A Case of Unilesional Mycosis Fungoides Treated with Photodynamic Therapy Using Methyl-Aminolevulinate / 대한피부과학회지

Various treatment modalities are available for mycosis fungoides including topical steroids, topical chemotherapy, phototherapy, and spot radiation therapy. However, these modalities do not always result in optimal effects, with efficacy depending on lesion size, number, and location. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a recently introduced therapeutic modality that proved effective in patients with unilesional mycosis fungoides. A 58-year-old woman presented with a seven-year history of a pruritic erythematous scaly patch on her right thigh. Through skin biopsy, we verified the lesion as mycosis fungoides. The lesion did not respond well to a topical steroid. We opted for topical PDT with methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL). MAL cream was applied for 4 hours following irradiation with a red light. Four sessions were administered, separated by five weeks. The lesion clinically improved after treatment without severe side effects. PDT using MAL could be considered an effective and tolerable treatment for mycosis fungoides.

A Case of Incontinentia Pigmenti in a Boy with Klinefelter Syndrome / 대한피부과학회지

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is an uncommon X-linked, dominantly inherited disorder due to a mutation in the NEMO (NF-kappaB essential modulator) gene on the X chromosome. IP mostly occurs in female infants, it is usually embryonic lethal in males. The mechanisms for survival of affected males are explained by the presence of an extra X chromosome (Klinefelter's syndrome), hypomorphic mutations, and somatic mosaicism. We report here a rare case of incontinentia pigmenti in a 13-year-old boy with Klinefelter's syndrome, NEMO gene mutation, and whorled, hyperkeratotic, hyperpigmented, linear lesions along the lines of Blaschko on the trunk and leg.

Recurrent Acral Lentiginous Melanoma In Situ Suggesting the Field Cell Theory

No abstract available.

The Korean National Liver Cancer Surveillance Program: Experience of a Single Healthcare Center in 2011 / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate outcomes and current status of the National Liver Cancer Screening Program in a single healthcare center. METHODS: Subjects received abdominal ultrasonography (US) and/or serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing from January 2011 to December 2012. The clinical characteristics of the subjects, detection rate of liver cancer, and direct medical costs were investigated. RESULTS: Among 621 subjects, five (0.8%) were newly detected with hepatocellular carcinoma. Four underwent curative treatment, and all were detected by US (two surgical resections and two radiofrequency ablations). The remaining patient, whose disease was detected by an elevated AFP level, was infiltrative type with a poor prognosis. Of 492 subjects whose medical history was revealed, 45% had hepatitis B, 5% had hepatitis C, 1% had both, and 3% had other liver cirrhosis including alcoholic cirrhosis. The remaining 46% of subjects had no risk factors for liver cancer. Direct medical costs were estimated at 8,420,000 Won for detecting a single case of liver cancer, which was much lower than that of stomach cancer at 45,060,000 Won. If the non-high risk subjects were excluded, the cost for a single case of liver cancer decreased to 5,560,000 Won. CONCLUSIONS: The high-risk group should be more accurately defined by appropriate screening tests to optimize liver cancer surveillance. The detection rate by the liver cancer surveillance program was about 1%, and most tumors could be detected at the early stage by US. The role of AFP seemed to be small for early defection of liver cancer.

A Case of Early Gastric Cancer with Solitary Metastasis to the Pleura

The incidence of early gastric cancer (EGC) has increased to >50% in Korea owing to a higher detection rate caused by rapid advances in diagnostic instrumentation. EGC with distant metastasis has been rarely reported. Here, we report the case of a 76-year-old woman in whom general EGC was initially diagnosed by endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography. She subsequently underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Histological examination of the ESD specimen revealed that neoplastic cells were located predominantly in the submucosal layer and submucosal lymphatic channels. Metastatic cancer cells were also found in the pleural effusion. After conducting all analyses, including immunohistochemical staining, we concluded that the patient had primary EGC with pleural metastasis.

A Case of Mycobacterium marinum Infection Diagnosed by PCR Amplification and Direct Sequencing / 대한피부과학회지

Mycobacterium marinum is an atypical mycobacterium (ATM) and is an uncommon cause of skin and soft tissue infections associated with contact with contaminated water. Diagnosis is often delayed when only a conventional identification method is used. PCR amplification and direct sequencing is recently available method for rapid identification of ATM. We report a case of M. marinum infection identified by PCR and sequencing. A 56-year-old female was referred for multiple erythematous nodules on both forearms which appeared two months ago. Skin biopsy showed suppurative granulomatous inflammation, and AFB culture showed nontuberculous Mycobacteria. PCR and sequencing were performed, and the obtained sequences were compared to the database using BLAST. The sequences of 16S rRNA and rpoB could not differentiate between M. marinum and M. ulcerans, showing 100% homology to both. Identification was possible using the sequences of the tuf and hsp65 genes, showing both 100% homology to M. marinum, while 99.8%, 99.7% to M. ulcerans. The patient was treated with clarithromycin, rifampicin, and ethambutol for 6 months.

A Case of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Pancreatic Metastasis

Solitary pancreatic metastasis of esophageal cancer is extremely rare. We report the case of a 58-year-old male admitted with esophageal cancer. Additional asymptomatic solitary hepatic and pancreatic masses were observed in the staging work-up for esophageal cancer. The hepatic mass was confirmed as a primary hepatocellular carcinoma with an ultrasound-guided needle biopsy. An esophagectomy with a distal pancreatectomy and radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma were performed. Histologically, the pancreatic mass was confirmed to be a metastasis from the esophageal cancer. The patient has been followed up with chemotherapy.

Infection Status of Estuarine Fish and Oysters with Intestinal Fluke Metacercariae in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea

The source of human infection with intestinal flukes was surveyed in estuarine fishes, including the dotted gizzard shad, common sea bass, common blackish goby, redlip mullet, black sea bream, and oyster collected from Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea during August and September 2007. Collected fishes and oysters were artificially digested in pepsin-HCl solution and examined under a stereomicroscope. In 36 shads (Konosirus punctatus) and 20 basses (Lateolabrax japonicus) examined, Heterophyopsis continua metacercariae were found in 58.3% and 100%, and their average numbers were 12.0 and 6.3 per infected fish, respectively. In 34 gobies (Acanthogobius flavimanus) examined, metacercariae of H. continua were detected in 79.4%, Stictodora lari in 97.1%, and Acanthotrema felis in 92.1%, and their average numbers were 45.8, 189.3, and 235.3 per infected fish, respectively. In 37 redlip mullets (Chelon haematocheilus), Heterophyes nocens metacercariae were found in 56.8%, Pygidiopsis summa in 94.6%, and Stictodora fuscata in 45.9%, and the average metacercarial densities were 17.4, 31.3, and 35.1 per infected fish, respectively. In 30 black sea breams (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) and 45 oysters (Crassostrea gigas) examined, no metacercariae were detected. From the above results, it has been confirmed that the dotted gizzard shad, common sea bass, common blackish goby, and redlip mullet from Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea are infected with the metacercariae of heterophyid flukes.

Verruca Vulgaris on Top of a Melanocytic Nevus Simulating Melanoma / 대한피부과학회지

No abstract available.

Predictors of Steroid Treatment Failure and Validation of Previous Models for Severe Attacks of Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Some clinical and laboratory parameter are predictors to determine steroid treatment failure in patients acute severe ulcerative colitis. We aimed to validate previous models in the Korean patients. METHODS: This study was conducted retrospectively with 70 patients who were diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis (UC) between January 2001 and June 2011. The rate of treatment failure was investigated using predictors or numerical scoring systems from prior studies. RESULTS: Twelve (17.2%) patients failed to respond to steroid therapy. The logistic regression analysis revealed that stool frequency on the fifth day and colonic dilatation were the only independent predictive factors related to treatment failure. Formulated numerical risk scores based on mean stool frequency, colonic dilatation, and hypoalbuminemia were significantly higher in the non-responding group than those in the responding group (P8 than in the group with a score 8 plus CRP >4.5 mg/dL or bloody stool plus CRP >4.3 mg/dL) than those of the other group at the third day (40% vs. 7.3%, P=0.004; 33.3% vs. 5.2%, P=0.014, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Stool frequency and CRP level were the meaningful parameters among the predictors for steroid treatment response. Furthermore, several predictive models for steroid treatment failure in western countries seem to be of value for use in the Korean population.

Multifocal Adenocarcinomas Arising within a Gastric Inverted Hyperplastic Polyp

We present herein the occurrence of multifocal adenocarcinomas with a minute signet ring cell carcinoma that arose within a gastric inverted hyperplastic polyp (IHP) in a 40-year-old woman. Endoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated a heterogeneous hypoechoic mass in the third layer of the gastric wall. The endoscopic submucosal dissection specimen measuring 3.5x3.2x1.8 cm was a well-circumscribed protruding lesion that had a slit-shaped cavity. Histologically, the lesion consisted mainly of endophytic proliferation of hyperplastic columnar cells resembling normal foveolar epithelium. In addition, six foci of adenocarcinomas and a minute focus of signet ring cell carcinoma were randomly distributed in the superficial and deep regions. The adenocarcinoma was gradually transitioning from dysplasia, while the signet ring cell carcinoma was surrounded by hyperplastic foveolar epithelium. This is the first report of a gastric IHP with multifocal intramucosal adenocarcinomas and a signet ring cell carcinoma, and endoscopic submucosal dissection is used to completely resect it.

A Case of Carbol Fuchsin Poisoning Successfully Treated with Hemoperfusion and Continuous Venovenous Hemodiafiltration / 대한신장학회지

Carbol fuchsin is a mixture of phenol and basics fuchsin, used in bacterial staining procedures. It is a component of Ziehl-Neelsen stain. Phenol in Carbol fuchsin is a toxic agent which can lead to various gastrointestinal, ocular, skin, neurologic and renal side effects. We hereby report a case of Carbol fuchsin poisoned patient. Acute renal failure with metabolic acidosis was rapidly progressed. However, she was treated successfully by continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration.

A Case of Aspergillosis of the Central Nervous System in an Immunocompetent Patient / 대한내과학회지

Invasive aspergillosis usually does not occur in immunocompetent patients. Recently, however, the incidence of invasive aspergillosis has been increasing in immunologically competent patients. It is difficult to diagnose neuroaspergillosis because of its varied radiological findings and clinical manifestations. We report a case of aspergillosis of the central nervous system, presenting as a mass-like lesion, in an immunocompetent patient. The patient was diagnosed after a surgical biopsy and treated with antifungal agents. The clinical outcome was good.

Epidemiological Survey on the Infection of Intestinal Flukes in Residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea

Infection status of intestinal flukes was investigated in residents of Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, the Republic of Korea. Total 1,257 fecal samples of residents were examined by formalin-ether sedimentation technique and Kato-Katz thick smear method. Helminth eggs were detected from 95 (7.6%) residents, and eggs of heterophyid flukes and Clonorchis sinensis were found from 62 (4.9%) and 40 (3.2%) cases, respectively. The larger heterophyid eggs, somewhat dark-brown in color and 37.7 x 21.5 micrometer in average size, and found in 32 (2.6%) out of 62 egg positive cases of heterophyid flukes. To confirm the adult flukes, we performed worm recovery from 12 cases after praziquantel treatment and purgation with MgSO4. A total of 1,281 adult flukes, assigned to 7 species, were recovered from 9 cooperative cases. Heterophyes nocens (total 981 specimens) was collected from 9 cases, Stictodora fuscata (80) from 7, Gymnophalloides seoi (75) from 5, Pygidiopsis summa (140) from 3, Stellantchasmus falcatus (3) from 2, and Stictodora lari and Acanthotrema felis (each 1 worm) from 1 case each. The intrauterine eggs of S. fuscata collected from the recovered worm were identical with the larger heterophyid eggs detected in the stool examination. By the present study, it was confirmed that A. felis is a new intestinal fluke infecting humans, and residents in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do are infected with variable species of intestinal trematodes.

A Case of Pneumococcal Endocarditis Accompanied by Arthritis and Meningitis / 감염과화학요법

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of pneumonia. S. pneumoniae also had been a frequent cause of infective endocarditis in the past, but its incidence has markedly decreased after the introduction of effective antibiotics. S. pneumoniae is now a rare cause of this invasive and fatal disease, not to mention S. pneumoniae bacteremia with multiple metastatic infections. We report a 74-year-old woman who presented with arthritis and fever and was diagnosed with infective endocarditis accompanied by meningitis and septic arthritis due to S. pneumoniae without pneumonia. After treatment with antibiotics, the patient recovered without complications. Although S. pneumoniae is a rare cause of infective endocarditis with multiorgan involvement, S. pneumonia should be considered as one of the potential pathogens in such cases.