A Case of Aortoesophageal Fistula Complicated by a Stent for Benign Esophageal Stricture / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) are widely used for the palliative treatment of malignant strictures of the gastrointestinal tract. Recently, several studies tested whether a SEMS is an effective and safe option for benign esophageal stricture. Serious complications such as hemorrhage, compression of the bronchus, bronchoesophageal fistula, and esophageal rupture were infrequently encountered as complications of esophageal stent placement. Aortoesophageal fistula is extremely rare as a complication of esophageal SEMS insertion; only seven cases have been reported worldwide. We now report a case of an 80-year old female with aortoesophageal fistula after placement of a SEMS for an esophageal stricture.

A Case of Colonic Duplication Cyst Mimicking Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Duplications of the gastrointestinal tract are rare congenital malformations that are usually present during the first decade of life. However, a smaller number of cases may remain occult until adulthood. Overall, the colon is the least common site of congenital gastrointestinal duplications. Colonic duplications can present with symptoms of diverticulitis and can be confused with acquired giant cysts or masses. We present a rare case of a duplication cyst of the colon in a female adult. Although the preoperative evaluations, including an abdominal CT scan and colonoscopy, were suggestive of a gastrointestinal tumor of the colon, the final diagnosis was a colonic duplication cyst based on the histopathologic examination of the resected specimen. Even if intestinal duplication cysts are uncommon, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intestinal masses.

Expression of p27(Kip1) in gastric cancers and precancerous lesions / 대한내과학회지

BACKGROUND: The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) is a negative regulator of cell cycle progression at G1/S transition. Recently, the expression level of p27(Kip1) was decreased in many cancers such as breast, pituitary gland, colon and stomach. We studied the expression of p27(Kip1) in gastric cancers, precancerous lesions and normal gastric tissues and analysed its correlation to clinicopathologic data including tumor differentiation, tumor depth, nodal and distant metastasis in gastric cancers. METHODS: p27(Kip1) were immunohistochemically stained in the tissue specimens of 62 resected cancers, 110 corresponding adjacent non-neoplastic tissues, 22 gastric adenomas and 10 normal gastric tissues. Adjacent non-neoplastic tissues consisted of 32 chronic gastritis, 29 intestinal metaplasia and 49 transitional mucosa. RESULTS: Gastric cancers showed significantly decreased expression level of p27(Kip1) when compared with non-neoplastic lesions and adenomas. Labeling index of p27(Kip1) were more decreased in chronic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and transitional mucosa than in normal mucosa. Early gastric cancers showed significantly decreased expression level of p27(Kip1) when compared with advanced gastric cancers. In gastric cancers, p27(Kip1) labeling index was significantly decreased in diffuse type and presence of nodal metastasis however did not show relationship with distant metastasis and tumor depth of advanced gastric cancers. CONCLUSION: We suggest that p27(Kip1) may be decreased in the early stage of gastric carcinogenesis and play an important role in the progression and differentiation of gastric cancers. More further studies are thought to be necessary in order to evaluate its prognostic factor in gastric cancers.