Overexpression of Bmi-1 oncoprotein correlates with axillary lymph node metastases in invasive ductal breast cancer.

The modulation of Bmi-1 is observed in several tumor tissues, and its heightened protein level is suspected to be involved in tumorigenesis by acting as a transcriptional repressor in the INK4a/ARF locus. To elucidate the modulation of Bmi-1 in invasive ductal breast cancers, we examined its transcript and protein levels. The bmi-1 mRNA level by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that it was significantly up-regulated in 28 specimens out of 33 breast carcinoma tissues compared with those of non-neoplastic tissues just adjusted to tested specimens.

Detection and characterization of focal hepatic lesions: mangafodipir vs. superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: To compare the mangafodipir-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) and superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced images for their ability to detect and characterize focal hepatic lesions.

Materials And Methods: Unenhanced, mangafodipir-enhanced, and SPIO-enhanced hepatic MR images obtained from 64 patients were analyzed. A total of 121 hepatic lesions were included: 66 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), 26 metastases, 14 hemangiomas, 5 cysts, 3 cholangiocarcinomas, 4 focal nodular hyperplasias (FNHs), 2 abscesses, and 1 adenoma.

High-resolution MR imaging for nodal staging in rectal cancer: are there any criteria in addition to the size?

Purpose: MR staging of nodal metastases in patients with rectal cancer using criteria based on size, shape and signal intensity can be difficult, because > or =50% of the nodes are less than 5 mm in size. Therefore new MR criteria were evaluated to see whether it can improve the MR assessment of nodal metastases in rectal cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: Ninety-nine patients with primary rectal carcinoma underwent 1.

Prognosis of thymic epithelial tumors according to the new World Health Organization histologic classification.

Background: The aim of this study was to document the prognosis of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) according to new the World Health Organization (WHO) classification.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 150 patients with TETs that were confirmed pathologically during 11 years (from 1992 to 2002) in Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Results: TETs were classified as type A, AB, B1, B2, B3, or C, tumors and these represented 7 (4.

Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and zinc inhibit proteasome-dependent proteolysis.

Proteasomes play important roles in a variety of cellular processes such as cell cycle progression, signal transduction and immune responses. Proteasome activity is important in maintaining rapid turnover of short-lived proteins, as well as preventing accumulation of misfolded or damaged proteins. Alteration in ubiquitin-proteasome function may be detrimental to its crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis.

Percutaneous sclerotherapy of renal cysts with a beta-emitting radionuclide, holmium-166-chitosan complex.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of a beta-emitting radionuclide (holmium-166-chitosan complex) as a sclerosing agent for the treatment of renal cysts.

Materials And Methods: Using 10-30 mCi of holmium-166-chitosan complex, 20 renal cysts in 17 patients (14 male and 3 female patients, ranging in age from 47 to 82 years) were treated by percutaneous sclerotherapy under ultrasonographic guidance. The volume of the cysts before and after the sclerotherapy and the percentage change in volume were calculated in order to evaluate the response to therapy, which was classified as either complete regression (invisible), nearly complete regression (< 15 volume% of initial volume), partial regression (15-50 volume%) or no regression (> 50 volume%).

Annular pancreas: emphasis on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography findings.

An annular pancreas is a rare congenital anomaly in which a portion of the pancreatic tissue surrounds the duodenum. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is used extensively for evaluating the pancreatobiliary ducts. There have been only few cases in which MRCP clearly demonstrated the types of annular ducts, however.

Clinical relevance of three subtypes of primary sinonasal lymphoma characterized by immunophenotypic analysis.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of subtypes categorized by immunophenotypic analysis in primary sinonasal lymphomas.

Methods: Eighty patients with localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma involving the nasal cavity and/or paranasal sinuses were divided into three subtypes on the basis of their immunohistochemical findings: (A) B-cell lymphoma (n = 19), (B) T-cell lymphoma (n = 27), and (C) natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (n = 34). The clinicopathologic profiles, immunophenotypic data, patterns of treatment failure, and survival data among the three patient groups were retrospectively compared.

Lack of correlation between P-glycoprotein and chemotherapy resistance in nasal NK/T-cell lymphomas.

Thirty patients with nasal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, who underwent systemic chemotherapy with or without involved-field radiotherapy between 1993 and 1998, were retrospectively reviewed to determine the clinical significance of P-glycoprotein immunohistochemically identified in tumor specimens. Eighty percent of previously untreated patients expressed P-glycoprotein. According to P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity, all patients with nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma were divided into 2 groups; (a) P-glycoprotein-negative group (N = 6) and (b) P-glycoprotein-positive group (N = 24).

Preoperative MRI of rectal cancer with and without rectal water filling: an intraindividual comparison.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to determine if a rectal distention using warm water may improve the accuracy of MRI for the preoperative staging of rectal carcinoma. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Sixty-two patients with surgically proven rectal carcinomas underwent pelvic MRI before and after a rectal distention by warm water.

Management of congenital tracheal stenosis.

Objectives: Congenital tracheal stenosis is a rare disease. Various methods for treatment exist but there is still much debate as to the appropriate surgical procedure. We present our surgical experiences of patch tracheoplasty and slide tracheoplasty as viable methods for the treatment of congenital tracheal stenosis.

The Bmi-1 oncoprotein is overexpressed in human colorectal cancer and correlates with the reduced p16INK4a/p14ARF proteins.

To clarify the roles of Bmi-1 in colorectal carcinoma, we examined the expression of Bmi-1 in 41 samples out of 46 colorectal carcinomas by reverse transcription-PCR, whereas all 46 were analyzed by immunostaining. In addition, we analyzed the expression patterns of Bmi-1 in association with p16INK4a and p14ARF (in mouse p19ARF) in a series of colorectal carcinomas. The level of Bmi-1 mRNA in the carcinoma tissues was significantly higher than those of the adjacent non-neoplastic colonic mucosal tissues.

Clinical features of bronchogenic large cell carcinoma confirmed by surgical resection.

Background: To define the final outcome of large cell carcinomas (LCC) after surgical treatment, the histopathology, clinical features and follow-up results of 28 cases were reviewed.

Methods: Twenty eight patients, with LCC that underwent a surgical resection between 1986 and 2001, at the Severance Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed. We analyzed clinical data, radiological findings, pathologic findings, treatment modalities, and survival.

A case of acute myocardial infarction after blunt chest trauma in a young man.

Coronary artery injury rarely occurs after blunt chest trauma, but it can lead to extensive myocardial infarction and be frequently overlooked. A 16-yr-old man was presented with comatose mental state and rapid respiration rate. He ran into guard rail while riding a motorcycle.

The Effect of ZD 1839 (Iressa(R)) in the Treatment of Refractory Non Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of ZD 1839 (Iressa(R)) as a 3rd or 4th line chemotherapy regimen in NSCLC patients who are refractory to a previous chemotherapy regimen.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-five patients who were refractory to previous chemotherapy were selected for this study. The eligible patients had an ECOG performance status of 0 to 2, and an appropriate end organ function.

An elevated value of C-reactive protein is the only predictive factor of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: The current techniques for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) remain limited by restenosis. Recent studies have provided evidence of inflammation playing a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.

Methods: Whether inflammatory markers are predictors of subsequent restenosis were prospectively tested in 272 consecutive patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease.

Expression of caveolin-1 is associated with poor prognosis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Background: Caveolin-1, as a major component of caveolae, is involved in the regulation of cell cycle by impacting various signaling pathways. Previous studies of caveolin-1 in cancer showed two contrary results. In most in vitro studies, caveolin-1 played a role as a tumor suppressor.

Increased Cytopathic Effect of Replicating Adenovirus Expressing Adenovirus Death Protein.

Purpose: Replication-competent adenoviruses (Ads) are promising new modalities for the treatment of cancer. Selective replication of a viral agent in tumor may lead to improved efficacy over non-replicating Ads due to viral multiplication, lysis of the infected cancer cell and spread to surrounding cells. In our previous studies it was shown that the E1B 55 kD-deleted Ad (YKL-1) exhibits tumor specific replication and cell lysis, but with reduced cytolytic effects compared to the wild type adenovirus (Int J Cancer 2000;88: 454-463).

Imaging findings of giant liposarcoma of the esophagus.

A giant esophageal liposarcoma showing rapid growth over 7 months is presented in 56-year-old man. It originated from the pharyngo-esophageal junction with a short stalk, and extended downward to the distal esophagus. A barium swallow study showed a large, sausage-like intraluminal mass in the dilated esophagus.

Phase II Study of Gemcitabine and Vinorelbine as Second-Line Chemotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Purpose: With the increased use of chemotherapy for non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a growing group of patients can now be considered for second-line chemotherapy. However, guidelines for the second line treatment remain to be developed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the gemcitabine and vinorelbine combination therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC, pretreated with taxane and platinum based regimens.

Focal hepatic lesions: detection and characterization with combination gadolinium- and superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced MR imaging.

Purpose: To compare gadolinium- and superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for detection and characterization of focal hepatic lesions when different contrast agent administration sequences are used.

Materials And Methods: Unenhanced, dynamic gadolinium-enhanced, and SPIO-enhanced hepatic MR images were obtained in 134 patients. SPIO-enhanced MR imaging was performed immediately after gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MR imaging in 50 patients, 1 day after gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MR imaging in 40 patients, and before gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MR imaging in 44 patients.

Zinc-induced NF-kappaB inhibition can be modulated by changes in the intracellular metallothionein level.

Metallothionein (MT), a small metal-binding protein, is involved in the regulation of cellular metal homeostasis. Sequestration and the release of metals to and from MT plays an important role in the attenuation or amplification of signal transduction. Zinc has been suggested to be an important regulator of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB).

Involvement of NF-kappaB in the regulation of S100A6 gene expression in human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2.

S100A6 (calcyclin) is an acidic calcium binding protein with two EF-hand motifs and overexpressed in several tumors including intrahepatic carcinoma. TNFalpha, a strong NF-kappaB activator required for hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration, triggered the expression of S100A6 mRNA in human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2. Transient expression of NF-kappaB (p65) increased S100A6 promoter activity and expression of inhibitor of NF-kappaB (IkappaBalpha) decreased TNFalpha-induced S100A6 promoter activity.

A case of paraneoplastic nephrotic syndrome in a patient with ovarian carcinoma.

Nephrotic syndrome is a rare manifestation of malignancy associated with paraneoplastic syndrome. Paraneoplastic nephrotic syndrome has been reported in various malignancies: malignant lymphoma, colon cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer. However, an ovarian carcinoma associated with nephrotic syndrome has rarely been reported.

Clinical Features of Pulmonary Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma.

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the clinical features of large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (LCNEC).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the histopathology and clinical information of 37 patients with LCNEC, diagnosed between June 1992 and May 2002 at the Severance Hospital, and performed immunohistochemical (IHC) staining.

Results: The prevalence of LCNEC among primary lung cancers was 0.