Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells cultured at high density express IFN-β and suppress the growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Although it has been reported that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) suppress tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that type I interferon is expressed in adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) cultured at high density, and ASCs and their conditioned medium (ASC-CM) suppress the growth of MCF-7 cells in vitro. Growth inhibition was amplified by glucose deprivation that resulted from high density culture of ASCs after 3days.

Robotic thyroidectomy learning curve for beginning surgeons with little or no experience of endoscopic surgery.

Background: This study assessed the results of robotic thyroidectomy by fellowship-trained surgeons in their initial independent practice, and whether standard fellowship training for robotic surgery shortens the learning curve.

Methods: This prospective cohort study evaluated outcomes in 125 patients who underwent robotic thyroidectomy using gasless transaxillary single-incision technique by 2 recently graduated fellowship-trained surgeons. Learning curves were analyzed by operation time, with proficiency defined as the point at which the slope of the time curve became less steep.

Bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in patients on long-term suppressive levothyroxine therapy for differentiated thyroid cancer.

Purpose: Current management for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer includes near total thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine therapy followed by administration of supraphysiological doses of levothyroxine (L-T4). Although hyperthyroidism is a well known risk factor for osteoporosis, the effects of L-T4 treatment on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with thyroid cancer do not appear to be as significant as with endogenous hyperthyroidism. In this study, we evaluated the impact of long-term suppressive therapy with L-T4 on BMD and bone turn over markers in Korean female patients receiving L-T4 suppressive therapy.

Ultrasonographic guideline for thyroid nodules cytology: single institute experience.

Purpose: The main issue with the current ultrasonography (US) guidelines is the overestimation of malignant and indeterminate nodules as they do not aid in making decisions to treat patients. To overcome this, new US guidelines for thyroid nodules that have been shown to be better correlated with cytologic results have been proposed. We also suggested specific indications for US-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) using the new US guidelines.

Clinical prognostic index for recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma including intraoperative findings.

This study created a new staging system using a risk model that employed clinical factors that were associated with recurrence, verified by preoperative clinical information and intraoperative finding and was compared with other staging systems. A review was conducted of patients who have undergone thyroidectomy and followed-up between January 1, 1983 and September 31, 2007 at Yonsei University Wonju Christian Hospital. The final prognostic staging system was defined as University of Yonsei clinical staging system (Prognostic score = 0.

Hungry bone syndrome after parathyroidectomy of a minimally invasive parathyroid carcinoma.

The prognosis of parathyroid carcinoma varies significantly between numerous studies. Therefore, many attempts have been made to grade the degree of parathyroid carcinoma, and recently, classifying parathyroid carcinomas into either minimally invasive or widely invasive carcinoma- similar to follicular carcinoma of the thyroid- has led to a more reliable prediction of the prognosis. Hungry bone syndrome can occur if parathyroidectomy is performed due to primary hyperparathyroidism regardless of the cause of the disease.

Analysis of prognostic factors in patients with multiple recurrences of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Purpose: Numerous studies in the past have mentioned various factors that influence the recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma, including age, tumor size, advanced stage, extrathyroidal extension, and distant metastasis, and attempts have been made to classify the disease into low-risk and high-risk group based on these clinicopathological factors. However, there has been relatively scarce study on patients with multiple recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma. This study analyzed the risk factors associated with such cases.

Neuron-like differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Purpose: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent and give rise to distinctly differentiated cells from all three germ layers. Neuronal differentiation of MSC has great potential for cellular therapy. We examined whether the cluster of mechanically made, not neurosphere, could be differentiated into neuron-like cells by growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

First report of ovarian dysgerminoma in Cowden syndrome with germline PTEN mutation and PTEN-related 10q loss of tumor heterozygosity.

We present the first report of ovarian dysgerminoma in Cowden syndrome, presenting in a 7-year-old girl. In her second decade, a hamartomatous soft tissue extremity mass and diffuse gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyposis with pathologic features suggestive of either juvenile, Peutz-Jeghers, or Cowden polyps were identified, along with diffuse esophageal glycogenic acanthosis and skin manifestations. During regular thyroid cancer surveillance under the provisional diagnosis of Cowden syndrome, papillary thyroid carcinoma and benign follicular nodules were diagnosed at age 23.