of considering the diagnosis of another lymphoma in patients with mycosis fungoides who have lymphadenopathy. The cutaneous mycosis fungoides and the Hodgkin's disease should be treated as an independent disease.