• Journal of Breast Cancer
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.425-432
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• 2018

Purpose: Pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) is rare, and its cause and prognosis are not well known. Additionally, treatment is limited with respect to the risk to the fetus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and treatment trends of PABC and the survival rate according to the treatment. Methods: In the Korean Breast Cancer Society Registry database, women younger than 50 years and who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 1996 to 2015 were included. PABC was defined as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within 1 year after delivery. Results: We examined 411 patients with PABC and 83,381 patients with non-PABC. Over time, the proportions of patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsy increased, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy administration rates also increased. In the past, the overall survival of patients with PABC was poorer than that of patients with non-PABC, but there was no difference in overall survival rates in more recent years. There was no difference in overall survival rates between patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-2.49; p=0.459), but PABC conferred poorer prognosis than non-PABC in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.27-2.08; p<0.001). Conclusion: There was no difference in the prognosis between patients with PABC and those with non-PABC receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The increase in neoadjuvant chemotherapy according to current treatment guidelines is expected to improve the survival rate of patients with PABC.

• Investigative and Clinical Urology
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.357-362
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• 2018

Purpose: Classic angiomyolipoma (AML) is common benign kidney tumor. However, some studies have claimed that epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML) has malignant potential. We compared the patient characteristics and prognosis of EAML and classic AML to demonstrate predicting factors and poorer prognosis of EAML. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 231 patients who were diagnosed with EAML (n=27, 11.7%) or classic AML (n=204, 88.3%), were reviewed. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scans before operation or needle biopsy. We assessed the age, sex, tumor size, body mass index, comorbidities, and Hounsfield unit (HU) according to each CT phase. We defined the unfavorable group as patients with recurrence, metastasis and death due to tumor progression. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict EAML. Results: EAML patients were younger (41.2 years vs. 49.1 years, p=0.001), predominantly male (55.6% vs. 28.4%, p=0.005), and had a larger tumor (7.5 cm vs. 4.2 cm, p<0.001). The median pre-contrast HU was not significantly different between EAML and classic AML ($29.9{\pm}23.7$ vs. $14.7{\pm}41.0$, p=0.071). In multivariable analysis, younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.96; p=0.032), male sex (OR, 3.33; p=0.013), and tumor larger than 4 cm (OR, 3.8; p=0.009) were significant predictive factors. Five patients (18.5%) had unfavorable outcomes, two patients had lymph node metastasis, and three patients had lung metastasis. Conclusions: Patient and tumor characteristics can be helpful in determining the type of AML preoperatively. Younger age, male sex, and larger tumor mass may increase the possibility of diagnosing EAML. EAML has malignant potential and requires careful follow-up.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.121-131
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• 2019

Purpose: The significance of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in gastric carcinoma (GC) is controversial, leading to ambiguous concepts in traditional classifications. This study aimed to determine the prognostic threshold of meaningful NED in GC and clarify its unclear features in existing classifications. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and neural cell adhesion molecule was performed for 945 GC specimens. Survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test and univariate/multivariate models with percentages of NED ($P_{NED}$) and demographic and clinicopathological parameters. Results: In total, 275 (29.1%) cases were immunoreactive to at least 1 neuroendocrine (NE) marker. GC-NED was more common in the upper third of the stomach. $P_{NED}$, and Borrmann's classification and tumor, lymph node, metastasis stages were independent prognostic factors. The cutoff $P_{NED}$ was 10%, beyond which patients had significantly worse outcomes, although the risk did not increase with higher $P_{NED}$. Tumors with ${\geq}10%$ NED tended to manifest as Borrmann type III lesion with mixed/diffuse morphology and poorer histological differentiation; the NE components in this population mainly grew in insulae/nests, which differed from the predominant growth pattern (glandular/acinar) in GC with <10% NED. Conclusions: GC with ${\geq}10%$ NED should be classified as a distinct subtype because of its worse prognosis, and more attention should be paid to the necessity of additional therapeutics for NE components.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.329-343
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• 2019

Purpose: Gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis (LNM) more than 15 (N3b) was defined as stage IV until the 6th AJCC system. However, it has been reclassified as a localized disease (stage IIb or III) since the 7th system. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that the survival of N3b is comparable to cytology-only positive (CY1-only) stage IV and to propose a new TNM system interpreting N3b as an eligibility criterion for receiving more intensive chemotherapy regimens. Materials and Methods: 1,430 patients who underwent gastric cancer surgery at Seoul National University Hospital from 2007 to 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. The 5-year survival rate (5YSR) and 3-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) were evaluated according to the 7th and 8th systems, as well as a new categorization based on N-classification; N0-2 (LNM<7), N3a (LNM 7-15), or N3b (LNM>15). Results: The survival of N3b is comparable to that of CY1-only stage IV (log rank test, P=0.671) and is distinct from that of grossly stage IV (log rank test, P<0.001). The survival of the remaining stage IIIc (T4bN3a) was comparable to those of N3b and CY1-only stage IV. Most N3b patients had significantly shorter 3-year RFS and mean RFS than those with IIb-IIIc, as if N3b itself was a higher TNM stage. Conclusions: In terms of survival, T4bN3a, N3b, and CY1-only stage IV were unified as stage IVa, while grossly stage IV was defined as stage IVb. N3b can be regarded as an eligibility criterion for undergoing more intensive chemotherapy regimens.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제82권1호
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• pp.81-85
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• 2019

Background: Bronchoscopy is a useful diagnostic and therapeutic tool. However, the clinical use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in adults with acute respiratory failure for diagnostic and invasive procedures has not been well evaluated. We present our experiences of well-tolerated diagnostic bronchoscopy as well as cases of improved saturation in hypoxaemic patients after a therapeutic bronchoscopic procedure. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of hypoxaemic patients who had undergone bronchoscopy for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes from October 2015 to February 2017. Results: Ten patients (44-75 years of age) were enrolled. The clinical purposes of bronchoscopy were for diagnosis in seven patients and for intervention in three patients. For the diagnoses, we performed bronchoalveolar lavage in six patients. One patient underwent endobronchial ultrasonography with transbronchial needle aspiration of a lymph node to investigate tumour involvement. Patients who underwent bronchoscopy for therapeutic interventions had endobronchial mass or blood clot removal with cryotherapy for bleeding control. The mean saturation ($SpO_2$) of pre-bronchoscopy in room air was 84.1%. The lowest and highest mean saturation with HFNC during the procedure was 95% and 99.4, respectively. The mean saturation in room air post-bronchoscopy was 87.4%, which was 3.3% higher than the mean room air $SpO_2$ pre-bronchoscopy. Seven patients with diagnostic bronchoscopy had no hypoxic event. Three patients with interventional bronchoscopy showed improvement in saturation after the procedure. Bronchoscopy was well tolerated in all 10 cases. Conclusion: This study suggests that the use of HFNC in hypoxaemic patients during diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopy procedures has clinical effectiveness.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제55권1호
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• pp.49-54
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• 2022

Background: We compared the safety and effectiveness of robotic anatomical resection and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the records of 4,283 patients, in whom an attempt was made to perform minimally invasive anatomical resection for lung cancer at Seoul National University Hospital from January 2011 to July 2020. Of these patients, 138 underwent robotic surgery and 4,145 underwent VATS. Perioperative outcomes were compared after propensity score matching including age, sex, height, weight, pulmonary function, smoking status, performance status, comorbidities, type of resection, combined bronchoplasty/angioplasty, tumor size, clinical T/N category, histology, and neoadjuvant treatment. Results: In total, 137 well-balanced pairs were obtained. There were no cases of 30-day mortality in the entire cohort. Conversion to thoracotomy was required more frequently in the VATS group (VATS 6.6% vs. robotic 0.7%, p=0.008). The complete resection rate (VATS 97.8% vs. robotic 98.5%, p=1.000) and postoperative complication rate (VATS 17.5% vs. robotic 19.0%, p=0.874) were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The robotic group showed a slightly shorter hospital stay (VATS 5.8±3.9 days vs. robotic 5.0±3.6 days, p=0.052). N2 nodal upstaging (cN0/pN2) was more common in the robotic group than the VATS group, but without statistical significance (VATS 4% vs. robotic 12%, p=0.077). Conclusion: Robotic anatomical resection in lung cancer showed comparable early outcomes when compared to VATS. In particular, robotic resection presented a lower conversion-to-thoracotomy rate. Furthermore, a robotic approach might improve lymph node harvesting in the N2 station.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.97-103
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• 2023

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, systemic inflammatory disorder that often targets coronary arteries. Being the common cause of acquired heart disease in children, timely diagnosis and intravenous immunoglobulin treatment are crucial. However, it is challenging for physicians to diagnose KD if it presents with atypical manifestations. We report the case of a 5-year-old boy who initially presented with appendicitis; after an appendectomy, he had a prolonged fever. He was finally diagnosed with atypical KD and successfully recovered after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment. Through a literature review, we found 21 cases of appendicitis associated with KD. In most cases, the patients were male with a mean age of 5.3 years. Most had higher proportions of incomplete KD and coronary artery complications than expected for typical KD. In conclusion, appendicitis could be a rare complication of KD; therefore, multidisciplinary cooperation and early recognition of atypical KD are essential for timely diagnosis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2022

Subcutaneous abscesses, which occur mainly in goats and sheep, are lymph node abscesses caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection, and are divided into internal, external, and mixed types depending on the type of occurrence. While diagnostic methods for subcutaneous abscesses have been continuously studied, research reports for effective treatment and management of subcutaneous abscesses are inadequate. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the changes in biometric information related to the inflammatory markers of goats induced by subcutaneous abscesses by infection with C. pseudotuberculosis. For this, hematological tests, analysis of inflammatory indicators, and analysis of serum proteins through electrophoresis separation of goats with healthy goats and goats inoculated with C. pseudotuberculosis to induce subcutaneous abscesses were compared and analyzed by date, and the differences and characteristics were identified periodically. As a result, in goats induced with subcutaneous abscesses, anemia findings related to a rapid decrease in red blood cell (RBC), hematocrit (HCT), and hemoglobin (Hb) were observed, and a significant increase in inflammatory cells expressed in total white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, and monocytes was observed. And the levels of acute phase protein (APP) such as fibrinogen, haptoglobin, and serum amyloid A (SAA) were observed to increase rapidly immediately after infection. In addition, in the results of electrophoretic analysis of serum proteins, it was observed that the levels of α-globulin and β-globulin were significantly increased in goats with subcutaneous abscesses. That is, when looking at these changes, it was found that the systemic inflammatory response of goats was rapidly induced immediately after infection with the C. pseudotuberculosis pathogen. Through this study, it was possible to identify changes in the biomarkers of goats with subcutaneous abscesses, which had not been reported. Furthermore, these analyzed data are thoughts to be of great help in identifying, treating, and managing the goats of subcutaneous abscesses.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.35-38
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• 2015

62-year-old patient who had past history of endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer at September 2008, underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophagus for early esophageal cancer at mid esophagus during health screening service. Because there was a high risk of lymph node metastasis at biopsy results, concurrent chemoradiotherapy was added to endoscopic submucosal dissection. There was a metachronous cancer at mid-esophagus at March 2013. He underwent endoscopic mucosal resection and photodynamic therapy. Concurrentchemoradiotherapy after endoscopic submucosal dissection is an effective treatment method.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.69-72
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• 2018

Mucinous adenocarcinoma occurs in 1.6-25.4% of patients with colorectal cancer. We report a case of a 27-year-old man with negative findings on initial colonoscopic biopsy, but finally diagnosed with mucinous adenocarcinoma of the colon. After undergoing an abdominal CT due to persistent abdominal pain, he was transferred to our hospital. The abdominal CT showed a diffuse and irregular wall thickening in the distal transverse colon. Due to the edema and stenosis of colonic wall, it was difficult to insert the colonoscope into the proximal region; a biopsy revealed chronic colitis with lymphofollicular hyperplasia. Transverse colectomy and lymph node dissection were performed. The diagnosis was mucinous adenocarcinoma of approximately 20×4.5 cm. Compared to adenocarcinoma, mucinous adenocarcinoma is found in a younger population with an advanced stage and is less responsive to palliative chemotherapy. Therefore, recalcitrant abdominal pain even in young people warrants early detection through appropriate examinations such as abdominal CT and colonoscopy.