The usefulness and accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy using single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography with 99mTc phytate to detect locoregional lymph node metastases in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Purpose: Regional lymph node (LN) metastases are detected in 57-85% of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and are associated with increased tumor recurrence. However, the management of lymphatic disease in patients with PTC has been ongoing source of debate. We have prospectively assessed the usefulness and accuracy of sentinel LN (SLN) biopsy for the detection of LN metastases in patients with PTC on preoperative imaging using single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) and 99mTc phytate.

Postoperative functional voice changes after conventional open or robotic thyroidectomy: a prospective trial.

Purpose: To use objective and subjective voice function analysis to compare outcomes in patients who had undergone conventional open thyroidectomy or robotic thyroidectomy.

Methods: The study involved 88 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid surgery between May 2009 and December 2009; 46 patients underwent a conventional open thyroidectomy, and 42 underwent a robotic thyroidectomy. Auditory perceptual evaluation was used to make subjective assessments of voice function, and videolaryngostroboscopy, acoustic voice analysis with aerodynamic study, electroglottography, and voice range profile were used to make objective assessments.

Differential diagnosis in idiopathic granulomatous mastitis and tuberculous mastitis.

Purpose: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. The diagnosis of IGM requires that other granulomatous lesions in the breast be excluded. Tuberculous mastitis (TM) is also an uncommon disease that is often difficult to differentiate from IGM.

Nation-wide Korean breast cancer data from 2008 using the breast cancer registration program.

Purpose: Since 1996, the Korean Breast Cancer Society has collected nation-wide breast cancer data and analyzed the data using their online registration program biannually. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of Korean breast cancer from 2008 and examine chronological based patterns.

Methods: Data were collected from 38 medical schools (67 hospitals), 20 general hospitals, and 10 private clinics.

The 70-gene prognostic signature for korean breast cancer patients.

Purpose: A 70-gene prognostic signature has prognostic value in patients with node-negative breast cancer in Europe. This diagnostic test known as "MammaPrint™ (70-gene prognostic signature)" was recently validated and implementation was feasible. Therefore, we assessed the 70-gene prognostic signature in Korean patients with breast cancer.

Allelic loss of susceptibility loci and the occurrence of BRAF and RAS mutations in patients with familial non-medullary thyroid cancer.

Objectives: Approximately 5% of non-medullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) diagnoses are made against a background of familial predisposition and, in such instances, the disease is termed familial non-medullary thyroid cancer (FNMTC). To date, neither genetic alterations causing FNMTC nor genes predisposing to the condition have been described. The objective of the present study was to evaluate loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the four known susceptibility loci (fPTC/PRN, NMTC1, MNG1, and TCO1) and to compare the mutation rates of RAS/RAF genes in patients with FNMTC and sporadic NMTC.