• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.988-994
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• 1998

Background: Chest wall tumors can classified into soft tissue tumors and bone tissue tumors and can be subclassified into benign and malignant tumors. Materials and methods: We report an analysis of 68 patients with primary chest wall tumors treated at the department of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Hanyang University Hospital from January, 1973 to September 1997. Results: Among a total of 68 patients 33(48.5%) were males and 35(51.5%) were females. The ages of the patients ranged from 10 to 79 years with a mean age of 39.3 years. According to the age distribution, 23 patients (33.8%) were from the 4th decade, 12 patients(17.6%) were from the 6th decade, and 10 patients(14.7%) were from the 5th decade. Among the primary chest wall tumors, 53 cases were benign and 15 cases were malignant. Among the benign tumors, 17 cases(32.1%) were in the 4th decade and among the malignant tumors, 6 cases(40%) were in the 4th decade. In both malignant and benign tumors the most common ages were in the 4th decade. The most common tumors were fibrous dysplasia and chondroma, each with a total of 14 cases(26.4%). Osteochondroma and lipoma each had 8 cases(15.1%). Among malignant tumors, osteosarcoma was most common with 8 cases (53.3%). According to location, 49 cases occured in both bone and cartilage tissue, 19 cases occurred in cartilage. Among the presenting symptoms, palpable mass was present in all cases. Fifty-one patients complained of tenderness and among cases with involvement of the lung, 3 patients had complained of respiratory distress. Among the malignant tumors 6 cases underwent a radical operation and 4 cases of benign tumors underwent a radical operation. Postoperativly, there was one case with recurrence from a desmoid tumor. There were no deaths postoperativly and no deaths due to complications(and their postoperative courses were uneventful). Conclusions: Most patients with primary chest wall tumors initially present with mass at admission. Resection is sufficient treatment for benign tumors but in malignant tumors wide resection of the chest wall is needed and mchest wall reconstruction.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2006

Purpose: Various minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as an endoscopic mucosal resection and a laparoscopic gastrectomy, are becoming common practice for some cases of early gastric cancer (EGC) defined in terms of the depth of invasion being limited to the mucosa or submucosa. However, there are rare cases of early gastric cancer with massive lymph-node metastasis. Materials and Methods: From 6 university hospitals of Korea, 2,772 EGC cases were resected during the various period of analysis (1,432 cases of mucosal cancer and 1,340 of submucosal cancer). Results: As control data, we used the data from a single institute, CHA University Hospital. There were nine cases of early gastric cancer (9/2,772, 0.32%) with N3 lymph node metastasis defined by more than 15 lymph nodes being metastasized according to the UICC-TNM classification (pT1N3, stage IV). Two cases were mucosal cancer (2/1,432, 0.1 4%), and seven cases were submucosal cancer (7/1,340, 0.52%). Metastasized lymph nodes varied in number from 18 to 52. There were three male and six female patients with a mean age of 57. This is a totally reversed sex ratio compared to the usual gastric cancer or EGC. Among the total of 9 EGC patients, there were 5 who had superficial spreading carcinomas with surface areas larger than $25\;cm^2$. This is a significantly higher proportion compared to the general EGC population. When we compared the tumor size according to the LN status, the N3 group was definitely larger than the other groups. 78% of the pT1N3 cases showed lymphatic invasion, which is very high compared to the 4.7% in general EGC cases. Among the 9 cases, 6 patients had too short a follow-up period to evaluate the correct prognosis, but there was one patient with a non-curative resection and two patients with early recurrence. Although the sample size is small and the follow-up period is short, we can expect a very poor prognosis when we consider the common prognosis of EGC that is widely known and accepted. Conclusion: From these results, we can a conclude that the risk factors for pT1N3 gastric cancer are female patients, submucosal invasion, larger tumor size, and lymphatic invasion. However rare, the existence of pT1N3 gastric cancer needs to be taken into consideration, especially during the diagnosis. Furthermore, minimally invasive treatment for EGC needs to be chosen with great precaution. Since the prognosis of pT1N3 gastric cancer is expected to be poor, aggressive adjuvant chemotherapy may be necessary. (J Korean Gastric Cancer Assoc 2006;6:109-113)

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.144-151
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• 1994

Background: Miliary tuberculosis almost always results from the discharge of infected caseous material into the blood stream, usually from a well hidden lymph node in the presentation of this disease in the past four decades, and although it is seen less frequent1y today than previously, its presentation and manifestation may require greater suspicion and diligence by the physician. We investigated the clinical characteristics, predisposing factors and accompanying diseases of miliary tuberculosis and tried to acquire the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Methods: A retrospective clinical study was done on 40 cases of miliary tuberculosis admitted to Hanyang University Hospital from Mar. 1989 to Dec.1992. The study investigated age and sex distribution, seasonal distribution, duration of symptoms before admission, pre-disposing factors, clinical symptoms, biochemical findings, chest X-ray findings, extrapulmonary tuberculosis associated with miliary tuberculosis, prognosis and mortality rate. Results: 1) The patients were most common in the age group between 20 and 29(23%) and the ratio of male to female was 1.4:1(male 23 : female 17). 2) Sputum smears for tubercle bacilli were positive in 5 cases(13%). 3) The most common clinical symptoms were fever with chilling(47.5%), coughing(47.5%), second most common symptom was dyspnea(32.5%), and the physical findings on admission were tachycardia(30%), weight loss(27.5%), meningeal signs(17.5%) in order. 4) The predisposing factors were heavy alcohol drinking(6 cases), steroid use(3 cases), pregnancy(2 cases) etc. 5) The chest X-ray findings on admission were miliary shadow only(40%), in addition pneumonic infiltration, pleurisy, and calcification in order. 6) The extrapulmonary tuberculosis associated with miliary tuberculosis were tuberculous meningitis(30%), bone and joint tuberculosis(17.5%), intestinal tuberculosis(15%) in order. 7) Biochemical findings were increased SGOT/SGPT(32.5%), increased alkaline phosphatase(32.5%), hypoalbuminemia(15%), hyponatremia(15%) etc. 8) About 4-6 weeks later after treatment(INH, RFP, PZA, EMB), 26 cases(65%) were improved on clinical symptoms or chest X-ray, 12 cases(30%) were stationary or aggravated, and 2 cases(5%) were died. Conclusion: For the early diagnosis and treatment of miliary tuberculosis, we must see its presentation and manifestation with greater interest and suspicion and investigate its predisposing factors and accompanying diseases.