Use of Dietary Supplements in Cancer Patients / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Dietary supplements (DS) have been increasingly utilized as a way of the promoting health and complementary therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the patterns of dietary supplement use in Korean cancer patients and to examine the related factors. METHODS: Between April and May of 2008, 366 patients who were hospitalized for diagnosis and treatment of cancer in a university affiliated tertiary hospital were surveyed using a self-administered structured questionnaire after receiving written informed consent. Among them, 322 patients with adequate answers were fi nally included. RESULTS: Two hundred forty patients (72.3%) reported to have ever taken DS with the mean number of 3.6 +/- 2.98. Vitamins were the most frequently used, followed by ginseng steamed red, ginseng, and glucosamine. The most infl uential factor regarding DS use was the recommendation by family members or relatives. The main reason for DS use was for resolution of fatigue, followed by supplementation of therapy, and immune enhancement. Information concerning DS most eager to know about was the effect of DS (44.6%), followed by interaction of DS with therapeutics (33.2%). Doctor (74.4%) was the most preferred health care provider to be consulted concerning DS, but only 34% of DS users have actually consulted with a doctor. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that increasing age, Catholicism, and higher educational level were associated with higher use of DS. CONCLUSION: DS use was very prevalent in cancer patients. In spite of the great need, only small proportion of cancer patients using DS has consulted with a doctor.

Effect of Cancer Diagnosis on Smoking Behavior / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Smoking is universally recognized as the foremost preventable cause of cancer. And smoking behavior causes many negative effects in cancer patients. Based on the mounting evidence that smoking affects cancer treatment outcomes and survival, we studied whether the cancer diagnosis affects smoking behavior. METHODS: During August 2007, 279 patients who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of cancer were surveyed by a questionnaire and a follow up survey was performed at 3 months and 7 months afterwards. Follow up survey was performed via telephone and finally 246 patients were enrolled. Questions in the survey included smoking history, nicotine dependence, stage of change and the reason for quit smoking or keep smoking. In the follow up survey at 7 month, we asked whether they needed smoking cessation interventions. RESULTS: At the end of the study, the subjects who kept smoking were 27 patients, but the degree of nicotine dependence was decreased compared to the preceding 2 surveys and contemplation as well as preparation stage turned out to be the most prevalent stage of change. The main reasons to keep smoking were behavioral habits and stress. Regardless of their smoking history, almost all cancer patients wanted smoking cessation interventions. CONCLUSION: Smoking is a critical variable that affects cancer treatment and outcome. We surely found there is a smoking subgroup after cancer diagnosis and we should advise them to quit smoking.

Several Genes Expressed During Morphogenesis of Lentinus edodes (ImHyup-1)

Differential display of reverse transcription (DDRT)-PCR was conducted to have a profile of the differentially expressed genes during the formation of fruiting body of Lentinus edodes. The lines of L. edodes (ImHyup-1) employed were cultivated in the artificial blocks of sawdust, and the fruiting body was induced from the mycelia or the mass protruded from the brown surface of the sawdust blocks. RNAs were prepared from the four different developmental stages; mycelial, primordial, and stipes and pileus of fruiting body. The fragments of cDNA were synthesized from the combinations of the arbitrary primers and 3' one anchored Oligo-dT primer. Twelve combinations using the primers have been tested, and among them nineteen bands were identified as differentially expressed. Those genes were further analyzed by DNA sequencing and followed by homology search. Characterization of one clone was conducted as a preliminary data and more are under investigation.

Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Using a Gene Probe method / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: Rapid and accurate identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex is important in the diagnosis, treatment, and assessment of prognosis of tuberculosis. But, the conventional identification procedures such as niacin test usually requires considerable time. In this study, we compared the diagnostic value of a gene probe method with that of the niacin test for the differentiation of M. tuberculosis complex from mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT). METHODS: Commercially available gene probe kit(AccuProbeTM, Gen-Probe, Inc. , San Diego, Calif.) and Niacin test strip were used to identify 78 strains of mycobacteria isolated from patients at Asan Medical Center. One ATCC strain (M. tuberculosis complex) and one MOTT strain were used as controls. Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was used when the above two tests yielded discordant results. RESULTS: Fifty isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis complex by both gene probe method and niacin test. Likewise 25 isolates were identified as MOTT by the both methods. For the remaining 5 isolates, the results of the two tests differed from each other: M. tuberculosis complex by gene probe and MOTT by niacin test. By PCR, however. these strains were identified as M. tuberculosis. The time required for identification was 1 to 2 hours by gene probe method and 1 to 3 weeks by niacin test. CONCLUSION: Gene probe is simple, rapid and reliable and is a very practical diagnostic tool that can be used in any clinical laboratory.

A Case of Primary Orbital Malignant Lymphoma

Lymphoma forms the largest group of lymphoproliferative disorder in the orbit. Orbit CT scan and biopsy are very helpful for diagnosis. Main treatment is radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The authors experienced a case of orbital lymphoma in a 45-year-old male who visited our hospital due to proptosis of the right eye. Histopathologic result showed diffuse small lymphocytic Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We present this case and discuss its management.

Clinical Analysis of Children's Perforating Eye Injuries in Middle Western Coast of Korea

We report a clinical ananlysis of children's perforating eye injuries which happened in middle western of Korea from Jan., 1988 to Apr., 1993. Total number of patients with perforating eye injuries was 40(40 eyes). The peak age group was 5-6 year of age. The cornea was the most common site of perforation. The most frequent cause of perforating eye injuries was knife and scissors(17.5%) and sharp pointed iron material(17.5%) and followed by glass(17.5%), wood(17.5%), pencil 7.5%), toy(5%), traffic accident(5%). According to this result obtained, the visual prognosis of perforating eye injuries in children is still poor. Special care should be taken to prevent such a severe eye trauma in children by every means.

Exophthalmos Caused by Subperiosteal Orbital Hematoma

Frequent causes of exophthalmos are orbital inflammations, vascular disorders, various orbital neoplasms, metabolic diseases, and developmental anomalies. But subperiosteal hematoma is a rare cause of exophthalmos. We experienced three cases of exophthalmos caused by the subperiosteal hematoma and managed successfully by needle aspiration and conservative treatment.

Cortical Blindness After Cerebral Angiography

Cortical blindness means visual loss caused by bilateral destruction of visual cortex. Cortical blindness can develop after cerebral angiography due to hypertonic contrast medium which open the blood-brain barrier and then alternate the function of visual cortex transiently. About 30 minutes after injection of contrast medium (Ultravist 370(R)) during cerebral angiography, the patient complained of decrease of visual acuity. And 3 hours later, evaluation revealed that she could not see even the light. But her vision began to improve after 19 hours and recovered completely after 7 days. MRI taken at 12 hours after cerebral angiography showed high signal intensities in the both occipital lobes. But in repeated MRI study, which was taken after 3 days, previously noted high densities were completely disappeared. So we diagnosed this case as cortical blindness caused by hypertonic contrast medium.

Cortical Blindness After Cerebral Angiography

Cortical blindness means visual loss caused by bilateral destruction of visual cortex. Cortical blindness can develop after cerebral angiography due to hypertonic contrast medium which open the blood-brain barrier and then alternate the function of visual cortex transiently. About 30 minutes after injection of contrast medium (Ultravist 370(R)) during cerebral angiography, the patient complained of decrease of visual acuity. And 3 hours later, evaluation revealed that she could not see even the light. But her vision began to improve after 19 hours and recovered completely after 7 days. MRI taken at 12 hours after cerebral angiography showed high signal intensities in the both occipital lobes. But in repeated MRI study, which was taken after 3 days, previously noted high densities were completely disappeared. So we diagnosed this case as cortical blindness caused by hypertonic contrast medium.

A Case of Sympathetic Ophthalmia

Sympathetic ophthalmia is a rare, diffuse, granulomatous inflammation of the entire uvea, usually bilateral, which occurs days, months, or years after penetrating ocular injury or intraocular surgery. This presented case was a 34 years old male patient injured his left eye suspecting a scleral laceration. The exciting eye(left) was eviscerated 8 days after injury and sympathetic eye(right) was developed sympathetic ophthalmia 8 weeks after injury. A brief review of the related literatures is presented.