Comparison of the prevalence and histology between primary benign bladder tumors and recurrent benign lesions after transurethral resection of malignant bladder tumors / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

Background@#Benign bladder tumors are rare disease entities, and insufficient studies have assessed their epidemiological characteristics. The authors investigated the prevalence of benign bladder tumors by retrospectively investigating pathology reports of transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) procedures over the past 20 years. @*Methods@#We analyzed 1,674 pathology reports of TURBT conducted in 1,160 patients from January 1, 2000, to April 30, 2022. The prevalence of benign tumors and histological classification according to the presence of primary (group 1) and recurrent (group 2) bladder lesions were retrospectively investigated. @*Results@#The mean age of patients was 65.2±11.5 years, and 1,284 cases (79.1%) were in men. Benign bladder tumors comprised 278 cases (248 patients) accounting for about 17.1% of the total TURBT cases (278/1,624). Furthermore, 184 patients (16.0%, 184/1,147) belonged to group 1 and 78 patients (27.4%, 78/285) belonged to group 2. Among all benign lesions that underwent TURBT, cystitis was the most common (41.0%, 114/278), and this rate was higher in group 2 (64/184 [34.8%] vs. 50/94 [53.2%], p<0.001). The prevalence of non-neoplastic lesions was higher in group 1 (44/184 [23.9] vs. 11/94 [11.7%], p<0.001). There was no difference in the prevalence of noninvasive urothelial neoplasms between the two groups (22/184 [12.0%] vs. 8/94 [8.5%], p=0.86). @*Conclusions@#The probability of benign lesions in TURBT was 17.1%, among which cystitis was the most common. When TURBT was performed for recurrent lesions, the frequency of benign tumors was higher than that of primary benign bladder tumors.

Metachronous anterior urethral metastasis of prostatic ductal adenocarcinoma / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

Prostate cancer is increasing in frequency in Korea. Among them, ductal adenocarcinoma (DCP) has a more aggressive and poor prognosis than acinar adenocarcinoma (ACP), despite its low incidence. Patients usually present with symptoms of lower urinary tract symptoms and hematuria due to increasing tumor mass within the lumen of the prostatic urethra, making diagnosis of DCP by the transrectal prostate biopsy difficult. DCP is often metastasized at the time of diagnosis. DCP is transferable to most other organs but the metastasis to the anterior urethra is rare. There is no doubt that localized DCP requires radical prostatectomy (RP) but the guidelines for adjuvant therapy after RP have not yet been established. Methods of the treatment are confounded by individual differences, and arriving at a consensus is challenging due to insufficient data. We report a case of DCP and urethral metastasis after RP, thus aiding in the determination of treatment guidelines.

Neuron-specific enolase as a novel biomarker reflecting tuberculosis activity and treatment response

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It is not clear which tests are indicative of the activity and severity of tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and to determine the origin of NSE in TB patients. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted on newly diagnosed TB patients between January and December 2010. Patients were categorized into one of two disease groups (focal segmental or extensive) based on chest X-ray. Pre- and post-treatment NSE concentrations were evaluated. To determine the origin of serum NSE concentration, NSE staining was compared with macrophage-specific CD68 staining in lung tissues and with a tissue microarray using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: A total of 60 newly diagnosed TB patients were analyzed. In TB patients, NSE serum concentration was significantly increased and NSE level decreased after treatment (p < 0.001). In proportion to serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration, the mean serum concentration of NSE in the extensive group (25.12 ng/mL) was significantly higher than that in the focal segmental group (20.23 ng/mL, p = 0.04). Immunohistochemical staining revealed a large number of macrophages that stained positively for both NSE and CD68 in TB tissues. In addition, NSE signals mostly co-localized with CD68 signals in the tissue microarray of TB patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that NSE may be a practical parameter that can be used to monitor TB activity and treatment response. Elevated serum NSE level originates, at least in part, from macrophages in granulomatous lesions.

Factors Associated with Metastatic Lymph Node Ratio, Extranodal Extension in the Central Compartment Node-Positive Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Lymph node (LN) metastasis occurs in 30-80% of patients presenting for initial treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The presence of LN metastasis is an independent risk factor for recurrence, which can add significant treatment morbidity. The LN ratio (LNR) and extranodal extension (ENE) have been shown to be important prognostic factors in PTC. The purpose of this study was to assess the characteristic features of LNR and ENE. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We undertook a retrospective study of 411 patients treated between January, 2011 and December, 2013 for central compartment node-positive PTC by thyroidectomy and central compartment neck dissection (CCND) at our institution. We compared various clinicopathologic parameters such as age, gender, tumor size, multifocality, bilaterality, local invasion, extrathyroidal extension and aggressive variants between LNR and ENE. RESULTS: The significant associated factors for high LNR (defined as higher than 0.5) in multivariate analysis were gender (p=0.001, odds ratio=2.285) and multifocality (p=0.027, odds ratio=2.092). On the other hand, the significant associated factors for ENE in multivariate analysis were primary tumor size (p=0.023, odds ratio=1.965) and local invasion (p=0.043, odds ratio=1.870). CONCLUSION: Being male, multifocality, large primary tumor size (defined as larger than 1 cm) and local invasion were revealed as associated factors for LNR and ENE. Therefore, elective CCND should be considered for patients with PTC, for whom a thorough investigation of associative factors should be made before surgery.

Saccular Aneurysm of the External Jugular Vein: A Case Report

Saccular aneurysm of the external jugular vein presenting as a neck mass is very rare. We report the surgical treatment of an external jugular venous aneurysm in a 48-year-old female patient due to the cosmetic problem of neck engorgement, concomitant with thyroidectomy for cancer.

A Case of Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica Diagnosed by Endobronchial Ultrasonography / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare benign disease of unknown etiology characterized by accumulation of calcium phosphate in the submucosa of large airways and benign proliferation of bone and cartilage resulting in nodular formation. We report a case of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica diagnosed by Endobronchial ultrasonography in a 56-year-old man. Chest Computed Tomography revealed thickening of tracheal and bronchial wall, and multiple nodules through whole trachea. Endobronchial ultrasonography showed numerous submucosal nodules with hetero-echogenecity in the third and fourth layers. Histopathological examination revealed nonspecific bronchitis with squamous metaplasia and metaplastic ossification. We confirmed tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica. The patient's symptoms were successfully treated with antibiotics and oxygen supplyment. endobronchial ultrasonography can helpful diagnosis in tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica.

A Case of Mediastinal Ectopic Thyroid Tissue Diagnosed by Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration / 고신대학교의과대학학술지

A 77-year old woman was referred to hospital with dyspnea and chest dull pain for 5 months. The chest radiograph showed a mass located in the mediastinum. Trachea was deviated to right side. Chest computed tomography showed an enhancing large mass at the middle mediastinum. Endobronchial ultrasonography showed hyperechoic mediastinal mass. We performed endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). Histologic finding was thyroid tissue with a benign looking papilla. Ectopic thyroid is an uncommon embryological aberration characterized by the presence of thyroid tissue in a site other than in its usual pretracheal region. It occurs along the path of descent of the developing thyroid primodium from the foramen cecum. It is extremely rare for mediastinal ectopic thyroid tissue diagnosised by EBUS-TBNA, so we report here on a case of mediastinal ectopic thyroid and we review the relevant medical literature.

The Effect of a Topical Selective Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitor on Skin-Wound Scarring of the Rabbit Ear

PURPOSE: The inflammatory phase is considered an integral part of adult wound healing, but fetal wound healing studies have shown scarless healing results in the absence of the inflammation process. The COX-2 pathway is an essential component of inflammation. The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of a topical selective COX-2 inhibitor on inflammation in rabbit skin wound healing and scarring. METHODS: Full-thickness wounds were made on 6 New Zealand rabbits' ears. Topical 5% celecoxib + vehicle (experimental tissue) and vehicle only (controlled tissue) were applied daily for 14d on each side of the ears. Scar samples were harvested at 2 wks, 4 wks, and 8 wks after the wounding. Each sample was stained with hematoxylin and eosin and the Masson's trichrome stain to evaluate inflammation and scar formation. RESULTS: Histological analysis demonstrated a significant reduction of inflammation, neovascularization, and scar elevation in the experimental tissue as compared to the control. Additionally, experimental tissue exhibited faster improvement of collagen organization similar to that of normal tissue. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the topical application of a selective COX-2 inhibitor on a rabbit ear wound resulted in decreased inflammation and had a positive effect on the reduction of scar formation.

A case of rapidly progressive renal failure induced by cadmium intoxication / 대한내과학회지

Cadmium (Cd)-induced renal damage primarily affects the cellular and functional integrity of the proximal tubules. Cd intoxication is a rare cause of Fanconi syndrome. We report a 31-year-old woman with Fanconi syndrome confirmed by laboratory findings and a renal biopsy that also showed an elevated urinary Cd. Seven months before admission, the patient had a normal urinalysis and renal function. Six and 3 months before admission, the patient ingested Chinese herbal mixtures. On admission, the blood Cd concentration was normal, and the urine Cd concentration was 58 microgram/g of creatinine, 29-times higher than the normal range. A renal biopsy showed degeneration of the proximal tubules with normal glomeruli. The serum creatinine had increased from 1.2 to 3.2 mg/dL over 8 months. This case of Fanconi syndrome and rapidly progressive renal damage over a short period was associated with elevated urinary Cd levels.

The Usefulness of Endobronchial Ultrasonogram for Peripheral Lung Lesion / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: Endobronchial ultrasonogram (EBUS) has increased the diagnostic yield of a bronchoscopic biopsy of peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPL). This study evaluated the diagnostic yield of EBUS-guided transbronchial biopsy (TBB) and the visibility of EBUS PPL. METHODS: Between August 2007 and November 2008, 50 patients (32 men and 18 women, median age, 61.1+/-10 yrs; range, 16 to 80 yrs) whose PPL lesions could not be detected with flexible bronchoscopy were enrolled in this study. Among the 50 patients, 40 cases were malignant lesions (adenocarcinoma 25, squamous cell carcinoma 10, small cell carcinoma 5) and 10 cases were benign lesions (tuberculoma 7, fungal ball 1, other inflammation 2). RESULTS: The mean diameter of the target lesion was 35.4+/-4.3 mm. Of the 50 patients examined, the overall diagnostic yield by EBUS-TBLB was 46.0% (23/50). The visualization yield of EBUS was 66.0% (33/50). A definitive diagnosis of PPL localized by EBUS was established using EBUS-TBLB in 69.6% (23/33) of cases. The diagnostic yields from washing cytology and brushing cytology from a bronchus identified by EBUS were 27.0% and 45.4% respectively. The diagnostic yields reached 78.7% when the three tests (washing cytology, brushing cytology and EBUS-TBLB) were combined. The visualization yield of EBUS in lesions or =20 mm (p=0.04). The presence of a bronchus leading to a lesion (open bronchus sign) on the chest CT scan was associated with a high visualization yield on EBUS (p=0.001). There were no significant complications associated with EBUS-TBLB. CONCLUSION: EBUS-TBLB is a safe and effective method for diagnosing PPL. The lesion size and open bronchus signs are significant factors for predicting the visualization of EBUS.

Malignant Nodular Hidradenoma: A Case Report

Malignant nodular hidradenoma is a rare skin appendageal tumor, and its imaging findings have not been previously described. We experienced the case of a large malignant nodular hidradenoma of the left upper arm in a 71-year-old woman. MRI revealed a large, lobular, poorly circumscribed, soft tissue mass at the left upper arm, and the mass showed homogeneous enhancement. 18F-FDG PET/CT showed hypermetabolic activity in the left upper arm mass with a maximal standard uptake value of 19.

A Case of Incidentally Found Esophageal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor / 대한소화기내시경학회지

There are few reports of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in the esophagus. The authors report a patient with an esophageal GIST that was found incidentally during an endoscopy. The endoscopy revealed a 1 cm sized mass with a granular surface at the 32 cm site from the upper incisor. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed the tumor to be located in the muscularis mucosa of the esophageal wall. Histologically, the tumor consisted of spindle cells, with no mitotic index, that were immunoreactive for KIT and S-100. The tumor was diagnosed as a gastrointestinal stromal tumor with neural differentiation (GINT). An endoscopic mucosal resection was performed and the patient has been on routine follow up at the out patient department for three months.

Pituitary Apoplexy Complicated by Chemical Meningitis and Cerebral Infarction

A 41-yr-old man was admitted with acute headache, neck stiffness, and febrile sensation. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed pleocytosis, an increased protein level and, a decreased glucose concentration. No organisms were observed on a culture study. An imaging study revealed pituitary macroadenoma with hemorrhage. On the 7th day of the attack, confusion, dysarthria, and right-sided facial paralysis and hemiparesis were noted. Cerebral infarction on the left basal ganglia was confirmed. Neurologic deficits gradually improved after removal of the tumor by endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach. It is likely that the pituitary apoplexy, aseptic chemical meningitis, and cerebral infarction are associated with each other. This rare case can serve as a prime example to clarify the chemical characteristics of pituitary apoplexy.

A Case of Idiopathic Myelofibrosis Associated with Acromegaly Patient / 대한내분비학회지

Acromegaly is a chronic condition resulting from the excessive secretion of growth hormone and insulin like growth factor 1, generally from pituitary adenoma. Although there have been several reports suggesting the possible association of hematologic malignancies with acromegaly, myelofibrosis with acromegaly is very rare. Here we report 54-year-old male patient with myelofibrosis accompanied with acromegaly. We treated this patient with low dose thalidomide (50 mg/day) and prednisone (30 mg/day). We reported this case with literature review.

A Case of Idiopathic Myelofibrosis Associated with Acromegaly Patient / 대한내분비학회지

Acromegaly is a chronic condition resulting from the excessive secretion of growth hormone and insulin like growth factor 1, generally from pituitary adenoma. Although there have been several reports suggesting the possible association of hematologic malignancies with acromegaly, myelofibrosis with acromegaly is very rare. Here we report 54-year-old male patient with myelofibrosis accompanied with acromegaly. We treated this patient with low dose thalidomide (50 mg/day) and prednisone (30 mg/day). We reported this case with literature review.

FDG PET/CT Assessment of the Biological Behavior of Meningiomas

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the pattern of glucose uptake in meningiomas using (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose(FDG) PET/CT. It was hypothesized that the degree of glucose uptake in each tumor could predict the histologic grade. METHODS: In 19 patients with meningiomas, the Ki-67 proliferative index, standardized uptake values(SUV) of FDG uptake, tumor to contralateral gray matter ratio(TGR) of SUV, tumor size, edema grade, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) expression, histopathologic grade and the blood supply pattern were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 19 meningiomas, 8 were meningothelial, 1 fibrous, 2 transitional, 1 psammomatous, 2 angiomatous, and 5 atypical. The tumor proliferative index of Ki-67, tumor size, and peritumoral edema were larger in the histopathologic grade-2 meninigiomas than in the grade-1 meningioma group. There were no significant differences in SUV and TGR between two groups. Tumor size and peritumoral edema were significantly larger in VEGF-positive tumors than in negative tumors. Conventional angiography was performed in 12 patients. Dural supply was noted predominantly in 2 patients. Four patients had mainly pial cortical supply patterns. In tumors with more pial supply, VEGF was more frequently positive. There was a significant relation between SUV and Ki-67 and between SUV and peritumoral edema. CONCLUSION: We found FDG uptake in meningiomas is associated with proliferative potential, however, no clear limits of SUV and TGR can be set to distinguish between grade-1 and grade-2 meningiomas, which makes the assessment of malignancy grade using PET scan metabolic imaging difficult in individual cases.

Expression of Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1alpha in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Relationship to Prognosis and Tumor Biomarkers / 대한흉부외과학회지

BACKGROUND: Tissue hypoxia is characteristic of many human malignant neoplasm, and hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) plays a pivotal role in essential adaptive response to hypoxia, and activates a signal pathway for the expression of the hypoxia-regulated genes, resulting in increasing O2 delivery or facilitating metabolic adaptation to hypoxia. Increased level of HIF-1alpha has been reported in many human malignancies, but in non-small cell lung carcinoma the influence of HIF-1alpha on tumor biology, including neovascularization, is not still defined. In present study the relationship of HIF-1alpha expression on angiogenetic factors, relationship between the tumor proliferation and HIF-1alpha expression, interaction of HIF-1alpha expression and p53, and relationship between HIF-1alpha expression and clinico-pathological prognostic parameters were investigated. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Archival tissue blocks recruited in this study were retrieved from fifty-nine patients with primary non-small cell lung carcinoma, who underwent pneumonectomy or lobectomy from 1997 to 1999. HIF-1alpha, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), and p53 protein expression and Ki-67 labeling index in tumor tissues were evaluated, using a standard avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) immunohistochemistry. Relationship between the HIF-1alpha expression and VEGF, p53 overexpression and correlation between the HIF-1alpha expresseion and Ki-67 index were analyzed. Clinico-pathologic prognostic parameters were also analyzed. RESULT: HIF-1alpha expression in cancer cells was found in 24 of 59 cases of non-small cell lung carcinoma (40.7%). High HIF-1alpha expression was significantly associated with several pathological parameters, such as pathological TMN stage (p=0.004), pT stage (p=0.020), pN stage (p=0.029), and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.019). High HIF-1alpha expression was also significantly associated with VEGF immunoreactivity (p<0.001), and aberrant p53 expression (p=0.040). but was marginally associated with Ki-67 labeling index (p=0.092). The overall 5-year survival rate was 42.3%. The survival curve of patients with a high HIF-1alpha expression was worse than that of patients with low-expression (p=0.002). High HIF-1alpha expression was independent unfavorable factors with a marginal significance in multivariate analysis performed by Cox regression. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that high HIF-1alpha expression may be associated with intratumoral neovascularization possibly through HIF-VEGF pathway, and high HIF-1alpha expression could be associated with lymph node metastasis and post operative poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung ca

Detection of Pre-invasive Endobronchial Tumors with D-light/Autofluorescence System

Autofluorescence bronchoscopy (AFB) is one of the newly developed diagnostic tools to detect the pre-cancerous lesions in the bronchial tissue. The utility of DLight/AFB in the detection of pre-cancerous lesions was compared to the standard white light bronchoscopy (WLB). In 113 patients (male 106, female 7), who visited hospital for evaluation of lung cancer, WLB and AFB were done and 364 biopsy specimens were obtained from November 2001 to August 2002. The bronchoscopic findings on WLB and AFB were compared to the pathological findings. The pathologic diagnoses of the specimens were as follows: normal in 96; hyperplasia in 69; metaplasia in 32; mild dysplasia in 13, moderate dysplasia in 6, severe dysplasia in 4; carcinoma in situ in 6; invasive carcinoma in 57. The relative sensitivity of adjunctive AFB to WLB vs. WLB alone was 1.5 in moderate dysplasia or worse lesions, and 3.2 in intraepithelial neoplasia. The specificity of adjunctive AFB and WLB alone were 0.91 and 0.5, respectively. The adjunctive AFB to the standard WLB increased the detection rate of the localized pre-invasive lesions. However, there was high rate of false positive in AFB.

A Case of Pituitary Mucormycosis in Diabetic Patient with Acromegaly and Gastric Cancer / 대한내분비학회지

Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is an uncommon, acute, and aggressive fungal infection occurring in several immunocompromised states including poorly controlled diabetes. ROCM causes a very high residual morbidity and mortality due to the angioinvasion property of the fungus. Acromegaly is a chronic condition resulting from the excessive secretion of growth hormone, generally from pituitary adenoma. Although it has been demonstrated that acromegalic patients have an increased risk of neoplasm, gastric cancer with acromegaly is very rare. We experienced a case of pituitary mucormycosis in the diabetic patient with acromegaly and gastric cancer. The patient was treated successfully with subtotal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer, transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma, and a systemic application of amphotericin B for the mucormycosis.

A Case of Mesangial Proliferative Glomerulonephritis Presented with Acute Renal Failure in Patients with lambda Light Chain Type-Multiple Myeloma / 대한신장학회잡지

A 44-year-old male was admitted because of nausea and fatigue. At admission, renal insufficiency was disclosed (serum BUN 94 mg/dL, Cr 8.4 mg/ dL). Serum protein electrophoresis was normal. Urine electrophoresis showed non-selective proteinuria with M component in gamma globulin fraction. Serum immunoelectrophoresis disclosed a predominance of free lambda chain protein. Bone marrow aspiration showed a heavy infiltration of immature plasma cells. Percutaneous renal biopsy showed 9 of 10 glomeruli were slightly increased in size. Cellularity and area of mesangium were also increased. Immunohistochemical staining of kappa and lambda light chain was negative. Electron microscopy showed sparse electron dense deposits with no deposition of amyloid-like fibrils in mesangial area. In summary, these finding were compatible with those of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis with acute renal failure associated with multiple myeloma (lambda light chain type). There was no published report like this case. Although serum creatinine decreased to 2.1 mg/dL following steroid-pulse therapy, renal function came to deteriorate again after a month of discharge. Permanent hemodialysis was applied.