The optimal sequence of bronchial brushing and washing for diagnosing peripheral lung cancer using non-guided flexible bronchoscopy.

The optimum sequence of bronchial brushing and washing for diagnosing peripheral lung cancer, defined as an invisible endobronchial tumour, is not clear and requires further study. We prospectively obtained washing samples after brushing in patients with peripheral lung tumours during non-guided flexible bronchoscopy (FB) to investigate the diagnostic yield of these samples and conducted a retrospective review of the prospectively collected data. The study included 166 patients who met the inclusion criteria.

Comparison of PANAMutyper and PNAClamp for Detecting KRAS Mutations from Patients With Malignant Pleural Effusion.

Background/aim: KRAS is one of the frequently mutated genes in human cancers and often relates with drug resistance and poor prognosis. PANAMutyper™ is a novel technology that integrates PNAClamp™ and PANA S-Melting™. In the present study, PANAMutyper™ and PNAClamp™ were compared for the detection of KRAS mutations using different samples of patients with malignant pleural effusion.

Comparison of PNA Clamping-assisted Fluorescence Melting Curve Analysis and PNA Clamping in Detecting Mutations in Matched Tumor Tissue, Cell Block, Pleural Effusion and Blood of Lung Cancer Patients With Malignant Pleural Effusion.

Background/aim: This study compared the efficacy of PANAMutyper™, a novel technology that integrates PNAClamp™ and PANA S-Melting™, and PNAClamp™ alone for the detection of EGFR mutations in lung cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: PANAMutyper™ and PNAClamp™ were used to assess the EGFR mutation status in tissue, cell block, pleural effusion, and blood samples of 90 lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion.

Results: PANAMutyper™ detected more EGFR mutations than PNAClamp™, especially in body fluids (pleural effusion and serum).

Small-cell Lung Cancer Presenting as Fatal Pulmonary Hemorrhage.

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a lung cancer histological subtype unusual in its favorable response to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Life-threatening manifestations at presentation are rarely reported and should be an important clinical concern. We report a case of a 63-year-old man presenting with rapid-onset refractory severe thrombocytopenia, development of massive hemoptysis, and death from respiratory failure.

Dramatic response of acute disseminated intravascular coagulation to erlotinib in a patient with lung adenocarcinoma with activating EGFR mutation.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a commonly encountered clinical situation characterized by thrombotic occlusion or bleeding in patients with lung cancer. DIC in patients with cancer is usually asymptomatic, taking a chronic form as a compensatory mechanism. Although acute DIC in patients with lung cancer is rarely reported, it can be fatal.

Late-onset distant metastatic upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma mimicking lung adenocarcinoma.

Urothelial carcinomas (UCs) can occur in the upper urinary tract or lower urinary tract. Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUT-UC) is relatively a rare disease and accounts for only about 5% of UC cases. Sporadic cases of late-onset metastasis, associated with UC of the bladder, have occasionally been reported.

Erlotinib induced trichomegaly of the eyelashes.

Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been widely used for non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Its untoward cutaneous effects are largely well known and developed in many patients treated with EGFR TKIs. However trichomegaly of eyelash is rarely reported.

Gender differences in susceptibility to smoking among patients with lung cancer.

Background/aims: To determine whether female smokers are more or less susceptible to the detrimental pulmonary-function effects of smoking when compared to male smokers among patients with lung cancer.

Methods: Pack-years and pulmonary function indices were compared between 1,594 men and women with lung cancer who were smokers or had a history of smoking. Differences in individual susceptibility to smoking were estimated using a susceptibility index formula.

Complete atrioventricular block secondary to bortezomib use in multiple myeloma.

Bortezomib is an inhibitor of 26S proteasome, which is an effective treatment for multiple myeloma. The common adverse effects of bortezomib are asthenic conditions, gastrointestinal disturbances, and peripheral neuropathy. Here we describe a patient with dyspnea and general weakness because of complete atrioventricular block while receiving bortezomib.

High-resolution analysis of condition-specific regulatory modules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We present an approach for identifying condition-specific regulatory modules by using separate units of gene expression profiles along with ChIP-chip and motif data from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By investigating the unique and common features of the obtained condition-specific modules, we detected several important properties of transcriptional network reorganization. Our approach reveals the functionally distinct coregulated submodules embedded in a coexpressed gene module and provides an effective method for identifying various condition-specific regulatory events at high resolution.

[Incidence and risk factors of acute hepatic failure after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma].

Background/aims: Although transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a major treatment modality for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), acute hepatic failure after TACE is not rare. However, reports dealing with this important complication are not good enough and results are often variable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and associated risk factors of acute hepatic failure after TACE.

Surgical treatment of malignant mediastinal neurogenic tumors in children.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to identify the role of surgical resection in the treatment of malignant mediastinal neurogenic tumors in children.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight consecutive children, who underwent surgical resection of a malignant mediastinal neurogenic tumor between 1986 and 2004, were included in this study. The tumor cell types were neuroblastoma in 23 patients (60.

Lymphadenectomy extent is closely related to long-term survival in esophageal cancer.

Objective: The optimal extent of lymphadenectomy during esophagectomy for esophageal cancer remains debatable. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of the extent of lymphadenectomy on survival and recurrence after esophagectomy in esophageal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Two hundred thirty-three patients who were operated on between January 1995 and December 2003 due to esophageal cancer were included.

[A case of intraluminal gallbladder hematoma after percutaneous liver biopsy].

Percutaneous liver biopsy is valued in the diagnosis of diffuse or localized liver disease. Serious complications after ultrasonography-guided liver biopsy are rare. We report a case of a 69-year-old man who underwent a percutaneous liver biopsy for the evaluation of his underlying liver disease with subsequent late complication of intraluminal gallbladder hematoma.