ABSTRACT
Background/Aims: The survival rate of gastric cancer (GC) is known to be higher in patients with a family history (FH) of GC. There is an association between a polymorphism in the transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGFB1) gene and the risk of GC in patients with first-degree relatives with GC. This study was performed to investigate whether a FH affects GC outcomes according to the TGFB1 C-509T polymorphism. Methods: TGFB1 was genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method in 1,143 GC patients, including 216 patients (18.9%) with first-degree relatives with GC. Results: The proportion of stage I-II GCs was significantly higher in patients with a FH than in those without a FH of GC (83.8 vs 74.9%, p=0.005). The association between a FH of GC and stage I-II GC was not significant in subgroups divided based on the TGFB1 C-509T polymorphism and sex. A FH did not affect the overall survival rate of GC in patient with all stages and each stage. The overall survival rates were not significantly different between patients with the CC and CT/TT genotypes of the TGFB1-509 polymorphism. Conclusions: Patient with a FH of GC had lower cancer stage (I-II) at diagnosis than those without a FH of GC, but there was no significant difference in overall survival between the patients with and without a FH of GC. A FH did not influence the tumor stage or overall survival in patients stratified by the presence of the TGFB1 C-509T polymorphism.
Subject(s)
Genetic Predisposition to Disease/epidemiology , Medical History Taking/statistics & numerical data , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length/genetics , Stomach Neoplasms/mortality , Transforming Growth Factor beta1/genetics , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Pedigree , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Stomach Neoplasms/genetics , Stomach Neoplasms/pathology , Survival RateABSTRACT
Kocuria kristinae, part of the normal flora of the skin and oral mucosa, is seldom reported as a human pathogen; infection is mostly associated with immunocompromised patients in healthcare facilities. Here, we describe the first case of bacteremic empyema caused by K. kristinae acquired from the community. K. kristinae was isolated from pleural effusion and two sets of peripheral blood samples drawn from two different sites. The empyema resolved after the insertion of a chest tube and intravenous administration of piperacillin-tazobactam and levofloxacin.
