Correlation of AR, EGFR, and HER2 Expression Levels in Prostate Cancer: Immunohistochemical Analysis and Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in prostate cancer. Evidence from several groups indicates that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) may enhance AR activity in prostate cancer cell lines. This study was designed to investigate the protein expression of AR, EGFR, and HER2 and to determine whether the EGFR and HER2 genes are amplified in prostate cancer tissues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The protein expression levels of AR, EGFR, and HER2 in a tissue microarray block of 66 prostate cancer samples were investigated by immunohistochemical analysis and chromogenic in situ hybridization was used to determine whether the EGFR and HER2 genes were amplified in these tissues. RESULTS: The AR and EGFR proteins were expressed in 59.1% and 40.9% of prostate cancers, respectively, but their expression levels were not significantly associated with clinicopathologic factors. Of the cases in which tissues were negative for EGFR protein expression, 69.2% were positive for AR protein expression; however, AR protein expression was significantly reduced (44.4%) in tissues in which EGFR protein was expressed. HER2 expression was detected in only 1 case (1.5%). No amplification of the EGFR or HER2 genes was found in prostate cancer specimens. CONCLUSION: This study was limited by small number of subjects, but it can still be inferred that the expression levels of the AR and EGFR proteins are inversely correlated in prostate cancer patients. The potential utility of EGFR and HER2 as prognostic factors or therapeutic targets warrants further study.

Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopic Examination on Circulation in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

To investigate the retinal hemodynamics in chronic primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), high-quality video fluorescein angiograms using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope(SL0 101, Rodenstock, Munich, Germany) were obtained from 22 eyes of 16 patients with POAG and 14 eyes of 14 healthy subjects. From these angiograms, the arm to retinal time (ART), arteriovenous passage time (AvFT), venous fulling time(VFT) and arteriovenous fulling time (AvFT) were quantified. And these parameters of retinal circulation of the group of patients with POAG were compared with those of the age-matched group of healthy subjects. There were no significant differences in the ART between two groups (p=0.09). But significant prolongations of the AvPT, VFT and AvFT of the group of patients with POAG(2.5 +/- 1.1, 8.4 +/- 1.8 and 10.9 +/- 2. sec, respectively) were observed compared to the values (1.8 +/- 0.7, 6.4 +/- 2.2 and 8.1 +/- 2. 4 sec, respectively) obtained among the healthy subjects (p=0.04, p=0.007 and p=0.0008, respectively). These results indicate that a significant retinal microcirculatory deficit exists in the eyes of POAG, and the VFT and AvFT may be good indices of retinal microcirculatory deficit in the eyes of POAG.

Pohang Iron and Steel Company(POSCO) Computerized Occupational Health Surveillance System(PCOHESS) / 대한산업의학회지

POSCO Health Care Center has collected health and environmental data using computerized system since 1987. One of the important roles of Industrial Health Care Center is to provide a comprehensive occupational health care, including therapeutic medical care, periodic medical examination and industrial hygiene control for the prevention of work-related illness. To strengthen the functions of an occupational health surveillance system since May, 1992, and it is scheduled to be completed by March, 1994. The modified POSCO Computerized Occupational Health Surveillance System (PCOHESS) contains three major area: health care, environmental monitoring, and personal information. The linkage among three area, lacking in the previous system, was emphasized in PCOHESS. The area of health care assists the management of preplacement examination data as well as the diseased and disabled data, and it will facilitate the preplacement for new employees and will enable an efficient care for the diseased and disabled. Environmental and personal sampling data, and personal information data, such as age, education and jobcode etc, that are linked to each employees, can assist the health care professionals to decide the type and time of medical examination and to periodically supply proper protectors. Data collected from the time of one's employment until his/her retirement can be used for the epidemiologic surveillance which will enable to evaluate the employee's health status related to his/her work environments, and to indentify the places that are necessary to be improved.