A Case of Nodular Muscular Sarcoidosis Mimicking a Tumor / 대한내과학회지

The nodular form of muscular sarcoidosis is a rare malady that is often confused with a soft-tissue neoplasm or other lesion. Here, we present a case of nodular muscular sarcoidosis in the arms and legs of a 59-year-old woman. She presented at our hospital with a painless nodule in her left arm. Excision was performed and she was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. One year later, nodular sarcoidosis recurred in her arms and legs. After 2 months of steroid medication, the nodules disappeared. The patient has been followed for 2 years and no evidence of recurrence has been observed.

Electrocardiographic changes suggesting ischemic heart disease in a case of lung cancer with myocardial metastasis / 대한내과학회지

Metastatic tumors to the myocardium proper are uncommon and difficult to diagnose because they have nonspecific signs and symptoms. Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes mimicking ischemic heart disease often develop when non-conducting tumor tissue replaces cardiac muscle. Hence, a high level of suspicion is required to differentiate ECG changes caused by myocardial metastasis from those caused by coronary heart disease in cancer patients. We describe a case of primary lung cancer with myocardial metastasis that showed diffuse ST segment elevation and T wave inversion on the ECG, with a relevant literature review.

Fatal Tumor Lysis Syndrome During Chemotherapy in Small Cell Lung Cancer / 결핵및호흡기질환

Tumor lysis syndrome is a life-threatening complication of anti-cancer therapy that typically occurs in patients with large, rapidly growing and treatment-sensitive tumors such as high-grade lymphomas and acute leukemias. However, its incidence in solid tumors has been known to be very low. Tumor lysis syndrome in solid tumors has a high mortality rate owing to the lack of prophylactic therapy to prevent this complication. We report a case of fatal tumor lysis syndrome developed during chemotherapy in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, along with a brief review of the relevant literature considering the rarity of this manifestation in solid tumor.

Primary Gastric Choriocarcinoma: Two Case Reports and Review of the Literatures / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Primary gastric choriocarcinoma (PGC) is a rare tumor, and its pathogenesis is still uncertain. Most PGCs have been reported to possess an adenocarcinoma component of variable extent, and pure PGC is especially rare. The diagnosis of PGC is confirmed by exhibition of choriocarcinomatous components on biopsy and exhibition of beta-hCG positive cell on immunohistochemical stain and elevation of the serum beta-hCG. Moreover it must be confirmed that no other site including gonads displays any tumor masses. The PGC tends to be more invasive and to have early metastasis. The median survival is known to be less than several months. We report two cases. The first case was a 62 year-old man who was diagnosed as advanced gastric cancer (AGC) by endoscopic biopsy with hepatic metasasis and received palliative chemotherapy with modified FOLFOX regimen and Genexol plus cisplatin regimen. He underwent subtotal gastrectomy due to perforation of the stomach during chemotherapy. On post-operative biopsy, He wasre-diagnosed as PGC and received another palliative chemotherapy modified FOLFIRI, BEP, EMACO, VIP. However, multiple liver metastases were aggravated, and also serum AFP level increased. Ultimately, the paient died 10 months after initial diagnosis. Another case was a 45 year-old man. On endoscopic biopsy, he was diagnosed as AGC of adenocarcinoma. On Chest and Abdomen CT, multiple pulmonary and hepatic metastasis were also confirmed. On liver biopsy, He was diagnosed as PGC. The immunohistochemical stains were performed and the results were cytokeratin positive, EMA negative and beta-hCG weak positive. The serum beta-hCG level was highly elevated. BEP, VIP and EMA/CO combination therapy were administered, but he died at 12th months after the initial diagnosis.